Travelling, just not Writing…
I don’t think I could be a full-on travel blogger. At least, not the sort that blogs WHILE she travels. I have a large amount of respect for those who do, since I don’t know when they find the time to do so! My days have been crammed with sight-seeing, dinners, and in the evenings, I’ll do research on where else I should go, or I’ll throw back a beer with an old friend or get to know my new hostel roommates, and send a few texts back home to update the troops, and sometimes I’ll Skype with Gunner and then it’s time for sleep. There are numerous posts in my brain I’d love to share, but I don’t see it happening while I’m in transit. I’m a rambler and somewhat of an over-corrector, which is a bad combination when you are trying to sketch a decent post out in under half an hour. But, I will say this: Our America to the South is under-rated. Brazil captured my heart, Iguazu Falls is the place we hope exists when we envision undiscovered frontiers, and Buenos Aires deserves a place alongside most European cities. It’s remarkable here, for reasons I hope to share once I’m home and dreaming of returning. And heck, it’s 90 degrees in January! Much love, and Happy New Year from the Paris of the South!,...
Finding Adventure in the Deep South
Instead of going to Texas as my previous post suggested, I’ve figured out how I’m going to spend my time off without spending it all chugging along on the interstate and refueling every 400 miles, but still reaching my intended destinations (Hattiesburg – to visit Gunner; Atlanta – to visit family for Thanksgiving). The Natchez Trace The Natchez Trace is a scenic route beginning in Nashville (conveniently) and ending in the southwestern corner of Mississippi in a little town called Natchez. It winds through Civil War battlefields and other historical stops such as Elvis Presley’s birthplace and where Meriwether Lewis is buried. Since Gunner moved to Mississippi two years ago, it’s been a drive I’ve been meaning to explore. I’ll leave Tuesday morning and bumble along the Trace until early afternoon, stopping occasionally along the way. Surprisingly, Wikipedia has provided me with the most succinct and helpful information regarding what sites can be found along the Trace. I’m planning on staying in Tupelo one night and in Jackson or Vicksburg the following night, while spending a few hours taking in each city. I’ll then meander around Natchez on Thursday morning/afternoon and arrive in Hattiesburg on Thursday night. An autumn day on the Natchez Trace Hattiesburg Although completing the Natchez Trace takes me a few hours out of my way, I’ll loop back around to Hattiesburg on Thursday evening once Gunner is done with his scholastic obligations. I’ll hang out in Hattiesburg for about a week, spending some much-needed time with Gunner that isn’t at the rendezvous point in Birmingham. Finding adventure IN Hattiesburg will be a challenge I haven’t worked out yet; I’ve been there numerous times and while I love it because Gunner is there, I often want to poke my eyes out when Gunner goes to work and I’m left alone, as there isn’t much to quench the adventurous spirit. and finally…the Amtrak experience I have family in Atlanta, and I was planning on driving from Hattiesburg to Atlanta for Thanksgiving, and then back to Hattiesburg– a drive I’ve done before, and it isn’t bad, but it’s 6 hours each way and I was looking for another option. So, what’s an American girl to do when airplanes are too expensive and a car ride just seems boring? Take the well-reputed, infamous American railway system, of course! Hattiesburg, also known as the Hub City, is home of an Amtrak station. I wouldn’t have known this if Gunner and I hadn’t gotten lost downtown the last time I was there and discovered the train station. Since learning this factoid, I’ve been trying to figure out how I can utilize this odd...
Time Off with No Passport
My employment on a series I’ve been on since June 13 came to an abrupt end yesterday afternoon when we kept hitting legal walls with our talent and locations. It became apparent that nothing would materialize before Monday, the day we were scheduled to shoot, and so, I cleaned off my desk and left, with no employment on the books until I return from my trip to South America on January 11th. A few weeks ago, I would’ve lept at the opportunity to have a full 2 months off — hello, more travel time! — but as it became apparent that I’d only have 3 weeks off around Christmas, I focused solely on my South America trip and finally began obtaining the dreaded Brazilian visa, and was grateful for the work at a time of year that traditionally has been dead. The Brazilian Visa There are several Brazilian consulates scattered across the United States – probably 6 or 8 in total – and they each cover a jurisdiction consisting of the surrounding 4-5 states. It takes 10-12 business days on average to process a Brazilian visa, with the exception of Atlanta, which takes a whopping 20-22 business days. I realized with horror that Tennessee falls under Atlanta’s jurisdiction. I’m joined at the hip to my passport — the thought of being without it for one month was terrifying to me. I pleaded with the folks at Travisa to allow me to send my application to Texas, which had a much quicker turnaround time, but was denied. Due to my work schedule, I knew I couldn’t pop down to Atlanta and try to get it done faster, so I conceded and mailed off the requirements to Travisa’s Atlanta office with a pleasant “Thank You!” note in hopes it would brighten the spirits of the consulate and they’d process my visa a bit faster. No luck. Travisa sent me an e-mail on November 1st letting me know my documents had been received and dropped off at the Brazilian consulate, and they would be picked up on November 28th. Well, whatever. I was to be in Nashville working, anyway, what would I need a passport for?… The Brazilian consulate in Atlanta, where my passport is being held captive for the next 3 weeks. (Thanks, Google street view!) Hello, Free Time With the legal debacles at work, I find myself sitting at home on the couch on a Friday already bored out of my mind. I’ve told myself all year that whenever I would be presented with a solid 2 weeks off, I was going to dart off to Costa...
Are Some Dentists Corrupt Mechanics? (The Value of a Second Opinion)
Mechanics get a bad wrap. There are multiple good ones; in fact, a good friend from college’s dad is a great mechanic with an excellent rapport in the community of Charleston – but it seems for every good mechanic there are at least 10 greedy ones. They’re a modern day pirate, of sorts; they hold your car hostage until you fork over an insanely large amount of cash in payment for “critical” repairs that are subjective at best, if not completely falsified. It’s hard to shed any light on these shady practices, and so they continue and give reason for all of the horror stories. Dental Coupons…Possibly a Mistake? Back in the spring, I purchased a $45 LivingSocial coupon for a dental exam, including x-rays and a cleaning. I hadn’t been to the dentist since before college, and so this seemed like a good, inexpensive way to get the update on my teeth. And so, I scheduled an appointment with Paddock Place in Mt. Juliet. When I saw the exterior of the building, I was a little suspicious. It was one of those made-to-order stand-alone buildings that have propagated near malls in recent years, and a gaudy “NOW OPEN” banner was strung across the archway. It was 8:30 in the morning, and there wasn’t a person in the waiting room. This should’ve been my first clue. The benefit to being the only person in the place was that I didn’t have to wait very long at all. A pleasant dental hygienest led me to the back, and everything was very new and state of the art. Each dental chair had a small 18-inch flatscreen TV affixed to the wall across from it, and the interior decoration was very hip and modern. It was all quite swanky. The dental hygienest was a sweet girl, but kept being distracted by the flatscreen TV as she prodded around in my mouth with the x-ray tool. It struck me as unprofessional at best, plus she kept misplacing the x-ray device and having to readjust it after I’d bitten down once. She pulled out a new tool, a laser that can read the size of the cavity in your tooth. Anything above a 20 is a cavity, evidently. She poked each tooth with the laser, with one reading a 39. No other tooth registered above 20. “The laser isn’t registering the cavities,” she explained, and I wondered — what’s the point in having such fancy technology if it isn’t accurate? Aren’t lasers super accurate? She then pulled up my x-rays, asking me if I knew how to read them. I said No. She pointed out a few problem areas,...
If I Were Leaving Tomorrow…My 5 Top Trips
Although loving my present job that accommodates travel on a national level, my adventuresome spirit still prevails in most of my free time apart from work. The yearning of a distant country is always on my mind, and crafting my next potential trip helps to tame the beast – at least, temporarily. And after purchasing 80,000 miles for less than $1200 via US Airways’ Dividend Miles program (thanks to Brooke!), I should be able to fly to any of the following locations so long as a STAR Alliance member flies there. And so, here’s a short summary of each of the 5 trips that I’ve been planning and researching for over the last year — plus what I estimate the cost to be. I left the estimated flight costs in although that portion is already paid for. Let me know your thoughts or tips if you’ve been to any of these places or are planning a trip of your own!! 1. Overland safari from Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania to Cape Town, South Africa This has been a new fascination of mine. I was never drawn to the dark continent (with the exception of South Africa) until I became enraptured with the idea of venturing through established cities as well as the unknown, somewhat uninhibited lands; exploring various game parks and spotting exotic wildlife, all the while camping in tents — it screams adventure in one of it’s purer forms; something I was seeking in New Zealand but never quite found. Botswana Sunset In addition to the rural landscape of Africa, most of the groups take a quick jaunt over to Zanzibar — have you ever seen photos of Zanzibar? — a beachy place likely teeming with Europeans on holiday, but still a sunrise I’d love to see. The tours I’ve looked at range from 30-40 days long. I’d love to end it top it off with a 2 week stay in Cape Town. Estimated Time Frame: 6-8 weeks Estimated Cost: $1700 flights + $1500 tour + $50/day in Cape Town + $800 for incidentals = $4,700 USD Potential Challenges: Malaria Photo credit: potters pics 2. Ireland, y’all The Emerald Isle is ALWAYS beckoning…maybe it’s my love of U2 and Snow Patrol, maybe it’s because my two dear roommates and my boyfriend have already been… Cliffs of Moher …maybe it’s because of too many chick flicks set in rural Irish settings with a sappy ending, or maybe because it’s a lateral move in terms of travel difficulty…but I’m constantly spellbound by the thought of exploring both the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland on my own time, in a rental car, at my leisure. Dublin? Of course! Belfast?...
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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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