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October 30, 2004
Amsterdam Apple Store
Steve made it accross the sea, though not without mishap. At the last moment, they switched his flt from the states, unfortunately, they did not switch his bag. His bag went to Chicago. He came here. His bag then went to London the day after he did and hopefully we'll get it tonight at the airport. So far United Airlines does not seem contrite about their ineptness. Then his flt from the states was delayed many times, and our flt from London to Amsterdam was delayed a number of times as well. We arrived in Amsterdam at night and it was raining. There were no hostel rooms anywhere, but we met a guy who had rooms on a boat. So, we're staying in a little 2 bed cabin on a boat docked just behind Central Station. Its even got its own bathroom and shower, though the shower is almost useless. So, we're mostly set up and IF Steve's bag gets here tonight, we'll be set. Of course, United only said the bag MIGHT be there tonight.
Traveling is an adventure, thats for sure.
Posted by wonko at 05:19 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
October 29, 2004
Hethrow
Just found out steves flt changed and i think they already lost his bag!!! Its like a curse! Hopefully it gets straightened out. hopefully...Posted by wonko at 04:57 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
October 28, 2004
Spam: The hard way out.
I've implemented the turing test to eliminate spam comments on this site as it was getting out of hand and wasting lots of my time. So now, when you comment, you have to enter the 'security code' in order for it to be accepted. I may decide to do what Kasei has done with moderation, but we'll see.Posted by wonko at 05:54 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
October 25, 2004
The Way Home
You'd think by the title this would be a deep entry, but its not. I just bought my ticket from JFK to Phx for Nov 20th. I hope to get to NYC on the 9th or 10th and go see friends on the east coast until I fly back to Phx. I am looking forward to seeing Greg in Providence. It is really nice to be in an English speaking country. Its not that I felt other countries SHOULD speak English. If anything, I blame myself for not speaking their language. What you realize is that you feel more alone when you can't hear what people around you are saying and can't read the signs around you. Its a different kind of solitude. Also, knowing that most people around you do not speak English, you realize you can't just start talking to people. Even financial transactions are void of the normal pleasantries you'd have if the person spoke your language. I still find myself thinking for a second about how to say Thank You to the person I just purchased my gorceries from, until I realize I can just say Thank You instead of obrigado, merci or gracias. I can listen to people talk around me and feel as though I could be in any one of their conversations. It will be different still to be back in the States.Posted by wonko at 06:14 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
October 24, 2004
London
I'm in London, at my hostel after having spent the night at the airport on a cold hard floor. This hostel has a really great atmosphere. I've already met with with my Israeli friend Nir, whome I met in Paris, so I've already got a friend here. Tonight we'll go out with some other friends and tomorrow we're going to an exhibition at the national gallary with some other friends. I haven't gotten my room yet, so I'm quite tired, but I'll take a nap at noon when I get my room. I have a new journal, but I have yet to write anything in it. I was really committed to writing until my journal got stollen. Its been hard to find the will to do it for a variety of reasons, but I really need to get back on it. Once I get going I know it will just flow again. I've just finished the book GO by John Clellon Holmes. What an incredible book. Definitely one of the best books I've read. Its had quite an impact on me as well. Unfortunately, it wuold be hard to characterize that impact as positive. I have a lot of thinking to do. At the same time, I need to keep working on focusing no right now and enjoying where I'm at. I'm certainly looking forward to seeing Obigabu on Friday. While in London I will also likely see Leo and ex-cnation peep. I'm gonna try and meet up with some other people as well that I've never formally met. The trick will be not to spend money. Politics aside, the US economy sucks and that means each pound I spend will cost me about 1.9 US dollars. Not fun. So hopefully I'll do most of my eating at the grocery store. I'm starting to think more about coming home. I've begun to romantisize about it quite a bit actually. Unfortunately, I, realistically, do not think being home will be as good as I imagine. Not that it won't be good, it will, but it won't solve all my problems, for sure. In fact, I am sure it will have the opposite affect on some of my problems. Which brings me to something I've been thinking about. A long time ago I wrote about merging the public and private self. I need to work on this again... but having to pay for small amount of net access doesn't allow me to do that on this blog like I'd like. Alas, I'll be back in the US in 3 weeks and will be able to write as much as I'd like.Posted by wonko at 01:49 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
October 23, 2004
Back in Madrid
Quick update, though once again I am pressed for time. I'm in Madrid again. My parents and I have been all around Spain and Portugal, but they just flew back to the states today. I will be flying to London tonight. After a lovely night sleeping in the airport, I hope to meet up with some people tomorrow. Nothing else big to report. I'm still hoping to be back in the US mid-november. It will be nice to be back.Posted by wonko at 07:57 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
October 15, 2004
Tarif, Spain
I wrote this a couple days ago, but it wouldn't post from the stupid net computer. I'm not in Tavira, Portugal actually, leaving for Selema and Sagras today. Here was the orig message that didn't post. ------------ Im in a small beach community near the Rock of Gebralter now, called Tarif, known for its windsurfing. We can clearly see Morocco accross the channel. This is the first time I've seen the African continent. Back to what I was saying in my last entry. I got on a bus from Barcelona to Madrid a week ago. En route, it stopped to let us get food. I got off, got food, ate, and got back on. Some hours later, we stoped again for the same reason, presumably. I got off (leaving my small bag on the bus to save my seat), and went inside this little diner in the middle of nowhere to buy a little premade, truckstop sandwhich. I sat and ate for 5 minutes, got up and went outside. The bus, along with EVERYTHING I had, was gone. At first, I didn't panick. So the bus left without me, I'd figure out a way to catch th next bus and my stuff would be waiting in Madrid. No one at the truck stop spoke ANY english. Another bus came and I tried explaining my situation to the driver, but he did not speak any english either. It was night at this point. Some young woman saw me trying to speak to the driver and translated for me. The driver asked where my ticket was. Unfortunately, it was on the other bus. He agreed to take me to Madrid. I got to Madrid around 1:30am and walked to the Alsa bus info place. There was my big bag, but my little bag was nowhere to be found. Long story short, I spent days trying to get the Alsa bus people to help, but truthfully, there was nothing they could do, it had been stolen, probably by the old lady sitting next to me on the bus that shurly noticed I had not gotten on again. In the bag was my Camera, sunglasses, KSR book, Europe book, headlamp, phrase book, cell phone, and most importantly, my journal. This journal not only had tons of writing in it, it also had all the contact info of everyone I'd met. The only fortunate thing was that I had transcribed much of my journal into an email to myself when I was in fountainbleau. I also had already emailed a number of people. Still, I lost weeks of journaling and months of contacts. All of my travel notes as well. I've tried as best as I can to rewrite a lot of what I wrote, but I'm afraid its woefully inadequate to replace what I lost. Oh, and the voucher for my ticket home. Needless to say, this mishap will end up costing me a lot of money, but theres nothing I can do and no way to turn back the clock and try and undo any of the many mistakes I made leading up to this event. Barcelona was constant craziness and meeting my parents in Madrid was a nice change. I have been traveling with them ever since. Madrid, Teledo, Grenada, and now Tarif. Tomorrow we'll go to the Rock of Gebralter which is actually still a British Colony and will require passing into British territory and using the British pound while we're there. Then we're off to the Algarve coast and Portugal. We'll be in Lisbon in a few days for a few days, then back to Madrid where I'll likely fly to London for a little, then off to Amsterdam to meet Obigabu. Thats all the time I have for now. Lots to think about, lots to do. I'll be back in the US in mid november, probably on the east coast for a week or two before heading to Phx for a couple weeks, then back to the LA and Mammoth. No idea what from there.Posted by wonko at 01:40 PM | Comments (2) | TrackBack
October 14, 2004
Grenada
This net place closes in a minute, but I wanted to send an update. I'm in Grenada now with my parents. Bad things happened... like stuff getting stolen, but more on that later. I'll try and give a more detailed update shortly.Posted by wonko at 12:59 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack