TravelStream™ news feed for member dylangray on TravelPod's free travel blogs service http://www.travelpod.com/syndication/rss/dylangray en-us Copyright ©2009 TravelPod.com Mon, 23 Jun 2008 08:59:48 -0400 http://www.travelpod.com http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/dylangray/7/1214060400/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/dylangray/7/1214060400/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/dylangray/7/1214060400/tpod.html Mon, 23 Jun 2008 08:59:48 -0400 A Day Out at Texas State Railroad

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Rusk, Texas, United States

Left at 11am to catch the 3:30 ride on the Texas State Railroad steam train, which in this weekends' travels was due to be robbed by bandits and then saved by the Lone Ranger and Tonto.Can't wait!More to come, awaiting pictures
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/dylangray/6/1213468200/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/dylangray/6/1213468200/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/dylangray/6/1213468200/tpod.html Mon, 23 Jun 2008 08:48:30 -0400 A Flying Visit to Scotland for the Weekend

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Edinburgh, United Kingdom

Wedding at the church and off to the country for a party!Awaiting photos from the bride and friends.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/dylangray/6/1214224500/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/dylangray/6/1214224500/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/dylangray/6/1214224500/tpod.html Mon, 23 Jun 2008 08:37:52 -0400 A Flying Visit to Scotland for the Weekend

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Edinburgh, Scotland, United Kingdom

Landed in Edinburgh having flown all night from Houston via Paris CDG. It was sunny on landing, and Edinburgh in the sunshine is immediately refreshing to the soul and the eye.Interesting buildings, curvy hills seemingly on all sides, a blast of breezy fresh air and a bustling streetlife of locals, students and visitors all create a vibe that is exciting, ancient and exotic all at once.As an ex-student of Edinburgh I was in familiar territory and picked up my rental car to head off to surprise my parents.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/dylangray/5/1211040900/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/dylangray/5/1211040900/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/dylangray/5/1211040900/tpod.html Sun, 18 May 2008 09:24:42 -0400 Hello Dubai

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Dubai, Dubai, United Arab Emirates

On arrival at Dubai International Airport hopped into a taxi and made my way to the company apartment - slightly tricky to find as it does not actually have an address that I would be used to, so some intense phoning on behalf of myself and the taxi driver we eventually located it.Quick bath and a slap around the face before jauntily setting out into the 35+ degree heat in search of the Marina and waterside restaurant for a spot of lunch with my friend Petr.We ate and chatted and admired the cranes, glittering buildings and the baking sunshine and flet really quite abroad. On a whim we decided to hop aboard Captain Jack's motor powered Dhow (?) and take a tour of the sparkling waters around Dubai.Wonderful... sitting on brightly coloured bean bags in a wooden boat that would seat 40 under a flapping canvas sunshade watching the water and the city slide past as we headed out past the millionaires motor yachts and Gin Palaces to the open sea in search of nothing in particular.We did in fact find nothing but a nice afternoon's pottering. This was followed by a quick trip to the Supermarket, a local haircut (in which anything remotely hairy seems to be targetted, nostrils, ears, eyebrows) - I kept my arms down in case he wanted to start on my armpits - and back to the apartment for a quick change and off to the Jacuzzi with a roof top view (of the cranes).Overall not a bad day and time for bed.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/dylangray/4/1210691640/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/dylangray/4/1210691640/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/dylangray/4/1210691640/tpod.html Wed, 14 May 2008 11:40:22 -0400 Flying visit to Kuala Lumpur

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Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

I was offered dinner with the events manager of our conference room in the hotel. After some gentle pushing, as I was unsure of the etiquette, I accepted and arranged to meet at 7pm in the Prince Hotel's Japanese restaurant. Being ignorant of Japanese food other than what I imagine to be the most basic and westernize of Sushi - which I get from a Martini and Sushi bar near the house in Houston - I asked to be guided by my host, who promptly called out her friend the manager. We were given a delightful sequence of Sushi, Shashima and Tempura, not to mention red been curry salad with an amazing array of accompanying sauces and fish oil dips. Circumspect conversation broke into chatter on how to eat the food with the correct manners and thence onto life in Malaysia and the influence and characteristics of the Chinese and Japanese cultures that influenced the local Malay culture and time passed easily. At every course I was urged to finish and only when I finally really put up a protest that I was full at the 4th or 5th course did satisfaction break through in a wide smile from the manager, and I felt elated that all were pleased and I had not offended anyone. A few minutes later with great courtesy, as there had been with every course, the manager appeared and my host joined in urging me to have pudding. I protested, but somehow ended up with the menu in my hand. At which point I became a fatality, once again and ordered a very small portion of the burnt sesame ice cream. As a foodie, let me tell you that this innocent sesame ice cream delight is one of the most elegant, mind blowing taste sensations in my fat little life! It is smooth as silk, powdery, not sweet but slides along the tongue with an allure that is irresitable. You search for strong flavours or components that might hint at ingredients but none are revealed, this is a composite dish that is not giving it's recipe away. Sneakily one light and delicate flavour walks up the side of your mouth and a smoky burnt smell graces your inside nostrils. Ah Hah! The burnt sesame reveals itself like an angels touch, almost imperceptible but one which totally occupies your mind as your senses strain to gather more information about this mysterious flavour. Every small spoonful was a moment of silence and introspection. I have had truffles and enjoyed saffron which are on a par but will in future have to compete mighty hard to steal the title of best dish ever so far. We finished the evening at that point and I retired to my room and slept a gracious peaceful sleep content that I had been polite, behaved and been awarded an out of this world experience. Thank you Mee Lin. On looking up the restaurant just now, this is what they say on the website. For me it was true - how rare. <i> Romancing the Palate<i> Dining at Prince Hotel &amp; Residence Kuala Lumpur is a love affair for the discerning palate. From Continental fare to Eastern feasts and every menu in between, dishes have been created by master chefs to tantalise and delight one's taste buds. Each restaurant also has its own distinctive décor and ambiance that add to the dining pleasure.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/dylangray/4/1210776960/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/dylangray/4/1210776960/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/dylangray/4/1210776960/tpod.html Wed, 14 May 2008 11:12:10 -0400 Flying visit to Kuala Lumpur

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Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

This evening, the class I am teaching went for a business event and dinner and I declined, finished some preparations for next week in Dubai and went down to the bar with my book.The usual exquisitely mannered greeting from the staff was as welcoming and unchanging as ever and I made my way to a comfy armchair overlooking the capacious entrance foyer and read my book. After a Tom Collins or too and an a couple of hours embroiled in worldy escapades of Marine Research specialists chasing bad guys across the globe and back, the story came to a pleasing end with the baddies caught, a new world treasure discovered and the heroes on a date in a hanglider.Resting some more in the afterglow that comes with finishing a satisfying book, my gaze wandered to the restaurant below. I watched the back of a man who looked like I imagine my father looked when he travelled. Tidy, slim, neat and setting his napkin on his lap, waiting politely and patiently for service in the nearly empty restaurant.I thought he might like something to read while he waited and wandered down to the restaurant and made my way to his table. As he turned to me I realized he was Oriental, but asked if he read English anyway and offered the book.It turned out he was more interested in conversation that the book, so I pulled up a chair, given he had finished his meal, and we chatted for a good hour. He was well travelled and well versed in global economics, politics and agricultural economics which we discussed at some length. It turned out his daughter is studying it at University. We moved easily through more topics and rounded out the evening with religion and a discussion of Catholicism and Buddhism. His name was pronounced like Fujee, we shook hands, and went on our way.Sometimes life brings lovely presence.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/dylangray/07-venezuela/1186975740/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/dylangray/07-venezuela/1186975740/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/dylangray/07-venezuela/1186975740/tpod.html Sat, 10 May 2008 23:41:11 -0400 Venezuela here I come, look out El-Tigre & Caracas

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Caracas, Central Venezuela, Venezuela

What an introduction to a new concept of airline hell! On arrival in Caracas having flown for plenty long time expecting a short connection to El-Tigre, it turned into an adventure of epic proportions!Hooked up with International SOS security guard for armed escort from international terminal to domestic terminal as advised, only to discover it was a 2 block walk not a mysterious car ride across the bandit laden kidnap capital of the world.Got checked in and went to the gate and met with as arranged with fellow travelers. The onward plan to El-Tigre was late in, in fact it turned out, it had not left due to storms. It then left, then it arrived, now at least 3-4 hours late. Never mind we would get there anyway. Actually no. We could not depart for El-Tigre at this time due to the same storms. So we wait, it is now approaching 11pm and we are tired, smelly, hot and bored - it looks like fellow passengers are about to riot, lots of shouting and arm waving but no information. We are told that we cannot fly this evening because the airport is now closed!If we come back at 6am we can fly then. Can we get our luggage so we can go to a hotel, shower, rest and come back? Oh no. The baggage handlers have gone home. Ok, can we get a taxi - yes after an hour and a half, and a hotel room? Yes but deep downtown in luxury only. Duly we paid extortionate cab fare to extortionate hotel and checked in at 3am without luggage or dinner, set alarm calls for 5am to return to airport. Groan - but at least we got a shower - and yes it was too early to get breakfast.On arrival at the airport we got onto the plane and sat for 2 hours, getting very very hot and&nbsp; bothered, only to be told that there were cows on the runway and the airport did not open until midday anyway.At which time I made the executive decision that I had officially had enough of this runaround - how could they get us onto a plane at 6am knowing they could not take off until 11am!We drove to El-Tigre and saw some wonderful countryside, ate local foods at roadside cafe and felt human again.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/dylangray/3/1210476060/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/dylangray/3/1210476060/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/dylangray/3/1210476060/tpod.html Sat, 10 May 2008 23:28:21 -0400 A fortnight in Scotland

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London, England, United Kingdom

Well on arrival at the new Terminal 5 actually got my luggage contrary to popular expectations and made it over to my loony friends house.Much silliness ensued and a great evening watching re-runs of the Pink Panther series. All in all very silly and wonderful.
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Aberdeen, United Kingdom

What a wonderful evening. Treat to home made Czech and then Slovak dishes none of which I could pronounce - very yummy. Especially liked the "Flat Field Mushrooms", then an evening of pictures and stories from their home. Quite wonderful.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/dylangray/4/1210475940/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/dylangray/4/1210475940/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/dylangray/4/1210475940/tpod.html Sat, 10 May 2008 23:20:52 -0400 Flying visit to Kuala Lumpur

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Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan, Malaysia

A flying visit back again after a month or so.Flew all night from the UK and drove in from the airport as the sun set and night arrived, then amazingly slept all night too.The view from the 20th floor last night was wonderful, twinkling lights all the way to the mountains - sadly not photographable.Wokethis morning to view KL still sleeping and watched the dawn rise andthe mist clouds clearing over the mountains. Not sure about plans forthe day, see what unfolds. Chatted to a dear friend in New Zealand.
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