I am back from my most recent roadtrip. I loaded up the Tesla and started letting the hands-off Full Self Drive (FSD) supervised take me to points North. First stopping in a campground in Tennesee and up to Pittsburgh for the CIDM Convex Conference (which was the best conference in years). There was a celebration of the 20 years of DITA XML. I was an earlier adopter. My presentation went well and I semi-stealth launched wisdomino. I demo'd some extra cool software we developed and will be selling in weeks to come. It's truely game changing. Of course, there will be much more than that to come. After that it was on to Franklin, PA. to meet with some colleagues in the mining division and onto the farm stopping in Olean NY for the night. I am pretty sure it was the first time I had driven across the entire Allegany National Forest. I ended up driving through the very dark forest expanse during a night time thunderstorm. Although I normally trust the Tesla FSD on the Interstat...
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Honshu and Okinawa
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I am back. I spent 10 days in Japan, 5 days for work on the main island of Honshu and 5 days of solo adventure in Okinawa.
Travel is so invigorating dispite the uncomfortableness. Jetlag, anxiety, crowds, and other discomforts aside, it is mind-expanding and rewarding.
Work went well.
I flew a new airline (Skymark) from Tokyo to Naha. I am always wary of strange discount airlines and all the traps they set. However, I had a great expereince with "Sky". I was actually shocked. Super easy checkin at the airport, no extra fees even with extra luggage.
The primary mission in Okinawa was to visit the Peace Park and the suicide cliffs of Okinawa. From what I understand, at the end of WW2 the inhabitants were encouraged to commit suicide rather than surrender to the Americans and get tortured and eaten. Besides other types of suicide, they jumped off the cliffs at the Southern end of the main island. If you have seen the original color footage taken at the time, I am sure you were moved with images of mothers holding their babies jumping to their deaths. Humans can do better. Peace. I also thought about how a human leader can seem like a better option and potentially more satisfying than faith in a deity.
I did many other things and firsts.
I rented a car in Japan. The car was a Suzuki "Smile", a kei car. It was very funny looking and certainly not available in the US. It was a "must rent" for me. From the outside it is comical looking and beholds 660cc of brute power. It is minimal indeed. I found the car to be incrediblely large on the inside despite the comparison to other vehicles. I have expereince driving on the left side of the roads, but I must concentrate more. I can't let my guard down. I have learned that if I become complacent driving on the left side, I can find myself in a dangerous situation. I did well in Japan where precison driving in the norm.
I visited Tokyo tower (somehow I didn't do it years ago in Tokyo).
I practiced my Japanese. Although I was mostly very shy during my work week, I did experiment getting the critical muscle memory developed actually trying to communicate with Japanese words. Being able to be vulnerable and put myself into embarashing sistuations is an avenue for growth. I found myself several times during this trip with some familiar self-talk "Do something everyday that you find a little scary". The Japanese almost always smiled even with just a few words spoken in Japanese.
I took a ferry to Zamami and Aka islands. Getting out on the water when you are an island is never a mistake. It was a great adventure.
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Anonymous said…
What fun! Thanks for sharing your extensive travels. I think you were considering a job in this area when you came to So CA... and you've stayed busy and productive! I've been to <10 countries and (at 84) my daughter says my travel days are over! [I worked for TWO airlines in the '80's...and my [THEN] husband wouldn't fly] Regards to Angie. Stay well. Kathie Wolin Laguna Woods Affordable Travel Club.
Kathy, It is good to hear from you! I appreciate your expert guidance in SoCal when I was there. Its a pity you couldn't share the travel bug back in the day. Keep moving and doing, which I am sure you are.
I am back from my most recent roadtrip. I loaded up the Tesla and started letting the hands-off Full Self Drive (FSD) supervised take me to points North. First stopping in a campground in Tennesee and up to Pittsburgh for the CIDM Convex Conference (which was the best conference in years). There was a celebration of the 20 years of DITA XML. I was an earlier adopter. My presentation went well and I semi-stealth launched wisdomino. I demo'd some extra cool software we developed and will be selling in weeks to come. It's truely game changing. Of course, there will be much more than that to come. After that it was on to Franklin, PA. to meet with some colleagues in the mining division and onto the farm stopping in Olean NY for the night. I am pretty sure it was the first time I had driven across the entire Allegany National Forest. I ended up driving through the very dark forest expanse during a night time thunderstorm. Although I normally trust the Tesla FSD on the Interstat...
I am flying this morning. We are getting off the beaten trail. We are going to Mt Heine on White Island and Williams Cliff on the side of Mt. Erebus. We are trying to determine if we have a found a better radio location at these two points. We are taking GPS, maps, a 900 Meg radio and ice axes. It will make the network simpler if I can prove these spots will work. Cravasses are common near Williams Cliff so we are on high-guard about where we will set the helo down. We may not set down at all. Cravasses are really problematic down here. They are hundreds of feet deep and they are very often covered with snow. Sometimes the snow may be 6 or 10 feet thick and may support equipment for a while. Then one day the equipment breaks through. Ice radar is normally used for traverses.
I have had a serious of "near zero days" (reference hiking jargon), but I think they mostly just seem like zero days. I am getting stuff done, just not at 100% efficiency. Not sure anyone can move with 100% efficiency... Anyhow, I am planning on starting my next journey on May 1st. -- more details as they unfold. I know what I like and dislike. I know what turns me on and off. It's time for that knowledge to be guidance. We booked a trip to Wyoming/Yellowstone park in a few weeks. It will tackle at least three items that have been on my list 1.) Visit Yellowstone (in winter). 2.) A longish snowmobile trip. 3.) A visit to Wyoming. That will be my 50th state. That will make it all US states, 100 countries and all continents. I will likly be getting involved with MTP (Most Traveled People) https://mtp.travel/ where they break countries into regions. I decided I like this music. DiDuLa - "On the way home"
I was in Tampa FL last week. It was cold. I thought I could never say that (Florida and cold), but I just did. It was cold in Atlanta as well. I woke up to a dusting of snow/frost in the back yard last weekend. The boat is in the water, but we aren't using it. The hot tub get use though. I have some additional responsibilities at work this year. It has excited me. Challenge is something I need. I am planning trips to Germany, Finland, California and NY. Angie is unexpectedly stranded in Paris this evening. She should be home tomorrow despite strikes, and semi-strikes that are ruining France. I have added a pic of my personal record-sighting number of people on a motorbike in South America. I count 9 people on the bike (trike).
I quit the Berkshire Town Planning Board last night. I want to do other things. I am refocusing. Here is a great article about a drone getting recharged off power lines. Pretty cool. http://technology.newscientist.com/article/dn13093-spy-planes-to-recharge-by-clinging-to-power-lines.html
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