JB's Walkabout

Cairo - Mosques, Pyramids and Sleeping Guards

2008-03-31T21:09:00.000-07:00

Giza Pyramids

Egypt is a "tourist trail" for sure, but in very few places in the world can you reach out and touch things that were carved or painted over 3000 years ago. The antiquities here are simply amazing - like nothing else on this planet.

My journey started in Cairo - the Oman Air from Muscat taking us across Saudi and the Sinai to the Gulf of Suez and into the metropolis of some 18 million people. Customs was relatively easy, however you do need to buy a visa/tax stamp on your way in at the visa/tax windows. You then present the stamp to the customs officials who dutifully stamp it and your in. Outside the airport is the usual clamoring of taxi drivers for your business - note that they pay a parking entry fee to get there so clearly negotiate the price to your destination including the parking fee and don't fall for the old trick of trying to get this tacked on when your in transit.

Traffic in Cairo is quite a sight, as is "running the gauntlet" to cross the road. If you watch the locals do it its not too crazy, but Im amazed more people dont get wiped out on the streets of Cairo. Perhaps they do.

First stop for anyone visiting Cairo has to be the Great Pyramids of course. You can take tours, but Id encourage people to get a taxi out there and just do it yourself. The tour guides arent really worth it - your guidebook will probably tell you more. One key thing to try and get is the entry ticket to the burial chamber in the Great Pyramid (Khufu/Cheops). If you want a good glimpse of what this is like watch the "Long Way Down" DVD with Ewan McGregor and Charlie Boorman - Charlie even lays down into the remnants of the sarcophagus (which seems a little sacrilegious to me, but its been done many many times). The wonder of this is how they managed to make the seams of these huge blocks of granite flawlessly fit together. Standing in the middle of the Great Pyramid in a tomb of marble, utterly silent, is like being transported to another planet (aka. Contact - the movie - remember the scene in the vehicle where it was totally silent with no frame of reference).

The surrounds of the Great Pyramid are full of guys with camels or headscarves or tshirts for sale. If you want to part with some of your coin and sit on a camel or take a ride, go for it, but beware the usual hassles of having to pay more to actually get off the camels, or extra for photographs, etc. When in doubt, or argument, just walk away. There are tourist police everywhere in these antiquity sites (look for the plain clothes ones also - carrying the Egyptian equivalent of Uzis), so your really not in danger. I did have one guy tell me he was a criminal and would cut my throat after I refused his tshirt offer - I laughed it off but if you feel hassled just yell for a tourist police and theyll flee pretty quickly. If you are a smoker, definately offer a cig to the uniformed guys - they sweat it out all day and while they cant take money a cigarette will make them immensely happy.

Camel Boy

The Great Pyramid

The Giza complex also houses the smaller pyramids and the Sphinx, including an iconic spot for photographs. Further out from Giza is the Sakkara complex - although to be honest if youve seen Giza this location will be somewhat disappointing. Relatively close to Sakkara is the Memphis location - including a huge laying down statue of Ramses which is the highlight here. Both are worth seeing if you have the time and the means, but if you cant dont beat yourself up as youll be seeing a lot of these types of things in Luxor or at the Egyptian Museum.

Ramses statue at Memphis with Sleeping Guard

One thing you should absolutely try in Cairo is koshery. Its a pasta dish (like macaroni), with spices, and lentils, onions and rice. Its deliciously simple, and definitely my pick for the best traveler meal in Egypt. You should also try Charwarma - a gyro like pita stuffed with meat and salad available in most Arab countries.

A must see in Cairo central is the Egyptian Museum. This was an easy walk from the Hilton Hotel where I chose to stay (redeeming points is fun) - but if your elsewhere in Cairo just take a taxi. The museum houses the Death Mask of Tutankhamun along with his sarcophagai, along with a massive number of antiquities from the Pharaonic times. A lot of the antiquities from the Valley of the Kings reside here having been removed from the burial chambers there, so it provides you with context before heading south to Luxor. The condition and exquisiteness of these artifacts is breathtaking.

Another must see in Cairo are the Mosques. I visited three of them - Sultan Hassan, Ibn Tulun and Al Azhar. They all all impressive in their own ways, with Ibn Tulun UNESCO World Heritage listed. You can read about what these Mosques look like on the net, but Ill tell you the basic process of entering here. Entering a mosque is like entering a church in the West, albeit you have to remove your shoes (or place a cover over them) - this cover or a place to store your shoes is provided at the entrance and staffed by mosque attendants. Its customary to tip them when you leave - EGY$1 is sufficient. Also customary is for women to cover their heads, so bring a scarf you can use as a head cover with you. Once you are in your free to walk around - and in fact look for mosque attendants who make some money o the side by providing you access to the minarets (you can bargain with them also - they wanted $20 per person for two of us to ascend, we went up for $10 each (Egyptian dollars)). The views from the minarets are worth it - the panorama of the chaos that is Cairo will be on full display for you. Try counting satellite dishes ....

Al Azhar Mosque

View from the Minarets

Al Azhar was my favorite - for the expanses of marble that greeting you in the main courtyard, and the fact that it is within walking distance of the Khan el-Khalili souq. The souq (or bazaar) is a maze of shops selling all sorts of apparel, jewelry, souvenirs, etc. Any visit to a major Arabian town should include a visit to the souq, and its well worth spending time talking to the shop owners and asking them about their business and lives. They will open up to you a lot more if you engage them rather than see them as an annoyance trying to sell you something, and in most cases will show you the things of value that can be had, rather than the cheaper stuff they are trying to flog to tourists. Ive spend many hours in souqs talking with the shopkeepers, telling them about my country and asking them about theirs. Those moments are the ones youll remember as much as the tourist sites you visit.

Khan el-Khalili from the Minaret of Al Azhar

The train to Luxor was next. Details on that to follow in the next posting.

Egypt - Ill Cut YOUR throat

2008-03-29T21:04:00.000-07:00

Cairo for 3 days, Luxor for 3, then Aswan for 2. All are amazing places - even Abu Simbel with its 260km convoy ride and 3am start is worth the hassle.

Highlights:
- Getting into a fight over bus seats with Hungarian and French tourists on the bus back from Abu Simbel.
- "Im a criminal - Ill cut your throat" - from a TShirt salesman around the pyramids when I told him what he could do with his tshirts. My response - "No you wont - HAHAHA". In hindsight I wish Id grabbed him and hauled him off to the tourist police (which are everywhere in all 3 cities) for a night in jail for harassing a tourist.
- Lunch at a little cafe in Aswan, surrounded by locals and watching educational TV programs on mathematics.
- Walking from the Valley of the Kings over the hills to the Temple of Hatchupsut
- Eating Koshary from a food stand on the outskirts of Cairo
- Standing on the top of a minaret at Ibn Tolon mosque

Philae Template - this thing was moved in its entirety from one island to another when the Aswan Dam was built.

Abu Simbel

Luxor Temple at Night

Oman - Mustangs and Mountains

2008-03-28T20:30:00.000-07:00

Oman was not at all what I expected - not that I had any specific expectations but it really didnt look like anything I had in my mind about the country. Upon leaving however, I think that in some ways this is one of the friendliest places in the Middle East. We arrived from Dubai taking the 7 hr bus overland. The border crossing is relatively straightforward, queue at a dusty truck stop outpost on the UAE side for an exit stamp, then unload your luggage from the bus for a customs inspection on the Oman side. The bus then takes you down the road a few miles to the actual border post where you enter a palatial immigration building for your visa stamp. Entering as Australians we got a visa on the spot - no fee. Then the long haul along the coast to Muscat. I had prearranged a rental car at the Seeb airport - the bus wasnt going there, but the drivers assistant stopped the bus at a local taxi stand on the main road and helped arrange us a taxi with another passenger who was airport bound. Our first exposure to Omani hospitality, it was great of him to do this and not just drop us on the corner to fend for ourselves.

Our hotel was the Corniche Hotel in Mutrah - not a fancy place but we came to really enjoy this hotel and the fishing port we were based in. The nighttime inn keeper wasnt overly friendly, but the daytime guy was a real pleasure to deal with - Moin was his name.

Daytime brought us view of the harbour, and a walk down the corniche brought us to the Souq. The souq in this town is really fantastic - it winds its way through many corridors and back streets, but has a wide promenade which is great to walk through after say the crazy markets in Mali. Oman is known for its daggars - curved thick bladed items with intricate silver work on the scabbard. Its even on the tail of Oman Air planes as the national insignia. We spent many hours perusing these daggars - the number of rings on the scabbard designate the rank in society of the owner, 7 rings being the royal family. The daggars are rights of passage for young men who are presented with one upon coming of age.

Highlights:

- Watching a fisherman cutting off shark's fins in the Muttrah harbour
- Driving in the mountains and at 100plus mph on 4 lane highways with no other cars on them (in a buzz box)
- Breaking into a closed fort
- Walking the souqs and talking to the fascinating people who live here

Back in the West

2008-02-08T06:03:00.000-08:00

Just a quick note as Im back in Perth, Western Australia, for some R&R before Trip Part 2 gets going. Ive managed to download all photos from the camera, and will spend some time consolidating them and adding some much needed commentary to them, and this blog. Ive taken a lot of notes while travelling - for my future reference and for future travellers, so hopefully Ill get a chance to update the blog with that info soon.

The scar from Timbuktu is healing nicely into a momento. Eating is a pleasure - I never knew how good toast was after not having it for 3 months. I had a Starbucks in Dubai on the way thru - mmmmm.

A Souvenir from Timbuktu

2008-01-17T05:26:00.000-08:00

Just got back from a whirlwind trip to Timbuktu - out 1 day all day in a 4WD, 1 days in town, then 1 day driving back. Timbuktu is really not that worth it to visit other than the allure of saying that youve been to this remote outpost in the world that carries the mystique of ancient times. The markets are interesting and sitting atop a sand dune on the edge of the Sahara watching sheep being herded and camels guiding tourists around the dunes at sunset was nice. We bought a Tuareg blue cape off a guys back for 6000CFA - he didnt speak French or English and seemed more amazed that we were giving him a bunch of small coins than a 5000CFA note, but I can say I have an original cape now, not some factory produced tourist rubbish.

I also have 3 stitches in my left thumb after an argument with a car door - which will heal up nicely into a great souvenir and story from Tombouktu. Ill never forget the nurse saying "brave boy" in faltering English as she drove the needle in without any anesthetic ....

Pictures of the dunes and ferry if you click the photo below ...

Dogon Country, Mali

2008-01-12T09:07:00.000-08:00

Im currently in Severe (pronounced Sevaray) just outside of Mopti in Mali. Just got back from 2 nights in the Dogon Country - a fascinating place and people. Camped on the roof of the village camps each night, looking at an amazing view of the stars without any light pollution to dull them. Used a squat toilet and a bucket for a shower.

Currently staying at Macs Refuge in Severe - a great hotel with a wonderful host and excellent meals.

Click on the photo of the Mosque in Kani Kombole for more photos from Dogon ....

Monkey business

2008-01-04T14:20:00.000-08:00

Click on photo for more shots of the Monkey.

This little guy was on the Fetish Island in Cassamance - he was very friendly as you can see ...

Ah Cassamance ...

2008-01-04T14:11:00.001-08:00

Click on the photo for more from this set

The Cassamance Region is in southern Senegal, an area of white sand beaches and a river delta that borders Guinea Bissau. Its really beautiful here - and the islands that can only be reached by Pirogue are really the standout. The fishing village of Elinkine, the Ile de Karabane and the "fetish" island where the remnants of old sacrifices under large Baobab trees can be found. I really found Cassamance to be a stunningly beautiful and relaxing place to spend some time.

Senegal

2007-12-18T08:55:00.000-08:00

Im at Cap Skirring in Senegal at the moment - this is Jamaica in West Africa! No problems mon. Will spend a week or more here just chilling out on the beach and drinking Flag beer. Dakar is all noise and commotion, but this is just paradise.

Happy birthday to me - freeking 38 years goes by in a hurry! Im writing some song lyrics and generally wasting time - which as the guide book should be an activity in itself.

Click photo above for more

Tunisia Photos

2007-12-15T03:00:00.000-08:00

Click on photo below for more from this set

Pictures from Ksar Ouled Soltane and the Berber village of Douret and Chenini.

Tunisia!

2007-12-09T02:00:00.000-08:00

So Im in an internet cafe on the island of Djerba in Tunisia as I type this - trying to use a French keyboard where the letters are in all the wrong spots! Tunisia is an amazing country - a cross between Europe and Arabia, the people speak both languages. They filmed many scenes from Star Wars and the movie The English Patient here. I have photos of camels in the Sahara and ancient Berber villages with huge Palm tree oasis surrounding them - now if I can only find a way to upload them! Will be going to Tataouine and Matmatar next, then the Roman ruins at El Gem on the way back to Tunis. Have been to Carthage to see the ruins of Hannibals empire - amazing stuff.

Prior to Tunisia hit in reverse order Rome (the Hilton Cavellieri is the best hotel in Europe I think), Venice (not much to do there but every scene is a postcard and a place everyone should visit once in their lifetime), Florence (old city), Monaco (rich luxury amazing boats), Nice and Paris per last posting.

Click below for photos from Rome, Vatican, St Gimignano ...

Click below for photos from Monaco (lots of racetrack corners!!!), Florence ...

JB

Tozeur - dunes, oases and Star Wars sets

2007-12-06T20:56:00.000-08:00

Tozeur is a full days bus ride (8hrs) from Tunis in the south west of Tunisia. The town is unremarkable, except for the Palmerie - 400,000 palm trees growing in this oasis. We arrived at the bus station late afternoon, and attempted to follow the LP map to the hotel we had earmarked for the night - through dusty streets and backalleys. We finally found our way and checked out a few hotels, settling on a basic one (name escapes me). Breakfast the next morning was on the rooftop, overlooking the Palmerie - a basic fare of Tom Cake (sweet cake bread), coffee and baguette.

Our main activity in Tozeur was to take a 4WD tour of the surrounding area and desert. We signed up for a full day tour at 160DN (payable as a 20DN deposit and the balance we paid at the end of the trip as the tour operator office wasnt open at the time we commenced our drive), our driver Kamel was waiting for us at the appointed time (9am) right outside the hotel. The car was a Landcruiser, and in good condition - Nomad Tours seem to run all the cars out of this area as their compound just outside Tozeur was full of them as we drove past.

Our first stop was Medes (El Medes?), the first of three abandoned Berber Villages. The ascent to Medes was spectacular, taking us up into the hills off the plains of the Chott. Beside the ruins was a canyon dropping about 150ft to a river below. The highlight of this location was the date factory - dates from the Palm trees surrounding this ruin are brought into a main room and boxed there. We had a chance to taste them right from the clusters brought in off the tree, adn they were by far the best dates we had ever tasted. We bought a box from there - 3DN (down from 5 - they werent budging much on price!), and proceeded to devour them during our trip.

Next stop was Chebika, which was basically a lot of trinket sellers and a pool lying at the bottom of a fissure in rocks. Cactus fruit was available here - and I was keen to try some, but we couldnt find the seller and werent game enough to try peeling this ourselves. We then went to Tamerzia, which has a well established tourist area at the entrance (you can even buy ice cream!) and a path taking you back to the water pool and waterfalls, and a climb up into the surrounding hillside. Note that the minerals for sale along this pathway look spectacular - purple and green crystaline rocks that join together like a clamshell - but they are FAKE! If you rub the purple it comes off on your hands - its been painted on to make the white crystal look more spectacular.

On the way back to Tozeur for lunch we stopped to donate 1DN to a guy who had a pet salamander available for petting. Thats it really ... :)

Our guide gave us 1.5hrs to get lunch while he did the same. After lunch we headed into the desert across the Chott (Salt Lake) to Ong Jmel (which means 2 camels I believe). This is basically a rocky outcrop that you can climb, overlooking a vast riverbed which is flat and long enough to land a 747 on. Its also the scene of filming for the movies the English Patient and Star Wars. We stopped and chatted with a crew of men working a natural gas rig here and discussed how we could fly planes into the area on the salt pan ....

The hard packed sand plus rocky formations here make for a natural race course, and the 4WD tours take advantage of this to give you some thrills. First its the banked curves - the driver races up the side of one bank (similiar to the banking of say a NASCAR racetrack) then across to another, alternating right and left. Then its straight up one of the banks until the car is nearly vertical where the driver shifts quickly into 2nd gear and lets the engine brake the car back down the cliff. Its all been done many times before - youll see the tread marks of many many 4WDs who have done this trick before - but its thrilling nonetheless when your not sure whats coming next. Up and down a few sand dunes and past the film set for the English Patient, then on to the film set for Star Wars which is surreal in the surrounds of the dunes. After that some stops at camel watering holes where Kamel showed Miney how to properly tie her turban.

Nefta was next, the home of the Sufi sect of Islam. Walking through the Old City and taking in the sights here - married women wear all black with blue stripes on their hijab.

Back to the hotel and the incredibly hard pillows ...

Prices
Tour - 160DN
Dates - 3DN per box
Turban - 6DN for 3 meters

Carthage - Sidi Bou Said and comparisons with statues

2007-12-05T13:45:00.000-08:00

Carthage seems like nothing when you first arrive, but as you explore more you start to get a sense of the scale and grandeur of the place. The best way to get there is to take the train from the Tunis Marine station - just walk past the clock monument down the Avenue Bourguiba (away from the Medina) and youll find it. There are a number of Carthage stations on the train - we chose to get off at Carthage Hanibal station which by name seemed to be the most central. Price was 900 millimes (for two or one? Cant remember). From the station we walked up the hill, turned left and ended up at the visitors center. Admission here gets you access to all the Carthage sites - you buy a ticket and simply flash it at the entrance of each subsequent site you visit. You buy a ticket for a camera also - we just bought one and made sure only one camera was out at any one time ....

The main site of the visitors center was ok, but not the best ruins experience Ive ever had. The view over the city of Tunis and surrounding ocean, lake and mountains is worth it tho. There's a small museum there, which is worth visiting. Youll undoubtedly get accosted by "guides" wanting to show you the relics and then asking for a gift in return - worth it if you want a running commentary of what you are seeing, but I chose to be left alone. Also, the toilets there are free to use - but youll have to remind the attendant of this fact when you leave the bathroom as he/she will want his gift and try hard for it.

The best Carthage ruin in my opinion is the thermals down by the ocean. The ruins there are extensive, and give you a great feel for how important the baths were to the Carthagians and later the Romans. The presidential palace is closeby here, and youll see signs saying "no photos to be taken in the direction of the palace". There's a heavy police presence also on the small roads outside.

Sidi Bou Said is towards the end of the TGM train line - this little village is a very picturesque place - the blue and white contrast of buildings and doors make you feel like your in a Greek island village. Lots of opportunities for photographers here - we couldnt help but take tons of pictures of doorways. The food options here are great also - we ended up eating at an outdoor courtyard restaurant called Le Chergui - just as the sun set, the couscous was excellent, as was the little cat who ate with us.

We couldnt resist the chance to do a comparison - apologies if it offends, but this was a huge cack for us at the time ... photo from the Carthage ruins in Tunisia (taken very quickly) ...

Tunis - Cafes and sheep heads

2007-12-04T19:19:00.000-08:00

Tunis was a culture shock for me at first, but I found myself slipping into this place after a while. Walking the streets of Tunis at night was a great experience - stopping for Chawarma (a chicken pita in my case, with sauces and chips thrown in the top of the creation). We walked down the main street of Tunis (Avenue Bourguiba) taking in the sights and smells. The first thing you notice is that the cafes are a) full of smoke, and b) full of men. Women do not congregate in these venues which are for men only - this is not a hard rule, but seems to be a cultural one.

One meat shop we walked past had a couple of sheep heads hanging on hooks - a common sight, however these guys had gone the extra mile putting sunglasses and cigarettes in their mouths. We stopped to take photos and a passing couple of lads laughed at us saying "pretty arent they?".

We took a quick look in the Medina, but at night this is a dark place so we decided not to push our luck too much. The next day we went back for a more detailed look. The Medina is the city center, at the end of the Avenue Bourguiba, behind the Porte de France (a doorway monument). We did not explore the Medina as much as we would have liked.

Tunis began the ritual of drinking from bottled water - so we grabbed a couple of bottles on the way through - 450 millimes (about a half Dinar) for 1.5 liters.

Logistics:
- Tickets from Rome to Tunis on Air Italia were €464 - we found that return tickets were actually cheaper than one way, so we booked and discarded the return sector. Booked on Air Italia site.
- Taxi from Tunis airport to city was about 10 Dinars. This was a drama because we were originally told 5 Dinars, so we climbed in, then were told it was 5 per person, plus a surcharge because we were at the airport, plus a baggage fee! The driver actually tried to get 15 Dinars from us - when we handed over 10 he said "but I thought I was getting 15" - our response was "well we thought we were paying 5"!! Our mistake was not demanding the counter be turned on - making everything a negotiation. If you pickup a taxi from Tunis airport, you should always demand the counter (the meter).

Rome - why leave the Hilton Cavalieri

2007-12-02T18:37:00.000-08:00

Rome for me will forever be defined by the hotel I stayed in - the Hilton Cavalieri. Various other posters agree, but this is my best hotel experience in the world, by a long shot. The 3 main reasons why:

- I checked in as a Hilton Honors Diamond, so I had access to the executive floor and lounge. The lounge is like being in a full service bar - you can have the wait staff bring you anything you like, Cappucinos on demand, experiment with various flavored Martini's to see which one you like, water, juices, etc. Its well stocked with snacks - cucumber sandwiches, deserts, fish pieces, etc. Magazines and newspapers lying around, a big screen TV, and a remarkable view of Rome and the Vatican City.

- The room is outstanding. Hermes products in the bathroom, a huge bed of the perfect Hilton quality, a variety of pillows, and luxurious furnishings reminding you your at the heart of the Roman empire.

- The Grand Spa. My diamond card got us free access to this (I love that card so much!) and it is a perfect place to unwind and destress. The steam room which warms you up to 65degrees C and then the 30 degree plunge pool - try diving into it if you can for the hot to cold fast immersion experience! The spa pool outside the steam room with its perfectly backlit blue water and trickling fountains, and the relaxation room with 12-14 beds and blankets. The outside pool has a fireplace which you can sit next too, but in winter it was a bit cold - they also make you wear these silly hair caps if you want to go swimming out there. The gym looks world class, the machinery all looks new and flat screen TVs galore to entertain you while you work out.

Its expensive true (I was staying on points, otherwise I might have written it off as too much) - but if you are after the best hotel experience youve had Id recommend going there - just be warned you wont want to see Rome much, and youll be spoiled for every hotel from that point on.

Rome itself was good when I managed to pry myself out of the hotel. The shuttle bus runs from the Hotel to the Piazza Barberini in about 25 mins (runs every hour but takes a big break between 12:30 and 3:30 so plan accordingly). Inbound we chose to go from the train station to the Cipro stop and then hailed a cab up to the hotel - which cost about €14 or so.

Other than the hotel, my memory of Rome will be linked to the pizza - which is one of the rare foods of the world that I feel is actually better in its native land than you image it could be. Served like a sandwich, folded over in a square in paper, it is non greesy, the cheese doesnt drip all over you, and it tastes incredible.

The Colosseum is very run down - the one I visited in Tunisia at El Gem is a much better example as it was built later and has withstood the elements and invaders more successfully. The Spanish Steps area is worth seeing - especially at night when the crowds really come out. The designer stores are all here, including one incredulously branded "Expensive".

On to Africa next - the hotel was the perfect preparation, giving us both a dose of luxury before the rigors to come. We took some Hermes soaps and hair products so that we could indulge in some luxury in the dusty places where Hermes and the Cavalieri would be a distant, although pleasant memory.

Venice - everywhere you turn is a postcard

2007-12-01T18:23:00.000-08:00

Spent one day and one night in Venice and took a lot of photos - this place is everything they say it is and more. Every scene in this city is a moving postcard, and you cant help but walk around slack jawed at the beauty of it all. There isnt much to actually DO in Venice, but it is a city everyone should visit once in their lifetime.

We arrived on the train, which pulls up right on the edge of the city. There is a public ferry (Vaporetto) which leaves from right outside the train station headed for the Rialto bridge, and terminating at Piazza San Marco. The best way to get there in my opinion tho is to walk it - just head over the bridge and start following the signs to San Marco. This walk takes about 25 mins and leads you through all sorts of alleyways and over small canals - you really get a feel for the city by taking this walk, and making wrong turns! The pathway to San Marco is written on the buildings with arrows telling you which way to turn - we made a few wrong turns, but its easy to backtrack and get back on course if you do this.

The pigeons in Piazza San Marco are out of control. The brave tourists who try to feed them get mobbed. At night however, their demeanor changes at night however, where a bunch of them will huddle together for warmth and climb all over each other, oblivious to onlookers.

Venice inevitably reminded me of Disneyworld (canals, boats, old style architecture, but in this case REAL) - the situation would probably be reversed had I actually visited the authentic one first!

San Gimignano and Siena

2007-11-29T00:30:00.000-08:00

A whirlwind trip today - left Florence early to take the bus to San Gimignano, a small medieval village (UNESCO World Heritage listed) on a hill between Florence and Siena. Walked to the top of the tallest tower - the views of the Tuscan countryside (see video below) are amazing. When I arrived in the town, the village square was packed with a market selling clothing, belts, etc. I wandered around the town quite a bit taking in the old granduer of it all. By the time I arrived back at the square an hour later, all visible signs of the market were gone - the vendors must have packed up and left en mass - there was noone there.

Siena was next - although the promised 2:15pm bus never did arrive, and it was 4pm by the time I finally made it to Siena. (The bus to depart Siena is in a different area from the drop off point near the entrance to the village - just head across the small park to the bus stop on the other side). Siena (another UNESCO site) is home to the infamous Palio - the horse race around a square - the Piazza de Campo. The Duomo is magnificent - slabs of black and white marble contrast the exterior making for a striking image.

Florence - the old masters

2007-11-28T23:54:00.000-08:00

The trains from France stop in the Italian town of Ventimiglia, where you pick up an italian train for the journey into the country. The change of country is obvious - the Italian trains are much less modern than the French trains - 1st class feels like 2nd class, etc. Our train, bound for Florence, chugs off, tracing the shore of the Med down the coast. Hills on one side, ocean on the other - its a very beautiful way to watch the sunset as you cruise from one country to another.

Florence is an old city - you get the impression that nothing here has changed for centuries. The Ufuzzi Museum was stop number one, just down the road from the Ponte Vecchio bridge. Renaissance art is ok, but very repetitious - how many virgin marys and baby jesus can you paint? Obviously a lot - this museum is full of it.

Stayed at the Hilton Florence Metropole - its about a 20 minute ride to the city center via the free shuttle bus service offered by the hotel, but this has advantages as being in the suburbs you avoid the noise of the city. For Diamond members there is a great executive lounge on the top floor with drinks and snacks, in addition to a rooftop patio from which you can see most of the city. The shuttle bus goes directly to the Firenze train station.

Monaco - luxury defined

2007-11-26T23:25:00.000-08:00

Monaco - a 25 minute train ride from Nice, and home to the greatest sporting event of my youth - the Monaco F1 Grand Prix. Monaco for an F1 fan is like a dream made true, you can walk (or rent a scooter and drive) the track, seeing the corners and straights such as Lowes Hairpin, Rascasse, Casino Square, Portier, the Tunnel. The circuit is smaller than you expect - no wonder its hard to overtake on this track.

The aspect of Monaco that would stand out for non motor racing fans is the incredibly luxury in this city. The boats and the apartments stand out - incredible wealth displayed in every view.

Nice - funky Hotel Hi

2007-11-24T23:05:00.000-08:00

Prices and Places:
- TGV 1st class from Paris to Nice - €300
- Roast Duck and Potato dish (Paris pub) - €14.50
- Hotel Hi - €250 pn

Took the TGV from Paris to Nice today. 1st class - very nice. Costly, but nice. Our accomodation for the next few days was the Hotel Hi in Nice - a very funky place with the most unusual rooms Ive ever stayed in. First room was Rendezvous - with magnificent views over the town to the ocean. The room was decked out in Yellow, with a funky (but impractical) cast iron tub. We then moved to Indoor Terrace, with a bed suspended above the floor, and a garden seperating the bed from the glass paneled shower - the room painted in greens and blues. The fluro light under the bed made the room glow at night - very nice. The Hotel also has a Hammam in the basement - a steam room with adjoining massage and relaxation area. Apparently its a clothed steam room - our towels were strategic at times when other people entered. :) Their kitchen was amazing - lots of organic and heath concious foods - but at most times noone was around to serve from the kitchen, so we helped ourselves to Rice Pudding and such. Based on the hotel prices they could afford it.

Paris - finally a great croissant

2007-11-21T01:17:00.000-08:00

Nice day in Paris, blue skies as opposed to the rain that greeted us yesterday. The flight from EWR to CDG on Air India was fine - the security guard at EWR said to us "first time on Air India? (Yes) - well GOOD LUCK" - so werent sure what to expect at first, but it was comfortable - as comfy as an overnight flight can get anyway. Slept from about 2pm to 6pm, went out for a walk in the rain and dinner, then slept from 10pm to 9am. Grabbed a croissant and coffee at a local place - they are so much better than the air filled versions in the US.

^^^ Click on the photo above to see more photos ^^^

I did the usual tourist things - Eiffel tower, Arc de Triomphe, Pantheon, Hammam at the Mosque. Actually it was Miney who did the Hammam de la Mosquee de Paris at the recommendation of another guest at our hotel. I wish that the Western world embraced this type of communal bathing - it seems to me to be a very relaxing custom that would de-stress a bunch of wound up people that I know ....

FAA Private Pilot Exam

2007-11-19T06:25:00.000-08:00

On Sunday 11/18/07 I got my private pilot single engine land certificate, after 2 years of intermittent lessons and study. Of all the goals I have achieved I think this one rates top of the list! 24 hours later I still feel like Ive grown 2 inches taller! Here's the rundown of the day, the maneuvers, for fellow student pilots and interested onlookers ....

^^^ Click on the photo to see the set. Note this photo was from a lesson in the weeks leading up to the exam, so you cant see the snow band! This picture is now on airnav.com for KELM, credited to Miney Hall (with yours truly in the pilot seat) ^^^

The day started out with my mind waking me up at 5am in a crappy hotel room in Elmira NY. My arms and ass cheeks were still sore from 6 injected vaccines I received the day before, for my upcoming Africa travels. I tried to sleep to the 7am alarm, but gave up about 6am. Peering out the window all I could see was grey sky and a few light snow flakes - not good for a VFR pilot! My instructor had not called me, so I figured we were still on. I turned on the weather channel and the radar showed a cloud mass over Elmira, but NOTHING to the north. I grabbed coffee and went to the airport (KELM). Sure enough, looking northwards I could see blue sky and a bright sunrise. We're good to go ... :)

We pulled the plane from the hangar and called for fuel. She was a beat up old thing, but she looked great to me today, although I was hoping this would be the last time I would have to fly her.

We were wheels up (well wheels off the runway in the case of the Cessna 172) at 9am off runway 6 - a straight out on course departure - everything was going right for me today, I didnt even need to change course off the runway heading. We climbed to 5500 and I leaned out the plane - normally in lessons we left this full rich (safer for students who might forget to enrichen the mixture on the way back down), but that altitude needed some leaning. No wind, blue sky, bright sun, perfect day for flying. There was some snow on the ground, a light dusting at the higher elevations. In the distance we could see Lake Ontario with a power plant giving a hint at the wind direction (060 at about 2 kts - not much at all). My instructor and I went over oral exam questions on the way up - about a 2 hr flight.

We eventually found Malone NY, a small little town sandwiched between 3 water towers supporting 3 prisons and a Walmart. We landed on runway 5 and backtaxied on 14 to a little shack. The examiner came out to meet us wearing one of those leather flying caps like Charlie Brown would wear. Another student (female) and instructor were there - she was taking a multi engine checkride. Her instructor was a constant talker with a 9mm pistol under his belt which he proudly showed us. At one stage a guy came in and asked who the examiner was taking up and was he a guy - this instructor responded from the toilet "Yeah its a guy - a guy with tits". Lots of crass humor in this little hut.

I was extremely nervous when we arrived. My heartrate was probably in the high 90s. I jogged back and forth between the hut and the plane just to try to relax the tension. The time between arrival (10:30am) and when I finally got started with the exam (2pm) was actually good - it gave me a chance to relax. If you do get some time before your exam, try to just hang out for a while - Id suggest a half hour - just to relax your nerves from the flight in and the importance of what you are about to do.

My exam started at 2pm with an oral exam. The examiner asked all sorts of questions about my plane - some I knew, others I needed to refer to the manual on. Knowing the voltage of the electrical systems might be useful - but Id argue knowing or not knowing it doesnt make you a better pilot. I was told at the end of the exam that Id done well in the oral component - but at the time it didnt feel like it as I missed on a few. I erred on the side of caution - better to be wrong on a question such as "Is it legal to land at an airport where the runway lights are inoperational" than say "yes its legal" and then find out it isnt. Apparently it is legal - but not recommended!! The oral lasted about 45 mins to 1 hr.

Finally we got into the practical. I had to add some oil, impressing the examiner with my method of running oil down the dipstick which my instructor had showed me early on in my lessons. Good start I figured. He asked me about the cooling vents for the electronics - just a couple of small vents behind the engine cowling about where the firewall is - I didnt know about them, but I muttered something about making sure they were clear and saying they were obviously there to cool something.

We taxied out to runway 5 where the examiner asked for a short field takeoff. Before I could do it he said "I have the controls" and proceeded to taxi around a metal part that had fallen off some aircraft during the day which was lying on the runway edge. Phew - hearing those words before youve even had a chance to start was unsettling. He lined me up again and I fed in full throttle holding the plane back on brakes, then releasing and rotating at about 60 kts and climbing out at that speed for best angle of climb. The cold air (25F) helped the engine pull harder and she climbed out strongly.

My first task was to set myself onroute for my planned destination - Maxton Airport - about 70NM away. I departed the downwind leg a little too early, putting myself to the west of my intended flight path. He picked up on this immediately of course and I rectified after seeing Route 11 extending away from me on my flight path (that route was clearly visible on the map). As expected he asked me to divert - to Cornwall Airport. I responded by changing course to Cornwall, which by chance was on a course of 360 due north - easy to find and follow. Yes things were going well today.

With the pilotage tasks out the way it was time for maneuvers. We went through these in this order:

- Steep turns
- Dirty Stall
- Dirty Stall with a 20 degree bank
- Clean Stall
- Clean Stall with a 20 degree bank
- Slow Flight - Dirty
- Continued under the foggles
- VOR navigation
- (foggles off)
- Regular landing
- Go around aborted landing
- Short field landing with a forward slip to land
- Soft field landing
- Emergency on cross wind - soft field landing with a simulated freaking out passenger

My only mistakes were that I didnt switch to left rudder after my initial right hand steep turn (I just left the right rudder in on the left turn!), and trying slow flight at 40 degrees of flap instead of the recommended 20 degrees. He did ask me to do some things Id never done before also, such as a no flap landing, and stalls with a 20 degree bank. He also showed me a great trick on the 20 degree stalls - I had a tendency to bring the plane back to straight before the stall, but he showed me how to quickly flick the alerons in the direction of the break of the stall to bring the plane back level. (ie. if the stall occurs and your banking left 20 degrees the plane is likely to go left wing down - to avoid this just watch the nose and if you see it go left, twitch the yoke to the right quickly and it will fall straight instead of left). I really appreciated this attitude by the examiner - although he was judging my ability to fly, he was also teaching me at the same time - skills which make me a better and safer pilot as I continue my learning after the exam.

The final maneuver was a multitasking one. On the crosswind out of runway 5 he pulled the power and so I setup to land on the cross runway 14. He also started to act like a frightened passenger - making me fly the plane and speak in soothing terms to my passenger at the same time - which is a likely event if you experience a problem with non pilot passengers aboard. Then on approach he asked me for a soft field landing. All these things going on at once was a good test as you had to absorb and process all this information at once (flaps, calm passenger, soft field - where you were landing, slip if too high, etc).

Once we landed he took the controls and taxied back to the ramp - I wasnt sure if Id passed yet, but I felt pretty good about what Id done in the air. As we got near the ramp he said "Well Id let my mother fly with you son" and shook my hand - so I figured Id passed - and yes it felt good.

After we paid our money and said our goodbyes we left Malone at 5pm, this time as a Pilot without the prefix of Student (although part of me knows Im really still a student as my experience level isnt there yet). We landed at Potsdam NY to refuel as night fell, and then on to Rome NY where I would leave my instructor to take the plane back to Elmira. The feeling in the cockpit on the way back was great - my instructor was happy, I was happy, and as we flew and talked it felt like we were two pilots sharing the duties, not just instructor and student. 6500ft over black forest, the red glow of the cabin light, keeping an eye on the GPS to ensure we were on course, talking with my buddy about the mysteries of women, the joy of succeeding at something and trying to work out whats next in life for both of us. Ill never forget that feeling as we flew over the darkness of the Adirondaks.

Rome is the former Grifiss AFB so the runway is ridiculously long - we actually flew down the runway to land closer to the first taxiway. I left my instructor with the handshake and a hug - he ended up having to divert from Elmira to Penn Yann NY as the snow line we'd just escaped in the morning dumped freezing rain all over that airport - my luck had held just enough for me to capture my prize.

Washington DC

2007-11-14T17:21:00.000-08:00

Pictures from Washington DC (Click the photo above to see the whole set).

The main purpose of this trip was to waste some time before the travels in the Smithsonian Museums. These are free museums containing some of the worlds treasures and technical marvels - an amazing collection basically. Went to the Museum of Air and Space, Natural History and African Art in the National Mall area of downtown Washington DC, then the bigger Air and Space Museum in Chantilly, Viriginia (right near Dulles Airport). This was my fav of course - the number of planes they have in there is amazing. Its a huge hangar with a bunch of planes, including the SR22 spyplane, a prototype Space Shuttle (used for drop tests), a Concorde, various warplanes from USA, Germany and Japan from various eras. A Boeing 707, stunt planes, etc etc. They even had a cute little Cessna 150 ....

For you flight nuts out there - enjoy .... :)

Equipment

2007-11-06T14:36:00.000-08:00

Ive been buying stuff for the trip lately, and wanted to share my good luck finding some great gear with you. Mineys been really helpful with this stuff, so kudos to her. This may sound obvious, but Im finding paying a bit more for quality is giving me a whole lot more value for money. The goal of all this is to pack for 3-4 months of travel in a daypack, for temps from 20F to 120F and keep the overall weight as close to or under 20lbs as possible. This is my packing list:

- Shoes
http://www.rei.com/product/727770
Salomon Trail Running shoes.
These things are awesome - goretex so your feet wont get wet, stylish enough that you can wear them into a restaurant without looking like a geek, but comfortable enough to climb rocks all day. The quick pull lets you take the shoes off easily without unlacing anything, and adjust the tightness depending on the terrain your traversing. Super comfortable also - I cant take the damn things off.

- Base Layer
http://www.rei.com/product/742776
Patagonia Capilene 2.
This is a base layer for keeping warm, but the zip allows you to open it right up if its hot. Capilene goes from 1 (lightest) to 4 (heaviest/warmest) so this is on the lighter side. What I like is you can use this as a base layer for warmth, or just wear it like a long sleeved TShirt - it looks good enough to wear out to dinner. Ive been wearing this to work under a jacket ....

- WindStopper/Fleece
http://www.usoutdoorstore.com/outlet/index.cfm?fa=products.showDetail&sku=25505
Patagonia Fremont Jacket.
This is the best item of clothing I have ever owned. It is a fleece windstopper, waterproofed so the rain just beads up on it - but you can wear it to work or dinner or a night out and look like your in a stylish jacket. I can wear this into the forest or into a nightclub - works for both options. I only need one jacket for all purposes, so I can carry less gear by using this - just love it.

- Backpack
http://www.rei.com/product/748185
Marmot Garmsal 35ltr.
Lightweight pack with plenty of options. Has various compression straps to bring the load in, a belt strap with zips in the belt for storing items. Outside straps for tying gear to the outside of the bag and strapping it down. Seals well to get pretty waterproof if its raining a ton. They cut little holes in some of the straps just to reduce weight ...

- Compression Bags
http://www.rei.com/product/720798
Outdoor Research Compression Bags
These let you compartmentalize items so they arent all loose in your backpack, and also keep them dry if it rains. They can be tied to the outside of the backpack if necessary to make more room inside the pack. I have a small and a medium size - will probably use one for dirty laundry and one for misc clean items.

- Waterproof Case
http://www.rei.com/product/723940
Pelican Case
Enough room for camera, ipod and cables. Keeps them protected from throwing the backpack around, and also waterproof if it rains.

- Smartwool Socks
http://www.rei.com/product/626974
Smartwool Hiking Socks
Super comfortable, warm, yet breathable. The best thing I can say is after a day of wearing these my feet and these socks dont stick up a room - Ive never been able to say that about any other sock.

Other items in the bag. The Travelweight stuff is made of super light materials and weights very little - designed for warmer climates or as items on top of base layers:

- 3 pair underwear
- 3 more smartwool socks
- Jeans and belt
- White travelweight Shirt
- Travelweight pants
- TShirt
- Travelweight shorts
- Lightweight fleece (as extra base layer in cold temps)
- Cold weather hat
- Base layer gloves
- Sunglasses/Regular Glasses
- Extra memory card for camera, cables for camera and ipod and charger for camera and ipod.

All up this kit weight about 20lbs, which is easy to carry in the daypack. Seeing as this will be on my back for the next 5 months it needs to be light and compact, and the dual purpose use of a lot of things on the list is where the real benefit comes from Im finding. Note the items Im NOT taking, such as computer (yay!), watch, GPS, additional shoes, etc.

Colorado Pictures

2007-11-04T17:56:00.000-08:00

^^^ Click the photo for all the photos in this set ^^^

I went out to Colorado recently to do some biking in the canyons and mountains. They kicked my ass. Wish I had my own bike there with the triple chain ring - the Colnago I had was nice but I needed the third ring to get up the steep parts.