Cubicle Hermit

Piazza Navona:

More general Italy footage monage

It’s been a while since the dollar has been this strong in places I’d like to visit (or visit again), which is weird given the economy, but whatever.

US$1.4 = 1 UK pound (just better, actually!)
US$1 = nearly 35 baht
US$1 = nearly 3.5 Argentine pesos

The Canadian and Australian dollars, and the Euro are fairly strong, and the Japanese yen is crazy strong – only like 89 to US$1 – so I’m glad I went there when I did. But yeah, it’s definitely time for another outside-the-US vacation/mileage run, and I hope the dollar will still be this strong in March or whenever I can actually take one.

From today’s trip to Akihabara and Shibuya, added to the same album as before… yesterday’s trip to the Mikasa will be in its own album but will have to wait, maybe later tonight more likely when I get back to the US unless the internet connections in Thailand have gotten better than I remember them.

From Tokyo 2008

Also trying to upload a video of the Shibuya crossing, but no luck so far – the Youtube upload link keeps timing out.

From Tokyo 2008

Or view the full album; this was the “Cityrama Morning Tour” with shots from the Meiji Shrine, Imperial Gardens West, and the Asakusa Kannon Temple plus a few of my room and a few of the area nearby in Shibuya.

Nothing edited yet; Picasa is pretty cool for posting RAW shots to the web quickly.

Off to see the Memorial Ship Mikasa tomorrow, and will probably have photos of that for you tomorrow night. Not sure what else I’ll be up to in my remaining pair of days her, but for now jetlag is about to overwhelm me.

John Birmingham’s latest, Without Warning has showed up on Amazon. Looks great, although it isn’t out in the US until February. If I make it to Asia again this fall, I may get it early … as I was able to do with Final Impact, since they get the Aussie editions at some of the Kinokuniyas there (can’t, at this point, remember if it was the Singapore one or the then-new Siam Paragon one in Bangkok.)

It does lead to the interesting question of whether to pre-order (then cancel, if I get it in Asia) or whether to wait to see if the fall vacation (A) happens, and (B) if it’s Asia or Buenos Aires… lots of steak plus the 32.5k mile Citi award (*) make for a tempting option, even with hotel and other prices once I’m on the ground so much higher.

(* vs 40k usually, and 70k for Asia… seeing as I’ve made PLT for the year, this is a good chance to burn miles rather than earn them.)

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This has been on my facebook page for a while, but I saw I could embed it here, so here you go…

…or not. But points for creativity either way:

Fed up with jet noise, couple raise the roof

ARMED with white roof sealant and three choice words, a Ridley Township couple has bypassed bureaucracy and taken their grievances straight to the top – of their roof – in letters 7 feet tall:
“F_ck U F.A.A.”

Via Flyertalk

(I am reminded of the “Romani Eunt Domus” scene from Life of Brian)

From Australia, Sept. 2001

Went right before the Olympics. Most of my photos there were purely on film; one roll didn’t get developed in timely manner, and when I finally got it developed (2006!) it was cheap to get scanned copies as well. So here you go!

You will likely need to expand the window to see the full size. Taken May 1, 2005 on vacation in London.

Vacation photo album

Just a couple of Tulum shots so far, more to come if I get around to it.