News from the desert...
Aug. 3rd, 2009 04:49 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
mad_andyI'm having a bloody wonderful time!
Which is kind of a surprise, really, because I was dreading it. And the trip didn't exactly get off to a flying start when we were pulled by security at Denver; this chap was strolling around baggage collection, circled us a couple of times, wandered off to chat to the security types waiting by the door and bingo, would you come with us?
It could have been worse. But THANK FUCK I'd had my e-cig, because if I'd been in my usual post-9-hour-flight-no-smokes rage things could have gone really quite badly; one smartass comment would have had the Big Scary Security Guys (who lurked just out of range) coming down like the proverbial ton of bricks.
And with the way she threw our stuff around, I could have made several smartass comments. (Also, she told me not to use my e-cig in the airport because 'you don't want anyone making a mistake if they don't know what you're doing'. Does that sound like a threat to you? It did to me.) Good job I didn't. But I had a really good head of mad on by the time we cleared customs/security/whatnot; had it not been for a really nice smoking lounge and a waitress who restored my faith in American Service Culture then I suspect I would be back in the UK with a big black mark on my record!!!
With the single exception of that one waitress, everyone at Denver was really rude. It was like being in the UK.
Once we hit Albuquerque, tho, things couldn't have been more different. Everyone has been polite and pleasant and friendly to a fault; I guess not many Brits make it this far south, because we certainly cause quite a stir wherever we go.
Old Town is wonderful; we spent our first day there, mooching the old (!) buildings and poor old Slay trying to distract me from all the shiny things because OMG YOU GUYS NATIVE MADE JEWELRY. Heh. Turquoise and amber and silver, oh my....
Rattlesnake museum is the best place EVER. Spent a couple of hours hanging out there chatting to Bob, the owner, who is a completely brilliant bloke that adores his snakes. And unlike a lot of professional herpers, he's totally down to earth and not up himself at all. The rattlesnake museum might be my new favourite place on earth. Some of those snakes are so utterly beautiful, and they're kept in pristine conditions, well labelled, bloody awesome setup.
We went ghost hunting last night! We were going to take a 'ghost tour' of the old town, but the chap told us about the longer ghost hunting tour and, well, couldn't pass that up, could we? So at 9pm we spent an hour being taught how to use the various meters and thermometers... and dowsing rods, something I'd never got round to trying... not to mention discussing what is meant by a ghost, and the different types of hauntings and all that stuff. Then we set off (five of us, plus two guides), and spent a very happy couple of hours dowsing and watching meters making blinky flashes and beeps. Got some real unusual results too, but nothing on camera so far. I can, however, very highly recommend it!
Zoo OK, although Slay almost had to drag me out of the reptile house (their pancake tortoises are in appalling condition and I said so). *Blush* And the less said about keeping polar bears in captivity IN THE BLOODY DESERT the better.
Aquarium ditto; they could do with a good vet check on several of the inmates but I daresay there are far worse out there! Nothing a damn good tidy up wouldn't fix; bit old and tatty.
Pueblo indian cultural centre today, which was brilliant. Dancing and galleries and OMG SHINY THINGS. Very expensive shiny things but ohhhh, they were gorgeous. Wonderful ceramics.
Had a mooch around a bit of desert this evening, managed to restrain myself from turning over any rocks. :) I have fallen in love with this desert in a big, big way.
Mexican food = LOVE.
Balloon museum tomorrow, then a rather chilled out afternoon while Slay is at his conference! Wednesday home. :(
The weather is hot and dry, but it's comfortable as long as I keep up with sunscreen, lip balm, and bottled water. And my hat, which I managed to persuade slay to buy me! Poor bastard. ;)
I miss my beasties, but can't help wondering what they would make of this area; I've never been so struck by a place in the US that I would consider moving there, but this place has just tagged me, somehow. I'll have to come back for a longer stay - and spend some more time with those gorgeous rattlers!
ETA: My laptop died! Slay thinks it's the power supply, but whatever it is there's nothing we can do until we get home. So I'm using his MAC, which is why I'm not on any IMs!
Which is kind of a surprise, really, because I was dreading it. And the trip didn't exactly get off to a flying start when we were pulled by security at Denver; this chap was strolling around baggage collection, circled us a couple of times, wandered off to chat to the security types waiting by the door and bingo, would you come with us?
It could have been worse. But THANK FUCK I'd had my e-cig, because if I'd been in my usual post-9-hour-flight-no-smokes rage things could have gone really quite badly; one smartass comment would have had the Big Scary Security Guys (who lurked just out of range) coming down like the proverbial ton of bricks.
And with the way she threw our stuff around, I could have made several smartass comments. (Also, she told me not to use my e-cig in the airport because 'you don't want anyone making a mistake if they don't know what you're doing'. Does that sound like a threat to you? It did to me.) Good job I didn't. But I had a really good head of mad on by the time we cleared customs/security/whatnot; had it not been for a really nice smoking lounge and a waitress who restored my faith in American Service Culture then I suspect I would be back in the UK with a big black mark on my record!!!
With the single exception of that one waitress, everyone at Denver was really rude. It was like being in the UK.
Once we hit Albuquerque, tho, things couldn't have been more different. Everyone has been polite and pleasant and friendly to a fault; I guess not many Brits make it this far south, because we certainly cause quite a stir wherever we go.
Old Town is wonderful; we spent our first day there, mooching the old (!) buildings and poor old Slay trying to distract me from all the shiny things because OMG YOU GUYS NATIVE MADE JEWELRY. Heh. Turquoise and amber and silver, oh my....
Rattlesnake museum is the best place EVER. Spent a couple of hours hanging out there chatting to Bob, the owner, who is a completely brilliant bloke that adores his snakes. And unlike a lot of professional herpers, he's totally down to earth and not up himself at all. The rattlesnake museum might be my new favourite place on earth. Some of those snakes are so utterly beautiful, and they're kept in pristine conditions, well labelled, bloody awesome setup.
We went ghost hunting last night! We were going to take a 'ghost tour' of the old town, but the chap told us about the longer ghost hunting tour and, well, couldn't pass that up, could we? So at 9pm we spent an hour being taught how to use the various meters and thermometers... and dowsing rods, something I'd never got round to trying... not to mention discussing what is meant by a ghost, and the different types of hauntings and all that stuff. Then we set off (five of us, plus two guides), and spent a very happy couple of hours dowsing and watching meters making blinky flashes and beeps. Got some real unusual results too, but nothing on camera so far. I can, however, very highly recommend it!
Zoo OK, although Slay almost had to drag me out of the reptile house (their pancake tortoises are in appalling condition and I said so). *Blush* And the less said about keeping polar bears in captivity IN THE BLOODY DESERT the better.
Aquarium ditto; they could do with a good vet check on several of the inmates but I daresay there are far worse out there! Nothing a damn good tidy up wouldn't fix; bit old and tatty.
Pueblo indian cultural centre today, which was brilliant. Dancing and galleries and OMG SHINY THINGS. Very expensive shiny things but ohhhh, they were gorgeous. Wonderful ceramics.
Had a mooch around a bit of desert this evening, managed to restrain myself from turning over any rocks. :) I have fallen in love with this desert in a big, big way.
Mexican food = LOVE.
Balloon museum tomorrow, then a rather chilled out afternoon while Slay is at his conference! Wednesday home. :(
The weather is hot and dry, but it's comfortable as long as I keep up with sunscreen, lip balm, and bottled water. And my hat, which I managed to persuade slay to buy me! Poor bastard. ;)
I miss my beasties, but can't help wondering what they would make of this area; I've never been so struck by a place in the US that I would consider moving there, but this place has just tagged me, somehow. I'll have to come back for a longer stay - and spend some more time with those gorgeous rattlers!
ETA: My laptop died! Slay thinks it's the power supply, but whatever it is there's nothing we can do until we get home. So I'm using his MAC, which is why I'm not on any IMs!
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no subject
Date: 2009-08-03 04:51 am (UTC)Zoo OK, although Slay almost had to drag me out of the reptile house (their pancake tortoises are in appalling condition and I said so). *Blush* And the less said about keeping polar bears in captivity the better.
Yeah the zoos in the US make me sad. Most of the animals look so bored. The only zoo I really liked was the one in Tokyo, Japan. The animals looked happy and healthy. Not to mention the reptile section was awesome :D
no subject
Date: 2009-08-03 04:55 am (UTC)But the rest of it I'm having a hell of a lot of fun with!
no subject
Date: 2009-08-03 07:09 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-08-06 09:27 pm (UTC)I loved it there. Something in the desert really spoke to me - which is strange really, considering that I'm such a dyed-in-the-wool creature of northern skies...
Hope we can chat soon - I miss you!
no subject
Date: 2009-08-03 02:35 pm (UTC)I'll be road tripping that way next year, all things going well.
no subject
Date: 2009-08-06 09:28 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-08-07 10:23 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-08-04 12:11 am (UTC)