Merida Centro is crowded with narrow dirty sidewalks and speed racer traffic. This morning we took a $3 taxi to Centinario Park Zoo and a 50 cent bus back. This will probably be our final trip to Mexico as the Travel God has given us 3 of 3 warnings. Warning one: While walking under a tree in Plaza Grande either a pigeon, turkey vulture, or condor dropped a big sloppy on Lee's shoulder that slid down to her pants. Warning 2: At the US traveler's refuge, McDonalds, Lee put her foot up under the table and stuck a wet green fluorescent [View Full Entry]

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THRIFTY, SHIFTY, AND NIFTY Scotland, Normandy, and Ireland June 4 - 22, 2007 Tis a great deal to visit 3 countries for the price of one, wish that happened. Scotland, known for their thrift, does not allow you to save a cent as prices are twice those in the U.S. Shifty refers to the sand beaches on the Normandy coast and not the people. They proved to be fairly nice if smoke doesn't bother you, unlike Paris where they cheat you and blow smoke simultaneously. Nifty refers to Ireland which charms you as you see green everywhere from under your umbrella. [View Full Entry]

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During a visit to one of many large churches along the Royal Mile, we saw a sign for food in the basement. Hoping the Christian spirit might give us an honest price, we walked down to the basement and ate soup and sandwiches for a small offering, OK, they made a profit off us. Up the street we asked the age old question, "Do the Scots wear anythin under the kilts?" Unable to get low enough to answer the question by peering up the mannequin's kilt, we wonder to this day. Our next tour stop, The Royal Yacht, Britannia, floated some [View Full Entry]

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In Glasgow we departed at the Buchanan Bus Station and walked a few blocks to the mall with a food court. Lunch at Burger King hit the spot. Outside a band camped on the pedestrian street and played tunes for tips as we avoided that side and disappointed the next "Beatles." Glasgow had a lot of dingy stone buildings. One of them had a 50 foot square banner advertising a music festival which I'm sure the aforementioned "Beatles" would participate. The bus, 5.85 pounds/$11 each to the Ryan Air, Glasgow Prestwick Airport had a salty, unfriendly, chip on his shoulder [View Full Entry]

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Upon landing we departed portable steps to the tarmac and a line extending to Lichtenstein, but the efficient French shuttled us through in record time, as we almost passed a rock, snail, and a lightning quick sloth. Getting our rental car the French agent handed me the form and said, "Sign." Since Visa is supposed to cover CDW (collision) I asked to make sure it was not included. He said, "That's as cheap as I can rent it." "So, CDW is not included?" I asked. His reply, "YaYaYa, SIGN." The line said, "I have read and understand the conditions written on [View Full Entry]

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With pounds in hand, which only cost 1.9 dollars apiece plus service fee, we walked out and found the double decker Airlink Bus which for 6 pounds/$12 headed into downtown Edinburgh. We asked the driver if he knew where #33 St. Mary's Street might be, and he indicated which stop and where to walk. Towing our wheeled two ton bag behind we walked up a circular street, and after a few blocks of sweating and swearing, arrived at the Travelodge which I booked through an English internet site. For 2 nights this "budget" hotel only set us back 130 pounds/$247. [View Full Entry]

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So here is a short clip of Ireland. We are at Dingle which is on the droopy little peninsula in SW Ireland. The Emerald Isle is green from rain/showers/drizzle/mist/fog/soft days/liquid sunshine all of which happen every day. We had no luck of the Irish as our Ryanair, "The On time Airline", wasn't by an hour and a half out of "Paris" to Dublin. (FU Ryanair) We missed our prepaid/no reimburse bus from Dublin to Shannon literally by minutes. I'm sure I saw it leave. The next bus didn't get to Shannon until after 10 pm, so we changed our rental car [View Full Entry]

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June 10th we drove to the D Day beaches luckily not killed in a fiery crash by an American despising, beret wearing, smoking, deoderantless, shaveless, dog fondling, lane cutting French person. The French stereotype thrives and with good reason. We saw a number of the miles of beaches invaded on D Day, the American Cemetery, ate and slept at the Smoked Goose Hostellerie (not quite a hotel), survived the motorway and back French roads, got gas (almost $8/gal), climbed Mont St. Michel, and visited the German Cemetery, with many Schmidts, near our Brit Hotel. The museums and American Cemetery at [View Full Entry]

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Dodgy Durban, except for surfing, is a little scary. We did learn how to keep people away from us at the Durban Airport waiting to fly Kulula, the no frills, no drink, no snack, no legroom, but with a great sense of humor, airline. An older lady, but younger than us, sat down next to me, opened a drink, and it shot all over her, the floor, and the seat. I looked at her and said, "It could have been worse. It could have sprayed me." Embarrassed, she laughed and left with no one daring to sit in the piddle [View Full Entry]

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Some trip decisions bite you even when using common sense. Looking at a recent map we could enter Swaziland from the north and drive 30 K on a gravel road, or use RSA hard roads to enter from the west and have a much shorter drive to Pigg's Peak, then proceed to the next gate south and depart. We chose the latter. Our map lied as the road was "under construction to BE paved." It climbed into the mountains with stretches no wider than a cow path. Women construction workers waved red flags to go or stop as heavy equipment [View Full Entry]

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