The Road Less Traveled: The Natchez Trace Parkway
In 2011, I wrote a post about wanting to explore the Natchez Trace. Last month, I finally did it – about 260 miles of it. The Natchez Trace Parkway is a historical scenic highway, stretching 444 miles long. It begins in Nashville and ends in Natchez, Mississippi. It’s known for being a nice, quiet, leisurely drive – and in that regard, it didn’t disappoint! Immediately, I couldn’t believe how relaxing it was to drive at 55mph, without tractor trailers or commercial vehicles of any kind. There are no distractions on the Trace; no neon signs, fast food restaurants, hotels or gas stations… just my car, Simon and Garfunkel, and the open road. I could breathe. There are numerous historical stops and lookout points along the Trace, and I made four myself – two of which were still in Tennessee. The second stop was one I’ve been interested in since I learned it was on the Trace: the place where Meriwether Lewis met his unfortunate/bizarre end. Definitely worth a stop for history buffs, or to pay homage to one of the greatest American explorers. The Trace is beautifully slow. It were as though I was driving through a painting, even in the dead of winter. It’s not a road taking you anywhere fast. It’s about the journey. It’s time to get lost in your thoughts and imagination, and wonder about the different types of people who traversed this ancient path throughout the centuries. I was constantly being gripped by the historical elements along the trail, especially when I stumbled across the Pharr Mounds. Just dirt piles, you say? They’re ancient burial grounds for a tribe of nomadic Indian hunters, dating back 2,000 years! Thing I Wish I’d Done #1: Brought a Map. The Natchez Trace Parkway goes through remote places in the Deep South that are still hidden from the reach of cell phone towers. It’s great if you’re trying to escape the digital age, but it’s not so good if you’re trying to load Google Maps when you’re low on gas or in DESPERATE need of a restroom. (Let’s just say Hernando De Soto isn’t the only one who’s roughed it in Northern Mississippi…) Thing I Wish I’d Done #2: Gotten off the Trace near Tupelo, rather than in the middle of nowhere. The signs along the Trace for anything off the Trace are not very informative at all, exit signs merely tell you the route number and the name of the nearby town, but offer no clues if it’s worth your time to get off there. And once you do decide to get off the Trace onto a random road, there is no...
Printable Film Guide: Grip Gear Basics
If you’re working on a non-union film or TV set, you’ll probably be asked by someone for an “apple box”, “furni pad”, or “C47” at some point in your life. It can get a little overwhelming in the beginning, so in an attempt to help iron out some of the initial confusion, use this printable chart to help identify on-set items. And this is only the very basics, folks. My head still spins when I hear words tossed around like Mafer Clamp, Buttplug, Quacker… if you’ve ever wandered into a grip truck, there is a TON of stuff in there, and it all has different names – most of which are slang. My grip friends tell me different grip departments speak in different dialects – slang/terminology can vary. Note: Flags come in an a variety of sizes, usually barked out in measurements, the smaller ones being in inches, the larger in feet. 18×24 is a smaller flag, whereas 4×4 is 4-foot-by-4-foot. Also note: Do NOT touch grip gear if you are on a union set! UPDATE: If you would like to learn more about grip gear and its application, the Grip App is a fantastic resource. It’s a full glossary of every piece of grip gear you can imagine; it also shows you how the gear works together and how and where to use it. I wish the app had existed back on that one job when I was as swing! (click for crisper PDF version) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . If you liked this post, subscribe to receive updates and stories about the film industry – or subscribe to my normal feed which includes all of my posts, including my adventures abroad!...
Making Saints Fans in Buenos Aires
I love travelling. I also love the New Orleans Saints. My fandom from the Saints has grown with every year that I’ve dated Gunner, a New Orleans native and avid Saints fan. I’d become an even BIGGER Saints fan after watching them from the 2nd row in the endzone when they played the Titans in Nashville last season. I was officially hooked. From then on out, I had to watch every play, every game. And so, when I was traveling around South America just as the playoffs for the 2011-2012 season were starting, I wasn’t going to let a little thing like a difference in the earth’s hemisphere prevent me from watching the Saints whoop the Lions. (Let’s get one thing straight, ordinarily I do NOT plan my evenings in exotic places around TV schedules). Fortunately, Hostel Estoril in Buenos Aires had cable TV. They also had the Latin American version of ESPN. They also had several potential Saints fans. It was a Saturday night in Buenos Aires, so I did what any other 25 year old American girl would do. I claimed ownership of the common room, opened a beer, and turned on the NFL game. The room had been empty at first, but slowly, one or two bored patrons of the Hostel Estoril drifted in, eyeing the television curiously. “It’s football!” I explained innocently/excitedly/stupidly once or twice before remembering futbol meant something else to the rest of the world. After awhile, quite a crowd formed, mostly composed of soccer fans who were willing to give the NFL a shot. Israelis, Canadians, and Brazilians were cheering for Drew Brees, even if they didn’t have a clue who he was, or why they were cheering for him. And I was quite proud, especially when the Saints won in the end. (Only to go on and lose the following week and then get plagued by bounty allegations…but we won’t talk about that.) “American Football” night at the Hostel Estoril ended up being a success....
When Your Phrasebook Won’t Save You: Learning New Languages for Travel
When I went to Brazil last December, I wasn’t too concerned about Portuguese. After all, I was meeting my Brazilian friend, Raquel – getting around would be a cinch. It would’ve been wise to practice just a little bit of Portuguese for that half hour when I was simply trying to board the right bus at the Rio de Janeiro airport. Sure, I knew how to ask “Where is the bus to Copacabana?” – Raquel had given me that much – but I had no idea how to interpret any of the answers I was receiving. As I look at my map of the world and begin plotting my next trip, I’m currently eyeing the Camino Frances, a walk that begins in the south of France, and then continues through Spain. It’ll take me through countryside and towns, and while the walk is covered by hundreds of pilgrims every year, I’m already plotting ways I can pick up the essential French words I’ll need to travel effectively – at least, more efficiently than my Rio de Janeiro aeropuerto fiasco. What would the easiest way to learn how to order a meal in French? A bed at a hostel? Use French websites for accommodation, restaurants, transportation, etc – and employ Google Translate to help. Browsing hostels in French (and booking!) is a great place to start. From there, I’m getting a grasp on basic words like nuitées (nights), auberges de jeunesse (hostels- literally, “hostels of youth”), dortoirs (dorms), and chambres privatives (private room). Sure, most hostels will speak a little bit of English, but knowing these basic French words will guarantee I won’t be stuck for three nights in a dorm when I wanted four nights in a private room. Don’t be too proud to admit you really don’t know the language. I took two years of Spanish in high school, and had started brushing up on it prior to my trip. I’d be fine, I assured myself. Yeah, right. While in Iguazu Falls, I knew I’d have to ask my hostel to call a shuttle to pick me up and take me to the airport. That request seemed simple enough. I figured I knew enough basic nouns to squeak by, and my pride got the best of me as I embarrassed myself. The receptionist at the hostel looked at me blankly as I struggled to form a cohesive sentence, and I began to wonder if I’d be stranded in Iguazu Falls forever. (I tend to get overly dramatic when I’m overseas.) I may have taken two years of Spanish, eight years ago… but I’d had no practice “in the field”. Practice the basics with...
Off the Map Travel: Svalbard, Norway
When I’m in the middle of a job and know I won’t be able to sneak away for a few months, I satisfy the urge to escape by pouring over maps of the world. So, as a perpetual daydreamer plagued by curiosity of places not many folks visit, and as lover of adventures in general, I’m starting a new series: Off the Map Travel. While I’m based at home, it’ll (somewhat!) satisfy my wandering mind… and perhaps yours, as well! I’ll start with a personal favorite that gives me chills whenever I look at its location on a map… Svalbard, Norway. Svalbard Svalbard is an archipelago located inside the Arctic Circle way, way, WAY north of Europe. We’re talking further north than most of Greenland and Canada, folks! Up until a year ago, I had no idea it was an inhabitable place – and it’s possible to get there. The main entry point into Svalbard is through Longyearbyen, a port town located towards the center of the island. With a population of just shy over 2,000, there’s somewhat of an established tourist infrastructure, plus the added bonus of the basics, such as electricity and internet. Primarily a home for those in the mining and research industries, it’s a quaint little town that serves as the gateway to the rest of the uninhabited, picturesque landscapes of Svalbard. How to Get There There’s a weekly boat that goes from Tromso to Longyearbyen, but the most economical and quickest option is by way of Scandinavian Airline Systems. SAS has two direct flights to Longyearbyen most days of the year, one departing from Oslo and one departing from Tromso. It isn’t a budget flight by any means, but prices can get as low as $350 roundtrip if booked far enough in advance. Seeing the Island The most popular way to take in the sights of Svalbard is by way of cruise – a 6-night cruise will take you all around the west and north parts of the island, showcasing glaciers and arctic wildlife that would otherwise be impossible to see if you were trying to plot the route yourself. There are TONS of cool activities in Svalbard, albeit pricey. Day hikes, excursions, and taking a day trip via snowmobile to the last remaining Russian settlement of Barentsburg on Svalbard are just a few of the options available. Pyramiden If I ever can justify the cost of getting to Svalbard, at the top of my list is checking out Pyramiden, an Arctic ghost town that used to be a bustling Russian mining town in the 70’s and 80’s, but was suddenly abandoned in 1998. It’s the definition of creepy: abandoned homes, buildings, schools, still with furniture, clothing,...
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I'm Laryssa, and when I'm not working in film or television, I'm attempting to travel -- or I'm here, providing resources for working in film or travel. Read more Elsewhere on the internets
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