Faking It? Absolutely!
Winning the holiday of a lifetime – stays in a dozen of the Leading Hotels of the World – with economy class airfare and enough spending money for a pizza now and then made for an entertaining trip. The holiday of a lifetime was certainly that, but perhaps not in the way originally envisaged!
Taxi 66
The guy in the back seat, a fairly chunky sort of fella, caught sight of the “Route 66″ keyring I have bluetacked to the dashboard. It’s one I bought at the Route 66 museum in Chandler, OK last year, and I keep it there for daydreaming purposes. That half day spent exploring the old road between Tulsa and Oklahoma City was a very happy one!
If this is Samedi…
One stallholder was slicing meat patties in half – two semicircles – which he cooked and crammed into a half-baguette with salad and sauce. Consensus was that these looked quick and tasty, but what were they called so we could order them?
The best meals…
The plane landed, the kids were there to pick us up, we came home, did a few chores and fell into bed. Some hours later, a BookCrossing meeting to attend, I woke up. And I had not the foggiest notion of where I was. In bed, obviously. Time, date, continent, all a total blank. Was [...]
A diversion
Netherlands to Belgium to Germany to Luxembourg to France to Germany to Switzerland to France to Germany to Belgium to Netherlands. Sometimes six border crossings in a day, sometimes three nations in five minutes.
Look Ma! No clothes!
I cannot believe that the British are being so boneheaded. The screening system looks through clothing, revealing the body beneath, as well as any concealed items. Hide some explosives in your undies, and they will be picked up.
Well, that’s good, in theory, but if the bad guys know this, then won’t they go the logical next step and hide the explosives some place where they won’t be detected? After all, they want to blow up the plane, and personal comfort isn’t high on their long-term list of priorities, given that they don’t intend to have a long term.
Things to carry
Yeah, I know. I’ve seen Ryan Bingham. I’ve heard the advice. I know you can travel light. Just carry on. But not me. it doesn’t work. Okay? The clutter begins when booking things. Flights, hotels, cars, convention events. Each confirmation gets printed out, so I have something I can refer to when giving a taxi [...]
I found my heart in San Francisco
I’d been listening to songs about San Francisco for years. People crooning on about bridges and cable cars and love and flowers and smiles. Songs about Los Angeles were hard-edged and desperate.
It was a quick decision, and one of the best choices of my life.
Come Thursday Morning
Three weeks from now, we’ll be between Osaka and Helsinki. Somewhere over China, heading north. This will be my seventh round-the-world trip, in addition to six thirds, where I’ve gone there-and-back to Europe once and America twice. I think it will be Kerri’s first RTW, but she has an impressive there and back record, including [...]
Soundtrip
Isn’t that the dream? The everyday world is behind you, there’s a long road ahead, rising and curving to a far destination. Days and night stretch out, diners, service stations, motels, bridges, toilet blocks and a growing litter of wrappers and empty bottles in the back seat.
Hit the play button and let’s get this show on the road!