'Cause I'm leaving, on a jet plane!
Don't know when I'll be back again
Oh, babe, I hate to go...
My posts may be a bit lite for a week as I can only post when I have access, but hopefully you don't go too far. Strange and unusual things usually happen to me while travelling, and I have no doubt this time will be no different. So while I whiz my way through endless meetings in London, Atlanta, Dallas, and San Francisco, I hope I will be missed by the people that can't wait to see what the sex-crazed, very odd, neurotic Helen is up to.
I recently made a list of all the countries I have been to, and a few reasons why they stick out in my head. They are (and not in order):
-U.S. - my home country, and where all the Cap'n Crunch is.
-Canada - nice whale-watching tour, and an interesting time in Montreal. Took me a while to get the "Eh?" back out of my vocab after being there.
-France - Fell in love with someone in Paris, and my first trip out of the US when I was 20.
-England - Masses of good and bad have happened here. Love the place, and memorable for a swinging experience I had! :)
-Italy - Venice, Rome, the Cinque Terre-it's chaotic, antiquated, and mad. Fabulous. Got watched by a pervy guy while having sex on a train there.
-Belize - Incredible diving off of Amergris Caye where I got to swim with the sharks.
-Sweden - My new home, and where I developed my coffee addiction.
-Singapore - Caught the flu there and was always worried I would be arrested for any offense-breathing, chewing while walking, you name it.
-Bali- My Singapore flu turned into pneumonia, and I spent half the visit in my hotel room trying to get better.
-Japan - Terrified I would be quarantined for the pneumonia I had in Bali, I booked myelf into a hotel and tried to get better.
-Finland - The Finns are so fucking cool. Their saunas are not.
-Denmark - Copenhagen is a party town, where the mornings are begun drinking beer. "Good morning! Beer and a sausage?"
-Thailand - Met the second man of my dreams during a rainstorm by the Chao Praya River. Then he broke my heart.
-Malaysia - Went to Langkawi to relax, and got what I asked for.
-Germany - Been there masses, always for business. They don't speak English well, but if you become good friends with a German, they got your back for life.
-Holland - Made love to a great guy. Also spent some nights in a convent there during a business presentation, hoping the nuns wouldn't throw the key away and keep me locked up.
-Ireland - Where the sheep are all spray-painted. And the scene of Partner Unit and I almost busting up.
-Australia - Fell in love with Sydney, and broke someone's heart in the duration.
-Greece - The islands are serenity itself. Go to Amorgas. You will never regret it.
-The Seychelles - Greek islands may be nice, but this place is the Garden of Eden.
-Israel - The people are so incredibly kind. The airport staff are not.
-Wales - Spray-painted sheep again, but the people seemed a bit frosty.
-Portugal - Chaos, dis-organization, and fabulous food and drink.
-Spain - Everyone should see the building of Gaudi before they die. And a fucking great place to buy shoes.
-Turkey - The people are lovely, the water is fabulous, and the prices are just right!
-Belgium - only made a drive through, but hope to go there again.
-Jersey - a romantic and perfect little get-away.
So I am off. And if you hear a lot of screaming from somewhere deep inside your soul, don't worry. You're not going crazy. You probably really are hearing someone screaming. It will be me, furious that my PowerPoint animation is not working on my slides.
Don't go away...I'll be right back.
-H.
Posted by Everydaystranger at October 14, 2003 05:06 PM | TrackBackWithdrawal symptoms.. suffering from. {insert appropriate twitch}
Luuk sounds grand. Yay Luuk.
Posted by: Jamie at October 18, 2003 04:07 PMLuuk is a good idea, would be even better if luuk's companion gets into some pics too.
Posted by: melodrama at October 18, 2003 06:44 AMBears are always great travel companions. Of course that's just my personal opinion...
Posted by: Sue at October 17, 2003 09:15 AMP.S. Yay for Sydney!
Posted by: Pixy Misa at October 17, 2003 06:48 AMWe await the photos of Luuk's journey. Wait wait wait...
Posted by: Pixy Misa at October 17, 2003 06:48 AMGo for it, h! You and Luuk have a *wonderful* time, and post photos here as you go!
Posted by: jean at October 17, 2003 05:28 AMtaking an idea from our "straw shots?"
Posted by: pylorns at October 16, 2003 10:24 PMHello Kids!
Just a quick comment-I am still in England and doing well. I came up with a new idea (OK, I stole it!) and have purchased a bear. Not a real one, a stuffed one. And I have named him Luuk. Luuk (like Luc or Luke) will be photographed in each major city or country I visit from now on. Today, he was seen in London, Whitstable, Calais (France) and Veurne (Belgium-where he was bought. My meeting ended early, so I tried out the Chunnel, which I have always wanted to try!).
If you think this is a stupid idea, let me know! More from me soon!
Posted by: Helen at October 16, 2003 08:37 PMHere's hoping you've got more girlpower with PowerPoint than I do, chica! My builds always -- like, ALWAYS -- turn out wrong. I fly in the concluding graphic before I've shown the preceding graphics or bullet points. It's almost a way of corporate life for me now.
Vaya con dios!
Posted by: Layne at October 16, 2003 02:36 AMAnyone in Texas, I know you guys that read this site have signed the guest map, there are a lot of you in texas.. if you have a blog, come here:
http://www.wetwired.org/forum/forumdisplay.php?fid=26
A forum for texas bloggers.. Im looking to get a closer texas community.
Posted by: pylorns at October 15, 2003 09:57 PMH,
Have a great trip! Hope everything goes well for you.
Take care!
H
Have a safe trip. Hope all of your power point presentaions go flawlessly. If you have time come to Austin and visit your freinds at wetired.
Take care
Posted by: Agamemnon at October 15, 2003 05:36 PMHave a fabulous time, H! Can't wait to read your post about your travels.
Posted by: Jennifer at October 15, 2003 04:00 PMH,
Do you mean the Island of Jersey (part of the Great Britain), or are you talking about the (Soviet Socialist Republic of) New Jersey, USA?
The island of Jersey might make a decent romantic getaway, but the state of New Jersey only qualifies if you're trying to dispose of some un-needed medical waste. :-) OK, I'm kidding, and in all fairness I myself have spent some romantic nights in the glamorous hotels in Atlantic City, NJ. But honestly, that’s it. I can’t imagine any other reason why anyone would wanna’ go to New Jersey.
At the risk of beating this dead horse any further... My Dad always joked that if he had a sister in a whorehouse, and a brother in New Jersey – he’d go get his brother first (as he was in greater peril.)
OK, I’m going away now...
check your pm's on the forum.
Posted by: pylorns at October 15, 2003 03:17 PMlook up the wetwired boys when your in texas..
Posted by: pylorns at October 15, 2003 03:16 PMThats a lot of places and you will be sorely missed. take care!
Posted by: melodrama at October 15, 2003 03:16 PMHave a safe trip. If you have a stop over in NY give me a buzz :)
Posted by: Drew at October 15, 2003 02:50 PMJersey is romantic? Sorry, dearest, I must object. I lived there for several years and it's the arm pit of America. Oh, you meant the island? Nevermind. ;)
Coming to Atlanta?! Why am I always the last to know? You've gotta spend a day at Stone Mountain. And party at Wild Bill's. And did you know there's a town here named after you? It's a neat little ex-mining town turned tourist trap in Bavarian style. It is also the biggest Octoberfest in North America. And here it is being October...
Posted by: Jim at October 15, 2003 02:12 PMAs they would pronounce it 'round here: Bawn Voy-ah-jay! Sending to you all the appropriate brainwave-eletromagnetism-stuff to make PowerPoint behave itself. But if it doesn't, ummm.... not my fault! Yeah.. the aliens blocked the transmission!
Enny-hoo, all the best for kick-a$$ presentations and lovely visits!
Posted by: Jean at October 15, 2003 01:45 PMSafe travels my friend...
Besure to get yourself a good old American hamburger while in the states...
Later
Can't help but notice you don't have Hong Kong on your extensive list of travelled to places. You must correct that! There must be some conference junket you can get to over here?
Enjoy your travels and may all your meetings be short and to the point.
Posted by: Simon at October 15, 2003 11:07 AM