Indelible Adventures: The Essentials!

Welcome to Indelible Adventures! Thanks for dropping by and I hope you enjoy this week's blog.

You can also subscribe to my weekly distribution list via the Indelible Adventures website or browse my latest photos and upcoming adventures and travel tips. In addition, if you'd like to follow me on social media here are the links.

Facebook - Google+ - Twitter - Instagram - LinkedIn - ImageBrief - National Geographic

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I guess by now you know that I love to travel… Although to be fair I still struggle with the endless security and sometimes-nonsensical bureaucracy that we all have to bear when we travel by plane, but given the alternative we all grin and bear it. Best to keep your head down and shut up, lest they decide that you’re too troublesome to fly – heaven forbid!

Admittedly I struggle with all the bits leading up to getting on the plane, however once I’m on board I begin to relax and start to enjoy the journey. Let’s face it, it’s a pain in the bum until you settle into your seat and take some deep breaths and sort yourself out and determine what you’re going to do to keep yourself amused on your flight. Last nights flight to London was no exception, initially I had decided that I’d begin writing my blog, and if time permitted perhaps watch a movie. Who needs sleep on an overnight flight?

As it turns out - I do! J

No sooner than had settled into my seat, still at the gate mind you, I put my head back, closed my eyes and took a couple of deep breaths… You go it, next thing I knew I woke with a start as the plane began its run down the runway. I guess I was more tired than I had initially thought. Okay, no worries I’ll move to plan B I thought to myself.

Plan B consisted of doing Sudoku (yes, I'm addicted!) until after the meal, then writing…

Hhhmmm - the best laid plans eh? By the time dinner was done all I wanted to do was sleep, which brings me to one of the most important things I always carry with me when I travel, in fact I always have one in my backpack's front pouch.

Indelible Tip #1: I find that to break the jet lag cycle I sleep when my body tells me it needs to rest, and often times that doesn’t fit neatly with the cabin crew’s plan for meal times or a fully lite cabin, so I carry an eye shade with me. Then I can decide how and when I want to sleep or at least rest.

Given the amount of flying I’ve done in my lifetime, which equates to well over 2 million air miles I’ve found that I have a few tips that make my trip more enjoyable, or at least bearable.

Indelible Tip #2: Another “must have” is a set of noise cancelling earphones. They serve a couple of important functions. Firstly, you get to hear the entertainment system without the whoosh of jet engines reverberating in your head, which is especially important when you’re on a long haul flight. Second, when you couple these with the eyeshade its amazing how peaceful flying can be and how much easier it is to actually sleep. This is great if you want to minimize the impact of jet lag when you get to your destination.

This weekend I’m in Berlin. Yep, I decided earlier in the week that because I didn’t have Zach and Sami this weekend that I’d jump on a plane and go somewhere I hadn’t been before. I had a few options that were in the mix: Tokyo, Shanghai, Dubai, and Berlin.

After triangulating airfares, travel times and total costs Berlin was the best option. So it was a relatively easy choice to make, and to be fair Berlin had lost out on a couple of prior occasions most notably when I was backpacking around the world in 1985. I remember lining up at the East German embassy in Paris to get an entry visa (this was prior to the wall coming down). I needed a visa to travel through East Germany to get to Berlin but the line up was just too long and I had little patience for the wait, so I decided that I’d do it some other time during my trip… Quite a wait really - just 30 years!!!

Indelible Tip #3: Drink lots of water on your flights. It’s crazy how dehydrated we get when we’re flying. The guy next to me last night on my flight from Toronto to London, polished off four small bottles of wine and four small bottles of scotch and that was only over dinner. He was pounding them back. Great at the time I'm sure, but this morning his head must have been hurting pretty badly because before we landed all he could do was hold his head in his hands and rub his forehead and eyes. Yikes - no thanks!

As well, when I fly I generally get up a couple of times and stretch. I know it sounds a bit dorky, but trust me you feel a whole lot better afterwards. I generally head toward the toilet or exit row area, as there is often some room to stretch. Nothing too elaborate by the way, just some leg stretches, squats etc...

All I know is that these few things really help me when I'm flying. Perhaps its worth giving them a try next time you're on a plane? Have a fun weekend! My weekend is going to be spent exploring and portfolio building. J

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
“Hanoi Posting”

A series of micro-stories by Terence Wallis

Episode 20: Uncle Duong

After their initial meeting Mai and Anh had become inseparable, spending all of their free time together much to the chagrin of Mai’s uncle who she lived with. Mai’s parents had been killed during an air raid on Hanoi over Christmas 1971 when Mai was nine, and now lived with Uncle Duong in a large villa in the Ba Đình district.

At first Uncle Duong was wary of Anh, as an important member of the Revolutionary council he had to be very careful of his alliances, even with a young girl. He had his bodyguards follow her, and then her parents and neighbours in the Chợ Đồng Xuân questioned at length but found nothing untoward. Still sensing something unusual with Anh he decided to have one of his youngest but most reliable agents keep a close eye on the Thanh Van family.

His agent became a fixture of the markets; day and night he kept tabs on the family and especially the daughter Anh reporting back everyday to his cadre leader what had transpired during the prior day. He'd become an expert at surveillance and closely monitored the two beautiful girls and constantly looked for signs of subversive behaviour.

It was clear that he enjoyed his new assignment, watching the two girls gave him enormous pleasure, and in moments of solitude he would often fantasize about being with them, his kisses and touch reciprocated until he climaxed.

Like most young girls they constantly held hands wherever they went, but observed on occasion, as Anh would whisper in Mai’s ear that she would linger just that a moment too long. It was something about the way she looked at her that gave away her feelings for Mai.

He was torn between his assignment and his obvious attraction for the two beautiful women; he loved Mai’s inexorable beauty but was surprisingly drawn to Anh’s physicality and edginess. There was just something about the way she demanded respect from those around her that excited him.

Anh had grown up in the Chợ Đồng Xuân and knew both the Old Quarter and the shopkeepers exceedingly well. He'd followed her day and night, and what struck him most was the unusual level of deference the shopkeepers provided her, noting that they often gave her a slight bow when they met.

Why would a shopkeeper bow to a young girl he wondered...

Next week: Episode 21: For the Revolution

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

This week's selection of photos are from today in Berlin...many more to follow Enjoy!