Denver...

I don't really know if I could ever live in a bigger city than Boise, at least a bigger American one.  The main reason isn't even because of huge cities, tons of traffic, throngs of people downtown.  More than anything else, is the astonishing amount of urban and suburban sprawl. Our hotels in "Denver" (or is it Littleton, Aurora, Centennial, etc.????) are in the middle of an area that can be best described as the Eagle/Meridian hybrid of franchises and 6-lane streets, like the corner of Chinden and Eagle road multiplied a thousand times.  It's awful.  The hotel rooms are really nice, with their own kitchenette, a couch, full-size desk, and a better continental breakfast than I've ever had at home.

The Denver orientation is going alright.  I know more now about 100% fall protection (full harnesses must be worn at heights, of 4 feet or more) and I know how to safetly erect a scaffolding (theoretically).  Today was the General Deployment orientation, and they ran through some really relevant information, like payroll, insurance, and, most excitingly, TRAVEL!  Lynn Dorman from the Travel dept. started her presentation out by saying "Hey guys, you have the most extreme commute in the world!"  That's true, we do have to travel a few thousand miles...

We had pizza for lunch two days in a row at Orientation (blehhhhh, not good pizza either) and after eating a frozen dinner from the hotel store for dinner last night, my body was hating me.  So I went to "JOY", the Japanese bistro/sushi place next to the hotel and had a couple rolls.  I absolutely hate going out by myself in any fashion, whether it's to a movie, coffee, shopping, and especially out to eat.  So I was delighted when I walked into the sushi place to see another GA on my crew, Chris, eating dinner there with his girlfriend.  She'll be a GA at the South Pole, but doesn't deploy until later in October.  They're bummed that they couldn't both get hired at Pole (Chris is in McMurdo with me) because they might not see each other for about 4 months.  I've only been away from Josh for two weeks and I'm already going crazy!

"I think tomorrow is going to be a hungry day," Chis prophesized, and I think he's gonna be right.  After our morning training, we're dropped off at the Denver airport with our baggage, and get left there until our flight at 4:30.  No lunch provided, and not even the opportunity to go outside of an airport for the next 36 hours or so...so I'm hoping to snag enough hotel breakfast food in Ziploc bags to tide me over in the first airport, at least.  After that, it's airplane food and clif bars for me!  (trying to save my per diem).

The next time you hear from me, I'll probably be in Christchurch!