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The money runs out
Well, it had to happen. There's only so much globetrotting I can cram into a minimal income like mine.
Kerri's having a hard time dealing with her sister's cancer and was less than thrilled at me taking off for Birmingham when she needed some emotional support. Fair enough. From now on I stay with her, and that includes when I travel.
I've mentioned it before that when I travel with Kerri everything costs about four times as much, because she won't put up with hostel accommodation, or the "one flight per day" routine I go for.
Anyway, this has put a bit of a brake on things, and to be fair, it's not just Kerri - I've spent a bit more on accommodation than I really should have. Staying at convention hotels when there are hostels nearby is a wasteful indulgence - but so wonderfully convenient.
So despite my best efforts, the trip to Chicago in October is off. I'll have to wander happily through Chicago's art galleries and architecture at a later date.
To fund my travel habit, I've been looking at jobs. Finding a job that will allow me to take months or weeks off isn't as easy as you might think.
I'm a bit suspicious at the claim I heard this morning that full time I could earn $83 200 a year, but I'm pretty sure that I can earn enough to pay for several long trips with Kerri each year.
I want to look through the Museum of the Middle Ages in Paris with Kerri, stroll through the Intramuros of St Malo, maybe take a carriage ride along Charleston's streets. And about a million other things.
With this job, I've got to undergo a police character check, a government health check, a training course, and about a week of "jockeying". Plus I have to buy a uniform.
More details later.
In other news, we had a very pleasant BookCrossing gathering last night. As usual, I took away more books than I arrived with, but it is very hard to be restrained when there are so many excellent choices. Unbalanced always has a shopping bag or two full.
Three new BookCrossers turned up, probably in response to hearing CoffeeBron on the radio a few weeks back. I think Calissa and I tag-teamed one chap into doing NaNoWriMo this year.
How I love spending time with people who are happy! There's something inherently cheerful about BookCrossing. Maybe it's Christmas time - giving and receiving presents. And, as usual, we left the OBCZ shelf stocked full of good books.
Merry BChristmas, Canberra!
Kerri's having a hard time dealing with her sister's cancer and was less than thrilled at me taking off for Birmingham when she needed some emotional support. Fair enough. From now on I stay with her, and that includes when I travel.
I've mentioned it before that when I travel with Kerri everything costs about four times as much, because she won't put up with hostel accommodation, or the "one flight per day" routine I go for.
Anyway, this has put a bit of a brake on things, and to be fair, it's not just Kerri - I've spent a bit more on accommodation than I really should have. Staying at convention hotels when there are hostels nearby is a wasteful indulgence - but so wonderfully convenient.
So despite my best efforts, the trip to Chicago in October is off. I'll have to wander happily through Chicago's art galleries and architecture at a later date.
To fund my travel habit, I've been looking at jobs. Finding a job that will allow me to take months or weeks off isn't as easy as you might think.
I'm a bit suspicious at the claim I heard this morning that full time I could earn $83 200 a year, but I'm pretty sure that I can earn enough to pay for several long trips with Kerri each year.
I want to look through the Museum of the Middle Ages in Paris with Kerri, stroll through the Intramuros of St Malo, maybe take a carriage ride along Charleston's streets. And about a million other things.
With this job, I've got to undergo a police character check, a government health check, a training course, and about a week of "jockeying". Plus I have to buy a uniform.
More details later.
In other news, we had a very pleasant BookCrossing gathering last night. As usual, I took away more books than I arrived with, but it is very hard to be restrained when there are so many excellent choices. Unbalanced always has a shopping bag or two full.
Three new BookCrossers turned up, probably in response to hearing CoffeeBron on the radio a few weeks back. I think Calissa and I tag-teamed one chap into doing NaNoWriMo this year.
How I love spending time with people who are happy! There's something inherently cheerful about BookCrossing. Maybe it's Christmas time - giving and receiving presents. And, as usual, we left the OBCZ shelf stocked full of good books.
Merry BChristmas, Canberra!
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Umm, Pete...
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bookcrossing maths
Re: bookcrossing maths
But sometimes it seems they just appear out of nowhere.
I think that ity's because when we give books away, it's because we haven't read them, or we don't want to, and therefore each book on average, has less emotional value than a random book. It's clutter to a certain extent.
Whereas if we have a good selection of books to select from at a gathering, we tend to pick books that have a higher emotional value, because we haven't read them and we want to. So they consume the same amount of space, but they have more value.
Much as a tin of biscuits is more of an asset than an empty tin, even though they have the same volume and appearance. The books we give away are empty husks, sucked dry. But to someone else, that same book is full of succulent, untasted words.
Does this make any sort of sense?
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I must admit, though, that I can see Kerri's point. She must be tired of wondering who that guy is that pops in occasionally between trips! ;-))
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i know the Perth one does!
pete, you are cheerful and it rubs off onto other people around you. :D
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I hope all goes well with the job. Keep us posted.
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So sorry to hear about Kerri's sister--I didn't know about this before. Sending positive vibes her way, dear. How is she doing?
Best of luck with the job search and I hope you get this one you mention, the money sounds quite nice. Is there room to grow there as well? If so you would do quite well to grab it!
{{{{{{{{{{{HUGS}}}}}}}}}}}} to you, Kerri, and her sis, and know I'm thinking of all of you.
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But that's OK. What's important to me is being able to travel overseas a few times each year, and in fact, I don't mind too much if I get to spend (say) a month a year doing a business class trip with my wife around the world, stopping at a BookCrossing convention along the way. Plus a few smaller trips - a weekend in New Zealand now and then, say.
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I do hope your next trip around the world will include a stop in Las Vegas? I shall be VERY put out if it does not.
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Some r eason I thought you were stil interviewing and what not.
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BTW, I must get your recommendations on hostels in and around London for my trip in Jan. I will be travelling on the cheap from now on too.
I'm terribly curious about the job you are applying for. It has been fun to guess what it be. My fave imagined scenario so far is you as the mascot for a professional sports team. Although I doubt they make you buy the uniform for that.
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My hostel in London, and I've staid there three times now, is the YHA City of London near St Pauls.
It's literally a stone's throw from the great cathedral, and only a few minutes from the Thames. I love walking down the vista and across the millennium footbridge - Tower Bridge downstream and the grand Londn buildings upstream. Buses and trains within easy reach, some good local shops.
An excellent library in the old headmasters study. A bit of a rabbit warren of rooms and corridors, but that adds to the charm.
It has bunk beds which are built up around lockers which are big enough to take my extra-large LL Bean rolling duffle, and each bed has a little sliding compartment for books, glasses, keys etc, so you can read in bed, drop everything in the little compartment, slide the lid closed and sleep. Very clever.
Breakfast is included in the price.
No self-catering kitchen, unfortunately. Nearby shops and pubs. Quiet after dark, which you won't get at the two other YHA central london hotels, apart from the bells of St Pauls, which you soon get used to.
I love it. This one and the San Francisco Fort Mason hostel are my favorites.
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Sorry I won't see you in Chicago. It's dodgy as to whether I can go, too. I need to call United and see if I can recycle my airmiles. Don's hit critical mass with travel, too.
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Hugs
Thanks,
Mom
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But she's a saint.