PhuturePriest Posted June 7, 2014 Share Posted June 7, 2014 (edited) I've made a very good friend there, and I'm planning to fly over there after my birthday in October. Anything I shouldn't miss out on? Also, I've never flown on a plane before or gone on a trip alone, so if you have any advice concerning those things that would be great as well. Edited June 7, 2014 by FuturePriest387 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nihil Obstat Posted June 7, 2014 Share Posted June 7, 2014 Do me a favour. Visit the Gerber factory and tell them to stop making crappy knives. Their products are junk. They should learn from Benchmade and Spyderco. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Basilisa Marie Posted June 7, 2014 Share Posted June 7, 2014 AHHHH you'll practically be in my back yard! I don't know if I'll still be home in October, but AHHH exciting!!! How long do you have in Portland? There's a lot of stuff you can do. You can check out Powell's City of Books (the one on Burnside is the largest independent bookstore in the country, taking up a city block, multiple floors, and it's got a rare book room), and VooDoo Donuts is really close by to it (they're legendary and that part of town will give you a great authentic Portland cultural experience, if you know what I mean). The Portland Underground tours are fun if you've got some cash and time to burn. They go into the history of Portland with secret tunnels and bootleggers. For food try one of the food carts, Portland is big on food carts. DEFINITELY check out the Grotto. Beautiful gardens, a glass-walled chapel with an overlook of the area, and monks! Expect it to be wet. I mean actively raining pretty much the whole time. Layers are the best way to deal with the weather. Overcast, damp, and 50s. As far as flying alone goes, you'll be fine! Airports are usually really easy to navigate as long as you can read the massive signs, and if you do get stuck just go up to any gate agent at a counter and ask for help. I find it's easier to fly with only carry-ons, partly because it's cheaper and partly so I don't have to wait for baggage claim. Hotel-sized toiletries are your friend. I usually have two copies of my e-tickets (or at least two copies of my confirmation code if I haven't printed out my tickets before the airport) on my person, one in my pocket and one in my bag, just in case. When you go through the security line, have your ID and tickets ready for them to check, then you can put your ID away (but they like you to have your ticket out, why I don't know). They'll make you take off any belts, shoes, and jackets to go through the scanner while you go through the massive spinny x-ray machine. After security and you've put your stuff back in order, find your gate first. If you don't know which one, go find a big monitor with "departures" and find your city and flight number, it'll tell you. Once you get to your gate, figure out how much time you have before they start boarding (they board 30 minutes or so before take off) and then go find a ridiculously overpriced snack or beverage. I recommend semi-healthy food, it's easier on my stomach. Your ears might pop on the way up and the way down on the flight, so try drinking something or chewing gum, because your ears can get really sore. Try to get a window seat so you can admire the view. If you can snag a seat in the exit row without paying extra, do that, you'll get extra leg room. YAY I'm so excited for you. :) I'll spare you my horror stories from the first time I flew by myself. :evil: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lilllabettt Posted June 7, 2014 Share Posted June 7, 2014 ehhhhhhhhhhhhh. plan seems iffy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Credo in Deum Posted June 7, 2014 Share Posted June 7, 2014 Just watch out for Wesen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lilllabettt Posted June 7, 2014 Share Posted June 7, 2014 I mean, traveling alone for the first time, shortly after 18th birthday, to meet someone you know from ...... is it the internet? Just saying. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Credo in Deum Posted June 7, 2014 Share Posted June 7, 2014 I mean, traveling alone for the first time, shortly after 18th birthday, to meet someone you know from ...... is it the internet? Just saying. How about you have a seat right over there...yeah...right over there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChristinaTherese Posted June 7, 2014 Share Posted June 7, 2014 (edited) I'm from Portland. But I won't be around then. Powells is a nice place, but it's kinda huge and I don't really like it. The hole-in-the-wall bookstores I've found up here in Seattle (I haven't wandered Portland as much) are more to my liking. The coast is nice, even if it's stormy. The only thing with bad weather is that the wind can make opening doors difficult. And maybe closing them. The Columbia Gorge is gorgeous, and has great waterfalls and hiking. My favorite thing to do is just jump in the car and drive down country roads. I mean to wander, but I generally end up at a Trappist Abbey near home... go figure. If you say what you like, I might be able to say more stuff. And, I'll second Lilllabettt. Where do you know this guy from? How are you sure it's okay? (We just want to make sure you're safe, not be your nanny or something.) Edited June 7, 2014 by Christina Thérèse Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhuturePriest Posted June 7, 2014 Author Share Posted June 7, 2014 AHHHH you'll practically be in my back yard! I don't know if I'll still be home in October, but AHHH exciting!!! How long do you have in Portland? There's a lot of stuff you can do. You can check out Powell's City of Books (the one on Burnside is the largest independent bookstore in the country, taking up a city block, multiple floors, and it's got a rare book room), and VooDoo Donuts is really close by to it (they're legendary and that part of town will give you a great authentic Portland cultural experience, if you know what I mean). The Portland Underground tours are fun if you've got some cash and time to burn. They go into the history of Portland with secret tunnels and bootleggers. For food try one of the food carts, Portland is big on food carts. DEFINITELY check out the Grotto. Beautiful gardens, a glass-walled chapel with an overlook of the area, and monks! Expect it to be wet. I mean actively raining pretty much the whole time. Layers are the best way to deal with the weather. Overcast, damp, and 50s. As far as flying alone goes, you'll be fine! Airports are usually really easy to navigate as long as you can read the massive signs, and if you do get stuck just go up to any gate agent at a counter and ask for help. I find it's easier to fly with only carry-ons, partly because it's cheaper and partly so I don't have to wait for baggage claim. Hotel-sized toiletries are your friend. I usually have two copies of my e-tickets (or at least two copies of my confirmation code if I haven't printed out my tickets before the airport) on my person, one in my pocket and one in my bag, just in case. When you go through the security line, have your ID and tickets ready for them to check, then you can put your ID away (but they like you to have your ticket out, why I don't know). They'll make you take off any belts, shoes, and jackets to go through the scanner while you go through the massive spinny x-ray machine. After security and you've put your stuff back in order, find your gate first. If you don't know which one, go find a big monitor with "departures" and find your city and flight number, it'll tell you. Once you get to your gate, figure out how much time you have before they start boarding (they board 30 minutes or so before take off) and then go find a ridiculously overpriced snack or beverage. I recommend semi-healthy food, it's easier on my stomach. Your ears might pop on the way up and the way down on the flight, so try drinking something or chewing gum, because your ears can get really sore. Try to get a window seat so you can admire the view. If you can snag a seat in the exit row without paying extra, do that, you'll get extra leg room. YAY I'm so excited for you. :) I'll spare you my horror stories from the first time I flew by myself. :evil: Thanks! I don't know how long I'd be there, but it'll probably be a weekend. My friend is a former seminarian I met through another seminarian friend, and he lives right by the cathedral. I'm thankfully not afraid of flying, and I'm actually thinking of being a certified commercial airline pilot, but I don't know much about the airport experience, so any and all advice is appreciated, haha. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maggyie Posted June 7, 2014 Share Posted June 7, 2014 I posted this in the other Portland thread and I will post it here too because I traffic in stereotypes. http://youtu.be/AVmq9dq6Nsg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Perigrina Posted June 7, 2014 Share Posted June 7, 2014 My experience of airports involve a lot of standing around in lines and waiting. It might be useful to have something along to do while waiting. I like having light fiction to read and then I can read on the plane too. I don't usually like the movies that are available. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Basilisa Marie Posted June 7, 2014 Share Posted June 7, 2014 I second the Gorge. :) Christina Therese, you mean the abbey in Lafayette? I love that place! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChristinaTherese Posted June 7, 2014 Share Posted June 7, 2014 I most definitely do. And the trails are a huge plus. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhuturePriest Posted June 8, 2014 Author Share Posted June 8, 2014 I second the Gorge. :) Christina Therese, you mean the abbey in Lafayette? I love that place! I most definitely do. And the trails are a huge plus. So, we're planning for it to be a week-long trip. He wants to rent a beach house for a day so we can visit the ocean as well. Seeing the ocean is particularly important for me, as I live in Kansas and have only seen the ocean once, and it was the Gulf of Mexico, so it wasn't exactly water you wanted to swim in. :P I spoke with the seminarian friend who I met this other guy through, and he told me that he's very good friends with him and completely trusts him (he himself is going to visit him pretty soon), and that I don't have anything to worry about. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChristinaTherese Posted June 8, 2014 Share Posted June 8, 2014 The coast isn't necessarily swimming water either. ;) But that really depends on where you go. There are beaches, and there is sheer, raw, wild beauty. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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