Out with the used, in with the new

I liked the Nikon D40 that I had bought in Turkey (as an emergency replacement for my waterlogged Panasonic LX5), but I never really considered it a “permanent” camera. Seeing how I was at home, I took the opportunity to resolve my camera situation. We may not get all the newfangled gadgets from Japan, but the USA really has some of the best prices and selection for electronics, due to all the competition in the market.

I spent a considerable while researching cameras. Upgrade to a newer DSLR? Perhaps a Micro Four-Thirds (MFT) model like the Panasonic G3 or Olympus E-PL1? Maybe a more compact (yet fully functional) Canon Powershot S95?

Ultimately, I went back to the Panasonic LX5. I think it’s a good choice for me at this point of my travels. I’d been satisfied with what I’d gotten out of my previous use of that model (from Japan to Turkey).

Shackled by my spine

Travel sure is educational! I’ve been learning all about spines – my spine, in particular – and terms like phase one subluxation degeneration.

The Air Berlin flight from Düsseldorf to San Francisco was an ordeal. My symptoms had been getting worse, and I couldn’t find a comfortable way to hold my left arm without feeling like it was about to pull off my shoulder. My entire forearm felt like one huge, twanging funny bone when it wasn’t feeling tingly, numb, or knotted. My upper back was a similar mess. The in-flight meal was scant consolation.

It’s a good thing that I was returning home anyway. See family and friends, yes, familiar sights, blah blah, quality medical care, sure. My main issue was that with my left arm stricken, I cannot properly wring dry my hand-washed clothes. Light-weight travel, it seemed, is on pause until I can get better.

Changing money in Germany, postscript

After all the headache and soul-searching I went through to change $ into €, I somehow wound up losing the last €50 bill somewhere between the Düsseldorf Hauptbahnhof and San Francisco International Airport.

Changing money in Germany

I was wrong. I had supposed that I would be able to rely on my credit card more while in Germany, but this isn’t the case. Most card readers here require a chip-and-pin (“smart”) card. They simply can’t read a credit card with a magnetic strip.

I’ve nearly exhausted my small stash of euros. I’ll need to exchange some of my $ for € if I want to continue doing fun tourist things, like eating.

Unfortunately, Germany isn’t big on independent currency exchange shops. Some banks and the tourist information office are the only places I’ve found in Cologne that will buy and sell cash. Without competition, their conversion rates are poor.

Some photos from a random day: 2009/02/08

This day happened to be in and around Battambang, the second largest city in Cambodia, and a good base for exploring the surrounding areas. I hired a motorbike (with driver) to take me around the countryside.

Some photos from a random day: 2010/09/20

This day happened to be in and around Nagoya, with a day trip to nearby Ise and Futami. I had just finished 100 hours of Japanese language instruction, and was engaging in some local tourism before I moved on to Tokyo. Ise is home to the Ise Grand Shrine (Ise Jingū), Japan’s most holy Shinto shrine.

Perhaps more interesting to me were the Ise-style udon, which were indeed simple and tasty.

Some photos from a random day: 2011/03/18

This day happened to be in Florence, a beautiful Italian town full of art and history. I spent the day walking around town and scratching incessantly at bed bug bites.

Back-ow in Kraków, part 2

My back’s still giving me trouble. But now the nervy stabby pains are shooting down into my left arm’s elbow (the funny bone) and wrist. I went in search of pharmaceutical aid. Unfortunately, none of the pharmacies (apteka) would sell me muscle relaxant pills without a prescription (although one kind of hinted that he might?). One pharmacist recommended that I go get a doctor to examine me, in case there was something wrong with my spine.

The pharmacist marked down on my map a street that was within walking distance. She said that numerous doctors have their practices there. When I got to the area, I saw a bunch of buildings with medical-sounding signs in Polish. I’m not sure if I ever did find a proper hospital in that area.

Austerity measures in Europe

It’s October! And… my ATM card just expired. Since I haven’t been home in months, I haven’t been able to take possession of the replacement card. I just called my bank, and they said they can’t extend my current card, so I am now without my primary source of local cash.

Luckily, I carry emergency cash for just such an emergency (except when I don’t).

Back-ow in Kraków

Kraków is very pretty, and the weather has generally been gorgeous (mostly sunny, and just a little chilly). The food’s decent, and prices are reasonable away from the touristic old town.

I’ve been in Kraków far longer than I expected (11 days so far). Where did the time go?