The Day the Pop Music Stopped

It is odd to think that certain events you will remember where you were for the rest of your life... well I am fairly certain that the passing of MJ will be one I remember for some time due not only to how sudden it was but the fact that I found out from a drunken Northern Irishmen in the city of Derry who met me as I walked into the pub with the line...

"Michael Jackson is dead.... he just died.... believe me... wait ask her (points to girl on phone outside pub and she agrees)"

The news went on to tell all that night but needless to say it is memorable.

The Travels are Set to Continue

It has been a long time since I actually traveled (because I no longer count living in England as traveling), so I am ready to pack up and go again. The next group of trips will take me eventually back to the USA but not before stopping in a few more locales.

My first stop will be this weekend in Derry located in Northern Ireland. I have been all over Great Britain but have yet to see anything in Northern Ireland so a good weekend trip should give me a taste of it.

After this short trip I come back to England for a week or so before heading to Africa. I fly into Casablanca, Morocco on the 6th for about 2 weeks of exploration. I am not sure what parts of the country I will see quite yet but I know that Marrakesh is a definite.



At the end of July my tenure and my lease here in England are over so I am heading off to Eastern Europe to hopefully hit a few good beaches in Croatia and maybe track down Dracula in Transylvania.


To wrap up the trip I am hoping to hit Spain if timing and money permits before heading back home in September or so to start a whole new adventure.

Kissing the Blarney Stone

I will come back and fill this in eventually. I am still traveling so I will just post the pics and some basics. Click on this picture to read about the Blarney Stone.


Blarney Castle


Up top at the Blarney Stone... note the person on her back kissing it.

View of the drop from the stone from below.

A view from the top.

Cork, Ireland St Patrick's

I have returned from my jaunt to Ireland for St Pattys and feel the better man for it. Granted, I am uncertain of my exact Irish lineage but the people there seem enough like me for it to be close.



Here is the hostel I stayed at in Cork from the outside. Notice that the entire downstairs is a bar.... not a coincidence.

When in Ireland try to hang out with the Irish.... when you wake up with a picture like this on your camera you know it was a good night.

Hope everyone had an epic St Pattys

Gone to Cork for St Pattys

I am heading to the airport now and should be back from my St. Patrick's adventure in a couple of days. There will be no posts during this time because my laptop will be sitting this one out. Check back on Thursday or so for pictures of chaos and hopefully the Blarney Stone.

Napoleon in the making

With my new status in England I am looking to conquer Europe one or many countries at a time. I find myself now planning the next leg. The schedule as of now consists of Ireland for St. Patty's, then flying to Switzerland with a drive to France for snowboarding at Mont Blanc, back to Switzerland and then potentially hopping on and off buses through a few countries.

Hopefully by the time I leave here half of these have been infected by my presence.

St Patty's in CORK IRELAND

In an attempt to do some traveling I have booked a flight and accomodations to Cork, Ireland for St. Patrick's day. I am booked for a two night trip that will be arriving in Cork on the 17th and will become immediately blurred after that. With any luck I will make it up to kiss the Blarney Stone and receive the "gift of gab"

While there I will be staying at the Bru Bar and Hostel
http://bruhostel.com/
It should be fun.



I would stay longer, but I am already booked to fly to France on the 20th for some snowboarding at Mont Blanc. I am roughing it.

The Trip Toward England

In anticipation of my move to England I packed my bags up. 2 snowboards, massive amounts of cold-weather clothing and my cache of electronics later I was all packed. The final weight of everything was over 120 pounds. Basically I smuggled another person with me.

After getting packed up I said hello to the parents who have served as my favorite hosts over the course of my travels. Luckily this time I will be moving from my bed into another real bed and not a hostel bed or hammock.


Goodbye bed/tv/computer. Notice how tidy I keep everything.

I then set off. A 4+ hour ride with my uncle to Dulles, 3 hours there waiting, 7 hours on the Aer Lingus flight to Dublin and then I was here.

Dublin, 8am local time 3am Easter Time. Don't I look thrilled...


Then I saw the light....

A couple of pints later and I was en route to England. I will update soon with pics from the flat and the Birmingham area as soon as I make the flat a little more my own.