It’s 5am in KC, which means it’s 6am in New Hampshire, which means I’m up already despite the two drinks at the hotel bar last night.
KC seems nice. I haven’t had a chance to wander much, but the area around the convention center is definitely 100% tailored for conventions. Four or five big hotels around one square, and the convention center on one side of that square, which means that my hotel is 100 yards from the front entrance of the Worldcon facility. This is much better than the arrangement in Spokane last year, where we had to drive or take a shuttle bus for a mile and a half because the con hotels were all over the place and not within easy walking distance. (Also, Missouri is not on fire, and it doesn’t smell like a badly stoked barbecue grill outside.)
Travel went super smooth yesterday. No delays, the usual short TSA line in Manchester, and a layover in Detroit that was just long enough to switch terminals in no hurry and grab a sandwich, but not so long as to be a boring pain in the ass. When I got to Kansas City, I tried an experiment and hailed my first Uber ever, and I must say that I was impressed. It took 5 minutes for the driver to get there, the fare was half of what a cab would have cost me, and I didn’t have to deal with cash or swiping cards. I think I’ll use them from now on instead of surly cabbies who drive like NASCAR hopefuls.
The only fly in the ointment yesterday was the hotel bar, which forgot my dinner order. I ended up waiting for my food for 45 minutes, but took the time to have the aforementioned two cocktails. On the plus side, the bartender was so mortified that she comped my whole dinner, drinks and all, and I tipped her $20 because it wasn’t her fault the kitchen was watching the ball game or whatever. And I ran into Ann Leckie again, who is one of the nicest people in the genre, so that was a lovely end to the evening.
Today: more Worldconning. I’m meeting up with friends and walking the convention floor today, and then there’s a party tonight. (There are parties every night at Worldcon, which is What We Do when we get together at our annual nerd proms.) So if you’re there and see me around, stop and say hi!
And now I’ll see if I can get some fiction-wording done before breakfast…
You’re *in* NH, or you *were* in NH? I live about 20 miles from Manchester, and would love a chance to meet you if you are local or visiting! I’d have to pick up a book to sign, as all my copies are audiobooks on Audible. *LOVE* them!!
Welcome to KC! Won’t be able to get downtown to meet you, but really wanted to say hello, welcome, and I like your books!
If there’s any questions about KC or things like where to find the best BBQ or the best steak, drop me a note.
I think you’ll find the hospitality and overall ambiance of this part of the country welcoming.
Keep up the good work, and enjoy your stay!
Pete
(Just an old voracious sci-fi fan who cut his teeth on Heinlein, Asimov, and Clarke starting circa 45 years ago.)