Links.net: Justin Hall's personal site growing & breaking down since 1994

watch overshare: the links.net story contact me

Some Travel Highlights:

2014: Just In Berlin artists, freaks, ghosts

2013: Amtrak's Longest Route - the California Zephyr - 50 hours on the train from Chicago to San Francisco

2013: Scandinavian crime fiction: a vetted human pleasure

South Korea
2002: South Korea

hawaii
2002: Hawaii: Oahu

Ozarks!
2002: Ozarks

index.html
2001: New Orleans

aged
2001: Estonia

DemonBoxer
2001: Stockholm: DemonBox

En Capsulated
2001: Japan


Honduras
1997: Honduras


Folks
1996: Summer Web Bus Tour


Archie n' me
1996: Bike Week, Daytona Beach, Florida


skellegin'
1992: Ireland.


Nepal Tude
1987: Nepal


Travellin' Man

There's always some risk involved with gettin' to know the locals, and sometimes you'll get screwed. I find if I'm open, and friendly, I meet the weirdest people.

After Dad died, Ma took my brother Colin and me, and we visited at half dozen countries in four years (1983-1987).

  • Fez and Marrakesh and Casablanca, Morrocco
  • Rome and Florence and Venice, Italy
  • Oxford and Bath and London, England
  • Merida and Chizten Itza and Uxmal and Cancun, Mexico
  • Cairo and a cruise down the Nile, Egypt
  • Paris, France
  • Kathmandu and Pokhara, trekking in Nepal
  • Moscow and Leningrad, still communist Russia in 1987
  • Athens and Patmos, Greece
It was great, to have a few memories of so many varied cultures. Sometimes I wish I had been a bit older, but then again, I'm so young, maybe I'll return someday.

More than just cultural traipsing, it was real bonding for the three of us.

Mom was a kick ass traveller and planner. None of us checked any bags. We each had one suitcase, she had two black outfits, and she would wash them in her sink at night.

Before we went, she was up to her ears in articles, books - each day was a specific aspect of the culture and some

but we didn't spend all of our time in museums and on guided tours of this or that. mom really relished the opportunity to stroll ourselves through local markets. I saw a lot of lambs heads and bird cages and brass work - that's where the real powerful smells are, where the folks are.

I've tried to hold to her same standard of driven travel when I've had the chance to visit other countries. Still as I've travelled for business (mostly speaking, thanks Scandinavia), there are times, sandwiched between a plane flight and an official dinner, I'm tired and I want to sit in my hotel room and use my laptop to feel at home.

Fortunately, the internet is an jaw-droppingly effective way to meet people around the world; I've found kindred spirits and lively minds in many cities thanks to this communications tool. Many of my best moments in foreign places have come as local folks with similar interests shared anarchist cafes or delicious ice cream or folk festivals. It's an honor to see or stay in the home of a living being, and even moreso to meet their family and friends.

I've made an informal survey of toilets in two parts of the world: Scandinavia and Japan.

They say that Sagittarians love to travel. I'm a Sagittarian, and it seems to me like most folks like to travel.

life |

justin's links by justin hall: contact