Addis Ababa, Ethiopia - Show me the money, Part deux...

Just when you think you're on a roll is when you're most susceptible to being blindsided. My financial management on this trip has been abysmal. But "blindsided" is really a overstatement because I've been aware that this USD crunch was coming awhile back. Underestimating the cost of the letter of introduction (canada) and egyptian visa just exacerbated the problem. Now I've learned that it's nearly impossible to get USD in Addis.

Why the panic? I need USD to get through Sudan. Credit cards and travelers cheques are useless there.

There were 2 possible solutions: 1) the black market 2) find someone leaving addis on an airplane to exchange birr into USD. it's unfortunate that i have to stoop so low, but what choice do i have?

so, this day, i asked my friend from ireland, emily, to exchange 150 bucks for me at the Hilton. The generosity of fellow travelers is amazing sometimes. I need 150 bucks more and then I'll feel better..

Out of Canuckistan: A travel blog, Mar 30/07
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Buy Bubba a Beer Now!

sunday morning theatre...

a bunch of thoughts come to mind, including these:

1) someone's asking for a taaaaserrring...
2) if you can't beat them (bicyclists vs. car drivers), join 'em.
3) yellow jacketed bicyclists: move along people, nothing to see here.
4) yaabaa da ba dooooooo...


billary should be taking notes on how to handle hecklers in the crowd after watching lil' sadie in action. man, it's unbelievable she's getting flak from her classmate. if i was teaching, the heckler would have been warming hallway linoleum with his backside, pronto.

public service announcements...

(caution: do not lick metallic poles in sub-zero temperatures, you may be in for a nasty surprise)

for all those who know me, i'm pretty much a night owl. when i'm not partying or out on the town till all hours, i'm watching cool shows like letterman or conan.

suffice to say, the anguish i've suffered because of the writers' strike has been immeasurable.

for the love of god, i hope the repeats come to an end soon.

here's to the writers. studios, show them the money. they're not asking for the moon...

bubba's running tip of the day...

i'm often asked, "bubba, how do you pull off the herculean effort of running in minus 20 Celsius weather?"

good question, my friends.

first, minus 20 Celsius is nothing.

second, dress for the occasion. as with everything in life, it's not the volume but the quality of the clothes you choose that is the salient feature.

wear layers and wear them often.

for example today, for my upper torso, i wore 2 wicking layers comprised of nike "dry fit" material and 1 cotton long sleeve t-shirt. not finished yet... these were sandwiched between a base layer of MEC midweight transport long-sleeved polypropylene t-shirt and an outer windproof nylon jacket.

for the lower body, i wore a base layer of MEC midweight polypropylene long underwear. on top of that, my usually jogging shorts. then finally the gnarliest wrecked sweatpants (complete with strategically place vents) ever.

add mitts and a toque (with a totally breathable lining made of a super secret material), and i'm good to go.

(caveat emptor: the above ensemble is only meant as an anecdotal suggestion. if emulated, beware of any high voltage taser-like static electrical discharge that may occur upon disassemblage. persons with medical histories such as cardiac arrhythmia, and/or psychotic anxiety episodes should consult with a physician before wearing similar clothes and/or embarking on cold weather activities. BTOG is not responsible for any injuries resulting from electrocution or any other contraindications resulting from the above garment suggestions or extreme exercise programmes.)

planning, planning...