tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9878442942435540992024-02-08T01:05:45.760+00:00Jason Saves the WorldJason's personal travel blog and collection of random interesting travel-related articles.
I love going places, and try to go everywhere I can! Hopefully you do too!Jasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08465554986019105369noreply@blogger.comBlogger225125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-987844294243554099.post-70841596914884387952015-10-11T18:39:00.000+01:002015-10-11T18:40:33.042+01:00My Fantasy LA Public Transportation Map<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">As a born-and-raised Angeleno, and having traveled throughout the highly interconnected European cities and hubs, the idea of implementing a dense European-style public transportation system in Los Angeles has frequently fascinated me. Every time I see a map of the City of Angeles, or even think about the road layout (which I often do while sitting in traffic), I imagine how many cars could be removed from the roads with a subway, light rail, streetcar, or bus station.<br />
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Anyway, I took this semi-obsession and used Google's map making capabilities to create the following visualization of my fantasy L.A. transit world. Check it out:<br />
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<iframe height="480" src="https://www.google.com/maps/d/embed?mid=z-aYxkl5fnlE.kr1aVkGWun_s&hl=en" width="570"></iframe></div>Jasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08465554986019105369noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-987844294243554099.post-82392568001621993352015-10-08T20:23:00.002+01:002015-10-08T20:25:25.413+01:00My Imaginary Los Angeles Transit System<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
So you may know that I'm a total transport nerd :) As a child, I would spend hours reading through maps and atlases. I would memorize all the streets and freeways in our <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Guide" target="_blank">Thomas Guide</a>.<br />
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Well, returning back from Europe, a big part of adjusting back to life in L.A. is adjusting back to life in the car. And you know, traffic sucks! So I went ahead and made my own fantasy map of how L.A.. <i>should</i> be. Check it out below, or see the map <a href="https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?mid=z-aYxkl5fnlE.kr1aVkGWun_s&usp=sharing" target="_blank">on Google Maps</a>:<br />
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<iframe height="480" src="https://www.google.com/maps/d/embed?mid=z-aYxkl5fnlE.kr1aVkGWun_s" width="640"></iframe></div>
Jasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08465554986019105369noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-987844294243554099.post-73107879483986234062015-06-17T04:54:00.002+01:002015-06-17T04:54:46.559+01:00Things You Should Know Before Traveling to Southeast Asia<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I'm currently sitting in a rooftop cafe in Siem Reap, Cambodia, taking a necessary day off from sightseeing. After a few weeks in Thailand and Cambodia, there are a few things that I have noticed so far that the average (Western) traveler should know before coming here; or maybe you're just curious about my impressions while traveling here. Either way, here they are:<br />
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It's Hot<br />
This falls under the category of "obviously I knew that," but you don't really <i>know</i> this kind of heat until you're in it. It's a punishing and immediately painful combination of heat (over 36°C / 98°F) and humidity. After spending more than 20 seconds outside, I immediately sweat, and if I'm in directly sunlight, I'm sweating bullets within a minute easily.<br />
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What about staying in air-conditioned places (shopping malls, hotels, etc.)? I advise against this, as it actually prevents your body from adjusting to the heat. Your body needs to learn to self-cool and to simply maintain a higher "normal" temperature, and part of that is sleeping in a non-AC room. When you go between air-conditioned rooms and the steaming outdoors, you are shocking your body, and this makes you sweat more and become even more exhausted.<br />
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You Need to Take It Slow<br />
Mostly because it's so damn hot, you will physically not be able to go about your day at a "normal" pace. Your body will spend most of its energy sweating and cooling itself down. And that's how people here do it. You will not see people rush; they just move about, waddling across the street, between mopeds and traffic. If you even make a two-second dash between cars, you'll crack that sweat. Also, this means that you'll want to lounge around more. Take an extra few minutes in the shade, and just sit there. It's not being lazy, it's conserving energy.<br />
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Eat Local Food<br />
After 14 days in Thailand, I simply craved a burger and fries. So I went to the closest burger shop, which was just in town (in Pai). After scarfing down a burger topped with dubious-tasting cheese, my stomach immediately growled. It may have been other factors, including the heat exhaustion (above) but I did not feel too well after that. I slipped into an annoying and painful sore throat and low-energy state for a couple days. One day, I had simple fried rice for dinner and felt better afterwards than I ever had.<br />
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Jasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08465554986019105369noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-987844294243554099.post-88148237742357323472015-06-16T23:30:00.000+01:002015-06-17T11:15:21.697+01:00Tuesday, 16 June 2015: Angkor Wat Sunrise and More Temples<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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4:30am. That was my scheduled departure time. I was scheduled to be taken by a tuk tuk driver from my guesthouse/hostel to Angkor Wat to see the "can't miss" sunrise over the ancient and famous temple. So I somehow responded to my phone's alarm and made it downstairs to be picked up.</div>
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I had the same driver as yesterday, Van (or Vaughn?). He knew exactly where to take me, but thanks to language difficulties, we didn't get to talk much.<br />
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It was a 15-minute ride. Because I had bought the 3-day ticket, we skipped the ticket office, merely stopping to get my ticket validated. The first streaks of sunlight were piercing the stratosphere as I arrived at Angkor Wat.<br />
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I wasn't alone. A steady stream of tourists poured out of tuk-tuks and buses. A row of 7 Cambodian employees used flashlights to check each person's ticket as they rushed, on uneven stones, across the moat into the sprawling temple complex.<br />
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Through the entry gate and into the pre-temple yard. Two ponds (more like giant puddles) lay there; a solid mass of people crowded around the left puddle.<br />
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The right pond, however, was open. So there I went. The view was similar. The water was equally invested with insects buzzing from the water. The sky slowly transformed as dawn broke.<br />
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It was beautiful. The grand silhouette of Angkor Wat reflected in the water (even if the water was shallow, muddly, and full of mosquitos). I'm sure it's much more picturesque toward the end of the rainy season.<br />
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As the actual moment of sunrise approached, crowds gathered around me on the right puddle. A Spanish-speaking father and his two sons sat to my left. A German man claimed my right side, and his girlfriend choose a spot a meter or two in front of us.<br />
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The serenity of the moment was broken. "Excuse me," barked the Spanish man. "We are trying to take pictures, and you are in my view."<br />
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The German recoiled and moved back toward her boyfriend. "I'm sorry, is this ok?"<br />
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The man grunted, still obviously angry.<br />
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"Where are you from?" she asked, in a forced politeness that made me grit my teeth.<br />
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"Colombia," he answered.<br />
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"We are from Germany. I am sorry again. No hard feelings?"<br />
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"No, no, it's ok." He forced a smile.<br />
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"It would just be too bad to start a day with such a bad feeling, no?"<br />
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She was right. And the tension was diffused, albeit with a dose of awkwardness. But awkwardness is entirely one-sided and doesn't stick with you as long as anger. She understood this, and even though I said nothing, it made me smile as well.<br />
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So, big surprise: The sun rose! With daylight, it was time to actually tour the premises. I was especially eager to see as much on this day before the heat of the day became unbearable. So I started moving while most people were still snapping photos of the sunrise.<br />
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I ignored all the poor hawkers coming up to me and saying in broken English "hello sirrrr, you have breakpast!" while waving menus of coffees toward me. Determined, I walked to and around the Wat.<br />
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There are open spaces, but no "grand view" of the temple that made for a great photo.<br />
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Wat means? I had to recreate my famous photo from the Taj Mahal in 2013.<br />
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I relied on other tourists to take my photo, which never results in the best photos. I mean, they just want to take your photo and go on, anyway. The best travel partner is someone who knows how to take good photos, especially of you. A photo-savvy friend who knows not only your good angles, but takes great candid shots.<br />
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Short of this, I resorted to using my camera's 10-second timer to make photos of myself. Even if this involved getting accidentally photobombed<br />
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But what about the Wat? It is big, old, with crumbly stones and uneven pathways everywhere. Inside, it did not impress me that much, because I had seen this same kind of layout before, multiple times, at the other temples/sites I had visited. However, I did notice that Angkor Wat was the most well-maintained. There were very few piles of stone rubble lying around. Much of the interior was cleaned; no signs of any plants overgrowing the structure, nor insects/lizards around.<br />
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There were a few chambers that had buddha statues decorated, along with the locals there who wanted to lead a prayer for you ("for good fortune"), similar to what I experienced yesterday. But I would have none of it.<br />
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It was nevertheless impressive to think about the significance, historically and culturally of this site; I was also taken aback to think about how much history the world had seen during this building's lifetime. I can't think of other 12th-century sites that are as impressive or as well-preserved. It is truly a gem for all humankind to discover.<br />
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I reflected on this fact and also rested to cool down; even at 7am, the sunlight was already bearing down on me and my sweat had started to pour.<br />
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But that was that. Since I didn't hire a personal tour guide, I didn't get the full story on what each room meant, etc., but I didn't feel I needed to. I got a strong feeling of history and reverence from just being there and touching the 800-year-old stones.<br />
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I found my way out and back outside the gates, where I was greeted by some playful primates.<br />
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So onward we drove. It was only around 8am but the sun was bright and the heat building as if it were midday.<br />
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Next stop was <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angkor_Thom" target="_blank">Angkor Thom</a>, which is the actual capital city within the broader Angkor complex. First stop is <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bayon" target="_blank">Bayon</a>, the central temple of this city and known for having lots of stone faces on its exterior.<br />
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The nose-to-nose thing is apparently a thing. Although, I would never wish 700 years of facial erosion on anyone. Most of the faces seem to have endured quite well.<br />
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Bayon was mostly uncrowded. I was approached by a friendly Cambodian who told me where to take pictures for good views. It was only after the second viewpoint that I realized that his routine was way too rehearsed to be authentic. I didn't mind though; I was getting good shots and enjoying my visit quickly. A couple dollars wouldn't hurt me anyway.<br />
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I thanked him and paid him; then I finished my visit, climbing up to the top of the temple (this would be a recurring theme). I then proceeded to the next temple: <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baphuon" target="_blank">Baphuon</a>.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt498ndEgAotcwa_8nQxYa6EjdfS03BlTPhWaFUFMsN2qbNNe1IUZJYY6Nu9e-Nz3iyDnj6yB8hhVIf6wLPFx51XxACZPifzoHxazQQKLfbizKvc91Gmt9W4kgVpyDFwYLBKooXsI4sNQ/s1600/IMG_2341.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt498ndEgAotcwa_8nQxYa6EjdfS03BlTPhWaFUFMsN2qbNNe1IUZJYY6Nu9e-Nz3iyDnj6yB8hhVIf6wLPFx51XxACZPifzoHxazQQKLfbizKvc91Gmt9W4kgVpyDFwYLBKooXsI4sNQ/s320/IMG_2341.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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This temple was similarly magnificent, with ancient stones forming a towering center. And equally impressive were the steepness of the stairs ascending to the top. Going up and (especially) down these in my half-recovered, ever-exhausted, sweaty state was not straightforward at all.</div>
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Was pretty, I walked around and followed the visiting route, which led me outside the temple (and a view of the big 15th-century reclining buddha that had been constructed there much later on). I trekked quickly through some gardens/jungle before the next attraction.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjURx2kl5tEhYcB7-BkNM8B9quWlr7hMTp29VawtSAyouFrQNYRJG1CUsanbzWfIVaYAbJ5cenxNIm8ZhdlsRolT-bODbEhkvmrFsiWXlhxvJ_ynr9tNOIqRGxOby5NtvONRzfkS9Bj4xo/s1600/IMG_2317.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjURx2kl5tEhYcB7-BkNM8B9quWlr7hMTp29VawtSAyouFrQNYRJG1CUsanbzWfIVaYAbJ5cenxNIm8ZhdlsRolT-bODbEhkvmrFsiWXlhxvJ_ynr9tNOIqRGxOby5NtvONRzfkS9Bj4xo/s320/IMG_2317.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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The <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phimeanakas" target="_blank">Phimeanakas </a>was, frankly, one of the least impressive of the temples. Turns out, it is one of the oldest. Didn't know that at the time. Oops.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiePLxncmtVDo82RX3ydq51whVeivtDZYAbVIf4mdb0DNa5yqWQgeOf-DXI4YoVd6yFKg4V1IiQUUf7BemtPSgqfeLgI9dqKooABsvm3as2hdaDCmi-u53clcdR6zC3d6ICb1IWs1i-W1c/s1600/IMG_2349.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiePLxncmtVDo82RX3ydq51whVeivtDZYAbVIf4mdb0DNa5yqWQgeOf-DXI4YoVd6yFKg4V1IiQUUf7BemtPSgqfeLgI9dqKooABsvm3as2hdaDCmi-u53clcdR6zC3d6ICb1IWs1i-W1c/s320/IMG_2349.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Ok, it was now nearing 9am and it was really hot. My brain was starting to fry, and bullets were emerging from my forehead. I then just started taking pictures and didn't really care what I saw. There were few other tourists around anyway.<br />
<br />
I made it back, and my tuk tuk driver noticed me and brought the cycle right up to me. He was smiling and joked that "it's hot?"<br />
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I skipped breakfast, deliberately. I had no appetite and knew that I had been gaining weight anyway.<br />
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We drove on to the next stop: Ta Keo. There was another tower, which I (perhaps foolishly) climbed. Meh.<br />
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Then, to the next temple: Ta Prohm. This "Tomb Raider Temple" was undergoing renovation work that made the entire interior courtyard off-limits to visitors.<br />
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It was already 10am, and I was changing hostels, so I needed to check out of my room by 12pm. This added an unnecessary layer of urgency that did not help my sweating problem.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrWwVda5-sWUD7OCtwF4AlRow8-0qCWlrp5i3Ud52imHzZe8YiiY14OdArHP1k3FKhf8wDHXf1nEhc5-X9qm8_3unsw9bxa591nm2q1N0E6lntwOelKzUAa71Vvj5BZBiNQr89CUALP1s/s1600/IMG_2388.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrWwVda5-sWUD7OCtwF4AlRow8-0qCWlrp5i3Ud52imHzZe8YiiY14OdArHP1k3FKhf8wDHXf1nEhc5-X9qm8_3unsw9bxa591nm2q1N0E6lntwOelKzUAa71Vvj5BZBiNQr89CUALP1s/s320/IMG_2388.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Drove to the next, and hopefully final stop: <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Banteay_Kdei" target="_blank">Banteay Kdei</a>. As always,my driver dropped me off outside and told me that he would be waiting for me right outside the entrance. So I kept my bag with him, as I had been doing at each previous temple, to lighten my load.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCeNLFTBu4IRRG_yF1CcGhyphenhyphenGaMLl2quei2kMVf95whHYl8k90_SNAo_2I0E6vSGxnCvLIKr-c2QJ4RpYeu1jUICyQc8BqoqElsWn_kZoSVAws0-Grpx4A_1CJsyGeOW3o1HchxdEcAG_Y/s1600/IMG_2392.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCeNLFTBu4IRRG_yF1CcGhyphenhyphenGaMLl2quei2kMVf95whHYl8k90_SNAo_2I0E6vSGxnCvLIKr-c2QJ4RpYeu1jUICyQc8BqoqElsWn_kZoSVAws0-Grpx4A_1CJsyGeOW3o1HchxdEcAG_Y/s320/IMG_2392.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Another temple, lots of ruins, many rooms. Luckily this one didn't have any towering staircase for me to climb. Just another tree growing over the ruins.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibO2qkJOd4bUeJoNl3AozMpmhV4fiuIQV_AOkOJjk7bBfl_b4ZhabZKeDQsHt1IUW1TUevgNPBYJiq24Ijyw6CCujMAPGEaTwMqbJs1tA9eVtdFv0YM5APA3HwpTRfJ9aW8Pgzn1JMZPc/s1600/IMG_2429.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibO2qkJOd4bUeJoNl3AozMpmhV4fiuIQV_AOkOJjk7bBfl_b4ZhabZKeDQsHt1IUW1TUevgNPBYJiq24Ijyw6CCujMAPGEaTwMqbJs1tA9eVtdFv0YM5APA3HwpTRfJ9aW8Pgzn1JMZPc/s320/IMG_2429.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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I was all templed out and wanted to get back, so I returned to my tuk tuk. Except that my driver wasn't there. I walked around the entire tuk tuk parking lot, and none of them were mine. Maybe he went to fill on petrol? Or food? I waited for 15 minutes in one of the few shaded areas.<br />
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"You lost your driver? Maybe he left you," said one of the nearby drivers. Great. "Or maybe he's waiting at the other entrance."<br />
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Of course! It was already 10:45 and I wanted to get out of there, so I walked briskly back into the temple and through it to the back exit. (Mind you this is a 1-2km walk in total, in extreme midday heat.) I walked through the gate and there was - <i>no one</i>! Execpt another woman who was waving her cheaply made clothes in my face and saying "where you from? I give you special price, best deal. You buy."<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5Xc-fBh6um_AyxBYv3ZFUzyVy2bFNyRayqfVmy70U-7KM7P1he7eJOs9F3pcz4w09irQ4XfZy7cNtGgJYecyi9-5QOaR2JTbYAnBhwT2b5FeS5MEhjXTafJh1ft6xTryI96wWBF3Y7UY/s1600/IMG_2435.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5Xc-fBh6um_AyxBYv3ZFUzyVy2bFNyRayqfVmy70U-7KM7P1he7eJOs9F3pcz4w09irQ4XfZy7cNtGgJYecyi9-5QOaR2JTbYAnBhwT2b5FeS5MEhjXTafJh1ft6xTryI96wWBF3Y7UY/s320/IMG_2435.JPG" width="213" /></a></div>
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I chuffed a blunt "no" and walked away, as I had learned to do to these hawkers. I powered back to the front entrance, wiping away the waterfall of sweat that was pouring down my face. There, in the mass of tuk tuks parked outside, was my driver! He pulled up and picked me up as if there was no big deal. I told him, "You left me" and let out a smile. He also smiled but said nothing. "Let's go back to the hotel," I said, opting to skip the last stop.<br />
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And so I returned to the hotel, tipping him $5. I saw the housekeeping cleaning the rooms already, so I rushed up 3 flights of stairs to my room and started packing. Exhausted and sweaty, I had to take a quick shower, even if it wasn't very clean. I moved my stuff downstairs, checked out, paid my debts, and ordered a ride to the new hotel where I would be staying. And guess who my driver was?<br />
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The same guy, Vaughn. :)</div>
Jasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08465554986019105369noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-987844294243554099.post-31051924524264876892015-05-03T17:46:00.001+01:002015-05-03T17:46:12.861+01:00Where I've been (Travel Score)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-Kz34IdiYXH3tX5sosNk_pnuK8Q_x_Eson8K0k80C8sEieUHz6WH1twh1SbXoVp11EtI2DzOS2BMiq5aYMViua0LGOsaxuuUML9asUXi8qSQ1Tjn-h281NicWAzfom48yhYWAxEdOwb8/s1600/Travel+Score+Map+2015-05-03.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-Kz34IdiYXH3tX5sosNk_pnuK8Q_x_Eson8K0k80C8sEieUHz6WH1twh1SbXoVp11EtI2DzOS2BMiq5aYMViua0LGOsaxuuUML9asUXi8qSQ1Tjn-h281NicWAzfom48yhYWAxEdOwb8/s1600/Travel+Score+Map+2015-05-03.png" height="168" width="320" /></a></div>
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There's still a lot more of the world to see!</div>
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Jasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08465554986019105369noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-987844294243554099.post-70546420661935949932015-04-30T08:40:00.000+01:002015-05-02T08:40:24.398+01:00Updated Travel Map<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Having returned from my latest trip to Riga, Vilnius, Warsaw, and Krakow, I have now visited more countries than I have U.S. states. Check out my latest "where I've been" map (courtesy of Matador) below:<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://matadornetwork.com/travel-map/6c45421a8f098bba6332923430e8df85-1417380997" title="Jason’s Map"><img alt="Jason Tabuzo’s Travel Map" src="http://cdn1.matadornetwork.com/travel-maps/982ce936349976e504ee4b2c5e40d30c-1430552249/my-travel-map.png" style="max-width: 100%; width: 100%;" /></a></div>
Jason has been to: <a href="http://matadornetwork.com/destinations/europe/austria/">Austria</a>, <a href="http://matadornetwork.com/destinations/europe/belgium/">Belgium</a>, <a href="http://matadornetwork.com/destinations/north-america/canada/">Canada</a>, <a href="http://matadornetwork.com/destinations/europe/switzerland/">Switzerland</a>, <a href="http://matadornetwork.com/destinations/central-america/costa-rica/">Costa Rica</a>, <a href="http://matadornetwork.com/destinations/europe/czech-republic/">Czech Republic</a>, <a href="http://matadornetwork.com/destinations/europe/germany/">Germany</a>, <a href="http://matadornetwork.com/destinations/europe/denmark/">Denmark</a>, <a href="http://matadornetwork.com/destinations/europe/estonia/">Estonia</a>, <a href="http://matadornetwork.com/destinations/europe/spain/">Spain</a>, <a href="http://matadornetwork.com/destinations/europe/finland/">Finland</a>, <a href="http://matadornetwork.com/destinations/europe/france/">France</a>, <a href="http://matadornetwork.com/destinations/europe/united-kingdom/">United Kingdom</a>, <a href="http://matadornetwork.com/destinations/asia/hong-kong/">Hong Kong</a>, <a href="http://matadornetwork.com/destinations/europe/hungary/">Hungary</a>, <a href="http://matadornetwork.com/destinations/europe/ireland/">Ireland</a>, <a href="http://matadornetwork.com/destinations/asia/india/">India</a>, <a href="http://matadornetwork.com/destinations/europe/iceland/">Iceland</a>, <a href="http://matadornetwork.com/destinations/europe/italy/">Italy</a>, Liechtenstein, <a href="http://matadornetwork.com/destinations/europe/lithuania/">Lithuania</a>, <a href="http://matadornetwork.com/destinations/europe/luxembourg/">Luxembourg</a>, <a href="http://matadornetwork.com/destinations/europe/latvia/">Latvia</a>, <a href="http://matadornetwork.com/destinations/europe/monaco/">Monaco</a>, <a href="http://matadornetwork.com/destinations/north-america/mexico/">Mexico</a>, <a href="http://matadornetwork.com/destinations/europe/netherlands/">Netherlands</a>, <a href="http://matadornetwork.com/destinations/europe/norway/">Norway</a>, <a href="http://matadornetwork.com/destinations/central-america/panama/">Panama</a>, <a href="http://matadornetwork.com/destinations/asia/philippines/">Philippines</a>, <a href="http://matadornetwork.com/destinations/europe/poland/">Poland</a>, <a href="http://matadornetwork.com/destinations/europe/serbia/">Serbia</a>, <a href="http://matadornetwork.com/destinations/europe/sweden/">Sweden</a>, <a href="http://matadornetwork.com/destinations/asia/singapore/">Singapore</a>, <a href="http://matadornetwork.com/destinations/europe/slovakia/">Slovakia</a>, <a href="http://matadornetwork.com/destinations/north-america/united-states/">United States</a>, <a href="http://matadornetwork.com/destinations/europe/vatican/">Vatican</a>.<br /> Get your own travel map from <a href="http://matadornetwork.com/travel-map/" target="_blank">Matador Network</a>.<br />
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(The geography nerd in me wishes I could find a better map projection for this map. Also would like to have regional maps (Europe, Asia, America, etc.) because the world view leaves a lot of blank space!)</div>
Jasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08465554986019105369noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-987844294243554099.post-85032925549061268432015-01-04T19:06:00.002+00:002015-01-04T19:06:52.501+00:00Jason's Hawaiian Vacation, Part 1: Waikiki <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I'm in Hawaii! Finally made it to the 50th state (my 34th state visited). I'm here with my mom and uncle, and we are spending 8 days traveling around Oahu.<br />
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It is literally too perfect everywhere we go. The weather is amazing, warm (24°C / 75°F) every day, humid but not muggy.<br />
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Two days in Waikiki. We stayed at a time share rented through Airbnb - I had to rely on Airbnb for more than half of our stays because there were so few hotels available at this busy time of year (winter, especially over Christmas/New Years, is the tourist high season). Our stay was at the Ilikai resort, just at the start of the opulent Waikiki beach. It is a nice, albeit somewhat dated, resort, especially when juxtaposed with the huge Hilton resort complex next door. That said, I had little else to complain about; our 20th floor studio provided a kitchen and a beautiful lanai (balcony) with views of the city (i.e. views of the surrounding residential skyscrapers and congested streets).<br />
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For the first two days, we relied on ridesharing apps Uber and Lyft to get around the city, saving us two days of car rental fees and expensive ($30+ per day) parking charges at the hotel. Getting from Honolulu airport into the city is not possible with Uber (you are only allowed to request an expensive Uber Black or Uber Taxi when your phone GPS shows you at the airport). However, we were able to catch a Lyft. Our driver, Jenni, was very (and I mean <i>very</i>) friendly, as if unable to breathe if she weren't smiling broadly. She was happy to introduce us to the city and chat along the way. And I noticed that with every drive, regardless of them driving for Lyft or Uber - they were all friendly and open-hearted. This is my first time using these apps so intensively, so I don't know if it's the type of people who use these apps, or the Hawaiian spirit overall.<br />
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My impression of Waikiki, which is the tourist center of Honolulu (and of Hawaii overall) is that it is touristy, yes, but not overwhelmingly crowded. Walking by all the resorts gives me an impression similar to that of Las Vegas. The expensive stores further east remind me of Rodeo Drive or Miami Beach. Indeed, the beach itself is actually not that spectacular, with coarse sand (and at times no sand at all). The most amazing thing to enjoy is the view, with Diamond Head (peak) looming to the east and a gorgeous sunset guaranteed almost every day.<br />
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We spent New Years in Waikiki, which meant just walking to the beach and watching fireworks shot from a single barge at midnight for ten minutes. This was not that spectacular, nothing like London or New York by any means; however, it was still nice to stand on the beach, wearing shorts, as the clock struck midnight.<br />
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We also spent a day visiting Pearl Harbor. It was a moving visit, to see and relfect upon the events that struck the world that fateful December morning over 70 years ago. However, the process of visiting the site left much to be desired. The main attraction is the USS Arizona memorial, an enclosed blank white temple hovering above the untouched wreckage of the battleship in shallow waters. To get there, you have to get a free ticket. The tickets are all given on a first-come, first-serve basis starting at 7am, and they are all time-stamped with your time of entry. So when we got there, we could only get a ticket for 2:15. Which meant that we had to wait around for 6 hours waiting for our entry time. We passed this time with a visit to the USS Missouri battleship ($25 per person) and eating at the snack bars there. Finally, we made it to 2pm. What I noticed immediately is that there is a <i>standby</i> line?! And over 15 people from that line got into the memorial with our group (which went every 15 minutes). Unbelievable! If someone had told us this beforehand, we would have saved half a day! And to add insult to our inconvenience, our Uber driver back to the hotel told us that it actually was possible to pre-book tickets to the exhibit. Ugh!<br />
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After two days in Waikiki, we rented a car and hit the road</div>
Jasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08465554986019105369noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-987844294243554099.post-63378686348115642532014-08-04T22:30:00.000+01:002014-08-04T22:30:12.227+01:00Traveling with a Purpose<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I have reached the point now, at over 3 years of being an expat, to realize some of the cliché life lessons:<br />
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<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>Money comes and goes, but your health and your relationships are what's really valuable</li>
<li>Time and money spent with family and friends and travel is time and money well spent.</li>
<li>Adventure is out there!</li>
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But I have also realized the importance of having a purpose, not just in life, but even in everyday travel.</div>
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I have a "goal" of buying a flag in every country I visit.</div>
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Jasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08465554986019105369noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-987844294243554099.post-7622900910499072202013-12-27T14:49:00.000+00:002013-12-27T14:49:09.866+00:00This Is How They Serve Ice Cream in Turkey<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I remember seeing the crazy ice cream vendors playing around with some teams on The Amazing Race a few years ago. I really wonder if these ice cream server-performers are really everywhere in Turkey, or if there are only a couple who are this good!<br />
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Anyway check out the video:<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/SFxTcuM22bk" width="560"></iframe><br />
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:)</div>
Jasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08465554986019105369noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-987844294243554099.post-44040642623577023982013-11-19T03:57:00.001+00:002013-12-27T14:49:29.748+00:00Monday, 18 November. Jaipur<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I had to get up early, before 6am. My train left at 06:55 and Swag had to drive me all the way to the station.<br />
<br />
It was my first time taking and Indian train, and I was all alone. None of the signs were in English, only Hindi. And the electronic signs were turned off, so it was difficult to figure out where my train car was (I had a reserved seat). The information guy just pointed in a general direction so I just guessed. People were just walking across the train tracks to get to the other platform. When the train finally came, about 15 minutes late (just like Germany!), it was honking very loudly (just like the cars on the street!) so that people would get off the tracks.<br />
<br />
I had a reserved seat in the equivalent of business class. I didn't realize that I would be fed - tea, cereal, fruits, and an omelette. Not bad! I spent the ride writing down my thoughts and managed to sleep a little bit. The train stopped randomly for 15 minutes and started backing up. <i>Did we make a wrong turn? Is that even possible?</i> I SAW MY FIRST CAMEL. I woke up with my phone vibrating (Swag had just booked my next day ticket and needed my passport no.) and the train arrived in Jaipur.<br />
<br />
I walked out of the train station, and was instantly overwhelmed by the masses. A rickshaw driver could easily see that I was a foreigner and insisted that I ride with him - he clung to me like a leech even though I said no. I walked to the hotel, using my phone (carefully) to guide me there, and dodging piles of trash, cow poop, and general filthiness along the way. I checked in; the hotel is actually nice with a peaceful garden, and they upgraded me to a nicer room. Had some food, washed up, and after a few minutes' rest, I went out to explore the city on foot.<br />
<br />
Jaipur is crazy and chaotic. The whole day was spent dodging traffic and trying not to get pulled aside by some shady bazaar vendor into a trap.<br />
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It was warm and sunny; I was sweating after a few minutes. I walked toward the ancient "Pink City" in the center of town. Entering through Chandpol gate, the streets are full of vendors selling fruits, flowers, art, car parts,vegetables, etc., all with cars, rickshaws and horses driving at you from every direction. Really, it was a crazy, chaotic experience. I didn't feel much like shopping but did find a few things that would make good gifts.<br />
<br />
Eventually I made it through to the touristy sights in the center. The City Palace and the Jantar Mahar, which is a sort of sculpture garden with astronomical and astrological structures from 100-200 years ago. There were crowds of tourists, mostly from China and Germany (the Germans, they are everywhere!), and it felt good and safe to be around non-Indians for once. I walked around and took pictures. The City Palace is also beautiful, with the largest silver objects in the world.<br />
<br />
I walked down the street and around the corner, often holding my breath to avoid the stink, and jumping out of the way of rickshaws. There was the Hawa Mahal ("Palace of the Winds"), which is a distinctive palace sometimes called "honeycomb" from its outward appearance. I climbed to the top, waiting for others to come down the narrow staircases, and took in the wonderful view. The inner courtyards of the palace were mostly empty and quiet, a welcome break from the chaos and noise outside.<br />
<br />
The sun was starting to go down, so I considered fitting in another palace or two, but I calculated that I wouldn't have time to enter since they close entry 30 minutes prior to the listed closing time of 5pm. So I walked down, to try to get to the Central Museum/Albert Hall. Because I stopped to buy a couple more souvenirs, and I made a wrong turn and ended up in a hospital (depressing), it was already closed when I arrived there. Exhausted and hungry, I grabbed a rickshaw to take me to a restaurant recommended in my Lonely Planet. It was only 6pm so no one else was eating dinner, but I had a whole thali (mixed plate with roti) to myself.<br />
<br />
I walked back to the hotel. I wanted to get a rickshaw, but the traffic was diverted to only go the opposite way, so I just kept walking. Along the way, there was a party on the street - a marching band playing, women dancing, and a guy on a carriage followed by an elaborately decorated horse. Was it a big Indian wedding? Aaah!<br />
<br /></div>
Jasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08465554986019105369noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-987844294243554099.post-42697474500872298002013-11-17T18:00:00.000+00:002013-12-27T14:49:29.744+00:00Sunday, 17 November: Day 2, Delhi<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Slept til 10:30. The sun was bright. The cleaner actually woke me up - she came in and washe dall around. Breakfast was a packet of masala oats that Swag had around, alongside some rusks and processed cheese.<br />
<br />
We booked my train to Jaipur, leaving tomorrow morning. After sorting that out and getting ready, we left around 13:00 for the city. We drove to the Rapid Metro again and took the Metro into town. Swag's friend/cowoker Ankit was waiting for us at Sikandarpur station. We got on the train and took the seats that we could get, so we were somewhat separated for the 45+ minute ride.<br />
<br />
We arrived at Chandni Chowk, and got off. It was a crowded bazaar that we walked through to get to a crowded and chaotic street. We walked down along the street (Chandni Chowk itself), which was lined with crowded stalls, street vendors, and street food sellers. Of course, this being India, none of this could be described as hygienic. I went shopping, not sure how trustworthy the items I buy would be. But I did. I suggested we try going down one of the narrow lanes, and I inadvertently discovered paratha alley, where there are several food places selling parathas. Amazing! We had to stop at one. So we ordered parathas and shared them right there in the street.<br />
<br />
This was my first street food in India. Hope you can handle it, stomach!<br />
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We then grabbed a couple lassis and walked along the crowded and dirty Old Delhi streets (luckily many of the stalls were closed on Sunday) to Jama Masjid, the largest mosque in India. We entered, leaving our shoes at the entrance, and admired the beautiful inner courtyard.<br />
<br />
We then emerged back into the crowded narrow streets. There, hidden down a small dirty alleyway, was the famous restaurant, Karim's. There, we waited for about 10 minutes before getting a (shared) table. We ordered mutton and brain curry. Yes, brain. I ate brain. And it didn't taste bad at all, just a squishy texture. After eating, we walked past the auto parts market and the street with all the wedding cards (yes apparently wedding cards are a whole industry in India) to the metro, where we parted ways with Ankit.<br />
<br />
Swag and I went to Humayun's Tomb, which is a spectacular complex including a big central building that inspired the architecture of the Taj Mahal. Amazing. Unfortunately the area was closing, so we rushed our visit. Nevertheless, I got some good pictures in the dusk light.<br />
<br />
We met my friend and LSE classmate, Aditi. She was waiting in the parking lot with her cousin/sister. Took the car to a nice restaurant in Lodi Gardens, where we shared a pitcher of sangria and caught up with each other. Then, we left and they decided that they should show me a taste of many different culinary delights. We ended up at Bengali market, where we had gol gappa (panipuri) to shovel into our mouths. Then, around the corner I tried some masala coke, which was not so impressive. Finally, we returned to Bengali market and had some dinner (idli). Was good.<br />
<br />
Time to go home. Metro ride, tired. Drove back. I had an early train in the morning, but we still had to book the hotel room when we were back at Swag's place.<br />
<br />
<br /></div>
Jasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08465554986019105369noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-987844294243554099.post-39217967531922442013-11-17T06:30:00.000+00:002013-12-27T14:49:29.740+00:00First Day in Delhi<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
My friend Swag, whom I'm staying with, picked me up from the airport. I got through security really quickly and was one of the first to pick up my luggage. It was good timing, as he parked his car (coincidentally) exactly where I was waiting.<br />
<br />
Drove to his place, but first we stopped by the mall (Ansal Plaza) for breakfast. The mall has the same kind of security checkpoints as malls in the Philippines, which are pretty useless. We ate parathas (thin bread filled with spiced meats or vegetables). I saw the cinema and thought "oooh, I must watch an Indian movie while I'm here."<br />
<br />
At Swag's apartment, I dropped off my stuff, called home to say hi and that I'm all ok. The cleaner came and cleaned the whole place. Cricket was on the television, they were honoring Sachin Tendulkar who had just played his final test match.<br />
<br />
Went to the Ambience Mall; parked underground, again going through security. Shopped for clothes. I bought a shirt at a store called and a suit which I had tailored. Somehow I forgot to fill up my wallet with the money I had exchanged at the airport, so Swag had to spot me for my shopping.<br />
<br />
We had to wait for 1 hour for the tailor to make my suit (such quick service) and so we had lunch in the mall. Tried some Maharashtra burgers/sliders. We also tried some Indian Chinese food, which I wasn't very impressed by. Anyway, I'm trying to "take it easy" the first day with my food intake, so that I don't get the infamous "Delhi belly".<br />
<br />
After shopping at the mall, we drove to the nearby metro station, which had just opened a few days before. The new "Rapid Metro." It is really nice an modern, and contrasts with the half-built dusty construction scenes outside.<br />
<br />
We took the Rapid Metro to the regular Metro, which took maybe 45 minutes to get into the city. We cruised through the suburbs, and more and more people got on. I noticed that the crowd was 90% male. Weird. Apparently there's an all-female car at the very front of each Metro train. By the time we got into the city, it was totally packed.<br />
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It's also a bit weird to say, and stupidly obvious, but noticeable to me: Everyone here is Indian. There was maybe one African man amongst 5000 Indian people on the metro. I don't know if I've been in such a homogeneous place.<br />
<br />
People were also wearing jackets, sweaters, and vests. Even though it was maybe 24°C outside. This is cold weather in India. (At night, the temperature does drop to around 12°C, which definitely needs a light jacket, but during the day, no way!) The air is dry and filled with dust.<br />
<br />
We got off at the station named General Secretariat, and walked around to see some official government/parliament buildings. This was New Delhi. The sun was going down, so Swag and I rushed to see as much as possible before it got dark. The Parliament building and surrounding area were closed off. The Secretariat buildings were nice, and there was a nice view looking out into the hazy smoke, toward the iconic arch in the distance, India Gate.<br />
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After taking pictures, Swag and I decided to walk to India Gate, which must have been 3km away, even though we could see it all the way straight down the Rajpath avenue. It was dark. Along the way, two girls, aged maybe 14, must have seen me with my camera because they literally ran at us and said "name? 10 rupees" while shaking their jewelry in my face and hitting my arm to get my attention.<br />
<br />
However, other than that, not much hassle. People here must think that I'm also Indian. This explains why I get funny looks when I speak English. "Why is this guy not speaking Hindi?" they must think.<br />
<br />
Anyway, we finally got to the India gate, took our pictures, and decided to go further into the city to see more. However, there was no metro station around, so we had to walk another 2km to the nearest station (Mandi House) which was also under construction.<br />
<br />
India is not as poor as I expected. There are a lot of seemingly middle-class people, relatively well dressed, all crammed into the metro. Honestly, everyone seems surprisingly (and almost disappointingly) normal. It's a good thing, though, I think. I can see that there is a lot of industry and economic growth here, and it can only get better for everyone. There is poverty and wealth, but the main task is expanding the economic engine to work for the masses.<br />
<br />
Anyway, the metro was way too crowded. We got to connaught place (Rajiv Chowk station) and when the doors open, we and about 200 people literally exploded out the doors and we pushed up out of the station.<br />
<br />
We walked out of Rajiv Chowk station. There was a bazaar (Palika Bazaar) but I didn't really care to see it. We crossed the crazy roundabout of traffic into "Central Park" which only had one entrance (we discovered this the hard way). Apparenlty it's also not allowed to take photographs in the park. WTF.<br />
<br />
I wanted a beer desperately. So we walked around and entered the first place serving alcohol that we could find. And believe it or not, it was a Tex-Mex restaurant called Rodeo. Really, Jason? First day in India and you're having beer and nachos?! I know, I'm a horrible traveler. But the Californian in me was happy to have disappointingly fake nachos, and my German side was happy to have beer, even if it was shitty (Fosters) and small.<br />
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Exhausted, we took the metro back to Gurgaon, and Swag drove us home. I was already falling asleep in the car. We stopped by a roadside food stall and got some Tandoori chicken and naan to eat at home. The kid who worked there was fascinated by my camera; I was looking at my earlier pictures on it.<br />
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Dinner, a bit of coke and vodka, and a few hours of internetting later, I was spent. Slaap lekker time :)<br />
<br />
--<br />
<div>
First Impressions of India/Delhi</div>
<div>
<ul>
<li>It smells like dust. Everywhere. And it has a particular "Indian" smell, hard to describe... Kind of like the </li>
<li>People think I'm Indian. They stare at my funny when I speak English instead of Hindi.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<br /></div>
Jasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08465554986019105369noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-987844294243554099.post-88149794053578958492013-11-17T04:30:00.000+00:002013-12-27T14:49:29.752+00:00Departure: Germany to India<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<b><i>"The plane smells like years of sweat and curry"</i></b><br />
<br />
My trip started off hectic and stressful. This was partly my fault for deciding to make it both a work day and a travel day: Since my flight left at 9:30pm, I figured I'd have plenty of time to work for at least half a day and still make it (from Düsseldorf) to the airport (in Frankfurt) with time to spare.<br />
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Haha, nope!<br />
<br />
My first mistake was leaving my final packing to the morning of my flights. But in my defense, there were plenty of activities each night of the week that I couldn't exactly miss - including a work-hosted "academy" about India the night before my flight! So, I left a lot of my preparation to the last minute.<br />
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[Travel tip: It's great to be spontaneous and un-planned, but if you do have something set in your schedule, like a flight, prepare for it as far ahead of time as you can!]<br />
<br />
<span id="goog_1390508125"></span><span id="goog_1390508126"></span><br />
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So, Friday came around, and I had to (1) finish packing my luggage, (2) deal with a busy day of work tying everything up before my departure, and (3) catch my 3-hour train ride to Frankfurt airport. Well, the train ride was <i>scheduled</i> to be 3 hours long. What actually happened was...<br />
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The ironic thing about Germany, a country renowned for its efficiency and punctuality, is that THE TRAINS ARE ALWAYS DELAYED. So, it was no surprise when I arrived at the Hauptbahnhof and found my train was 15 minutes delayed. Eventually it came before I froze my fingers off. However, the delays naturally stacked up on each other, and soon it was a 30-minute delay. This would be no problem if it was a direct train, but <i>noooo</i>, I had to save €20 and buy the train ticket with a transfer in Mainz.<br />
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Of course I missed my connecting train. And I missed the subsequent train. The next train to the airport was a (slower) S-Bahn, which would only come after another 25 minutes. With the slower train, I had now lost almost 1.5 hours. I was cutting it close - I arrived at the airport only 1 hour before my departure time. Luckily my friends (especially Swag) were able to text me and help me figure out my way so that I wouldn't waste any more time.<br />
<br />
So I made it through Frankfurt airport, which is huge but not ultra-modern. Security was really quick; I was the only person, and so was the exit passport control. "Sie wohnen hier?" she asked me, and I didn't even get the usual exit stamp.<br />
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I made it onto the plane, and my seat was near the front and by a window. Winning. It did not smell good though - in addition to the usual "recycled air" of the airplane, it smelled (at the risk of sounding offensive) Indian. Like sweat and curry baked into the seats and walls of the plane through year of dusty, musky heat and sun.<br />
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But it didn't matter. The plane took off and I was on my way! It was a surprisingly quiet flight - no babies crying, and many people were asleep 10 minutes after takeoff!<br />
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I managed to get some sleep on the flight, and I listened to the music offered, which was "modern (Indian) melodies" and which got me prepared for arrival. The windows were weirdly dimmed on the plane, so even though the sun was shining through, it looked more like the moon.<br />
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The plane wafted down into a sea of haze (fog or smog - I couldn't tell). Everything below was brown - I could make out crowded little (ancient-lookin) settlements and high-rise apartment towers between patches of open space. <b>Welcome to India!</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
The plane doors opened, and I stepped out. It smelled. Dusty. Not necessarily stinky, but just un-fresh. I was one of the first off the plane, and completely by myself going through immigration. And because I was one of the last to check my luggage, my bag was one of the first off the belt. YES.</div>
Jasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08465554986019105369noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-987844294243554099.post-25745956586336501192013-11-15T16:22:00.000+00:002013-12-27T14:49:29.735+00:00What Do I Expect from India?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I'm in the train, on my way from Düsseldorf to Frankfurt airport, to catch my flight to India. What better time to gather my thoughts and reflections on what might happen on this trip.<br />
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<b>What do I expect from India?</b> Everyone I talk to has been telling me several things: (1) "You're going to have a such great experience!"; (2) "You're going to get so sick!"; and (3) "I'm so jealous! Put me into your luggage!" So, if I was to base my expectations entirely from my friends' suggestions, I would expect to get serious diarrhea but really enjoy it and have such a great time! I never realized that my friends enjoyed getting diarrhea so much :)<br />
<br />
But honestly, I have been too preoccupied (with work mostly) to fully wrap my head around what I'm about to experience. Only last night did it really hit me, when we had a work presentation whose topic was (believe it or not) "Discover India"! I have been really excited since then. I'm now frantically reading through my 1200-page Lonely Planet guide to India, at least getting some background on the history and cultures of this ancient and immense land.<br />
<br />
India will be the most "foreign" place I have ever visited, especially alone. It's much more difficult to get by there than any European country. And that is exactly the point: I expect to be challenged. I expect to be hassled on the street, standing out as a tourist. I expect to be saddened and disgusted by the level of poverty. I expect to have amazing food and that my digestive tract will pay the price. I expect to be dazzled by the spectacle of an Indian wedding, and the wedding of a great friend of mine at that! I expect to be happy to meet my friends on the other side of the world. I expect to see places and sights whose history I can't even begin to comprehend!<br />
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But there is so much more that I can't even imagine at this point. I want to see firsthand how people will respond to me walking by on the street. How do shops and markets work? How is the relationship between the genders really? How would I fit in? ... These "hows," and many others, cannot be answered from any guide book, YouTube video, or TV show. It can only come from spending time in a country and letting go of yourself and your comfort zone. That - understanding really <i>how</i> people and the way of life are, is what I want to get out of this trip.<br />
<br />
More specifically, there are so many questions that I am just wondering now: Is it really as dirty there as I have heard? If you can't drink the water, can you bathe in it, or brush your teeth? Are there neighborhoods that are fully modern and westernized? Are the streets full of more cars or motorbikes? How big are the streets anyway? Are there even street signs? (I just remembered that traffic drives on the left, another thing to adjust to!) How much will I stand out as a foreigner (who sometimes looks sort of Indian)?<br />
<br />
India has 1.2 billion people.<br />
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Billion.<br />
<br />
Delhi alone has 16 million people. I have a hard time comprehending that scale of humanity. Germany, and even the US, seem much less significant when contrasted with those numbers! How can you even keep such a big country together? How is the rest of the world viewed? Especially Europeans and Americans? Will I be able to even get a burger? Is there really no beef anywhere?<br />
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I'll see soon enough! Time to get ready for my flight. YEAHHHHH HERE WE GO!</div>
Jasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08465554986019105369noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-987844294243554099.post-90350699876959601872013-11-01T22:33:00.000+00:002013-12-27T14:49:29.755+00:00A Day in India (as told through food)Wow, it's already November?<br />
<br />
That means that in just a couple weeks, I'll in traveling through India! Here's a cool video I found to help me get into the mindset:<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="281" mozallowfullscreen="" src="//player.vimeo.com/video/58313264" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="500"></iframe> <br />
<a href="http://vimeo.com/58313264">A Day in India</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/theperennialplate">The Perennial Plate</a> on <a href="https://vimeo.com/">Vimeo</a>.<br />
<br />Jasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08465554986019105369noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-987844294243554099.post-24656184552941988522013-06-16T08:15:00.001+01:002013-06-16T08:15:30.005+01:00It's More Fun in the Philippines [video]A cool promo video for the warm, welcoming, and diverse set of tropical islands in Southeast Asia.<br />
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<iframe frameborder="0" height="320" src="https://www.facebook.com/video/embed?video_id=10200825776748505" width="568"></iframe>Jasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08465554986019105369noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-987844294243554099.post-7067319755702585552013-06-05T14:36:00.000+01:002013-06-05T14:36:52.358+01:00The Most Visited City in the World Is Not Paris or LondonApparently the most visited city in the world for 2013 (how they can calculate this only 5 months into the year is beyond me) is not something most people would expect.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEs8yba8smZz56Oc1jo4db8eARmZ2huYRNWIBl2QDpf2lnt4OHcjEmboS_dkvr_5-LZvqqMx5hpFW7hy8Ea8pG2CtgHPE3V1gkVzjuzHRhZlKQe5mqUE6bTr8lSAEYGOVtyXyV1tELxV4/s1600/road+sign+post+cities.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEs8yba8smZz56Oc1jo4db8eARmZ2huYRNWIBl2QDpf2lnt4OHcjEmboS_dkvr_5-LZvqqMx5hpFW7hy8Ea8pG2CtgHPE3V1gkVzjuzHRhZlKQe5mqUE6bTr8lSAEYGOVtyXyV1tELxV4/s320/road+sign+post+cities.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Instead of classic and perennially popular destinations such as New York, Paris, or London, <a href="http://www.smartertravel.com/blogs/today-in-travel/the-world-most-visited-cities-in-2013.html?id=15035915" target="_blank">this year's winner is on the opposite side of the world</a>.<br />
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This year's winner is <a href="http://c15210660.r60.cf2.rackcdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/MasterCard-Global-Destination-Cities-2013-Report.pdf" target="_blank">Bangkok</a>. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPv7y59Zo8IUxZBu1M4QTdDPkOLLpAv9coFiLTVq0G25qfUlrhlcEMuNouuco_roOU4-sSVaC1eXa0DwLIyMKk167Sbn7i_EUjPiv7cVU1FQnC5hkGzpwjp4CxXRK0z_ItlnIWa8168YQ/s1600/bangkok-restaurant-riverside-terrace-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="205" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPv7y59Zo8IUxZBu1M4QTdDPkOLLpAv9coFiLTVq0G25qfUlrhlcEMuNouuco_roOU4-sSVaC1eXa0DwLIyMKk167Sbn7i_EUjPiv7cVU1FQnC5hkGzpwjp4CxXRK0z_ItlnIWa8168YQ/s640/bangkok-restaurant-riverside-terrace-1.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<br />
It's somewhat hard to believe, and I'm somewhat skeptical of this ranking for several reasons:<br />
<ul>
<li>These kinds of rankings are often made for marketing purposes. </li>
<li>There's always a way to find data to "shake up" the established rankings. I see this all the time with university/college rankings, in which different lists will weight criteria differently so that the same university isn't on top of the rankings year after year.</li>
<li>The data for this particular list, compiled by Mastercard, is "based on public data such as flight schedules and capacity." That sounds like it's just a list of which cities have the most visitors flying into its airport! No wonder Bangkok comes in ahead; it's a popular hub for the region (and beyond). I imagine a sizable proportion of the people in this ranking are merely connecting flights in Bangkok, traveling between Europe and Australia. Surely there should be some weight given to people staying in a city for more than just a few hours.</li>
<ul>
<li>And otherwise, Mastercard could have just estimated tourism spending from it's own set of credit card data, right?</li>
<li>Also, how can you count visitors to cities/countries in Europe, where it's common to fly into one country, train around to several other countries, and then fly out somewhere else?</li>
</ul>
</ul>
I mean, come on! Thailand isn't even on the list of the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tourism#World_tourism_statistics_and_rankings" target="_blank">world's most visited countries</a>. <br />
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Nevertheless, even though I haven't been to Thailand (yet), I don't doubt that it's starving for tourists. In the last few months, as I have been moving around Germany and the Netherlands, I have met many people who were just about to leave for (or just returned from) a holiday overseas. And every single one of them was visiting not just SE Asia, but specifically Thailand.Jasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08465554986019105369noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-987844294243554099.post-27506008803613460002013-05-04T23:01:00.002+01:002013-05-04T23:01:43.747+01:00The Modern Motorcycle DiariesI came across this video and I simply had to share.<br />
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This guy - Alex Chacón - rides a motorcycle across North and South America, seeing undeniably varies landscapes and undoubtedly having the adventure of a hundred lifetimes!<br />
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<iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/85VErvTqgWc" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe><br />
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"Alaska to Argentina in 500 Days, the sights and roads of a motorcycle journey, a one man video documentary of the craziest, most beautiful and intense roads the Western World has to offer. <br />
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Follow Alex Chacon from Texas, as he navigates through the dangerous and exciting Pan American route through the Americans on motorcycle, an Epic continuance to the famous motorcycle diaries with Ernesto Che Guevara.<br />
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Learn more at <a href="http://www.YourExpeditionSouth.com">YourExpeditionSouth.com</a> and <a href="http://www.ExpeditionSouth.com">ExpeditionSouth.com</a>"Jasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08465554986019105369noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-987844294243554099.post-65125750575911796972013-03-29T21:10:00.000+00:002013-03-29T21:10:27.254+00:00The Least Visited Countries in the WorldJust found an interesting article listing which countries are the 25 least visited in the world.<br />
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Have you been to any of these countries? <a href="http://www.garfors.com/2013/01/the-25-least-visited-countries-in-world.html" target="_blank">Check the list out</a> and see.Jasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08465554986019105369noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-987844294243554099.post-81374226950560277012013-02-19T16:57:00.000+00:002013-02-19T16:57:01.704+00:00Cool Subway/Metro Stations Around the world<a href="http://www.buzzfeed.com/skarlan/breathtaking-subway-stations-around-the-world" target="_blank">Check it out</a>. I knew that the always-mentioned stations in Stockholm and in Russia would make the list, but there are some interesting ones elsewhere, including Taiwan and Naples, Italy, that would keep a public-transport-o-phile like me entertained for a while. :)Jasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08465554986019105369noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-987844294243554099.post-73042518540076679522013-01-28T12:00:00.000+00:002013-01-29T12:08:59.391+00:00On the Road Again... Updates to ComeI have just left London (for now) and am setting off on my next adventure - a largely unplanned romp around Europe! <br />
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I also have some recent trips to update - Christmas in the Cotswolds, Barcelona, and a snowy road trip to northern England! Stay tunedJasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08465554986019105369noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-987844294243554099.post-36892628605873409292012-11-30T14:29:00.000+00:002012-11-30T14:29:07.357+00:00He Visited All Countries in the World - Without Boarding a Plane?Graham Hughes, a British man from Liverpool, just set a record by <a href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2239087/Graham-Hughes-British-man-person-visit-201-countries-WITHOUT-using-plane.html" target="_blank">visiting 201 countries - all the countries of the world - without flying on a single airplane</a>!<br />
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What a great accomplishment, but think you can do it too? I mean, visiting some countries can be challenging in itself (for safety/security reasons), but traveling to some remote places without an airplane - I can only imagine!<br />
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"He says people tend to wonder how he got into the further-out countries like North Korea, Iraq and Afghanistan, but he says they were the easy ones." Ok, I can trust him on that I guess. And yes, getting to all those small island nations in the South Pacific seems particularly difficult!Jasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08465554986019105369noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-987844294243554099.post-12307949885564032682012-11-14T16:57:00.003+00:002012-11-14T16:59:34.425+00:00Let's Fly Around LondonCheck this out: A flying drone taking you around some of London's most famous sights, but with unexpected but amazing views!<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/ghDXBIy_BSM" width="560"></iframe><br />
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I would love to ride in a mini-helicopter or something to get up close to these landmarks. Alas, I don't think it will happen very soon.Jasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08465554986019105369noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-987844294243554099.post-69711638768469947042012-10-30T08:49:00.002+00:002012-10-30T08:49:59.299+00:00Airplanes Landing at Heathrow (Time Lapse Video)You may know that I'm a sucker for time-lapse videos, and I've stumbled upon a cool one this morning. It's of airplanes approaching to land at London Heathrow's airport. It really gives you a sense of how frequently planes are landing at <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World%27s_busiest_airports_by_passenger_traffic" target="_blank">one of the world's busiest airports</a>. (Apparently an airplane either takes off or lands at Heathrow <a href="http://www.kgbanswers.co.uk/how-often-does-a-plane-take-off-and-land-at-heathrow/2096311">every 45 seconds</a> - incredible!) Check it out below!<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/fgHjVvqLXV8" width="560"></iframe><br />
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<br />Jasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08465554986019105369noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-987844294243554099.post-2356502359770253212012-10-21T11:47:00.000+01:002012-10-21T11:47:09.448+01:00The Scotland VideoHere's the video of my road trip to Scotland earlier this year! It was really fun, if you couldn't tell. Man, it really makes me want to hit the road again.<br />
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<iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/EhOe7cpnR3E" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>Jasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08465554986019105369noreply@blogger.com0