Archives for: "June 2012"

What I'm taking to Russia/Tatarstan

June 9th, 2012
One of my friends in Russia asked me to bring her a few items. What, you may reasonably ask, does a Russian citizen who has previously been in the US want me to bring her? She wants: An iPad 3. iPads are significantly more expensive in Russia.… more »

Barcelona transportation prep

June 12th, 2012
Just bought some transport tickets for Barcelona: The hop-on/hop-off bus — it takes you around the tourist highlights of the city, and you can get on/off as often as you like and stay as long as you like at the various stops. Actually, as long as… more »

Last minute shopping

June 14th, 2012
I rarely shop for myself, but when a trip is coming I do a quick eyeball of my wardrobe and ask, "Which of these would make my acquaintances most ashamed?" Then I buy something to replace them. So I now have new shoes, new shirts, new pants, and a new… more »

Weight

June 15th, 2012
Last summer in Russia I lost ten pounds. Of course, I gained it all back and more when I returned to Whataburgerland. I'm curious what will happen this year, so my official starting weight for the summer is 198 lbs. Embarrassing. more »

Transit

June 16th, 2012
My travels today have been mercifully uneventful. Phx-Chicago: 3.5 hours. Slept most of the way. Very short layover. Didn't even bother to eat. Chicago-Frankfurt am Main: 8.5 hours. My seatmate on the left was Ardi, a dentist of Persian descent… more »