Travel journal: This is why we can't have nice things

A week of surveying the greater Boise, Idaho region has left me worn out and unsatisfied.

• Food quality at restaurants in this area has not been good. Two out of four times I got sick. Today the fifth restaurant seems okay for living nearby.
  
• There's no shortage of Walmart and Lowe's to park my car. But it's not the best place to rest, because many people go in and out.
  
• Lots of parks, but they are patrolled at night and are across from people's homes.
  
• The last difficulty remains where I can sit at my laptop during the day. There's plenty of McDonald's around for short term use. However, libraries are sparse and not very spacious or accommodating with hours of operation. 

Overall, the main problem with this area is it's too residential around the shopping and dining centers. It's hard to get breathing room away from people.

It's quite remarkable how well planned and straight the city streets are. Arranged in a regular grid and appropriated for different uses: agriculture, industry, housing, retail.

See all those grey squares with squiggly streets? Those are housing. Much of this region is heavily populated. It explains why there are so many parks and commercial services that I'm happy to make use of. The problem is having nice things attracts a lot of people.