Comment tu dis? Le Computer Nerds....uh...zey smell

please bear in mind, the weather in paris is beatufiul and I don't want to spend any more time then I have to in these internet cafes.

I posted the link for the photos in my blogroll to the right of page, but click on collections and 'Paris part DUH', to see the newest photos. I am leaving for bordeaux today and will post the rest of the pictures (roughly 40 more, plus video) today or tomorrow.

Talk again soon!

L'Aaron

EXCELLENT!!! From Bill and Ted to Serge Gainsbourg in 12 hours

And so I was on my way. The supsense for this trip has been building and building and true to form, the flight took off about 4 hours late, transforming a 7hour flight into a 12 hour escapade. Actually it was disconcerning how non-chalant the pilotwas when he told us all the following statement, "shhhhhcht (thats the mic coming on) Hey there everyone, just wanted you all to know that were doing our best to get ourselves underway here. Were just waiting for some parts to arrive from the hanger so we can take off....just be patient and we'll get this bird in the air....shhhct!"

:!!!!!!!!!!!! I don't freak out on planes, my father is a pilot, I've flown plenty of times, but when your pilot tells you that he needs to wait for some parts? First of all, I have no idea what they teach these pilots during the 15 minutes they spend in pilot school on announcements, but they must leave out that it's not a good idea to discuss the following...


1. Weapons
2. Airborne Illness on Board , or a terrible cough you're sure you zon't give to the co-pilot because you took some killer cold medicine.
3. Never mention the following word in the same sentence; Parts, fix, mechanical, difficulty, forgot
4. Never use any modals when describing your intentions, (i.e Should, may, could...etc) For example, we should be taking off soon, or It could be nothing, but I forgot my contact-lenses.

So finally when we were airborne, you can imagine my excitement when the meal came. For those of you who don't know, my secret guilty pleasure is airplane food. So when this beautiful platter was presented before me, I was truly excited!
I am not sure what exactly the sauce was but, serioulsy i loved it!

After a short nap I looked out the window to see the following beatiful sight; a sky full of perfect little cream-puff clouds. Its funny that when you have an image of something in your mind, it's funny how sometimes the reality is exactly what you had in mind. The beauty of the painted landscapes beneath the plane lined and boardered with stone hedgerows can be seen from 25,000 ft above and they gave me persepective.
I thought of Hemmingway and Oscar Wilde, and Singer-Sargent who came to Paris by ship and could not gain the perspective I could in the air, but their focus was exponentially finer, which made me realize that this trip is about being prepared to absorb the moments i encounter in a full way, to let the wave crash completely over me. So I decided to take the first night to myself and check into a hotel on my own. And this is what I got for 40 € a night! Not bad. So I dropped the stuff and went for a walk, snapping off pictures like crazy which you can see if you visit the link on the blog. And after hours of walking I came back and had my first real meal while listening to a little Serge to calm the nerves. Enjoy the photos everyone. I am sorry that these letters are few and far between but as you can imagine I don't want to spend all day in this basement of an internet cafe with smelly french video gamers! So check out the links and I'll talk to you all later, next stop BORDEAUX!

Inventory Management and Mark Twain's Distaste.

The Gear, the Stuff, the Jam, Everything...it's all there. I have never traveled in this way before on my own. Once, and my sister will be the testiment, I, volunteered for an 11 day hike from my camp to a location outside of the 7,600 square kilometer park. It was a torturous event, but I survived and have a few lovely tales of hypothermia to spin because of it. However, the packs were arcaic then and i was only 13. So now, being older and wiser, I chose my materials wisely.

But let me clue all of you in on something, Though this trip has yet to begin, i will tell you that when you pack stuff think to yourself before it goes in your bag, 'will i use this? and should i lug this thing around for X period of time?' I found that asking outload, though making me look like a lunatic in my room, was the most helpful. So I brought everything, I bought everything, and now I am packing for the last time before touching down in Paris tomorrow morning. My first impression of the bag totally packed (it has been for 24 hours) is that the F-ing thing is heavy. It makes me feel old. Weak knees, aching back, sore legs, but hey this trip is about growth right? So I will forge on and get stronger or hire a caddy (just kidding)


Today is the last day in NYC so I will pack up now, and then head to Park Slope for the final meal with my old roommates. It is exciting now, really exciting. So I will talk to you all later and the next time I speak with you I'll be in Paris, France.



"France has neither winter nor summer nor morals. Apart from these drawbacks it is a fine country. France has usually been governed by prostitutes." —Mark Twain

Packing...and Unpacking

We could all learn a little from the greatest travel packer of all time... Indiana Jones.

Hat? Check
Leather Jacket? Check
Kahki Tux? Check
Shoulder Bag that Holds Sacred Stones? Check
Bull Whip? Double Check
Gun and Leather Holster? Check

That's it the man was consistent.



Packing for me, is usually a act consisting of throwing all my belongings into a bag until it overflows and then straining to zip the duffel closed. But for this journey of Dr. Jonesian proportions, the packing needs to be a little more organized. In most aspects of my life, this task would be difficult. But I took a little wisdom from the good doctor and came up with the following must haves on a trip like this one...

1. Jet Boil Burner

Essentially, hell fire in your hand. This bad ass little stove boils 2 cups of water in 90 seconds. How you ask? I have no bloody idea, but I timed it and it's to the tick. Also, this little puppy comes with a french press for coffee and tea making. Perfect for those days when buying a cup of coffee just isn't tough enough.

2. Leatherman

Bringing the juice along helps when you're not too sure just how many tree's you'll need to cut down to make that raft for sailing away from the Pigmy's. Or it could be useful to open a bottle of wine or keep my newspaper from flying away. Either way, it's a knife and I really wanted to have some kind of sharp thing with me. If for nothing else then to carve my name in a tree. (which is most likely going to be it's primary use).

3. Zinc Oxide

Nothing says, "I love powdered doughnuts" like a smear of zinc oxide on your lips. This chemical has the highest UV absorbtion of any element on the planet, (that won't cause your head to explode or leak brain matter) so it's often seen on mountain tops or in the 1980's when dudes from Cali used it on their lips. It's unnecessary as anything and perfect for the over-packer.
---------------------------------------------------



Tomorrow is going to be a long day, and I will take pictures of the packing and unpacking. I have decided to go through the process at least 3 times before I leave, so as to develop some sort of system. (that last one was for you dad.) The plane leaves in exactly 4 days and i'll be on it for sure with a bag full of all sorts of junk.

Signing off for tonight, see you all soon.


Aaron

Pre-Flight Check List...

So the time is approaching rapidly and I'm rushing to get everything organized for my first few locations. The hardest thing seems to be maintaining spontaneity while keeping myself somewhat organized. Somewhere along the way I must have been convinced that organized and spontaneous are mortal enemies. When I stared at the map of Europe that came with my train tickets, it immediately occurred to me the I am a complete novice on the art of traveling. I have amassed a huge pile of stuff that will somehow have to fit into a pack which I will be lugging around Europe and Asia. Hopefully all will go well and I will return with everything plus some stuff. But the planning of travel has got me more nervous then I would have thought. Good thing I brought a compass! :) 10 days left!!!

Can Aaron Stand to be with Aaron for Three Months??? Tune in here!

The following facts are currently true.

1. I am going to Europe.
2. I am going to Turkey.
3. I am going to India.


I have done a lot in my life, but traveling has never been on the agenda. This trip has been in the works for a years now, and I'm finally going to depart this city on a true adventure. I don't know much about what's going to happen abroad, but I will have this blog and all of you to witness the expedition as it unfolds one train ride and meal at a time!
My tickets are bought and I'm leaving the 22nd of April. I will fly to Paris, of all places, to begin the journey and will then head somewhere else, where I don't really know just yet.


I will be updating this blog weekly with picutres, videos and tales from the road. I look forward to sharing the world with all of you!


See you in Paris!

AJO