A Night Flight to Monterey

I had a whole lotta pictures from this flight, but so many of them turned out blurry. It’s amazing how bumpy an airplane suddenly can be when you’re trying to take night shots.

Without a flash, one has to hold veeeewy stiiiiiw. Thanks, Elmer Fudd.

Any suggestions from the experts on how to get better shots at night when flying? I try to hold as still as humanly possible…

Since I don’t have beautiful night landscape pictures from the sky (the best place ever), perhaps the few that did turn out will be that much more special, right?

Ooooo. Ahhhhhh.

We had a seven o’clock departure from our base airport on a Sunday evening and will return Tuesday a few days later. This was actually the Sunday just before Thanksgiving, and I was thrilled to get to work for a few days before a drought over the holiday week.

I was also thrilled to be returning to a place that I simply didn’t get enough of the first time that I was here. Hello, Monterey, California!

Here is proof that we did indeed fly there tonight. We are past the turn from Palmdale heading north towards Monterey. Thanks to flying so late on a weekend night, we were able to cut through military airspace because it was closed.

You know that I love shortcuts!

Just use your imagination…there are lots of beautiful cities all lit up while we fly along above. As we approach our airport, the coastal city of Monterey glows a happy welcome. It’s surprisingly a cloud-free night, and the views are incredible!

Fast-forward a few minutes, and here we are on the ground in Monterey! It’s nice and chilly tonight. This is the first trip this year that I brought a jacket with me. Even though it’s California, Monterey is towards the north (just south and west of San Jose), so it is always a little cooler than its friends to the south.

Like Sister San Diego and Senor Los Angeles.

This Gulfstream landed just after us and taxied in. After getting my passengers on their way in the rental car, I was by Gladys to admire this beauty as he entered the ramp.

Most nice pilots turn off their lights to avoid blinding other guys about to go fly. I guess they thought that we were through for the day…or they are big Gulfstream pilots and don’t care about the rest of us.

I’m going to go with the first one. Most pilots that I meet are super nice and oh-so thoughtful.

Hi, Pretty Girl! We parked at Del Monte Aviation again, which is just wonderful.

I’m a little slow to figure this out, but this is where the Del Monte family began its fame with canned fruit and veggies. I’m sure that you’ve heard of them. They own half the town! My hotel was situated on Del Monte Avenue…

These next few pictures crack me up, but they aren’t blurry. So I have to include them.

I find them funny because I take pictures to show you where I stay…but it doesn’t compete with other bloggers I’ve seen who post stays in five-star, fancy-schmancy hotels.

Ummmm, I don’t stay in places like that. And why would I when I have a perfectly decent Holiday Inn Express to call home for a few days?

This is the gourmet bed area.

Oh, and over here we have a very nice writing desk area. Please note the granite countertop. I’m not a complete barbarian!

I actually spent lots of time in this chair reading a book during my visit. It was really cold outside, and I don’t mind reading a good book inside where it’s warm and rather nautical.

Also, when I booked the hotel, which was more expensive than I wanted but that’s what you get in California resort towns, it appeared closer to all of the action. When I arrived, I found out that Cannery Row and the Harbor were still about five miles away.

I like to walk around when I am visiting cities for work, but not that much. Ten miles round-trip is a little much, even for me!

Have I ever mentioned to you how much that I hate baths? It is in direct opposition to how very much that I love showers. I always get excited when I see hotels that only have a shower option for me to enjoy. Yay!

Oooooo. Ahhhhhh. Over here, we have a tropical vanity. Very nice indeed.

Really, who needs more than three stars?! (Why is my hand raised? Dangit, Hand, get down!)

And, finally this was my favorite part of my room. The view. There was indeed water right in front of the hotel, just as the picture on their website confirmed, but it certainly wasn’t ocean water. It was a pretty little pond.

And a Home Depot.

In the distance, you can see the ocean. But I didn’t brave the temperatures in the fifties to go visit it from my hotel room. Really, that’s like one-third of temperatures that I’m used to.

Tomorrow, we’ll go explore downtown Monterey. It will be so much fun! You can see it here in the distance where the land curves around the sea.

Hi, Monterey! Tomorrow!