San Diego to Redding: Pacific Surfliner, Coast Starlight, and More

I had set my alarm for 2:30 AM.  I had headphones on for the alarm so it wouldn't disturb the other people in the dorm.  I groggily turned it off.  I must have fallen back asleep, because the next time I checked, it was 4:00.  I had booked the cab for 4:30.

Somehow, I made it in time for the cab.  He dropped me off at Old Town Station, where I was to catch the Pacific Surfliner to Los Angeles.

The Pacific Surfliner was mostly uneventful (I was sleeping most of the way).  We got off at Union Station in Los Angeles, which definitely was the most chaotic station I've been to.  After a bit, I gratefully got on the Coast Starlight.

The ride north through the Central Coast was the one of the most beautiful routes I've been on.  It got dark after we left San Jose, so I couldn't see anything after that.  We were right on time as we pulled into Redding.  I stepped off and headed home.

San Diego, Day 3: Clear Skies, Barbecues, and More

In the morning, I went to Mike's Taco Club again, this time with a couple I had met the previous night.  I ordered the Fisherman's Torta, which had the same delicious ingredients as the tacos I had the day before.  I got banana juice this time.  I then went back to the hostel for a good portion of the day.

I knew I was going home the next day.  There wasn't much public transportation in Point Loma, so I booked a taxi early morning for the train station.

After a while, I decided to sign up for the hostel barbecue that night.  I provided some freshly-made donuts from a pastry shop near the hostel.  The hostel served brownies, burgers, and salad.  We went to a bar afterwards. I left early so I could go to bed; it was going to be an early morning the next day.

San Diego, Day 2: Liberty Station, Seafood Tacos, and More

After I got up, I decided to go to Ocean Beach. There was a hill on the way that was so steep on the way down that I slid a few times. As I descended, I saw the peninsula near Coronado Beach, which was east of the hostel. Ocean Beach was due west; I had gone the wrong way. By that time, I was over the hill, so I decided to explore onwards.

Almost immediately, I saw a large adobe structure filled with restaurants, cafes, and shops. A sign read "Liberty Station". All the restaurants seemed expensive, but I needed breakfast. I stopped in the Fig Tree Cafe. The person who seated me was quick to point out the $5 breakfast special, a breakfast burrito. It was very good; it had eggs, chorizo, salsa, and potatoes. This turned out to be quite a deal, most of the items were priced at around $10.

Liberty Station

I walked a bit through and to the end of Liberty Station, taking in the scenery. Afterwards, I went to the hostel to rest.

After a few hours, I took the correct way to Ocean Beach. It was sprinkling a bit; there was no sun that day. That wasn't what I came for - it was the octopus tacos at Mike's Taco Club. It turned out that they couldn't find any octopus anywhere. That actually impressed me; they must get it from fishermen instead of commercial fisheries. I ended up ordering the Taco Especial, a taco with scallops, shrimp, and fish. It was some of the best seafood I've had in my life. I also got some cantaloupe juice. It still had the pulp in it, which was a nice touch. They also had free refills! I ended up getting another taco because it was so good.

I saw a pier, and decided to walk down it. Shortly after stepping foot on it, I saw a rickety old shack with a beat-up sign reading "Cafe". I had to try it. I got the lobster taco with chowder. It was very good, and they didn't skimp on the lobster either. The chowder was served in an unusual way: instead of a bread bowl, the chowder was scooped onto biscuits. It was good nonetheless. I walked back to the hostel, and went to bed after a while.

Ocean Beach Pier

San Diego, Day 1, Part 2: Point Loma Hostel, Carne Asada Fries, and More

I checked in to the hostel as I arrived.  As soon as that was done, I got on my laptop and researched areas to be in San Diego.  I wish I hadn't, traveling is much more enjoyable when you don't know where you're going.

I picked the area around me that seemed to have less of a hipster-tourist vibe: Ocean Beach.  I decided to go there the next day, but I had to take care of something first.

Carne asada fries are like nachos, but with fries instead of chips.  It was also invented in San Diego.  Being a food geographer, I couldn't go the rest of the day without sampling some.  There was a taqueria a block from the hostel, so I went there.

My carne asada fries.

After trying it, I headed off to a well-deserved sleep.

San Diego, Day 1, Part 1: Night Driving, Windy In the Grapevine, and More

I packed my backpack and briefcase in the back, and got in the car.  We introduced ourselves as we drove to the highway.  Victoria, the driver, was a horse trainer in the Bay Area.  Corey was from England, and was going to be an intern for the White House.  Both of them were very nice, and gave me an excellent first impression of ridesharing.  In fact, I believe that it is now my favorite mode of transportation.

As we drove on I-680 at night, we listened to some music.  I introduced Victoria and Corey to Blitzen Trapper, and they introduced me to the fact that not all Taylor Swift songs are terrible.

We turned south on I-5 after a while.  By then, it was beginning to get light outside.  As we got into Lebec, we stopped in Starbucks for breakfast.  I had the oatmeal.

Right after Lebec, we passed into the stretch of I-5 known as the Grapevine.  It has a long-standing reputation for speeding cars and wrecks.  It was also extremely windy.  Luckily, Victoria was a very good driver, and we made it through just fine.

We dropped Corey off a bit before San Diego.  I got off at the Point Loma Hostel in San Diego.  I said goodbye to Victoria, and walked in.

Stockton, Day 1, Part 2: The Train Panini, The Nicest Denny's Ever, and More

Immediately after boarding the train to Stockton, I worked my way over to the Cafe Car.  This was different from other dining cars I've been to.  Basically, it's a way better version of the snack car in the Coast Starlight.  I had the Three-Cheese Sundried Tomato Panini, which, although microwaved, was decent.

The train worked its way east along the Sacramento Delta.  After a while, it got to Stockton.

Before I left, my godmother had contacted someone she knew in Stockton to show me around.  I met her at the train station.  We went to lunch at a Mexican restaurant, and had dinner at an Indian restaurant.

At around 7 PM, we left for the bus station.  The bus left for Pleasanton at around 8:05, and got there around 9:25 PM.

Once there, I started on finding a place that was open late that I could stay at to wait for the rideshare to San Diego at 3 AM.  Denny's fit the bill, as their locations are always open 24 hours.

Usually Denny's employees are not very happy to be there, and it shows.  I don't blame them one bit; it's a job that has little room for advancement, the customers treat you like dung a lot of the time, and you don't get paid very much at all.

This Denny's was different.  Maybe it was because I was nice to them (again, a lot of people aren't), but they were welcoming and pleasant to talk to.  They didn't even get upset in the slightest when I notified them that I was going to be there until 3 AM!

Sure enough, when 3 AM rolled around, the people in the rideshare drove up.  I packed my stuff in, and we headed to San Diego.

Stockton, Day 1, Part 1 : The Coast Starlight Is Early, Martinez, and More

And so it goes, another journey on the road. This time, my destination is San Diego, with layovers in Martinez, Stockton, and Pleasanton.

When the train arrived in Redding, I realized something. The Coast Starlight was early. I can assure those of you who are familiar with this route that indeed, I did not see any pigs flying, nor did I hear any dogs meowing as this Herculean feat was accomplished. I'll be on the watch for the Four Horsemen, though.

Martinez is... well, an interesting place. I had a three-hour layover there, enough to explore a bit. And what I saw was downright depressing: boarded-up windows, bars on doors, and graffiti on buildings saying “No Trespassing”. It took a toll on me, but then I realized that if it made me depressed, I couldn't begin to imagine what the people who live there felt about it. What I thought about it suddenly seemed irrelevant, so I walked on through it anyway.

After a bit, I found the main street through downtown, looking for any small, family-run coffee shop I could stop in. The only one I found was locked, so I resorted to a Starbucks instead.

After drinking cough syrup-esque coffee served by snooty baristas, I walked on back to the station until the train to Stockton arrived.

Interview: Katie Gaston, Blog Author of "Katie, On, On"

On November 25, I sat down and spoke with Katie Gaston, a fellow travel blogger.  She currently runs the blog "Katie, On, On."

Robin Heater: So, what made you decide to travel the world?

Katie Gaston: Well, that's a good question. I think that once you think about something for a long time and can't stop thinking about it, then I figure... you're not destined to do it, it's more of a thing that you just have to do. I'm passionate about learning and growing, meeting new people, and challenging myself to new experiences. So I think that's probably the foundation of it: to challenge myself and experience what I never have, while understanding people around the world that I otherwise wouldn't have had the opportunity to. And then finally, I would say that I don't think I can start life until I do it.

RH: I read the blog... “50 Countries, 1 Pair of Shoes.” Why only one pair of shoes?

KG: [laughs] I knew I'd get this question! …Because it sounds good. Okay, technically, I will be bringing three pairs of shoes. The “one pair of shoes” idea is that you don't need a lot when you do a trip like this, so it's keeping it simple, keeping it minimalist. But the adventure is all about running those 50 countries, so my goal is to run in every single country I travel to.

RH: Has your background in business affected the way you travel?

KG: I would say so, probably because the types of experiences I'd be looking to pursue when I travel are based in business, as in my experience professionally, at least for starting the blog. It's helped me understand how to build the blog, how to market it... it's because I have that background and experience.

The network that I'll be using is Rotary International. It's a business and service network, but it's an amazing network internationally because you can go and serve and do things with people who share your same values around the world. Those values are founded both in business and in serving their local communities.

RH: Is that across the U.S., or worldwide?

KG: Worldwide. There are 1.2 million Rotary members; I'm a 'Rotaractor', which is a younger version of that, and I have been for about 4 years or so now. Rotary is an amazing network because no matter where you go, you'll always be able to find someone who has a vested interest in improving the community, as well as business connections to be able to help you if you're in a situation where you would need help.

RH: What's your opinion on Couchsurfing, Zimride, and other forms of collaborative budget travel?

KG: I think they're amazing; they're ideal. When you think of traveling 30 years ago, resources like that didn't exist. I think we're extremely fortunate nowadays that the Internet and other technology have provided us with collaborative solutions to not only meet and share cultures, but also to save money. I am a long-time Couchsurfer, and I intend to use that network abroad as well.

RH: I specialize in food geography, so I have to ask: what is your favorite meal you've had abroad?

KG: Oh gosh... honestly, it's Irish soda bread. That stuff is so good! And it's not abroad, but my favorite Irish pub in Long Beach, where I've lived for the last seven years... and I'll say it's Irish because when I was in Ireland, I went to this place called the Craic House and talked to the shop owner and told him I was from Long Beach. He said, “Oh, have you been to the Dubliner?” It turns out he knew the owner of the Dubliner. That's how I knew it was a legitimate Irish pub, when someone in

Ireland – a very small, rural community in Ireland – knew someone who owned the pub that I went to. So, at the Dubliner in Long Beach, they have my favorite soda bread ice cream, which is amazingly tasty. And it doesn't sound like you should put bread in ice cream, but it's the most brilliant concoction I've had in many, many years.

RH: Bread pudding and ice cream go together well, so...

KG: Their bread pudding is actually pretty fantastic too.

RH: Last question: after you've met your goal of 50 countries, do you plan on traveling more?

KG: Definitely. I mean, ideally, on this trip I'll make it to 50. I don't know if I'll have the energy or the funds to do that, but that's the goal. We'll see. Either way, I think my lifetime goal is 50, and then... if you're passionate about traveling, there's no reason you should stop.

External Links:

Katie's blog

Couchsurfing

Rotary International

Launch of Terroir Plus

Many people have asked three basic questions that are factors in how certain foods taste:

• What components and/or ingredients make a food or dish [insert attribute of food or dish here, such as “taste sweet”, “have a pungent smell”, etc.]?

• When do you make a food or dish so that it [insert attribute of food or dish here]?

• How should you create a food or dish so that it [insert attribute of food or dish here]?

Often what gets missed is:

• Who are you making the food or dish for, and how will that affect how the eater perceives or does not perceive [insert attribute of food or dish here]?

• Why are you making the food or dish, how does that affect how your emotions and therefore your energy and stress levels, and finally how does that affect your performance in the kitchen and therefore [insert attribute of food or dish here]?

• Where is the food or dish made, and how do the physical and cultural factors of the environment surrounding the sources of each and every component and/or ingredient of the given food or dish affect the [insert attribute of food or dish here]?

If we were to be given a theoretical formula for each of these six questions for all possible attributes of a given food or dish, we would quite possibly have a “theory of everything” for that food or dish. You could customize it however you want it; it would be an artisanal food maker's wet dream.

I can't pretend to answer the “who” question, as I'm not a sociologist. I'm no psychology expert, so I can't pretend to know anything about the “why” question either. However, I am a geographer. Therefore, in the new section on this blog known as “Terroir Plus”, I plan on helping to understand the “where” question listed above.

Stay tuned for the first content-based post in this new section, which will be about using the concept of terroir to make the claim that honey has far more potential variations than any other food commodity imaginable. Until then, later!

Going Off Social Security to Travel for a Living

When I tell other people that I want to go off of Social Security, one of the most common questions I get is: “why?”

Social Security can be a safety net. But like all nets, it can trap you if you let it. For one thing, it limits my travel so that I have to be in the country at every new month. I don't like that, because as most of you know, I want to travel for a living (including out of the country).

It can also be a factor in even getting a steady job. Many jobs require a car, and I can't get driver's training or car insurance (let alone a car) with my income unless I work to supplement it. Catch-22's can get annoying sometimes.

Also, not too many renters agree to have tenants on Social Security. So, it seems my only feasible option would be to work in a menial, dead-end job close to where I live (which would be with one of my parents) for most, if not all my life, never seeing the world like I want to. This is not the case, however.

What if, instead of finding desperate ways to boost my income, I could eliminate my main expenses? That's where help exchange programs come in. My main expenses that I need right now are food and lodging. Help exchange takes care of all of that. It lets you work for room and board while traveling.

Unfortunately, help exchange is limited in legality; you can't do it legally on a tourist visa in most countries, and in a few (like the UK) it's just plain illegal if you only have a U.S. passport. However, there are numerous opportunities in the U.S. where, since I'm a citizen, they have no issues with it. Also, in Canada, you can do any sort of help exchange for up to 30 days as a tourist.

And now, my plan. I will try and do help exchange throughout the US and part of Canada from February to August. By then, I will have gone from little to no work experience to a fully employable candidate for a job I just might like, all through volunteering. During that time, I will try and get published in a few places as a travel writer. By that time, I will hopefully be off Social Security. I will keep my job for four months, then in January, I will go around Europe, continuing as a travel writer.

Review: Airpark Cafe

Review: If you want to eat delicious food in a diner just before you take flying lessons, Airpark Cafe is the place to go. It's also a good place to go if you just want to eat good food! It's a local business and family-run, and it's tucked away above the hangar of Benton Airpark, a small airstrip in Redding. They get a lot of pilots here, but also locals. The owners are friendly, and when they're not cooking, they're always happy to say hello. They almost always have food projects going, usually trying out a weekly or daily special of some sort. It's under new management as of now, but it doesn't make the food any less tasty.

Geography: This is transportation cuisine of a different sort. It's different from the Coast Starlight Diner because it always stays in the same place. It caters to people in the transportation industry as well as locals, which results in hearty and generous servings of food. It's not a fusion cuisine per se, but more of a “generalistic cuisine”. It generalizes American diner cuisine, without giving thought to regional variation. This can be a good thing: it still is good food, and catering to the common factors of regional diner food helps bring in pilots from all over the country. It also makes it very true to American cuisine; a rare quality in food in general because it can be hard to sum up the regional differences in American cuisine due to its diversity.

Car-less Travel: Redding to Arcata

Traveling Highway 299 west from Redding to Arcata by car can be frustrating.  The sharp curves, construction work, and often bumpy sections of the road can be challenging for cars.  If you don't own a motor vehicle, then you may think you're out of luck unless you take Greyhound via San Francisco.

But you don't have to do that.  There is a route you can take using a series of regional buses that goes only on the 299.  The advantages over Greyhound are: 

• It costs a lot less.  The regional bus route costs $24.35 one way from Arcata to Redding, while Greyhound costs over $100.

• You meet more locals than tourists.  Since the area of coverage for these buses are small, you often see commuters from the small towns in the area.  I've ridden the route more times than I can count, and I've never once gone without meeting a friendly local along the way.

• The other passengers will not randomly try and stab you.  There have been no combative or hostile passengers when I've ridden the regional buses.  However, every single time I've ridden Greyhound to Portland, fistfights (and more than once, stabbings) have broken out.

Here's a link to transit directions from Redding to Arcata and back:

Redding to Arcata

Arcata to Redding

Future Travel Plans: December 2014

December 2014

San Diego

Tijuana

First off, I'm going to San Diego in December.  It's easy to figure out why I would go there.  Diverse cultures, cheap eats, not Los Angeles... what more could a budget traveler ask for?  Well, I could always go to Tijuana, right across the border.

If you now are wondering whether I have officially lost my mind by going into a place that's reportedly filled with drug dealers, human trafficking, and all sorts of things which (if you're a big fan of the slippery slope fallacy) could land me in a Mexican prison, then I'd like to take a minute to tell you about my hometown (and where I currently live), Redding.

Redding is home to all of the things Tijuana is known for, at least to the same degree if not more.  Drug dealers?  Redding just to happens to be (alongside Eureka) one of the crystal meth capitals of the North State.  Human trafficking is a serious issue here, along with domestic abuse.  Another problem is a broken county mental health system, which I myself have been affected by.

With this in mind, Tijuana begins to sound like a picnic to me about now.  Unfortunately, it isn't; drug cartels do have a lot of power there.  However, I am going with a friend who grew up there, and therefore knows the ins and outs of the place.

There is also a draw for culinary travelers in and around Tijuana.  Fearmongering in the media may have hurt the economy, but it also has brought a sharp decline in stereotypical tourists who seek only places in their comfort zone.  Therefore, more travelers seeking a more authentic, realistic experience there have increased slightly.  Restaurants and food stalls are responding to this, and now Tijuana is undergoing a return to more traditional cuisine.

Launch of Car-less Travel

Hey everybody!  A lot of people, including me, don't have a car or a driver's license.  This new section will deal with traveling without one, and catalog my journeys as it relates to transportation.  Enjoy!

Catching Up...

A lot has happened since I last posted here.  The day after I wrote about the first day in Seattle, I signed up for Matador University, an online travel writing school.  Since then, I've been working on being a travel writer.  Since I started reading travelogues by Bill Bryson at the age of 6, it's always been my dream job to go out and travel, and also get paid for it.

Of course, the reality is that travel writing is a lot of work, and most writers don't make too much money.  That's why I've been thinking of things like antiquing, coding, and also making a bit on this blog by monetizing it.  This means that you may see ads in the near future on here.  I'll try and make them as non-intrusive as possible, don't worry!

I leave for Arcata tomorrow, which also happens to be my birthday.  I'm okay with that, as Arcata is my favorite place I've been to.  I'm also thinking of renting a room there, and having Arcata as my base for travel instead of Redding.

Goodbye Redding...

... and hello Arcata!

Seattle, Day 1: Hostels Trying to be Hotels, The Dock Bar, and More

Today, I said goodbye to Vancouver and hello to Seattle.  It was very strange; I was beginning to feel like Vancouver was my home city after two weeks there.  But it was time to move on.

I said goodbye to Alex and Maria as they left for work.  I finished packing, and headed out.

At 9:30 AM, I arrived at the station whee the Amtrak bus would take me back to the United States, and ultimately to Seattle.  At 11:30, the bus arrived and I hopped on.

After filling out the customs form, we started moving.  We passed Richmond, Surrey, and Delta (the southern suburbs of Vancouver), and finally we arrived at the United States border.

I hadn't done any land border crossings before.  I was a bit nervous, but I made it through all right.  The delay at the border was maybe 30-40 minutes.  Not bad.

We eventually arrived in Seattle.  I hadn't realized how spread out the Seattle metro area was before.  We got in the Seattle city limits about 25 miles from the actual exit that we took to the station.

Upon arrival, I went to a coffee shop I had looked up at the Vancouver station.  It was called Zeitgeist Cafe. The baristas were snooty and the espresso was terrible, so I'm definitely not going back there.

I took bus 5 to Fremont N and 27th.  I got lost on the way, so I called the hostel and asked for directions.

Once I stepped in the Hotel Hotel Hostel, something was off.  It wasn't subtle, either, with the decor akin to a large nightclub.  The staff was friendly, though.  It had more amenities than most motels I've been in.  I guess the "hotel hotel" at the beginning of the name of the hostel should have tipped me off.

This is an example of a hostel not only losing a sense of community, but actively trying to.  I guess some people don't like hostels due to lack of privacy, but come on.  This hostel does not have privacy, as it's technically still a hostel (shared bathrooms, dorms, and common areas).  It just tries to look fancy.  My advice for them: be a hostel or don't.  Most people who usually stay in hostels (including myself) do not want fancy accommodation.  They want to be focused on the area surrounding them and meeting the people in it, not distracted by amenities which they don't need nor necessarily want.  I understand having a few might be nice, but it I felt like I accidentally walked into a rave club owned by Tony Stark.  Not cool.

Anywho, I had to do laundry after a bit, so I went to a laundromat nearby.  I then looked for a place to eat while I waited for the wash to be done.  Right next to the laundromat was a bar called The Dock Bar and Restaurant.  Those of you who know me know I don't drink, but there was a sign advertising two tacos for $3.  I went in.

I ordered the tacos, and chatted with the bartendress about hot sauce and food trucks.  I liked the place, so I ended up getting a crab and shrimp macaroni and cheese.

It was delicious.  The Bechamel-cheese sauce had clam juice in it to thin it a bit, which went well with the seafood.  There was plenty of seafood, and it was real crab (no imitation crap crab here!)  The best part: it was only $13, and had as much crab and bay shrimp as what you would order in an expensive seafood restaurant.  I'll definitely have to come back.

I then went back to the hostel, and went to bed.

Vancouver, Day 14: Pizza, Storm Crow Tavern, and More

When I got up, I decided to go to Caffe Rustico again.  They weren't open for another hour, so I went to Slickity Jim's.

I had the "I See Food", a crab cake and avocado benedict.  Usually I don't like crab cakes, but these were good.  After my meal, I went to Caffe Rustico.

I spent a lot of time there (I think from 9 AM to 2 PM).  Over that time, I got two shots of espresso, a Sprite, a slice of Paesano pizza (pesto, olives, feta, and artichoke), two slices of the veggie pizza, and a Napoli (like a biscotti, but filled with chocolate and topped with sliced almonds).  Some would say this is too much, but for this place, I beg to differ.

Eventually, I went to the area around Maria's work, where we were going to meet.  I got there early, and hung out in the Davie Community Gardens.  It was a really nice place; I ended up meditating there for half an hour.

After meeting with Maria, we walked to a nearby JJ Bean.  Alex met us there after a bit, and we took public transit to Commercial Drive.

Commercial Drive has a lot of nice, cheap places to eat, but it can also be pretty sketchy.  Our destination was the Storm Crow Tavern, basically a pub for geeks.  Sounds just right!

We walked in, and ordered our food.  We pondered playing a few board games, but we just wanted to eat.  (Also, the games were a bit complex).  I ordered the Mexican Vampire Bordello Mac n' Cheese of Cthulhu.

That name alone would lead any sane person to run out of there, so I stayed to eat.  It was definitely worth it.  The toppings (black beans, tomato salsa, cilantro, onion) made it even better.  At one point, I looked up over my table and noticed a sort of altar with a statue of my macaroni and cheese' namesake, Cthulhu.

Imagine sitting down and having this guy watch you eat his macaroni and cheese.  Trust me, it's even more awkward than you think.

Afterwards, we went home.  I prepared a bit for the trip to Seattle the next day, and went to bed for the last time in Vancouver.

Vancouver, Day 13: Biscotti, Shawarma, and More

For breakfast, I had coffee and cereal at the hostel.  I also met someone from Seattle who was in my dorm, and he offered to show me around Seattle when I got there.

After getting ready for the day, I walked over to Slickity Jim's.  They had a long wait, so I decided to go somewhere else.  After a bit of walking, I got to Caffe Rustico.  They had espresso, which was just what I needed (I woke up a bit groggy that morning).  I decided to go in.

I had some espresso.  It was very good, probably the best I've had.  The owner and I chatted a bit, and he gave me what he called the "Vancouver Special".  From what I could tell, it was a sort of latte, and it was delicious.

This is what I love about slow travel.  You get to experience life like a local, and eat in these gems of places distributed randomly in the city in which you currently, albeit temporarily reside in.  If the owners are friendly, you chat with them and learn from them a bit about what it is like to live in their city.  I would have never discovered these places as a stereotypical tourist, dashing from attraction to attraction, not thinking I have time to actually explore.

Caffe Rustico was so good, I ended up eating lunch there, which took the form of penne alfredo and a hazelnut biscotti.  I decided I'd go here again on this trip.

I met some other friendly people in the evening, so that was good.  For dinner, I went to Falafel King and ordered the lamb shawarma.  The herb salad and hummus were good, but the lamb was not good at all.  I put the rest of the meal in the "free food" shelf of the hostel refrigerator.  After that, I called it a night.

Vancouver, Day 12: Chimney Cake, Getting Lost in Stanley Park, and More

Alex, Maria and I went to Slickity Jim's again for breakfast.  After that, I left for the hostel.

The first night at the hostel was disappointing.  It was huge, more like a hotel than a hostel.  Thus, there were very few people who wanted or had the time to chat.  A lot of people were downright rude.  Two exceptions were two people from Austria, but they had to leave for Seattle that day, so we didn't talk much.

A few blocks from the hostel was a Romanian bakery.  Maria is Romanian, and had mentioned chimney cake, a sweet pastry of enormous proportions shaped into a helix.  Alas, they had them!  I ordered one and took it back to the hostel.

I did get lost in Stanley Park that day.  It was fun, but also scary.  In some places, Stanley Park becomes a labyrinth of thick foliage; those are the scary parts.  In other places, there are huge lawns, with walkways and bridges over ponds.  Swans and geese are a common sight there, and they're not afraid to walk right up to people.

Eventually, I walked back to the hostel and went to bed.

Vancouver, Day 11: Chinese Food, IKEA (again), and More

Today, breakfast was a large bowl of macaroni and cheese.  Forget the stereotype about Kraft dinner, this was the real stuff.  It had three cheeses, and was sizzling when they brought it out.  That's always a good sign.

For lunch, I went to a Chinese restaurant across the street.  I had heard there was a lunch special for $7, so I decided to check it out.

When I sat down, the waitress gave me the menu.  It didn't have a lunch special.  When I asked, she seemed annoyed.  She then gave me another menu with the lunch special on it.  It seemed that because I seemed like a tourist, they gave me a version which had the pricier items and not the good deals.  I guess some people don't get that not all travelers are rich.

I ordered the sweet and sour sliced fish, which came with chow mein and a cup of hot and sour soup.  The fish and the soup were very good, but the chow mein was greasy and a bit bland.

Not much happened from the Chinese restaurant until dinner.  Dinner was at IKEA again, but this time we also went downstairs and got a lingonberry sundae.  It was $1.50, a really good deal for something with lingonberries in it.  They tasted like something in between a pomegranate seed and a cranberry.

It was late when we got home, so we went to bed.

Vancouver, Day 10: Best Eggs Benedict, New Novelty, and More

For breakfast, I went to Slickity Jim's again with Maria.  I got what I believe is the best Eggs Benedict variation ever invented: "A Figment of my Imagination", with blue cheese, a poached egg, hollandaise, and finally topped with sliced Turkish figs.

I didn't get to explore much today, unfortunately.  However, I did make it to the New Novelty Indian buffet for lunch.  It was good; I had chana masala (chickpea curry), matter paneer (green pea and paneer curry), and palak paneer (spinach curry), all over basmati rice.  I also had three pieces of naan (flatbread).  Needless to say, I was stuffed for the rest of the day.

I did get to plan for the rest of September, so that was good.  Eventually, I went to bed.

Vancouver, Day 9: Chorizo, IKEA, and More

Coffee today was at Baguette and Company.  It was really good, but the pistachio danish was what really made the trip over worth it.

I decided I would try again at New Novelty.  I got there about noon, and saw the sign.  The lunch buffet was nine dollars.  I reached into my pocket, and pulled out eight dollars.  That was all I had brought with me.

I decided to walk a bit.  When I say 'a bit', what I mean is 'at least 45 blocks'.  After walking, I saw what looked to be a pub with the name "Slickity Jim's Chat n' Chew Cafe".  That sounded like a name for a combination of a strip club and an American Old West speakeasy.  So I thought to myself, "Okay, I'll go in there."

To my relief, there were no half-naked men or women in cowboy boots serving Prohibition-era absinthe.  It was, like many other questionably-named eateries, a hipster lair.

And what a hipster lair it was.  What set it apart from other dens of madness of these sorts was its food.  I had eggs and chorizo.  The chorizo was the best I've ever had.  I mentioned this to the waitress.  We talked briefly about the variations of chorizo, and when I was done, she said she'd pay for my meal.  I was taken aback, I didn't know the nuances of Mexican vs. Portuguese chorizo were even that interesting.  (I'm kidding of course; she actually said it was because I was really nice.)  I gave her double the usual tip, and decided to come back sometime.

Once I got home, I started making chana masala with the ingredients I bought at the Punjabi market the day before.  It turned out well; both Alex and Maria really liked it.

We then went to IKEA.  It's a Swedish chain, and expresses that fact quite visibly, complete with tourism ads on the walls for Sweden, Swedish truffles and chocolates available for purchase, and what else... ah yes.  A smorgasbord.

I had a Swedish apple cake, a shrimp and egg salad sandwich, and haddock and chips, which came out to about 11 dollars.  Not bad.

And with that, we went home to bed.

Vancouver, Day 8: Punjabi Market, Catching Up with Old Friends, and More

After the usual breakfast at Float On, I decided that today would be the day I would go to the Indian buffet, New Novelty.  I was really excited.  What would I get?  Chana masala?  Palak paneer?  Butter chicken?  All of the above?

Finally, I arrived at New Novelty.  I walked in, and asked if they were dong the lunch buffet.  The person at the counter then told me that the buffet was only open from 11 AM to 3:30 PM.  It was 9:30 AM.

No Indian buffet for you!

Then, I got an idea.  There was a Punjabi market over on Main Street.  So I went there instead.  I got taro, Thai chiles, Bombay Tadka sauce, chickpeas, potatoes, and onions.

I went home for a bit, then met Alex near the Waterfront.  We walked over to Maria's work, and met her there.  We also met a friend of mine who also lived in Vancouver, Jeff.

After we had all convened, we went to Japadog, a food truck on Burrard Street.  They sell Japanese fusion hot dogs (think hot dogs, but with Japanese ingredients used as condiments).  I had the Negimiso, a pork hot dog topped with cabbage, seaweed, and some other sauce I can't remember.  It was delicious.

Afterward, we walked to English Bay, then turned back and went home for the night.

Vancouver, Day 7: JJ Bean, UBC, and More

In the morning, Maria and I took a break from Float On.  We went to JJ Bean, one of a chain of cafes in Vancouver.  It is well-loved by locals, so whatever you do, don't compare it to Starbucks around a Vancouverite.  I speak from experience.

The coffee was good.  I couldn't say the same for the spinach and feta bun I had, though.  It was cold, had barely any feta, and the very small amount of spinach it had was dried out to a crisp.

For most of my day, I stayed home.  When Alex and Maria got off work, we went on a walk through a park owned by the University of British Columbia.  Afterwards, we toured the university by car.  I don't remember much; I was very sleepy during the ride.

Afterwards, we went home.  We watched television some more, and went off to bed.

Vancouver, Day 6: Filipino Food (but not too much else)

My sixth day in Vancouver was relatively uneventful. I went to Float On in the morning, then just worked on my travel plans for a while.  After a bit, I got hungry.  There was a Filipino restaurant a block away, so I went there.

I walked in, and noticed that all the menus were in Tagalog.  I didn't even recognize any of the dishes.  Both of these are good; it probably means it's authentic and does not go out of its way to cater to tourists.  I love places like that.

I got a bitter melon, tomato, and egg scramble and a chicken thigh stew with carrot, onions, and red bell peppers in a tomato-pepper broth.  It came with rice.  For dessert, I had a deep-fried and battered banana covered in maple syrup.  All of this cost $9, not a bad deal at all.

I was going to go to an Indian buffet in Little India, but decided to make something at the house instead. I made a grilled cheese, mushroom, and olive sandwich.

Once Alex and Maria got home, we watched some television and went to bed.

Vancouver, Day 5: Fort Langley, Bubble Tea, and More

Alex and Maria had the day off.  Alex went paintballing (I actually chickened out at the last minute).  I ended up going with Maria on a day trip to Fort Langley.

Fort Langley is in farm country, along the Fraser River.  It's quite nice, but it's easy to get turned around while driving, which did happen a few times on our way there.  Eventually, we made it.

We stopped for brunch at Country Fair Bistro Cafe & Patio.  I had Eggs Benedict.  The whites of the eggs weren't cooked enough in places, which was kind of a bummer.

After going through at least three antique shops, there was a cranberry store.  Apparently, there's a cranberry festival every year in Fort Langley, and being a small town, it's a huge thing in the area.  One activity is 'bobbing for cranberries', which I would imagine is like bobbing for apples without the frustration you get when you never, ever get any apples (because they're too big to bite into while blindfolded).  Sounds fun.

After picking up Alex (and getting lost again on the way there), we all went for bubble tea.  I had never had bubble tea, so I didn't know what to expect.  I learned that it's like a smoothie on top, and a small amount of hot tea on the bottom.  You can get black tapioca 'pearls' in the tea part if you wish, and you can add milk.  You can make the smoothie as a slush or as a juice, and you can get any combination of smoothie flavors as you want.  I got a slush jackfruit, peach, and pineapple with pearls and no milk.  It was surprisingly good.

 When we got back, I made dinner.  For an appetizer, I made guacamole on toast.  There were mushroom sandwiches for dinner, and for dessert, I made buttered and spiced peaches.  We called it a day soon after that.

Vancouver, Day 4: Montreal Smoked Meat, North Shore, and More

For coffee on my fourth day in Vancouver, we went to JJ Bean, a local chain coffee shop operating mostly in Vancouver.  The coffee was superb, and so was the marzipan-stuffed croissant crusted with sliced almonds.

We then decided to take a drive up to the lookout at Cypress Provincial Park.  It was a great view, I could see all of Vancouver.  Afterwards we went back and stopped in North Vancouver for a bite to eat.

We went to a place specializing in Montreal smoked meat.  It was very good; it tasted like smoked roast beef, and the texture was that of thinly-sliced ham.  I had it with an egg on a rosemary bagel crusted with rock salt.

We drove to the North Shore, an upper-class part of Vancouver.  For all of you who are familiar with the Bay Area, think Marin County, except slightly less pretentious.  There was an indoor public market, so we went in.

I actually liked it better than the one at Granville Island.  It was bigger, and seemed to be frequented more by locals than your average tourist.  I got a cup of ginger ale.  Forget the canned Canada Dry stuff, this was the best.

Back at home, Alex worked a bit in the kitchen while we listened to some music.  Afterwards, we picked Maria up (I forget from where) and went to Alex and Maria's friends' house for dinner.  We played some tabletop games there as well.

Afterwards, it was time to go home and go to bed.  It was a good day.  Also, I only spent $10 on food!  That meant I had $18 to spend the next day if I felt the need to.

Stay tuned for the next post!

Vancouver, Day 3: Dosas, Salvadorean Food, and More

Today was a day of planning and errands.  Not ideal, but necessary for traveling slowly.  Also, I got to explore the area around where I'm staying a bit more.

I started my day off with a cup of coffee at Float On ($2.50).  Seriously, that stuff is addicting.  I then planned out some things I wanted to do; Vancouver Island and the Fraser Valley were both possibilities.  I also wanted to get a haircut, so I found a place on Kingsway that I might go to soon.

After Float On, I got a tomato and ham Eggs Benedict from Co-Zi Cafe, which was very good.  The Hollandaise sauce was different than what I'm used to having at Gold Street Cafe in Redding.  There was less egg yolk, just a hint of butter, and a lot more lemon juice in this one.  The change in proportions made a huge difference; the resulting sauce was creamier, lighter, and had more of a lemony flavor to it.

Near midday, I went back to Nooru Mahal to get a palak lamb dosa ($12).  It's like a burrito, except filled with curry of some sort (in this case, lamb with spinach curry), and wrapped in something like a crepe.  It was truly delicious.

Once Alex and Maria were both home, I made tuna melts.  To make them, I mixed tuna, cilantro, and lime juice, put some on bread, and topped them with cheddar cheese.  I then toasted them in the toaster oven until the cheese was bubbly.  There was some basil growing on the patio, so I garnished the melts with that.  Not bad for a kitchen with just a toaster oven!

For dinner, we went to a Salvadorean restaurant.  Two friends of Alex and Maria also joined us.  I had the Desayuno Salvadoreno (Salvadorean breakfast).  It was a cube of cotija cheese, refried beans, a tomato-egg scramble, a wedge of avocado, and something else I can't remember.  It was all very good.  I also had a pupusa (well, one half-pupusa from two different people), which was very good as well.  I also had two glasses of cantaloupe juice.  Needless to say, I was stuffed at the end.  Mine was about $14.

It was past 11 when we got home.  I was very groggy, but I know we were figuring out a possible day trip for the next day, and something about Alex and Maria possibly going with me to Seattle for my first weekend there.  We'll see what happens.  Until then, later!

Vancouver, Day 2: Getting Lost in Yaletown, Butter Chicken, and More

After waking up, Alex and I had breakfast at Float On.  I had coffee and a frittata, which cost about $7.  The frittata was excellent, containing egg, rosemary, green onion, and goat cheese.

After he left for work, I bought a book of public transit tickets.  I boarded bus 8, and headed for Hastings and Abbott Streets.  From there, I went to Lost & Found Cafe and bought a freshly-baked bun filled with egg, green onions, cheese, and ham for $3.

From there, I walked west.  I didn't know where I was going, but that was the point.  There's so much more you notice when you're lost in an unfamiliar place.  You aren't focused on what you're expecting, so you can take more in.

I eventually got through Yaletown, and arrived at the Hornby Street Pier.  There was a ferry, so I took it to Granville Island.  It was a bit of a tourist trap, but there were two places I liked that made all of it worth the trip.

The first was Granville Island Public Market, a huge building comprised almost entirely of food vendors.  If there is a heaven, I hope it's something like this place.  I overspent my budget here, but I didn't count it toward my $14 budget (who would when visiting here?).  I got two plums grown in the Okanagan Valley in eastern British Columbia, four pieces of crab meat caught in Victoria (on nearby Vancouver Island), some ginger ale, and a polenta pie with mozzarella, tomato sauce, and fresh basil, topped with an olive tapenade.

The second was a cafe mostly specializing in gelato.  I was going to get that, but then I saw a Nanaimo bar in the display case, and got one of those instead.  I had never tried one before.  It was a delicious layered chocolate-coconut brownie, a layer of custard on top of that, all topped with a chocolate shell.

I went back to Alex and Maria's.  When they both were back, we went to Nooru Mahal, a restaurant serving Indian, Sri Lankan, and Singaporean food.  I had butter chicken and mango ice cream, which set me back another $14.  I'll definitely have to spend less tomorrow, or at least start going within my budget consistently.

I'll have pictures from the first full day in Vancouver soon.  Until then, goodbye!

First Day in Vancouver: Italian Food, Mango Lassis and More

When I got up after my first night traveling, it all hit me.  I wasn't home anymore, and I wouldn't be for a while.  Traveling was my life now, at least for the time being.  Was I sad?  Depressed?  Not in the slightest.  I was finally doing what I love best.

I got up right as one of my friends I was staying with, Alex, was finishing breakfast.  We said goodbye, and he left for work.  I had some cereal, then got ready for the day.  Maria, the other friend I was staying with, got up a bit later than Alex.  She had the day off, so she took me on a tour of the city.

We had breakfast in Float On Bakeshop and Cafe.  I had a vegan maple-glazed donut with Maldon sea salt.  Think what you will about the vegan movement, but this was delicious.  The coffee I had was great as well.

Afterward, we went on the bus and the subway to downtown, then walked to Stanley Park.  We were going to got o the aquarium, but it was fairly pricey ($29!), so we decided against it.  We walked back to Ciao Bella, an Italian restaurant that had a lunch special for 50% off any pasta dish.  I ordered the Ciao Bella linguine, which had mushrooms, onions, and garlic in a demiglaze reduction white wine sauce.  It was one of the best meals at an Italian restaurant I've ever had.  Since I got it with meatballs, it was $14.

After going to the store, I went to a soccer game with Alex and some of his co-workers.  I played goalie, which I got progressively better at (especially after Alex showed me how to kick and stop a ball properly.  I am not usually a big sports person, as you can probably tell.  It was fun, though.

There was also a game of bubbleball going on.  How it works is basically like soccer, except you get inside a spherical, plastic bubble so you can knock players over and roll around to avoid people.  I was able to get in one.  I looked silly in it, so naturally, Maria took pictures of me in it.

After we were done, we went home and ate dinner.  We had apples with peanut butter.  (They were renovating their kitchen and only had a toaster oven, so the options were limited.  I made mango lassis for them because they had bought breakfast and dessert after lunch for me.  We played a tabletop game while their cat, Cosmo, tried to sabotage us by walking all over the space we were playing.  After that, the day was done.

On food that day, I spent $14, which was exactly my limit.  Hooray for good budgeting!

We'll see what the next day has in store for me.  Until then, later!

Taking Off

After waking up at 3 AM, I boarded the shuttle from Redding to the Sacramento Airport.  That went great, although everybody seemed to be too groggy to talk much (understandably).  Then, I was dropped off at the airport.

I hadn't been to an airport since a year ago, when I went to Ireland.  The sheer vastness of these places astound me.  In Redding, there's a flight to and from San Francisco, and a nice Chinese restaurant upstairs, but that's it.

After figuring out the flight was in Terminal B and not Terminal A, I went through security.  At first, they turned me away because I forgot to get a boarding pass.  I decided to get one at a nearby kiosk.

After security (and nearly losing my wallet), I figured out the gate the flight was leaving from.  After that, I got to the good part: food!

For breakfast, I got a plain crepe served with powdered sugar, maple syrup, and melted butter on top.  That cost $6.  That may sound like a lot, but it's fairly cheap for this airport.  It was also very good.

Yet for every good thing in a day, there seems to be a bad thing that pops up when it's over, like an antagonistic version of Whack-a-Mole.  So what was bad?  Lunch.

Famous Famiglia's credits itself as being "New York's Favorite Pizza".  I call bull.  The crust literally tastes like cardboard, it's so soaked in grease that a sponge might be used to sop it up, and the cheese tasted like it had been in the fridge for at least two weeks.  Luckily, I was too cheap to put any other toppings on it besides cheese, and I had only one slice.  However, it was expensive, especially for what it was.

To make up for that, I splurged a bit and got a better (but more expensive) dinner in the Seattle airport.  I had a pulled pork, green onion, and cheddar quesadilla with sour cream and guacamole on the side, topped with barbeque sauce.  That set me back $12, but it was worth it.

So, to sum up airport food at $14 a day, I'll just say it's really hard to do unless you go for fast food.  I certainly couldn't do it, but maybe that's just because I just started budgeting this way.

When my friends picked me up in Vancouver, we went for ice cream (I got one scoop of lavender and one scoop of lemon).  After that, they drove me over to their house, and I got some rest.

Leaving tomorrow

Tomorrow, I start on my trip.  I'll be getting up early, and that means coffee.  Lots of coffee.  From there, I take the shuttle to Sacramento Airport, and fly to Vancouver (with a short layover in Seattle).  I will be staying with friends there for 10 days before spending the rest of the month in the Seattle area.

For my first post on the road, I will write a piece on how to get (relatively) good airport food on the cheap, or at the very least, document my feeble attempt at doing so.  Should be fun!

Options For Eating On A Budget ($14/day)

When I travel, eating is one of my favorite pastimes.  So why go on a food budget of $14 a day?  Wouldn't I just end up eating fast food all day, every day?

No, I would not.  In fact, I probably won't at all unless the only other option is cannibalism.  Here's some things I could do to save money on food that do not involve fast food or Soylent Green:

• For breakfast, have a pastry and a coffee from a local cafe.

• Have brunch and dinner instead of breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

• Or have breakfast, but eat at a decent, local buffet instead of lunch and dinner. 

• Spend more on lunch (a cheaper main dish) and less on dinner (maybe just a side dish).  Most restaurants charge more for dinner, so I can use that to my favor.

• Go to happy hours at bars and pubs that serve food.

• Food carts are often delicious and always cheap.

• If there's a lunch or dinner special, go for it.  Be cautious about "brunch specials"; they're often expensive.

• Ethnic restaurants are often cheap and good.  Watch out for restaurants specializing in "fusion cuisine", they're often too expensive.

• As a general rule, stay away from places frequented by tourists and go towards those frequented by locals.  Asking locals about their favorite place to eat is usually a good idea.  If you see a person with a camera around his or her neck, wearing a flower-patterned, buttoned t-shirt, and whining loudly about how the city they are visiting did not meet their grandiose expectations, run like the wind.

What Exactly Is 'Home'?

'Home.'  It means a lot of things to different people.  The most literal meanings seem to be "where you currently have a place to sleep" or "where you were born".  But when these things are different, the meaning becomes more complex.

For me, I consider Arcata, California my true home.  I only lived there for two and a half years, and I lived most of my time (and was born) in Redding.  So why consider Arcata home?

It boils down to what geographers call a "sense of place".  A sense of place consists of all experiences in or impressions of a place or region.  When these are combined, it forms an opinion of what you think of a place in general.

To me, 'home' ultimately means where you have the strongest personal attachment to a sense of place.  For me, that is Arcata.  It's where I had the most good experiences with lasting friends.  It's where people regularly invited me over for potlucks, outings, and the like without me having to ask them.  It's where I feel at home, and the place I know best.

Arcata Community Forest, Arcata, CA

Being A Traveler Starts At Home

In my last post, I discussed how to travel without acting like a tourist.  It's something even I've been working on in my recent trips.  I've been thinking of ways to do this, and realized that if I was a tourist in my hometown, I'd be doing at least one key aspect of it wrong.  I'm not asking myself questions about my surroundings.

In Redding, where I currently live, my curiosity has been jaded by being 'at home'.  However, once I travel, I will no longer be at home.  So if I am going to follow my own advice, I may as well start doing it now.

Later today, I will post an example of this.  If you have any comments, feel free to add them.

Be A Traveler, Not A Tourist

We all know the stereotype of a tourist: a person who visits somewhere just to be there, doesn't do their research about a place that they're unfamiliar with, and then expects all the comforts of home and more in a place that is not really their home.  Most locals hate tourists, and if you act like one, expect to be smiled at when you're looking, but shunned and reviled behind your back (and in my opinion, rightly so).

If you want to get to know a place, and not just experience the things that the local tourism boards feed you (hint: they don't want to give you an honest picture of a place, they want you to do the things that will give them the most money), you do not want to act like a tourist when you travel.  These tips should clear up how this can be accomplished.

• Do your research.  No matter where you travel, things will be different than at home.  Learn those differences, and how you can get familiar with them.

• Don't focus solely on where you are.  Ask yourself why things are and how things work around you, based on where things are and where things are going around you.  That's what I learned to do as a geography major, and it helped a lot with this because that's what the study of geography is.  Also, if you train your brain to think this way, you're never bored; you'll find yourself wondering about questions on everything around you.  It also helps you learn more about a place as you travel.

• Don't expect the comforts of home, and don't expect everything to be like home.  If this is one of the most important things to you when you travel, you really should save yourself some money and stay at home.

That's about it.  If you have some more tips, be sure to write them in the comments section.  Thanks for reading!

Traveling with Bipolar and Aspergers

Traveling with a mental disability is entirely different than traveling if you don't have any.  Having two of them can be a very annoying (to say the least) obstacle if you are a traveler.  I happen to have bipolar and Aspergers, so I have ways of making travel a lot more enjoyable.


Traveling with Bipolar Disorder 

• Take any prescribed medication with you, make sure you have more than enough for your trip.

• If you take bipolar medication, do not consume uncooked alcohol on your trip.  Being drunk and on bipolar meds is not a good combo, trust me on this.  Cooking with alcohol should be fine.
  

• Going through customs with medication can be nerve-wracking if you don't know what to expect.  Contact your consulate for any other country you visit besides your home country on what to pack to get through smoothly.

•  Meditation can help you calm down in certain situations.  For example, once when I was in the Chicago airport, a disgruntled TSA employee who seemed to hate working with the public (it escapes me why he picked that job) yelled at me when I asked if I should get a boarding pass a bit ahead of time.  I was a bit frantic, as I had just gotten yelled at by an official on my very first international flight that I went by myself on.  I ended up meditating at one of the seats by the gate to keep my head level, and it worked.  Do it for 2 minutes, and you should be fine.
  

 

• If you feel you don't need some of your medication, more power to you, but be sure to ask your psychiatrist to wean off of it gradually, getting the amount of meds you take to the minimum you need before traveling.  More meds equals more side effects, and those suck.  If he or she tries to put you on more medication instead (I've had this happen to me before), get a new psychiatrist who is more competent.

You want less medication?  M'kay, let's see... I'll cut down on the Depakote, but to counteract the side-effects of reducing that, I'll put you on Vicodin, Risperdol, and just for the hell of it, Ritalin.  I'll just have you sign here, m'kay?

Traveling with Aspergers Syndrome

• There is no medication I know of that treats Aspergers.  Therapy is a good option if you have the money.  If not, join a social group (some aspect of the group meetings should be face-to-face) that focuses on a topic of interest that suits you.  When I was growing up, I had a very low-functioning form of Aspergers.  After I started attending social events in my school's Geography Club (yes, I majored in Geography, more on that in the next post), I rapidly got increasingly more high-functioning to the point where I was able to travel without any problems.

• Hostels are also a great way to connect with people, not only to improve social skills, but often to find lifelong friends.

I hope all this was useful to others who have one or both of the diagnoses I have.   If you have additional tips, feel free to mention them in the comments.  Thanks for reading!

Budget Travel Plans: September 2014 to January 2015

When I have told my friends that I'm traveling long-term starting September, they often are surprised.  I'm not rich, and I happen to have bipolar and Aspergers (a bit more detail on my experience traveling with mental disablities will be in the next post).  I'm not the most fortunate person in the world, but I still travel.

I do this by budgeting my money very carefully, and spending as little as possible.  Hostels, Couchsurfing, and Airbnb are all fair game when it comes to lodging.  Regional transit is often a cheap method of transportation, and Amtrak is also becoming more affordable.

Food... that's my white whale as far as budgeting is concerned.  Starting in September, I plan to spend $15 a day on food, as opposed to $25.  It will be a challenge for me, but after looking at restaurant menus for destinations I'd like to go, I think I can pull it off and still eat well.

Here's what I plan to do in the next several months:

September

First week and a half: Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

Rest of September: Seattle/San Juan Islands/Port Angeles/Olympia area, Washington State, USA

Vancouver, BC, Canada

San Juan Islands

October

(Not sure, except that I'll probably spend a week in Redding, California and a week in Arcata, California)

Arcata, CA, USA

November

New England region, USA

Providence, RI, USA

December

Portugal

Lisbon, Portugal

January

Spain

La Rioja province, Spain

Purple Rice and the Limits of Globalization

Chinese black rice (Photo credit)

Also known as Chinese black rice, or "forbidden rice", this grain is not only very healthy, but has a history of delineating social status.  In ancient China, the grain was only to be eaten by the Emperor.  In today's world, globalization is the norm, and anyone who can afford it can get Chinese black rice on the Internet.  But being available to more of a global audience is not the same as being available to more people.  Purple rice is a prime example of this.

It has been said that with the Internet and social media, we live in a "flattened" world.  This is not true.  Instead, we just built a whole bunch of drawbridges crisscrossing our world, with toll booths.  If you can't afford to pay the "toll", or the cost needed to access social media and to make use of it, then you still are isolated.


1. By Anna Frodesiak (Own work) [Public domain or Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons. 

The Origins of Falafel

Falafel is a food eaten in the Middle East (a blanket term that I despise, but in this case appropriate).  It is also eaten in the food stands of cities like New York, Chicago, Portland, and others, probably because it actually is a true "Middle Eastern" food, and most Westerners are used to hearing the term.  Therefore, it is marketable to Westerners, and vendors can be honest about which cuisine it belongs to.



It is often said that falafel originated in Egypt, then spread through the Levant.  To our tastes, this seems accurate.  But there is another form of falafel, one that originated on the Indian subcontinent.  It is known to many as "Indian falafel", but this is a misnomer because falafel is made with chickpeas, and Indian falafel (actually known as "ambode") is made with yellow lentils.  It has different flavors, mostly because they use different spices.

Falafel (Photo credit)

They are made in a similar fashion, though.  They both have similar textures, which lend themselves to be easily mashed.  After the cooks do this, they add certain spices.  They are then breaded and fried into a certain shape.  Falafels are usually made into round balls, whereas ambode is usually slightly flattened.

Ambode (Photo credit)

This may suggest that ambode was invented first.  Falafel in Egypt was probably invented 1,000 years ago.  Ambode was invented in the 6th century AD.  My guess is that falafel was adapted from the preparation of ambode.  It has been established that Arab seafarers regularly traded with the Indian subcontinent, so it could have happened through trade.

Also, lentils thrive in cooler climates.  They have been cultivated in semi-arid areas such as parts of Egypt, but have lower yields.  Lentils grown in Egypt would have been expensive, and more so if imported from India.  Chickpeas would have been a better substitute.  After all, the chickpea was known to Ancient Egypt.  And with that, the falafel was born.


Photo credit:


1. By Elias Bröms, http://www.meatinfo.org (http://www.meatinfo.org/alternativ/) [CC-BY-SA-2.0-de (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/de/deed.en), GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html) or CC-BY-SA-3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/)], via Wikimedia Commons.

2. By kuttibalu, original at [http://flickr.com/photos/balamurugan/515816151/sizes/l/], photo obtained from [http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/archive/c/c3/20080913061542!Masalvadai.jpg], via Wikimedia Commons.

Topic: Culinary Regions of California (Marin)

Sausalito in Marin County (Photo credit)

The Marin culinary region is the same area covered by Marin County.

The area shown in red is the Marin culinary region.

The region is characterized by a more upscale variation of the cuisine of the Hills, Lakes, and Wines region, with less emphasis on wine and a lot more emphasis on fresh seafood.


Photo credits:

1. By en:User:Squirrel 22 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Sausalito.jpg) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons.