This begins the Texas arc of Roadside Picnic.

In London, there’s an area called Canary Wharf, known for its many financial skyscrapers. Imagine relocating that area to the outskirts of Ryazan, amidst industrial repair garages, and then cranking up the heat to 35 degrees Celsius at 9 PM. That’s Austin. But perhaps this impression is just the result of exhaustion after a 10-hour flight, and tomorrow everything will seem different.

By the way, the birds at the airport were wonderful.