With my own life in mind, here are a set of Friday Five questions:
1. Are you planning a get-away of any sort in August or September? Stay-cations qualify!
2. How many sleeps until then?
3. Going back in time... what has been your strangest final destination for any trip (vacation, work, etc)?
4. When travelling out of town, who was the most memorable character(s) that you have met?
5. So far I have followed Jo to the Lower Ninth Ward in New Orleans, and soon we're headed towards the Sturgis 69th Annual Biker rally. Where should she take me next?
The first 20 of you who complete this list *and* send me their snail-mail address will get a postcard (autographed by myself, and perhaps Jo if she doesn't mind). Please mention if you prefer a traditional, silly, or racy (if I can find one) postcard.
1. Are you planning a get-away of any sort in August or September? Stay-cations qualify!
Yes, at least one vacation and possibly a couple work trips to nice places. The vacation is from home to Hamilton to Wyoming (hopefully), and the work trips are to Kingston and Victoria (usually I get remote and boring destinations).
2. How many sleeps until then?
One 1/2 sleep... I need to leave the house in less than 6 hours!
3. Going back in time... what has been your strangest final destination for any trip (vacation, work, etc)?
I have been to some unusual places, but so far the vacation in the Lower Ninth Ward of New Orleans has been the source of a lot of comments. Work trips... probably Cold Lake in February.
4. When travelling out of town, who was the most memorable character(s) that you have met?
Some of those folks from Common Ground (NOLA) come to mind. The Australians that I met a couple months ago in Cold Lake were pretty memorable too!
5. So far I have followed Jo to the Lower Ninth Ward in New Orleans, and soon we're headed towards the Sturgis 69th Annual Biker rally. Where should she take me next?
I'll reserve comment until I see other ideas!
1. Are you planning a get-away of any sort in August or September? Stay-cations qualify!
We already went to San Francisco this month. The only other trip coming up is supposed to be a family wedding in Arizona in Sept, but I may not get to go because we just lost our doggie overnight care place.
2. How many sleeps until then?
Dunno. If I go, it's a few weeks away.
3. Going back in time... what has been your strangest final destination for any trip (vacation, work, etc)?
Strange? I guess Loveland, Colorado. I had to go there for my dog massage course, and it's a tiny insignificant dumpy place, with few food options beyond the fast variety, but a nice view of snow-capped mountains. I don't know if it was strange, it was just boring. I've never been anywhere strange on a trip. I grew up somewhere strange.
4. When travelling out of town, who was the most memorable character(s) that you have met?
I met a lovely guy in Rome, who totally became my secret Italian boyfriend. He took me for a ride on his scooter around the center of Rome and then took me to a famous cemetery to see the family mausoleum where his mother is interred.
Since I lived in New Orleans, I guess all those wacky characters don't count because they weren't encountered in travel.
5. So far I have followed Jo to the Lower Ninth Ward in New Orleans, and soon we're headed towards the Sturgis 69th Annual Biker rally. Where should she take me next?
Hmm...it depends. Have you ever been to San Francisco? It's fan-damn-tastic. There aren't many other places in the US I like to visit...however, I'd LOVE to go to Santa Fe, New Mexico on a photography trip. We drove through NM four times (going through Albuquerque and missing Santa Fe) and the light and colors are amazing, it was kind of magical out there in the desert, driving on a highway paved through molten lava from an extinct volcano. NM is pretty cool.
The first 20 of you who complete this list *and* send me their snail-mail address will get a postcard (autographed by myself, and perhaps Jo if she doesn't mind). Please mention if you prefer a traditional, silly, or racy (if I can find one) postcard.
Yay postcard! All kinds of postcards are okay with me!
1. Are you planning a get-away of any sort in August or September? Stay-cations qualify! I'm going up to the lake for five days in August and then to a Bluegrass festival for a long weekend.
2. How many sleeps until then? One week.
3. Going back in time... what has been your strangest final destination for any trip (vacation, work, etc)? I went to Minneapolis once for work. That I guess is the strangest. I found the Mall of America to be a real snore.
4. When travelling out of town, who was the most memorable character(s) that you have met? There are an awful lot... one that comes to mind is Zeus. Met him at an Earth First Round River Roundevous in Vermont. He wore a skirt and had a huge beard. Great guy - spent a lot of time at his campfire. We made a blackberry pie together.
5. So far I have followed Jo to the Lower Ninth Ward in New Orleans, and soon we're headed towards the Sturgis 69th Annual Biker rally. Where should she take me next? Egypt.
1. Are you planning a get-away of any sort in August or September? Stay-cations qualify!
Yes both! In August we are going to London to see Stomp. Then, the next day take the train to Dover to see the castle and the white cliffs. In September, DH's family may come and we'll go to the Scottish Highlands. If they don't visit, we are taking that Ireland trip we planned but have yet to take because of DH's work.
2. How many sleeps until then?
Till the one coming up first, 3!
3. Going back in time... what has been your strangest final destination for any trip (vacation, work, etc)?
Hm probably the random midwestern towns my friend and I would go. Strange because who takes a road trip to like, Topeka Kansas. We did, we'd go anywhere (my former BFF and I)
4. When travelling out of town, who was the most memorable character(s) that you have met?
Oh, this guy David. My former BFF and I went on a long trip to Tulsa and we always used these walkie-talkies for fun. We picked him up by mistake and met up with him and spent part of the day with him. He was so cute... we tried to keep in touch but it never worked out.
5. So far I have followed Jo to the Lower Ninth Ward in New Orleans, and soon we're headed towards the Sturgis 69th Annual Biker rally. Where should she take me next?
Hmmm I don't know? Devil's Tower in Wyoming is pretty close go there for me.
The first 20 of you who complete this list *and* send me their snail-mail address will get a postcard (autographed by myself, and perhaps Jo if she doesn't mind). Please mention if you prefer a traditional, silly, or racy (if I can find one) postcard.
Traditional for me! I'll PM my addy to you now.
1. Are you planning a get-away of any sort in August or September? Stay-cations qualify!
The week after Labor Day, I think we are going to go stay in a camping cabin at one of the state parks.
2. How many sleeps until then?
About 37. Not including naps
3. Going back in time... what has been your strangest final destination for any trip (vacation, work, etc)?
Father's Day nightmare of wandering around NW Iowa with FIL and Step MIL.
Ended up in St. Louis, MO to go see Rocky Horror Picture Show. (It was about 2 hours south of where I was living at the time.)
4. When travelling out of town, who was the most memorable character(s) that you have met?
The man down in New Orleans (pre-Katrina) who sold fruit from a cardboard table on Canal Street. He was actually quite charming and about 103 years old. Just set up his table in between two buildings and had about half dozen piles of different fruit for sale.
5. So far I have followed Jo to the Lower Ninth Ward in New Orleans, and soon we're headed towards the Sturgis 69th Annual Biker rally. Where should she take me next?
Not sure if you are into Western history, but Custard's Last Stand in Montana is very interesting. Especially considering all the history books I had read up until that point made it sound like the Indians swooped down on Custard. (He was actually on a hill.) And it had a weird vibe.
The balloon festival in New Mexico was cool. And the area is beautiful.
1. Are you planning a get-away of any sort in August or September? Stay-cations qualify!
No. Summer is the most miserable time of year here.
2. How many sleeps until then?
What does that mean? I don't know what "sleeps" are. Do you mean nights?
3. Going back in time... what has been your strangest final destination for any trip (vacation, work, etc)?
I don't know...I don't think I go anywhere strange as a specific destination. I will do unusual tours and sightseeing stuff, but I wouldn't classify an entire town or region as strange!
4. When travelling out of town, who was the most memorable character(s) that you have met?
I met some amazing, life-changing people when I went to Los Angeles by myself in March 1996.
5. So far I have followed Jo to the Lower Ninth Ward in New Orleans, and soon we're headed towards the Sturgis 69th Annual Biker rally. Where should she take me next?
I think you guys need to come to the Texas Gulf Coast and help us recover from Hurricane Ike. We don't get the same type of publicity or assistance that the Katrina victims are STILL getting 4 years later. Where are the volunteer crews to help us?
gingerzing Wrote:Not sure if you are into Western history, but Custard's Last Stand in Montana is very interesting.
This sounds absolutely delicious! What a clever name for an ice cream store!
I'm LOL at "summer's finally here". It's been here in the south since April! I'm so freakin' sick of summer already.
1. Are you planning a get-away of any sort in August or September? Stay-cations qualify!
Nope. I'm staring down the barrel of furloughs, so I'm staying put and hoarding my money.
2. How many sleeps until then?
I imagine it will be at least a year until we can afford a getaway, so....365?
3. Going back in time... what has been your strangest final destination for any trip (vacation, work, etc)?
When my cousin and his boyfriend took me on a tour of OKC's gay nightclubs. Weird...but fun! You haven't lived until you see a pair of Larry The Cable Guys two-stepping together.
4. When travelling out of town, who was the most memorable character(s) that you have met?
I tend to be introspective when I travel, so meeting strangers isn't on my radar. I can't remember a single memorable character! Kinda sad....
5. So far I have followed Jo to the Lower Ninth Ward in New Orleans, and soon we're headed towards the Sturgis 69th Annual Biker rally. Where should she take me next?
Burning Man
PrairieGirl Wrote:I'm LOL at "summer's finally here". It's been here in the south since April! I'm so freakin' sick of summer already.
ITA. I was going to say the same thing.
So sleeps means nights? Why am I the only person who didn't know this? Is this a common expression?
CF Scorpio Wrote:gingerzing Wrote:Not sure if you are into Western history, but Custard's Last Stand in Montana is very interesting.
This sounds absolutely delicious! What a clever name for an ice cream store!
Snort! Silly goof.
CF Scorpio Wrote:So sleeps means nights? Why am I the only person who didn't know this? Is this a common expression?
I only recently heard of it too, because on Facebook and Myspace (when I had it) people would countdown their vacations to "5 days and a wake up". For some reason right from the start I find this ANNOYING as hell. I don't know why. So therefore I figured "sleeps" meant sort of the same thing.
RE: "sleeps". My MIL is chair-bound until she gets a "sucks all the pus out" machine detached from her foot -- and she keeps the TV on the western channel. So I've been inundated with bad westerns, with a lot of Hollywood Indian-speak -- "ten sleeps from here"...."many moons ago".....etc.
Interesting. I'd never heard "sleeps" or "wake-ups" before.
CF Scorpio Wrote:So sleeps means nights? Why am I the only person who didn't know this? Is this a common expression?
There's a small town in Wyoming called Ten Sleep. It got its name because it was an American Indian rest stop halfway between Laramie and Yellowstone, and people knew that when they reached that rest stop it was only 10 sleeps, or 10 nights, until they reached the place their destination. Before cars and roads, it was a way of measuring time and distance when traveling. I only learned this a few months ago because I read it in a book, otherwise I had never heard the expression before.
anastasia Wrote:CF Scorpio Wrote:So sleeps means nights? Why am I the only person who didn't know this? Is this a common expression?
There's a small town in Wyoming called Ten Sleep. It got its name because it was an American Indian rest stop halfway between Laramie and Yellowstone, and people knew that when they reached that rest stop it was only 10 sleeps, or 10 nights, until they reached the place their destination. Before cars and roads, it was a way of measuring time and distance when traveling. I only learned this a few months ago because I read it in a book, otherwise I had never heard the expression before.
Interesting! That's a cool story. Do they sell custard there?
1. Are you planning a get-away of any sort in August or September? Stay-cations qualify!
Nope, saving up for next year-want to finally do Europe to celebrate getting my Master's Degree.
2. How many sleeps until then?
Like, 300?
3. Going back in time... what has been your strangest final destination for any trip (vacation, work, etc)?
The Ozarks. No offense to anyone who might live there, but totally not the place I wanna vacation.
4. When travelling out of town, who was the most memorable character(s) that you have met?
Some of the locals on St. Thomas.
5. So far I have followed Jo to the Lower Ninth Ward in New Orleans, and soon we're headed towards the Sturgis 69th Annual Biker rally. Where should she take me next?
hmmm, the Grand Canyon, or St. Thomas are highly recommended by me.
1. Are you planning a get-away of any sort in August or September? Stay-cations qualify!
May go to the beach nearby for a long weekend, the week after Labor Day.
2. How many sleeps until then?
Over a month.
3. Going back in time... what has been your strangest final destination for any trip (vacation, work, etc)?
Antarctica
4. When travelling out of town, who was the most memorable character(s) that you have met?
The British couple who adopted me on a plane into London and invited me to their house in John's Wood for dinner. Very fancy, and they had an au pair!
5. So far I have followed Jo to the Lower Ninth Ward in New Orleans, and soon we're headed towards the Sturgis 69th Annual Biker rally. Where should she take me next?
Churchill, to see the polar bears!
Unfortunately I don't have a lot of time to read all of these (I'll return to them when I get home) but I did peruse the suggestions for places to travel and I think that PrairieGirl has the best suggestion in our 'theme' of always visiting interesting characters. Unfortunately we melt in the heat so we'll have to wait for the climate to change in our favour
Dana: We have planned to go to Devil's Tower as part of our trip, so we'll definitely be taking your suggestion!