VagabondJim

After writing earlier I was tired enough to nap.  Can one nap from 0600 - 0700?  The sun was not up when I started dozing, that's not a nap. But I awoke after an hour.  Hungry. So, hat on, I walked across the road.  Existential threat be damned - I was no chicken today.  And, I looked rightward.   None of the collection of restaurants directly across the road were open.  Except a guy selling Nasi Lemak from a card table.  OK, I was a chicken and decided not to try roadside, wall-less vendors.  Yet.  I walked a hundred yards.  One place was open and had a good crowd.  But cowardice once again prevailed.  I stand out pretty obviously here.  Especially with white as snow legs and a funny hat.  (I LOVE my Tilley Endurables hats.  2 came with me on this trip; the third is too heavy for this weather.)  Fearing awkwardness is silly but real at times. I saw a bunch of cars parked in the road and people milling so I walked there.  Yes, they had parked in the road.  To stop at the fish monge

Jet leg is gonna happen.  But on very long voyages it is tolerable.  It's 0400 here, I've been awake for 3 hours.  But, I slept for 7 before that, it's all good. And, I don't fear the moonburn on my scalp! 80F and a pleasant dampness.  A light breeze completes the comfort. Let's pick up after my last sleep - the flight to Kuala Lumpur (aka KL). Before this trip I'd taken to following the major Malaysian (country code MY, used hereafter) English language papers.  The Star (KL) and the New Straits Times (Penang, I think).  Just to get a feel for the place, people, and politics.   It was generally reaffirming and positive.  They're not super informative and  let's call them 'patriotic.' I saw a few letters to the editor re KUL also known as KLIA.  HKH/HKIA (Hong Kong), SIN (Singapore), ICN (Seoul) are major international airports.  3 I truly have enjoyed.  I think SYD and MEL are of simalar regional importance too and of the same level even if not i

 Exactly how did I get them?  Let's recap. Wednesday (times PDT) 0700 - I woke up in San Jose.  (Yeah, I know the way...) 1030 - Wonderful brother dropped me off at SFO 1330 - I was seated in a wonderfully empty row in Premium Economy on JAL 057 1335 - We took off; I fell asleep. 1530 - I awoke in time to have a meal Let's chat about that.  I believe in trying the local food when possible and within reason.  Choosing reheated tempura, reheated on a bed of rice, no longer qualifies as within reason.  Mushy is an understatement.  Ketchup?  NOOOO!  (We'll be delving into the joy of "kecap" later on this trip.  Man, the Brits outdid themselves with the "emblandishmentification" on that one!) The soba noodles were ... unremarkable?  The salad was ... iceberg lettuce?  (Ranch dressing??? That's not Japanese.  Especially if it's Heinz!)  The garbanzo and cuke salad was bland but a blast to succeed in eating with chop sticks.  (Yup, I can handle 'em

 OK, first things first, yes...my feet hurt.  And, it's HOT here. So what? 21 hours on airplanes - even with compression sleeves/socks (I used each) will result in cankles.  Man or woman.  It's just gonna happen.  It's happened to me before and gonna happen again.  No, they're too ugly (and white) to share with you.  That's for your own good.  Got it?  Good.  Move on. The heat is bad - mostly because it's not a dry heat.  And, at less than 4 degrees (north, as if that matters)  of latitude (that's less than 240nm for you weirdos - convert to statute miles or kilometres on your own)the sun is brutal on a balding pate (redundant?)  Note to self: the hat is on the door nob for a reason - wear it, no matter how hot it is, the sunburn would be fatal. But there is a strong breeze.  And, it will drop to about 75-80F at night.  I've got AirCon (as the cool ones say).  And, I knew -  a priori -  it would be this way.  Yeah, I may whine about it a bit.  You can re

 Here we go again! I'm currently seated in the Cathay Pacific (CX) lounge at SFO awaiting my JAL flight. 12 hours to Tokyo 6 hour wait 7 hours to Kuala Lumpur (KUL) 6 hour wait  1 hour to Kuantan, Pahan, Malaysia First, THANKS to Dan for the drop off at SFO.  His help is always appreciated.  Today, especially so. Not much to say today and limited battery, so I'll be quick. The JAL folks steered me to the BA lounge - before arrival and on the boarding pass.  But that lounge is crowded with 2 JAL and a some BA flights.  The savvy traveler knows (1) the system and (2)the CX lounge is better (especially the made to order noodle bar!)  So I'm a happy OneWrorld alliance Sapphire member eating excellent Dan Dan Noodles in a very quiet lounge.   WIN! I'm looking forward to... * Great food * Amazing Hospitality * Sweating off a dozen kilos in the excessive heat of Malaysia More to come..... Jim

 They put together a nice retrospective of my trip for me. Ecuador '23

 (In a Museo del Pernil* in Quito.  In Spanglish with a lot of GoogleTranslate.) Me:  In South America you call it Castilian; in the North we call it Espanyol. Server 1: It's all the same. Me: Nope, take the word: Guagua (pronounced "waawaa!").  In some places it's a bus in others it's a baby.  They make the same sound.  Server 2: Really??? Me:  Yes, my ex-wife used to go crazy when nobody in United States of (both - America and Mexico) would understand what she wanted when she asked for a Bombilla Them: What?  Eventually when they point at a few lights, I figure it all out.  A light bulb (pointing)   Me: (Mime a drinking straw.) Them:   Ahhhhhh. Me: Like Piscina and Alberca (two words for 'swimming pool.')  Server 2:  Looks up bombilla on the internet.  It's used in Peru,Bolivia, and some other places.   Ahh, I understand. Server 1: (Walking away, addressing Server 2) Somos Vecinos . * Exactly as much a museum as Madrid's Museo de Jamon...just

  Washington Post 09June23...It's like they know Monday is coming. https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2023/06/09/ellis-rosen-cartoon-caterpillar-butterfly-email/

 And, exhausted. I truly hate driving in L.A. now. And, the generally nice LAX Flyaway was a shitshow today.  Still, 10 days of parking and $20 in bus fare is ABSURDLY cheap long term oarking.  For anywhere I've ever lived.  At anytime as an adult.  $60 all in.  Wow. Bedtime. Thanks for reading. Much more to come in the next few days. Somos Vecinos, Jim