Welcome Back, Travelverse
After a brief hiatus, Travelverse is making a comeback. You see, while we love traveling, we also have to face the reality of being working twenty-somethings who need to make a living; thus, this blog suffers. But now we’ve regrouped with plans to grow and become more efficient, providing you with more blogs, more regularly.
Stay tuned…
While in Paris you might want to try a pastry from a small cafe near the Eiffel tower or have fish and chips in a pub while you are in London. When I was in Vietnam there were some things that I really wanted to try that are specific to Vietnam and southeast Asia and I found two of them in the Mekong Delta.
The experience I was looking forward to trying the most was snake wine, which is rice wine infused with snakes. The preferred snake tends to be venomous, but don’t worry the venom is supposed to be broken down by the alcohol. You will also see the occasional scorpion thrown in with the snakes. Snake wine is believed to reinvigorate a person and I wanted to see if that was true. Ask Darren, I was stoked about it. I didn’t want to try the pre-bottled commercial ones, I wanted to try homemade snake wine in a small village somewhere. When I first found my ideal snake wine it was in small hut on the side of the river (the snake wine is pictured).
Snake Wine
Loc warned me that his first time and only time drinking it ended with him puking minutes after he drank it. Now Loc is a Fraternity brother, which means we did our fair share of drinking in college, so if he threw up I knew that it had to be worse than Everclear or 151. To be honest I never pictured it to be that dark brown, like poop water, or for it contain 50 plus different snakes stacked on top of each other and that dark brown sediment at the bottom, which probably comes with aging. Loc convinced me not to do it. I ended up listening to him and chickening out. I am lame I know. I don’t really regret it because I had plenty of homemade wine minus the snake that was very good.
The another thing that I really wanted to try that I found in the Mekong Delta was a durian. A durian is popular in southeast Asia and is apparently called the “King of Fruit” due to its overpowering smell. There are actually places, like your hotel, which will have no durian signs and it is even banned from some public places due to the smell. So, why would I want to try a durian? It is simple, I just wanted to see what the hype was all about.
Durians
The vendor I bought the durian from sliced the fruit for me, and by the way durians aren’t cheap. Inside each section contains the seeds which are surrounded by the flesh. People say that if you can get over the smell then it is actually very good. The flesh was creamy, soft and a little sticky. Someone people believe the sweet flavor is akin to villain pudding, I on the other hand did think that the flesh was soft and a little sweet and sticky but also found it to have a pungent garlicy flavor. In the end I found the garlic flavor off putting and couldn’t finish the durian. The garlic flavor could have been the smell, I am not sure. After awhile I just realized that I did not want anything more do with it. I left half of the durian on the the side walk for any hungry passerby. The durian was gift that kept giving because the aftertaste stayed with me the whole day. My attempts to get rid of the aftertaste with multiple beers, Vietnamese coffee and tea failed.
Durian being prepared
Flesh of a Durian
Overall it was a good experience. My next few blogs will be about the Mekong Delta. Stay tuned.
VotD (25 Jan 2010) – “TSA Gangstaz”
***Warning: The following video contains bad language and footage you may find offensive***
Today’s Video of the Day is a couple years old but has once again become relevant thanks to the TSA’s latest slip ups… and if you didn’t heed to warning above, the language and content in this video is NSFW.
(Courtesy Windowpane Films)
An Itch You Can’t Scratch
You know that spot on your back, mid-height and dead center? A spot that seems purposely biologically situated so you just can’t scratch it if you get an itch there? It’s like the Bermuda Triangle of tickles. Or have you ever been in a cast only to have a straightened wire hanger become your best friend? Well, as a wanna-be jet setter you may find yourself in a similar, less tangible predicament. While you sit behind your desk or stuck in traffic while doing your 9 to 5, the sight of a plane soaring overhead may trigger the itch to pack your bags and take the next flight out. Unfortunately, most of us lead lives bounded by everyday responsibilities and limited vacation time, so what do we do when we just can’t scratch that itch to travel?
Suggestion #1: Surround Yourself with Pictures
Whether it’s photos from previous trips or places you want to go, put at least a single photo within line of sight that you can stare at and get lost in. For some it may be a Fantasy Island-like beach, for others it could be the bright lights of their favorite city, whatever your view of choice just give yourself something nicer to look at rather than a damn computer screen.
Suggestion #2: Display Keepsakes
This is taking it one step further. By placing a keepsake of a memorable trip on your desk it can help ease the waves of stress and frustration that plague you at work. Whether a shell from a beach or a touristy souvenier, anything to remind yourself of being elsewhere is better than looking at a desk cluttered with papers and busy work.
Suggestion #3: Have a Trip Queued Up
The best possible way to make your day better when you wish you were on vacation is to have a trip in the works. Sure, it sucks to count down the days to something fun – in fact, it can be torturous – but the antipation is better than waiting for nothing. If you have no current vacation plans, start making some. If you’re in the midst of the long road to your departure day then set small deadlines related to your trip that allows you to take your mind off the daily grind every so often; make itineraries, research your destination, whatever it is that will build your excitement and make it seem like you’re already gone.
Let’s be honest, no matter how hard you rub or whatever way you bend that clothes hanger, an itch just isn’t satisfied unless you give it good, hard, direct scratch. No matter how many pictures you look at or what keepsakes you keep near, your memories or fantasies will only be a temporary fix to a problem that won’t go away until you’re stepping aboard that plane.
VotD (22 Jan 2010) – “Sexy Safari”
Well, I guess this safari would be sexy… if you’re a baboon or something. These chimps must be on vacation too, because she’s tanning on the hood while the guy is out looking for some tail.
(Courtesy YouTube)
VotD (21 Jan. 2010) – “Rush Hour in Japan”
In a new Travelverse feature, today’s Video of the Day (VotD) comes from Japan during the rush hour train commute. Keep in mind this is a country renowned for their efficient public transportation and revolutionary high speed trains, so next time you hear someone bitching about being stuck in traffic or on a crowded subway… slap them.
Top Five: Caribbean Islands
Fresh off of a Caribbean cruise, I figured what better topic for Travelverse’s inaugural Top Five list than narrowing down the best Caribbean Islands to visit. Whether lined with resorts or succumbed to poverty, rich in history or rich in shopping, the seemingly infinite islands of the Caribbean offer a variety of enjoyment and culture – even if only separated by mere miles of ocean. Granted, I’m no Blackbeard, as I haven’t been to every single dot on the map that’s cluttered between the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico; however, I think my island count is somewhere around twenty, which I believe merits me to create the following list…
5) St. Maarten
An island with a split identity, St. Maarten is divided straight across the middle with the French side (Saint-Martin) to the north and the Dutch side (Sint Maarten) to the south – both sides having their own unique identities.
Sunset Beach (Courtesy Matt Coleman)
In Saint-Martin, you can enjoy a latté while people watching out in front of a patisserie. ”Mercí” and “si vous plait” are commonly heard as French (along with English) is the official language on that half of the island. At the “aéroport”, a daily Air France A340 flight from Paris lands on the world’s shortest international runway, mere stories above onlookers heads at Sunset Beach. Meanwhile, over in Sint-Maarten, Dutch is the language of choice and there is a surprisingly large number of South Africans, transplanted from a time when the both countries were under Dutch rule. Though the differences between sides are apparent, colorful Caribbean architecture and looming mansions dotted in the hills are found all over the island overlooking “mega-yachts” anchored in bays owned by the likes of Oprah, P. Diddy and so forth. French or Dutch, all of St. Maarten has become a destination for jet setters.
St. Maarten's "Mega-Yachts"
St. Maarten – aside from its obvious beauty – cracks the Top Five because of it’s one of a kind cultural clash. An island of two worlds (remnants of its colonial past), the only thing keeping St. Maarten from securing a higher spot on this list is its increasingly touristy feel contributed to by its abundance of jewelry shops and duty free stores, which is starting to make the French-Dutch island seem more like the Caribbean’s consumer capital – St. Thomas.
4) Dominica
Often overlooked, Dominica almost appears uninhabited at first glance; however, as this lush, green island grows larger on the horizon, small shanty towns nestled in its hills vaguely become visible. A throwback to swashbuckling days, Dominica is exactly what you fantasize a Caribbean island being: isolated and desolate – as if a hidden treasure is lost somewhere under the blanket of green felt that coats its densely forested hills.
Dominica (Courtesy of pocruises.com)
Being completely honest, Dominica might not be the best location for casual travelers who prefer their white sand beaches to be butted up next to a five-star resort. Poverty consumes Dominica; there are no affluent areas, no mega-yachts and no mansion vacation homes. Rather, there are small buildings and shacks made up of a combination of concrete and scraps of metal. The island’s residents walk the streets with stern faces, raggedly clothed and sometimes carrying machetes (which are used in cutting off bananas and other fruits from trees). For a visitor, their first impression of Dominica could be one of hesitation, but muster up the courage to give a simple smile and wave to a curious onlooking local and your initial reluctance will fade away as quickly as a grin erupts on their once expressionless face.
The poverty and conditions of Dominica can be saddening but what the island lacks in resources it makes up for with character. Unmatched scenary where rainforests flow from mountain peaks to the edge of the shore; locals who – reserved at first – welcome you with warmth and affection; and simplicity, where life moves at a slower pace. All of which is exactly what a Caribbean vacation should entail.
3) Puerto Rico
I’ve wanted to visit Puerto Rico for years and finally I made my inuagral trip to the unofficial 51st state this past December. Needless to say, I was definitely not dissapointed. Not your typical Caribbean island, Puerto Rico is an island rooted in Spanish culture with a dash of Mexico and coated in an American glaze. Unlike Dominica, American tourists would feel very comfortable here (as Spanish and English are both official languages) and non-American tourists would like the idea of visiting a location that has many American traits without dealing with annoying Yanks.
The Walls of Old San Juan
A good sized island, Puerto Rico has much to offer including El Yunque rainforest and their one of a kind bioluminescent bay; however, Old San Juan itself is reason enough to visit. Originally built in colonial times by the Spanish to keep out the Brits, Old San Juan is a fortified city, walled off with now-unused lookout posts surveying the surrounding sea. Within the walls lies shops, restaurants and homes, all lined by cobblestone streets and wrapping around various plazas. The old buildings – splattered with festive pastel colors and dressed with white window shutters and twisted cast iron railings – are a proudly preserved in their original form, only to be upkept rather than remodeled.
Old San Juan's cobblestone streets
Many would complain that Old San Juan has become too commercial – and those who have seen the area evolve over the last 50 years may have good argument – however, you can still walk its bumpy streets, hearing school children singing Spanish songs as you grab some helado from a street vendor to top off the delicious tacos you just ate at a hole in the wall cantina. Nothing seems too touristy about that.
2) Barbados
While many Caribbean islands are heavily influenced by their colonial past, Barbados clinches the number two spot for being a country that has truly established its own identity since breaking away from the British rule in 1966. With their own currency, own language (Bajan) and only 4% European population, the only sign of previous foreign occupation is the left-side of the road driving and the occasional red English phone booth left over from years past. Barbados is one of the few islands of the Caribbean who have proven they can stand on their own, and with that comes an immense pride that is obvious when you visit.
While it has built itself up, Barbados puts forth an effort to remain small. There are no tall buildings like in Puerto Rico; in fact, Barbadian law states no building can extend beyond the height of the tree tops, keeping the islands tropical beauty intact. Beneath these trees the island offers everything possible including resorts, beaches, forests, shopping and nightlife; yet, somehow Barbados does not fall in to the same touristy trap as aforementioned St. Maarten. Whether its roaming the shops in Bridgetown or hitting the bars in Saint Lawrence Gap, tourists always find themselves side by side with Barbadians – who partake in all the island has to offer just as much as any visitor – which alleviates that touristy, manufactured vibe.
Besides, you can’t not like an island that produced this…
Rihanna (Courtesy GQ Magazine)
1) St. Lucia
Once a hidden gem (and still in many regards), St. Lucia is quickly gaining steam as the best destination in the Caribbean – and rightfully so. The island has the perfect mix of what one desires in a Caribbean getaway; a vibrant port city surrounded by tall, sweeping, rainforest covered mountains enclosed by a circumference of pinkish-white sand beaches – all of which provides the three necessary elements for an ideal Caribbean island: scenery, culture and relaxation.
Perhaps no other island in the Caribbean looks as magnificent as St. Lucia. With the highest mountains in the region, the island’s volcanic peaks fade off in to a cloudy mist early in the morning (the best time to explore the rainforest before the day gets too hot), only to reveal themselves later in the day when th fog burns off. Many zip lines, mountain biking and hiking trails snake through the mountains, where fields of banana trees and waterfall oasis’ can be found throughout.
Cooling off while mountain biking through St. Lucia's rainforest
After spending the first part of the day active in the mountains and taking in the sights, come back down to sea level and explore the more populated towns such as Castries or Marigot Bay, where the St. Lucia’s culture is in display at afternoon markets and bazaars. Food, trinkets and bric-a-brac a found in abundance, as well as St. Lucian locals living out their daily lives in an atmosphere that makes you feel comfortably at home.
Jalousie Beach (Courtesy Diana)
Lastly, in order to complete the trifecta, it’s time to relax. St. Lucia offers pristine beaches of multiple variety. If you prefer a more pampered afternoon there is Reduit Beach, where the neighboring resorts offer beachside service and water spot rentals; however, if you desire a more subdued tanning session, there is is Jalousie Beach, which is nestled at the foot of towering mountains and between the volcanic peaks of the Petit Pitons – whose steep sides extend below water level to create magnificent underwater walls for wanna-be Jacques Cousteau’s explore. Finish your day off back in town enjoying the sunset with an ice cold Carib beer and your choice of local cuisine – just be sure to top it off with St. Lucia’s own banana ketchup (a sweet twist on french fries’ best friend).
And just like that, you got everything one needs from a Caribbean vacation… and what makes St. Lucia the best over all the other islands is how it does it so effortlessly.
Shit to Do Before I Die: Eat at French Laundry
“One cannot think well, love well, sleep well, if one has not dined well,” stated Virginia Woolf, which is why I believe everyone should eat at a the French Landry once in your life. Now, I know that this is a bold statement and one you might have a problem with it if you are one of those people who eat to live (not live to eat), but I will hopefully convince those people shortly.
Why is eating at this restaurant really something you should do before you die? If being the best restaurant in the United States isn’t reason enough for you to make the trip. You can always use it as bragging rights or because, the reason I prefer, that it is the best ingredients prepared with meticulous care by someone with amazing talent. All of which results in amazing experience and mind blowing food.
The French Laundry
Those of you who live to eat, this blog should be nothing new. Those who have not discovered how food can be elevated from substance to an art form, I hope this will inspire you to try something new. That is what we aim to do here at Travelverse with our ‘Shit to do before you die’ blogs, inspire you. By the way, I wouldn’t mind if you ate at Le Bernardin or Joel Robuchon, but if you going to splurge and only once, why not go American? And why not the French Laundry when it is arguably the best restaurant in the United States? If you don’t agree then you can agree that Thomas Keller is the best American Chef in the United States and if you don’t agree with that then you’re a lost cause.
First off I am not putting down any kind of food, I love simple food, but eating at a restaurant like The French Laundry is an experience. How is it an experience? Well, a way to look at dinning at this restaurants is that it is an event. Dinner can take up to 2 hours and longer! Some of you might say “there is no way that I can sit there that long” or “two hours is way too long!” Well it is pretty easy in fact and the time will fly by.
Most of the dinner will involve conversation. Conversation about the food, wine, what is going on around you, random chit-chat or a maybe even a heart to heart if your doing a wine pairing (the dinner is 9+ courses). If you can’t talk to the person you are with for that long then you should probably rethink your relationship, because you are given plenty to talk about. You should try to talk about the food and the wine, what you like, what you don’t like- it is half the fun! Try things that sound interesting or that you haven’t had before too, you might be surprised at what you like! I will say that you should put yourself in the hands of the chef for the best experience.
The menu consists of a 9 course tasting menu of small dishes. You have a few choices and a vegetarian option but for the most part the menu is set. I am sure they will make exceptions but remember what I said about leaving it up to the chef? Plus, making decisions is over rated. To describe the purpose of the menu I am going to quote the restaurant’s website, because I would not be able to say it better. “What we want you to experience is that sense of surprise when you taste something so new, so exciting, so comforting, so delicious, you think, “Wow”- and then it’s gone. We want the peak of sensation on the palate to be all you feel. SO we serve a series of small courses meant to excite your mind, satisfy your appetite and pique your curiosity.” Now some of you with big appetites might not believe that these small plates will fill you up. It will, my dad and I have large appetites and we were full after dinner.
In the Kitchen
Preparing Lobster & Bacon
I tend to go to these restaurants with my family and they tend to be the most memorable experiences that I have with them lately. Once you get older it is hard to find the time to spend quality time with your family. What better way to spend time with family than over great food and a great atmosphere? Dinner with my family was one of the most memorable experiences I have had with them in the last 3 years (the other was our family road trip through Italy). We still talk about our dinner at the French Laundry from almost a year ago. I believe it turned my sister into a gourmand.
I know of a few tips for getting a reservation at the French Laundry. Be flexible in your date, you have to make a reservation two months in advance and there are a lot of people that want reservations at this restaurant. The later reservations seem to go first, so go for an early one. I prefer the early reservations due to the length of the dining experience. I haven’t tried it but I believe you can make a reservation at 12:01AM on opentable.com on the day that is two months prior. I called and while I was on hold, I went to opentable.com and made my reservation for the time I wanted. There is not sure fire way, so again be flexible in your date.
If you are looking to experience a dinner like this and have no way of making it to Yountville, Ca (where the French Laundry is located), don’t worry. There a ways to find restaurants that can offer you similar experiences near you. One is the Michelin guide which is a pretty solid restaurant guide. They use a star rating system. Their rating system is as follows:
* A very good restaurant in its category (e.g. Commis in Oakland, CA or Gramercy Tavern in NYC)
** Excellent and worth a detour (e.g. Manresa in Los Gatos, CA)
*** Exceptional cuisine and worth the journey (e.g. French Laundry, Le Bernardin in NYC or Joel Robuchon in Las Vegas)
The downside is that Michelin does not go to every city, so if you are looking for something closer to home I suggest using chowhound.com or opentable.com – I prefer chowhound.com because you can search the boards for recommendations or make a post asking for recommendations on what you seek. I suggest searching the boards first before making a post.
Everybody has their own tastes, whether is about food, art or architecture, which makes it difficult to recommend things like restaurants. I recommend that you do some research before you choose a restaurant to find one that fits your tastes but the French Laundry comes highly recommend! Whatever restaurant you choose, I am sure you will have a memorable experience.
***French Laundry is located at 6640 Washington St., Yountville, CA in the Napa Valley. More information is available by visiting their website at www.frenchlaundry.com.
Those that know me, know that I love adventurous food and that I just plain love to eat -I guess you can say that I live to eat. A huge part of traveling for me is eating new food and food associated with the area that I am traveling.
My first night in HCMC, Loc and I met up with some of his friends at a restaurant where I had what I would call my first Anthony Bourdain moment of the trip. The restaurant was a long taxi ride outside the city into the suburbs of HCMC. I remember crossing a bridge after driving 15 minutes and asked Loc “Where are you taking me?” The neighborhood we entered had a vastly different feel than the city. It was only what I could describe as more gritty, but it felt lived in- I actually liked it better than HCMC. The restaurant was owned by a friend of one of Loc’s friends. We were joined by, people he worked with, his friends, and their girlfriends.
It was a typical Vietnamese building, narrow and 4 to 5 stories high. Nothing set this building apart from its neighbors except when you walked in you were surround by fish tanks full of living creatures. All of the actual dinning took place on the floors above it and the kitchen occupied its own floor. The bottom floor was used to show off what the restaurant had to offer. We took a elevator to a small private room on the third floor.
Throughout the night we were brought out courses picked out by his friends, which included some interesting dishes. One of the most interesting dishes was veal tongue. Those of you who have ever eaten any kind of tongue know it is interesting looking. It was served like a beef carpaccio. It was a little tough and stringy and didn’t have the flavor of beef tongues that I have had before.
Veal tongue anyone?
Another dish was a mud crab hot pot, however the restaurant did not receive any fresh mud crabs that morning, so they were replaced with another kind of crab. The name escapes me, but you can see it in the picture. We actually got this dish for free because they didn’t have fresh mud crabs. The crabs were boiled in a broth and when they were done they were replaced with noodles and vegetables. Eating the crabs was extremely messy because you had to use your hands, it was either that or use chop sticks. The noodles and crabs were a very good dish and probably my favorite of the evening.
Crab Hot Pot
Throughout the night we had fermented prawn sauce available for dipping, it is like fish sauce but it has more pungent taste. Apparently it is supposed to better, who knows.
Drinking is a huge part of the Vietnamese culture, so of course this night we did our fair share. Someone would raise their glass, say “Yooo..” (I don’t know if I am spelling it right or what it means besides “drink”) and everyone rises up their glass, says “Yoo..” and we all drink as if we are one of Pavlov’s dogs. His friends really tried to make me feel comfortable and involve me in the conversation, some spoke a little English and Loc did translate- but the way they made me feel welcome, was though drinking.
Side note: From my understanding this “Yoo..” cheer is used in Southern Vietnam, in the North it is “Cheers” (Lame- I know) and “100%”. When someone says 100% it means chug all of your drink, which sounds like something you would do in college. There are other drinking cheers, some sounded like songs, but I didn’t participate in those or understand them.
VIP Karaoke?
I left dinner with a slight buzz and extremely exhausted, it has been a very long couple of days for me on only a few hours of sleep. Loc’s friends decided that we should all go to karaoke bar and no, I did not partake in the singing -I don’t know if there was enough bourbon in that place to get me to sing. Anyways, I was traumatized when I was 12 years old and vowed to never sing again. Cue ripply flash back. When I was 12 years old after a baseball game we went out for pizza like most kids and on this night the pizza place had Karaoke. My friends and I sang “Welcome to the Jungle” and when we finished a guy told me that we butchered his favorite song and ruined it forever for him. Needless to say my Karaoke days died young. So I just listened to them sing Vietnamese songs. I did however, lead them in the occasional “Yooo…!”.
If you willing to drink and try any kind of food, I believe you can get along just fine in any culture and with anyone. Overall, it was a great experience and one I will never forget.
Loc still had to work after he picked me up from the airport so he dropped me off on a side street, Pasteur, near downtown. I was there sans map or any hint of direction. I looked for people that seemed to be tourists (you know the type, camera around their neck with a fanny pack on their hips) and followed their lead. Sounds a bit strange maybe but this logic worked and their foot prints lead me right where I wanted to be – Dong Khoi Street (or Rue Catinat, which was what is was called during the French occupation).
General Post Office
Dong Khoi Street consists of the Municipal Theater, Rex Hotel, City Hall, Notre Dame Cathedral, Continental Hotel and the General Post Office. If you have read Graham Greene’s book, “The Quiet America,” you may be familiar with these architectural destinations. The buildings emote the romance of French-colonial Saigon that are prevalent in his book. You can imagine reporters meeting officers at the Continental Hotel for drinks to catch up on gossip about the war or US officers giving their “Five O’clock Follies” at the Rex Hotel. If you have not read the book, it’s a good quick read and will get you ready for your upcoming trip to Vietnam, should you be planning one. You can always pick one up when you’re in Hanoi as there will be plenty of people trying to sell it to you around Hoan Kiem Lake.
Notre Dame Cathedral
Municipal Theater
Continental Hotel
Dong Khoi Street looks out of place in modern HCMC, but it does give you a brief glimpse of HCMC’s history that feels like it is being overwritten by it’s new growth. However like a stubborn weed these few blocks hold on strong and remain almost unchanged. Dong Khoi is a breath of fresh air from the chaos of HCMC, thus I was naturally drawn there when I wanted to relax and enjoy a Vietnamese coffee.
Enjoying a Vietnamese coffee while I plan my day.
I spent a lot of time walking around HCMC the two days I was there. Unfortunately, I was unable to take any kind of day excursion outside the city to the Cu Chi tunnels. Reservations were hard to obtain on short notice (I find this to be one of the downsides to traveling without any plan other than to get lost. Maybe Darren’s take on Venice really does only apply to that city?). The Cu Chi tunnels were used by the Viet Cong as an underground base and a method for launching attacks against the Americans. The tunnels served as living quarters, weapons cache, hospitals and supply routes for the guerrilla fighters. Life in the tunnels wasn’t easy as they are extremely small; food, water and air were scarce, and the tunnels were home to numerous poisonous insects. As a visitor today, you don’t have to worry about the insects but the tunnels can be challenging for larger people and while talking with fellow travelers I heard mixed reviews regarding their take and experience viewing and exploring the tunnels. From what I could gather, it would be something you don’t want to miss if you are really interested in the history of the Vietnam War. It also seems to be an escape from the noise of the city, or a place that you might like if you want to shoot some assault rifles!
Check back for Part IV coming soon…
A Tortured Man
Let’s face it, the universe moves by fast and leaves us in the dust… just look at the facts:
- The average American lifespan is currently a mere 78 years while Earth is just getting over the hill as it draws near its 4.6 BILLIONTH birthday.
- The fastest man made object – NASA’s robotic spacecraft called “New Horizons” – travels at a maximum speed of 10.1 miles per second. Meanwhile, light remains in a commanding (or dare I say constant) lead traveling at 186,000 miles PER SECOND. You suck, New Horizons.
So in a blog that’s supposed about travel, why the heck am I going off about astronomy and physics? Well, for starters if you know me then you know I’m a nerd; however, my main purpose is to drive home the point that time flies, and as much as we wish we could slow things down Prince of Persia-style or even stop time by putting our two index fingers together like Evie from Out of This World (enjoy the embedded video fellow 80′s children), we are confined to a finite length of time on this planet. But my upcoming Caribbean Cruise has reminded me that we have a slight weapon against that – a parlor trick that could at least make it seem as though the world is moving more slowly… Anticipation.
Oh, how brutally painful it can be to mindfully watch the ticking clock get seemingly slower with each movement of the second hand when you have something in the foreseeable future that you wish would just happen already. Such is the case with me and my can’t-get-here-soon-enough cruise. Like most people I struggle with the suspense, but over the years I’ve learned to enjoy it and even harness it to use to my advantage. I mean, honestly, why would I want to dismiss a moment when time actually slows down for me? Sure, I may be tortured by the constant taunting of my desired future, but I’ve simultaneously been given a blessing in the disguise of longer days. So it all boils down to taking a so-called negative thing and making it positive, like a tortured man who learns to find enjoyment in challenging himself to endure more punishment with each day. That is how anticipation should be approached… and yes, I know how masochistic that sounds.
While today my anticipation for my cruise may feel like I’m being metaphorically water boarded for 10 minutes, come the final few days before departure it will feel like it’s lasting for hours. So to absorb this steady increase of torture, I set small goals to build my tolerance and appease my anticipation. This week I intend to go shopping for my cruise – new threads, travel-sized toiletries, etc. – while next week I’ll begin washing and packing all my clothes. For some these tasks may be the part of traveling they hate the most, but when you’re being tortured by the anticipation, these smalls acts can seem like glimpses of daylight through a small crack in your cell wall – just enough to keep you going for another day.
My only hope is that when the cruise comes I can somehow manage to keep time moving slowly; however, that’s never the case. When what you want finally arrives, it always seems to come and go so fast that it makes the speed of light look like a Model T. My only hope is that these long days of torturous anticipation before my cruise builds up my strength so I can keep up with the sprint that’s ahead of me… only to be tortured again when it’s all over by the memories of a time I wish I could’ve frozen. Damn, that Evie was lucky.
