Blogs from Austin, Texas, United States, North America - page 29

I can't believe I'm already leaving again- it's been just over six months since I got back from New Zealand! My emotions are all over the charts right now... I will be based in Kobe, Japan for the next seven months. The plan after that is still developing, but should at least include China, Tibet, Nepal, India, Cyprus, and the UK. I know this next year will be difficult at times, but I'm looking forward to the opportunities that it will provide. Saying good-bye is the hardest part of traveling. Fortunately I still seem to be accumulating friends at a faster rate than I lose them, and there's nothing like leaving to make you want to tell everyone just how much they mean to you.. So I thought I'd stop here and just give thanks. To ... read more

Four days until I leave Austin and six until I leave for London. I am currently trying to pack, but have digressed from actual constructive activity (gathering tiny toiletries and dirty clothes that I might take) to plain activity (loading music onto my ipod and starting a travel blog). At least I have four days… The other generally unconstructive thing I’m doing is watching loads of CNN and the like and specials on 9/11 and terrorism. Nothing like media hype to work up a little paranoia. Which brings me to my beef with the History Channel. When you air an endless stream of pirate specials that coincides with the opening of The Pirates of the Caribbean and then show endless 9/11 specials during the opening of World Trade Center, it makes you look like whores. That ... read more

A couple days ago, British intelligent raided the city of London and arrested about two dozen of its own citizens of plotting a series of terrorist attacks on about ten aircraft jets flying to the United States from Heathrow Airport in London. The plot is to use common items brought on-boards, to be filled with some chemical components to be mixed once they are in midair, creating an explosive device for a suicide mission and eventually kill thousands of people, plunge to the Atlantic. From what I’ve read from the Travel Advisory provided by the US Government, the US Department of Homeland Security banned from carry-on luggage all "beverages, shampoo, sun tan lotion, creams, toothpaste, hair gel, and other items of similar consistency." Hum. Whether it is coincidence with the fifth year anniversary of 9/11 attack ... read more

Let's talk about the weather of the past 3 months here in Austin. This area and the weather forecast for it is normally referred to as Central Texas. If you read something about bad weather in Texas keep in mind, that the State of Texas covers an area of 268,581 sq mi (695,622 km²) or 790 miles (1'270km) in length and 660 miles (1'065km) in width. While they have downpour with flush floods in El Paso right now, which is in the far west of Texas at the border to New Mexico, we have sunny, hot and nice weather in Central Texas. You can compare the size of Texas with other countries at wiki were you find France with 551 695 km², Germany 349 223 km² and Italy at 301 230 km². Switzerland is not even ... read more

London Heathrow, Terminal 4, 9 AM On the home stretch. Monkey and I are sitting at gate 9 looking at the British Airways 747 that will take us back to the U.S. At this point it seems like this trip has lasted a lot longer than 5 weeks. We want to be home and in our own beds. The hotel manager has an arraignment with a gypsy cab driver for discounted trips to Heathrow. The manager said to allow 3 hours before the flight, and an hour ride to the airport. Well the crazy cab driver never did less than 50 MPH, and we made the trip in just over 1/2 hour. Not much of a line at either the ticket counter or the security checkpoint, so I have 2 hours to kill. I’ve got the ... read more