Mass consumption

Well, it's confirmed: our first foray into something with a wider readership than our more-indulgent blog-reading friends will be published this Saturday in the Vancouver Sun travel section. We found out this evening and, after Nazma stopped hyperventilating, she agreed it was a good thing after all, reluctant as she is with "sharing our story with the world". Better yet, we're getting paid for it!

We had the highly unusual task of describing ourselves in such a way that the average Sun reader wouldn't immediately dismiss us as (a) boring or (b) way too controversial: I suppose race becomes a pretty touchy subject on newsprint. Also apparently I use too many semi-colons; still, I think the first piece turned out okay, and once we get on the road the punctuation will dampen down and the creative juices are bound to start flowing.

In any event, we look at it this way: anyone reading the article will have bought the paper for other reasons, so we're not too worried about disappointing them. Hurray for fluff!

See you in the funny pages

One other thing happened yesterday that locked us into a course-of-action of sorts: we got our picture taken for the Vancouver Sun. See, months ago, when we thought we were doing our big trip, I'd approached the Sun about writing a few articles for their Travel section. We seriously didn't think they'd be interested, so I started this blog; then the editor actually came back! Apparently we may have some cachet, being a jolly travelling interracial couple.

So, months later, we found ourselves yesterday at the MEC, the nice photographer snapping away while we studiously sifted through racks of Dryweave shirts with concerned looks on our faces. We attracted some attention, mostly from other shoppers wondering who'd bother to photograph two such ordinary (and obviously nervous) people.

Thing about writing the articles is, we're following the dude who cycled from Vancouver to Moscow, whose articles ran earlier this year, so we're more than a little worried just how interesting we'll be. Fundamentally we both prefer conversation over crazy exertion, so there'll be few physical feats of daring-do. We could stuff our faces with nasty foodstuffs and talk about that, but how newsworthy is eating crispy fried bugs, now that we get daily doses of pig-rectum eating contests on Fear Factor?

Our challenge will be to turn what we see into something you'd like to read--which will require some vigilance on our parts--and that'll be a great way to keep us focussed and keen. And in the end, we're two ordinary people, doing something that is within the realm of possibility for most (should they choose to make the decision), and hopefully that will be compelling in its own way. In any case, we'll be making sure we get into plenty of trouble (interesting newsworthy trouble), without really getting into trouble (like the time we chased down the pickpockets in Barcelona to get my wallet back...)

Bring on the grasshoppers!

The redlined map v2.0 (with blue lines now)

Now that Nazma's off work we've actually had a chance to talk about the trip. When I live with something for a long time (for instance, the plans for this trip), my thinking tends to get stuck in a very defined groove. In this case, I had consigned our poor tootsies to some frosty temperatures in southern China and northern Vietnam, just because (being an engineer) it seemed most efficient to plan our route contiguously: from Hong Kong, through China, into Vietnam, etc., cold weather be damned. Fortunately, my very practical wife decided she didn't feel like freezing her ass off, and pointed out that if we did the trip in reverse, we'd end up in these otherwise frigid climes later in the year, when temperatures will be more conducive to boat rides, beach-bumming, and the like. That's why she's the queen, and I but a lowly serf. So, we've rejigged the trip route:

• Hong Kong, as before. Apparently the relatives are up to having dinner now; most of them will prove to be quite nice in the end, I think now.
• Take the hydrofoil to Macau; fly to Bangkok (thanks to our new best friends at airasia.com, who seem to be giving away seats. Cost for 2 one-way tickets: ~CAD$180)
• Cavort in Thailand; make our way to southern Thailand 4 weeks later to fly into Malaysia (again, our best friend. 2 one-way tickets from Hat Yai to Kuala Lumpur: CAD$34)
• Malaysia in time for Thaipusam, where Hindu devotees pierce themselves with all manner of hooks and things that have no business going near anyone's cheeks or nipples. Seriously, very inspiring. During this time also, may hook up (bwa ha ha) with Nazma's family for a little reunion of sorts (coordinating 7 people from three continents to meet up in a fourth should be a riot)
• MAYBE head out to Manila for a week (2 round-trip tickets from KL to Manila: CAD$50!)
• Depart Malaysia ~4 weeks later, arriving in Cambodia (2 one-way tickets from KL to Siem Reap: CAD$60. Crazy, and thoroughly contrary to my backpacker sensibilities, but sod that, it's a 1-hour flight vs. a >27-hour-train-ride-plus-5-hour-taxi ride. Screw ruggedness and authenticity.)
• Angkor, Phnom Penh; then boat-ride through Vietnamese border to Mekong-delta region.
• Ho Chi Minh City and up the length of Vietnam, where by now it'll be nice and warm.
• Into southern China, and back through to Hong Kong. Fly back to mundane lives.

Tickets are booked; resolve is steeled. Mettle remains untested, but that's the whole point of the trip, isn't it?

Ugly pink thing

In a total 180 from my last post, I got an evite for a birthday party with this graphic attached. This has sparked some debate: if we assume that the blue thing is a bear, what exactly is the ugly pink thing?

With entirely too much time on my hands, I've made some initial observations:
1. The pink thing has no ears, unlike the blue thing (allegedly a bear).
2. It is comparable in size to the blue thing.
3. It is harelipped, similar to the blue thing.
4. It has 3 toes on each foot, though the birthday cake blocks our view of the other foot on each creature, so this is inconclusive. At this point we're assuming they're not each missing one leg, with the cake so placed for modesty's sake.

So it shares many traits with the alleged bear, but no ears. The outcome of this debate carries some urgency: one of the two birthday girls has equated herself to the ugly pink thing, and questions of self-identity have arisen. "What AM I??" she cries. YOU decide!