By World of Mouth: a travel blog

Dream of going on an African Safari? Want to Volunteer in Africa?

noreply@blogger.com (Hannah Willow Gray) — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 11:13:00 PST

Hello Friends, Family and Everyone else,

Life in the Pearl of Africa, UGANDA, is wonderful! I am keeping myself very busy working for the Wild-Path African Safari company:
http://wildpathug.com/index.php

I am also implementing a Volunteer-in-Africa organization, Musana Volunteers Program:
http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/group.php?gid=212694698130&ref=ts

I want to organize YOUR SAFARI and/or VOLUNTEER experience in UGANDA!
Please check out the Wild-Path Safari website above. And check out the Musana Volunteer Program Facebook group if you wish to make your trip to Africa both meaningful and life-changing. Email me at hannahwillowgray@gmail.com

Wild-Path Safari Company can arrange an authentic safari and other adventure trips to fit your budget in the most phenomenal country in the world. Guaranteed to see Elephants, Giraffes, Hippos, Crocodiles, Gazelles, Bucks, hundreds of bird species, and even Zebras!

I understand that traveling from North America/Europe to Africa is a BIG trip both financially and in terms of distance. However, visiting EAST AFRICA is something that YOU ALL MUST DO in your lifetime. Uganda is the most beautiful, welcoming, and environmentally diverse country in the world...
...yes, I realize I am very bias but rightfully so ;-) It is time for you to explore and/or volunteer in Uganda!

Ignore whatever you read in the newspaper. Turn off your MSNBC, CNN, & FOX News. Change the Radio news show...
...and Come Home to Africa...the cradle of humankind. As you will soon learn, there is so much more to this continent than the immense poverty you see and hear about in the news. Come and see for yourself!

Uganda has the Source of the Nile River. Countless animals on land, lake and sky. Staggering Mountains, vast Savannah's, Crater lakes, lush Monkey jungles, rolling green Hills, and massive Waterfalls. The sweetest fruits. Temperate, sunny weather. The kindest people. Hundreds of diverse cultures and languages all within a small radius.

Want to Volunteer in Africa?
Want to go on Safari?
Want to do both? .... Well, you're lucky you know me!
What are you waiting for?
Email me today and start to plan for the most amazing experience of your life, guaranteed.

Please pass this email along to anyone and everyone you know.
Thank you! I hope to hear from you soon.

live from the Pearl of Africa,
Hannah

hannahwillowgray@gmail.com
+256 7850 24775 (Uganda cell)
facebook: Hannah Willow Gray

City of Lights

noreply@blogger.com (Kristi de Bonville) — Sun, 03 Jan 2010 08:12:00 PST

On Christmas Eve Eve we hopped on a plane and made our way to picturesque Paris (read: Paree). The best part of flying with a non discount airline (Ryan Air, Easy Jet) other than being allowed checked luggage is the complimentary drinks. Thank you for the crisp champagne Air France and for flying from Tegel to Charles de Gaule.

On Christmas eve, we were joined by a good friend and went for Raclette at a cute restaurant in Montmarte (home of Amelie Poulin and Moulin Rouge) and subsequently swore off cheese for the rest of 2009 (unsucessfully).

Of course we walked around looking for all the tourist sights and architectural gems the city has to offer, but I'll let Lucas cover that story. We constantly got caught in the trap surrounding Notre Dame Cathedral, where we took our Christmas 2009 photo.

We saw lots of other stuff too, among our favourites, Le Centre Pompidou and Avatar.

After many exhausting days of walking the city, we twice sat down to a movie. The second was Max et Les Maximonstres (Where the Wild Things Are).. those French, they have a new word for everything!

Thinking it would be a fun experiment, I only brought along our zoom lens (55-200) which Luke enjoyed at some times more than others ( we practically had to walk to les Champs Elysees to get a full shot of the Eiffel Tower).

-- Looking for travel ideas in France or hotels in Paris and other cities? check this link: Hotels in Paris

Top 50 Travel Spots for Architecture Buffs

lugray@gmail.com (Lucas Gray) — Sat, 02 Jan 2010 13:07:00 PST

I was recently contacted by another blogger who wrote an article called "Top 50 Travel Spots for Architecture Buffs" - conveniently combining two of my passions. I don't think it is in order of architectural relevance, but the list is comprehensive and interesting, especially if you are planning a trip for the near future. Anyway, check it out by following this link: Top 50 Travel Spots for Architecture Buffs

Balancing like a Boda-Boda

noreply@blogger.com (Hannah Willow Gray) — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 05:53:00 PST

I haven't had the inspiration to write since I moved back to Kampala...until now.
My life here over the past three weeks has been full of great ups as well as a few dips below sea level. However, I am finally settling in day by day. After weeks of being somewhat homeless, jobless, and overwhelmed, I have finally moved into a cute house in an area of Kampala called Kansanga. Kansanga is a few miles/km out of the central Kampala area, and only about a 10 minute drive to the beautiful Lake Victoria beaches. (This is where I happily spent my Sunday).
I am living with nice German woman, just a bit older than me, who is completing some research, and her puppy. Our guard, Mark, and our housekeeper, Grace, are both lovely and keep our compound very safe and clean.
Finding a home was a huge weight lifted off my shoulders though I'm still feeling the financial strain that most 20-somethings are feeling ...all over the world. Seems that jobs are not easy to find right now...anyone agree? :-)
Since coming to the conclusion that I should find an area of work to specialize in, such as teaching or counseling, I focused my sights on International Education. More specifically, Montessori Teaching methods (or something along these lines). If you don't know about the Montessori Teaching Method I highly recommend Google-ing it.
I found a local Montessori School not far from where I live here in Kampala and decided to check it out. This is an Integrated School which educates 28 students between the ages of 4 and 9, half of which have learning disabilities. Within an hour of talking to the Head Teacher I was offered a position as a Teachers Assistant at the school. This should be great experience in case I decide to pursue a career in International Teaching and go back to school for it next year. The children are presently out-of-class due to the holiday season but I will be helping with some odd jobs in the classroom during this month and officially starting my teaching internship come January. I am really excited about this new career choice!
As for a job with a salary....This is in the works.
Along with assisting with Mr.Tayeebwa's PhD research, I have a few leads on other jobs in Kampala such as working for a TV station, and collaborating on the creation of a Documentary film. We'll see what pans out...
Thanks to all my friends here who have been an enormous help with my house/job/life search.
A small anecdote:
Today, I walked up and down the lengthy Ggaba Road, where they make and sell any kind of furniture, wood carving, house decoration you could imagine. In search of shelves for my new bedroom, I bargained for what seemed like hours in the sweltering sun, to save what is the equivalent of $1.15. Now I am laughing at myself, but at the time, I was in so deep in the bargaining game that I truly lost track of how little money was really at stake. Eventually I picked out wooden shelf unit (something like what you would find at Ikea..except with an African twist) and a giant woven basket to put clothes in, paid the final "last" price and now had to figure out a way to get back to my house with all this. Solution: Boda-Boda.
The Boda-Boda, motorbike, driver strapped the shelves horizontally to the back of the bike with twine and rubber strings. Then behind that he somehow connects my gigantic basket. He jumps on his bike, then I sit squished between him, and my new shelves. I tell him to go slow (that was for you mom)...so of course every car, truck, lory, bicycle, goat/person walking, baby crawling passes us. As we are driving (balancing) the 4 km to my house he decides to strike up a conversation on the politics of Uganda vs. the rest of the world. I only caught every other word he said since the wind carried the rest, but lets just say he has issues with Museveni but loves Obama. I told him to join the club.
That's all for today. I will try to take some more pictures soon so you can all picture what I have described above.
Its funny how quickly you get used to seeing certain things while living in a new environment. I no longer think its strange to wait in traffic while a herd of cows walk down the center of the road, or see goats nursing on the sidewalk, or a bicycle carrying 15+ mattresses riding alongside a massive big-mac truck. This Is Africa.

Time to go eat the beautiful pineapple that sits in my kitchen...its calling my name.

Love to each and every one,
Hannah

p.s. Happy Birthday L.A.S.!

The Big Move

noreply@blogger.com (Hannah Willow Gray) — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 22:58:00 PST

So, after many sleepless nights and days of my wheels turning, I finally decided that Nairobi, Kenya was not the right fit for me. The city and the University of Nairobi had much to offer, but despite the effort I put in, I did not feel settled nor comfortable in my surroundings. A combination of the need to be immersed in intense security in Nairobi due to a high crime rate, and time spent re-evaluating my future education focus** led me to make a big decision... 'I will move back to Kampala, Uganda.'

Making this big change was something I had to decide on my own, which was not easy. The thought of 'giving up' on a place I had only lived for 2 months bothered me, however I truly feel that life is too short to settle for something that just is not clicking. Impulsive or not, I am very happy with my decision.

I am now re-settling into a life in Kampala. I have only been back here a few days, yet I already feel at home in this vibrant, warm, bustling, little city. My friends here have welcomed me like family and I have so many helping me with the apartment/job search.

Starting in January I will be working as a Research Assistant for the brilliant William Tayeebwa, a great friend I met at Concordia University in Montreal. William's PhD Research focuses on land conflict in different areas of East Africa. This experience will allow me to work in the field and gain knowledge on a topic that is presently feeding the refugee crisis in East Africa.

My blog will be updated more regularly now that I have finally rooted myself. I put up some pictures of the 15 hour road trip that I took with 2 friends from Nairobi to Kampala. It was quite an adventure to drive that long and winding road, including real zebra crossings, giant craters, passing through the equator, and many monkeys!

I miss you all who are not here with me now, but thanks to skype, g-chat, facebook, email, etc I don't feel too disconnected. So please, keep the emails coming! (hannahwillowgray@gmail.com). I love hearing from you all.

xoxo
Hannah banana

p.s. Happy almost Thanksgiving to all my lovely Americans.

**I have recently come to the conclusion that it is important to have some sort of tangible skill in order to find work in the future. I am now considering different options such as becoming a Teacher or a Counselor...a skill I can combine with my passion for international development in order to truly make a positive impact in this world.
More to come on this topic...

Airfare Deals

lugray@gmail.com (Lucas Gray) — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 12:50:00 PST

This sponsored post is about a website specializing in personal airfare deals. You sign up, fill in some simple forms and they send you personalized emails featuring airfare deals and air ticket sales. I haven't used the service so I can' vouch for its effectiveness. However, as more and more of us are galavanting around the globe cheap flights could come in handy. Anyway, feel free to check out the website and see if it is useful - while you are there look into flights to Berlin and stop by for a visit. Beer is on me (well, Kristi actually).

Holiday Vacation

lugray@gmail.com (Lucas Gray) — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 04:02:00 PST

The holiday season is quickly approaching once again, much to my dismay. I hate the over commercialization and shitty gifts and cards we all feel the need to buy. But the good news is those of us who work - we all know this doesn't include me - get time off and that means we can travel. Kristi and I have been thinking about what to do and where to go. One of our friends along with their friends is renting a house in the Czech Republic for a winter holiday in the mountains. This is one possibility and definitely an affordable option. We were also thinking about a week in the well lit city of Paris - perhaps meeting up with a friend or two. We are exploring option and finding affordable places to stay which brings me to this website: vacation rental - a site that offers houses and apartments for short term rents. Check out rentals in these cities if you are looking for a place to go this winter: at the beach,Waikiki, Hawaii, or in the mountains, Stowe, Vermont.

Just another Nairobi night hosted by Akon and Wyclef <3

noreply@blogger.com (Hannah Willow Gray) — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 03:29:00 PDT

I had the most amazing Saturday night at the MTV Africa Music Awards (aka: MAMA) with my friends Jameel and Steve.

The entire night I was right up against the stage, only a few feet away from Akon and Wyclef...two of my favorite musicians, both of which were hosting the awards.
At one point I was up on my friend Steve's shoulders, close to where Akon was sitting. Finally, after the 3 of us went crazy shouting Akons name and me, waving my arms like a madwoman in the air, I finally got his attention and a huge smile. *Sigh.* Later on Akon was right on the edge of the stage close enough that I had no choice but to grab his leg… (I know I sound like a groupie but a girls gotta do what a girls gotta do...especially when faced with supersexy superstar). I may even be on MTV Base on Oct 17th when the awards are televised.

All in all the show was incredible...and it didn't hurt that Wyclef, Akon, and a dozen other African artists & performers were practically next to me for the majority of the Awards.

On the flipside, after the MTV Africa Awards Show, we went to a local bar where I had another phone stolen... 2 down so far. I thought I was being "so smart" by not bringing anything valuable with me...except the phone...I checked my bag late in the night and it was gone before I could even think twice. I guess I learned my lesson...again.
Here is my new phone number:+254 718 650 283

On a way side note…my classes still haven't begun yet....I have orientation to the Institute of Development Studies program on Thursday. More updates on school at a later date.

Cherry on the sundae: I saw a huge baboon climbing the tree next to my apartment complex a few hours ago!

TIA = This Is Africa.

Medical Tourism in Thailand

lugray@gmail.com (Lucas Gray) — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 01:46:00 PDT

As many of you know we have spent a lot of time in Thailand both living in Bangkok for about a year and traveling around the country exploring the islands, mountains, beaches and lazy rivers. The wonderful jungles and mountains with monkeys and elephants in the north were particularly captivating. Luckily we stayed healthy and fit during our time there and didn't have to experience much of the health care system first hand (other than one small trip to the hospital because Kristi had an eye problem). However, Thailand is famous for the high quality and affordable prices of it's hospitals, dentists, and other health care services. In fact, it has become an increasing trend to take mediacl vacations to this beautiful country of tropical paradises - more Americans are going each year to Thailand for medical procedures including check ups, dental and cosmetic surgery. It is often cheaper to take a couple weeks off work, fly to Thailand, get your medical procedure taken care of and then recover in a resort on a beach for a week, than it is to get the same procedure performed at home. For this reason the tourism department is promoting Thailand medical tourism. Check out the link to an article with more information. Everyone is aware of the health care debate going on in the states right now. Both sides of the aisle can agree something has to change however, no one is willing to actually make these all important changes. What I suggest is just ignore the whole issue, drop your health insurance policy and book it over to Thailand whenever you need something taken care of. It will save you money and hit the insurance companies where it hurts, their pockets! Besides, the food, weather, landscapes, ocean, are all better in Thailand.

Nairobi, Kenya to Kampala, Uganda and Everything In Between

noreply@blogger.com (Hannah Willow Gray) — Sat, 19 Sep 2009 04:22:00 PDT

I spent last weekend visiting the Maasai Mara, a few hours southwest of Nairobi.

Myself and two Canadian friends travelled by matatu, taxi, back of an open-air truck, and foot to get to our final destination, which was a small Maasai village, extremely removed from any sort of town or city. The landscape from Nairobi to Maasai Mara was so arid, I had expected more hills, trees, and wildlife. But instead my eyes travelled across the flat terrain dotted with shrubs, Acacia trees, wild ostridges, and gazelles which were meandering through the plains.

We spent the night sleeping with Maasai families in their dung huts. Despite what you are thinking, and any preconceived notions, this is the very first time I have ever slept in a hut in Africa. I stayed overnight with our guide named Sane and his family. Sane was the only one in the family who spoke english so he explained all of their traditions and daily rituals as his mother (his fathers first wife, out of three), heated masala tea, and cooked greens and ugali grain over an open fire in the huts "kitchen" area. As I stepped out of the hut at midnight to take a "short call" in the bush, I was overwhelmed by the night sky which glowed from the rays of a billion stars.

The entire night I barely slept, considering the rock hard logs I slept on, and the close company of an extended Maasai family by my side, but I wouldnt have traded that sleepless night for any other.

On Friday I arrived in Kampala, Uganda after being wide awake for a sweltering 13 hour bus ride. I left Nairobi at 6am on Friday morning and arrived sweaty and tired Friday night at 9pm. The smooth road, the wild monkeys, baboons, beautiful landscape and roadside markets from Nairobi to Kampala made the trip much easier. Upon arriving in Kampala I was greeted by so many old friends, and some new ones, then headed to an outdoor club to dance and reconnect with my Ugandan roots...hehe. I feel as though I have never even left, but its been over 2 years since I was last here.

On a random funny note, yesterday I was at a small cafe, and this Ugandan man invited himself to join me for coffee. After chatting for a bit he told me he would make me some calls and help me get a Ugandan passport. He said the good thing about a corrupt government is that you can get anything you want as long as you have the right connections.

I`ll keep you posted ;-)
Okay, you will hear from me again soon. Much Love,

Hannah

Tibeten Singing Bowls

lugray@gmail.com (Lucas Gray) — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 01:25:00 PDT

If any of you are interested in buying some Tibeten singing bowls check out this site: Crystal Singing Bowl. They have a wide range of products from bowls that sing, to prayer flags and felt purses.

Dear Delta

noreply@blogger.com (Kristi de Bonville) — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 23:51:00 PDT

Delta Air Lines, Inc.
Post Office Box 20537
Atlanta, GA 30320-2537

Dear Sir/ Madame,

I am writing because I have recently had the misfortune of flying with Delta. Having flown with you in the past, I expected a certain level of comfort and security, however, I was appalled at the “service” you provided, or rather didn't.

As a teacher, I make a modest salary and so when I found out that I had to be in Canada for a wedding, I saved my money and shopped around for affordable flights. I discovered that going through JFK to Burlington, VT was my best option, which is how I ended up on flight DL 0079 on July 29th from Berlin. Upon arriving in New York around 2:30pm, I discovered that my flight to Burlington had been canceled due to bad weather.

Along with hundreds of others, I waited in line to find out what my options were and hours later was told that I was rescheduled on a flight 2 days later. This is when I learned that your policy was to blame God for the inconvenience. Is it also your policy to be unapologetic, unhelpful and unfriendly? In all my dealings with you I only encountered one or two courteous employees and received zero smiles, despite my own attempts at being cheerful towards them.

Now I don't know about you but I certainly do not have the funds to stay in a hotel in New York City nor to stay for 2 days in the airport, eating expensive, unappetizing food. At this point, I gathered a few other stranded travelers and together we shared a hotel room and rented a car to drive to Burlington. I asked God to split the costs since Delta wasn't even giving out peanuts, but He's pretty broke these days too.

On the way back to Berlin, I was optimistic and forgiving and ready to give you guys another chance; a three week vacation with friends and family can be very therapeutic. Before I let my ride leave me at Burlington, I made sure to check the flight board for any cancellations but my plane was listed as on time so I said a weepy good bye to my father and lugged my bags to the Delta counter. I was once again informed that my flight had been canceled and would be offered no compensation.

Still teary from my good bye, and now from another set back, I made my way to a hotel and was back at the airport at 4am to get on the 6am flight. Once we were on the plane and seemed ready to go, the flight crew informed us that there was too much fuel in the plane to fly to New York. Rather than de-fuel the plane, passengers were bribed to get off until only 1/3 of us remained. I was one of the lucky ones that got to go to New York after 2 hours sitting on the tarmac. No wonder you can't offer restitution with a business model like that.

After a costly day at JFK, I got on the plane at 7pm and because of a variety of problems that were not made clear to the passengers, we spent 3 hours on the plane waiting to take off. Now I understand that some things are out of your control, like weather and airport traffic, but others, like communication and sympathy, are things you can manage. You advertise as the world's largest airline, but with this attitude and poor customer relations, you wont stay that way for long. I suggest you take a look at Westjet's model and you'll find happy, friendly employees and satisfied customers.

Maybe getting passengers from one place to another on time and in good spirits isn't “your thing”. Maybe you shine in the luggage delivery department. Well, as it turns out, on both legs of this tedious journey you broke my luggage, forcing me to carry 75lbs instead of conveniently rolling it. Since I had exhausted my funds on hotels, car rentals and airport dining, I was left with no money to take a taxi home. Carrying two thirds of my weight on buses and trams was only the icing on the cake.

It would be easy for you to dismiss this, along with the other letters of this kind you surely receive but now is a chance for you to start caring about your customers. The extra costs, including new luggage, to this trip totaled over 400$ and I have no desire to fly again. I would like to know what you intend to do to make up for this disastrous experience and to get my business in the future?

Regards,

Hannah has landed in Nairobi. Hakuna Matata.

noreply@blogger.com (Hannah Willow Gray) — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 05:30:00 PDT

DAY 1

I arrived smoothly at 9pm Monday night after 18 hours of transit, was quickly swept away by taxi to my friends apartment, and then slept for upwards of 17 hours. Finally awake, I went off to experience my first few hours of daylight in Nairobi.

I spent a few hours on Tuesday evening, walking in circles. I left the apartment complex, where I will be staying with my friend Siena until I find my own place, and wandered towards the University of Nairobi, which is only a few minutes walk from the apartment. The street smells, the red earth and the hazy skies brought back a flood of memories from my multiple stays in Uganda.

As I entered the front gates to the University of Nairobi, I first noted that there were many students around all of whom were wearing suits of some kind. I hope that I am not arriving too late for classes…and that the many pounds of clothes I brought are not too casual for these smartly dressed kenyans.

I walked circles around the campus orienting myself, and then in search of the Institute of Development Studies (IDS). Considering my horrible sense of direction I asked a passing woman to help me find my way. She was more than helpful and directed me to the exact building and floor where I could find the IDS department. I will be doing my courses in the Gandhi building…appropriate namesake, don't you think?

Day 2

Today I again explored the university campus and met a woman working in the IDS office. She informed me that the official acceptance letters are not ready yet. I am not surprised in the least...after all, this is Africa...TIA. She was quite surprised that I had chosen the University of Nairobi to do my Masters since most students are from East Africa...after chatting for a bit she offered to help me in finding housing near the campus...the search begins. After leaving campus I found my way towards the Central Business District of Nairobi and met Siena for lunch. This city is non-stop action, skyscrapers, matatus rushing all over, and people on the go...so far the vibes are good.

It's so great to be back in east Africa…

I am so lucky that I have homes all over the world and can not even begin to express how amazing my friends and family have been over the passed few months. You have all helped me prepare for this adventure and more than that, proved that our friendships will last throughout distance and time. My family has been the rock that I needed throughout my decision making with such a variety of advice, concern, love and words of wisdom. You have all supported me, despite the tears and angst of the unknown.

Thank you. I love you all.

Architecture, Mountains, Ultimate and Beer

lugray@gmail.com (Lucas Gray) — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 02:06:00 PDT

I just returned from a 17 day trip around southern Germany and Switzerland. It all started by heading to Cologne and attending the German Nationals Ultimate Tournament where my team, Wall City, went undefeated in the second division and won the league. A great start to the trip.

I stayed a couple extra days in Cologne with Nick Slovan another disc player who also lived in Shanghai for a while just after I left. While there I visited Zumthor's Kolumba museum which is a spectacular building. From cologne I hopped a train down to Basel, Switzerland to continue drooling over amazing architecture by the world's leading design firms. A quick stop over in Luzern brought me into the Swiss alps on my way to Vals a tiny town high in the mountains and boasting perhaps the best contemporary work of architecture in the world, Zumthor's Thermal Baths. 2 nights in architectural (and landscape) bliss.

After a nice relaxing I returned to Germany and spent a couple nights in Munich spending too much time in its Famed beer gardens and breweries. Of course I still managed to take in the most important architectural sites between giant glasses of beer. Another ultimate tournament, this time in Nuremberg book ended the trip. It wasn't quite as successful but we had a bunch of new players learning to gel with the team and we took a step in the right direction preparing for European Championships in London at the end of the month.

Golf Property Bulgaria - Sponsored Post

lugray@gmail.com (Lucas Gray) — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 08:00:00 PDT

Another company has approached www.byworldofmouth.com to write a post and link to their site. This time it is a new development on the Black Sea Coast of Bulgaria. If you are interested in a golf vacation check out golf property bulgaria. It includes a luxurious Gary Player golf course, world class hotels, relaxing spa and a Marina. Once again I can't vouch for their service as I haven't actually been there. However, if I had lots of money, played golf and wanted to experience a country off the beaten tourist path I would probably give this a try. Besides, the landscape looks pretty spectacular from the images on the website.

Vacation Rental Homes

lugray@gmail.com (Lucas Gray) — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 10:25:00 PDT

Our first sponsored post is from an organization of vacation rental owners. If you are looking to take some time off in the America's check out their link: vacation rental

I can't speak for their company as I haven't used myself but it might be worth checking out.

homeward bound, danke for nothing delta

noreply@blogger.com (Kristi de Bonville) — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 04:38:00 PDT

Made it to new york ok but flight to Burlington got canceled and was put on the next available flight which was Friday afternoon sometime. Plan A was to hop on a bus to Albany and spend the night with the Grays but met some people who we rented a car with and decided to drive to Burlington after all. The weather that delayed our flight plans, plagued us all through new york and we ended up stopping for the night in Rutland.. hopefully on our way soon to Burlington where, maybe, our bags are waiting for us. Delta has been unhelpful and unapologetic and if I wasn't on home turf, I surely would have shed some tears. Instead I was able to hold it together, make some friends and even help some poor French exchange students get help at JFK, where they were also stranded and didn't speak English.

Back on the Bandwagon

lugray@gmail.com (Lucas Gray) — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 10:17:00 PDT

It has been a while since we have updated this blog. A long while. Too long.
However, we have mostly been settling into life in Berlin and haven't traveled much over the past few months. I did head off to Amsterdam for a weekend of ultimate but there was nothing exciting enough to write about. This should soon change however, as we spent the past two weeks exploring Poland and Kristi is about the head to Canada for a three week whirlwind tour of the Montreal - Toronto corridor. Look for some new posts in the coming weeks.

Layover at Orio al Serio

noreply@blogger.com (Kristi de Bonville) — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 11:20:00 PDT

If you want to be as glamorous as me and have breakfast in Germany, lunch in Italy and supper in Spain, then being broke and patient always helps!

Because a layover saved us money on our way to Spain and because Ryanair doesn't fly directly to Milan, we found ourselves with a lengthy layover (7 hours) in Bergamo, Italy. Factoring in picking up our luggage, storing it, transport to and from town and checking in for our next flight (not to mention Italian Time), we had about 5 hours to enjoy and explore the town. Having never heard of the place, I instinctively looked into going to Milan but it was much further away and I couldn't get tickets to see the Last Supper. The Duomo will have to wait until next time.

For 3.50€ we purchased a day pass, hopped on bus 1A to the funicular and in less than half an hour, we'd landed in what my father described as a movie set. We stuck to the "Città alta" (upper city) and it's narrow cobble stone streets and extremely old cathedrals. In case we never go to Italy again, we made sure to eat as much stereotypical food as possible ( lasagna, pizza, canoli and gelato), while exclaiming " Mama Mia" as often as possible. Before we left, we watched some kids playing "soccer" in the old town square and tried to recruit them for Team Canada.

It might have been short, but it was sweet and I'd recommend a layover there any time.

Swing and a Miss - My First Visa Application Falls Short

lugray@gmail.com (Lucas Gray) — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 12:33:00 PDT

It was an early morning for me. I shuffled all my papers into a folder, printed out a few last minute forms and finally headed out the Ausländerbehörde. All in all the process went pretty smoothly, mostly short waits and luckily the ladies were friendly and spoke English pretty well.

That doesn't mean they were helpful enough to actually give me a visa, or even read all the forms I gave them. After filling out an application and sliding all my papers through the slot under the glass I was under the impression things were going well. A few minutes later they were telling me I had the wrong insurance, didn't have copies of my diplomas, needed letters of reference from past employers, and some form from an architecture institution here that I didn't quite understand. None of these things were mentioned as needed for a visa application. Not to mention the insurance I have is the same plan as a friend of mine has who got a visa a couple weeks ago. The insurance company said many people have used it for visas and all been approved.

The good news is I at least got a three month extension to my current tourist visa - which expired tomorrow - and can email all the other forms as soon as I collect them. Its all about convincing them the health insurance fit their requirements. Here's hoping...

German Visa Hunt

lugray@gmail.com (Lucas Gray) — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 11:05:00 PDT

I'm still hot on the trail of the elusive beast they call a visa. Today I sent out my application for health insurance and printed my resume. I already have letters of financial support from family and Kristi. We went yesterday to register our address at the Burgerampt so that's all settled. Now I just need to prove I have adequate funds in my bank account, and set up an apointment to turn in all my paper work. Hopefully they will take the passport sized photos I already have.

Its been a bit of an ordeal. As usual I have left things to the last minute seeing as my tourist visa expires next week but it will work itself out. Always has.

Back in Berlin

lugray@gmail.com (Lucas Gray) — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 05:56:00 PDT

Its been a while since our last update here. As always we are busy, working, teaching, designing, writing, hosting friends and exploring the city. Our latest adventure is spelunking our way through the caverns of the German Bureaucracy. I'm slowly gathering the required documentation to apply for a visa so I can legally stay and work. First step is heading to the Burgerampt to register at our new address. Next is finding affordable health care, prooving to the government I have enough money so I won't leach off the social wellfare system and gathering together a portfolio and resume to show I am employable.

Kristi is also changing her registration address and then we are both heading to the volkshochschulen to register for language classes. Lots of running around, too much paperwork, and to top it all off there is rain, sleet and snow falling all at once - not to even mention the freek thunder and lighting that is sporadically filling the seemingly confused Berlin sky.

New York Hotels

lugray@gmail.com (Lucas Gray) — Sun, 08 Mar 2009 00:51:00 PST

New York City is a place everyone must visit at least once. It is like no where else in the world - a perfect blend of international cultures, amazing art, towering architecture, wonderful music, incredible food and more. This featured article - New York Hotels - is an informative piece that offers visitors ideas of where to go for various activities. It offers advice for shopping, eating, relaxing, entertaining, and as the name suggests, which hotels to stay at. It also points out a few additional places to check out around the NY region.

This is a sponsored post

- also check out www.talkitect.com

Hockey Night in Praha

noreply@blogger.com (Kristi de Bonville) — Sat, 21 Feb 2009 23:17:00 PST

Tickets to a European Championship game run between 10 and 20 Euros (that is a maximum of 30$ Canadian for seats behind the bench). When we got to Prague however, the great Jaromir Jagr was scheduled to be playing and they had completely sold out. Well the Czech Champ got the flu and was unable to play so the scalpers, who were happy to rip us off, were left with plenty of good tickets. My poker face was terrible and my Czech was even worse so I wasn't exactly in a position to bargain.

Still, 20$ got us pretty close to the ice and the action. It was almost like being at an NHL game, complete with a Kiss Cam and Dj Otzi (hey hey baby, oh, ah, I wanna know...will you be my girl?). It seemed like the CR was going to take it, Jagr or no, but just like the trusty Habitants, they got a bunch of terrible penalties, stopped trying and lost what seemed to be a sure win. Interestingly enough, the fans didn't boo the other team. I guess being a jerk in the stands is native to North America. You can Czech out our video from the game on the right hand side of the page, where we will be posting all our videos.

In other hockey news, we managed to tap into CBC's live broadcast of Hockey Day in Canada to watch the Montreal Ottawa game. More on this and some pictures at berlinbabel.blogspot.com

Pragueduct Placement

noreply@blogger.com (Kristi de Bonville) — Sun, 15 Feb 2009 04:34:00 PST

That's right, the puns are endless when it comes to our latest trip. Only 5 hours away from Berlin, Prague was a very convenient and relatively inexpensive getaway. The skies stayed gray the entire time but it was worth it for the lack of tourists and excuse to duck into a pub. Czech out our Prague Top Ten list (non-architectural) . . .

10. Přebalovna. Seriously that was a sign at a kid's park , what could it possibly mean? Naked Sasquatche with frog puppet zone?

9. Sausage and lots of it.

8. The marketing of Franz Kafka

7. Breweries on every corner with pints of tasty beer in them.

6. Veselá Kráva (la Vache Qui Rit!)

5. Dumplings. But not the traditional Czech ones that are mostly just boiled bread dough with a few bits of stuff mixed in. We are talking delicious Hungarian dumplings that we found in a great little café (thanks Nazia). Filled with potatoes onions and topped with sour cream and spicy Hungarian sausages. So maybe that doesn't belong here but our week long quest to find the perfect dumpling proved fruitful. Or should I say potatofull...

4. Sculptures of Babies crawling up Žižkov Television Tower (It's a David Černý thing that is supposed to be representative of the teenagers who make babies in the park below the tower.)

3. Czech Hockey. Watch for the video of the Czech vs Finland game we attended in search for some replacement Habs. There were more Hadamcziks and Slavomirs than we knew what to do with. Try taunting a goalie who's last name has letters in it that you've never even seen before! It was also our friend Nazia's first live Hockey game.

2. Tram rides through the narrow city streets. The winding streets of the old city were particularly captivating as the sun set and the lights slowly twinkled on.

and the number one things we liked about Prague is...

1. Lentilky (derived from Latin, which is unusual in a Slavic country - Len being the Latin for a bean and of course ilky from milky = Smarties being a milky bean. An apt description of a tasty candy.)