. . . pay attention to these helpful tips. Read more →
EppsNet Archive: Travel
Five Guys in Europe: Venice
Here’s the latest slideshow Read more →
An American in Cannes
Here’s a young man enjoying the beach at Cannes, probably as a high school graduation trip with his friends. He looks like he’s enjoying himself, clowning it up for the camera . . . Read more →
Five Guys in Europe: Italy
Italians need to step up their manners . . . Read more →
Five Guys in Europe: France
We’ll always have Paris . . . Read more →
Five Guys in Europe: La Sagrada Familia
La Sagrada Familia is a nice building . . . Read more →
Five Guys in Europe: Departure
In today’s update, the boys catch a break at the airport . . . Read more →
Baggage Buddies: How to Save $3,500 on a Flight from OC to SF
A large group of kids from the music program at Northwood High School are traveling to San Francisco next week. Half are flying up on United and half are flying on Southwest. As you probably know, Southwest doesn’t charge for checked luggage. United does. Each kid on the United flight will give his or her suitcase to a “baggage buddy” on the Southwest flight. Each Southwest kid will check two bags while each United kid will check none. Using this arrangement on both legs of the trip cuts the travel cost by $3,500. Read more →
Mass Electrocutions : Another Reason I Prefer to Just Stay Home
At least 17 people have died in a small Brazilian town after a live power cable broke and fell into a crowd of people enjoying a pre-Carnival street party. — BBC News Fiesta! Read more →
Eaten by Crocodiles: Another Reason I Prefer to Just Stay Home
JOHANNESBURG (AP) — An acclaimed outdoorsman who wrote movingly about testing himself against nature is presumed dead after a crocodile snatched him from his kayak while he led an American expedition from the source of the White Nile into the heart of Congo. — Associated Press Read more →
Car Bombs: Another Reason I Prefer to Just Stay Home
CIUDAD VICTORIA, Mexico (Reuters) – Two car bombs exploded in northern Mexico early on Friday, days after marines found the bodies of 72 people gunned down in the country’s escalating war with powerful drug cartels. — Two car bombs explode in northern Mexico; no casualties – Yahoo! News Read more →
Hostage Standoffs: Another Reason I Prefer to Just Stay Home
MANILA, Philippines — Commandos shot and killed a former policeman who was holding 15 tourists hostage aboard a bus in downtown Manila on Monday, authorities said. Six of the hostages were killed, hospital officials said. — Officials: 6 hostages die after ex-cop seizes bus – msnbc.com Read more →
Rt 66 Diner–Making Shakes
Originally uploaded by richardzx Read more →
Mexican Vacation Bargains
My boss is vacationing in Cabo San Lucas next week. With all the Mexican killings in the news recently, I hope he got a good deal on the room. ¡Olé! Read more →
Shamans: Another Reason I Prefer to Just Stay Home
My dad was telling me about a recent trip he took to the wilds of Ecuador. From the airport, it was a three-hour truck ride, followed by two hours in a motorized canoe to get to the lodge he was staying at. “That doesn’t sound good,” I said. “What if you have a medical emergency?” “There’s a shaman at the village,” he said. “And what the shamans do is they take peyote or whatever the local hallucinogen is, they hallucinate about a drug, then they go into the forest, come back with the drug and give it to you.” “Are they board certified?” “No. And the other thing they do is they blow smoke on you.” “I hate that. What kind of smoke is it?” “I think the guy has a pack of Marlboros. But if you have a heart attack or something, that’s all you’re gonna get.” Read more →
There Are Good Places to Hike Right Here in America
TEHRAN, Iran (CNN) — Iran confirmed Tuesday the arrest of three American hikers who crossed into the country from neighboring Iraq and said they have been charged with “illegal entry,” a semi-official news agency reported. — Iran confirms U.S. hikers arrested for ‘illegal entry’ – CNN.com When you hear about people doing something pointless and stupid — and not just pointless and stupid but elaborately pointless and stupid — like traveling halfway around the world to take a frigging hike along the border of a totalitarian regime that hates Americans, don’t you secretly hope that something bad will happen to them? So do I . . . Read more →
Twitter: 2009-07-29
Judgmental people suck # My 16yo son's visiting cousins in Australia. He tells his mom to stop calling every day. “People will think I’m a baby.” # Read more →
Twitter: 2009-07-28
A Lesson in Mystique: http://bit.ly/p0zCr # Called my boy to say Happy Birthday. It's not till tomorrow but he's in Australia, where it's already tomorrow. # Read more →
My Son Turned 16 Abroad
I called my son to wish him a Happy 16th Birthday. His birthday is actually tomorrow but he’s in Australia visiting his cousins for a couple of weeks and in Australia, it’s tomorrow already. When I called, he was at a train station with his cousin Lizzie — well, I’ve always called her Lizzie but she’s 19 now and may prefer Liz. They were waiting for the train to go to Bondi Beach for the day. Happy birthday kid. Miss you . . . Read more →
A Different Person
Our son’s flying to Australia for a couple weeks to visit his cousins . . . I’m talking to people at LAX in a fake Australian accent. My Australian accent is not all that tight except on words with a long “a” sound, which I replace with a long “i” sound, e.g., “mate” becomes “mite.” “Sorry, mite,” I say, as I roll a suitcase over a gentleman’s foot. “Did you just say what I thought you said?” my son asks. “When you travel,” I explain, “you can be a whole different person.” We take the bags over to the baggage scanner. I know we don’t have to wait for them but since “wait” has a long “a” sound, I ask the woman, “Do I ‘ave to white?” “No,” she says. “Jus’ drope i’ oaf then?” I ask. “Yes,” she says. Read more →