3 posts tagged “travel”

I've been on the new job for almost six months now.  We've squeezed in a Vegas getaway - but otherwise all my travel has been for work. But now I've almost accrued enough vacation to take off the holidays with the Godfather since his company closes for the week between Christmas and New Years.  That means that working for the next three months will give me enough vacation for a week's trip somewhere ELSE in the spring.

Turns out the next thing is likely Berlin.  That's Germany.  The Godfather is giving a talk there in February. Lovely month for travel in Deutschland, I know.  But I'm embracing the concept.  Berlin has a design buzz these days - it will be interesting to explore the reality in person. We're sure it's nothing like Sprockets anymore (if it ever was).  Ever since we figured out that Berlin might be the next thing we've been seeing television shows, magazine articles, website features and even advertising featuring the city.  It's like that old saying about learning a new word.  So - I'm starting to poke around the travel websites looking for an itinerary that we can get excited about.  We asked our friendly German for suggestions - he's from Munich so he said "go to Munich."  Other suggestions?

My new job is going to allow me to travel all over the California Republic.  Some of my first trips are to the LA Basin.  From San Diego - that should be about a 1.5 - 2.5 hour drive depending on where in the basin you're headed...at 3 am in the morning.  My experience during business hours, however, has been 2.0 - 3.5 hour drives due to traffic snarls for which LA is so famous.  Today I'm trying the train from Solana Beach station.  They advertise 1.5 hour trips each way several times a day.  My memory of train travel on the east coast is fraught with horrendous and totally unpredictable delays.  We'll see how the west coast lines are working today.  I'm hoping to be able to work and write during that time rather than fret at the wheel.  I didn't bring my computer this time - I'll see how train-sick I get!

I finished On Beauty (what I WAS reading) last week and wanted to update that collection but can't find a listing for The Year of the Woman by Jonathan Gash (what I'm reading now).  It's a book I picked up in an airport several months ago as I was looking for inspiration for future exotic travel locales. The story is set in Hong Kong - so far I can characterize it as an Amy Tan book (ghosts and cranky grandmothers) with a decided edge and indeterminate story line that is keeping me guessing.