The most ridiculous thing happened to me today. Actually, why do the most ridiculous things happen to me? My life really is a sitcom.
Something feels loose around my butt, but I don’t think much of it. I eventually head to the toilet as I need to pee. I proceed to lift up my skirt and my underwear drops to the floor... like a diaper where the glue from the tabs becomes unsticky and it decides to unravel and go “bloop” on the floor.
I contemplate going commando as I am wearing a long skirt, but I see a box of band-aids in the corner of the bathroom shelf. Like MacGuyver, I use them to essentially “tape” my underwear back together. What you should know are these panties are brand spanking new.
Seven years has come again. What I mean is I only get to eat it, on average, every seven years when I am in Binondo--Manila's Chinatown.
Maki is a thick brown soup full of tender slivers of pork. That description, and probably that photo as well, are definitely not doing it justice. It must be tried. For me, it's one of those dishes that elicits childhood memories. And always one of those foods I ask for when visiting grandma. Every time I ask, she can't help but smile and say, "Your favorite."
After about an hour drive, we arrived at the starting point-- telecommunications towers stationed about two-thirds of the way up Chachani Volcano. Here you notice the tranquility and pure quality of the air; a marked contrast to the manic pace and pollution that envelops any urban area, including Arequipa. The sky is a vivid blue and the puffy clouds passing by are so defined against the landscape. The scene is absolutely mesmerizing as you stop to take in the impressionable views of Misti, one of the other volcanoes bordering Arequipa.
This is interrupted by my need for a bathroom. I'm told to just go somewhere out of view. If only it were that easy. It's moments like these when I have "penis envy."
Instead, I head for the telecommunications tower. If a guard lives there, there must be a toilet. I managed to avoid doing my business in nature, yet again. Unfortunately, there was no running water, but I spot a drum of water outside and like a girl scout, grab a bucket full to flush and wash my hands.
Now ready and outfitted with a professional mountain bike and an assortment of protective gear from helmet to wrist guards and knee and elbow pads, I'm not sure whether to laugh at the getup because the look is reminiscent of being in the Roller Derby.
It starts easy down a winding gravel path, but sloping and slippery sections cause me to grip the handbrakes uncontrollably as I silently pray that I don't careen over the edge as I cautiously navigate around huge boulders and deep crevasses. But it’s just that battle that has led to frequent falls, some bloodshed, bruising, and painful blisters. Surefire battle scars to remember the day.
Eventually, there is some reprieve as the path levels out, or so I thought. Instead, at 4,000 m above sea level, the lack of oxygen leaves me breathless. No more cliffs or uneven surfaces, but I lose traction as the sand quickly gives way, resulting in frequent wipeouts. And with the recent rains, large sections of the earth have fractured, requiring a concerted effort to avoid ending up in these gigantic chinks.
Easy? What was I thinking...
TIP: Contrary to what common sense may lead one to believe, speed is your best friend. Working against physics will only result in self injury and the uneven terrain doesn’t help with giving you confidence unless you are a pure adrenaline junkie. Bike at your own risk.
Social Security Isn't the Only Need to Know Number
My friend Thomas and I decided to do an excursion on Chachani, the highest of the three volcanoes surrounding Arequipa, Peru. I mean it seemed like an easy decision. It was between hiking in bitter cold conditions towards the snow-capped summit outfitted with crampons and an ice axe over two to three days versus spending a sunny, but brisk half or full day biking downhill. I opted to bike this time around.
The following morning, we end up arriving at the office before our guide and were left to hang around outside like vagrants. Eventually, we settled accounts and signed a waiver and release form, except I couldn’t complete it as I didn’t know my passport number. I just started traveling and hadn’t yet memorized it nor realized that it would be a standard question throughout my travels. All I knew was my social security number and parent’s home phone. Not helpful. And for some reason, I didn’t bother bringing along the photocopy of my passport that day.
The staff was insistent that it not be blank, so as all good friends do, Thomas reassured me that there was no need to provide the actual number because I could count on him to identify my body in case my bike decided to careen off the side of the mountain.
Spent all morning at the US Embassy*, but worth the trouble. Just added new pages to my passport (28 to be exact)! Boy is it fat. Now time to look at booking some more trips. =)
*Took so long that I fell asleep when they called my number!
You'll have to pay a finder's fee. But if you've got a complex itinerary, it might help to seek the advice of experts who are all bidding for your service.
Haven't tried it just yet, but will let you know if I do.
I really appreciate the efforts of this company to solve the plight of those pesky airline baggage fees, but this is a bit ridiculous. It looks more suspect than helpful. What do you think?
In Penang, there is a legend of a lady hawker whose char koay teow (Hokkien for “stir fried flat rice noodles”) is as delicious as her manners are curt. Serious eaters talk about her in tones of hushed reverence. They say that her char koay teow is so good that she can afford to tell prospective customers “cannot wait then don’t eat!” Other, less serious eaters call her “the eyebrow-tattooed bitch”. I am here to taste the legend — the finest specimen of the dish which stands first among many in the pantheon of Malaysian street foods.
OMG. I thought Kayak was already an awesome tool to find the best flight deals. >>Check out Adioso. I just compared the populated fares for a search from KUL to PUJ (for work) and there was a $1000 difference!
Also heard ITA Matrix and Skyscanner are pretty good, but I haven't played around with either yet.
