Stopped for lunch and the first oysters of many at the Black Rock Oyster Bar in Connecticut. Then back into the car, spending the night at Ken’s. Rock band, Raymans Raving Rabbits and an open bar awaited.
Category: Travel Page 48 of 66
Globetrottin’
I awoke at 4 to shovel my car out from a foot of snow pick up Ruth at the airport. Back to the house for a quick nap, and then to the commuter rail for Littleton. Janet wanted to avoid driving into the city, and I was initially happy to oblige. But when we got off the train, there wasn’t an actual station, only a parking lot. So we trudged a mile toward town, eventually getting cold and asking for a ride from a family who were also outside shoveling. Janet and Lou showed up eventually, frazzled from their week without power, so our complaints were mild. We fortified ourselves with coffee and pastries at a cute shop and then slumped into the car for the beginning of our journey.
I’ve always enjoyed Halloween, but this year I went the extra mile. Actually 3000 miles, as blew my carbon budget flying to Oakland for a party with Ruth. I assembled the costume haphazardly, but it all came together for the desired effect. Two mutton chops, six aluminum claws, one tub of hair gel, one bear belt buckle, one surplus jacket, and innumerable exposed chest hairs, and I became the man himself. Some of the party goers failed their nerd test, thinking I was wolfman, but a quick flash of my claws was quite convincing.
I was in good company with my girl Rogue, 1973 David Bowie, Little Red Riding Hood with a Jagermeister basket, Superman cum Clark Kent, Quailman, and the entire cast of SuperTroopers (Staties and Spurbury, with real facial hair). Next year Hannah Montana / Miley Cyrus? Due vita, una secreto!
One claw
Two claws
Bear belt buckle
Dartmouth ski team Carhartt
Snikt
Wolverine and Rogue
Want to make your own? I used the Media Lab’s waterjet and these files:
SVG
PDF
DXF
I return home tired, dirty and poor. I visited 17 countries over 68 days, traveled over 16,000 miles, and spent way too much money. It was an amazing experience, and I can’t wait to do it again. Next year in Ulaan Bataar!
Here are some of the panorama I took, after post processing with Calico.
Duomo at Night
Dubrovnik Rooftops
Berber Column
Baalbek Temple of Bacchus
Dharamsala Waterfall
Triund
After leaving James at 3am, I caught a rickshaw to the airport, heading for Amman. I landed just ten minutes before my connecting flight to Dublin, so I ended up spending yet another day in Jordan. Not that I don’t like the country, I am just a little bored of it. I spent a little extra on a room with television and air conditioning, and whiled the day away catching up on my sleep and the Olympics.
The next morning I went back to the airport and flew to London, then Dublin. I stopped in a World of Whiskeys Shop in Heathrow, and got a good sample and lesson in the different types of that lovely nectar. Finally arriving in Dublin, I left my bags at the airport and found my way to town without too much trouble. Ruth recommended the Four Courts Hostel, and it is quite nice. I wandered over to the Brazen Head, the oldest pub in Ireland (established 1198). I quaffed a thick and hearty Irish stew and a pint of Guinness, but soon found out that my stomach was not yet up to the challenge. I spent the night in between the bed and the toilet; surely not the first time that this particular hostel has seen sick travelers. However, it was not the evening out on the town that I had planned for myself. The next morning I walked over to the Guinness Storehouse at St James Gate, but was disinclined to pay 15 euros for a tour. The smell of beer and the sight of the brewery was enough for me. So, back to the airport, through US customs in Dublin (strangely enough), and then back on a plane to the states.