...I revisit Atlanta and decide that despite never truly having visited it I really like it: 23C, sunny and smiling black airport staff all over (including one mop guy in the bathroom singing blues classics).
...I pick up my big bag again (duh!) and after a short wait get my rental car. It works beautifully - I make the payment, go to the parking garage and am told by a smiling clerk to pick any car from row C - the keys are inside(!)
...I am faced with one nasty surprise: the minimum rental period for the booking was 24 h so I chose that. But my flight is in 12 hours. My clerk, uncertain, says I might be charged an early return penalty. Say what??! Fortunately no such thing happens.
...I take my new Focus out and am happy to say it has all the bells and whistles for being a budget choice, including a back up camera. Not too powerful but very economical. Coupled with historically low gas prices I end up refilling the tank (I did 250km with it) for US$5!!!
...I am surprised to see Georgians drive pretty dynamically (doesn't mean unsafe), don't adhere to speed limits religiously and some even run red lights. Must be the New Years rush...
...I pick up my ups deliveries (same shop, same clerks as last year!!), go to a mall 1h away for shopping and pick up my favorite Popeyes chicken at a drive thru on the way. Ah, the sentimental taste! I love it!
...I splurge a little on Xmas clothing sales and find it hard to squeeze it all into my carry-on (and I was already overweight in Amsterdam and Chicago!)
...I buy my T-Mobile SIM card from a nice black clerk called Hallelujah (if you can believe it!) and board the flight to Santiago!