Client Stories (Part 1) - The Battle Prelude

Seeing as I work with an extensive variety of people and personality types at my different places of work, I hear a lot of interesting things. I can't repeat every one of them for various reasons, but every once in a while a nice little tidbit makes it my way that I can share without NDA's being put on file. This one comes from Mr. Alner (obviously not his real name) and is about how he caused several thousand dollars worth of damage to other people's cars.

Visiting With The Black Pearl (PotC4)

So back when I had all those visitors last month, I found a way for them to finally get out and check out the island. They had been here for almost a week and had only seen Diamond Head, Waikiki, and a couple of beaches. In an attempt to get them to some of the island's more distant destinations I pulled my trump card: The Black Pearl from PotC. Yes, the Black Pearl was in one of the northern harbors for filming of the 4th, as of yet, unannounced movie for several weeks and was open for viewing by the public.

Arrival Of The Guests

So things have been insanely busy around here lately. Not so much from work (I've been "on the beach" as we like to say), but from people coming over and visiting for weeks on end. It's ranged from a single person, to four other people sharing my one bedroom apartment. As of the 16th, I'll have had visitors for a solid month.

I can't say it hasn't been fun, but I have to pretty much serve as the local tour guide during their stay. And even then, they would sometimes sleep until noon and then go shopping for the rest of the day...shopping. I basically had to force that one to get out and enjoy the island. They'll all be gone in a little while though and I'll have to find something to fill my time. Head back to the gym, finally take those SCUBA Diving lessons I paid for back before I went to Alaska, and start up on a couple of recent assignments... I may not have much time to relax though. murmurs back home suggest that I might have a group of relatives coming out in November. Depending on who decides to visit, I could be dealing with as many as 25 people coming out here. I shudder at the thought. Peace out.

- TiH

Retro Update: Souel Airport & Hotdogs (S. Korea)

Part of the reason I was able to afford going to China on such short notice was the nice long stop over I experienced in Souel South Korea coming and going. The Souel airport is actually a very tidy, well designed area with a lot to see and do. This doesn't make up for the fact that when it comes down to it, it's still just an airport. I did get a couple of nice experiences out of my time there though.

Update: Hangin Out In The Souel Airport (Return From China)

UPDATE: I got back home after an 8-hour plane trip. I have successfully traveled 10-hours back in time from when I left the Souel airport. It is now 10:30 am on the 26th, and I left Souel at 8:20 pm on the 26th. Impressive, no? That is all.

Just a brief note that I'm heading back to Hawaii from China now. I've got a nice relaxing 7-1/2 hour layover in Souel right now and aside from trying some pretty terrible Korean Ramen/Kimchee, there isn't much to do. I've checked my work e-mail (which has decided to pretend that I never left or said that I can't check it in China), found a place that sells Diet Coke (a small miracle over here), and figured out where my flight leaves from. I've also given myself a personal tour of the entire Souel airport. Now to kickback, find a decent place for dinner, and wait for my flight to the states. Peace out.

- TiH

China Travel Plans

I'll be leaving in several hours to catch a flight to Shenyang, China to meet some future family members (in-law). The wonderful woman I've been dating since practically forever is originally from China and I've scheduled some time off to go and meet her grandparents. They are getting up there in years (75 - 80) and if I don't go soon I may never get a chance to meet them.

Riding Down The Denali Rapids (Sorry, No Pictures)

I will be leaving Alaska this coming Wednesday morning, so this weekend will be my last chance to take care of everything that I've been wanting to do since I arrived here mid April. I'd been toying around with the idea of rehiking Angel Rocks and going on to the Chena Hot Springs, but rehashing old material didn't seem like the best use of my time. Instead, I decided to do some white water rafting down the Nenana River Canyon.

Ice Caverns Of The Castner Glacier

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