Archives 2010

Cover Art

If you have ever been to China, then Lost on Planet China will be full of inside jokes only you and other China travelers will understand. His insight into the psyche of the Chinese was amusing and comical, but hardly deep. It would be fair to say that more than half of the book was taken with Troost’s comical musings on the Chinese way of life, with the remaining bit concerned with telling where and what he was up to while romping around the Middle Kingdom.

Troost, who is perhaps most well known for his forays on lost islands, isolated from humanity. Now he has traveled from serenity to the world’s most populated country, and at times his frustration with the density of human life is apparent. While many may feel this is a drawback to the book, anyone who has been to China can laugh along with him as he remains frustrated at people pushing him in line, cutting him on the subway and spitting all over ever piece of bare land.

He considers briefly bringing his family to China with him, but decides against it due to the excessive amount of pollution he encounters during his travels, and that’s not to say he didn’t try to find a breath of fresh air while in Asia. Having lived in China for several years, Troost was apt in his assessment of the state of air in China, but he is also a bit jaded since he spent such a large amount of time on a tiny island in the middle of the ocean—aka the epitome of a fresh air location.

Troost has a very unique writing style. At first it was hard to get into, but after a chapter or two his cheeky textual habits become cute in a quirky way. Having read another book of his, The Sex Lives of Cannibals, which describes his time in Kiribati, I feel that not only has his writing improved, but his sense of humor has expanded a great deal, making his new book a pleasure to read.

Bush Library

A  recent visit to the George Bush Presidential Library in College Station, Texas revealed a deeper look at the man, the President and the Bush family. We were taken on a long, very detailed tour of President Bush, from his childhood to his military career and his courtship of Barbara. We walked through his life in Texas starting a family and a business, and then his entrance into politics and his gradual assent to the highest office in the government. We learned a great deal  about his time in the UN, and in China, as well as details about his family and how his children fared while he was in office and beyond. A replica of the Oval Office and Situation and Speech rooms made the visit seem like a tour of the White House, and also gave a sense of the pressure and stress of the position of president.

Bush Museum

The museum itself was very well organized and designed, with accessibility and interactive displays as a focus. When entering the museum visitors must first pass through security, as the former President and first lady have an apartment on the premises and are known to ‘drop by’ the museum from time to time. A friendly volunteer will then direct you towards the introductory theater, where a short film clip is shown of the former President and First Lady explaining the layout of the museum. From there, you can walk through the artifacts donated by the family and their colleagues and friends, including family photos, quote boards and video clips. For children, the museum has a video game simulation of landing a plane on an air craft carrier, as George Bush did in the war. A replica of the plane dangles above, and throughout the museum there are activities for children and games to keep them entertained while adults read and view the materials provided.

Having visited only one other Presidential Library, the Abraham Lincoln, I found this a real treat. We had hoped to also stop and see the William Clinton Library and Museum, but time did not permit. I hope to visit all of the Presidential libraries at some point, as they offer real insight (albeit biased) into the person in the office, instead of the figurehead. They are an invaluable resource and a great asset to the nation.

The museum is located at: 1000 George Bush Drive West, College Station, Texas 77845, and costs $7 for adults, $6 for seniors and $3 for children. Open on all non-major holiday days. For more information on the Bush Library, visit their official website.

The Alamo

Remember the Alamo! This saying had little meaning to me until recently, when we visited the Alamo in San Antoino, TX. This was a prime turning point in the battle between non-Mexican residents of Mexico and the Mexican government that ultimately resulted in the independent Republic of Texas (recognized by the US government, but not by the Mexican one). The annexation of Texas, as it would later become, was one of the primary reasons for the Mexican-American War of 1846-1848 which ultimately resulted in the USA winning, by battle and purse, over 50% of Mexican soil and landing the entire southern portion of modern-day America, including the gold found the following year in California.

Having visited Palo Alto, a battle where the Mexican army was turned away due to superior American military equipment, seeing the Alamo, where the Mexican army used sheer numbers to overwhelm a fortified mission, was in stark contrast. Ill-equipped Texans defended the mission they had only recently won themselves by battle, and held out for 13 days with nearly all 182-250 defenders lost, including the famous Davy Crockett, and James Bowie. The Mexican Army spared the women and children hiding in the mission.

One shocking event, though there were many in this troubled time, was the Mier Expedition of  1842.  Santa Anna continued to attack Texas after the treaty of Velasco (where Texas became an independent republic.) in hopes of gaining back Mexican territory.  On one event 500 Mexican troops attacked and killed 54 Texans in the Dawson Massacre. Texans responded by counter attacking with their militia in the Somervell Expedition. After retaking the lost land, the Texans were disbanded, all but a few captains and their men went home.  Those Texans camped on the Texan side of the Rio Grande. They were ordered to pull back by Somervell, who knew that they had no serious Texan force to defend against a real attack, but the rogue captains did not, unaware that some 3,000 Mexican troops were in the area. The small party of 261 soldiers were met by the full force of Santa Anna’s army, and surrendered after heavy fighting. They were marched to Matamoros for punishment but 181 of them escaped, with 176 being recaptured. To punish them for the deaths they caused in their escape attempt, Santa Anna declared that every 10th man be executed. He initiated the ‘Black Bean Lottery’ where a jar of 159 white beans and 17 black ones was passed around, with each man drawing his own fate. Those who drew the black bean were executed the following day. Those who survived either died later or were released in 1844, along with a few survivors of the Dawson Massacre. This episode, like many in the Texan Independence War and the Mexican-American War, are largely unknown while the Alamo remains a rallying cry and historical strong point in Texan stubbornness and fortitude.

For more information on the Alamo, visit their official website.

Cover Art

Chuck Thompson is an infamous name in the travel industry. He has been a long-time critic of how Americans perceive the rest of the world, that is to say – as a series of isolated resorts in various exotic locations ripe for development and full of charming tanned locals. Thompson’s uniquely bitter tone throughout the book lends to the overall sarcasm of his message– that the travel industry is flawed and presents only the best and most cheeky aspects of international forays.

In Smile When You’re Lying, Thompson gives perky little insightful tales from his own past that involve excessive amounts of cocaine and marijuana done with Alaskan State Government officials, various visits to go-go dance halls (aka brothels) and a ridiculous amount of drinking with all sorts of unsavory characters. Despite this, he manages to weave an attention-grabbing tale of what it is like to travel as a rogue (albeit flawed) writer, a tale that leaves me wondering what his wife (mentioned in only half of his trips abroad) thinks of his new book.

His brief stint as the editor of Travelocity Magazine gave him the push he needed to launch his travel writing career to new heights. While he has a job most travelers can only dream of, he does little but mock the industry, scorn the results of travel, and defend what “it used to be like” in Thailand, the Philippines and Alaska. Nevertheless, the book’s writing is top notch and the illustrious wordsmith has traveled to over 35 countries on assignment, making him one of the better researched travel writers in the business, and a very lucrative one for him at that.

Palo Alto Battlefield

If you live or vacation in Southern – Central Texas, this is especially important to all the winter Texans, take a short drive North of Brownsville to visit the Palo Alto Battlefield.  Easy to find and only taking an hour or so see, the Palo Alto Museum was a refreshing overview of sometimes forgotten American, and Mexican, history.  The quaint museum displays artifacts from the battlefield as well as detailed information regarding political debate on the subject before, during, and after the war.  There are uniforms, guns, cannon balls, maps, and pictures, but if you museumed’ out, you can watch the PBS video on the battle of Palo Alto, which gives a great overview of the battle as well as the museum.

The museum argued that the first battle of the Mexican – American War (Palo Alto) was provoked by President Polk, who had his mind set on the acquisition and extension of the United States to the Western seaboard.  According to what we saw at the Palo Alto Museum, after skirmishes and heated debate over Texas, the United States, and the Mexican border was ongoing in congress.  Polk himself declared the Rio Grand as the border, although it was not recognized as the official border by either side.  When Mexican General Mariano Arista crossed the river with his 3,400 troops, it was portrayed as an invasion by Polk politicians and Zachary Taylor, sent by President Polk earlier to further stir up Mexican fear of a U.S. invasion, moved towards ‘Fort Texas.’  The front line, still visible today, stretched over one mile.  The terrain made any type of charge suicide so Taylor used new artillery tactics called ‘flying artillery’ to fire once and relocate the artillery to fire against any flanking attempts by the enemy.  The U.S. was unaware of their artillery’s devastation until morning when they discovered that General Arista had pulled out and left over 100 casualties behind in the field.   The American artillery used newer explosive cannon balls which shot shards of shrapnel all around the impact area.  The Mexican army, on the other hand, used older (non- impact – explosive) weapons and artillery.

General Taylor was ordered to push forward and invaded Fort Brown (modern day Brownsville) and Matamoros before pushing deep into Mexican territory, eventually all the way to Mexico city.  In two short years, Polk had negotiated the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo with Mexico in which Mexico lost over half its land to the United States and the US pushed its borders down to the Rio Grand in Texas as well as purchased what is now California, New Mexico, Arizona, and Utah for 15 million USD (about 370 million in 2009).  You can walk through the snake infested trails of Palo Alto in amazement at the epicenter of what would eventually lead to the the largest expansion of the United States since the Louisiana Purchase.  A highly worthwhile and recommended visit for anyone who appreciates history, especially the less well known aspects.

Texan Rose

Texas! The only state in the union that considers becoming its own country on a daily basis and was an independent nation from 1836 to 1845. Texas! Known for the highest number of executions per year. A place so exciting and fast paced it took the armadillo as its state animal. Texas! The lone star state, a word that means “friendship” but a people at odds with both the north and the south. Ah, Texas. There is no other place in the union where history is so alive, so fierce that ‘death by cowboy’ is still considered a legitimate fear. The politics are ripe and raw, the people are hardy and tough, and the sun beats down upon more people in Houston and San Antonio than in 31 other states. So, what did we northerners think of our 6 week stay in the Lone Star State? — I’m glad you asked:

Texans are a tough breed. The ones we met were rough and ready to deliver their political, religious and musical opinions without instigation, and we’re about as willing to listed to the northern view as a child is willing to listen to the news. But, despite their hotheadedness, they were a friendly and approachable people- despite the truck bed gun racks and camouflage clothing. Although we have games like “Big Buck Hunter” in the bars up north, there was nothing of that sort down in Texas. Instead, bar goes serenade each other with karaoke or play a charming game of shuffle board. No, they are not big hunters, they raise cattle instead, proving that brains outdo brawn any day. While the northerner is off hunting in the snow, the southerner is playing shuffle board at the bar while his steers make him millions. And if cattle isn’t the occupation of choice, then oil is. More readily available than water, in places, oil is the Lone Star’s liquid of choice.

Color!

What about the wildlife, the countryside, the great outdoors? Glad you asked. There is more than enough land in Texas to go around. Don’t ever worry that America will become to congested– it wont. There is land in Texas even the Texans don’t know what to do with.  Things are so spread out, that without a car (or horse) it is nearly impossible to get around. Even in the cities there is a certain amount of space between structures that says, “hey, this here is my land, buddy. Get your own!” And, if you wanted your own land, it is available for sale in Texas and teaming with wildlife like hawks, lizards, strange pig-gazelle looking creatures and more. None of which us northerners have seen in the wild before and consider strangely comical when seen from a car window.

Having visited much of the USA, it is fair to say that Texas does indeed have something special. For the independent hermit or outspoken don Quixote, this is the place to be. Austin has great live music and cosmopolitan flare, Houston has NASA (and Billy Bob Thorton) and San Antonio has the Alamo- possibly America’s most famous underdog story.

Book Cover

Steve and Vali made a deal with each other. The first one to circumnavigate the globe by land would win a bottle of the most expensive scotch they could find in California. So, they purchased a bottle of scotch, poured two glasses and set them dramatically on the dining room table. Then they said their goodbyes (an event that left one in handcuffs and other excessively grumpy) and took off on a no-airplanes circling of the globe.

While the premise sounds amazing, and the concept of circumnavigating the globe by land enticing, the actual adventures Vali had were somewhat diminished by the fact that he chose to cheat and fly around the world, thus breaking the deal and cheating himself and his friend out of a true challenge. Meanwhile, Steve sits on a boring freighter for a large portion of his travels, participating in the challenge full on, but thus having less time to see the world.

This raises an important question for us at Abandon the Cube. Since we gave up flying, and have been traveling by land only for the past year, we’re wondering what we are possibly missing by scooting across the oceans and plains by land. While I sometimes think we could experience and see a lot more if we simply flew from place to place, for us most of the adventure lies in the “getting there” aspect of traveling. We recently traveled from Shanghai to Seattle by land, going through Central Asia, the Caucus, Eastern Europe, Northern Africa and finally across the Atlantic by boat to the east coast of the USA where we took a series of trains and cars to the west coast. Basically, we did the same trip that Steve did, minus one trip across the Pacific Ocean by freighter. We would not have done it any other way. Instead of flying from Xinjiang to Uzbekistan, we took a train through Kazakhstan. While we were extorted and robbed in Kazakhstan, and chased across the border in Uzbekistan, we would not lose those experiences for anything, including a cushy airplane chair complete with free drinks and pre-packaged food.

On the up shot, Steve and Vali are both comedians. One writes for American Dad and the other for My Name is Earl, along with many other accomplishments. Their sense of humor permeates The Ridiculous Race, making it a fast and delightful read. While their insight into the places they visit is minimal, the funny commentary along the route is amusing and delightful.

Progreso

Having visited Progreso several times this winter, and Matamoros only once, it is safe to say I’m a bit skewed towards the former destination. Nevertheless, I have rational reasons for enjoying Progreso more than Matamoros. For anyone living along the East Coast of Texas, this will be vital information for you if you are planning on visiting Mexico anytime soon, for everyone else, its a bit of a tale of our visit to Matamoros, where days later there was a shoot out and US customs confiscated several pounds of illicit drugs.

Matamoros inspires looks of fear and awe in Winter Texans, who for so long have heard horror stories of drug deals, border wars and shoot outs occurring at this crossing. Call it naivety, but we wanted to check out the city and see what the market had to offer. We drove to the border and parked the car on the US side before walking gaily across the bridge into Mexico. As soon as we stepped on foreign soil we heard an old familiar sound– taxi drivers whispering discount promises in one ear and steering you quickly towards his patched up vehicle. We saw chickens and other farm life wandering around aimlessly in tiny, makeshift pens, and we saw several people looking at us with disbelief. It seemed more like our recent trip to Uzbekistan, than across a mere 100 yard river from America.

We held up our printed map of Matamoros and decided to walk to the market, a 2 mile stroll following the train tracks before veering into a slum that jetted into the market and bazaar area. Along the walk, people paused to give us strange looks or point the way to the market and shake their head. Perhaps our tiny group of American should not have been there, but hey– we made it through Azerbaijan without incident, why not Mexico?

Matamoros

Finally at the market, we didn’t see a single other American. A mile long street of tiny shops selling Chinese-made shoes, clothes and plastic flowers stretched before us, and we perused the items, snapping pictures, looking at our map frequently, and generally playing the role of retarded tourist quite well. On the walk back to the border, a cab drive hollared out his window, “50 cents a person!” and we jumped in without a second thought. He chatted kindly with us in broken English while we sat bashful and ashamed that we didn’t already speak Spanish. We walked back across the border and the dichotomy was so shocking that suddenly people risking their lives to swim across the river made sense. Hell, I’d do it if I lived in Matamoros.

Progreso, on the other hand, is a town made for tourists. After you park on the US side, you walk across a wheel-chair friendly bridge to Mexico, where several tanks and armed guards keep watch. The streets are lined with liquor shops, souvenir shops, bars and restaurants, as well as cheap dentists and optometrists. We did not encounter a single other tourist under the age of sixty, and the elderly retirees and snow birds were having an amazing time getting drunk on cheap margaritas, dancing to polka and buying up hand-woven baskets and rugs. Its a great place to visit if you want two mustachioed men to play mariachi music to you while simultaneously chugging beer.

Being unemployed, we decided to try to make ourselves useful to society in a way that doesn’t include posting comments on various websites. We decided to volunteer with Habitat for Humanity in Texas.

Logo

Texas is a remarkably transient place. In the winter, all the snowbirds from up north evade the winter chill by vacationing in the south. They are known affectionately as Winter Texans. Between the months of November and March, they invade the south and the sale of liquor and geriatric products both go up (as most Winter Texans are retirees). In March along the southern border, Spring Break fanatics show up with kegs and short skirts to celebrate their brief freedom and terrify the locals. Afterward, the local Texans are left reeling from the not-so-subtle transition from Winter Texans to screaming, drunk teens until the cycle starts over again in November.

We woke up at 5:30 in the morning and jumped in the car for the hour long drive to McAllen, TX, where the local Habitat for Humanity chapter was currently working on two side-by-side houses. We arrived and discovered we were younger than everyone on site by at least 35 years. Nevertheless, the all-male group was in chipper spirits as they showed us how to hang drywall. These folks spend every winter in Texas helping Habitat for Humanity. They show up every work day and donate their time and energy to a great cause, without complaining or politicizing. In truth, these were some of the nicest, warmest and most thoughtful people we’ve met while traveling. We worked from early in the morning until 4pm, and these volunteers took only one break and a short lunch break. They worked at a brisk pace that left us, the younglings, out of breath and exhausted. They had lots of little tricks to teach us about hanging drywall, and were so helpful that soon we were well into the swing of things. That day, we finished the entire interior of the house so it was ready for an expert plaster layer to come in. More importantly, we got to know some of the folks we were volunteering with, an experience that left us smiling all afternoon. These folks take, “salt of the earth” to a whole new level.

If you want to donate your time to Habitat for Humanity, contact your local chapter and find out what they are working on. If you don’t have any construction experience, usually someone on site can teach you enough to help out. If you have free time, why not spend it on something meaningful and lasting, like supplying someone in need with a beautiful home.

Geography of Bliss

If you are interested in social psychology and how the conceptual understanding of happiness varies between cultures, then The Geography of Bliss: One Grump’s Search for the Happiest Places in the World is for you. Weiner travels across the globe trying to find the world’s happiest locations. He travels to the Netherlands, Switzerland, Bhutan, Qatar, Iceland, Moldova, Thailand, Great Britain, India and America in search of this aim.

While the subtitle of the book is, “One Grump’s Search for the Happiest Places in the World,” this is hardly fitting as Weiner is nowhere near as grumpy as other travel critics like Chuck Thompson. His commentary, unlike Thompson’s, is not as amusing or funny, but is in depth and offers real insight into the nations Weiner travels to in search of happiness.

Weiner begins his search by visiting the Netherlands, where a group of sociologists study and document happiness. This concept seems not only wasteful (time, money, etc.) but ridiculous in that happiness cannot be quantified (or can it?). Nevertheless, these professors have found a way to measure and assess happiness across the globe.

It was discovered that the happiest nations are the Netherlands, Switzerland and, in general, Western Europe, while the least happy are Tanzania, Rwanda, Zimbabwe and former Soviet republics like Uzbekistan and Belarus. This is not very surprising, claim the sociologists, since there is an obvious correlation between happiness and financial contentment, wherein the poorest nations are hardly happy. Meanwhile, they have discovered (thank god for science) that people with unstable governments and piss poor economics tend to be grumpy (no kidding!) while those who do not live in fear of their government or financial ruin tend to be happier.

Americans rank towards the upper fringes of the middle of happiness, meaning they are somewhat content but don’t take it too seriously. This is not surprising considering Americans have a plethora of problems to deal with but usually manage to do so while laughing. Living in China, many Chinese would ask why Americans view everything as a game or a joke. I laughed in response, but seriously I don’t know the reason.

It is interesting to think of the places we travel through in terms of whether they are happy or not. Uzbekistan, which we spent about a month in last year, was hardly an easy place to travel, and the government and ridiculous policies kept us from enjoying ourselves on a daily basis. Meanwhile, the locals seemed less than content, which is not surprising for an impoverished Muslim nation without resources or sound allies run by a government that thrives on nepotism and corruption. Why are the pawns unhappy, I wonder?

China (along with most of Asia) ranks quite low on the happiness scale, which also does not surprise me. We have spent roughly two years in China and while I’m sometimes shocked and impressed with the Chinese sense of humor, most of the time I find it depressing that the Chinese put so much pressure on themselves all the time and, given the Confucian hierarchy, they hardly let themselves joke around or have fun. But then, the Chinese find themselves in the middle of their ‘industrial revolution,’ which can be an awkward time for anyone.

This is a great book for any traveler who hopes to gain deeper insight into the places he or she visits, but at the same time, happy or not, the world over can only be understood via experiences, so get out there and experience more of it!

SPI Welcome!

For the past month we have been sheltering ourselves away from the massive cold front that has left the Midwest covered in snow and ice. We journeyed south, like the Winter Texan snow birds, to South Padre Island, TX, a tiny sliver of land only three blocks wide and roughly 15 blocks long, surrounded by the water of the Gulf of Mexico.

South Padre Island, or SPI as locals call it, is a strange place. The island’s southern half is flush with hotels, rental properties, and a plethora of shops selling swimsuits and surfboards and of course a variety of restaurants. The northern half is undeveloped beach and swamp land, even the island’s main road doesn’t venture all the way to the end of the island. During the winter, northerners flood the island and at any given time you’ll find dozens of retirees enjoying the moderate weather on the beach, or flooding the Denny’s for their senior coffee. During the spring, the island is swarmed with spring breakers, who leave a wake of red keg cups behind them when they depart. The summer sees family vacationers while the fall witnesses the return of property owners come to see the year’s damage to their rental houses and condos. Thus, the island can be a different experience depending on when you travel there.

SPI Map

South Padre Island has a lot to offer in terms of sight seeing, take for example, the world’s largest fishing pole, which is houses in Port Isabel, directly across the bridge from SPI. You’ll find a local chainmaille designer, Michael DeVeny, hard at work at the port’s busiest restaurant and bar, Pirates Landing. He spends his time hand weaving necklaces, armor, weapons and vases out of chainmaille and boasts an impressive catalogue of crafts. Additionally, SPI had its own treasure story, a tale of woe, romance and loss wherein the Singer family (yes, of the sewing machine company) buried all of their jewelry and money between two palm trees along the beach when the civil war broke out. Later, they returned but the trees were gone, the sand dunes had shifted, and the treasure was never recovered. A similar event happened earlier, which leads me to think that if the Singer family had read their history, they could have avoided the same fate. In 1521 and 1553 Spanish galleons were smashed against the island and the crew of sailors and explorers were either killed by the harsh environment or by the natives who defended the land. All of their treasure was lost and the ships were never found. Alas, all of my personal attempts at finding either treasure have proved fruitless.

South Padre Island is indeed a sub-tropical paradise off the Texan coast with something for everyone, from treasure seekers to chainmaille enthusiasts to spring breakers and retirees.

Good news for travel buffs, Lonely Planet now has a program that features great travel blogs. This program has exploded in the travel community and you can now see select posts from ATC on related Lonely Planet destination pages. If you have not heard of Lonely Planet, it is a company well known to most travelers for their comprehensive guides that cover nearly 100% of the world (even Antarctica!).  For the international traveler there really is not another guide company that comes close to LP in terms of information at the country and major city level. We use LP guides when traveling abroad, and have quite a collection of their books, including some of their compilation books composed by travelers who have interesting stories to share.

Sunset

Now Abandon the Cube is part of this great endeavor to make travel information more accessible. On each Lonely Planet destination page you’ll find info on each country, including links to our blog, where applicable. There are not alot of people, for example, who have spent significant amounts of time in Turkmenistan, but we have. Thus, our blog adds new information and insight to the Lonely Planet reader. That’s how we help make Lonely Planet better.

If you found our site from Lonely Planet, welcome to ATC! Subscribe to the RSS feed for weekly blogs sent to your email, or you can follow us on facebook and twitter. Alternatively, check out the photo album, our guides, newsletters and info on the 2010 Mongol Rally.

Progreso

I suppose reading the blog might have been confusing recently for some of our more attentive readers. We posted blogs from Canada and Chicago nearly simultaneously, one praising the Olympic ski runs at Whistler, the other lauding a drive from North Carolina to Chicago. Meanwhile, posts from Mexico and Texas are also popping up. If you’ve been confused, you’re probably not the only one. Here’s what has happened since ATC returned to America:

We arrived in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida- a beautiful and warm place complete with scenic palm trees and overpriced taxi rides – in early November, 2009. From Florida, we traveled by Amtrak to Columbia, South Carolina where our train arrived at the ungodly hour of 4:00am. We walked through the last of the hurricane season in Columbia while finding a hotel, and in the morning we booked it north….to North Carolina. We spent several days in the Carolinas visiting relatives and reacquainting ourselves with Krispy Kreame doughnuts and Starbucks coffee—two things sorely lacking in Serbia. No joke, the Serbians could use a few tasty treats to cheer them up a bit.

After our family time in NC, we rented a car and drove to Rockford, IL for some more family time before ATC was split as Lauren went to Minnesota and then Washington (and Canada) while Mike went to New Hampshire. Thus, the blog has postings from the slopes of Whistler, BC and the hills of New Hampshire almost simultaneously.

With the holidays safely behind us, Lauren and Mike have reunited and even managed to drive from Illinois down to Texas, where they were lucky enough to meet up with some Old China Hands (friends from Shanghai) who currently reside in Austin. Continuing on, they traveled south to find warmer weather and calmer skies on the gulf coast of Texas, where they launch mini-trips into Mexico weekly.

So, here I write from a windy but beautiful beach on South Padre Island, TX as the gulf waves crash before me and the salty sand and wind blow my hair into my eyes. The gin and tonics flow freely here, and while little on South Padre Island remains open past 4pm (this being a retirement community) I’m happy to report that this writer has finally found a quiet place to write, reflect and detangle.

Mongolians

Having done quite a bit of research on how to find sponsors for our team in the 2010 Mongol Rally, we thought it might be helpful to write about the process for other folks in the rally, or similar adventures.

Step one – analysis. We read as much information as was possible on the Mongol Rally, including the main demographic, audience, marketability, legality, etc. Once we were confident we could easily explain even the most obscure details of the rally, we moved on. We even purchased and read the only book published by a former rally adventurer.

Step two – organize. We created an excel spreadsheet and brainstormed backwards, thinking about the items our team would need on the rally and then compiling a list of companies that might be interested in sponsoring us. Our spreadsheet was broken down into sectors, like ‘camping equipment’ for example, and then companies, like ‘REI’, and then their contact information so we can keep track of our correspondence with each potential sponsor.

Step three — proposal. We created a snazzy sponsorship proposal that compiled information on the rally, our team, our charity and then listed how sponsors could benefit by helping out our team and charity. Then we sent the proposal to the companies in our spreadsheet from step two.

Step four – press. While contacting sponsors, we also created a spreadsheet for potential press and media coverage, and set about contacting local and international media about our team and the event. After the creation of the proposal, we simply morphed the same document into a mini press kit for interested media affiliates.

Step five—website SEO. While all of this was going on, we maintained the website and blog, and did a bit of much-needed SEO, including some link building and revamping the landing page and Mongol Rally page of our site, gearing them towards the rally and securing sponsorships.

Step six – phone calls. While all of these documents and online work can go a long way towards endearing the team to potential sponsors, nothing is as meaningful as a phone call. We followed up all potential sponsor leads with calls, because in the end it is about people helping people, and the human element is the most essential one.

Good luck with your own fund-raising, and have fun!

Border Crossing

Having always loved Latin music, food, clothing and culture, my first trip to Mexico was dreamt about for years before it actually occurred. Last week I was able to live that dream when we crossed into Progreso from Texas. This was supposed to be a time of intense joy as a lifelong dream of visiting Mexico was finally achieved. However, the experience was sorely spoiled by the government on our side of the border. Here’s why:

I’ve crossed some 20 borders in my day, and not one of them has required me to pay for the privilege of exiting and re-entering the country. But, believe it or not, this is exactly what happens when you cross the land border between Texas and Mexico. In order to pass you must deposit a shiny quarter into the waiting mouth of a machine before it will grant passage into Mexico. Roughly 19,750 million American visit Mexico each year. This number times .25 = $4,937,500. That’s four million bucks the US government makes on American cross-border transportation. While I completely understand that the US-Mexico border needs funds in order to operate, I have a small problem understanding why this is the only border in the world that requires this payment. Side note: the Mexican side charges .35 cents to each person exiting the country for America. They make over 6 million a year.

Many people, Texans mostly, travel to Mexico to buy cheap goods. Cheaper liquor is one such item folks will traverse the borders in search of. While in Mexico we did what many other gringos around us were doing– we shopped, ate enchiladas, had a few margaritas and then bought a bottle of booze to carry across the border to America. While in 2009 the laws stipulated that each citizen could bring back a bottle a month, untaxed, something has changed. We were stopped by rude and rough border guards who demanded $1.25 per liter of liquor. There was no explanation, just a demanding voice, a gloved palm reaching through bars and a continued barking of the order to pay up. There was no willingness to explain, no literature on why the tax was suddenly applies to each bottle entering the country. Sigh.

I don’t want it to seem like the trip to Mexico wasn’t amazing—because it was! A small mariachi band played while we sat on a balcony overlooking the main street having margaritas, children rode their bikes up and down the main drag while adults sold a sundry of baskets, rugs and other items to passing tourists. The food was good, the people were friendly and not pushy, and despite being within spiting distance of the USA, the culture was unique to Mexico and very vibrant. Hotel Del Arco Los Cabos is a great place to stay while traveling through the Cabo San Lucas area.

A god? Yes!

Bear Gryllls’ show, Man vs. Wild (Born Survivor in the UK) – Man vs. Wild – Season 1 – is a rare TV hit. What I like most about this show, despite the fact that some of his stunts are staged, is that he demonstrates how to survive in life-threatening situations across all types of terrain. This week has been productive for me in that sense, I learned how to make rope out of roots, how to wrestle an alligator, how to make a water purifier out of natural elements, how to skin a sheep then use the skin as a boat, etc. He is like a real life Macgyver!

Having spent time outdoors and traveling in places where you are literally always in danger of being stranded from civilization, this show has been a real breath of fresh, information-filled air, and he reaffirmed some of my thoughts while on the road last year.

Anyone who spends any amount of time outdoors knows that what kind of travel gear and clothing you have is essential. I had to buy two *&#*!%$ cheap bags before I finally spent the money on a nice REI backpack that will withstand rough use, varied terrain and temperatures, and 70+ pounds of rip and tear 24 hours a day. Lesson learned: don’t skimp on essential equipment! In that vain, its easy to see how Bear carefully chooses his clothing and equipment before heading into the wild. He has all quick-dry clothing and a multiple temperature jacket of gore tex. I had no jacket on the last trip (big mistake) and what was worse, I had flimsy shoes I bought at a market in China before leaving. I did have a few other items, but was missing a great deal, including a water purifier, on this last adventure. Lesson learned again: don’t skimp on essential clothing! Before the next trip (Mongol Rally 2010) I’ll be buying expedition-level shoes that breathe and can stand rough wear and tear, a multi-season jacket and more quick-dry clothing. Ah, a girl’s wish list has no end!

Final thought: on the show Bear has a special knife he had built for himself which retails at $700+ dollars. While I think it is an essential element for life on the road, I’m not about to drop close to a grand on a knife! I’ll stick with my little Cold Steel Voyager, which was a gift from my Kuk Sol Wan coach in 2006. I have only sharpened it twice and it is in amazing condition, plus the 2″ blade means its legal to cross borders with. You could literally back a truck over it and it would be fine! Also, Bear goes out into the wild without a flashlight, I keep my Smith & Wesson LED Flashlight on me at all times (no joke, its in my purse). Paranoid- no. Prepared- hopefully.

So its 2010 and to celebrate we’re looking for the top ten amateur travel sites on the internet. Help us find them!

We’re looking for competitive, comprehensive, totally awesome amateur travel sites that are more than mere narratives of people’s personal adventures overseas. We’re looking for sites with country information, maps, and relevant info and pictures on the places they have been. If your travel site matches this criteria let us know, we want to find the best, non-corporate travel sites out there!

We also support some other cube abandoning travelers on our Links page, check these guys out, they have a lot to offer.

Check back to see a top ten list once we find the best amateur travel sites on the web for you!

Mount Washington Hotel Lobby - Ready for the Holidays

Also known as the Bretton Woods Resort, the Mount Washington Hotel is the one of the last remaining “Grand Hotels” of New Hampshire’s White Mountains.  Since it was built by Joseph Stickney in 1902, for a mere 1.7 million dollars, it has been host to a variety of historical events, politicians, and celebrities.  The Kennedy’s were known to vacation at the hotel during ski season in the White Mountains.  The hotel was a moderate success until Income Taxes, Prohibition, and the Great Depression reduced guests to minimal numbers.  The hotel closed in 1942 during World War II, was purchased by a Boston syndicate in 1944 for only $450,000 – a fraction of what it was built for decades earlier.

World Bank and IMF Conference Table - Mount Washington Resort

Shortly after the purchase, the Bretton Woods Monetary Conference convened while the Allies pushed their invasion through France.  750 delegates from 44  Allied nations met to discuss the commercial and industrial economic recovery of the world following the war.  The Bretton Woods Conference established the International Monetary Fund (IMF), The International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) – which became part of the World Bank.

The IMF, still today, oversees the global financial system on a macroeconomic scale of countries who affect the exchange rates and balance of payments.  Initially created the stabilize the world economy following the war, the International Monetary Fund now lends money to developing a struggling nations through a system of annual donations from member nations.

The IBRD was originally created to fund reconstruction in countries devastated by World War II.  Now, the IBRD is one of the five facets of the World Bank and currently finances poor and impoverished nations by acts of lending.  I was amazed to discover that such modern day controversial and monumental conferences that affected the world, were brought about in the small rooms of the Mount Washington Resort – nestled away in the White Mountains of New Hampshire.  The resort was giving a grant of $300,000 for hosting the conference and $18 per room from each of the delegates for the three week conference.

Like in The Shining

Walking over the creaky wooden floors and through the drafty hallways of this grand old hotel, I couldn’t help but hear in my head, “All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy,” and “Here’s Johnny!”  Or even worse, I thought I would see those two twin girls in blue dresses at the end of this hallway in the picture to the left.  Down the corridor in that picture, to the left, there was also a bar which was coincidentally empty except for one well dressed man cleaning a glass behind the counter.   That was it, I was convinced that this was the hotel from the movie.  However, The Shining was filmed in a similar aged hotel in the mountain of Colorado.  Just as in the Shining, Mount Washington used to close down in the winter as the roads were too snow covered to reach the mountain resort.

In 2008 the TV Show Ghost Hunters featured the Mount Washington Resort attempting to find ghosts of the past in the 100 plus year old hotel.

Regardless, visiting the Mount Washington Resort was a great historical experience and although we didn’t stay, maybe next time.

Dear President Obama,

In response to your recent town hall meeting, I have a question I’d like to pose to you as a concerned citizen. Why is Amtrak such a mess?

I am an avid traveler. I have traveled extensively in countries across Asia and Europe. Our blog and route maps act as a testament to how far we have gone. We travel only by land, thus we experience the transportation networks of Asia and Europe, and the waterways of the Atlantic. While we have had some amazing adventures (and some misadventures) on international rail, I’m here to report, Mr. President, that the American rail network is one of the most pathetic, antiquated, and embarrassing systems I have ever encountered. Since I travel for a living, this is no small statement.

To solve the problem of why Amtrak is in such horrible disarray, we must take a step back form the problem at hand to assess the environment around it. America is so spread out that its citizens almost require a car to get from home to school or work. Since the citizens of the country live so far apart, and so far from necessities, having one’s own mode of transportation became imperative. Add to that the American sense of independence and you have a nation of people who ignored the rail network after the “west was won.” But ignoring the rail can no longer be afforded. Now is the time to fix it, and, as you have mentioned at tedium, your social programs are aiming to surpass your hero’s, President Roosevelt.

Inner city communities are being reclaimed across America and real-estate prices downtown are now surpassing the suburbs. Could it be that middle-class Americans actually want to dwell in America’s cities again? This would be a huge feat that owed thanks to many people. To complete the picture, however, these people need a way to get around inside the city without their cars. A way that is more convenient, not less so, than driving. We have bus networks in most major cities in America that at the least attempt to run hourly routes. Let me assure you, Mr. President, that buses in Shanghai, China run ever ten minutes making it the most convenient and least expensive way to get from home to work, or anywhere for that matter. Should that example displease you, consider the tram network in Sarajevo where anyone can get from anywhere in the city to another place simply using the city’s extensive tram and bus networks (and all for a VERY affordable price and with timely, rotating schedules). Do you consider those destinations third world? In terms of transportation they surpass us.

As an American hoping to get from Seattle, WA to Austin, TX I was left with few options. I could take an Amtrak train from Washington to Chicago, and then transfer to a southerly train or rent a car. The trip would take roughly a week. That same distance could be traveled in Russia in 2-3 days on the ground without renting a car. Where does that country fall on your “progress” scale?

As we lead the world in carbon emissions (no small feat since China seems to want to beat us on that score) your government could help by expanding the Amtrak network, making it more efficient and prioritizing it over the cargo trains that dominate the US tracks. Amtrak trains are the last priority on America’s rail network, and often spend hours waiting for cargo trains to leave the tracks before they can chug along lamely behind. And never mind that the Amtrak cars were designed to move cargo themselves, not humans. Having spent several days on Amtrak trains, I can testify that it is a trial no human should endure. The car in which I was seated to cross from Seattle to Milwaukee (a 40+ hour journey) had no heat in the middle of January, no functioning toilet, no electrical outlets, and a flickering light overhead. Does that remind anyone else of a cattle car? Trains in Mongolia have bunks stacked three high that are comfortable and clean, have hot running water, heat, electrical outlets and even food services passing through the cars. Riding Amtrak, I felt like a convicted felon (and indeed I was traveling with several recently released felons it turned out, since Amtrak attracts so little attention by our government it is often used to transport illegal items and questionable folks on questionable missions). The train in Mongolia, on comparison, was a Hyatt next to a Howard Johnson.

It was only after several accidents that the American trains were equipped with safety measures to protect the human cargo. Finally, why does the amazing experience of riding the rails cost nearly as much as a flight? Where is the money going? It certainly isn’t going into prioritizing passenger transport over cargo, or in the upkeep of the trains. The trains I rode in Uzbekistan were cleaner, more equipped and better staffed, and that country certainly isn’t on first world status in the US government’s opinion. So, where is the money going? Mr. President, your government wants accountability- account for why our transportation network is in such shambles that the only real option for a working adult to get across the nation is to fly- thus increasing carbon emissions, using precious fuel, bankrupting our citizens, and making holidays a nightmare? Why do third world nations have better transportation systems? Buying a car in America (and thus putting yourself further in debt) should not have to be a requirement to have a job, but in most cases there are no other options. This makes recent college graduates start off in debt, rather than ahead, and sets them up for financial failure; especially in this market. You have already bailed out the auto industry, how about helping out an industry that could actually revitalize transportation, help citizens who cant afford or don’t want to be burdened by a car? How about helping out the American rail network instead of the car companies that continue to squander government funding and then overcharge for poorly constructed machines? How about giving Amtrak a fighting chance?

Any responses you might have to my sincere questions, or any movement you could make in revamping the American rail system, would be greatly appreciated.

Sincerely,
ATC

Chinese and American Flags

Many folks in very important acronym-named think tanks spend their days thinking about the China versus America issue. I wish they would contact me; I could solve their dilemmas for them with relative ease since I’ve lived in both countries and am an avid complainer and comparison maker. This is an impressive title, but way too long for a business card which is why you’ve probably never heard of me in this capacity.

Let’s discuss employment on the China versus America issue, since that is a hot topic in both countries at present. China is an amazing place to live as an expat, and that is the side of China I have known over the past few years. Naturally I’m living in the upper middle class by Chinese standards while I’m there, so for the vast majority of Chinese, my opinions may seem elitist and literally ass backwards. I’m okay with that since I’ve given this disclaimer. I easily found work in China, decently paying, legal and taxed work as an editor at a bank complete with benefits, a swivel chair and a key card that beeped when you held it near the door.

I’ve lived in America as a child, and as a college student, but have spent less than a year as a gainfully employed American. This is partially because I have never been able to find work in the USA. I worked a few odd jobs in college and found a ridiculous post-grad school job that made me want to razor burn my eyeballs, but aside form that all I do is collect polite rejection letters. In the words of the late Kurt Vonnegut, “So it goes…” Yet the economy in the US is dropping like gravity has a hold of it while the situation in China is, in relative terms, defying gravity. Employing myself in any major city in China would be as easy as showing up with some resumes, a nice suit and the ability to speak my native tongue without drooling on myself.

Let’s tackle one additional hot topic in the China versus America issue – health care. In China I got pneumonia and spent $13 USD on a doctor’s visit, X-ray, analysis, blood work, analysis again, examination, more analysis and then medication. That’s $13 total to cure me of pneumonia and over two hours of office face time with doctors and lab folks. And by the way, I got all of my results within that two hours, including blood work and x-ray sheets. With surprising irony, I also got pneumonia in America a few years ago. The doctor met with me for five seconds, said I sounded funny when she put a stethoscope against my back and then wrote a prescription on a sticky pad. Comparatively, the later experience was like getting a medical check from a caveman.  The cost for my America visit nearly gave me an aneurysm (which, by the way, I could never afford in the USA)! Most intelligent folks will be saying, and yes I can hear you yelling through the world wide web’s invisible tubes, that China’s costs are lower due to the sheer volume of people paying for these goods and services. That’s true! I’m not here to argue, I’m just here to say that if I ever get sick again I’ll be standing in line in a Chinese hospital more confident and happy than if I was anywhere in the USA where doctors just prescribe you a drug and then slam the door in your face. I have no opinion on the health care debate now stalled in the US government except to say that I would hope we could come up with something better than bankrupting people for antiquated care and over-drugging them so they don’t care.

That’s all for this addition of China versus America. Tune in next time to hear my thoughts on freedom of press and gender equality. Fun, fun, fun!

Recently, I have been surprised by how difficult traveling is in America if you don’t want to fly. And reasonable people are prone not to want to sit in a metal tube as its flung across the nation with potential terrorists to hinder its flight, or birds to ruin its motors, or a drunken pilot- which is known to have occurred. True that flying is quicker, but its often not worth the hassle and this intrepid writer isn’t planning on boarding and flying vessels without a parachute. So, as I ponder how to get from Washington State on the West coast, to Texas, on the southern boarder, I’m struck by how few reasonably priced options there are.

As this isn’t Europe or Asia, and the argument for a larger and more comprehensive (and not inept) rail system in America has already been made and ignored, I’ll suffice to say that Amtrak leaves so much to be desired that most travelers rule it out as an option. To get from WA to TX would require a traveler to transfer to several different trains, and throw in a few bus rides to boot! That is out of the question for the hassle, the complications with transferring baggage personally, and the cost—which would be staggeringly close to $350 USD.

Let’s think about renting a car next. Since most US rental agencies shy from one-way rentals, there are not many options out there for finding a car to drive the distance without breaking your piggy bank. And trust me, my money really is in a giant piggy bank not worth running for a lousy car rental deal. A one-way rental plus gas would run me in the neighborhood of $500 USD.

Lets consider the bus network of America. Now, if one enjoys being watched over the back of the seat in front of you by a deranged cocaine addict who says your eyes look like food, then this is the way to go! However, if you are mentally stable then the Greyhound just might refuse you a seat. The cost of a bus to TX from WA is around $400 USD, and one would have to change buses several times before reaching the end destination—and reaching that same destination with all of one’s luggage and sanity is a real maybe.

So what is the American budget traveler to do?

ICHC cat relaxing

As the holidays winded to a close I was reminded of how un-zen-like we can become when we are tossed into a medley of the most stressful and emotional scenarios known on the planet- aka the family reunion. While family time is great, and I’d adore more of it without hesitation, the contrast of traveling and being on your own and then being thrown into the same situations as you were in middle school is, to say the least, disheveling. I found myself banging on the bathroom door with the same whiney voice as a decade ago, “hurry up!!!!!” Sharing a bed with a sibling after a decade of not doing so can be the perfect recipe for no sleep as you stay up giggling and sharing stories, which is fun but leaves you red-eyed and useless the following morning. Not to mention the literally cornucopia of food around the holidays means that I’m always feeling like my jeans are shrinking and yet…another cookie couldn’t hurt! With all of this piled on top of last minute shopping, cleaning for visiting relatives and learning to fit back into the old pecking order, one is left in a very un-relaxed, but gleeful, state.

Here is how to get your zen back, or at least this is how I got my chi back aligned with the stars. First, I got some of those super colorful and probably useless face masks that makes you feel like you are doing something useful for your skin while really all it does is dry it out and make it itchy. Nevertheless, they make you feel like you are pampering yourself, which is sort of the opposite of Buddhism when you think about it. Secondly, I applied said mask while taking a bubble bath, which is something I enjoy when the tub is in America, and not in China where I would never immerse my body in the water. Then I read a book but really my mind wanders while I continue to turn pages and then I realize I haven’t even been reading so I flip back and spend the entire time in the tub trying to find where I left off in the book.

Aside from face masks and bubble baths, I also tried to relax by doing an old past time of mine- yoga. But, since my waist as gained a bit of a cushion around the equator, touching my toes only served to make me feel like vomiting. Unless you are bulimic, then vomiting probably isn’t relaxing to you. I scratched yoga off my list and decided to go jogging. Then I scratched jogging off my list because with all the company visiting the house my running shoes were nowhere to be found. Sigh of relief. Exercise is off the list entirely without shoes, you’ll understand.

The only thing left was manual labor, which many of you probably think is the opposite of relaxing. However, doing something with your hands to create something tangible and good turns out to be a very zen activity. I helped my father and uncle build an awesome deck on the back of the house and didn’t lose a single appendage in the process. We spent half the time hanging a tarp to build under (this is Washington state—meaning it literally never stops raining) but we completed the project and I must say that I now appreciate deck builders more than I appreciate anyone working in an office. Guess I should have paid attention in math class after all. It turns out it is all relevant!

So, in the end I found my relaxation in carpentry, I’m perfectly fine suggesting you try this at home, but if you lose any metatarsals, don’t complain to me! I’m just your post-holiday zen master.

Winter Wonderland

We hope the New Year brings about lots of good things for all of our readers!  Lauren and I will be in the US for the first quarter / half of 2010.  We will spend our time writing, updating the website, and searching for sponsors while we are preparing for the 2010 Mongol Rally.  We also hope to fit in some travel and sightseeing in the United States, Mexico, and Canada.  Please check back with us frequently and especially during the Rally!

Don’t be shy, if you happen to work for or know a company who might be interested in sponsoring our team, please send us their contact information or feel free to download and pass on our sponsorship proposal to them.  Once again, best wishes for 2010 to everyone and thank you for reading / visiting our site.

~ Mike & Lauren