Doesn't seem like rocket science, but when you are in a new place still trying to figure out the correct day and time and people drive and walk on the wrong side of the road, things get a little muddled. I think this is officially the last day I get to use the "culture shock" and jetlag excuses. But I was surprised that the instant coffee, powder cream, and brown sugar was drinkable. Of course within the next hour I was sipping down a nice Cafe Au Lait at a near by sbux.
We had fun sightseeing, Victoria Peak, walking, lunch, more walking, nap time, more walking, dinner, late night shopping, IM with Karen.
All in all a good day. Now the next leg of the trip begins. Leave airport at 9am, bus ride through the city, check in at airport (which was rather efficient. Cathy says there is something to say for Communist rule). Now we find ourselves enjoying some sweets, eating a plate of cheese, and a rather good latte.
Keep you posted on how things are transpiring in India.
Thursday, February 5, 2009
U know that a bathroom door in the airplane is closed when...
....Apparently being on a place for 14 hours, traveling at altitudes in excess of 30000 ft, and watching countless movies to pass the time, diminishes one's ability to remember the basics of travel.
Needless to say the someone tried to enter, but the door barely opened before I could call out the traditional, "Hey" (with love of course). Now i know, lights illumined =door locked. Maybe I should consider Cathy's suggestion to dye my hair?
Add that to the list of funny ha-ha's that will fill the next 17 days.
So highlights for the day...departure and arrival, Happy meal at Old MacDonald's (as Mariah likes to call it -and yes, I just called McDonald's a highlight, but be sure it will not happen for at least the next 15 days ), and hitting the pillow on a very hard bed (actually my sore back found comfort in lying a padded board). Anything in between I could have done with out—cramped quarters, desperate longing to consume mass amounts of water, and the fact that fact that we were on a place for 15 hours. With all the technology our society has attained, why is it that only Star Trek has been mastered the art of beaming individuals from place to place. I would be willing to pay the price. It sure would make for easier travel. Unless of course a fly flew into teleport. Then I might have to be concerned with taking on some characteristics of said bug (yes that reference was for all you closet Jeff Goldbloom fans out there, you know who you are).
In the midst of my rambling thoughts and observations, I am very excited to experience this corner of the world, with all it smells and sights, cultures and people. Right now I am sitting in the lobby of the BP International hotel and the sun is just starting to light the day. Buses, cars, and people are beginning to fill the streets, I am excited to experience Hong Kong. It is supposed to be 72ish degree (21 Celsius) and relatively clear.
Needless to say the someone tried to enter, but the door barely opened before I could call out the traditional, "Hey" (with love of course). Now i know, lights illumined =door locked. Maybe I should consider Cathy's suggestion to dye my hair?
Add that to the list of funny ha-ha's that will fill the next 17 days.
So highlights for the day...departure and arrival, Happy meal at Old MacDonald's (as Mariah likes to call it -and yes, I just called McDonald's a highlight, but be sure it will not happen for at least the next 15 days ), and hitting the pillow on a very hard bed (actually my sore back found comfort in lying a padded board). Anything in between I could have done with out—cramped quarters, desperate longing to consume mass amounts of water, and the fact that fact that we were on a place for 15 hours. With all the technology our society has attained, why is it that only Star Trek has been mastered the art of beaming individuals from place to place. I would be willing to pay the price. It sure would make for easier travel. Unless of course a fly flew into teleport. Then I might have to be concerned with taking on some characteristics of said bug (yes that reference was for all you closet Jeff Goldbloom fans out there, you know who you are).
In the midst of my rambling thoughts and observations, I am very excited to experience this corner of the world, with all it smells and sights, cultures and people. Right now I am sitting in the lobby of the BP International hotel and the sun is just starting to light the day. Buses, cars, and people are beginning to fill the streets, I am excited to experience Hong Kong. It is supposed to be 72ish degree (21 Celsius) and relatively clear.
Brewing Coffee, water optional?
On a lighter note, Ron Hogan and I discovered that when brewing hotel coffee, water is optional. I really want to blame it on him and the fact that it was 330a, but I will not throw my friend under the bus. Yes, the former starbucks barista of 4 years failed to include the most important ingredient to coffee...WATER!!! Aren't you glad I never made you coffee?
Well, stay tuned to updates to hear about the next crisis averted and humorous faux pax
Well, stay tuned to updates to hear about the next crisis averted and humorous faux pax
arriving at seatac for the trek across the world
So we had our first stressful event where God stepped in...one of our compatriates had their passport fall out at the bookstore in our hotel. Of course we did not realize this until we arrived at the airport. Thankfully, good people are still out there and the lost passport was returned to hotel desk. So, we had enough time to get checked in, through security, and enjoy a starbucks coffee!
God is good!!!!
God is good!!!!
Thursday, January 29, 2009
whew!!
I tell you what, transferring files from one computer to another is time consuming. My head is swirling. My biggest concern is with the ipod. What if I leave out that favorite song and I do not know that it is gone indefinitely?
I will say this, and sorry if you PC users are feeling a bit left out perhaps even bashed, I love my mac. It is so easy to do just about everything (except incompetent OpenOffice...just not a good program...though that is not mac's fault). It is easy to convert programs, burn dvd's, run multiple programs without worry of crashes (crossing-fingers), and so many other things.
Yes, I am officially on the bandwagon.
Well, not too much to write, but I am trying to be good about posting thoughts. As I close, I thought all you PC users need to see another great commercial to make you laugh and languish your state of computing reality.
Don't forget to be praying for me and the team as we set to embark on our adventure half across the world.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WP9tkpMRD9s&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6izXkHns_ww&feature=related
I will say this, and sorry if you PC users are feeling a bit left out perhaps even bashed, I love my mac. It is so easy to do just about everything (except incompetent OpenOffice...just not a good program...though that is not mac's fault). It is easy to convert programs, burn dvd's, run multiple programs without worry of crashes (crossing-fingers), and so many other things.
Yes, I am officially on the bandwagon.
Well, not too much to write, but I am trying to be good about posting thoughts. As I close, I thought all you PC users need to see another great commercial to make you laugh and languish your state of computing reality.
Don't forget to be praying for me and the team as we set to embark on our adventure half across the world.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WP9tkpMRD9s&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6izXkHns_ww&feature=related
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
I am going to INDIA!!!!
I am exuberant at the pending mission experience, as well as humbly awed by the magnitude of such an endeavor. Ever since I read "Song of Ascents," by E. Stanley Jones and wrote a research paper on NE India, I have longed to visit the land of mysticism and mystery. I have no idea what these pending days of travel to the far reaches of the earth will illumine and probe within my deep, but God is at work, and when that happens, watch out!!!
I depart in 6 days. Keep an eye on this blog and please pray for me and the team (Ron Eric, Cathy, and Mickie)...emphasis on PRAY : ) and if u feel really generous ....Pray some more (especially if you wake up early in the morning, b/c that will be the early evening for us). Blessings and God's grace and mercy on all of you that follow thru the www and blogsphere in prayer and curiosity, the travels of these band of ragamuffins.
PB
I depart in 6 days. Keep an eye on this blog and please pray for me and the team (Ron Eric, Cathy, and Mickie)...emphasis on PRAY : ) and if u feel really generous ....Pray some more (especially if you wake up early in the morning, b/c that will be the early evening for us). Blessings and God's grace and mercy on all of you that follow thru the www and blogsphere in prayer and curiosity, the travels of these band of ragamuffins.
PB
It has been awhile, to say the least
Please simply ignore my other posts, especially since they were vain attempts to begin a blog and now it has been almost a year since I have last posted.
So, much has gone over the last year, to regurgitate would be sublime and yet almost ridiculous. Hence, the reader's digest version...we left the beloved bluegrass on May 31st (a place that had become not only endearing, but our second home) packed bags, boxes, Budget rental truck, and embraced our Manifest Destiny (if u do not understand my reference, google John L. O'Sullivan, President James K. Polk, Horace Greely, and a song by Michael W. Smith).
In a round about way (too complicated to digest to reader's in this magnitude) we made it to the Northwest on the Pacific Ocean. They say it rains up yonder and we were given red carpet welcome...rain and 45 degrees for what seemed like all summer.
The place where we rest our weary heads, is a little abode which is just that, tucked away in the northern regions of the Port of Everett. This cozy home 100 year old, has been converted n2 3 apartments. Cramped at times, but we love it. My lovely and amazing wife Karen found a job at a hospital less than 1 mile from home, and until recently I was working for the man at Starbucks (since then I have transfered my energy two-fold: part-time daddy daycare with the kids...a joyous reward... and every spare moment serving as a staff pastor at Lakeside Community Fellowship)
It has now been 8 months since we graced the land of beauty and grandeur with our presence and God has been with us every step of the way. As difficult of a decision it was to take this leap of faith, God has shown us, in ways that words cannot do justice, that we r where he wants us. I can honestly say every stop along the way was the right place to b, but to move across the continental divide and settle in a land where we had no roots, was a fork in the road we had never experienced. So we did what every person should do in such a quandry...we took it! and have not looked back.
So, there u have it... not sure if I did the reader's digest version justice... perhaps we could call this Bryan's digest(ive) version??
Anyhow, I hope this blog thing sticks this time around. I really do miss writing to someone other than me, myself, and I.
So, much has gone over the last year, to regurgitate would be sublime and yet almost ridiculous. Hence, the reader's digest version...we left the beloved bluegrass on May 31st (a place that had become not only endearing, but our second home) packed bags, boxes, Budget rental truck, and embraced our Manifest Destiny (if u do not understand my reference, google John L. O'Sullivan, President James K. Polk, Horace Greely, and a song by Michael W. Smith).
In a round about way (too complicated to digest to reader's in this magnitude) we made it to the Northwest on the Pacific Ocean. They say it rains up yonder and we were given red carpet welcome...rain and 45 degrees for what seemed like all summer.
The place where we rest our weary heads, is a little abode which is just that, tucked away in the northern regions of the Port of Everett. This cozy home 100 year old, has been converted n2 3 apartments. Cramped at times, but we love it. My lovely and amazing wife Karen found a job at a hospital less than 1 mile from home, and until recently I was working for the man at Starbucks (since then I have transfered my energy two-fold: part-time daddy daycare with the kids...a joyous reward... and every spare moment serving as a staff pastor at Lakeside Community Fellowship)
It has now been 8 months since we graced the land of beauty and grandeur with our presence and God has been with us every step of the way. As difficult of a decision it was to take this leap of faith, God has shown us, in ways that words cannot do justice, that we r where he wants us. I can honestly say every stop along the way was the right place to b, but to move across the continental divide and settle in a land where we had no roots, was a fork in the road we had never experienced. So we did what every person should do in such a quandry...we took it! and have not looked back.
So, there u have it... not sure if I did the reader's digest version justice... perhaps we could call this Bryan's digest(ive) version??
Anyhow, I hope this blog thing sticks this time around. I really do miss writing to someone other than me, myself, and I.
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