All-Terrain Education

"A Lesson on Terrain" Yesterday a large group of us went on an All-Terrain Vehicle adventure. The bus takes you about half an hour north of Cabo, up the highway and into the desert. Yes, it is a desert. The locals informed me that the tip of the Baja peninsula receives ~10-15 days of rain per year. The landscape is what you'd picture from a movie (Once Upon A Time In Mexico, perhaps): tall cacti, browning in the sun, with ubiquitous short, dry trees dotting the ground in and amongst them. The land is dry and rocky, giving a sense of desolation (or at least dryness) but the mountains in the background lend a sense of majesty. http://cdn2.landscapehdwalls.com/wallpapers/1/desert-in-baja-california-1436-1920x1080.jpg I was told by our tour guide (Cactus ATV Tours) that some native groups still live in those mountains, similar to the 'Running People' in "Born to Run". We were also given a brief lesson in ethnobiology: the trees (whose name I cannot recall) bleed a type of sap that comes out red at the trunk and clear at the top. The red sap was used as a dye. The white sap, when rubbed into the skin, turns white and is a natural sunscreen. We were also told that, if dying of thirst in the desert, not to drink from the tall cacti. They secrete a toxin that causes nausea. The squat, aptly named barrel cactus, however, has an interior like a cucumber and can be cut and chewed to draw out the water. On our tour we didn't drive through such difficult terrain, however. The trek (on Polaris RZRs) took us to a Pacific beach, then through a dry riverbed. We were told that during the hurricane the riverbed filled and took out anything in its path. It was a fun tour, but very expensive. The insurance for the vehicles (which was only optional if you left a credit card behind) wasn't disclosed to us ahead of time, so the entire tour wound up costing us ~$160 U.S. each. Due to the semi-dangerous nature of taking a high-powered vehicle out in unfamiliar country, we rode single file and could only take it up to a speed as dictated by our guide. Understandable, but a touch limiting to those who know what they're doing. I would recommend the tour if money is not an issue or if you are a diehard vehicle sports fan. I also learned more than I expected to about local culture and biology. For those on a budget, however, I'd say the snorkelling adventure packed more bang for my buck. --James

Crowds Crowds Crowds

Alright, let's talk about the Empire State Building.

The expectation:



The reality:



Granted, there were some spectacular nighttime views:

...but even though we got up there at midnight, the crowds were still pretty intense. If you're accustomed to that sort of thing, not a big deal. If you're not, bring a lot of patience. You can pay a paltry $20 (per person) extra to skip the main line (which we did not pay) and another $20 (per person, again) to go to the upper observation deck. We had no idea if the upper deck was worth it, or if it was just as crowded up there, so we just enjoyed the view from where we were.

All in all, I'm glad we went because it was a part of the City Pass, but although the view was really great, I don't know if it lived up to all the hype from the movies. If you have to choose one, I'd recommend the harbour tour for a view of the city. It's more relaxing, you get anecdotes about New York from a friendly captain/tour guide, and everyone gets their own seat from which to enjoy the view (so long as everyone on the boat obeys the sit down so everyone can enjoy the view rule).

Hint: not everyone obeyed the rule.

Tomorrow, my review of the American Museum of Natural History promises to be lengthier and more positive.

--James

Come Fly With Me

I love airports.

Now, don't get me wrong...

Any seasoned tourist can attest to the tribulations of airline travel. The lines, crappy food (usually), heavy post-9/11 security, scrambling to catch a connecting flight after a delayed one (contrasted with hours of sitting and waiting), turbulence, rude passengers, etc. The list goes on.

I'm a big fan, however, of finding diamonds in the rough, and I don't just love airports because I used to dream about becoming a pilot. No, I'm talking about three of my other favourite pastimes: writing, chatting and people watching.



There is a thrum and pulse to an airport, and at any given time you can find a cross-section of cultures. Airports have also become (at least for North Americans) the predominant means of international travel (this is both good and bad; while they have helped make the world very small, they could also assist in our doom).



Ok, I'll stop digressing. My first point is that I've always seen long bouts of waiting as an opportunity to get writing done. A good deal of the war letters from Crystal Promise were written at SeaTac on my way to visit my friend AJ.

It's also a great way to meet people. Sure, there are plenty of grumpy don't-even-look-at-me-I-just-got-strip-searched individuals out there, but I've met some interesting people at airport bars and on flights, enriching what would otherwise have been an hour or two of silence.

Ok, not everyone's an extrovert. For those of you of the opposite persuasion, there's people watching.



I'm sure there are a plethora of reasons why we people-watch. I like to make up stories about people's lives (this may not come as a surprise to most of you). I don't mean made-up names and outlandish stories of their adventures kind of thing...I mean trying to guess what their life is actually like. Invasive, or inventive? YOU, THE READERS DECIDE.

So take it from a silver-lining kind of guy. Airports can be frustrating...but there are ways to make the best of them.

--James

The Kim That Never Sleeps

We have mocked up our itinerary. It is a bit insane the amount of things we intend to take in in a matter of a week. I hope that I don't pass out from exhaustion or over stimulation. New York has many people, and many lights. My little small town brain may not be able to take it all in. I'm already excited. I'm hoping adrenaline keeps me going when I am sleep deprived.

Here is our itinerary. I've written it in red, white, and blue to commemorate our american adventure.

Friday, Aug 15 DAY OF NO SLEEP Fly there: 1:42pm Homeà2:18pm Seattle, 6:10pm Seattleà9:10 Salt Lake City,12:35am Salt Lake Cityà6:59am NYC

Saturday, Aug 16 DAY I TRY NOT TO FALL ASLEEP IN PUBLIC PLACES Arrive: 7am  Walk around Midtown, Nintendo World, Bryant Park, NY Library 4pm: Check in 7pm: Hedwig and the Angry Inch Maybe we will meet Neil Patrick Harris!

Sunday, Aug 17 DAY WE TRY NOT TO GET LOST Day: Little Italy and China Town Eat all the Chinese food, ever. 7pm Circle Line Cruise

Monday, Aug 18 DAY WE RISK OUR LIVES ON VERY OLD ROLLER COASTER Coney Island WARRIORS, COME OUT TO PLAYYYYYY!

Tuesday, Aug 19 DAY OF KIM SAYING "THERE'S NO CRYING IN BASEBALL" Day: The Met 7pm Yankee Stadium Baseball Game

Wednesday, Aug 20 DAY WE GET OUR ART ON Morning: Top of the Rock 10:30am Museum of Modern Art Night: Empire State Building

Thursday, Aug 21 DAY OF NERDINESS 10am Museum of Natural History Night: Random Play I had a prophetic dream that I meet Daniel Radcliffe, perhaps we see his play?

Friday, Aug 22 DAY WE GET HOME AND SLEEP FOR SUBSEQUENT THREE DAYS Fly Home: 7:00amà10:07am Seattle 12:20pmà1:07pm Home

-Kim