It's been a while!

     I know. It's been a long time. I haven't been here since my trip to Tanzania in 2015! I've travelled a bit more since then. I went back to Brazil and went to Northern Ireland/Republic of Ireland in 2016 for the first time. Both trips were great, except for the end of Ireland trip when we found out my father-in-law died before we were to head to Dublin for the last couple of days of the trip. 


     My hubby and I moved out of our small condo and bought a much larger house, so 2017 was a non travel year since there was the stress of searching for a new place to live and finding a buyer for our old place. The budget was a little tight so I held off packing the suitcase even though I wanted to very badly. All that got done so I've jumped back on the travel horse so to speak. I went back to Colombia and had an amazing time. If you go to Colombia, please do yourself a favor and go to the Pacific Coast of Colombia. It's wild and rustic. If you want to get away from it all and don't mind living without some conveniences like hot water, no cell phone, and love fish/seafood, it's amazing. I think I literally fell in love with it and will definitely be back next year. Do your research, some places are more busy with tourists than others and it rains A LOT (at least when I went in May), but it's magical.

     I am also going to Spain in a couple of months. First, I'm going to Sevilla and after getting some beach/relaxing time in Menorca. It's not going to be exactly all pleasure as I'm going to take flamenco classes the first week, which I love, but it won't exactly be 2 weeks of all sightseeing. Everything is set with hotels and plane tickets and now I just have the wait. Welllll, there is one thing left to buy and that is a plane or train ticket to Sevilla from the Madrid airport. I'm probably going to go by train just because I'm pretty sure I will be sick of being on planes by the time I arrive. I'm also going to have my last night in Mallorca. I have my hotel booked, but am thinking of splurging even though it would be a colossal waste of money, but my last night in Medellin was kind of bad. The hotel was great, but it probably wasn't a great idea to stay in the heart of Parque Lleras if I wanted to get any kind of sleep before an early flight. Lesson learned. So now I want to overcorrect and splash out somewhere quiet with a big bathtub and a soft cloudlike bed before I have to wake up to a damn near 12 hour journey on planes, through airports, and security lines.

     That is all that is fit to print for now! I promise to be back sooner than later with whims, gripes, and vents!

Tanzania! No, not like the Tasmanian Devil.

It's taken me a while. I'm sorry I've been lazy! My trip to Tanzania is but a beautiful memory now. As I went on this trip in October, I will try to remember what happened as best I can. This is going to be a long post so grab some tea or coffee. Here goes!

I remember a week before I was hella nervous about the trip. Like, knots in the stomach, nervous. It suddenly dawned on me that I would be glamping in the wilderness alone, probably with a bunch of dudes, by myself. I mean, I'd thought about it in passing, but suddenly the situation seemed ridiculous. On top of that, I would be arriving in the dead of night to be whisked off to God-knows-where. It's not like I could streetview this shit on Google Maps. I was so nervous, I really couldn't sleep well on the flight and as I've stated numerous times, planes usually knock me out. My route was from ATL-Dulles-Amsterdam-Mt. Kili/Arusha. Oh let me backup a bit! I kinda fucked up when I left home for the airport and took the wrong ATM card. The card I did take had approximately 100 bucks in it. Lucky for me, I also took a credit card and had about 600 USD cash. My other bank was where the real dough was. I panicked when I realized at the airport, but it was too late to go back home. I wouldn't make my flight. Also lucky for me this trip was all inclusive, meaning I really didn't have to pay for anything but liquor and souvenirs if I was so inclined.

Ok, back to the plane ride. I can't remember a lot about them. I remember the absolutely shitty security line at Dulles airport. That airport was really pretty though! I remember sitting in Amsterdam airport very comfortable with a row of seats all to myself right in front of the window. Then these two dutch couples made me move my shit I had sort of spread around me so they could sit down. I was silently cursing them out in my head. There were plenty of seats, why my row?!! I know, it's very ugly american, and quite frankly I regretted this later as you will sooner or later find out.
I remember the seats on KLM being kind of narrow. I do remember one of my seatmates and I'm almost ashamed to recount this tale. I'm not sure if it was at Dulles or in Amsterdam. I had checked my seats right before leaving and according to the seatmap on KLM my rows were clear on all flights, but the seatmap lied! I remember getting very comfortable on my row, looking around at all the suckers who had to share their rows. Just about everyone had boarded so I was feeling very confident I could stretch out for the flight. And then I saw this woman, a very large woman, making her way down the aisle and looking intently in my direction. I literally could feel my face drop and felt so ashamed of myself!

I know how it feels to be that person and I'm not nor have I ever been overweight. However, I have always felt that I don't quite fit in anywhere and have had my feelings confirmed more than a few times. At that moment I resolved to try and get my humanity back, but not before I did one more unintentional dumb thing to make this woman probably hate me. I pulled down the armrest right as she was about to settle herself in. I have no idea what possessed me to do that, maybe it was subconscious fat-shaming or maybe it's something I usually do on airplanes when I have to share a row. Boundaries need to be established on a row. Who gets the armrest? Do not let your dumb handbag cross the border...you know, that kinda thing. Whatever it was, I wanted to face palm myself just based on how it might've looked to her. She had a hard time fitting in the seat and I offered to pull up the armrest,but maybe out of indignation or spite she said it could stay down. Anyway, she got settled and actually she was super nice! We kind of bonded because the guy directly in front of her was complaining about how little legroom he had in the basic economy seat and bitched to the flight attendant who then put him in the comfort row...FOR FREE! The flight was full so this poor lady that was in comfort switched with him, I would've let him rot. His attitude was shitty, like he deserved to be placed in comfort. He was very tall, like basketball player height, so surely he had to know economy comfort would be more, well, comfy.

    Huh, I guess I remember more about the flights than I thought. Anyway, the rest of the flight was pretty uneventful. There were fits of sleep and reading. Finally I get to Mt. Kilimanjaro airport. Anywhere I go this is usually the most nerve-wracking part for me. Will my luggage be there? How am I going to get out of here? Where am I going? I decided to not do carry-on only for this trip just because there was more than one layover and I couldn't deal with lugging my backpack everywhere.
First things first, getting the visa. I had dressed in layers, but the airport was hot as hell. I was sweating bullets and to my horror I smelled badly (deoderant was in the backpack). I had to keep my jacket on thinking I could contain it. No one ran away so I think I was successful. The lines were a bit long and it felt like forever when in actuality, I think it took maybe 30 minutes. I just wanted to get out in the world whatever it would hold. I got to the front of the line and handed the visa lady a crisp 100 dollar bill and she, in return, gave me my airport freedom in the form of a visa.

      I grabbed my backpack and there they were..the wolves outside the door. At almost every airport, you see a phalanx of people waiting to scam, hug, or simply drive the new arrivals. I stopped for a moment to steel myself. Took a breath and walked outside. I scanned the crowd to hopefully see my name scribbled on a piece of paper being held by someone which I hoped would be my driver. And there he was, on the left near the rear of the crowd. I smiled in relief and introduced myself and he told me his name, but can't recall what it was. It was night, can't remember the time. So we get to the van and as soon as I see it, the fear rises up. I'm about to get in the car with someone I don't know in bloody Africa. I am legit freaking a little, but am outwardly cool. I get up front with the driver, because I never know what the protocol is with taxi drivers in foreign countries and I would like to see what's going on in front of me.

Come to the light!

   
 So off we go! It's pitch black on the road. There are no streetlights except when coming upon gas stations. Me and the driver make a little small talk. He asks me where I'm from and I tell him I'm from Atlanta. I always have to explain to people where Georgia is located in the U.S. by saying, 'You know Florida..Miami, Disney...above that.'. I don't know why I bother, no one really gives a shit. Anyway, on the drive he blinks his lights often at oncoming drivers. This totally reminded me of a long drive in the middle of nowhere Brazil I took with this young American couple in taxicab, there was just fields of emptiness and for whatever reason the driver slowed down and the husband says, 'Here comes the ambush.'. I don't know why, but me and his wife cracked up at this...probably because it could've been absolutely true and also because it just seemed ludicrous that it could be true. Anway, this was sort of how I was feeling. Here comes the ambush. I had the window down and I stuck my head outside and looked up and my word!!! Whatever fear or anxiety I had died when I saw the night sky. It was like I was in the planetarium looking at every single constellation and the milky way. I literally saw galaxies. I thought to myself, if I am going to die here and this is the last thing I see, it won't be a bad way to go.


    We passed by these small shantytowns/villages by the side of the road. I think it was Friday or Saturday night so people were out and about. I could smell the food coming from bars and restaurants. Some put together with just cement and tin. I wanted my driver to stop to see if I could hang out in one as it looked like people were just sitting around shooting the shit, having a chill time. I realized I hadn't had anything to eat since the plane which seems like hours and hours ago. I was starving! The smell of diesel was very strong also and sometime the roads turned to dust. I think the total trip was maybe an hour. We turned off the dirt road and went up a hill. There was a closed gate and someone came and opened it. I went to reception to get checked in and get the low down on the joint. The restaurant was still open! Once I got to my room, I plopped down my things and went to go eat.

     I can't remember what I had for dinner. I think it was some type of curry and a dessert. It was only me and other couple in the restaurant and they seemed to be having an argument. And also who should walk in while I'm eating my entree? The Dutch couples from the Amsterdam airport! I didn't acknowledge them as I was kinda still salty from earlier. I finished dinner and went back to my room, took a shower, and collapsed in bed. I had to get up early the next day. My guide, who I will call, P, was to pick me up the next day at 7 a.m. UGH!

I think I'm gonna have to break this trip report in parts. It's just too long and I'm only on day one! Til next week!

Brother, can you spare a window seat?

    I guess I don't understand how airlines work their seating now. I should have bought this ticket by now, and lucky for me the price has gotten a little cheaper the closer I get to the take off date. I am going to do it today I swear! And while the price has gotten cheaper, the seat selection is weak. I am not rich so I fly economy AND I am picking these tickets up a bit late so I get that I'm not going to have my pick of the litter. What I didn't expect was that airlines are now implementing different economy tiers. Judging from my seat map, to get a window or aisle requires you to pay extra. Hobos not willing to pay extra get to sit in the middle of the middle section of the plane or if you'd like a window without paying extra you can sit in the near back of the plane near the bathrooms....possibly with video equipment under the seat in front of you. .

     I looooooooooooooove window seats and right now I am looking at the seat map of the first leg of my flights in complete denial that I have to sit in the middle section middle seat unless I fork over an extra 40 bucks. I've been looking at it for the past week praying that it's not true or that somehow somewhere someone will cancel and a window, so to speak, will open up. No one likes the middle seat. NO ONE. I am one of those freaks that falls asleep as soon as the plane levels out and unfortunately this may also mean me using your shoulder as a pillow which wouldn't be so bad if I didn't also dribble saliva out of my mouth while unconscious. I marvel at people who can strike the Weekend at Bernie's pose...straight up with head bent to the left or right on their neck pillows. I, however, need to lean right or left as long as I'm slightly diagonal which is why I love the window. I'm not even in it for the view since I only get maybe a minute or two of it before I'm out cold.

     In other news, the safari planning is going along ok. I got my yellow fever shot last week finally. From what I've read, it's unnecessary when coming from a non-endemic country like the U.S. or European countries. I read a lot of travel forums and sometimes it seemed it was a luck of the draw with health officials at the major airports in Tanzania no matter where you're from. Although, recent traveler's reports with this has gotten much better, I didn't want to take any chances. There's no way I'm getting a shot in an airport. The crap news is that my county travel clinic closed down so I had to go to the next county over. I called multiple private travel clinics and it seemed the prices for the shot itself were anywhere from 150 - 180 USD plus the 70 to 90 dollar consult fee and you're looking at a good bit of money to lay down. This vac isn't covered by my insurance, by the way. So I got it done at the county health clinic which saved me at least 50 bucks. I also re-upped my hepatitis a/b and got tetanus shot earlier this summer. The yellow fever vaccine was not pleasant. It burns! As much as it hurt going in, it felt like nothing after it was done which is more than I could say from some shots I've had.

     I am also going to have a call with my travel tour operator soon for a final rundown of the itinerary and to address any outstanding issues or questions I may have. The problem is that I really don't have any questions, well none that she can answer anyway. Like, am I going to get bitten by a snake? How does it feel to be a black American in Africa? I gotta think of something! Also at some point I'm going to need to go thrift shopping for some neutral colored/pastel shirts and hiking pants. I looked in my closet and I'm a HUGE fan of black, blue, red, and white. None of which you want to be wearing on a safari with tsetse flies (attracted to dark colors) or hungry mammals mistaking you for a zebra. I refuse to buy new clothing for this safari because I've already dropped enough coin for this trip and I'm going to be a dusty,dirty mess by the time the safari part is over. So might as well wear stuff that's super cheap and kind of throwaway. Kind of like the middle seat in the middle section of an airplane. :D

Destination 2015: Tanzania/Zanzibar!

     Bless me Blogger, for I have sinned. It has been months since my last post. I've had impure thoughts about work and day to day bullshit to fully concentrate on this trip and this blog. However, I have a moment and would like to start making up for it today!

     As you hobos can see, my destination is set in stone. I'm so excited by it and scared at the same time. I haven't felt like this in a while. It's going to be a whole new experience for me. I will be on safari for a total of 9 days and camping/glamping out in various camps 3 days out of those 9. I will also go on a walking safari, which I still can't believe I'm doing. And then 5 days of lovely beach time on Zanzibar before my flight home. In my imagination it's going to be some real Indiana Jones shit. I'm totally expecting misery (the bugs) and good times (lions and ellies oh my!). I will be going solo as my potential travel partner backed out. That experience was a great reminder on why I love solo travel in the first place. I will never again stray from being the captain of my own ship.

     Ok, well, I won't the the total captain of my own ship. I've gone with a tour operator and they've arranged everything. And for once it's nice to have everything laid out and scheduled in front of me. I will have a driver/guide, car, and cook. It was hard to find info for a safari tour operator who arranged solo safari trips. As I was researching, I even had one highly recommended tour operator kind of snottily write back that they didn't do solos because the cost is prohibitively more expensive. I mean, what if I were a billionaire, they don't know! I'm not, but what if?! Anyway, I believe I found a good tour operator and they have been very helpful and thorough. I researched and read a bunch of forums and when it comes to safaris, I think you definitely get what you pay for in this case. As I may have stated in a previous post, I could've gone on a group trip, but I just didn't want to take a chance of travelling with a group of people or person I didn't get along with and ruining the experience. It would be less expensive, but I would rather spend more and be responsible for my own misery thankyouverymuch.

     As I didn't put together this trip from scratch as I usually do, I don't have a lot to think about other than shots and travel insurance. I've gotten the first round of hep a/b and tetanus, and have to get the other round this week. Closer to the time I have to leave (a month or two before), will have to get yellow fever (the blessed yellow card) and get some malarial pills. The travel insurance is something I really have to look at closely this time. I usually go with World Nomads, but I think I'm going to get some travel medical insurance on top of that. I don't know about your insurance, but mine does not cover 'lion maul in the middle of the Serengeti'. The safari has flight evac insurance included in the price which is good, but I just want to make sure my ass is totally covered. Being captain of your own ship is great, but having a lieutenant commander isn't so bad either! :D

 





   

Let's think this through.

     Ok, I know I was pretty deadset on Namibia last time I spoke, however now there's a possibility that I may have a travel partner. I usually walk alone on my travels, but the more I think about tackling Namibia, the more I get a little overwhelmed/scared of having to overcome some pretty big obstacles alone: driving on the left side while watching for animals and possibly breaking down in the middle of nowhere. I was sort of thrilled he wanted to come, but of course nothing is ever easy. He came with a counter trip idea of going to Tanzania. Now, at this point, I had my heart set on Namibia. Before I even got to Namibia, I researched a little into Tanzania and thought it might not be for me. It was for the same reason I threw out Vanuatu. It is a very conservative country. I'm not sure how much it matters when out on safari, but Zanzibar I hear is also very conservative outside of the beach resort. And I must admit it really didn't help when I heard about the two British girls and a priest getting attacked with acid a couple of years ago. I decided to entertain the idea again, however, and researched Tanzania and a few tour operators.

     Tanzania, I think, will definitely have more density and greater variety of animals. My friend really wants to see lions, which is the reason why he wants to go to Tanzania. Namibia also has lions, but I don't think they are as plentiful as they are in Tanzania. I also advised my friend that the wilderness is not a zoo and would he be disappointed if we didn't see one. His answer was, 'Yes'. He was only half-kidding. I finally wrote to a few tour operators for quotes. Only two have written back thus far. One for Namibia called Cardboard Box Travel and the other is Wayo Africa for Tanzania.
I am now facing a question of what kind of experience would I like to have and I don't know! They both sound great! Namibia has unique, beautiful scenery and the wildlife at Etosha Park sounds great!
The car, even though I have anxiety about it, will allow me some freedom to do my own thing if need be and I think breaks/stops will allow me to interact with locals. I will be staying at lodges and can either go on game drives myself or go on organized drives. Namibia just feels a bit more DIY even though it really won't be. There doesn't seem to be any hangups about not being covered from head to toe.

                                                                 

Sossusvlei, Namibia

      Tanzania on the other hand does have a hangup about clothing, which I suppose if it came down to it, I could handle because from what I've seen it's worth it. The wildlife there looks amazing and so does the Serengeti. And really, going to the Serengeti should be on everyone's bucket list. The safari tour with Wayo sounds very intriguing and really that is what's making my heart beat for Tanzania. It will be mostly camping/glamping right in the thick of things and a couple of walking safaris. Not to mention we wouldn't have to drive and we would have our own guide.  And then there are the beautiful beaches of Zanzibar or Pemba Island. Being grotty during the safari and relaxing for 4 or  5 days at the end on a lovely beach sounds heavenly.

       Also it includes most things like food and 

game drives which Namibia does not. We would

Acacia Tree, Tanzania

have to pay for park fees, gas, and whatnot on our/my own. On the outset it seemed like Namibia would be the cheaper option, but when counting in those things, it comes out roughly the same as far as cost is concerned. So here I am, unable to decide and I guess it's not all up to me for the moment. I actually have to think of another person. People always ask me what it's like to travel alone, and now I feel like asking people what it's like to travel with someone. 

 

     

Namibia, maybe?

   Welp, here we go again! I have been all around the world in my head trying to decide where I should go. At first it was back to Brazil. As much as I love it there, there's really one place left that I would love to see: Lencois Maranhenses. For right now though, it's not enough. I also thought about going back to Colombia as well, but I thought to myself, it's so uncreative. I always want to try something new and different. I loved Italy last year, but it was comfortable. This year I want to be uncomfortable and completely out of my element. So then I thought, Iceland! And that would be great, but I'm one of those people running a heater in the office in the summer time, so I can't even imagine how I would cope my body temp drops and there's nothing I can do about it. Who wants to spend their entire vacation next in a hotel boiler room? Not me. So then my thoughts swung over to the other side of the world. Indonesia? It looks fun, but I think I overdosed on that part of the world during my whirlwind Thailand, Cambodia, Japan trip in 2013. Then I thought I had a eureka moment with the South Pacific...Fiji in particular...which has always been the subject of a crude inside joke between me and Mr. Brknsuitcase. It's always been on my bucketlist and it's still in the back of my mind, but I lost the thirst for it as well.

     I wanted to think a little outside the box. On iTunes they used to have playlists and on one tab would be a "Deep Cuts" list. Like if you know all the hits from an artist, but want to go deeper. This is what I want this trip to be. I've played the hits. I was slowly getting there with Vanuatu. Kind of difficult to get to and little known, so not hoards of tourists. And a real cultural feel. I think what sort of deflated both of these was the conservatisim. Granted, I don't usually walk around in bikinis in normal life, but when I have to be careful about wearing above knee shorts (not even the booty kind) in a dreadfully hot country, count me out.  I liked it and was going with it, until I saw Madagascar. Africa! Why not?! Lemurs and Baobabs! So I started looking at tours and then I saw you pretty much need a car and driver to take you places. And it also seems like the country is split. The southern part it seems is all the wildlife (lemurs) and the north is beaches and Tsingy's. It just felt like I would have to choose which side...like the Kramer vs. Kramer of vacations.

       Then I moved to Tanzania and Zanzibar. Hey, best of both worlds..but..it's a conservative country...again. I then moved back to Mada and thought, well I could do Mada south and then maybe trip on over to Mozambique for a week for some beach time. It's still a possibility. Then I saw a picture of Namibia as I was researching a tour company for Mada itineraries. It was love at first sight and unfortunately the most difficult for me to undertake. The more I read about it, the more I love the idea of it. I, of course, will be travelling by myself. This leaves me with only two possibilities of getting around: a guided tour or self-drive. The pro of a guided tour is that it generally comes out cheaper and your activities are mostly planned out. The con of a guided tour is that your activities are mostly planned and also what if you hate your tour group. I mean, you will be spending practically every waking moment with strangers. It could come out 50/50. And while it's cheaper, it's not THAT cheap and I don't want to take a chance on the shitty 50%. I lean on the misanthropic side anyway.

     So now I'm thinking about a self-drive which is fraught with all kinds of fucked up difficulties. First of all, most cars for hire are manual transmission. I'm automatic only. I've read the travel forums and I see some automatics for hire, but they are rare and therefore way more expensive.  They also drive on the left, which means the driver's seat is on the bloody right side of the car. So I'm fucked right out of the gate. On the one hand, I really do need to learn to drive stick and on the wrong side of the road (yeah I said it!) especially if I want to go to Oz or NZ or the UK. I also pretty much know the itinerary I want to take and as I never take it easy and just sit in one place for any length of time, I'm going practically from top to bottom. That is a LOT of driving through desert which for some and maybe me is super boring. From what I've read the roads are sometimes gravel, sometimes tarred, but well maintained and signposted. The scenery from pictures is stunning and the chance to catch some wildlife leaves me equally ecstatic. I would also love to visit a Himba village as well and drink beer in a shebeen. I'm very much into it. Travelling on the open road, watching out for animals, large and small, crossing my path. Me and my tunes. The deep cuts.

   

At least I have Pringles.

     I'd gone through this trip relatively hiccup free. I'd gotten colds, but that was as bad as it got.

 

     I'd spent the night previously at this restaurant at 10 Corso Como in Milan. It was pretty good, and as usual throughout my whole stay in Italy after a meal was wine drunk. I'd built up a good tolerance and wasn't sloppy, but after a day of travel with little food since morning was buzzing pretty hard. Near the end of my meal a couple sat down at the table next to mine. I paid the check and left. I didn't even get coffee, because I was just exhausted beyond belief. The apartment where I was staying was thankfully right across the street.

     So off I went, barely took my clothes off, before I passed out. I woke up the next day hangoverless and ready to head to The Duomo. Showered and was getting my usual stuff, camera, wallet, passport. Uh oh...where's my wallet? I lifted up the blanket on the bed. Not there. I looked under the bed, I went to the bathroom. Not there. I dumped all the contents out of my backpack and felt through all the pockets. Not there. The apt was really not that big and minimalist in furnishing. Maybe 300 sq ft if that. It was a studio/efficiency. At this point, I started to panic and thought about what I did the night before. I left the restaurant and strolled outside and walked to my apartment. No one got close enough to me to take anything and wouldn't have had a chance to. 

 

     It was 10am and the restaurant hadn't opened yet. There was a security person there that said they wouldn't open until 1130am, but I should probably wait until 12. That left a full 2 hours to expect the worse. The apartment, unfortunately did not have wifi, so I had to grab my Kindle and phone, and go outside. I looked up my accounts online to see if there was any activity. None on the credit cards, and my bank's site was down for maintenance. Nonetheless I was still freaking out. My phone was dying and the only internet available was blessedly free internet that I guess is provided by the Milan city government. Spotty though. Kindle browsing is shit. It is a horrible HORRIBLE feeling when all your money (yes I know I probably should've kept some cash separate in my room) is just gone. I had no money to use at an internet cafe, no money to take a cab to the airport if I needed to leave..nothing. I thought of calling Mr. Brknsuitcase  to wire me some money, but how would I get to Western Union to get it? I didn't have cab fare, not to mention it would've been useless anyway as it was Sunday....when everything (important anyway) is closed. 

     Then I thought. Travel insurance! Surely they wouldn't be able to replace any money that I had that day. They would have to wire the money and again, how would I get it? The embassy would probably bail me out, but it was closed as well. All these thoughts ran through my head and all solutions were just impossible, outside of begging people for money on the street...in Milan on a street where dresses cost 600.00 USD and up. It was dire. At best, I would miss my flight out of Italy if Mr. Brknsuitcase could wire the money in the morning. At worst I'd be stuck in Italy for however many days until travel insurance or wire transfer came in. I went back into the apartment and tried to think of my way out of the situation, coming up against a brick wall each time. And I don't know, once I realized the situation was completely out of my control, I calmed down. It would eventually work out, I told myself, even if I have to suffer for a while. I had a can of Pringles left from my train trip and ate one chip considering that this would be what I'd have to live on for the next few days. 

So dramatic. :D

Anyway, the two hours pass and I walk over to the restaurant. The waiter recognized me and smiled. At that moment I knew I was saved! He said, 'Ahh you left your wallet here.' and I gave him the biggest hug I've ever given anyone! He laughed and a woman came out and said that she actually found it on my table and ziploc'd and stapled it so no one would tamper with it. All my money and cards were there. I thanked them profusely and offered her money as a reward, but she wouldn't take it. I was so hopped up on adrenaline, my hands were shaking. They offered a coffee and I settled down. I left a big tip.

     So let this serve as a cautionary tale. I knew these, but obviously didn't follow it.

1. Keep an emergency stash of money, a credit card, and maybe a can of Pringles in your room.

2. Check yo'self when you leave any establishment.

The end.

Brknsuitcase thinks about travel - Italy Pt 2

Arrival in Venice S. Lucia:
I gotta get a boat..how do I get a boat?

San Marco Piazza 

What boat do I want?
Oh I have directions..ok. Boat 5.1..where is boat 5.1?
Well dummy it would probably help if you walk down the steps to the dock. Be brave.
Ok well here's the ticket place.
How do you say 'I need..'
I know!
Ho bisogno di biglietto per 5.1. Say it and see if she laughs at you.
She understands!! I am so awesome!
I have no idea what she just said. I suck.
Which one is 5.1? Here it is!
It's going to rain. Please don't rain while I'm on the boat.
It's so cold!
The boat is here..I guess I should call my B&B to tell them I'm on the boat.
How do you say boat in Italian?
Pronto? What is Pronto?
Ciao Lorenzo? Sono brknsuitcase. Ho prenotato..oh you speak English!
Must remember to say 'Pronto' when calling someone from here on out.
This boat is full. I gotta stand, great. I gotta get my surfboard skills up.
This lady is volunteering herself as my stabilization..we're both going down.
Oh people are getting off! I'm getting that seat up front!
I can't believe I'm actually here. I am in Venice, looking at Venice!
Please don't rain.
It's so cold! Maybe it was a mistake sitting out here.
Here's my stop.
Where's my B&B guy. Well there's this guy next to me and everyone is off the boat.
I'm gonna call him to make sure it's him.
It is!

Making our way to the B&B:
He seems nice.
Is he giving me directions? Cuz it feels like a maze right now.
He just recommended this restaurant. Make mental note.
Ahh we're here!
All these keys look alike. Maybe I won't leave the room.
Well this is cozy. Bigger than I expected.
Throw your bags down and get out right now.
Oh wait. We have to have the talk.
A map and how to get places. We look close to everything.
Now go eat!

First time out and about:
Now which key again?
This little street is so cool. Which direction do I want to go.
Oh no! RAIN! Why didn't I bring an umbrella?!
Where is that restaurant? WHERE IS IT?!
Fuck it. I'll just go in this one.
I know I look like a wet rat. I'm hungry, please feed me.
I am a character from a Dickens novel.
Aaaah. Breadsticks and water.
Ohh caprese salad! I am totally basic bitching right now,
And spicy sauce on pasta. Make mental note to be more adventurous with the menu in the future.
Am I supposed to get a second plate? I think I'm supposed to get a second plate.
Screw it, I'm getting steak. Yes I am American.
Red wine..give it to me!
Oh no..Americans with southern accents. So loud! So irritating.
Stop it, you sound like this everyday in normal life! Don't be that self-hating tourist.
SHUT UP!
I have been on a plane, train, and a boat for most of the day and am drenched from rain. I have a right to be grumpy dammit.
Caprese..so hungry.
Is this pasta raw? Al dente? Meh, it's passable.
Steak..yummy!
I can't believe I'm getting buzzed from one glass of wine.
No, no coffee. Check please before I pass out at the table.
Umm..shit..where is my B&B?
Oh god I forgot to bring the map!
What is the number..46?
Ok this place looks familiar.
This isn't it.
I'm going to be a Dickens character for real!
Is there a cockney Italian accent?
All these alleys look alike!
The door..I think this is it!
Directly across from the restaurant where I just ate. Nice. Idiot.
Which key? Let's try all of them.
Success!
ZZZZ...

     To sum up the rest of the trip, I must say I loved Italy. It was quite possibly the loneliest, romantic, and beautiful trips I've ever taken. I had moments in Italy that were pure brilliance, so much so I want to return soonish. As it was mid October the weather was warm for the first week and a half and then changed in one night to cold for the rest of the trip.
My packing list was as follows:
1 Sweater
2 long sleeve shirts
2 short sleeve tshirts
1 tank top
1 pair of jeans
1 pair of khakis
1 pair of leggings
1 skirt
4 pair of underwear
1 pair of boots
2 scarves
1 Packable rain jacket
1 tote courtesy of Urban Outfitters, very thin material and took no space nor significant weight.
1 Purse - small to med. ziptop with a small outside pocket that also zipped. It takes a real tug to open so I would know when I was being pickpocketed. Thick leather straps with no clasps..so uncuttable without a LOT of effort and no surprise unclasping from the bag itself.

My backpack, purse, and camera(put in backpack).

My plane outfit was a scarf, blue jeans, sweater with tank underneath, underwear (some people go commando), and boots. My purse contained my Kindle, smartphone, earphones, passport, wallet, and 2 pens.

Electronics:
I had to sacrifice my laptop after much anxiety about weight. I flew Emirates and they only allowed 15lbs for carryon. I was reconfiguring my backpack (REI Vagabond 40L) right up until the time I had to leave so I could fit it in, but as I was working with the bare minimum I thought I could handle clothing wise, 3lbs of laptop put me right at 15lbs. Not to mention, the pack felt heavy when putting it on.
So I figured I would just take my Kindle Fire, which was a godsend and a pain in the ass as I will explain later.
Kindle - Hours of entertainment while waiting on trains, being on trains and nights when you can't sleep, but when you really need to get on the web for an emergency, such as when I needed to after I lost my wallet, it really was not the best. Also some plugins didn't work and the screen was too small for some webpages. I have an old Kindle Fire so maybe this is fixed in the newer gens.
Smartphone
Nikon Coolpix L830 and camera bag- I used this camera maybe 20% of the time I was there and mostly used my smartphone just because it was handy to just whip out and click. This camera did take nice photos, crisper than my smartphone, but that could be due to my shit photography skills. Usually when I went out I would take the camera just in case and the camera bag. The camera bag would serve as a purse also sometimes especially for long walk days.

Toiletries:
As I stated before, the weather turned on a dime when I was there. I got sick twice. Once in Venice, probably due to getting rained on and once in Matera. A thin sweater, rain jacket, and scarf were no match for the cold wind that slapped my face once I got to Matera.
Makeup - two lipsticks, lipliner, foundation.
Shampoo - Here is where I made a little fuck up. I packed packed two shampoos accidentally. One liquid and one solid. For whatever reason, I thought the solid was a conditioner. So imagine my surprise when after I washed with the shampoo, my 'conditioner' started to lather up. This is jacked up because my hair mats/tangles when shampooed and straightens out/detangles when it's conditioned. I almost cried, but to make do with this horrible situation, I poured a good bit of the olive oil in my hair and it came out fine! YAY!
Olive oil/jasmine mix - Ashiness (and bad hair day) prevention. TSA compliant.
Face moisturizer - small jar
Beano - I thought I would get flight gas, but that didn't happen at all this trip. Probably because I didn't eat at all before leaving.
Allergy medicine - Saved my life when incessant sneezing and stuffy nose kept me from sleeping.
Nasal spray- Nuclear nostril clearer
Anti -diarrheal - Hey you never know. Wound up not needing, thank god.
Razor - because hair

     When I got to JFK via Delta to make my connection to Emirates which would take me to Milan, I went to the desk agent, who, when I showed him all I was taking, replied incredulously, 'That's it?! You pack light!'. That dude made my day! I wanted to make an Academy Award like speech, thanking REI and the countless Youtube videos I watched in preparation for this moment. I just said 'Thanks.'..like a dork. I was very proud of myself though. I was fretting about my purse, because Emirates states if you're flying economy, you're only allowed one carryon. Considering that my backpack would count as my one carryon, I wasn't entirely sure if they would let me on with my purse. It wasn't a thing at all and my backpack was a stealthy 12lbs. However when I got on the plane, I found that my backpack jutted out just a little bit when I put it in lengthwise (vertical) in the overhead. Like a murderer quickly covering up the scene of a crime I smushed it down as best I could to make it fit and it was fine.

Up, up, and away!

   
     Man, Emirates. I know all flights are not like this, but my particular flight over (AND coming back) was full except for my row. You know that feeling you get when it's close to time to take off and you get your hopes up that you'll have the row to yourself, only to be dashed when some jackass shows up late and harshes your scene. I had my hopes up and then hope turned into elation! A 3 seat row! ALL MINE! I looked around at everyone, in my disbelief as if to say, 'Can you believe this shit?! Can you?!'. Maybe the gate agent was a gate angel! It happened on the way back home too! Anyway, Emirates is the best. A huge selection of movies and you can get on the internet for free (even though I didn't know that going over). I hadn't eaten anything before I got on the plane at 930pm so the airplane food, could've been dead rat and it would've been delicious. It wasn't dead rat however and it was pretty tasty..I think it was chicken..always chicken.

     I landed in Milan and the rest as they say is history. I loved walking and getting lost in Venice and how it would turn into a ghost town after 4 or 5pm. I loved crossing the Tiber from Trastevere everyday in order to see the sights in central Rome. I loved the weight of history everywhere you went in Rome. I loved taking the trains and seeing the beautiful emerald countryside with villas dotting the piedmont and hills. I loved the stony monotone , beautiful day and night skies of Matera and how no one really spoke English. It's when I really felt I was in Italy. I loved Spello and the peaceful small town village feel inside the roman gates and an impossibly romantic walks through olive groves and alleys.

    I even loved Milan, for jolting me back to reality, modernity,style, and my new coat! I loved/hated that lunch and dinner would take 3 hours each and how I would wind up stuffed and drunk after both. I love that there's siesta hours incorporated into everyone's workday. I loved when I would have to leave for the next town afraid and excited about what laid ahead. I loved traveling by train and getting to finish novels I half read during the year. I loved all the apts and B&Bs where I hung my hat at the end of the day and made me feel like a local if only for a few days to a week at a time. I loved all of it! Ok, I didn't looove taking the metro in Milan. When (not if) I go back, I am definitely going to hit more of the southern end and maybe tackle Sicily as well. Until then, arrivederci!

Brknsuitcase thinks about travel - Italy Pt. 1

Matera, Italy

I am back from the travel wars! I've been thinking about my trip all week, trying to put it in some kind of perspective to tell the story of how it went. I just can't. Currently sleepless, so I will give my non sequitur travel thoughts that ran through my head while on the road. If you don't like profanity, stop reading. I have a mouth like a sailor. For review, I went to the cities of Venice, Rome, Matera, Spello, and Milan in that order.

Leaving home to JFK:
That's Dee Snider from Twisted Sister!
Should I splurge on a day pass to the Delta Lounge?
There are a lot of people here. Zero chance of getting an empty row. Bummer.
There are a lot of people with carry-ons. A LOT. Please sweet Jesus don't make me check my backpack.
I paid 10 bucks extra for Priority Boarding. I bet all these people in front of me right now are cheating bastards.
You mean I'm not on the exit row?
Oh look, someone already in my row. Great.
And look, my overhead bin is filled already. I'm never falling for that Priority Boarding bullshit again.
I WILL YOU TO FIT!
Yeah baby!
Don't talk to me.
Why aren't you talking to me?!
Out comes the laptop, fine, be that way then. I got a Kindle full of erudite books.This is not Diner Dash at all.
No it's not ebola, it's a plain 'ol vanilla sneeze.
Does anyone else feel like they're in kindergarten when they hand out drinks?
This flight attendant is so nice. If anyone fucks with you I will fight them to the death!
Zzzzz....
Damn, are we landing already? -- Wiping off sleep slobber.
Don't look at me. I'm hideous.

JFK:
Umm where the hell do I go now?!
Do we get free tablets? Why are there tablets all over the place?!
Umm where do I go now?!
Shit, I shoulda read the stupid airline mag with the terminal map.
Ok it'd be nice to have a sign telling you where to go for your particular airline.
Thanks dude.
It's so cold!
Why yes, Mr. Gate agent, I do pack light.
Impress airline employee with packing skills. Achievement Unlocked!
ZOMG, what the actual fuck JFK?! Did I sign up for some kind of 10k walk?!
I'm going to Italy,I'm going to Italy.
Oh shit, I'm going to Italy by myself. Wtf  was I thinkin' when I bought this ticket?
Omg..I actually understand what these Italian people are talking about! The tutoring worked!
I feel like a spy. I wonder if true bi-linguals feel this way all the time.
I forgot to eat before I left. People are starting to look delicious.
Another solo black woman! I'm giving you a mental fistbump right now.
I wonder if she's Italian.
Dammit I'm hungry. I will NOT go to the newsstand for Pringles.
I can't believe I'm saving myself for airplane food.
Welp this is it!

On the plane to Italy:
I WILL YOU TO FIT!
Ohh yeah!
I don't have seatmates yet.
Hmm 10 minutes to go. If someone gets on this plane late and ruins my row hogging plans I will be beyond furious.
OMG, OMG! They're closing the doors! Ladies and gentlemen, suck it! All this real estate is mine!"
First class at economy prices!
FEED ME NOW!
Ha HA asshole, I am impervious to your ill-timed recline!
FOOD!!!
Do not get booze. You know how you get.
Is there such a thing as too many entertainment choices? I think not.
Zzzz...
You know, maybe I'll go to Australia next year. These flights are too short.
Emirates, I think I love you.

Milan Malpensa Airport:
We don't get/need any kind of customs entry card? Interesting.
One more stamp to add to my collection. Yay!
Oh God! I can't remember how to Italian!
Think, think..calm down.
Vorrei un biglietto di seconda classe per Venezia. Per favore.
Holy shit, where'd that come from?!
Assimil DID work!
Ok yeah..I meant Milano Centrale. Oops.
I know I probably need to validate this..but where?
Oh right here.

Train to Milan Central train station
Do NOT go the fuck to sleep!

At Milano Centrale:
I feel like a farm girl landing in a big city.
Biglietteria, I assume means ticket counter.
This is chaos. Where does the line end? Do I have to take a number? I am going to be here all night!
Hmm.. where are these people going? I'm following them, they look like they know what they're doing.
This poor lady.
I can use the fast ticket machines? Why are all these people in line?
Please be in English.
Yes!
I see you eyeing me. What kind of crap are you going to pull
No I don't need help. No grazie. No grazie. NO GRAZIE.
Honestly, who falls for this?
Woot! Buying a train ticket. Achievement Unlocked!
There's TIM..Hmm guess no time like the present to buy a sim card.
I don't know the Italian words for pre-paid nor sim card. I'll just show him my phone and hope he gets it.
He speaks english. Nice.
Buying an Italian sim. Achievement Unlocked!
Now to find my train.
I gotta pee first.
A Euro?! Thank god I got change from the ticket machine.
It's so clean in here! This is a train station right?
Binario.Whomp there it is!
Of course my car is at the end. Run Lola Run!

On the train:
Power plugs! I can charge my phone.
Did I buy the right adapter?
Three prong! We have a match!
This is great! We're all tourists in this together.
Here we are. I'm scared.
Google how to call someone within Italy.

Exiting Venice S. Lucia train station:
Wow! Will you look at that!

If the shoe fits!

Shoes! They are my downfall when it comes to packing and in life. I would say shoes are the only stereotypical girly girl thing about me. And I'm not into stilettos or heels. My shit is boots! Ankle, midcalf, and whole calf, I love them all. Ok..not a fan of thigh high boots. All I see is Julia Roberts hooking in Pretty Woman when I see them. I don't even think I'm associating thigh highs with hooking. I think I'm associating it with Julia Roberts' horrendous hooking outfit! Anway, I digress.

     

     This will be my first European trip in a very long while. Since cabs are more expensive than in say, Bangkok, I will probably walk around more than usual. I realized I don't have any shoes that are comfortable enough where I could walk in them all day. Actually I do, sandals and throwaway flip flops, but nothing for urban walking. There's no way I'm walking around in a pair of Chacos or Keens in Rome.The weather I think will still be a bit warm, but I wear boots pretty much year round anyway. So I went on the hunt! Initially I was just looking for comfortable shoes and not necessarily boots. When googling 'comfortable walking shoes', I was not happy with what I saw. I want to be comfortable and NOT look like I belong in a nursing home. And I guess ballet flats are the best you could hope for. It's funny that I look at these sites and a description might be, 'it's the cutest ballet flat'. No, it looks like every other ballet fucking flat on the planet. It's the most vanilla of shoes. I love my mary jane flats, but it feels like I've given up on life everytime I wear them. If you're going to notice anything about me, notice my footwear!

     After many hours of looking for something kind of cute, but bold in a regular shoe and not getting it, I started looking at boots. Now, initially I wasn't really looking at boots. I am a huge fan of Frye boots. I love them to death, but they are heavy as hell and they aren't easy to get into/out of quickly when you're trying to strip down for your romantic moment at airport security. As I'm only carrying a 40L backpack this year, 8lbs of boot really would be a huge burden. After much searching I think I found the two boots I was looking for. One pair from Lucky Brand called the Dallis Bootie and another from Born called Alamid. I tried both on at the store and I couldn't decide so I bought both of them! In comparison, I would say the Lucky Boot is more comfortable. I don't know what the hell they put in the soles, but it feels like the soles of your feet are well cushioned.  Anyway, great boot, easy to get on/off and light. As for the Alamid, it wasn't as comfortable as the Dallis, but I do think it looks great. I mean they are comfortable, they're Born for chrissake, just not Dallis Bootie foot-massage-comfortable. As you can see both look very similar with the buckles. I'm digging that look now. Very biker gang type of style. I would like to take both pair with me to Italy, but I gotta choose one and I think it's gonna be Dallis.

     Speaking of shoes, I recently saw this and at first glance I was disgusted. Then I realized something. That's me! No not me literally. I take my shoes off baring my feet on planes all the time. I didn't even realize it was wrong. Now, mind you, I've never propped my feet in someone's face or on their seat where I'm invading their personal space. However I will be the first one taking my shoes off when the 'we're not gonna crash take your seat belt off' bell goes off. I do keep them under the seat in front or maybe my own seat. Sorry, I can't stand wearing socks! It just makes me feel so constricted. So much so that I start to feel a little nauseated. I wonder if that's an actual sickness and not just my personal hangup. I love being barefoot. If I didn't have to wear shoes at all, I wouldn't...well except for public/airplane restrooms cuz gross. There's a reason why 'No Shirt, No Shoes, No Service' signs exist. So now that I know this is a no-no, will I continue to take off my shoes? Yeah, probably. I am courteous to my fellow passengers in all other respects so I feel they can give me a pass on this one.

     I packed my backpack for the first time today and I'm still weighing in at about 15lbs. :( Part of me really just wants to just throw some toiletries in a handbag and go to the airport with the clothes on my back.  You laugh, but it's been done! The good news is that the bag is not full, there's about 30 percent of free space. The thing that's causing the weight is my laptop. I'm a little conflicted about leaving it behind. It has been my lifeline when sitting in airports and wasting time in B&Bs/hotels, but 3lbs really does make a difference!

     So I'm outta here in about 3 weeks and I dunno. I'm having weird feels like I do. It's sort of a 'oh god, the time is near it's almost here.' , followed by 'oh god, i'm getting closer to it's almost over!'. I'm already looking ahead to next year. Currently I'm looking at Lencois Maranhenses in Brazil, Iceland, Guadeloupe, or Fiji. I'm in the mood for weird landscapes..ok Fiji not so strange but  pretty far flung.
We'll cross that bridge later. For now I will be dreaming of  La Dolce Vita and some fine Italian leather boots!

I'm in the mood!

Friends of mine have recently tripped out to Europe and it's been kind of nice to hear about their adventure. It didn't start off great as their luggage was lost by the airline and remained lost for the first couple of days **insert finger waggy carry-on only lecture here**. Miraculously the airline found it right before they were to head out to another country. Aside from that, to hear of their walks in Paris and drinking in Spain had me walking in their shoes vicariously. I wanted to keep the feeling of inspiration going so I bought 3 travel books to keep me in the mood so to speak. One of which I'm reading right now called The Sex Lives of Cannibals by J. Maarten Troost and it's hilarious! A quick synopsis is this guy in his 20s has no idea what to do with his life other than he doesn't want to work a 9 to 5. He sets off with his girlfriend who's gotten some NGO type job on an island in the middle of nowhere in the Pacific. He's a complete fish out of water and the culture shock is immense which I think anyone who has traveled internationally can understand on some level. Anyway I highly recommend it. The other two that I haven't gotten to yet are Vroom with a View by Peter Moore and A Fun Thing I'll Never Do Again by the late David Foster Wallace. I also want to include a book that I have read in the past about the glory and travails of women travelling called Sand in My Bra and Other Misadventures which is a compilation of funny stories/essays from women on the road.

     I am a month away from this trip and have bought at least three of my train tickets in advance, most of them longish 3 to 4 hour journeys. I have not booked the regional trains because it appears that they will not allow the ticketless option. I'll just have to get those the day of departure. It was really easy booking through the Trenitalia website and I was really surprised and delighted that they had Economy fares which made my train budget less expensive than I had projected! Win! For the most part I will be travelling in second class on the fast FrecciaRossa, Bianca, Argento trains with some Regional trains thrown in. I considered first class, but after researching, I found that there wasn't a big difference between the two to really justify the cost.
   
     Well, I take that back. I will be taking one first class train from Spello via Florence to Milan just because I don't like the look of the rules for Standard service. Maybe I am interpreting it wrong, but it looks like they won't guarantee the seat if it's sold out. It will be the most expensive ticket clocking in at 122 USD. I haven't bought it yet, because there's a regional train connection (so no ticketless or maybe it's too early). Since it will be late October, I'll have time to buy it in advance. First class has less seats in the cars, therefore a bit more room, and I think they have a little snack they dole out. Second class seems a little more fun and less..I dunno..stuffy? It seems a lot of business people and Americans (no offense, we, generally speaking, just love our personal space) take 1st class. I'm kind of excited about taking the trains! I think it will be much better than flying, just because there's actual scenery, aside from clouds, that I can see. It may be ugly factory cities or beautiful countryside, but it will be something other than half a wing, some clouds, and maybe a mountain. The longest ride I'll be taking will be from Matera to Spello clocking in at nearly 9 hours which means I will have to wake up at a god-awful hour of 5:30am to make the train at 7am. Matera to Bari (Regional train 2 hours), Bari to Ancona ( Frecciabianca nearly 4 hours), Ancona to Foligno (Regional 2 hours) and finally Foligno to Spello (? 4 minutes).  No vacation would be complete without torturing myself. Whee!

                             

 I can't decide what I should do once I am in Rome. There's so much! There are the big sites that I think I will just take the hop on/hop off tourist bus or walk like The Colosseum, The Pantheon, The Trevi Fountain, etc. I want to see the Crypt of the Capuchin Monks and I really want to see the Vatican, but the crowds..ugh. There is a VIP tour on Viator where it's a small group and you get to go to the secret Vatican rooms I'm very tempted to just suck it up and do it as it is the one place that I think would be a huge disservice if I missed it. I'm not even religious, but the art people, the ART!  There are cheaper skip the line tours, but from everything I've read you'll be fighting for elbow room. To see it unfettered without hundreds of other people jostling for space sounds lovely. Should I splurge? All the reviews for it point to 'Yes!'. Funny enough, I haven't given a second thought to the other big city I'm visiting: Venice. I think Venice isn't a place to 'do', it is a place to 'be', much like the small towns I'm visiting. They have major sites there, but if I miss them it won't be such a big deal as just simply being in Venice and seeing it with my own eyeballs is enough.

     So, everything is coming together. I have one hotel left to book in New York for my long layover before heading home, but I think I'm just going to crash out at an airport hotel. I would like to stay in the city, but holy hell is it expensive..well the hotels and locations I'd like to stay are. Plus the getting to and fro Manhattan will not come cheaply. I've never flown into or out of JFK before so I don't really know what the options are. I just remember when I lived in Queens I made the colossal mistake of going seeing a friend off at the airport. We took a taxi there, but I was so poor, I decided to take the bus back and got horribly lost in Brooklyn. The bus driver just dropped me at some random neighborhood saying it was the end of the line. The only thing I knew about Brooklyn back then was Bensonhurst and the Yusef Hawkins killing. Let's just say I walked briskly. I have no idea how I was able to make it back to Queens.

     I got my backpack! I still haven't packed it out yet to see how it feels, but it looks nice.

     On the left is my year old Kelty Redwing 50 and on the right is my brand new REI Vagabond Tour 40L. As you can see it's much more streamlined and a bit smaller. There are two pockets on the sides, and a top pocket. I kept reading that there was no laptop pocket, but there is a pocket inside the bag where you can put a laptop. Since it's front loading it will make it difficult to whip it out when going through security, but on this trip I won't be catching a lot of planes in-country so the annoyance factor I think will be minimal. There is a back panel to hide the backpack straps, and a pocket on the bottom of the bag to hide the panel away. It is a bit awkward to get it in and make the velcro line up to close it. Those are my only complaints thus far. We'll see what happens when I put stuff in it.

     The language learning is chugging along. It's so strange. I will read a newspaper and think, 'Oh no  I don't know any of these words!', but when I have normal conversations then I do sort of ok. I halt and stammer still, but I feel myself getting a bit better day by day. I have to remember my short term goal is simply to make myself understood for my immediate wants and needs and not a UN interpreter. I'll worry about fluency for my next trip. ;)
   

Flashy Packer

 What kind of traveller are you? I guess I would call myself a flashpacker. It's really funny because I think I've progressed backwards when it comes to how I've traveled. When I was younger and poorer, I stayed in REALLY nice hotels. I find my standards of what's nice now runs the gamut. I think it's less conventionally nice now. For instance, I went to London and stayed in very cool hotel. They had a tiny tv on the bathtub rim so you could watch tv while bathing and also floor/towel warmers and a lovely view of the city. Compare that to a place I stayed alone on an island in Colombia where electricity ran off a car battery, the shower was barely big enough for me, and there were no fans, forget about a/c (again..car battery) in oppressive heat.. all for a beautiful hut-like house over the water. I loved staying in both places equally.

     First off, when choosing my destination every place has a cost pro and con in this regard. Let's just say I will never make it to Switzerland. Last year I went to Thailand, Cambodia, and longish layovers in Tokyo, Japan. The flight to Thailand was expensive, but the stay was cheap: lodging, food, and transport. Well, I'm excluding Japan. Still obviously bitter about the 100 USD cab ride I had to take from Haneda. This year it's Italy and the flight was a good deal, but I am looking at paying significantly more for lodging, food (.50 beer..Cambodia..sigh), and transport.
   
     I am by no means rich, but I am also not making 10 bucks an hour any longer either. I have a 20 year old Volvo with one headlight that is on the verge of falling apart any second now. I am solidly middle class, but my car is one step up from the projects. I don't want a car payment and higher car insurance, because I think this would undercut my ability to save as much as I do. It's my one sacrifice. And mind you, I just go somewhere once a year for a month, I can't imagine what long-termers do. On one of my travels, I met a woman from Switzerland who was taking 6 months off after getting laid off from her job. By the way, how do Europeans do this?!! She wasn't the first one I met who said they did this. Anyway, she said she has a small apartment (check!) and rode a bike..like bicycle bike..to work (nope can't hang). When I was poorer, I just used to live off of ramen noodles and peanut-butter jelly sandwiches until I couldn't stand it anymore and would switch to spaghetti and sauce for a bit of luxury. Nowadays I can eat normally and still catch a flight. This might change when I return. I see car payments in my future very soon.

     In other news, my trip is coming up in a month and I am both excited and a little scared. No matter how many times I've gone off somewhere alone I still get a little voice in my head saying, 'What the fuck are you doing?!'.  Will I be able to communicate with people? Will it be hard to get around? How the hell am I going to get from Matera to Spello? It doesn't help that I haven't planned for nor researched how I'm going to get into the city once I land. I'm landing in Milan's airport, but leaving straight away to go to Venice. I guess researching this is the next order of business. Also I would like to go on some tours in Rome and The Vatican, but can't decide which ones I'd like to do. Just the sheer amount of things to see and do in Rome is overwhelming.

     On the backpack front, I didn't get my backpack last weekend, but I have decided on which one I want. The Rei Vagabond Tour 40L. I looked at the Osprey Farpoint and I just didn't like the shape of it. Judging by the pics on the rei.com website, the Vagabond just looks cleaner and more streamlined to me, plus I think it has zippers you can lock, which would be a nice bit of extra security for when you leave your bag in the room. Anyway, the Vagabond will be here next week! I actually went to the brick and mortar Rei after I saw  on rei.com that the bag would be available at the store. I looked around and saw the Ospreys and a few Rei hiking packs, but not the one I wanted. I asked one of the sales guys if they had any in stock. He checked their computer or something and told me they had one in stock. He looked everywhere and so did I, but couldn't find it. I was so disappointed. I was almost like a crack addict giving serious eyeball to the customer service people thinking they probably had one behind the counter. Then I thought well I'll just order it online.
I woke up the next day and for whatever reason it showed it was out of stock! Then I refreshed and it was in my cart and ready to checkout. Yay! For those few moments when I thought I would never get the bag, I looked at a few websites to see what were some other good 40L packs aside from the Osprey. Carryology and Snarky Nomad are two sites that were a bit helpful in looking for an alternative. I must say, if the Tortuga was in stock right now I'd be on it! Maybe next year. ;)
   
      I must say, it might be very hard for me to get down to 40L or less. I went to Nashville (lovely city btw!) last week for work related training with my Kelty Redwing 50 and it was packed to the gills! If this was a trial run, I failed miserably! And on top of that carried my laptop bag. In my laptop bag were the usb charger for my cell phone, power for laptop, notepads, point and shoot camera, and headphones. It was nuts and I recognized I was going off the goddamn rails as I was packing, but couldn't stop myself. Let this list teach a lesson that you shouldn't procrastinate and pack under pressure. Sanity will leave you.

What I packed in the Kelty:
6 tshirts
2 camis
3 pairs of jeans
2 pairs of shorts
1 pair of flat shoes
1 pair of ankle boots
1 full sized towel
1 big ziploc freezer bag full of toiletries (shampoo and conditioner, toothpaste, deoderant, etc)
1 laptop
1 curling iron

1. I never wore the shorts.
2. I obviously should have left the towel at home. The Sheraton ain't exactly a fleabag hotel.
3.  Perhaps I could've planned better and gone to the mall the day before to get the Shampoo and Conditioner Lush Bars instead of taking full size bottles of shampoo and conditioner.
4. The boots were the heaviest of all, but man, they are so cool I couldn't leave them.

     The bad thing about Nashville was (aside from the packing fiasco) is that I was so busy with training I didn't get a chance to study Italian at all. No tutoring or conversations, no Pimsleur, nothing. As such, when I got back home and had my tutoring session, it was like I had amnesia! I forgot half of everything I knew. I listened to Pimsleur from when I last stopped and most of it sounded like gibberish to me. The more I spoke to people, it started coming back, but it was lot of...'Um...what does that mean again?'. I'm still not back where I was and I'm a little distraught about it. It's not like I was/am super fluent, but I was getting to the point where I could catch someone's meaning the first time they said it and didn't have to ask them to repeat it slowly. It is very true that you have to stay on top of language learning daily, even if it's just 15 mins. or even I think 2 or 3 times a week at the very least.

     That's all for this week. Will post pics of my glorious Vagabond pack next week!







   

 

Piccolo. No,piu piccolo.

Stupid web advertising. You got me.
There I was, minding my own beeswax perusing the interwebs, when lo and behold I came across an advert for a Macy's luggage sale. I tried for about 2 seconds to summon the willpower. I told myself, "No don't..". Click! I swear once I looked I could feel my synapses poppin'. The Kraken had been released. Macy's of course didn't have what I wanted. I didn't want a rolling suitcase. No I didn't want a suitcase at all. You intrepid hostel dwelling, vagabonding, and flashpacking hobos know what I want.  I WANT A NEW BACKPACK!

     How can this be? I just got a new one last year! And another new one the year before that! I am Brknsuitcase and as my info implies I am always on the hunt for the one piece of luggage that will make my life super easy when I'm travelling. I do love my Kelty Redwing 50 that I got last year, but it was precisely that bag that has me wanting a new one. I had a whiff of the good life doing carry-on only. Bangkok to Siem Reap flight was the exception  (plane was smallish) and even then they let me put it in the empty seat next to me. I loved that I was able to throw it in the overhead bin for most of the plane rides I took last year. I loved not having scary thoughts of wearing the same underwear for a week or two because of lost luggage.  I loved that I didn't have to find and then wait for the baggage carousel. I loved the pockets of the Redwing which allowed me to tuck and store things quickly and easily with all the outside pockets. The only thing I didn't like about it were the straps dangling and flapping everywhere. Oh, and with carry-on only comes great responsibility and shoulder aching from carrying 15lbs on your back all the damn time.

     I, quite frankly, thought I did splendidly last year with weight, but I was comparing it to the year before that where I thought I was the shit for getting myself down to 25lbs. Which I compared with the year before that when I wheeled around a whopping 40 pounds in a huge suitcase. I was thinking maybe I could get myself down to 10lbs this year, but I think it's a pipe dream. This is Italy, not exactly a steamy tropical climate. And I will never again go a week wearing the same smelly shirt because it was the only one I packed and couldn't get to a laundry. This time, I would like to be fresh and have fashion choices. I want to layer like a boss! I also think the airlines changed their carry-on baggage requirements again so the 50L won't work anymore and I do NOT want to go back to checking in. Nevah! So I'm looking at you 40L. Can I go this low? Do I dare to dream?

     I've looked at Amazon, Rei.com, Sierra Trading Company, and theclymb. So far the Osprey Farpoint 40 and the Rei Vagabond 40 packs look the best. Everything else looks out of my price range. I'm planning on hitting REI and my local owned gear shop next week to try on some stuff to see how it fits. Of course I will let you know how it went! Don't fret!

     In other news, I am still learning Italian. I kind of gave up on Assimil. I didn't feel like anything was sinking in. So I started doing Duolingo which helped me understand how to put a sentence together. I'm also paying a tutor on italki and having conversations with people on my days off and doing Pimsleur sometimes 2 or 3 lessons a day. I'm going h.a.m. until packing day. I still speak like a drunk toddler, but now I think if I landed today in Italy I could order a drink and tell someone where I want to go and what I want to do. Per esempio, "Vorrei comprare un backpack!".

   

Meh

  Have you ever been kinda 'meh' over a travel destination? I am super excited about going to Italy, but I am not really looking forward to a couple of the cities where I'm stopping, namely Rome and Venice. It's not like I could get away with NOT going to either one. It is an absolute necessity from a first timer to Italy point of view. Not going to either or neither would probably be considered sacrilege. Everyone I've heard from regarding these two cities have told me that it's really overrun with tourists (like me, the IRONY), it's full of long lines for major sites, and pickpockets. Their stories are filling me with a sort of dread. I am the kind of tourist that likes the off-the-beaten-path cities/towns. This is very hard to find in Italy, especially without a car, but I think I've settled into a nice compromise of two biggies and two very small towns (more on that later).

Then again, I think I shouldn't be dumb and let others dictate my feelings on a place when I haven't seen it for myself yet. After all, I was told I'd probably get kidnapped when I went to Brazil and the same for Colombia. I was also told I would experience some pretty bad racism in Japan...and nothing could've been further from the truth. In fact I had the best travel experiences of my life in these places. I don't think anything bad will happen in Rome or Venice, but I'm a little leery of the general atmosphere. I don't think anyone wants to be thought of as a walking dollar/euro sign, but this is the general impression I'm getting from folks who've been there. To sort of offset the feeling of being a fanny-pack wearing camera toting ohh ahh tourist, I've booked an apartment in Rome and am staying a bit back from the hordes in St. Marks square in Venice. I'm hoping this will give me a better feel of the cities.

On the flip side there are two cities that I'm completely excited about experiencing. One of which is Matera. I'm going to stay in one of the cave hotels. It looks like it's going to be an utter bitch to get there and to make matters worse, the order of cities on my itinerary is completely jacked. I must've been high! So I'm going to hope that there's a plane out of Bari, the closest town to Matera with an airport, to get me back north. Another town where I'm stopping is Spello, somewhere in Umbria. Someone suggested I go to Spoleto, but I wanted to go somewhere smaller and maybe a little more peaceful.

Oh yeah, I've scaled back my original itinerary quite a bit to 5 cities. Venice, Rome, Matera, Spello, Milan. I don't want to constantly worry about how I'm going to get myself to the train station every 2 days. It's a vacation, I want it to feel like one. I also stopped practicing Italian, but am restarting today. It just got overwhelming in my mind and it still is. I still don't understand what I'm saying or why, but I'm just going to trust the process and hope for the best. Like Rome and Venice. :D

Learning Italian. #$%^%& !

     Uh oh. This doesn't bode well. I already feel defeated. I just got the Assimil Italian last Tuesday and was super excited. I've done lessons 1 and 2 and feel like a lost babe in the woods. I think my first mistake was not starting off with Pimsleur. One thing that Pimsleur is very good at is getting you comfortable with speaking the language bit by bit. You can also pick up some small grammatical points such as feminine and masculine words. It is very good with providing you knowledge on how the target language works. Pimsleur is the foreplay, Assimil is the sex. I obviously have skipped the foreplay and jumped right into the sex.

     Suffice to say, I am uncomfortable. I thought, well, I have knowledge of quite a few romance languages so Italian should be a breeze, I don't need Pimsleur. Right now I'm doing all the steps and shadowing with Assimil, but I feel I'm just memorizing the pages and can't really grasp why I'm saying what I'm saying if that makes any sense. I don't have the vocabulary nor grammatical groundwork to understand it. It also doesn't help that words generally roll right into one another so you can't really nail individual words down. It's like you almost have to learn entire sentences sometimes. Most romance languages are like this in some cases, in Italian it's relentless.  On a happier note I love how sing-songy the language is. After mastering lesson 1, I felt exuberant just speaking it. It's that kind of language. No wonder Italians are known for being passionate. Their language reflects it!

     Also this version of Assimil with the mp3 (ed. 1991) looks very different than the Assimil French with Ease. It is denser and there's no funny little dialogues..at least not yet. The lessons right off the bat feel a bit longer than the ones in the French book and also unlike the French book, it's taking me 2 or 3 days for each lesson. For French with Ease I was sailing along with maybe an hour or so for mastering each lesson until I hit the wall with Lesson 9 or 10 and had to slow my roll considerably. I am considering stopping here in Assimil and start up Pimsleur and work with it for a little bit before jumping to lesson 3. It's just as well since I'm still stumbling my way through lesson 2 in Assimil.

     While I'm on this subject, I feel the need as a beginner to review the programs I've used.

Assimil - I love these books! Even with all my bitching here, I am able to recall entire sentences not only from Italian, but from French also which I abandoned about a week ago. If you employ shadowing in your lessons, this will also help your pronunciation immensely. I think once you have a foundation down with your target language, then start work on Assimil. Since I had zero knowledge about Italian I'm (obviously) finding it more difficult to get up to speed just using Assimil.  It was fine for French as I had a bit of familiarity with it before starting. So if you're starting a language from scratch, I recommended getting a bit of familiarity with some basic vocab and grammar rules first.

Pimsleur- Great for getting your feet wet and also to use in conjunction with Assimil. Alone won't get you fluent nor will it help you a whole lot while out in the world of your target language unless the person you encounter in your target language also follows the Pimsleur script. However, it will help you tremendously with recall and speaking under pressure. I wish I had it the first time I tried learning French and then went to Paris. Maybe my mind wouldn't have gone completely blank when I tried speaking to someone for the first time. No transcripts though, so I hope you have keen hearing.

Rosetta Stone - I actually still have an online subscription for this for French, but I've also tried Japanese and Spanish (software versions). It's good for drilling vocabulary words, but that's pretty much all I've gotten from it.

Living Language - Tried this for Portuguese, Spanish, and Japanese. When I finish Assimil, this is what I will turn to next.. This is where you learn grammar rules and why you say the things you say. Also very nice vocabulary lists in these books as well. For Japanese, I highly suggest you get something geared toward reading/writing and speaking. Between Rosetta Stone and LL, I would say I used LL the most, I was completely illiterate, but it wasn't my goal to read/write in the language. If it was both of these would be useless.

Semantica -  I used this the second time I went to Brazil. It's a really cool educational video series with an actual storyline. I am going to use it again to relearn what I've lost.

Memrise and Duolingo - Addictive and fun. Something to do while you're in a waiting room or on your lunch break.

     As far as my travel itinerary goes, it's still a work in progress. It turns out Lecce might be a bit difficult without a car as you have to take buses from the city to get to the nice beaches. And I keep hearing the buses aren't so reliable to and fro especially nearing the off season. So now since hitting a beach might be off limits, I am thinking of going to this town called Matera. It looks positively beautiful and the chance to stay in a cave hotel is almost irresistible. Or maybe I will just go to Amalfi and hang out there for week. We shall see.

Okay, I've vented and whined...now back to the books!