Day 2 of 2018 was spent mostly on the road in the mountainous regions of San Diego county.  It was a real treat to be on a low level flight all up and down the 8.  The top was down, the music was loud, and my cares were non-existent.  I was completely lost and thrilled to be.

First step of the loose agenda was to cross foot into Mexico at the Calexico border.  Getting across into Mexico was a joke, with literally no one saying a word at all to me.  I meandered around Mexical for about a half hour and then made my way to the pedestrian crossing line (After being flatly informed by the vehicle crossing guards that I had to go stand in that line, to get to my birth country… I see why the world hates us.  I don’t blame the dude for doing his job, though.)

The lines were staggering and I ended up waiting an hour that I didn’t need to, but there was no real instruction how to utilize my Sentri access so I didn’t find out until about 50 feet from the border that I could have skipped the entire line.  In any matter it was a great way to see the people from “the other side” of the border and know first hand what I had suspected all along:  They are all just regular people who want to come over for family or work.  I certainly didn’t see any “bad hombre” uniformed hooligans.

More desert driving at a high speed and an hour and a half later I found myself at the trailhead of Anza Borrego state park.  With no real plans I drove through Borrego Springs and saw a sign for the Salton Sea so I headed toward it on a lark as the sun set behind me.  I passed several stop offs where one could view the park from a decent height and took note of one in particular as one to stop at on the way back.  The Salton Sea has all the features of a standard lake town I believe, save for the salinity of the body itself.  Industrial equipment seemed to maintain as strong a foothold as any residential structures, though.  It made for a dazzling display of shimmering lights from the distance.  After a little lap around the south side I headed back into Anza to find the spot I had scouted earlier in the evening.  As I arrived the sun had completely disappeared and San Diego served as the lone, faint glow to the south and west.  The stars rolled out with such numbers that it was all I could do to keep my mouth closed, holding my hands to it in a perpetual gasp of astonishment.  My smile became semi-permanent when the first 100% full moon of 2018 rolled over the northern ridge, casting a blue pallor over my desert dream-scape.  It was at this point that the smile gave way to a few tears of exquisite joy.  I was witnessing one of the most beautiful things I have ever seen in my thus short years on the blue ball.

I reveled in how perfect this time was.  I wrote by the moonlight.  I left a note in hopes that someone would find it and have their spirits lifted.  I stacked stones and found peace in the effort.  It was a perfect moment, encapsulating everything that one could find right in the world.

As if the still, quiet tranquility weren’t enough, an owl was singing to me from a distant perch in clockwork fashion.  You couldn’t make this kind of thing up.

Once I had drank of all this natural splendor I decide to head back to San Diego and just find my way.  I knew the two highways that would get me there and I just drove.  Little did I know that I would be driving on about 40 miles of the most switch-backed steep grade changing highway in the entire country.  Don’t get me wrong, this might have been a real treat during the wide awake hours of the day but it was a borderline harrowing time when it was fully dark.  I found myself exclaiming “DUDE!” on a number of times to zero audience aside from myself.  It was tough to get going more than 20mph before another hairpin was on top of you.  It was pretty thrilling albeit terrifying.

This was simply one of the best days I have ever had in my entire life.  That is my takeaway from this experience.  The bar for experience was set dangerously high, but I have seen so little world that I know it is still well below possibility.

I’ve collected another flag and only have 180+ to go.  Just little goals…  And I move forward.

I find myself in southern California and basking in the sunshine and warmth to start out 2018.  New Years Day was something much more special than that, though…

After shaking the dust off from New Years Eve, my gracious California host and I made our way to Millie’s for some breakfast.  The crowd was large but the service was excellent, and we were sitting on the sidewalk outside in the California sun with people walking dogs by almost the entire time.  What isn’t to love?

What better way to burn off a 12,000 calorie breakfast than walking what seemed like 20 miles to the top of Griffith Observatory?  (Note to self, maybe resolutions aren’t bullshit… Alright they are.)  The views from the balconies at the observatory are completely stunning, and it was nice to see the Hollywood sign with as much clarity as a smog-filled LA sky can provide.

Without a moment of hesitation, though, the highlight was definitely the second leg of our trip.  We found our way south to visit and pay tribute to a writer and fellow lost soul, Mr. Charles Bukowski.  It was an honor just to be there, to know that little about him and to still feel absolutely humbled in the presence of his memory.

“Don’t try.”

With my legs filled with as much lactic acid as they could possibly handle, the message of my fitness level was received, but naturally I ignored it and in the evening I found myself grabbing some In-N-Out for the first time.  I will say that the legend is true… The fries were ludicrous, the Animal Style Double Double was juicy and all the other adjectives for a tasty burger.  I’d say my day had something close to 20,000 calories, so I feel like I got the top score.

It’s been a great trip thus far and will wrap up on Friday.  I have been in pleasant human company and have found pleasant company with the surroundings as well.  The beauty of San Diego simply can not be overstated!

San Diego, you beautiful place you…  Soon your sunny skies will embrace my skin.  So long as the city isn’t on fire.

All is planned aside from choosing a vehicle to rent for the week.  It’d be great to have a convertible to really luxuriate in the rays, but it’s a lot of money for something I don’t get to keep.  If I come across any sort of windfalls I’ll splurge but will probably end up with something practical and boring.  So long as I have some wheels it is all good.

There are not particular plans other than being in L.A. on New Years Eve.  That will, by default, be the most eventful New Years Eve I have had in a very long time.  Much of my time will be spent in meditation, basking in warmth like a lizard person, and doing some writing and introspection.  It won’t be all business though. 😉

Gotta get me some In-N-Out while I’m out this time…  Animal Style EVERYTHING!

The ocean has found a way back into my dreams, a sign that it is time to go west.  As I’m not one to ignore these things, I will take this as notice that it is time to book the flight.  My lodging is already handled but that wouldn’t have done me much good if I didn’t fly out there.  (Thanks to my AirBnB host for giving me a home away from home)

And just like that I will get my ass back in the sky, a preview of the year to come.  2018 begins “out there”, as I plan to spend more of my time.  (Trip #2 is already in the works but it’ll just be a long weekend.)

Onward and upward.

After what seems like several years of cursory research into a veritable “secret society”, I have taken my first steps to join the not-so-secret group around of travel hackers around the world.  As with any plunge, the jump is equal parts exciting and hesitant.

I’m falling though, might as well embrace gravity.

Since I begin this journey from a clean slate so-to-speak, I must first build some reputation among an industry I attribute with something less than saintly behavior.  This is a leg of the same industry that attempted to bankrupt the entire world in 2008.  So although I am proceeding, I am doing so with the utmost caution and attention to detail, taking my efforts back to what many might consider archaic techniques:  Documenting everything I do with pen and paper.  Everything.  Every dollar that moves from one place to another is written down and accounted for.  Embarrassing for anyone who embraces modern technological marvels?  Sure.  But for me it adds a giant layer of accountability that anything cloud based will fail to cover.  This sheet and subsequent sheets will maintain a prominent place on my desk in plain sight.  I can not minimize them, or close the tab they are in, or forget my credentials for them.  They are right THERE *points to right side of desk*.  They mock me for details and for more input.  Soon enough, you hungry paper pad…  Data points galore.

Much more to come, successes and failures alike.

The full decompression from my first trip abroad has now occurred so I am once again full of a desire to get on a plane again.  Still so much to see and it has become an unwavering priority to do so.  Other endeavors have a hollow feeling by comparison, a lack of any vigor.  This is the life I want.  This is where home is, and I can’t deny myself that.

Of course this entails potentially burning a fair share of bridges to accomplish, but it is the life I want, not the life I settle on.

Bring the world my way, I am ready to receive.

Day 1 in the books visiting Dublin.  Started the morning with some work and then grabbed an Uber to St. Stephen’s Green.  This was a perfect start to the day.  A little communing with nature in the middle of a bustling city.  It is the toned down version of Central Park.  It was a luscious green landscape in the middle of a concrete jungle.  Absolutely gorgeous and got me hooked to see more of Dublin.

Since I had no particular plans I just walked around Dublin all day.  Did circles around the city center to see it all.  Stopped in to a place called the Porter House and had a porter and some fish and chips, and went to another place referred to as the Queen of Tarts for a bit of dessert goodness.  After all that food I decided I’d walk it off and hoof it all the way back to my AirBnB which was a few miles out of the center.

I’ve planned a trip to the Cliffs of Moher for Thursday which I am looking forward to very much and now I just need to pick some sights to see tomorrow and Wednesday to cap off a fine trip.  Guinness and Jameson don’t sound half bad…  When in Dublin, I suppose!

With love from Dublin.

Now that my journeys around the world have officially begun, I am expanding my comfort zone even more.  I’ve started to collect flags of countries I have visited and will adorn myself with them.  The travel bug has bitten me quite hard and I’m already planning my next couple ventures.  I should have a second flag by the end of next week, and will need to have some catch up flags done when I get back home.

Life awaits.

Friday was a day which I marched directly out of my comfort zone and didn’t look back all day.  I am still riding that high today and feel invincible.  So I advise anyone and everyone to do that thing you are hesitant to do.

Seriously.
Stop wondering what it will be like and find out what it is like.
No one is going to push you out there, fucking jump.
Gravity works on all of us, as do the rest of the laws of physics.
Embrace the chaos that is everywhere, even in your supposed safety, you aren’t safe.

Jump, and enjoy the view.

Cheers from Norwich, England.

After months of waiting I have taken the leap to explore the world.  I started out with what could only be referred to as an “easy” beginning, and am currently visiting England.  This is largely friendly territory, in fact friendly to a fault.  The English are truly a humble and generous people from all I gather.  My hosts are absolutely incredible and I am honored they allowed me to stay with them.  They don’t understand what a great service they have done for me and I’m certain I can never repay them.

I’ll not name them out of respect but I am forever grateful for this opportunity they have given me.  The opportunity to get the hell out of my comfort and time zone.

This is only the beginning, 2 flags to fly in one trip.  Not too shabby, though.

Cheers from the land where everything has sausages and gravy (just about the highest order compliment that exists).