Day 6 - 16.02.2022

The night in our super luxury Airbnb was very relaxing. Absolutely no noise reached my ears, and the location is really great apart from the neighborhood. I didn't even hear the train passing by next door. The insulation must be really top-notch.

No breakfast today, because Tom and Jen have to leave pretty early and their Uber will be at the door at 8:30 am. The driver seems shady and Tom said afterwards that it was the worst Uber ride of his life. The goodbye is short and painless because we'll see each other in a few hours.

Rose and I go our separate ways. She wants to go shopping. I'm going to the aquarium. The biggest one in the world, as I've heard. And it's truly impressive. Of course, one can be critical of the fact that animals are kept outside their natural habitat. But considering the huge tanks and the constant reminders that they do a lot for the conservation of wildlife, I'm a little more relaxed about it.

After 2 hours of constant traffic, I realize that Coca-Cola World is just across the street. So, I decide to check out this place of joy as well. Such a contrast. A lifeless thing gets a whole museum. There are advertisements everywhere, and it feels like being in a commercial. Even the silly polar bear wobbles in and you can take pictures with him.

Two rooms are particularly interesting. One is where they present the different fragrances and you can match them to the drinks. And the other one where you can taste the drinks and different flavors of Coke, Fanta, etc. Two of them are from Germany - Mezzomix and Bonaqua.

Most of them don't taste particularly special, but they're okay. Two flavors are really awful. One is Fanta sour plum from China. I really couldn't swallow it, it's so disgusting. The other one is Russian Sprite. It tastes normal like ours, but incredibly bitter afterwards. Like medicine. Who drinks that?

I walk around Atlanta for a bit and my phone runs out of battery. So, I ask Rose to pick me up at a location and together we pick up the car that is still at the apartment. The drive to the airport is a bit complicated because I take two wrong exits. It's easy to get confused with 6 lanes.

Since I don't know where to go at the airport, we arrive way too early. Everything is very relaxed and you really don't need to rush in the USA. Everyone is willing to help and things run smoothly because they've been practiced a thousand times.

At a bar in the airport, I meet Jimmy from Huntsville, Alabama. He was on a business trip in Atlanta and is flying back today. His flight lasts for 30 minutes. When I ask him if it's worth it, he just laughs. Probably a dumb question from a European. But the small talk with him is very pleasant, and that's something that is constantly possible here. Just chatting for half an hour.

After 4 hours at the airport, our flight finally takes off on time. We watch movies and enjoy the American hospitality, which is limited to chips and drinks. Gin and tonic. In San Diego, we quickly get our luggage and head to the Uber stand. Interestingly, the prices change every few minutes, and what used to cost $80 now costs only $50 when booking. A few minutes later, it's back to $80 again.

Abdul from Somalia turns out to be a really nice driver, unlike Tom's experience, a real win, and at 11:00 pm I'm actually at the motel. Rose gets a ride from Tom, who lives just a 15-minute walk away.

However, checking in turns out to be a bigger hassle. I've been here four years ago and everything was somehow nicer. My room has definitely aged a lot, and the TV doesn't work. And since I know that there's no hope of it getting fixed, I say that I want to watch TV now. After the owner pressed buttons for 15 minutes, she gives me another room. Result: the TV still doesn't work. So, back to the reception again and this time I'm a bit annoyed. I then get a third room and the TV works. It also seems to be a bit more modern and has two beds. She wasn't really thrilled to give that one away.

Anyway, I finally get to bed at midnight, watch some Star Wars on my working TV, and eventually fall asleep relatively tired. It feels like it's 3:00 am now, and it's crazy to think that you fly for just under 5 hours and leave behind 3 time zones. California is 9 hours ahead of us, Georgia only 6. Nuts.