:: August 12, 2005 ::

Rotterdam Roller Rink

I've made it back home to the States, and my trip home
from England to Virginia occurred as follows:

The beginning
-------------

Aug 9th, 2005 :4am . Wake up to catch a 6am flight. I
am flying Easyjet to Amsterdam(explained later). I'm
only allowed 20kg baggage allowance and its a £4 per
kilo fine. I'm sentimental about most of my
stuff(Read: stingy), So...

How to avoid the fine? Wear all the clothes possible
and put everything heavy into the carry-on bag! I wore
4 t-shirts, sweater, leather jacket, and two pair of
jeans(cuz the denim was heavier than the corduroy). My
carry-on bag weighed over 7 kilo, mostly books, and I
also had a 'purse'(the website allows women to carry
purses, so why can't I?).

Well, obviously sweating my balls off, I made it past
a dumbfounded security guard. My steel-toed shoes set
off the metal detectors so I got frisked with all the
clothes on. No alarm bells went off, so off I went to
de-layer in the toilet and board the plane with lots
and lots of carry-on luggage.

----------

My flight from Liverpool to Amsterdam was only 50
minutes in the air, but it took 3 hours with all the
security and logistics fuss. So, its 9am when I get to
Amsterdam.

I had to fly to amsterdam because it was the only
leaving hub that my standby ticket flew from. If you
want to check out how cheap it is see:

http://www.airtech.com

(Hack: If you want to see the list of flights without
having to pay for the voucher first, just go to the
Flightlist section and type in ANY 6 digit number!
High-tech hacking here!!!)

Now, before you exclaim how cheap it looks, you must
remember that you always get what you pay for. It's
high season for flights to and from Europe, so there
was little chance of me getting a flight on the first
try. I knew this, and expected to wait 2-3 days. I've
lived in an airport before, in fact it was this very
airport, so I knew where to go to sleep.

So, I got to the check-in counter to see a queue of
people already waiting. AirTech used to use dozens of
airlines, but nowadays, they only use IcelandAir. So,
about 20 broke, haggard looking backpackers are all
wanting to fly on a plane that maybe has 1 or 2 seats
free. Airlines always overbook flights on the
assumption that a few people don't show. Well, us
standby voucher(no, its not a ticket yet) holders are
hoping for lots of people not to show.

Now, I started asking questions and some people had
been there as lond as 2 weeks! Most had been there an
average of 4-6 days. Those that flew quicker were the
ones who stayed by the counter all day waiting for any
news of available seats. The rest went off to hostels
to come back the next day.

IcelandAir has a mandatory stopover in Reykjavik, but
both legs must be booked before a ticket can be issued
and there is only one flight a day out of Amsterdam at
2pm.

So, that's what I was up against. The ticket counter
guy was sick of seeing us, but by 1pm, only about 6 of
us remained. He did some magic at the keys, and said
he could book 3 of us on Thursday the 11th, but we had
to decide who goes first. Our options were Boston,
Baltimore, and Minneapolis. The first in line only
wanted NYC, so they passed. Next guy took Boston. I
wanted Baltimore, but I wasn't next....

Well, let's just say I used some kind of jedi-mind
trick to convince the guy wanting to go to NYC that
he'd be better off flying to Minneapolis than
Baltimore. How I did it? I really don't know, I just
guess I can be persuasive sometimes. By the way, would
anyone here like to hear info on some cheap car
insurance.... nah, nevermind.

So, 2 days to kill. Where to go? I've been to
Amsterdam, and I was not really in the mood to be
surrounded by drugged up tourists. A fellow Airtecher
had just come from Rotterdam, and knew of a cheap
hostel. So off I go on the train to Rotterdam.

---------

Aug 10th.

The hostel is called the De Mafkees. It's been
coverted from an old Roller rink. The main room has
over 100 beds in it, and a honeymoon sweet if you can
prove you're in love. It's a groovy atmoshphere. I
walked the whole city, bought some cheese, waffles,
and excellent beer. I met some travelling architects
who admiring all that Holland offers for architectural
eye-candy. We found a canal, and I had the urge to
play jump-the-brook. I cleared a 10ft canal(my guess),
and I'm waiting for the pictures from you, Viktor.

----------

Aug 11th.

So, the airport looks so much less imposing when you
have a confirmed ticket in your hand and loads of
other people are looking at you with resentment
because they still have to wait a few days for
tickets. My bags now weighed a total of 30 kg.

Our flight to Iceland was smooth and while waiting in
line for customs I heard this on the PA:

"Any passengers flying to Baltimore who would be
willing to give up their seats will be given 200Euros,
free accomodation, food and transportation to and from
the airport. Those interested please come to the
service desk."

Yeah!!!! that sounds great, as I had wanted to see
iceland anyway, and I'm in no hurry to get home, but
wait... shit, I'm stuck in line for customs. Always
when you're in a hurry some person in front of you
misplaces their passport and has to startup an
in-depth conversation with a custom official who
couldn't give a damn. I finally make it through and
rush to the desk.

"Sorry, we've had 4 people already offer their seats."
DAMN!!! I had to suffer with this on my mind while the
only in-flight movie was 'Monster In-Law'. Unless I
need to get to Iceland, I doubt I'll ever fly
IcelandAir again.

I didn't have time to organize anyone to meet me in
Baltimore because I didn't know when I'd be there
either. So, I took the wrong train to Baltimore Penn
Station instead of DC Union Station. Killed 2 hours
with heavy bags to lug around. But I made it back to
DC to miss the only Amtrak train back to Lynchburg, Va
where my parents live, so my only option left was
Greyhound....

It's now 2am Aug 12th...

Come on, you know where this story is going right.
Long hours on an overcrowded bus, stuck next to a
ridiculously obese sweaty fat-man, trying to sleep
over the sound of machinegun snooring.... Yep, I can
always count on it happening to me. Again, you get
what you pay for. I'm not complaining, just letting
you relive the horror.

Only when you are away from a country for so long,
that the stereotypes that seem insulting to you when
others point them out, suddenly become painfully
obvious. I can't think of one 'obese' or mildly plump
person on this mailing list.

My alloted seat was even more cramped because it was
jammed behind the drivers seat by plexiglass dividers.
The guy next to me was a nice guy, going the same way
as me and we made pleasant conversation. But, no
amount of courtesy can make the hours go quicker when
he falls alseep and his belly rolls of fat start to
ooze my way. As soon as his skin comes into contact
with my arm(of course no amount of clothing could
contain it!) the moisture pours onto me. The Air-con
is on pretty high, but this guy is still sweating
buckets. So, I have to keep jabbing this guy away, he
taughtens his stomach muscles to try to keep the blob
at bay. But, as soon as he doses off, it wanders my
way again. After 4 hours, I had to change buses, and
luckily found a slightly less fatter passenger to
fight over seat space.

I've made it home, written this email to stave off jet
lag by trying to stay awake a bit longer. My blog
should start to have pictures soon.

http://benhansen.blogspot.com

74 hours from Liverpool to Lychburg the hard way.

My parents need some help with finalizing some stuff
with the house. I'm in pond-withdrawl, but my mom
thinks she wants another, this time smaller, pond in
the back yard. It's something to do, right?

take care.

---
ben back in America



.: Ben Hansen :: 11:43 AM [+] 0 comments
.: Email : :: Current Location : Breckenridge, Colorado :.





.AFOOT.and.light-hearted,.I.take.to.the.open.road,.Healthy,.free,.the.world.before.me,.The.long.brown.path.before.me,.le
ading.wherever.I.choose....Henceforth.I.ask.not.good-fortune-I.myself.am.good.fortune;.Henceforth.I.whimper.no.more,.pos
tpone.no.more,.need.nothing,..........Strong.and.content,.I.travel.the.open.road....The.earth-that.is.sufficient;.I.do.n
ot.want.the.constellations.any.nearer;.I.know.they.are.very.well.where.they.are;.I.know.they.suffice.for.those.who.belon
g.to.them.......Still.here.I.carry.my.old.delicious.burdens;.I.carry.them,.men.and.women-I.carry.them.with.me.wherever.I
.go;.I.swear.it.is.impossible.for.me.to.get.rid.of.them;.I.am.fill'd.with.them,.and.I.will.fill.them.in.return.)....You.
road.I.enter.upon.and.look.around!.I.believe.you.are.not.all.that.is.here;....I.believe.that.much.unseen.is.also.here...
.Here.the.profound.lesson.of.reception,.neither.preference.or.denial;.The.black.with.his.woolly.head,.the.felon,.the.dis
eas'd,.the.illiterate.person,.are.not.denied;.The.birth,.the.hasting.after.the.physician,.the.beggar's.tramp,.the.drunka
rd's.stagger,.the.laughing.party.of.mechanics,.The.escaped.youth,.the.rich.person's.carriage,.the.fop,.the.eloping.coupl
e,....The.early.market-man,.the.hearse,.the.moving.of.furniture.into.the.town,.the.return.back.from.the.town,.They.pass-
I.also.pass-anything.passes-none.can.be.interdicted;.None.but.are.accepted-none.but.are.dear.to.me..You.air.that.serves.
me.with.breath.to.speak!.You.objects.that.call.from.diffusion.my.meanings,.and.give.them.shape!....You.light.that.wraps.
me.and.all.things.in.delicate.equable.showers!.You.paths.worn.in.the.irregular.hollows.by.the.roadsides!.I.think.you.are
.latent.with.unseen.existences-you.are.so.dear.to.me....You.flagg'd.walks.of.the.cities!.you.strong.curbs.at.the.edges!.
You.ferries!.you.planks.and.posts.of.wharves!.you.timber-lined.sides!.you.distant.ships!....You.rows.of.houses!.you.wind
ow-pierc'd.façades!.you.roofs!.You.porches.and.entrances!.you.copings.and.iron.guards!.You.windows.whose.transparent.she
lls.might.expose.so.much!.You.doors.and.ascending.steps!.you.arches!.You.gray.stones.of.interminable.pavements!.you.trod
den.crossings!....From.all.that.has.been.near.you,.I.believe.you.have.imparted.to.yourselves,.and.now.would.impart.the.s
ame.secretly.to.me;From.the.living.and.the.dead.I.think.you.have.peopled.your.impassive.surfaces,.and.the.spirits.thereo
f.would.be.evident.and.amicable.with.me.....The.earth.expanding.right.hand.and.left.hand,.The.picture.alive,.every.part.
in.its.best.light,.The.music.falling.in.where.it.is.wanted,.and.stopping.where.it.is.not.wanted,....The.cheerful.voice.o
f.the.public.road-the.gay.fresh.sentiment.of.the.road....O.highway.I.travel!.O.public.road!.do.you.say.to.me,.Do.not.lea
ve.me?.Do.you.say,.Venture.not?.If.you.leave.me,.you.are.lostDo.you.say,.I.am.already.prepared-I.am.well-beaten.and.unde
nied-adhere.to.me?.O.public.road!.I.say.back,.I.am.not.afraid.to.leave.you-yet.I.love.you;....You.express.me.better.than
.I.can.express.myself;.You.shall.be.more.to.me.than.my.poem....I.think.heroic.deeds.were.all.conceiv'd.in.the.open.air,.
and.all.great.poems.also;.I.think.I.could.stop.here.myself,.and.do.miracles;.My.judgments,.thoughts,.I.henceforth.try.by
.the.open.air,.the.road;)....I.think.whatever.I.shall.meet.on.the.road.I.shall.like,.and.whoever.beholds.me.shall.like.m
e;.I.think.whoever.I.see.must.be.happy.....From.this.hour,.freedom!.From.this.hour.I.ordain.myself.loos'd.of.limits.and.
imaginary.lines,.Going.where.I.list,.my.own.master,.total.and.absolute,....Listening.to.others,.and.considering.well.wha
t.they.say,.Pausing,.searching,.receiving,.contemplating,.Gently,.but.with.undeniable.will,.divesting.myself.of.the.hold
s.that.would.hold.me....I.inhale.great.draughts.of.space;.The.east.and.the.west.are.mine,.and.the.north.and.the.south.ar
e.mine.......I.am.larger,.better.than.I.thought;.I.did.not.know.I.held.so.much.goodness....All.seems.beautiful.to.me;.I.
can.repeat.over.to.men.and.women,.You.have.done.such.good.to.me,.I.would.do.the.same.to.you....I.will.recruit.for.myself
.and.you.as.I.go;....I.will.scatter.myself.among.men.and.women.as.I.go;.I.will.toss.the.new.gladness.and.roughness.among
.them;.Whoever.denies.me,.it.shall.not.trouble.me;.Whoever.accepts.me,.he.or.she.shall.be.blessed,.and.shall.bless.me...
..Now.if.a.thousand.perfect.men.were.to.appear,.it.would.not.amaze.me;....Now.if.a.thousand.beautiful.forms.of.women.app
ear'd,.it.would.not.astonish.me....Now.I.see.the.secret.of.the.making.of.the.best.persons,.It.is.to.grow.in.the.open.air
,.and.to.eat.and.sleep.with.the.earth....Here.a.great.personal.deed.has.room;.A.great.deed.seizes.upon.the.hearts.of.the
.whole.race.of.men,....Its.effusion.of.strength.and.will.overwhelms.law,.and.mocks.all.authority.and.all.argument.agains
t.it....Here.is.the.test.of.wisdom;.Wisdom.is.not.finally.tested.in.schools;.Wisdom.cannot.be.pass'd.from.one.having.it,
.to.another.not.having.it;.Wisdom.is.of.the.Soul,.is.not.susceptible.of.proof,.is.its.own.proof,....Applies.to.all.stage
s.and.objects.and.qualities,.and.is.content,.Is.the.certainty.of.the.reality.and.immortality.of.things,.and.the.excellen
ce.of.things;.Something.there.is.in.the.float.of.the.sight.of.things.that.provokes.it.out.of.the.Soul...Now.I.reëxamine.
philosophies.and.religions,They.may.prove.well.in.lecture-rooms,.yet.not.prove.at.all.under.the.spacious.clouds,.and.alo
ng.the.landscape.and.flowing.currents.......Here.is.realization;.Here.is.a.man.tallied-he.realizes.here.what.he.has.in.h
im;.The.past,.the.future,.majesty,.love-if.they.are.vacant.of.you,.you.are.vacant.of.them....Only.the.kernel.of.every.ob
ject.nourishes;.Where.is.he.who.tears.off.the.husks.for.you.and.me?....Where.is.he.that.undoes.stratagems.and.envelopes.
for.you.and.me?...Here.is.adhesiveness-it.is.not.previously.fashion'd-it.is.apropos;.Do.you.know.what.it.is,.as.you.pass
,.to.be.loved.by.strangers?.Do.you.know.the.talk.of.those.turning.eye-balls?....Here.is.the.efflux.of.the.Soul;....The.e
fflux.of.the.Soul.comes.from.within,.through.embower'd.gates,.ever.provoking.questions:.These.yearnings,.why.are.they?.T
hese.thoughts.in.the.darkness,.why.are.they?.Why.are.there.men.and.women.that.while.they.are.nigh.me,.the.sun-light.expa
nds.my.blood?.Why,.when.they.leave.me,.do.my.pennants.of.joy.sink.flat.and.lank?.Why.are.there.trees.I.never.walk.under,
.but.large.and.melodious.thoughts.descend.upon.me?....I.think.they.hang.there.winter.and.summer.on.those.trees,.and.alwa
ys.drop.fruit.as.I.pass;).What.is.it.I.interchange.so.suddenly.with.strangers?.What.with.some.driver,.as.I.ride.on.the.s
eat.by.his.side?.What.with.some.fisherman,.drawing.his.seine.by.the.shore,.as.I.walk.by,.and.pause?.What.gives.me.to.be.
free.to.a.woman's.or.man's.good-will?.What.gives.them.to.be.free.to.mine?.......The.efflux.of.the.Soul.is.happiness-here
.is.happiness;.I.think.it.pervades.the.open.air,.waiting.at.all.times;.Now.it.flows.unto.us-we.are.rightly.charged....He
re.rises.the.fluid.and.attaching.character;.The.fluid.and.attaching.character.is.the.freshness.and.sweetness.of.man.and.
woman;....The.herbs.of.the.morning.sprout.no.fresher.and.sweeter.every.day.out.of.the.roots.of.themselves,.than.it.sprou
ts.fresh.and.sweet.continually.out.of.itself.)...Toward.the.fluid.and.attaching.character.exudes.the.sweat.of.the.love.o

f.young.and.old;.From.it.falls.distill'd.the.charm.that.mocks.beauty.and.attainments;.Toward.it.heaves.the.shuddering.lo
nging.ache.of.contact.....Allons!.whoever.you.are,.come.travel.with.me!....Traveling.with.me,.you.find.what.never.tires.
...The.earth.never.tires;.The.earth.is.rude,.silent,.incomprehensible.at.first-Nature.is.rude.and.incomprehensible.at.fi
rst;.Be.not.discouraged-keep.on-there.are.divine.things,.well.envelop'd;.I.swear.to.you.there.are.divine.things.more.bea
utiful.than.words.can.tell.......Allons!.we.must.not.stop.here!.However.sweet.these.laid-up.stores-however.convenient.th
is.dwelling,.we.cannot.remain.here;.However.shelter'd.this.port,.and.however.calm.these.waters,.we.must.not.anchor.here;
.However.welcome.the.hospitality.that.surrounds.us,.we.are.permitted.to.receive.it.but.a.little.while......Allons!.the.i
nducements.shall.be.greater;....We.will.sail.pathless.and.wild.seas;.We.will.go.where.winds.blow,.waves.dash,.and.the.Ya
nkee.clipper.speeds.by.under.full.sail....Allons!.with.power,.liberty,.the.earth,.the.elements!.Health,.defiance,.gayety
,.self-esteem,.curiosity;.Allons!.from.all.formules!....From.your.formules,.O.bat-eyed.and.materialistic.priests!...The.
stale.cadaver.blocks.up.the.passage-the.burial.waits.no.longer....Allons!.yet.take.warning!.He.traveling.with.me.needs.t
he.best.blood,.thews,.endurance;.None.may.come.to.the.trial,.till.he.or.she.bring.courage.and.health.......Come.not.here
.if.you.have.already.spent.the.best.of.yourself;.Only.those.may.come,.who.come.in.sweet.and.determin'd.bodies;.No.diseas
'd.person-no.rum-drinker.or.venereal.taint.is.permitted.here....I.and.mine.do.not.convince.by.arguments,.similes,.rhymes
;.We.convince.by.our.presence.........Listen!.I.will.be.honest.with.you;.I.do.not.offer.the.old.smooth.prizes,.but.offer
.rough.new.prizes;.These.are.the.days.that.must.happen.to.you:...You.shall.not.heap.up.what.is.call'd.riches,.You.shall.
scatter.with.lavish.hand.all.that.you.earn.or.achieve,....You.but.arrive.at.the.city.to.which.you.were.destin'd-you.hard
ly.settle.yourself.to.satisfaction,.before.you.are.call'd.by.an.irresistible.call.to.depart,.You.shall.be.treated.to.the
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