hoc loco

I’m scheduled to fly back to New York from Nova Scotia later tomorrow afternoon but tropical storm Hanna is due to pass through tonight and tomorrow. I’m hoping that it blows through quickly (and with little impact!) so that I can make my flight tomorrow.

Last weekend Michi, Elizabeth, Joe and I drove to Akron for Kelly and Andrew’s wedding. It was a nice ceremony and a great party. On the long drive back I realized that Ohio was the third state that I had been to for the first time this year; Florida and Minnesota are the other two. I would like to get to all fifty eventually…so far I’m up to a paltry twenty-two, including all of the relatively easy to get to New England states.

I always feel like something is missing when I visit the front range of the rockies; I get a nagging feeling while traveling around and admiring the scenery. I used to think that it was that everything is so new. Out west an old building is from the 1920′s. On this trip I think that I put my finger on it–I’m missing the ability to orient myself based on a coastline. I’ve always lived in places with either a coastline, harbour, or major navigable river. Being in a place like Boulder that has none of these makes me feel a bit unhooked while I’m out and about.

Over the weekend I had to attend a few pre-conference meetings at the holiday inn express out by Trinidad’s airport, quite far from where I was staying. I split the cab ride with a few other guys staying at the same hotel and on the first day we were lucky enough to have Raj pick us up to return to the hotel. Rather than the usual old, beat up Nissan or Datsun Raj had a well cared for Toyota Crown Saloon which he had imported directly from Japan. Despite our laughter at the GPS display that had map data for Japan on the screen and an apparent inability to show anything else we appreciated the comfortable, clean ride and Raj’s informative nature. He was quite willing to tell us how much it cost to import his car–$23,000 for the car plus another $15,000 in duty, tax and fees–what it takes to get a cab license in Trinidad (not much) and the best restaurants to eat at near our hotel. At his suggestion we booked him for the ride back to the holiday inn the next day.

Sunday Raj was waiting to take us to our meeting, and he found two other cabs for us when more folks were riding back that afternoon–his son-in-law and his cousin. On the way back to the hotel he convinced us to stop at his local bar for a beer (on him). With a picture of a speeding bullet drawn next to the name, the buckshot bar was definitely more for locals than your run-of-the-mill tourist crowd like us. It’s gets its name from the proprietor’s nickname; we never got a straight answer on how he earned that appellation. We had to turn down Raj’s offer of another round, and his generous offers to stop at his place for a scotch. We did drive by his place, a very nice house on a quiet street, and his daughter’ and son-in-law’s house next door. I think that Raj is (rightfully) very proud of what he does and has built.

I’ve booked my ride back to the airport with Raj, and if you are ever in Trinidad I’d recommend his services.

I’m in Port of Spain this week for a conference. I haven’t managed to see much of the area outside of hotel meeting rooms so far…tomorrow the meeting moves to the University of the West Indies and more people begin to arrive, so perhaps I’ll have some interesting tidbits to share then.

I’m sitting in the San Francisco airport bar tapping this out on my iPhone. My flight to Newark is late, rescheduled from 10:05 pm to 12:52 am. Sometimes I wonder why I enjoy traveling.

I’ve been in San Francisco most of this week for the annual AGU conference. The weather has been amazing–sunny and mild all week–and I’ve missed the first winter storm back east in New York! Even better than the weather has been the food, Joe has been kind enough to show me a few of his favourite places to eat while we’re out here. So far I’ve had great sushi, Italian, Thai, and Vietnamese.