Impulse

I never did finish writing about my trip to Europe in May (1, 2). I better get on it as I just booked tickets to go back to Austria next month. (read on for why). Here’s some highlights and stories from the remainder of the May trip.

Continue reading "Catching up"

Posted by Rob McKaughan in Travels at 08:44 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I’m sick of tourists. They come by the thousands in great flocks. They’re everywhere, walking slowly, getting in the way. They crap on everything making it impossible find a clean seat. No, wait. Those are the pidgeons. It’s hard to tell them apart when you’re walking through San Marco square as they are equally many of each. I think the humans are the brightly colored ones…

Continue reading "Venezia Due"

Posted by Rob McKaughan in Travels at 10:28 AM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (1)

Ahh, Venice - the city that continues to throw me for a loop. After spending 23 hours on aiplanes, then 8 hours on a train, I walked out of the train station expecting to see gondolas, accordions, and the sounds of opera. Instead, the first thing I see was a bunch of native Americans in full feathered headdress regailia pounding drums and singing the ancient songs of the American plains tribes. I kid you not. If I hadn’t been exhausted, lugging about 40lbs in a backpack, and outfitted with two other bags, I would’ve dug out my camera, but I was - so you’ll just have to take my word for it.

Continue reading "Venezia"

Posted by Rob McKaughan in Travels at 09:46 AM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (1)

I got to drive on the Autobahn for the first time yesterday! Sleek german autos streaking across the countryside in close formation. Unfortunately, I was at the helm of a Renault station wagon with 2.5 gerbils under the hood (Jacques-Claude, Yvette-Marie, and Pepe), so the experience wasn’t quite the adrenaline rush I had hoped for.

Continue reading "Auf der Autobahn"

Posted by Rob McKaughan in Travels at 01:25 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

[Detroit, MI] Travel sure is different these days. The aiport closures following 9/11/01 marooned several of my then-coworkers in Texas (poor souls). Failing to find a flight for several days, they ended up renting a car and driving all the way back to Seattle. Later one of those coworkers was on a flight back from Europe when a bomb scare forced the plane to make an emergency landing at an abandoned airfield in Greenland where he spent several days as security gave everything a thorough search. I’m happy to say that I dont see this coworker anywhere nearby. Hopefully, he’s sipping a beer somewhere back in Seattle.

Continue reading "When you hear that sound, don’t be so alarmed"

Posted by Rob McKaughan in Travels at 05:16 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)