Ode to my Passport
My passport and I have had a lot of adventures together over the past 9 years. Now we will be forced to part due to an arbitrary date of expiration. Today I must send dear old friend passport away, and get a younger, uglier, thinner, empty model with a newfangled tracker chip. So this post is dedicated to you, passport that helped me accomplish one of my life goals--to fill you up!- Once, we drove about 10 minutes into Cambodia after being forced to leave you at the Vietnamese border. Thankfully, we were happily reunited after lunch.
- Then there was that time you were stolen from my nightstand while I slept and then dumped unceremoniously under a bush. Can you imagine, Mr. American passport dumped under a bush in China?! The nerve!
- In Cuba, they refused to stamp you, but the papers they stamped instead left a smudge, a bright pink smudge, fitting for Cuba.
- Then I had to take you to the Beijing embassy, where they unceremoniously taped extra pages unevenly in the middle of you.
- I love your European stamps that show if you came by car or train or plane. I wonder what happens if you walk across the border?
Why are Asian countries are so particular about stamping entry and exit next to each other neatly, while the world stamps totally at random (causing the passport rage demonstrated in the picture, taken on the train at the Austria/Slovakia border)? Oh passport, you are so beautiful with your 35 stamps, 12 visas, and one pink Cuba smudge. Traveling will just never be the same again...
Labels: Travel
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Sunday, January 30, 2011Richer than you think?
So...I'm pretty bummed that my epic Egypt adventure is not going to happen, at least in the immediate future.But in reality, I don't have much to complain about. I'm richer than 96.25% of the world. How's that for a perspective changer? You can go to http://www.globalrichlist.com/ and put in your own salary to see where you stand...
I'm the 225,217,392 richest person on earth! Discover how rich you are! >> |
Labels: egypt, Middle East, Travel
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Wednesday, January 12, 2011Places to Go in 2011
I love it when the New York Times comes out with a list of places to go. Granted, it's geared towards people with a lot more money than me, but it's still an interesting read. They put together an interesting list of both already-popular places (Okinawa, Oahu, London, Miami), but also more obscure up and coming places (Iraq?!).They even list a place in China that I've never been: Pingyao. That's a fail for me, since I consider myself well-traveled in China. It's been on my list, but I've never made it there. In 2004, I chose to go to Tibet instead. I stand by that choice, but maybe this is the year to make it happen. I'd also like to make it to Koh Samui this year. It's possible...
Here are the 41 places they list for 2011. The ones in bold are the ones I've been to (7 altogether--pathetic!). However, this list talks a lot about new developments, new restaurants, etc. So really, it means I need to go back to all of these places!
- Santiago, Chile
- San Juan Islands, Washington
- Koh Samui, Thailand
- Iceland
- Milan
- Republic of Georgia
- London
- Loreto, Mexico
- Park City, Utah
- Cali, Colombia
- The Danube
- Niseko, Japan
- Oahu
- Antwerp, Belgium
- Melbourne, Australia
- Tlemcen, Algeria
- Sopot and Gdansk, Poland
- Erzurum, Turkey
- Hyderabad, India
- Manchester, England
- Tallinn, Estonia
- Fogo Island, Newfoundland
- Singapore
- Port Ghalib, Egypt
- Whistler, British Columbia
- Guimarães, Portugal
- Olympic Park, Washington
- Dresden, Germany
- Oualidia, Morocco
- Zanzibar
- Colonia de Sacramento, Uruguay
- Tozeur, Tunisia
- Hangzhou, China
- Iraqi Kurdistan
- Durham, NC
- Kosovo
- Pingyao, China
- Salonika, Greece
- Okinawa, Japan
- Budapest
- Miami
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Thursday, January 06, 2011International Woman of Mystery
I'm pretty sure this is exactly the travel accessory that I have been lacking. With it, I would truly become an international woman of mystery. Exploring tombs in Egypt, hugging koalas in Australia, going on safari in Africa, I'm confident that they would all be more adventurous with this bag over my shoulder...It's $537, but has a one hundred year warranty. Anyone want to give me a late Christmas present?!
Buy it here!
Labels: Travel
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Monday, December 06, 2010Egypt!
I'm going to check another country off my must-visit list: EGYPT!Yes, that's right, ladies and gentlemen, I'm going to Egypt in February! Plane ticket booked on British Airways. And it even includes a whole day in London as well!
Now I want to go home over Christmas break and read all the wonderful young adult fiction books set in Egypt that I used to love in middle school!One of my favorites:
Mara: Daughter of the Nile
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Friday, October 29, 2010Sanity and/or Fear
I really find this endlessly amusing...
America, the Greatest Country God ever gave Man, was built on three bedrock principles: Freedom. Liberty. And Fear — that someone might take our Freedom and Liberty. But now, there are dark, optimistic forces trying to take away our Fear — forces with salt and pepper hair and way more Emmys than they need. They want to replace our Fear with reason. But never forget — “Reason” is just one letter away from “Treason.” Coincidence? Reasonable people would say it is, but America can’t afford to take that chance. So join The Rev. Sir Dr. Stephen T. Colbert, D.F.A. on October 30th for the “March to Keep Fear Alive“™ in Washington DC. Pack an overnight bag with five extra sets of underwear — you’re going to need them. Because, to Restore Truthiness we must always… Shh!!! What’s that sound?! I think there’s someone behind you! Run!
“I’m mad as hell, and I’m not going to take it anymore!”
Who among us has not wanted to open their window and shout that at the top of their lungs?
Seriously, who?
Because we’re looking for those people. We’re looking for the people who think shouting is annoying, counterproductive, and terrible for your throat; who feel that the loudest voices shouldn’t be the only ones that get heard; and who believe that the only time it’s appropriate to draw a Hitler mustache on someone is when that person is actually Hitler. Or Charlie Chaplin in certain roles.
Are you one of those people? Excellent. Then we’d like you to join us in Washington, DC on October 30 — a date of no significance whatsoever — at the Daily Show’s “Rally to Restore Sanity.”
Ours is a rally for the people who’ve been too busy to go to rallies, who actually have lives and families and jobs (or are looking for jobs) — not so much the Silent Majority as the Busy Majority. If we had to sum up the political view of our participants in a single sentence… we couldn’t. That’s sort of the point.
Think of our event as Woodstock, but with the nudity and drugs replaced by respectful disagreement; the Million Man March, only a lot smaller, and a bit less of a sausage fest; or the Gathering of the Juggalos, but instead of throwing our feces at Tila Tequila, we’ll be actively *not* throwing our feces at Tila Tequila. Join us in the shadow of the Washington Monument. And bring your indoor voice. Or don’t. If you’d rather stay home, go to work, or drive your kids to soccer practice… Actually, please come anyway. Ask the sitter if she can stay a few extra hours, just this once. We’ll make it worth your while.
Labels: DC
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Thursday, August 12, 2010Some of My Favorite Things
Some of my favorite DC summertime activities are coming up next week! I'm busy with work, but I'll have to make some time for these events I love!Comcast Film Festival (August 13-20)
Free Outdoor movies, and you can buy Hard Times Cafe Chili fries (and the proceeds go to a good cause--NIH Children's Charities)! Best thing ever!
http://www.filmfestnih.org/
Shakespeare Free for All (August 19-September 5)
Last year's Taming of the Shrew was laugh-out-loud (yes, lol) funny! This year they are doing Twelfth Night. Nothing beats free Shakespeare!
http://www.shakespearetheatre.org/about/ffa/index.aspx
Summer Restaurant Week (August 16-22, 2010)
Lunches are $20.10 and Dinners are $35.10 at all participating restaurants! I love this chance to have a three course meal for a reasonable price at the best restaurants in town!
http://washington.org/restaurantwk/
...and Jazz in the Garden is still going on as well (every Friday until September 10)!
http://www.nga.gov/programs/jazz/
Labels: DC
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Wednesday, August 11, 2010I want to use the slide!
Finally, people see that going down the emergency slide would be fun! After my plane crash-landed in Montreal (in 2000), I asked the flight attendant if I could use the slide. She glared at me...brought to you by Rachelle
