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Archive for December, 2005

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Things to do in Denver when you’ve got bronchitis at 2am….

Friday, December 23rd, 2005

Well. The first thing you could do is try & go back to sleep. You might find that counting buffalo (there aint too many round these parts no more..) helps in this situation. You might find that it dont. The second thing that aspiring bronchitis sufferers could do is feel sorry for themself by emptying the contents of the hotel minibar. I however am giving my liver a special holiday season reprieve. I talked to it at length about joining my lungs on the Bucky organ dodgy list and it just didn’t seem too keen..

Which brings me to the third thing that jetlagged brits in Colorado could do to pass the time. Namely: this.

So..I’ve been in the USA for about 36 hours now and have had time to make a few cliched and trite observations. I will share them with you. America is BIG. We drove for 9 hours yesterday and most of that was spent just crossing Kansas. The roads are big, the cars are big, the Prairie is dotted with little houses… It’s all hunky-dory. Its nice to be able to drink tap water again, to see snow, to feel anonymous.

And of course it’s absolutely brilliant to be spending the holidays with my girlfriend Jane & her family. Later this morning we hit the open road once more – through the Rocky mountains and then on to Utah where her grandparents live. There’s talk of snowboarding, and maybe of seeing Vegas or the Grand Canyon. Grand.

So before I slope off back to bed, I’d just like to wish everybody a Happy Hannukah, a Merry Christmas, & a top-notch-all-the-trimmings-bucketsful-of-joy Happy New Year. Hope you get your kicks in 2006…

Posted in USA | 1 Comment »

Little Clouds..

Monday, December 19th, 2005

I seem to be forever writing to-do lists. Little nuggets of motivational pleasure that bring joy to the heart as pen crosses page in a ticking motion. I once included the instruction: “talk to frank” on one of my lists. My friend found that rather amusing. Frank was a hamster.

My to-do list before my departure later today to the U.S included such mundanities as getting my hair cut & purchasing some socks. But it also included such profundities as buying a toothbrush and making some gnocchi.

Buying a toothbrush can be a confusing experience for the amateur dental sweeper. First you have all the different shapes to contend with. What is the optimum angle for a productive brushing motion? Does the existence of different length bristles on the same brush aid or hinder gargling? Then you come to colour, and design. At 22, am I too old to own a Winnie the Pooh toothbrush? Is it a statement of immaturity, or one of profound aesthetic retro taste?

I stood for several minutes in the toothbrush aisle. It would not do to make a poor decision here. Another customer seemed to be having similar difficulties making a decision. Our mutually raised eyebrows said it all: issues such as this truly do cross the language barrier. I spotted one brush with a small button protruding. It said TRY ME in big bold letters. I pushed the button. Nothing happened. Probably a good thing. Candy, brandy & toys I can share. Toothbrushes seem better suited to solo use. I took 3 steps to the side. In another era, in another shop this would have taken me out of the dental hygeine section & perhaps into baked goods, or suppositories. Nope. Still bang in the middle of the toothbrush zone. And I seemed to be shifting to the luxury range too. One toothbrush was priced at $82,000. At that price, I’d be expecting my toothbrush to do a whole lot more than simply clean my molars. Maybe it was a Ferrari-toothbrush hybrid crossover. Maybe it was a typo.

My brush bought, I ventured onto the street to consult my list. What remained to be done before the inevitable dirge of packing my bag and hopping on the bus? Ah, yes. For my farewell dinner, my housmate Federica and I were going to make Italian cuisines most hazy billowing contribution to this world. The little clouds of goodness that go by the name: Gnocchi

Making Gnocchi is a serious business. Luckily, its also pretty easy. We boiled some spuds in a big pot, Cleaned the table, and then mashed our potty pals with salt & flour. They needed a good kneading, and that’s what they got. Then roll into tubes and cut with a knife. The best part was yet to come however. We plonked our little clouds back into their pot & waited. The gnocchi then rise to the surface one-by-one when they want to be taken out of their bath. And of course we obliged. A few wanted a bit of a longer soak, and that was fine too. Gnocchi are an autonomous foodstuff. They decide when they’re ready to be eaten. Not the chef.

So now all that remains is to return my bike, pack my bag and wave farewell to Hanoi. Big clouds in the sky, little clouds in my tummy, turbulence clouds avoiding the 4 flights I have to take in the next 36 hours. Hopefully…

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Driving me crazy…

Thursday, December 15th, 2005
In a few days I'll pack me bags, tie me laces, give the clouds a sneaky wink, and leave Hanoi for the United States of America. Before I do that however, I'm afraid I have to deliver a bit ... [Continue reading this entry]

Posted in Vietnam | 5 Comments »

The Ambassador’s Photo….of the Ambassador’s reception

Monday, December 12th, 2005
I just got emailed this magnificent picture of some hardcore Italian Karaoke rendition at the Ambassador's reception! Taken by Mr Italy himself... Singing their hearty little Italian/Wannabe-Italian kishkes out are (l-r) Federica, Daniele, Breda, and a slightly sozzled ... [Continue reading this entry]

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The Ambassador’s Reception….

Thursday, December 8th, 2005
I'd been looking forward to it all week. My nicest shirt was clean (if a bit crumpled) and ready to go. A tie which was given to me as a gift on "teacher's day" a few weeks ago ... [Continue reading this entry]

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Big rocks, Old wise man, & some twats

Monday, December 5th, 2005
Get your motor runnin' Head out on the highway Lookin' for adventure And whatever comes our way Its difficult not to have this song in your head at least part of a long distance motorbike trip. I hummed it from time to time, ... [Continue reading this entry]

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