On the road again: Austin, day 1

I'm writing this post while enduring the worst hotel bandwidth in recent memory.  The Round Rock Marriott, where I'm staying (and where I usually stay when here), is delivering simply the slowest, most terrible bandwidth I've experienced in a very long while.  A 6.5MB email message attachment took 12 minutes to download.  12 minutes.

I can only hope the situation improves.

Much of today, as bad luck would have it, has been about slowness.  My plane out of New Orleans was slow and ultimately late to depart, because it was late to arrive.  I thus missed my flight out of DFW, a development whose only up side was getting to enjoy a lovely Red Mango parfait.  I caught the next flight, which promptly...sat and was late, thanks to a late-arriving crew. 

My checked bag did reach Austin with me, for which I am grateful.

My next frustration came courtesy of Dollar Rent-a-Car, where the service was the worst I've yet experienced from a rental car company.  This picture of the slot through which they used to slide the key and contract (they've now blocked the slot with some computer gear) really sums up the sad state of that place. 

Yes, that roach is dead, no doubt from waiting for the key to its vehicle. 

I spent most of the next many hours working while cursing the horrid bandwidth.  The exceptions were not quite two hours for dinner and dessert, my traditional visits to The County Line On the Lake and the Arboretum Amy's.  Both were, as always, delicious.

Now, finally, I can crash.