Sunday, November 19, 2006
GODDAMN IT
Current mood: pissed off
Category: Travel and Places
Okay, well I´m fucking pissed.
I typed out a couple of pages worth of notes, and this goddamn blog timed out on me while I was reviewing it.
Love this shit from Popeye´s.
Now I´m going to try and type it all again tomorrow, for now it´s 3:28 in the morning and I started typing at midnight.
If you want to know what my day was like, here´s some links to what I saw.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corcovado
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sugarloaf_Mountain%2C_Rio_de_Janeiro
http://www.riosul.com.br
http://www.bodinho.com.br
Things to remember:
Lindevan, the guide who saved us money and told us the history of Corcovado
How expensive things are in Rio, even considering currency conversion
Carrying a pair of shoes up a mountain.
Cable cars that shook. A mountain that was windy.
Buses and narrow cobblestone roads do not mix.
The breathtaking views.
The compulsion to cross myself when near the statue.
Souvenirs.
Rip-off artists posing as taxi drivers.
Confusion in ordering in Portuguese.
Long day.
Sunburnt.
Pissed off at making one mistake and costing myself hours of exposition.
Save, motherfucker, save.
Beautiful day ruined by one moment´s stupidity.
Showing posts with label trip. Show all posts
Showing posts with label trip. Show all posts
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
Monday, April 28, 2008
Trip to San Francisco - Friday thru Monday
Trip was successful on many levels...
Met Drunkjim, Fryman, Yohko, Usui, Evalz, Breadoflife, Mandrake, Stevoman, Trele, Trele's wife Rhonda, Stevo's wife Mandy...
Thursday - arrived, went to the Horseshoe bar with Fry and DJ. Were out til ~ 1:30 am. Fry's wife was upset with him that night.
Friday - I left the hotel around 11:00 am and walked down in the bay area, heading towards the beach with a general sense of direction as to where that was.
Took plenty of pictures along the way. Got a call from Trele and Yohko that they were on their way, but I missed it and so I continued walking along Golden
Gate park, snapping pictures of the people who rented bikes and the bridge, as well as several buildings. I managed to get a hold of Trele, and after
visiting the Visitor Center (where a nice lady helped me with directions), Trele made it over to pick me up in front of the Stillwell Hall. We then headed
over to Pier 39. (I should mention at this time I had been walking around in the sun with no hat and no sunblock for three hours. More on that later...). We
walked around Pier 45 and Pier 39 for a while. We ate at Tait's at the Wharf, a little fried food place and we got to know each other. Denise
(Breadoflife/Johnswife), Anthony (Evalz - who had come up at the last minute), Mark (Usui/Miratine), Arlene (Saiyuki/Yohko), Jonathan (Trele), Jonathan's
wife Rhonda (not a player but does have a lowbie mage). We walked around, went to an arcade for a while, looked around for sunblock and sunscreen. Didn't
find any until it was basically too late (but some is better than none, eh?) at the San Franciso (has it all?) tourism shop. Saw breakdancers, musicians (a
really good violin player and blues guitarist), a pair of female folk singers, living statues (one was a robot type that had a little player on his back that
whirred and made noises). Mark beat Anthony at table hockey, and we found out Arlene can't win at Tekken when you make her laugh a lot. We then went to meet
DJ and followed him to his condo on the south side of San Francisco. Z and his wife Beanie showed up and we all went out to the Crowne Plaza Hotel to eat at
the restaurant there. Fry was not able to make it due to his wife being upset. We left the hotel's restaurant around 9:30 as had been told that since a
couple of us were wearing tennis shoes that we weren't meeting the dress code. So we headed to DJ's condo and played Rock Band and Guitar Hero for hours,
drinking and shooting the proverbial shit.
Saturday - wake up, go oyster-shucking out near Petaluma. It was a long drive, passing through that small town. DJ navigated, so we stopped a few times on
the way for ice and what not. Saw a parade of police cars from different eras, from the old 30s model Fords to modern day Dodge chargers and mustangs. We
were out there for a few hours, from around 1p to 3p. On the way back, I stopped by the hotel room, grabbed a quick shower, and changed from the clothes I'd
been wearing since Thursday. It was then on to the Giants game. We were late getting to the train station, Fry's sweater got soaked from laying in the truck
bed where DJ had put the sacks of ice. We drank beer on the way to the stadium, mostly cracking jokes and laughing about the various shenanigans. We got to
the game around 7pm, where we met Stevoman and his wife Mandy. We snuck beer into AT&T Park and got caught since we were drinking straight from the bottle
and not pouring it into cups. Everyone laughed at our misfortune (Fry's really as I'd finished mine.. His was still full!!). Fry went to buy a round of
beers, and ended up being chargede 17 dollars for 2 beers!! He came back to the group, which by that time was mostly sitting together. "Fryman's upset!!" he
shouted. Then he kept shouting "$17!! FOR TWO!!". Was hilarious., Again, stayed up all night with Rock Band and Guitar Hero...
Sunday - Missed flight. Called and left messages with Francie and Danny. Was supposed to be there around 5am to catch a 7:15am flight. Everyone woke up
around 8, having gone to sleep around 5am. Mark and I went to the airport, where I found out what I needed to do - switch to a flight on Monday. There was a
12 o'clock US Airways flight, but I would've been on standby and the flight was full. There was another flight - the red eye flight - but it was completely
sold out including standby passengers. So we Went back to hotel and I checked out at 10:30 am. Grabbed another shower, grabbed all my bags and gear, and we
went back to DJs. Then we headed out to Coyote Point, where DJ has his slip for the Chi WOW Wuh, his 20-footer. The wind was pretty high, with whitecaps all
around. There were windsurfers, kitesurfers,sailers, and powerboaters out on the water. We drank a few beers, threw the frisbee and nerf football around for
a little while as DJ went to get his boat ready. I went to grab a few photos, thinking DJ was convincing himself not to go out there, but he changed his mind
and so DJ, Z, Marc, Anthony, and Jonathan all went out on the boat. They went around the bay for about two hours, then came back. I grabbed plenty of photos
of the guys, the slips, the shoals, the rocks, all the people out there and a couple of Arlene. After they came back, we played with Jonathan's high-powered
RC car until the battery popped out when Denise crashed it into a curb. Then Jonathan sent it out on a suicidal mission at full power although it managed to
make a curve at around 30 mph and not hit anyone or anything - and there were cars coming and kids playing... He shouted "OH SHIT!" and ran after it - we
were all laughing so hard... After that, we dined at BJ's - they're a brewery/sports bar & grille like Seven Bridges here in Jax.
Monday - Kept waking up all night. Had gone to sleep watching Crank (w/ Jason Statham) around 1am. Planned on riding with Jimbo to the airport, but he was
ready a little too late and so was I, so he headed off to work. Shook hands, thanked him for letting me stay (next time I don't think I'll need a separate
hotel room, eh? Only spent a few hours there the entire weekend. Was only in hotel for less than 7 hours all weekend - two showers, a nap, and a clothing
change...) and then got ready to head out. Mark and Arlene took me to the airport, SFO. We shook hands and hugged, thanked them for a great weekend, and then
I headed off to catch my flight. I went to the line, learned the E Ticket was not a boarding pass (duh!) went back and grabbed the pass and went thru
security. No one asked me about the can of solarcaine or the toothpaste - are they getting less strict or are they just unobservant? Then again, do I look
like a terrorist? Is that profiling? - and so I went to catch the flight at 8:55. Ate the leftovers of the Cajun jambalaya from BJ's (which was quite good -
I had thought of getting some tabasco, but it was good enough w/o it) for breakfast. Found out (or I think so at any rate) that I left my cash (only $15) in
the condo. I owed it to Denise since she bought me dinner last night (the split bill was $23 apiece, and I had only $15 left in cash from the $80 I'd started
with plus the $40 I'd withdrawn at the ballpark - No telling how much exactly I spent on this trip - at least $500 on the tickets and hotel I didn't really
need).
Slept and snored a good bit on the flight back. I know b/c I kept waking myself up. Found out Jimbo and I both have sleep apnea. Watched 'National
Treasure: Book of Secrets' on the flight. Got hit up for credit cards by US Airways on both flights. The A321 that took me to Charlotte wasn't that bad.
Got to Charlotte with no problems, even though we were delayed around 45 minutes due to inclement weather in Charlotte. The cushion again disappeared, but
when we arrived, discovered that the flight to Jacksonville had been delayed due to bad weather in Columbia, South Carolina. Our original departure time of
5:50pm was pushed to 7:20 pm. Then they were able to secure a different plane - a 737-300 that I'm sure I've flown on before - or at least this crew
(probably the DC to Charlotte to Jacksonville trip last summer).
Arrived in Jacksonville at 8:00, got a ride home with James at 9:00.
All in all, a great weekend.
Pictures to come...
Met Drunkjim, Fryman, Yohko, Usui, Evalz, Breadoflife, Mandrake, Stevoman, Trele, Trele's wife Rhonda, Stevo's wife Mandy...
Thursday - arrived, went to the Horseshoe bar with Fry and DJ. Were out til ~ 1:30 am. Fry's wife was upset with him that night.
Friday - I left the hotel around 11:00 am and walked down in the bay area, heading towards the beach with a general sense of direction as to where that was.
Took plenty of pictures along the way. Got a call from Trele and Yohko that they were on their way, but I missed it and so I continued walking along Golden
Gate park, snapping pictures of the people who rented bikes and the bridge, as well as several buildings. I managed to get a hold of Trele, and after
visiting the Visitor Center (where a nice lady helped me with directions), Trele made it over to pick me up in front of the Stillwell Hall. We then headed
over to Pier 39. (I should mention at this time I had been walking around in the sun with no hat and no sunblock for three hours. More on that later...). We
walked around Pier 45 and Pier 39 for a while. We ate at Tait's at the Wharf, a little fried food place and we got to know each other. Denise
(Breadoflife/Johnswife), Anthony (Evalz - who had come up at the last minute), Mark (Usui/Miratine), Arlene (Saiyuki/Yohko), Jonathan (Trele), Jonathan's
wife Rhonda (not a player but does have a lowbie mage). We walked around, went to an arcade for a while, looked around for sunblock and sunscreen. Didn't
find any until it was basically too late (but some is better than none, eh?) at the San Franciso (has it all?) tourism shop. Saw breakdancers, musicians (a
really good violin player and blues guitarist), a pair of female folk singers, living statues (one was a robot type that had a little player on his back that
whirred and made noises). Mark beat Anthony at table hockey, and we found out Arlene can't win at Tekken when you make her laugh a lot. We then went to meet
DJ and followed him to his condo on the south side of San Francisco. Z and his wife Beanie showed up and we all went out to the Crowne Plaza Hotel to eat at
the restaurant there. Fry was not able to make it due to his wife being upset. We left the hotel's restaurant around 9:30 as had been told that since a
couple of us were wearing tennis shoes that we weren't meeting the dress code. So we headed to DJ's condo and played Rock Band and Guitar Hero for hours,
drinking and shooting the proverbial shit.
Saturday - wake up, go oyster-shucking out near Petaluma. It was a long drive, passing through that small town. DJ navigated, so we stopped a few times on
the way for ice and what not. Saw a parade of police cars from different eras, from the old 30s model Fords to modern day Dodge chargers and mustangs. We
were out there for a few hours, from around 1p to 3p. On the way back, I stopped by the hotel room, grabbed a quick shower, and changed from the clothes I'd
been wearing since Thursday. It was then on to the Giants game. We were late getting to the train station, Fry's sweater got soaked from laying in the truck
bed where DJ had put the sacks of ice. We drank beer on the way to the stadium, mostly cracking jokes and laughing about the various shenanigans. We got to
the game around 7pm, where we met Stevoman and his wife Mandy. We snuck beer into AT&T Park and got caught since we were drinking straight from the bottle
and not pouring it into cups. Everyone laughed at our misfortune (Fry's really as I'd finished mine.. His was still full!!). Fry went to buy a round of
beers, and ended up being chargede 17 dollars for 2 beers!! He came back to the group, which by that time was mostly sitting together. "Fryman's upset!!" he
shouted. Then he kept shouting "$17!! FOR TWO!!". Was hilarious., Again, stayed up all night with Rock Band and Guitar Hero...
Sunday - Missed flight. Called and left messages with Francie and Danny. Was supposed to be there around 5am to catch a 7:15am flight. Everyone woke up
around 8, having gone to sleep around 5am. Mark and I went to the airport, where I found out what I needed to do - switch to a flight on Monday. There was a
12 o'clock US Airways flight, but I would've been on standby and the flight was full. There was another flight - the red eye flight - but it was completely
sold out including standby passengers. So we Went back to hotel and I checked out at 10:30 am. Grabbed another shower, grabbed all my bags and gear, and we
went back to DJs. Then we headed out to Coyote Point, where DJ has his slip for the Chi WOW Wuh, his 20-footer. The wind was pretty high, with whitecaps all
around. There were windsurfers, kitesurfers,sailers, and powerboaters out on the water. We drank a few beers, threw the frisbee and nerf football around for
a little while as DJ went to get his boat ready. I went to grab a few photos, thinking DJ was convincing himself not to go out there, but he changed his mind
and so DJ, Z, Marc, Anthony, and Jonathan all went out on the boat. They went around the bay for about two hours, then came back. I grabbed plenty of photos
of the guys, the slips, the shoals, the rocks, all the people out there and a couple of Arlene. After they came back, we played with Jonathan's high-powered
RC car until the battery popped out when Denise crashed it into a curb. Then Jonathan sent it out on a suicidal mission at full power although it managed to
make a curve at around 30 mph and not hit anyone or anything - and there were cars coming and kids playing... He shouted "OH SHIT!" and ran after it - we
were all laughing so hard... After that, we dined at BJ's - they're a brewery/sports bar & grille like Seven Bridges here in Jax.
Monday - Kept waking up all night. Had gone to sleep watching Crank (w/ Jason Statham) around 1am. Planned on riding with Jimbo to the airport, but he was
ready a little too late and so was I, so he headed off to work. Shook hands, thanked him for letting me stay (next time I don't think I'll need a separate
hotel room, eh? Only spent a few hours there the entire weekend. Was only in hotel for less than 7 hours all weekend - two showers, a nap, and a clothing
change...) and then got ready to head out. Mark and Arlene took me to the airport, SFO. We shook hands and hugged, thanked them for a great weekend, and then
I headed off to catch my flight. I went to the line, learned the E Ticket was not a boarding pass (duh!) went back and grabbed the pass and went thru
security. No one asked me about the can of solarcaine or the toothpaste - are they getting less strict or are they just unobservant? Then again, do I look
like a terrorist? Is that profiling? - and so I went to catch the flight at 8:55. Ate the leftovers of the Cajun jambalaya from BJ's (which was quite good -
I had thought of getting some tabasco, but it was good enough w/o it) for breakfast. Found out (or I think so at any rate) that I left my cash (only $15) in
the condo. I owed it to Denise since she bought me dinner last night (the split bill was $23 apiece, and I had only $15 left in cash from the $80 I'd started
with plus the $40 I'd withdrawn at the ballpark - No telling how much exactly I spent on this trip - at least $500 on the tickets and hotel I didn't really
need).
Slept and snored a good bit on the flight back. I know b/c I kept waking myself up. Found out Jimbo and I both have sleep apnea. Watched 'National
Treasure: Book of Secrets' on the flight. Got hit up for credit cards by US Airways on both flights. The A321 that took me to Charlotte wasn't that bad.
Got to Charlotte with no problems, even though we were delayed around 45 minutes due to inclement weather in Charlotte. The cushion again disappeared, but
when we arrived, discovered that the flight to Jacksonville had been delayed due to bad weather in Columbia, South Carolina. Our original departure time of
5:50pm was pushed to 7:20 pm. Then they were able to secure a different plane - a 737-300 that I'm sure I've flown on before - or at least this crew
(probably the DC to Charlotte to Jacksonville trip last summer).
Arrived in Jacksonville at 8:00, got a ride home with James at 9:00.
All in all, a great weekend.
Pictures to come...
Trip to San Francisco
5:40 pm - loaded onto flight 1404 to ATL.
Window seat approx six rows in front of the engine.
Took off at approx 6:55. Was supposed to leave at 6:10pm. It's now 7:30p and we've been informed we're beginning the approach to Atlanta.
Might not miss connecting flight after all.
Well hells fuckin bells, y'know.
Seems the gate for the connecting flight to SF was at a COMPLETELY DIFFERENT GODDAMN GATE than the one on the boarding pass. Not B28, oh fuck no. A02.
Yes. I made it. I made it to B. Then I fast=walked (like I could run with two bags and a heavy ass jacket on).
So I make it to B28. Then I notice, yes, Delta changed the gate.
So I try to make it to A. But I dont know the layout. So I miss the connection. Seems you have to take a fucking train from the B terminal to the A terminal.
So I missed the flight. Yes, I missed the goddamn flight.
So I ask one of the Delta agents if I can get to SF. She puts me on a later flight, taking off at 9:35. Well, I might make it in the early morning hours.
After two cigarettes and a jack 'n coke, I'm calm enough.
Get some food in me at a wrap place. Buffalo chicken wrap.
Now I eagerly await the flight.
GODDAMN.
On the plane. Took off at 9:35pm. Will (or should arrive) around 11:35pm. Sent texts to DJ, Fry and Yohko, as well as Michele and Jennifer to let them know. Now incommunicado on the plane.
Man I am so hating Delta.
But it's not really their fault. Air traffic and then a screwup as I'm sure there was an update I should have caught around the time I landed.
Sigh.
Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.
This post will be adult-rated.
I need more alcohol. But at least now I'm cooled off and much calmer.
But the weekend can only go upwards now, eh?
I've still got two whole days to be in SF.
I will have to check in as soon as I arrive, tho.
Then I can go out.
Couldnt really charge up the laptop or the phone, both were charged when I got to the airport, but all the texts and phone calls today...
And the battery only lasts 2 hours... no time in Atlanta to really charge it up, unless I had sat at the charger the entire time. Why don't airports have more plugs? You have to fucking fight for one almost.
But I did meet a cute Jacksonville University student named Sara. Studying to be a pilot and going out with some friends in Hotlanta. Also met a nice guy named Doug. Another Sara and another Doug.
Pictures to come...
Window seat approx six rows in front of the engine.
Took off at approx 6:55. Was supposed to leave at 6:10pm. It's now 7:30p and we've been informed we're beginning the approach to Atlanta.
Might not miss connecting flight after all.
Well hells fuckin bells, y'know.
Seems the gate for the connecting flight to SF was at a COMPLETELY DIFFERENT GODDAMN GATE than the one on the boarding pass. Not B28, oh fuck no. A02.
Yes. I made it. I made it to B. Then I fast=walked (like I could run with two bags and a heavy ass jacket on).
So I make it to B28. Then I notice, yes, Delta changed the gate.
So I try to make it to A. But I dont know the layout. So I miss the connection. Seems you have to take a fucking train from the B terminal to the A terminal.
So I missed the flight. Yes, I missed the goddamn flight.
So I ask one of the Delta agents if I can get to SF. She puts me on a later flight, taking off at 9:35. Well, I might make it in the early morning hours.
After two cigarettes and a jack 'n coke, I'm calm enough.
Get some food in me at a wrap place. Buffalo chicken wrap.
Now I eagerly await the flight.
GODDAMN.
On the plane. Took off at 9:35pm. Will (or should arrive) around 11:35pm. Sent texts to DJ, Fry and Yohko, as well as Michele and Jennifer to let them know. Now incommunicado on the plane.
Man I am so hating Delta.
But it's not really their fault. Air traffic and then a screwup as I'm sure there was an update I should have caught around the time I landed.
Sigh.
Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.
This post will be adult-rated.
I need more alcohol. But at least now I'm cooled off and much calmer.
But the weekend can only go upwards now, eh?
I've still got two whole days to be in SF.
I will have to check in as soon as I arrive, tho.
Then I can go out.
Couldnt really charge up the laptop or the phone, both were charged when I got to the airport, but all the texts and phone calls today...
And the battery only lasts 2 hours... no time in Atlanta to really charge it up, unless I had sat at the charger the entire time. Why don't airports have more plugs? You have to fucking fight for one almost.
But I did meet a cute Jacksonville University student named Sara. Studying to be a pilot and going out with some friends in Hotlanta. Also met a nice guy named Doug. Another Sara and another Doug.
Pictures to come...
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