I’m in Beijing, in a little PC-bar near the hotel that my traveling companion Randy and I stumbled into last night. I was exhausted and slept the sleep of the dead, let me tell you. I actually am just about to go back for a shower and to call my ex-student to meet for lunch and an afternoon of hanging out. I’ll only be in Beijing for a few days, and then onward to Shanghai (another ex-student is helping us book cheap flights there, which cost about as much as a train ticket). First impressions? Reminds me a lot of …
Category: TRAVELS
At the Airport
Well, I just printed my e-tickets, and Randy and I are ready to check in. Of course, there’s other stuff to do once that’s done — travel insurance, for example, and a last phone call to Lime — but basically we’re here and ready to go. The snowstorm isn’t quite as intense here as it was on the way, so I’m hoping the flight goes as planned. In other news, important only to me, I decided to bring Stross’s Accelerando instead of the Borges. It’s all a size thing: same strain for the brain, at half the weight and cubic …
Off…
Right, that’s me heading off to Beijing tomorrow. I’m nervous, of course, given the anxiety over my health lately, but my doctor gave me the green light. I have another test to do when I return, but other than that, I’ve got a clean bill of health. He actually said my heart’s great (according to an 85% accurate test involving an EKG and a treadmill), my cholesterol and other bloodwork looks wonderful, my blood pressure isn’t significantly high, and that I’m going to live a long life if I cut back on the stress and get more exercise. (He also …
Charlie & Claire Wedding Photos
Some photos (by the best man) from the wedding I attended in Australia may be seen here. I’ll be uploading whatever turned out of my own pics to Flickr sometime soon.
Back, back, back
I’m back. The wedding was lovely, low-key but a lot of drinking in the afterward bit, with which I couldn’t realy keep up. But happily I turned that sow’s ear into a cheap silken purse, by taking many pictures that shall (dis)grace Flickr soon. It was very good to meet my old friend Charlie and my slightly-less-old friend Claire. Melbourne the next day was okay, but I was a bit constrained in terms of time and foolishly missed the Picasso exhibition — damn fool me, I didn’t go straight there when I got downtown, but hunted around for cheap winter …
Melbourne Airport
They’re very nice here. I think Singapore wins the “Most Sensible and Relieving Airport” prize for my recent travels, but Melbourne Airport wins “Nicest Folks Working There” prize. (Canberra is second — the barmaid muttered at Ian, I think, but he was allowed into the security area with me, even though he wasn’t flying himself, which is pretty cool.) Off I go. I’ll be in Korea tomorrow.
Visited Countries…
create your own visited countries map or vertaling Duits Nederlands That’s changed a fair bit in the last few years. Still need to visit Europe sometime, and would like to do Cambodia, China, Vietnam, maybe some of Africa, and some of South America. Someday…
Couple More Pics
Tina commented on the last post that I’d included no pics of myself, so here are a couple, after the cut.
In Melbourne Again…
I arrived in Melbourne on Saturday morning, and saw kangaroos. The pictures I took of them all turned out screwy. Then it was time for my friend Charlie’s stag party, which consisted of pints with several people, including these lads: Then I went on to Canberra, and hung out with my Clarion class-mate, ie. mate, Ian, and his wife and daughter: Now I’m in Melbourne again. Wedding Friday night, arrival in Korea Sunday afternoon, classes start Monday. Posts unlikely before the Singapore airport at best. Take care all…
From Melbourne
Am in Australia, staying with an old friend who’s getting married. Would link to his blog but he’s not posted since May. Sniffly. Many pictures, will put ’em on Flickr sometime. Flying to Canberra tomorrow. Head hurts from the stag party last night. Having a good time, even if it’s not showing externally. Snif.