I'm trying out a new app that lets me blog from an iPhone. This is a three generation leap in blogging technology for me. I still sort of marvel at the things my phone can do. This thing is run on magic, not microtechnology. I promise.
So the main news is that in three days, you will be reading blog posts where the location is marked Bloomsbury, London, United Kingdom!
Did you know it was possible to find $294 roundtrip tickets? I keep waiting for the catch to appear. Like that Iberia will make us pedal on exercise bicycles to power the plane across the atlantic or feed us gruel mixed with mashed cabbage leaves. Or perhaps they are flying some sort of crying baby convention or an alligator shipment, and they came looking for unsuspecting opportunists to fill the rest of the flight. We will see what happens if the 'gotcha' moment arrives.
Regardless, this is a glitch that may never happen again! I think Iberia meant to advertise it as the one-way fare. It's just nice to be on the receiving end of airline mishaps in a positive way for once. Normally, the travel surprise is finding my luggage brutalized or my plans upended by flight cancelations.
This is a two or three fist bump kind of excitement!
My mom and Dori and I are ready for an awesome trip! Even if it will be cold and filled with English fog and drizzle. Those are two of the ingredients necessary for a proper trip.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
Monday, March 14, 2011
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
Brenda's Bachelorette!!!!
These are a bit dated, but they are still fun photos from a marvelous night!
The lovely bachelorette was a fantastic sport - wearing a ridiculous costume, even out to eat!
It was so great to see Sara and catch up!!
We went to Las Fuentas - a classic La Grange restaurant location in its 18th reincarnation.
Where we had a birthday girl!!
And margaritas... The view through the fish eye lens captures the occassion!
Monday, February 14, 2011
Mr. & Mrs. Varva
Brenda got married this weekend! The wedding was so beautiful. She perfectly translated herself and her personality into a wedding. It was creative and thoughtfully detailed and heartfelt and fun!
Here are some photos from before the ceremony...
Isn't she the most beautiful bride??
Here are some photos from before the ceremony...
Isn't she the most beautiful bride??
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
Night in a tuk tuk
This was one of my first tuk tuk rides. The drivers didn't have to let us ride with four people, but they would be more likely to at night. The way to fit 4 Americans in a tuk tuk depends on gender: (1) a guy can ride up front with an arm wrapped around the driver or (2) a girl can perch on lap in the back and try not to fly out the side.
Untitled from Laura Joost on Vimeo.
Fares increase by 50% after dark and in tourist attractions. We always had to negotiate to get to GK II where we were staying. The wallas wouldn't be inclined to go by the meter because traffic and road blocks were so unpredictable. Whenever that was an issue, they just drove on the sidewalk. No problem.
The nighttime price increase is worth it. It's sort of like an amusement park ride with none of the safety features and its for true thrill seekers. At night, a tuk tuk ride is more scary, more loud (more honking to compensate for the loss in visibility), and more cold.
However, it is WAY more fun to whir past all the lights and see how many things are happening in Dehli at night. This contrasts directly with Austria, where there is NOTHING going on outside past 6 pm for the most part.
The best nighttime tuk tuk walla of all time stopped to let his passengers take a ride on an elephant (that was also walking down the street). Regrettably, I was not in that tuk tuk. Worst decision of my life.
Untitled from Laura Joost on Vimeo.
Fares increase by 50% after dark and in tourist attractions. We always had to negotiate to get to GK II where we were staying. The wallas wouldn't be inclined to go by the meter because traffic and road blocks were so unpredictable. Whenever that was an issue, they just drove on the sidewalk. No problem.
The nighttime price increase is worth it. It's sort of like an amusement park ride with none of the safety features and its for true thrill seekers. At night, a tuk tuk ride is more scary, more loud (more honking to compensate for the loss in visibility), and more cold.
However, it is WAY more fun to whir past all the lights and see how many things are happening in Dehli at night. This contrasts directly with Austria, where there is NOTHING going on outside past 6 pm for the most part.
The best nighttime tuk tuk walla of all time stopped to let his passengers take a ride on an elephant (that was also walking down the street). Regrettably, I was not in that tuk tuk. Worst decision of my life.
The Streets of Old Dehli
This is a video I took from the tuk tuk leaving the Jama Masid Mosque...
Notice all the street commerce and how there are NO women anywhere to be seen.
This is the oldest part of Dehli, and it's how I imagined India would look...All the street market vendors and customers and kids. It really differed from other parts of the city that had a greater tinge of modernity.
There is a market here that sells only stolen goods.
What I loved about India was its chaos and how somehow all the chaos could be harmonious and work together.
Notice all the street commerce and how there are NO women anywhere to be seen.
This is the oldest part of Dehli, and it's how I imagined India would look...All the street market vendors and customers and kids. It really differed from other parts of the city that had a greater tinge of modernity.
There is a market here that sells only stolen goods.
What I loved about India was its chaos and how somehow all the chaos could be harmonious and work together.
Bye bye Dehli
We left Saturday night at 1:45 AM. It's weird leaving a country in the middle of the night. I felt like we were sneaking out of Dehli while the rest of the country slept, as if we had stolen all the gin, samosas and silk sarees.
The last day in Dehli was perfect. Here is why:
The last day in Dehli was perfect. Here is why:
1- Riley’s laptop reappeared after 3 weeks in the Air France locker room. They reunited them as we checked in.
2 - We had free tea & chocolate cake with cognac espresso sorbet at the Oberoi Hotel whilst dressed like dirty ragamuffins who didn't want to take a cold shower. (Only the first part of this sentence was perfect)
3 – Hot oil head massage one last time at Plum Salon (wanted to maximize time that I would be clean on the plane)
4 – The DJ finally played Come on Eileen at Spinns (a new favorite place in the world)
5 – Dori finally informed me that India has an 11 ½ time zone difference, not 12. All the clocks in India are NOT wrong. I thought that "India Stretchable Time (IST)" occured because no one knew what time it was.
6 – Ashutosh (our favorite hotel clerk) is on facebook and has added us as a friend
7 – Water in the Dehli Airport costs 10 rupees (less than a $0.20)
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