I feel so tired lately. I've been working full time for the last month and I had forgotten how much energy that took. My day is reduced to wake up, shower, make lunches, watch news, check emails (but don't reply), catch the bus, work, eat lunch with Jeremy, day dream, work more, catch another bus, cook dinner, watch house, brush teeth, and repeat.
But, in the midst of my exhaustion, some good things are happening.
1. We turned in the visa application and I did my health check. We're still waiting for the results as well as the letter of confirmation for the submission of the visa, but all in good time I suspect.
2. Because I've had so much work, we've been able to save a bit of money and we almost have enough to come home. Never mind we only have enough for the flights but that's at least a start. We'll have to wait for the visa to be approved before I leave the country (and before we purchase tickets) but I'm really excited about seeing my family again.
3. We're a couple of dreamers and even though I don't have full time work and even though we don't have money, we're going to start putting it aside for a real vacation. Maybe Burma in December? We're hoping to take advantage of Jeremy's forced leave around Christmas. And we're desperate for a change of scene. Life here is a little boring...
4. I got paid for my photography! Yay! It wasn't much but more than what I expected. We've since decided to put that towards our trip home and I'll worry about camera gear later. Family first, camera second. (Trying to get my priorities in order!)
5. Jeremy's birthday is on April 5th and we're making plans for our big 4 day weekend! Okay, so we can't really do much but we do plan on going to Luna Park (Sydney's Coney Island equivalent) and picnicking on the harbour (we bought some expensive goat cheese for the occasion since we don't have money go away but still deserve a treat). There might also be some hiking and beach coming in this weekend adventure--stay tuned!
6. I've been in touch with the Korean Times and I'm writing an article for them about Jeomchon as a second part to their story on Mungyeong and the hidden gems of Korean tourism! This is SUPER exciting to get my first piece published in a national paper! And they want to print some pictures to go along with it! They intend to run it on or around April 9th so I'll keep you posted when it goes to print! I love success. Make me feel so confident. :)
7. Easter and Passover! We've been blessed with a lovely package from Mom and Grandma with birthday presents for Jeremy and yummy chocolate for us both to share! I love Easter! We're also planning to have our first family Seder and we've purchased some matzo to make some matzo ball soup! (Not really that delicious but void of calories, so...) I'm also making us a wild goat roast! Never done roast (or goat!) before so I'm hoping it works out! Can't wait to tell you all about it! A special blog is coming up about the Seder!!
8. It's raining and it hasn't rained in weeks! I know some of you will think I'm crazy for saying this but I'm so sick of sun. I just want some real dark and cold days! The rain today is the best reprieve I've had from pit stains and a sweaty back in weeks! Our house has been roasting inside and all I can think about--dream about!--is snow and other cold wet things. Like pavement. I am a Northwest girl through-and-through. I often wonder if I have RSAD (Reverse Seasonal Affective Disorder) because I seriously feel drained of energy on sunny days and I feel my best in the dark hours before sunrise. And it's even weirder when your seasons are backwards. Right now, my body is saying, "Hey! It should be getting warmer here!" But my head knows it's getting cooler. It really messes me up. But to top it off, spring and fall are like two week seasons here which means there is almost no transition period to ease your way in. I feel like I'm in a seasonal vacuum! And even though it'll get "cooler," it will never get "cold." This body was made to vacation in the tropics--not live in them. Us Anglo Saxons were never meant for the desert.
And, as a side note, I wanted to share with you one of the cute little things Jeremy did today. We have this on-going joke at work that's been perpetuating for months (I keep getting called back to temp at his work place). Whenever I stop by his desk and he's not there, I leave silly little post-it notes in unexpected places. He usually finds them right away like in his coffee cup or under his keyboard but sometimes it takes him a while like the one under his desk or the one in a binder (I think the one in the binder lasted about 3 weeks). Well, today I arrived at work to find a post-it on my desk that said, "Two can play this game!" He didn't leave me many but they were wonderful all the same. I found one under my mouse with some undecipherable scribble on it (Jeremy has atrocious handwriting--he used to be called in to professor's offices to read them his papers) and one in my notebook with a silly little self portrait on it! I was quite surprised and even though I had a tough day today, those little notes gave me reason to smile.
Can I just say that I love, love, love this guy? It's so wonderful to know him and be loved by him. I came across some of my old boyfriends on Facebook today and it really made me realize how fortunate I am that it never worked out between me and them. They are every where and every thing I don't want to be. I'm sure they are still kind people, but wow, my life would be vastly different and I would hate it. Someone had bigger plans for me--and bigger plans yet! I'm so glad to be on this journey with Jeremy. He once called me his Sputnik (Russian for "traveling companion") and I wouldn't have it any other way.
Showing posts with label comedy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label comedy. Show all posts
Monday, March 29, 2010
Thursday, February 4, 2010
Well, that was embarrassing...
I woke up yesterday morning to find myself covered in pee.
I'm not quite sure how it happened. I think I'm like everyone else in that I occasionally have dreams about sitting on a toilet but I've been able to recognize and stop the actual act since I was little (my trick is to always look for the flush--if I can't find it, then it's definitely a dream). However, last night there was no toilet dream--just pee.
So, I got up, went to the bathroom (where I actually had one good, long "go" which makes me wonder how long I was sleeping like that), and then woke Jeremy up so I could clear the bed. Thankfully he didn't really care and didn't even laugh at me (such a good boyfriend!). By the way, it was also our anniversary yesterday--a great way to wake up your loved ones and celebrate!
Luckily, our mattress has this zip-off pad attached to it which was really easy to remove and I could just stick it straight into the washer (also machine washable--very good). And I was happy to find that very little pee went through the pad and onto the mattress, so I'm happy to report that I didn't have to sleep in it again last night.
Jeremy was a little unimpressed by my debacle and went right back to sleep. I, on the other hand, spent the "wee" hours cleaning up and monitoring the washing machine which had a hard time spinning the giant mattress pad.
Why do I tell you these things? Because everyone needs to know they're human--just like everyone else.
When was the last time you peed your pants? I was actually asked this at a "get to know your coworkers" meeting--not a good question, btw. But I answered it because I felt compelled to be genuine and show people I'm really not afraid of their laughter.
So, when was the last time I peed my pants? Well, I must admit this has been a rather frequent event (relatively speaking) over the past year or so.
The last time was two weeks before I left Bella Donna Gelateria in Brisbane. I had been there all night, crossing my legs and bumbling around trying not to pee because going to the bathroom meant closing up the shop and begging the neighboring shops for a bathroom key (which I nearly always got harassed for). So, when my new trainee came in, I was a little "excited" about being able to slip out. And slip out I did--while standing next to her and explaining the time sheets, I peed my pants. And it was big. Luckily I was wearing a pad (period time) which soaked up most of it though I still felt a little trickle down my leg. She didn't notice and never knew what happened that night, but I'm sure my surprised look made her wonder (think Charlotte from Sex and the City).
Another time, I was in Thailand with Jeremy. We were taking the ricketiest old ferry out to Ko Chang and I was standing at the concession counter when it hit me. And when I say "hit me" I really mean it. For years I've had problems with a crazy, immidiate and intense need to pee. It hasn't been consistently happening (as in everyday for a year) but it may happen once a year and last every day for several months. And usually, it's just a little bit of actual pee but the need to go is so intense and so immediate (like five seconds notice) that I sometimes don't make it. Well, I peed my pants while I was standing there at the counter, paying for my ramen noodles. But it wasn't a little that time either. It was a lot. And ashamedly, I must admit that when I walked away, there was a little puddle where my foot used to be and I didn't say anything! By this time in our travels, Jeremy was pretty familiar with my problem so we were both able to laugh about it as I hobbled down to the ship's bathroom and tried to wipe my legs off. There wasn't much I could do about the wet shorts though...
For a long time I thought I just had an over-active bladder problem. Then I thought I had chronic urinary tract infections (UTIs). But when my doctors kept telling me it was neither, I started thinking about other causes... The last time I talked with a doctor about this, she suggested that maybe caffeine was the cause. I had never thought about it but since that appointment six months ago, I've found that those "must pee now!" moments only happen after I drink soda. So I don't drink soda aymore.
I'm not able to explain the other night though. But it's a funny story and I don't mind sharing my embarrassing moments with you. Maybe you don't mind sharing your embarrassing moments with me?? I ask you, blog world, when was the last time you wet yourself?
I'm not quite sure how it happened. I think I'm like everyone else in that I occasionally have dreams about sitting on a toilet but I've been able to recognize and stop the actual act since I was little (my trick is to always look for the flush--if I can't find it, then it's definitely a dream). However, last night there was no toilet dream--just pee.
So, I got up, went to the bathroom (where I actually had one good, long "go" which makes me wonder how long I was sleeping like that), and then woke Jeremy up so I could clear the bed. Thankfully he didn't really care and didn't even laugh at me (such a good boyfriend!). By the way, it was also our anniversary yesterday--a great way to wake up your loved ones and celebrate!
Luckily, our mattress has this zip-off pad attached to it which was really easy to remove and I could just stick it straight into the washer (also machine washable--very good). And I was happy to find that very little pee went through the pad and onto the mattress, so I'm happy to report that I didn't have to sleep in it again last night.
Jeremy was a little unimpressed by my debacle and went right back to sleep. I, on the other hand, spent the "wee" hours cleaning up and monitoring the washing machine which had a hard time spinning the giant mattress pad.
Why do I tell you these things? Because everyone needs to know they're human--just like everyone else.
When was the last time you peed your pants? I was actually asked this at a "get to know your coworkers" meeting--not a good question, btw. But I answered it because I felt compelled to be genuine and show people I'm really not afraid of their laughter.
So, when was the last time I peed my pants? Well, I must admit this has been a rather frequent event (relatively speaking) over the past year or so.
The last time was two weeks before I left Bella Donna Gelateria in Brisbane. I had been there all night, crossing my legs and bumbling around trying not to pee because going to the bathroom meant closing up the shop and begging the neighboring shops for a bathroom key (which I nearly always got harassed for). So, when my new trainee came in, I was a little "excited" about being able to slip out. And slip out I did--while standing next to her and explaining the time sheets, I peed my pants. And it was big. Luckily I was wearing a pad (period time) which soaked up most of it though I still felt a little trickle down my leg. She didn't notice and never knew what happened that night, but I'm sure my surprised look made her wonder (think Charlotte from Sex and the City).
Another time, I was in Thailand with Jeremy. We were taking the ricketiest old ferry out to Ko Chang and I was standing at the concession counter when it hit me. And when I say "hit me" I really mean it. For years I've had problems with a crazy, immidiate and intense need to pee. It hasn't been consistently happening (as in everyday for a year) but it may happen once a year and last every day for several months. And usually, it's just a little bit of actual pee but the need to go is so intense and so immediate (like five seconds notice) that I sometimes don't make it. Well, I peed my pants while I was standing there at the counter, paying for my ramen noodles. But it wasn't a little that time either. It was a lot. And ashamedly, I must admit that when I walked away, there was a little puddle where my foot used to be and I didn't say anything! By this time in our travels, Jeremy was pretty familiar with my problem so we were both able to laugh about it as I hobbled down to the ship's bathroom and tried to wipe my legs off. There wasn't much I could do about the wet shorts though...
For a long time I thought I just had an over-active bladder problem. Then I thought I had chronic urinary tract infections (UTIs). But when my doctors kept telling me it was neither, I started thinking about other causes... The last time I talked with a doctor about this, she suggested that maybe caffeine was the cause. I had never thought about it but since that appointment six months ago, I've found that those "must pee now!" moments only happen after I drink soda. So I don't drink soda aymore.
I'm not able to explain the other night though. But it's a funny story and I don't mind sharing my embarrassing moments with you. Maybe you don't mind sharing your embarrassing moments with me?? I ask you, blog world, when was the last time you wet yourself?
Monday, November 9, 2009
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
Northing better to do...
The other day I went to the bathroom a returned to find this ghost on my bed.
We have so much fun together.
Thursday, March 12, 2009
I Want a Dog
While walking down the street in HCMC, Jeremy and I walked right into a sidewalk pet shop (as in lots of cages with puppies and kitties inside them). And there was a dalmation. And I fell in love.
And since then all I can think about is getting a dalmation and naming him Domino.
Jeremy hates dogs but I've been gradually wearing him down over the past few months from loathing to tolerating man's best friend, all the while assuring him that one day, he may be dog's best friend. :)
And a couple weeks ago he agreed that if we have a house together someday, I can have a dog. Yay!!!
But he still didn't want anything to do with it. We even had a near argument on the bus from Singapore to KL about what role this hypothetical dog might have in a hypothetical house in the hypothetical future (silly, I know). So I pulled a trick on him to win his heart and bring him back from the dark side (that is, the place where dog-haters go).
We always had this deal that if he wanted to see a movie that I didn't, he would have to pay for me and vice versa. Well, these last few months we've been traveling solely on his money and a couple weeks ago he got tired of handling all of it and told me to carry the cash for a change. (See where this is going?) So, upon arrival in KL I announced we were going to the movies... To see Marley & Me... A movie about a dog... A movie he doesn't want to see... A movie I would be paying for with his money... Muwahahaha! I truly am a clever woman. :)
And--gasp!--he liked it. He liked it a lot. And at the end of the movie, he leaned over and said, "Okay, let's get a dog. I want one too."
You have no idea how HUGE this is!! One day I will have a little Domino!!!! At least, I hope I will. There are still a lot of hypothetical hurdles to crawl over.
But I have surely made the world a better place!
Go see Marley & Me--or better yet, read the book! I read it in Egypt and L-O-V-E-D it! I cried, I laughed, I stayed up well into the night reading. If you have a soul, you will love it.
Friday, February 27, 2009
Getting a little loopy...
You know it's time to go home when:
--You've watched all the movies on your iPod so many times that you know them all by heart.
--You fantasize about boring things like microwave popcorn, couches, commuting, curling irons...
--You fall asleep at 7 PM and sleep until 8 AM the next morning. (Play hard, sleep hard.)
--You seriously consider taking a 39 hour bus ride to save $10.
--Your backpack looks like a baby's burp rag.
--Every piece of clothing you own has a hole (or many) in it.
--You've gone to dinner at a stranger's house.
--You've had something stolen.
--You actually prefer cold showers.
--You backpack contents are as follows: 2/8 clothes, 2/8 toiletries, 1/2 books.
--You think that burger you just ate was camel, not beef.
--You can drink 12+ liters of water a day but only use the bathroom twice.
--You like licking the salt off your face.
Some days, we are so ready to go home.
--You've watched all the movies on your iPod so many times that you know them all by heart.
--You fantasize about boring things like microwave popcorn, couches, commuting, curling irons...
--You fall asleep at 7 PM and sleep until 8 AM the next morning. (Play hard, sleep hard.)
--You seriously consider taking a 39 hour bus ride to save $10.
--Your backpack looks like a baby's burp rag.
--Every piece of clothing you own has a hole (or many) in it.
--You've gone to dinner at a stranger's house.
--You've had something stolen.
--You actually prefer cold showers.
--You backpack contents are as follows: 2/8 clothes, 2/8 toiletries, 1/2 books.
--You think that burger you just ate was camel, not beef.
--You can drink 12+ liters of water a day but only use the bathroom twice.
--You like licking the salt off your face.
Some days, we are so ready to go home.
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Gilligan's Island
It was rough sitting on the beach in Ko Chang for 5 days...
Happy Valentine's Day!!
Our home away from home! This is our beach and the bungalows we rented from.
Maybe we spent a little too much time on the island... Or maybe there was something else in that coconut besides coconut milk...
Happy Valentine's Day!!
Our home away from home! This is our beach and the bungalows we rented from.
Maybe we spent a little too much time on the island... Or maybe there was something else in that coconut besides coconut milk...
Sand Castles and More
He had no idea I was photographing him...
Working hard on that mud mound... My castle is on the right.
Who can resist a smile like that?!
The cute little Irish girl who helped us build our sand castle complex. This is before she decided to "belly slam" it.
In the act...
He makes a lovely mermaid, eh?
It took some convincing before he'd let me do this! :)
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
1 Year
Today I am SO excited to celebrate 1 year of the best love and friendship with the coolest guy I know: Jeremy. He is funny, charming, caring, considerate, intelligent, adventurous, understanding, and my best friend in the purest use of the word.
I love you and can't wait for all the adventures we'll have in the next year!!
Love, Kortney
Sunday, January 25, 2009
Friends, this is my boyfriend, Jeremy.
I realize that most of you know nothing about this amazing boyfriend of mine and until you get a chance to meet him in person, I hope I can give you a little glimpse of who he is.
-He always puts the lid on too tight (and often can't get it off either). This is how the camp stove was broken.
-He never gets upset over spilled milk. One time, the blender exploded on us and sent pureed watermelon all over the living room of his apartment and we both just looked at it and laughed. Later, I dropped a glass of milk. We had to mop the floor three times in that one day!
-He's a computer nerd. There is nothing he can't find, whether it's the latest season of your favorite TV show or an article from an obscure newspaper in 1986.
-He often falls down the "Wikipedia Hole." Yes, he loves to read the encyclopedia and can do it for a VERY long time.
-Thank God he doesn't play Nintendo or Play Station but he still likes his computer games--particularly simulation games.
-He hates Julia Roberts and Mel Gibson (with the exception of Brave Heart).
-His McDonald's meal is a double quarter pounder with a large fry and large vanilla shake.
-When Jeremy was 13 he was hit by a car and yet he STILL walks out in front of them! It scares me ALL the time!
-Despite the wide range of trance, dance and house music on his MP# player, he also has Shakira love songs. But don't ask him about it. He won't admit it. :)
-One day he would love to own a rare books store.
-He only likes ties that have patterns stitched into them. No prints. And color doesn't always matter--but the stitch does.
-Jeremy used to buy pizza for all his classes on the last day of the quarter to reward them for all their hard work.
-Jeremy says that sleeping is a fine art that has taken him many years to perfect.
-He makes the world's BEST scrambled eggs and Thai curry.
-He isn't allergic to anything.
-Sometimes he eats raw slices of onion but I don't complain because he doesn't when I eat raw slices of garlic. That's one stinky kiss!!
-Jeremy speaks Russian but also studied French and Indonesian.
-We met online. Yes, using Facebook.
-The first time he said "I love you" to me was when he found a can of Red Bull in the fridge with a note that said, "Because I love you." Red Bull is his favorite and he knew I had to go an hour out of my way to buy him a can. But he doesn't remember saying it. The first time he remembers saying it was when he took me to the bus station and gave me a kiss goodbye after a long weekend together.
-When we get to Australia, Jeremy and I are going to train for a triathlon together--his idea!! From the guy who doesn't like sports!
-Our second date was the night before I went to Thailand on vacation. When I came to his house, he was still at work but left me a little Thai Airways gift baf complete with a travel hairbrush, socks, eye mask, and a little note that said: "Welcome aboard. We're not called Assussies airlines. Please find a selection of newspapers available for your reading pleasure, together with this gift pack. If you would like a meal... get it yourself! :) "
-He likes to kiss me on the eye lids when I fall asleep.
-On our first date we went to eat dakkalbi in an alley restaurant. On our last night in Korea, we ate there again with all our friends.
-He's almost blind without his glasses.
-For his birthday (April 5th), I gave him an Australia themed box full of Fan Tails, Jaffas, Vegemite, newspapers, and other little goodies like Uncle Toby's snack bars. How did I get these things in Korea? I met some Aussies in THailand and gave them $200 to buy some stuff and sent it to me for his birthday. Yeah--we'd only been on two dates but I knew he was special and I wanted to impress him... And I did! He couldn't believe that I would go through all that trouble for him and that's when he decided to REALLY like me.
-He LOVES milk. Chocolate milk, stawberry milk, banana milk, vanilla milk, coffee milk, regular milk, LIME milk! (The lime stuff is an Australian thing.)
-I have only seen him angry three times: once when a guy grabbed my butt on a train in Baku, once when a guy commented on my butt in a Luxor street market, and once when a guy tried taking my picture with his phone while I was crying in Alexandria. He is a really slow-to-anger, understanding, "let's talk this through" kind of guy.
-He's becoming quite a good photographer!!
-Even though Jeremy has spent most of his life split between Canberra and Brisbane, if you ask him, he'll say he's from Melbourne because that's where he was born and where he most identifies himself.
-On February 3rd, Jeremy and I will celebrate one year together. :)
-He always puts the lid on too tight (and often can't get it off either). This is how the camp stove was broken.
-He never gets upset over spilled milk. One time, the blender exploded on us and sent pureed watermelon all over the living room of his apartment and we both just looked at it and laughed. Later, I dropped a glass of milk. We had to mop the floor three times in that one day!
-He's a computer nerd. There is nothing he can't find, whether it's the latest season of your favorite TV show or an article from an obscure newspaper in 1986.
-He often falls down the "Wikipedia Hole." Yes, he loves to read the encyclopedia and can do it for a VERY long time.
-Thank God he doesn't play Nintendo or Play Station but he still likes his computer games--particularly simulation games.
-He hates Julia Roberts and Mel Gibson (with the exception of Brave Heart).
-His McDonald's meal is a double quarter pounder with a large fry and large vanilla shake.
-When Jeremy was 13 he was hit by a car and yet he STILL walks out in front of them! It scares me ALL the time!
-Despite the wide range of trance, dance and house music on his MP# player, he also has Shakira love songs. But don't ask him about it. He won't admit it. :)
-One day he would love to own a rare books store.
-He only likes ties that have patterns stitched into them. No prints. And color doesn't always matter--but the stitch does.
-Jeremy used to buy pizza for all his classes on the last day of the quarter to reward them for all their hard work.
-Jeremy says that sleeping is a fine art that has taken him many years to perfect.
-He makes the world's BEST scrambled eggs and Thai curry.
-He isn't allergic to anything.
-Sometimes he eats raw slices of onion but I don't complain because he doesn't when I eat raw slices of garlic. That's one stinky kiss!!
-Jeremy speaks Russian but also studied French and Indonesian.
-We met online. Yes, using Facebook.
-The first time he said "I love you" to me was when he found a can of Red Bull in the fridge with a note that said, "Because I love you." Red Bull is his favorite and he knew I had to go an hour out of my way to buy him a can. But he doesn't remember saying it. The first time he remembers saying it was when he took me to the bus station and gave me a kiss goodbye after a long weekend together.
-When we get to Australia, Jeremy and I are going to train for a triathlon together--his idea!! From the guy who doesn't like sports!
-Our second date was the night before I went to Thailand on vacation. When I came to his house, he was still at work but left me a little Thai Airways gift baf complete with a travel hairbrush, socks, eye mask, and a little note that said: "Welcome aboard. We're not called Assussies airlines. Please find a selection of newspapers available for your reading pleasure, together with this gift pack. If you would like a meal... get it yourself! :) "
-He likes to kiss me on the eye lids when I fall asleep.
-On our first date we went to eat dakkalbi in an alley restaurant. On our last night in Korea, we ate there again with all our friends.
-He's almost blind without his glasses.
-For his birthday (April 5th), I gave him an Australia themed box full of Fan Tails, Jaffas, Vegemite, newspapers, and other little goodies like Uncle Toby's snack bars. How did I get these things in Korea? I met some Aussies in THailand and gave them $200 to buy some stuff and sent it to me for his birthday. Yeah--we'd only been on two dates but I knew he was special and I wanted to impress him... And I did! He couldn't believe that I would go through all that trouble for him and that's when he decided to REALLY like me.
-He LOVES milk. Chocolate milk, stawberry milk, banana milk, vanilla milk, coffee milk, regular milk, LIME milk! (The lime stuff is an Australian thing.)
-I have only seen him angry three times: once when a guy grabbed my butt on a train in Baku, once when a guy commented on my butt in a Luxor street market, and once when a guy tried taking my picture with his phone while I was crying in Alexandria. He is a really slow-to-anger, understanding, "let's talk this through" kind of guy.
-He's becoming quite a good photographer!!
-Even though Jeremy has spent most of his life split between Canberra and Brisbane, if you ask him, he'll say he's from Melbourne because that's where he was born and where he most identifies himself.
-On February 3rd, Jeremy and I will celebrate one year together. :)
Sunday, December 14, 2008
Oh yeah, Azerbaijan.
So, Azerbaijan... Well, let me start off by saying I'm glad I didn't accept my Peace Corp invite to teach there. This country is about 90% unpleasant with 10% wonderful. I believe that 10% reside primarily in Seki. I'll post about Baku and the nastiness of Azerbaijan's pollution later and for now, I'll show you the charming 10% of Azerbaijan.
After visiting the Seki palace, Jeremy and I walked out to find this guy standing outside with something covered up under a dirty rag with ears poking out. We thought it was going to be some silly small donkey and just to humor the old man, Jeremy reached out his hand to touch it. Just then the "donkey" wobbled over (obviously not alive) and the man pulled back the rag; underneath was a taxidermied wolf. We lost it laughing.
It was too good of a photo to pass up, even if I had to pay for it. So Jeremy posed but before I could take the photo, the man flipped a switch on the wolf's underside and his eyes lit up like Christmas lights. It was hilarious! And then the man started growling as Jeremy resumed position.
I think this photo says it all. Even though it's not in great focus, the man's smirk is clearly visible. He was sooo funny!
Down the street from our hotel was this adorable fruit stand that we often bought our snacks at (Jeremy swears they sell the best apples on earth). These two guys have some pretty serious faces on but they were sweet and dying to have their photo taken.
The whole city was covered in these beautiful fall colors. This is just one of the three mosque minarets rising above them. It was the perfect time to visit. Especially since I was missing Halloween at home (we stayed up and tried to tell ghost stories but ended up laughing all night).
Charming Soviet architecture. Just kidding. I think this apartment block looks like a big brick of Pepto Bismol. Jeremy posed me the question, "Is there anything you could do to make this building beautiful?" I reckon no.
Oh, okay, one photo from Baku because it's great. This is one of the beautiful little alley's we got lost wondering around it. The colors are magnificent, eh?
After visiting the Seki palace, Jeremy and I walked out to find this guy standing outside with something covered up under a dirty rag with ears poking out. We thought it was going to be some silly small donkey and just to humor the old man, Jeremy reached out his hand to touch it. Just then the "donkey" wobbled over (obviously not alive) and the man pulled back the rag; underneath was a taxidermied wolf. We lost it laughing.
It was too good of a photo to pass up, even if I had to pay for it. So Jeremy posed but before I could take the photo, the man flipped a switch on the wolf's underside and his eyes lit up like Christmas lights. It was hilarious! And then the man started growling as Jeremy resumed position.I think this photo says it all. Even though it's not in great focus, the man's smirk is clearly visible. He was sooo funny!
Down the street from our hotel was this adorable fruit stand that we often bought our snacks at (Jeremy swears they sell the best apples on earth). These two guys have some pretty serious faces on but they were sweet and dying to have their photo taken.
The whole city was covered in these beautiful fall colors. This is just one of the three mosque minarets rising above them. It was the perfect time to visit. Especially since I was missing Halloween at home (we stayed up and tried to tell ghost stories but ended up laughing all night).
Charming Soviet architecture. Just kidding. I think this apartment block looks like a big brick of Pepto Bismol. Jeremy posed me the question, "Is there anything you could do to make this building beautiful?" I reckon no.
Oh, okay, one photo from Baku because it's great. This is one of the beautiful little alley's we got lost wondering around it. The colors are magnificent, eh?
Monday, December 8, 2008
You want taxi?
Being a foreigner is a rough gig. Everywhere you go you're followed by taxi drivers and touts, sometimes grabbing your arm, usually just stopping right in your path, but always yelling craziness at you. Luxor was probably the worst. Here are few things we've heard on the street:
In Georgia, we got really tired of fighting of the "vultures" (touts) and started cawing at them when ever they bothered us (you've got to somehow make it fun). Well, the plan backfired in Alexandria when a carriage driver started cawing back! We exploded laughing.
In Luxor, while walking down the night market, several touts were fascinated by Jeremy's shaved head and felt compelled to reach out and rub his head as we walked by. It's so funny how people all over the world can't understand why someone would want no hair... People often tell him he looks like Bruce Willis. :)
But of all the touts, I think the carriage drivers are the worst. Their horses are so depressing. Most of the time you can see their ribs and hip bones protruding from under their fur and often there are open wounds on their knees. Once we saw a horse fall in the street and his whole underside was covered with open wounds and tons of flies. It really makes you sad. And then the drivers run them like crazy across the pavement with metal shoes, driving them with whips. At night you can see oblivious foreigners riding on the back laughing and cheering on their driver as he races other carriages down the street at dangerous speeds. Of all the touts in Egypt, I hate the carriage drivers the most. One time, after being followed by one for several blocks, Jeremy and I felt compelled to lecture him on his substandard--if that!--care of his horse. Of course the man heard nothing of what we said between his intermittent pleas for us to take a ride but we felt better for finally saying something to someone. If you ever come to Egypt, don't ride in a horse carriage. Don't support this unethical treatment of animals. But if you absolutely must take one, make sure you inspect the horse and NEVER get on one that looks sick. Don't be a accomplice in this act of cruelty.
- "Wow! You lucky man!" -to Jeremy, usually after I yell no at some tout.
- "Hi skin head!" -to Jeremy from annoying little street kids and sometimes from touts too.
- "Good butt!" -to me by a tout I refused to pay heed to. Jeremy came to my defense and told the guy where to go and how to get there. :)
- "How can I spend your money?" -to both of us in a night market.
In Georgia, we got really tired of fighting of the "vultures" (touts) and started cawing at them when ever they bothered us (you've got to somehow make it fun). Well, the plan backfired in Alexandria when a carriage driver started cawing back! We exploded laughing.
In Luxor, while walking down the night market, several touts were fascinated by Jeremy's shaved head and felt compelled to reach out and rub his head as we walked by. It's so funny how people all over the world can't understand why someone would want no hair... People often tell him he looks like Bruce Willis. :)
But of all the touts, I think the carriage drivers are the worst. Their horses are so depressing. Most of the time you can see their ribs and hip bones protruding from under their fur and often there are open wounds on their knees. Once we saw a horse fall in the street and his whole underside was covered with open wounds and tons of flies. It really makes you sad. And then the drivers run them like crazy across the pavement with metal shoes, driving them with whips. At night you can see oblivious foreigners riding on the back laughing and cheering on their driver as he races other carriages down the street at dangerous speeds. Of all the touts in Egypt, I hate the carriage drivers the most. One time, after being followed by one for several blocks, Jeremy and I felt compelled to lecture him on his substandard--if that!--care of his horse. Of course the man heard nothing of what we said between his intermittent pleas for us to take a ride but we felt better for finally saying something to someone. If you ever come to Egypt, don't ride in a horse carriage. Don't support this unethical treatment of animals. But if you absolutely must take one, make sure you inspect the horse and NEVER get on one that looks sick. Don't be a accomplice in this act of cruelty.
Sunday, December 7, 2008
Walk like and Egyptian...
Okay, so maybe if I keep uploading these things 6 photos at a time I will get them all on Flickr by the beginning of 2010.
Another great sunset shot from the side of our felucca on the Nile.
Straight from the camel's mouth.
We have so much fun together. This was on top of The Dead Mountain in Siwa. Jeremy climbed up there and forced me to follow. (I should mention that I'm the cautious one.)
Bicycle road kill. We rented some TERRIBLE bikes in Siwa with seats like cement and peddles that slanted out. My knees hurt sooo bad after maybe 12km that I couldn't walk very well the next day. And we're pretty sure it was the bikes because our second bike adventure in Luxor was far less painful.
We took a long bike ride out to Fatnas Island in Siwa, at the edge of the Great Sand Sea, and enjoyed a relaxing couple of hours under palms, sipping sodas. It was perfect.
These kids followed us all over the animal market in Alexandria. I just love their smiles.
Another great sunset shot from the side of our felucca on the Nile.
Straight from the camel's mouth.
We have so much fun together. This was on top of The Dead Mountain in Siwa. Jeremy climbed up there and forced me to follow. (I should mention that I'm the cautious one.)
Bicycle road kill. We rented some TERRIBLE bikes in Siwa with seats like cement and peddles that slanted out. My knees hurt sooo bad after maybe 12km that I couldn't walk very well the next day. And we're pretty sure it was the bikes because our second bike adventure in Luxor was far less painful.
We took a long bike ride out to Fatnas Island in Siwa, at the edge of the Great Sand Sea, and enjoyed a relaxing couple of hours under palms, sipping sodas. It was perfect.
These kids followed us all over the animal market in Alexandria. I just love their smiles.
You know, I've been to so many temples now that I can't remember which one this was taken at. But it looks cool. I guess the Egyptian dance is an ancient tradition after all! Jk.
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
"Awe, that's cute. Really cute."
One day Jeremy and I were sitting on the curb, eating some ice cream bars outside our favorite market in Istanbul, just chatting away, not noticing anyone. Jeremy noticed that I had some dirt on my face so he licked his finger and wiped it off--yes, the way your mother used to. That's the moment when some other tourist walked up to our store and remarked (much to our embarrassment), "Awe, that's cute. Really cute." Oh, the mortification! We exploded into a fit of giggles and quickly gathered our things to run away.
But I must admit, we are pretty cute.
Friday, October 17, 2008
Mis-adventures...
...in kissing.
The other day Jeremy thought it would really funny to kiss and bite a gummy in half during the act. Well, it was pretty entertaining until my lip got in the way and I was left with a mouth full of blood. Ooops. Don't try this one at home, kids. After a few days it returned to normal color and the cut healed up but ouch! Jeremy's still a little sensitive when I tease him about it. :)
...in train travel.
Last night we took a train from Goreme to...? (can't remember where we are...) and curiously found ourselves surrounded by policemen (maybe 6 in total?) sometime around 5 AM with GIANT assault rifles and machine guns. Turns out they were transporting a prisoner who just happened to be sitting behind my seat. Oh joy! lol. At one point, the leader of the armed guard walked up the carriage and started yelling at one of his men for holding his loaded gun between his legs.
...in befriending the locals.
One day, while walking to lunch in Bishkek, Jeremy and I came across a rather foul looking old lady knitting on a chair just outside the entrance to a bank. Jeremy, being a little smart, waved and grinned like the Cheshire cat. The lady, in return, snarled, glared and shook her head in silent disapproval. That was more than enough to send us into heaves of laughter--almost to the ground!--and as I looked back, the old woman was mouthing foul things at us in Russian. Oh, those post Soviets... Gotta love them.
...in LOIs.
That means "letters of invitation." We're trying pretty hard to get letters of invitation so that we can visit Uzbekistan but have been met with road block after road block. Apparently the latest mishap is a mistake in the transfer of funds?? They want more money?? Argh. Annoying. Really.
...in using the Lonely Planet guide.
Let me just put it on record that the 2007 edition of Lonely Planet Turkey is crap. Let me explain. First, the authors do little more than advise you to take taxis and join tour groups when it comes to getting around. Second, none of the prices listed are accurate. Third, on more than one occasion, we've found the maps to be inaccurate--as in incorrectly named streets, incorrectly named sites, misleading distance keys, and mis-labled bus stations. Fourth, the book is pretty thin on descriptions of the sites and the authors actually suggest visiting certain towns "for their unique boutique hotels." Um, yeah, right. Last night we got off in Kayseri at the bus station and according to Lonely Planet, only had to walk a measly 400 meters to the train station. Not so. Instead, we got off at the NEW bus station (which the book makes no reference of) and the old bus station doesn't exist anymore. Turns out we were 4 km's from the train station and completely unsure if we were even walking in the right direction because our compass didn't match the street we were on (turns out the map had the street incorrectly named and we were going in the right direction after all). But it all worked out. We found some very nice people at a super market--a young woman about my age and her mother--who called their father and asked him to drive us to the train station. They were sooo sweet. The mother kept asking us (maybe 20 times or so) if we would come to her house so she could make us dinner but unfortunately we had to catch our train and had to decline. Boo. But the good news is that we made it and made some nice friends along the way. Love the Turks. :) Oh, and complaint number five: the book fails to list true budget options. Everything it lists for the city we're in is over $20 but we found a place today for $10 that wasn't listed in the book and just happens to be closer to the transport stations. Argh. Stupid book.
The other day Jeremy thought it would really funny to kiss and bite a gummy in half during the act. Well, it was pretty entertaining until my lip got in the way and I was left with a mouth full of blood. Ooops. Don't try this one at home, kids. After a few days it returned to normal color and the cut healed up but ouch! Jeremy's still a little sensitive when I tease him about it. :)
...in train travel.
Last night we took a train from Goreme to...? (can't remember where we are...) and curiously found ourselves surrounded by policemen (maybe 6 in total?) sometime around 5 AM with GIANT assault rifles and machine guns. Turns out they were transporting a prisoner who just happened to be sitting behind my seat. Oh joy! lol. At one point, the leader of the armed guard walked up the carriage and started yelling at one of his men for holding his loaded gun between his legs.
...in befriending the locals.
One day, while walking to lunch in Bishkek, Jeremy and I came across a rather foul looking old lady knitting on a chair just outside the entrance to a bank. Jeremy, being a little smart, waved and grinned like the Cheshire cat. The lady, in return, snarled, glared and shook her head in silent disapproval. That was more than enough to send us into heaves of laughter--almost to the ground!--and as I looked back, the old woman was mouthing foul things at us in Russian. Oh, those post Soviets... Gotta love them.
...in LOIs.
That means "letters of invitation." We're trying pretty hard to get letters of invitation so that we can visit Uzbekistan but have been met with road block after road block. Apparently the latest mishap is a mistake in the transfer of funds?? They want more money?? Argh. Annoying. Really.
...in using the Lonely Planet guide.
Let me just put it on record that the 2007 edition of Lonely Planet Turkey is crap. Let me explain. First, the authors do little more than advise you to take taxis and join tour groups when it comes to getting around. Second, none of the prices listed are accurate. Third, on more than one occasion, we've found the maps to be inaccurate--as in incorrectly named streets, incorrectly named sites, misleading distance keys, and mis-labled bus stations. Fourth, the book is pretty thin on descriptions of the sites and the authors actually suggest visiting certain towns "for their unique boutique hotels." Um, yeah, right. Last night we got off in Kayseri at the bus station and according to Lonely Planet, only had to walk a measly 400 meters to the train station. Not so. Instead, we got off at the NEW bus station (which the book makes no reference of) and the old bus station doesn't exist anymore. Turns out we were 4 km's from the train station and completely unsure if we were even walking in the right direction because our compass didn't match the street we were on (turns out the map had the street incorrectly named and we were going in the right direction after all). But it all worked out. We found some very nice people at a super market--a young woman about my age and her mother--who called their father and asked him to drive us to the train station. They were sooo sweet. The mother kept asking us (maybe 20 times or so) if we would come to her house so she could make us dinner but unfortunately we had to catch our train and had to decline. Boo. But the good news is that we made it and made some nice friends along the way. Love the Turks. :) Oh, and complaint number five: the book fails to list true budget options. Everything it lists for the city we're in is over $20 but we found a place today for $10 that wasn't listed in the book and just happens to be closer to the transport stations. Argh. Stupid book.
Sunday, October 5, 2008
Kyrgyzstan--the drier side.
I LOVE this photo. It is awkward in the most INCREDIBLE ways.
Kinda makes me think of Grand Junction, Colorado.
The most beautiful fields below towering, sage covered mountains, surrounding Issyk Kol Lake. Bliss.
These super goofy old men on our mashrutka (mini bus) to Karakol told Jeremy that I was a good choice based purely on my looks as I can't speak a word of Russian. Ha! Love the gold teeth. :)
Oh, and they wanted Jeremy to wear this hat. And they wanted me to photograph it. Hahaha!! He looks so funny. :) And yes, the men here really do wear these traditional hats on a regular basis...Friday, September 5, 2008
Beach Bums
Once we reached Jeju, we hopped on a bus to Jungam Beach on the south side of the island where we camped in his one person tent. Woo hoo! It was a little cramped (to say the least) but we had a nice view! In the morning, we hit the beach for a little body surfing and sun bathing.
Ah! It's the Shiny Octopus!
"I will swallow your ship whole!"
It was sorta a Twenty-thousand Leagues Under the Sea kinda moment.
The beautiful beach below the cliffs.
A super cool moth I found that looked like bark on a tree.
And now the Octopus eats octopus... We picked it out from a tank, they cut it in half on a block out front, stuck it in a pot, and voila! No, it didn't taste too good. Jeremy was keen to try it live like Koreans do but the man at the counter didn't understand and so we had it steamed and dead. I can't say live octopus tastes any better....
A beautiful beach. Not too full either. But the sun was HOT and renting an umbrellas was $20 for 2 hours. Eek! So we sat in the sun...
...And got burnt. Poor Jeremy. His head was blistered. Apparently our sunblock was not waterproof. If only that bottle had been in English and not Korean...
A room with a view--were our tent sat.
Ah! It's the Shiny Octopus!
"I will swallow your ship whole!"
It was sorta a Twenty-thousand Leagues Under the Sea kinda moment.
The beautiful beach below the cliffs.
A super cool moth I found that looked like bark on a tree.
And now the Octopus eats octopus... We picked it out from a tank, they cut it in half on a block out front, stuck it in a pot, and voila! No, it didn't taste too good. Jeremy was keen to try it live like Koreans do but the man at the counter didn't understand and so we had it steamed and dead. I can't say live octopus tastes any better....
A beautiful beach. Not too full either. But the sun was HOT and renting an umbrellas was $20 for 2 hours. Eek! So we sat in the sun...
...And got burnt. Poor Jeremy. His head was blistered. Apparently our sunblock was not waterproof. If only that bottle had been in English and not Korean...
A room with a view--were our tent sat.
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