The Scrabbled: Making Fun of Each Other since '99

I’d highly recommend this to anyone planning a trip down to Caribbean. It was probably the most amazing natural experience I’ve ever had.

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The family I cook for took a vacation this week and gave me no notice, which means I have the entire week off…

I am leaving tomorrow morning, 10:00 a.m., for a cross-country round trip adventure. I am traveling with my friend (and somehow-cousin-through-marriage relative) Tom. I didn’t think I’d have anyone to go with, so that’s why I didn’t say anything until now. We’ll be gone for roughly 4 weeks, maybe less, probably not more.

I could use any and all suggestions. I’ll also try to accomplish any and all requests.

Any albums I should definitely put on the iPod?

Check out a list of the major stops after the jump. It’s mostly National Parks, with some cities thrown in. Though, we’ll probably be camping at National grounds just outside of those cities as well.

anyone ever been to either city? we’re headed that way tomorrow morning for a wedding. and while i think i have everything covered as far as food/fun go, who can tell. maybe somebody here knows something i don’t?

Anyone ever been to Charleston? Can you recommend anything to see or do or eat?

We are doing the yearly beach-week with Rachel’s family in Holden Beach next week, which is a really awesome private beach right on the border of N/S Carolina…

Anyway, we’re making a day trip to Charleston, mostly because I desperately want to eat at McCrady’s. But thats all I have planned………

…as a teacher! Big things are happening this weekend. First of all, the weather is beautiful. I hope everyone gets outside.

But more importantly (to this post), I am heading out tomorrow morning on an overnight school trip with the 5th-8th grade I teach.

Anyone use it?

I’m probably going to try to get tickets to games 1 and 2 of the World Series and fly down to Tampa to root on the Phillies in person, the first time in an opponent’s stadium. It’ll probably work out to be cheaper to do all of that and see 2 games than it is to go to one game here in decent seats. Just didn’t know if there is anything cool down there to occupy my time in between. I think the stadium is technically in St. Petersburg, so the whole surrounding area.

Bill & I are going to Charleston, WV next weekend to watch some of the qualifying rounds in this year’s World’s Strongest Man competition. (We’ll only be there on the 6th & 7th.)

I expect this to be hilarious and awesome. When Bill was younger, he was really into WSM and kept a website about it (caution: link to 1997). He went to a few WSM events in the US, and there are some funny pictures of him as a teenager hanging out with dudes seven times his size.

Following that, we’re leaving on the 13th to spend a week in northern Europe. We’re headed to Hamburg, Copenhagen, and Malmo. Three countries in nine days, eek. Hopefully some of the friendly Scandinavian strongmen will have some travel advice!

So Scrabbleds, what fun is on your horizon?

i realized i never posted about my trip to chicago a little while back. rachel and i more or less ate the entire city in just a few short days. we, of course, did other things, but food is what i remember most… especially a trip to the BEST HOT DOG restaurant in the world. we ate at some places where i forgot to take pictures, but there are a great deal of food photos here

a few weeks ago, i bought the june 18 issue of u.s. news world report with the cover story headline reading “where your gas money goes: record oil prices fuel the ambitions of the united arab emirates.”

It’s not booked yet but I’m planning on taking about 5 days this summer to gallivant around Southern California.

Those that know me well know that I love baseball, and especially baseball stadiums. The stars (and schedules) have aligned, and the Phillies will be in Los Angeles and San Diego, and the Angels will also be home. I plan on seeing games in all three parks.

Sounds awesome, except, I’ll be by myself.

It seems like a great opportunity to do things that nobody else would want to do (i.e. get up at sunrise and ride a bike along the beach), and not be a slave to anybody else’s schedule or interests. I might even learn a thing or two about myself. But at the same time it feels like it can be horribly depressing and lonely.

Who has done the solo travel thing before? What did you like, and what did you not like? Did you find it easy to meet new, like-minded people?

I had lots of good food, though they aren’t much for variety, and lots of beer.

I was out their for my friends wedding,which they had lots of weird traditions at. One involved the best man chasing around a bunch of dancers so he could steal their chicken. Another was a bread tug of war thing to see who would run the house. I woke up the next morning to find my suit covered in mud and the pocket torn off, so that was fun I guess.

That was in Tarnovo, which was an old, really nice city built on steep river banks with cobblestone streets and all that good stuff. They had a castle on the one hill with an awesome light show, which I would post pictures of if I knew how.

Then we went to Sunny beach, which was very different. Picture Seaside, except the size of Las Vegas, and full of Europeans. It was kinda weird; beautiful beaches and water, but a boardwalk where you couldn’t walk 10 feet without every shop and restaurant owner harassing you to patronize. Gorgeous topless women, lying 10 feet away from hideous topless women, next to overweight grandpa in a banana hammock. It was like the Cancun of Europe.

I’m using their free internet because the maid is cleaning the room and everyone else is either being lazy or shopping at the local dirt merchants. Also I was up drinking all night.

Funny thing about Bavaria, thats where the couple met. The wife is from here, so might as well have a wedding here. Its a nice place, all they eat is pork, cucumbers and feta, and drink beer and rakia, which is kind of gross unless its with a salad. Wierd.

And they have a funny alphabet.

Wedding is tomorrow, maybe I’ll make it back on here, maybe not.

so as a way to celebrate our simultaneous graduation, rachel and i are heading out to chicago for a few days next week. assuming i already have the food aspect of the trip covered (and i’ve already been to wrigley field), does anybody have any fun suggestions for things to see/do while we are there?

I went to Costa Rica about two weeks ago. I’m pretty awful at taking pictures, but I think I have a couple of nice ones.

In September! It’ll be the first time I’ve gone on vacation that didn’t involve staying with relatives or going with them. It will also be only the second time I’ve left the US. Eek.

Ten days split among Hamburg, Copenhagen, and Malmo! FUCK YEAH!!@$%#$

So the dollar hit a new low against the Euro this week. And Gosia and I are going to be in Tuscany three months from now. So the question is… do we convert our money now and hope to save a few dollars as the dollar continues to tank? Or do we wait until our trip to convert our money and hope the dollar recovers a bit?

Also, let’s send some pity Paris’ way. Great week to be traveling to London.

Tonight, I embark on my first trip outside the country!

We (girlfriend Jessica, buddy Kurt and myself) arrive in London, England tomorrow at 9:00am. I have many places mapped out to visit. Some include: Tate Modern, Primrose Hill, Piccadilly Circus, Westminster Abbey, Temple Church.

Friday night is something really special…