the king's own velvet elvis
Thursday, September 28, 2006
Monday, September 25, 2006
New Orleans, India House Hostel lobby, $1 high life in the vending machine, free wireless.
john's airplane was delayed due to tornado potential around chicago midway on friday. i looped the airport in the dark and cool of a rising storm with my windows down and my music pumpin'. when he did get in we drove downtown through overlapping catching-up conversations back to the Coco Cafe. we ate, drank, and carved out a plan for the evening. i decided that we had 2 probable options:
1. pay higher prices for a motel in downtown nashville / go out and party like it's 1999
2. keep the party in our pants (at least mine anyway) / drive out a little bit and pay more reasonable rates out of town.
then there was the wild card option:
WC: just roll with the vibe and see what happens~ maybe we'll crash on a stranger's couch, maybe we'll spend the wee hours of the morning light attempting to recover in a denny's with no sleep.
we decided to post-pone this decision until we were 3-fingers deep in some honky-tonk down by the river. long story short, we met some hotties out on a birthday party and the wild card option was looking possible until one of the girls started puking on the street.. lame. we ended up in some super 8 out by the highway, had a rough morning at waffle house and hit the road to memphis~
i've been driving in rain, rain, rain - it was coming down in torrents as we approached the gates of graceland. man, what fantastic fun that was - elvis was one wild, eccentric guy! the highlights were his wardrobe, his trophy house, and his jungle room~ what a nut. but he did have a knack for decorating, i'll give him that. we visited his grave - i was hoping to see some crazy women break down in tears, but no such luck.. and you know, the gift shop was so tasteless, it was worth the price of admission itself!
after making our peace with the king we headed out to the subs to visit kami! i hadn't seen her in nearly three years i think - john in at least that long. we rocked up, got caught up, and met kami's bf, david. the 4 of us went downtown for some world-class ribs and then hit beale ave. for big-ass beer and blues on blues on bad-ass blues! i loved it~ great music and some pretty good people watching. day 2 in memphis, we took a long walk down the scale model of the mississippi river on mud island and visited the national civil rights museum at the death place of Dr. Martin Luther King.
all the hits in just over 24 hours - we left memphis and bolted down to new orleans. we got in after midnight, so we just kicked it on the porch of the hostel and talked with the random travelers on the porch. it's a nice place~ lot's of personality. there are pictures on the wall here of the flooding and aftermath of katrina. the water came right up the steps, but not in the door. we're not too far from the french quarter - today we walked all over and got acquainted. tonight we really go out - we're looking for gumbo, jazz, and strong drinks!
PUT SOME SOUTH IN YOUR MOUTH!!
john's airplane was delayed due to tornado potential around chicago midway on friday. i looped the airport in the dark and cool of a rising storm with my windows down and my music pumpin'. when he did get in we drove downtown through overlapping catching-up conversations back to the Coco Cafe. we ate, drank, and carved out a plan for the evening. i decided that we had 2 probable options:
1. pay higher prices for a motel in downtown nashville / go out and party like it's 1999
2. keep the party in our pants (at least mine anyway) / drive out a little bit and pay more reasonable rates out of town.
then there was the wild card option:
WC: just roll with the vibe and see what happens~ maybe we'll crash on a stranger's couch, maybe we'll spend the wee hours of the morning light attempting to recover in a denny's with no sleep.
we decided to post-pone this decision until we were 3-fingers deep in some honky-tonk down by the river. long story short, we met some hotties out on a birthday party and the wild card option was looking possible until one of the girls started puking on the street.. lame. we ended up in some super 8 out by the highway, had a rough morning at waffle house and hit the road to memphis~
i've been driving in rain, rain, rain - it was coming down in torrents as we approached the gates of graceland. man, what fantastic fun that was - elvis was one wild, eccentric guy! the highlights were his wardrobe, his trophy house, and his jungle room~ what a nut. but he did have a knack for decorating, i'll give him that. we visited his grave - i was hoping to see some crazy women break down in tears, but no such luck.. and you know, the gift shop was so tasteless, it was worth the price of admission itself!
after making our peace with the king we headed out to the subs to visit kami! i hadn't seen her in nearly three years i think - john in at least that long. we rocked up, got caught up, and met kami's bf, david. the 4 of us went downtown for some world-class ribs and then hit beale ave. for big-ass beer and blues on blues on bad-ass blues! i loved it~ great music and some pretty good people watching. day 2 in memphis, we took a long walk down the scale model of the mississippi river on mud island and visited the national civil rights museum at the death place of Dr. Martin Luther King.
all the hits in just over 24 hours - we left memphis and bolted down to new orleans. we got in after midnight, so we just kicked it on the porch of the hostel and talked with the random travelers on the porch. it's a nice place~ lot's of personality. there are pictures on the wall here of the flooding and aftermath of katrina. the water came right up the steps, but not in the door. we're not too far from the french quarter - today we walked all over and got acquainted. tonight we really go out - we're looking for gumbo, jazz, and strong drinks!
PUT SOME SOUTH IN YOUR MOUTH!!
Friday, September 22, 2006
Nashville Tennessee, Coco Cafe. outdoor seating among the hipster and dreadlocked elite, happy hour ($1 ice coffee, $2 pbr), free wireless, blur - boys and girls on the stereo.
i ate a plum-chicken burrito in asheville! it was stella'~ later that night i got some micro-brew and watched a bluegrass jam session at 'jack of the woods'. it still all sounds the damn same to me, but i think i'm beginning to see the appeal. white people still gross me out..
another day of driving brought me into nashville. i gained an hour and had some time to kill before picking up hazen at the airport, so i thought, "what the hell, i'll check out the grand ole' opry." i know, i know.. dumb idea.. all i can say is that i wasn't properly caffeinated and was suffering symptoms. part of me was curious as to what exactly the grand old opry even IS - is it "opera" pronounced all country~? no. it's not - in fact, an opry is a shopping mall, it's a theater, it's a crappy gift shop, and it's country - a living tribute to obesity and inbreeding. country sucks.
but here i am, surrounded by counter-culture and fully recovered from the experience!
i ate a plum-chicken burrito in asheville! it was stella'~ later that night i got some micro-brew and watched a bluegrass jam session at 'jack of the woods'. it still all sounds the damn same to me, but i think i'm beginning to see the appeal. white people still gross me out..
another day of driving brought me into nashville. i gained an hour and had some time to kill before picking up hazen at the airport, so i thought, "what the hell, i'll check out the grand ole' opry." i know, i know.. dumb idea.. all i can say is that i wasn't properly caffeinated and was suffering symptoms. part of me was curious as to what exactly the grand old opry even IS - is it "opera" pronounced all country~? no. it's not - in fact, an opry is a shopping mall, it's a theater, it's a crappy gift shop, and it's country - a living tribute to obesity and inbreeding. country sucks.
but here i am, surrounded by counter-culture and fully recovered from the experience!
Thursday, September 21, 2006
Asheville North Carolina, Bon Paul and Sharkey's Hostel - beds $20/night (or ya' can pitch a tent in the back yard fer 10), kitchen table, free wireless internet~
a long and lovely day of driving from the mansion in Gettysburg to the hostel in Galax, Virginia. it was hard to find the driveway..
Blue Ridge Hwy South Bound, 1-1/8 mi past Fancy Gap, on your right.
luckily, someone had blazed the gate with a reflective marker as they do along the AT. there was a long finding driveway, and eventually a sign. when i got up to the hostel, i was greeted by a dog and a cat on the front porch but no one answered the door. i walked around back and found a guy sitting there reading a book, an english guy on holiday. the view from the back of the hostel was incredible - endless rolling hills and valleys. i took a little walk around and checked out the place - pretty soon an old guy in a floppy green hat came out of the house and pointed at my car and then to me. i nodded as you do. "well if your from michigan, how come you drive this little japanese car?"
he showed me upstairs and wrote my name down in his book. he told me that Galax (pronounced like "Gaelic" in the irish manner, not like "Galaxy" minus the y) was the home of some very famous folk musicians. guitarists, claw-hammer banjo players - that's the old style, and fiddlers. why, just last week they had a children's completion in town and the winners from each group won a hand-made instrument made right there in Galax. everyone in Galax is into wood in one way or another and they just took to making instruments and playing them in the old tyme' style - that is as a band united, never as individuals.
i got some bbq take-away, good, if not identifiable, and a 6 pack of schlitz for $2.50. the old guy popped in to play a cd for me of a local group and then to hear me play a few. then i split the schlitz with the brit and we traded stories. his was a good one. it involved a small surveying business and a failed engagement to a native fijian woman. i was allergic to the moldy-ass bed covers and had very realistic dreams of doing wheelies on my scooter..
this morning i hit the road and took the Blue Ridge Parkway all the way to Asheville~ it was a beautiful ride and i stopped at heaps of turn-offs for photos of scenic views! now it's into town for some food and then time to pitch my tent in the back yard before dark.
a long and lovely day of driving from the mansion in Gettysburg to the hostel in Galax, Virginia. it was hard to find the driveway..
Blue Ridge Hwy South Bound, 1-1/8 mi past Fancy Gap, on your right.
luckily, someone had blazed the gate with a reflective marker as they do along the AT. there was a long finding driveway, and eventually a sign. when i got up to the hostel, i was greeted by a dog and a cat on the front porch but no one answered the door. i walked around back and found a guy sitting there reading a book, an english guy on holiday. the view from the back of the hostel was incredible - endless rolling hills and valleys. i took a little walk around and checked out the place - pretty soon an old guy in a floppy green hat came out of the house and pointed at my car and then to me. i nodded as you do. "well if your from michigan, how come you drive this little japanese car?"
he showed me upstairs and wrote my name down in his book. he told me that Galax (pronounced like "Gaelic" in the irish manner, not like "Galaxy" minus the y) was the home of some very famous folk musicians. guitarists, claw-hammer banjo players - that's the old style, and fiddlers. why, just last week they had a children's completion in town and the winners from each group won a hand-made instrument made right there in Galax. everyone in Galax is into wood in one way or another and they just took to making instruments and playing them in the old tyme' style - that is as a band united, never as individuals.
i got some bbq take-away, good, if not identifiable, and a 6 pack of schlitz for $2.50. the old guy popped in to play a cd for me of a local group and then to hear me play a few. then i split the schlitz with the brit and we traded stories. his was a good one. it involved a small surveying business and a failed engagement to a native fijian woman. i was allergic to the moldy-ass bed covers and had very realistic dreams of doing wheelies on my scooter..
this morning i hit the road and took the Blue Ridge Parkway all the way to Asheville~ it was a beautiful ride and i stopped at heaps of turn-offs for photos of scenic views! now it's into town for some food and then time to pitch my tent in the back yard before dark.
Wednesday, September 20, 2006
Gettysburg, PA - the Jagged Edge cafe, free wireless, damn fine organic Sumatra coffee in a MUG. 'ritha on the radio~ whoop!
miles on miles - i'm driving them! i rolled out of michigan monday morning-ish and drove through 5 hours of driving rain (get it?) to niagra falls, canada. i checked into the hostel there and walked into town to see the falls. the weather was quite shit, but those falls rocked on. that evening i hung around with an austrian guy and braved more rain to get a look at the falls all lit up at night. the lights, mega though they were, proved to be somewhat ineffective through the rain and fog, but it looked cool washing out that rain and fog with colored light.
in the morning i bust out of there and put in a good 8 hours, scenic drive to gettysburg. no trouble at the border this time.
him: bringing anything back from canada with you?
me: just this tasty 12" subway sandwich.
him: what's on it?
me: oven-roasted turkey, swiss, honey mustard.
him: veggies?
me: a little bit of everything, really..
him: sounds good - have a nice day~
the roads were nice and scenic, like i said. that was nice. the weather held out ok. i rocked up on this hostel north of town in the Pine Grove Furnace State Park. it was an old converted colonial mansion that was a major stop on the underground railroad. i got to see the hidden rooms under the house where slaves could seek refuge. beautiful old place. there were only 3 other people staying there, so we stuck together. and get this, the hostel is a comfort stop along the Appellation Trail~ too cool! the girl was a through hiker and she had walked there all the way from MAINE!! 2.5 months in at nearly 20 miles a day.. with only 3 months to go before she hits Georgia. my kind of woman.. the other 2 guys were hiking together and only doing the AT in sections and idiot hikers carrying all the wrong gear. i asked loads of questions, the AT is, after all, on my list of to-do's. i peeked at the through-hiker's registry and read about the coolest people who have kicked ass where few others have kicked ass before. i got some sleep but it turns out i'm allergic to colonial mansions that have been converted into hostels.
this morning i talked for a while to the little old lady who works as the care-taker there and made a rough plan for today. i walked around the little town part of gettysburg and then found me some wireless - score! feeling good~ miles a more'a today. peace!
miles on miles - i'm driving them! i rolled out of michigan monday morning-ish and drove through 5 hours of driving rain (get it?) to niagra falls, canada. i checked into the hostel there and walked into town to see the falls. the weather was quite shit, but those falls rocked on. that evening i hung around with an austrian guy and braved more rain to get a look at the falls all lit up at night. the lights, mega though they were, proved to be somewhat ineffective through the rain and fog, but it looked cool washing out that rain and fog with colored light.
in the morning i bust out of there and put in a good 8 hours, scenic drive to gettysburg. no trouble at the border this time.
him: bringing anything back from canada with you?
me: just this tasty 12" subway sandwich.
him: what's on it?
me: oven-roasted turkey, swiss, honey mustard.
him: veggies?
me: a little bit of everything, really..
him: sounds good - have a nice day~
the roads were nice and scenic, like i said. that was nice. the weather held out ok. i rocked up on this hostel north of town in the Pine Grove Furnace State Park. it was an old converted colonial mansion that was a major stop on the underground railroad. i got to see the hidden rooms under the house where slaves could seek refuge. beautiful old place. there were only 3 other people staying there, so we stuck together. and get this, the hostel is a comfort stop along the Appellation Trail~ too cool! the girl was a through hiker and she had walked there all the way from MAINE!! 2.5 months in at nearly 20 miles a day.. with only 3 months to go before she hits Georgia. my kind of woman.. the other 2 guys were hiking together and only doing the AT in sections and idiot hikers carrying all the wrong gear. i asked loads of questions, the AT is, after all, on my list of to-do's. i peeked at the through-hiker's registry and read about the coolest people who have kicked ass where few others have kicked ass before. i got some sleep but it turns out i'm allergic to colonial mansions that have been converted into hostels.
this morning i talked for a while to the little old lady who works as the care-taker there and made a rough plan for today. i walked around the little town part of gettysburg and then found me some wireless - score! feeling good~ miles a more'a today. peace!
Sunday, August 27, 2006
the business end
here's the big digs, muchachas!
i had some grey moments upon returning to the states, that's the truth, but with new resolve i've decided to pursue a project after my heart - japan independent: a US tour of japanese bands. it's an opportunity for me to repay (in so many ways) all the good turns done to me by my friends and hosts in japan.
i've incorporated, for when that might be appropriate, under the name solo records check the link for my-space. bliss.
soon i'll be moble - driving across the country to visit friends and organize the j-invasion. i'm looking forward to the open road and a chance to see some familiar faces. i'm going to make this happen and it's going to be great! i'll be calling on the talents and support of everyone - see you soon.
i had some grey moments upon returning to the states, that's the truth, but with new resolve i've decided to pursue a project after my heart - japan independent: a US tour of japanese bands. it's an opportunity for me to repay (in so many ways) all the good turns done to me by my friends and hosts in japan.
i've incorporated, for when that might be appropriate, under the name solo records check the link for my-space. bliss.
soon i'll be moble - driving across the country to visit friends and organize the j-invasion. i'm looking forward to the open road and a chance to see some familiar faces. i'm going to make this happen and it's going to be great! i'll be calling on the talents and support of everyone - see you soon.
a day in the life
hello fabulous people!!
i know it's been a while - sorry. see, i'm living at home and i tend to think that nothing much happens around here worth writing about. in other words, it's nothing new to me. but for those of you reading from the other side of the planet, here's a day-in-the-life of mike!
10:01AM - my alarm goes off, but i just roll over and shut it off
10:43AM - i wake up a second time, look at my clock, and remember my weird dream..
10:51AM - i'm up. i just roll out of bed and go down stairs to make a cup of coffee and pour milk on a bowl of cereal. i usually read the newspaper while i eat breakfast and start to wake up. most days my parents are long gone, out doing productive things, so it's just me and roxie.
11:12AM - i check my email somehow a half an hour or so disappears in front of the computer.
11:37AM - finally awake, and newly motivated, i rush upstairs to take a shower and join the world of the living~
12:03PM - i come down and find my mom home again from her morning exploits! she'll make herself some lunch and we'll talk for a while while i get down to business. (more on that later). i'll work for a few hours before lunch calls me back.
2:41PM - i miss japanese food dearly, but coming back to the states has re-introduced me to a variety of old-school lunch favorites~ i make a mean turkey sandwich with cheese, tomato, lettuce, and avocado with spicy brown mustard on health-nut bread. i usually have a piece of fruit with that - gotta' keep it fresh. after lunch i wash whatever dishes are in the sink.
3:01PM - back into action! i jump back into it, but start getting restless and eventually give in to reading, playing guitar, or seeing what's on tv. my mom is busy around the house, and roxie usually thinks of things that she wants to do (go outside, bark at me, drool on me).
6:36PM - my dad will roll home and we'll 3 have dinner. my mom is awesome and makes all the hits. here are some just from last week! lasagna, chicken chili, broiled salmon, enchiladas, beef brisket, balsamic chicken and peppers - it's great eating at home, man . about once a week one or both of my sisters comes over and has dinner with us~ that's always fun. after dinner i wash up and mom and i walk the dog!
7:30PM~ some evening i go out. i was taking my mom's watercolor class and that just ended, but it was fun. i meet a japanese conversation partner once a week just to keep it up. i've still got a few college friends kicking around ann arbor and i can usually find something to do when i'm bored. some nights i just sit out on the street playing guitar - sometimes with friends, sometimes just me. i always meet someone and it's always something to do. other nights i stay in and just hang out with my family. my dad is always raging about one thing or another in the paper or on tv - endless entertainment, i assure you. we rent movies or watch the next installment in one of their tv series. i feel like i'm getting caught up with all the american media i missed out on being away. anyway, it's good to hang out with the fam.
11:31PM~ my parents turn in, and if i'm home i spend the later hours of the night on the net or watching cartoons. japan makes it's last stand in the hours after midnight with dragonball Z re-runs and naruto - good shit.
2:00AM~ i'll hit the sack sometime after 2 and do it all again.
that's home on the range, baby. 2 more weeks and i'm on the road again.
i know it's been a while - sorry. see, i'm living at home and i tend to think that nothing much happens around here worth writing about. in other words, it's nothing new to me. but for those of you reading from the other side of the planet, here's a day-in-the-life of mike!
10:01AM - my alarm goes off, but i just roll over and shut it off
10:43AM - i wake up a second time, look at my clock, and remember my weird dream..
10:51AM - i'm up. i just roll out of bed and go down stairs to make a cup of coffee and pour milk on a bowl of cereal. i usually read the newspaper while i eat breakfast and start to wake up. most days my parents are long gone, out doing productive things, so it's just me and roxie.
11:12AM - i check my email somehow a half an hour or so disappears in front of the computer.
11:37AM - finally awake, and newly motivated, i rush upstairs to take a shower and join the world of the living~
12:03PM - i come down and find my mom home again from her morning exploits! she'll make herself some lunch and we'll talk for a while while i get down to business. (more on that later). i'll work for a few hours before lunch calls me back.
2:41PM - i miss japanese food dearly, but coming back to the states has re-introduced me to a variety of old-school lunch favorites~ i make a mean turkey sandwich with cheese, tomato, lettuce, and avocado with spicy brown mustard on health-nut bread. i usually have a piece of fruit with that - gotta' keep it fresh. after lunch i wash whatever dishes are in the sink.
3:01PM - back into action! i jump back into it, but start getting restless and eventually give in to reading, playing guitar, or seeing what's on tv. my mom is busy around the house, and roxie usually thinks of things that she wants to do (go outside, bark at me, drool on me).
6:36PM - my dad will roll home and we'll 3 have dinner. my mom is awesome and makes all the hits. here are some just from last week! lasagna, chicken chili, broiled salmon, enchiladas, beef brisket, balsamic chicken and peppers - it's great eating at home, man . about once a week one or both of my sisters comes over and has dinner with us~ that's always fun. after dinner i wash up and mom and i walk the dog!
7:30PM~ some evening i go out. i was taking my mom's watercolor class and that just ended, but it was fun. i meet a japanese conversation partner once a week just to keep it up. i've still got a few college friends kicking around ann arbor and i can usually find something to do when i'm bored. some nights i just sit out on the street playing guitar - sometimes with friends, sometimes just me. i always meet someone and it's always something to do. other nights i stay in and just hang out with my family. my dad is always raging about one thing or another in the paper or on tv - endless entertainment, i assure you. we rent movies or watch the next installment in one of their tv series. i feel like i'm getting caught up with all the american media i missed out on being away. anyway, it's good to hang out with the fam.
11:31PM~ my parents turn in, and if i'm home i spend the later hours of the night on the net or watching cartoons. japan makes it's last stand in the hours after midnight with dragonball Z re-runs and naruto - good shit.
2:00AM~ i'll hit the sack sometime after 2 and do it all again.
that's home on the range, baby. 2 more weeks and i'm on the road again.
Wednesday, July 19, 2006
A CHILE LOOMS
a mosaic hello to all of you!
hey, did you know that if you take the letters from 'Micheal Solo' and mix them up, you can make names of totally different people?! has anyone ever met Mollie Chaos or Chloe Somali? next time you see them you can tell them that they have the same letters as me.
LOCALISM HOE! why, just last week i was driving my alcohol semi when Lame Coolish and the Coma Hollies came on the radio. then i pulled out my moola chisel - for which to get you a moolah slice.
HALE LOCOISM! the possibilities are limited!
you can make groovie anagrams of your name here: http://wordsmith.org/anagram/
hey, did you know that if you take the letters from 'Micheal Solo' and mix them up, you can make names of totally different people?! has anyone ever met Mollie Chaos or Chloe Somali? next time you see them you can tell them that they have the same letters as me.
LOCALISM HOE! why, just last week i was driving my alcohol semi when Lame Coolish and the Coma Hollies came on the radio. then i pulled out my moola chisel - for which to get you a moolah slice.
HALE LOCOISM! the possibilities are limited!
you can make groovie anagrams of your name here: http://wordsmith.org/anagram/
Tuesday, July 11, 2006
That da Vinci Book
after finally purchasing an edible version of The da Vinci Code (hardback, of course), i thought i had them all. but it seems that recently there is an inexhaustible supply of new da Vinci related media. i can't seem to keep up! i've read all the supplemental guides to the da Vinci Code, all the decoders, un-coders, and re-coders. i've read all the rebuttals, arguments, and epitaphs. i've even studied the master himself - his life, his work - copies of his notebooks, drawings, even a guide on how to think like him.. Dan Brown, that is. i've read everything he's ever writen (and everything by Dale Brown just to be safe). it seems that this is just as essential to life in my work-a-day world as is starbucks and the O.C.
i've taken to writing backwards just to fit in. i habitually throw my soap out of my 4th floor apartment after showering. i eat an apple a day. grail lore fills my nights, my house, my mind. i sit up, reading and re-reading the code searching for answers. e-versions, audio versions, first editions, home games - still it alludes me, WHAT DOES IT ALL MEAN?!
"you mean you don't get it?"
NO! quite frankly i don't! what the hell is all this da Vinci fuss about?! is there some deep underlying message? what happens when you solve the code? does the fabric of the very universe unravel before your eyes revealing some kind of bright shining truth?! i may never know.
i've taken to writing backwards just to fit in. i habitually throw my soap out of my 4th floor apartment after showering. i eat an apple a day. grail lore fills my nights, my house, my mind. i sit up, reading and re-reading the code searching for answers. e-versions, audio versions, first editions, home games - still it alludes me, WHAT DOES IT ALL MEAN?!
"you mean you don't get it?"
NO! quite frankly i don't! what the hell is all this da Vinci fuss about?! is there some deep underlying message? what happens when you solve the code? does the fabric of the very universe unravel before your eyes revealing some kind of bright shining truth?! i may never know.
Friday, July 07, 2006
beautiful fiji - overlooking the blue lagoon
home - in michigan, my computer (survived shipping). roxy's sleeping.
man, fiji was AWESOME! i didn't know what to expect, so i was expecting hawaii - tourists, shopping, beaches, cocktails in coconuts, etc. but the tour deborah booked was out to the yasawa islands, nearly untouched by tourists until about 10 years ago. the little island backpacker places we stayed at were run by locals and everyone was extremely friendly and easygoing. we had great weather for the most part and the food was amazing. i saw some pristine beaches and the best snorkeling of my lifetime! the "resorts" were out of the way in pretty undeveloped areas, most without any phones and only generator power. we lived much like the locals, even shared their facilities - pretty rustic by hawaii standards. some of the american girls we met complained themselves to exhaustion about the cold showers and having 'nothing to do'.
our trip included snorkeling, hermit crab races, and swimming in some cool caves. with the help of a guide we got to dive under rocks to surface in a dark underground cave with some incredible high ceilings. it was wild! we stayed on one island that was used in the filming of 'the blue lagoon' and 'swiss family robinson'. so when we got to LA we rented these and watched them with granny and my cousin becky. both of the movies were seriously dated and amusing to watch - both had some great scenery. that was fun, seeing granny in LA and eating some much needed mexican food. now i'm home-home, at my parents place in michigan. i'm making plans to get together with all my college buddies next weekend and get up to the lake~
home - in michigan, my computer (survived shipping). roxy's sleeping.
man, fiji was AWESOME! i didn't know what to expect, so i was expecting hawaii - tourists, shopping, beaches, cocktails in coconuts, etc. but the tour deborah booked was out to the yasawa islands, nearly untouched by tourists until about 10 years ago. the little island backpacker places we stayed at were run by locals and everyone was extremely friendly and easygoing. we had great weather for the most part and the food was amazing. i saw some pristine beaches and the best snorkeling of my lifetime! the "resorts" were out of the way in pretty undeveloped areas, most without any phones and only generator power. we lived much like the locals, even shared their facilities - pretty rustic by hawaii standards. some of the american girls we met complained themselves to exhaustion about the cold showers and having 'nothing to do'.
our trip included snorkeling, hermit crab races, and swimming in some cool caves. with the help of a guide we got to dive under rocks to surface in a dark underground cave with some incredible high ceilings. it was wild! we stayed on one island that was used in the filming of 'the blue lagoon' and 'swiss family robinson'. so when we got to LA we rented these and watched them with granny and my cousin becky. both of the movies were seriously dated and amusing to watch - both had some great scenery. that was fun, seeing granny in LA and eating some much needed mexican food. now i'm home-home, at my parents place in michigan. i'm making plans to get together with all my college buddies next weekend and get up to the lake~
Monday, June 26, 2006
Saturday, June 24, 2006
sydney, wicked travel~ free internet with all tours booked!! (or if you just slip in as if you belong there)
big city. biggest. one could almost walk down the street and imagine themselves in any other. still, the harbor and opera house are increadible! nothing like sitting next to that massive structure and taking in those sights to really make you feel like you're in australia. the whole harbor area is swarming with tourists and the shit for sale that goes hand in hand with a crowd of tourists. i snapped a photo for a couple from oklahoma.
spending my evenings sitting around in front of the hostel talking to people and making a few bucks with my guitar. it's a little cold here, but nothing i would call winter - maybe late september. i keep meeting people with michigan t-shirts on, none of them from michigan, or the states for that matter. what's going on around here?
pics on way
big city. biggest. one could almost walk down the street and imagine themselves in any other. still, the harbor and opera house are increadible! nothing like sitting next to that massive structure and taking in those sights to really make you feel like you're in australia. the whole harbor area is swarming with tourists and the shit for sale that goes hand in hand with a crowd of tourists. i snapped a photo for a couple from oklahoma.
spending my evenings sitting around in front of the hostel talking to people and making a few bucks with my guitar. it's a little cold here, but nothing i would call winter - maybe late september. i keep meeting people with michigan t-shirts on, none of them from michigan, or the states for that matter. what's going on around here?
pics on way
Friday, June 23, 2006
newcastle, nomad backpackers internet. basement.
it's difficult to leave byron bay. in fact, most of the permanent residents were at one time just passing through and have been stuck so long that they don't remember where they came from or where they were going to. part of the reason for that is the relatively high content of marijuana in byron's average cigarette, cookie, or bloodstream. just outside of byron is a place called nibin - its population somewhere around 800 - growers, dealers, and stoners all. there are a few daily bus trips out to quiet nibin where you can patron a variety of marijuana themed bars, cafes, and giftshops as well as a marijuana 'museum'. among them, "jim's alternative tour" has become something of legend!
in the morning, jim circles town picking up groups of happy travelers from their hostels in his big, huge bus. the music is loud and jim intro's the songs as they come on. he tells stories and points out places of interest on the way to nibin. upon arrival, a busload of backpackers files out onto nibin's one street and is greeted by throngs of the drug dealing populous. an hour and a half later, everyone is loaded (that's a pun) back onto the bus and the fabric of the universe starts to unravel.
~yeah, yeah, oh yeah - what condition my condition was in~
the bus winds up, up, and up into the wild rainforests of new south whales then roller coasters down a one-lane road in the dark and flying rain to terrifying music. then all is safe and good and ~every little thing.. is gona' be alright. jim makes a daily stop at his hippy friend's 80 acres of hand replanted rainforest and the group samples fruits and nuts grown on the premises. the bus ride home is relaxed and everyone is returned to their hostels where they can eat doritos or just pass out. simply a bryon must-see~
jim's alternative tour, nibin
it's difficult to leave byron bay. in fact, most of the permanent residents were at one time just passing through and have been stuck so long that they don't remember where they came from or where they were going to. part of the reason for that is the relatively high content of marijuana in byron's average cigarette, cookie, or bloodstream. just outside of byron is a place called nibin - its population somewhere around 800 - growers, dealers, and stoners all. there are a few daily bus trips out to quiet nibin where you can patron a variety of marijuana themed bars, cafes, and giftshops as well as a marijuana 'museum'. among them, "jim's alternative tour" has become something of legend!
in the morning, jim circles town picking up groups of happy travelers from their hostels in his big, huge bus. the music is loud and jim intro's the songs as they come on. he tells stories and points out places of interest on the way to nibin. upon arrival, a busload of backpackers files out onto nibin's one street and is greeted by throngs of the drug dealing populous. an hour and a half later, everyone is loaded (that's a pun) back onto the bus and the fabric of the universe starts to unravel.
~yeah, yeah, oh yeah - what condition my condition was in~
the bus winds up, up, and up into the wild rainforests of new south whales then roller coasters down a one-lane road in the dark and flying rain to terrifying music. then all is safe and good and ~every little thing.. is gona' be alright. jim makes a daily stop at his hippy friend's 80 acres of hand replanted rainforest and the group samples fruits and nuts grown on the premises. the bus ride home is relaxed and everyone is returned to their hostels where they can eat doritos or just pass out. simply a bryon must-see~
jim's alternative tour, nibin
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