Arriving in Maine was a relief. My final flight, from JFK to Portland wasn’t terrible. I sat next to a stereotype (pretentious business guy, balding, in a cheap suit, with a leather bag, and sunglasses that cost more than my laptop). He kept trying to fall asleep on my shoulder. Awkward.

The Portland airport was refreshingly small and easy to navigate. Baggage came out quickly and we were on our way. After being too cheap to buy a sandwich at JFK I was starving, so Paul suggested we go to Nosh Kitchen Bar, a place he had raved about a few months back.

The Nosh Burger – The patty is made of ground beef chuck, beef brisket, pork shoulder, bacon, garlic, and rosemary. It is topped with pork belly, bleu cheese spread, garlic sauce, and a fried egg, served atop a brioche bun. Holy moly! Also pictured: bacon dusted fries.

Nosh has been featured on Man vs. Food (YouTube) for their Apocalypse Now Burger, a meat and cheese monstrosity topped with seared foie gras and cherry jam. To protect people like me from actually consuming a delicious burger like that, they price it at $20. So instead, I opted for the baby-brother, which is simply titled The Nosh Burger.

After lunch we jumped in the car and made our way Milford, where Paul has an apartment. I slept off and on, trying to overcome jetlag and overall lack of sleep. We stopped in Orono and picked up another of Paul’s friends, Ben, who was in town from Vegas visiting family and friends.

The next few days will be packing, visiting Paul’s family, and exploring Maine.