Fairly good trip
The trip today had its good sides and its not so good ones. The not so good ones included a delayed flight — surprise, surprise. And Alaska Airlines’ hunger for data.
Fortunately we left “only” 40 minutes late (8:05 instead of 7:25) and we were able to make up about 15 minutes, so we were delayed by 25 minutes in the end. Not great, considering that the plane was just sitting in Vancouver the whole time that we were delayed (boarding didn’t start till 7:25/7:30 for whatever reason), but not too bad either. I consider everything under an hour not too bad. It could have been 3+ hours like last time.
I’ve decided I don’t like Alaska Airlines, though. For the first time ever, at checkin time they thoughly pre-screened me. They looked at my passport and not just for ID purposes. They entered passport information into their computer system, checked my customs form and entered my hotel address as well. This has never happened to me before. Unless this is due to new security regulations that were implemented within the last month, Alaska Airlines are data junkies. I don’t like that so much. They are an airline, not a government. What do they need my passport number for? At Vancouver Airport it’s not like they are running the risk of having to fly me back if I am denied entry to the US. I have to go through US immigration before even leaving Canada. So that didn’t make a whole lot of sense to me.
However, clearing immigration itself was a good experience). There was no doubting my words, no second guessing, no asking the same questions two, three times or any of the other unpleasant things I have experienced before. It is possible, it seems.
Hertz was nice to me, as well. They gave me another Hyundai Sonata, which I quite like. No Chevrolet Cobalt crap this time. 
I’m almost off for the day. Getting tired. I got up at 4:45am this morning. Yeppers. That bites. I’ll guess I’ll have dinner somewhere in downtown San Jose tonight. We’ll see what I can find.
