The WELL: pre.vue.98: The Armchair Travel Topic

#23: Philip Butler Smith (pbs) Wed 17 Nov 04 03:57

Wed, 17 Nov 2004 03:57:00 PST

I've been thinking of either riding my bike from California to Florida (I've moved to Key West) or around Australia.

On the other hand I had a job interview here on Monday and it went well. I'm supposed to have another next week. [Read entire topic]

#22: Oh, yeah, I do know who the hell you are. (tinymonster) Thu 21 Oct 04 09:01

Thu, 21 Oct 2004 09:01:00 PDT

Only one left in stock at the moment -- not bad! [Read entire topic]

#21: Mike Knell (mpk) Thu 21 Oct 04 08:40

Thu, 21 Oct 2004 08:40:00 PDT

Seeing as we're mentioning books, Jim Cottier (who regularly skippers Soren Larsen) has written one too:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/0850364825/ [Read entire topic]

#20: Hasidic bra guy (static) Wed 20 Oct 04 19:36

Wed, 20 Oct 2004 19:36:00 PDT

<http://www.codysbooks.com/product/info.jsp?isbn=0767915305> [Read entire topic]

#19: Oh, yeah, I do know who the hell you are. (tinymonster) Wed 20 Oct 04 08:11

Wed, 20 Oct 2004 08:11:00 PDT

(laughs) [Read entire topic]

#18: Eleanor Parker (wellelp) Wed 20 Oct 04 05:06

Wed, 20 Oct 2004 05:06:00 PDT

Were these German cannibals by any chance? [Read entire topic]

#17: Hasidic bra guy (static) Wed 20 Oct 04 04:44

Wed, 20 Oct 2004 04:44:00 PDT

This would be a good time for me to recommend my *NEW FAVORITE BOOK*!! (since this is perfect 'armchair travel' topic stuff:

"The Sex Lives of Cannibals : Adrift in the Equatorial Pacific" by Troost, J. Maarten

Funny, exotic, wonderful, worthy. Buy this book today! [Read entire topic]

#16: Moon howls back (poet-lariat) Tue 19 Oct 04 21:41

Tue, 19 Oct 2004 21:41:00 PDT

reminds me of one of Ishmael's meditations on metaphysics while up in the rigging of the Pequod....

I have a cousin who never quite finished her PhD in marine biology, who years ago spent a couple of years bumming around the south pacific. I got the impression from her that crewing on ships is still a very hang loose affair; she herself just dropped off a ship to spend several months on some island, then picked up a berth on another ship later.

To me, the notion of eventually going up in the rigging is a very enticing proposition. But, like Ishmael, I'd have to be doubly sure my footing was sure... [Read entire topic]

#15: Mike Knell (mpk) Tue 19 Oct 04 01:23

Tue, 19 Oct 2004 01:23:00 PDT

I think they try hard not to scare people off by implying that you're expected to dive straight in and help out with everything that's going. In reality it's completely up to you whether you do everything that's going or just take in the atmosphere. Most people seem to do something inbetween.

Officially, SL is a Sail Training Ship - you're signed onto ship's articles as crew for the duration of your trip. I'm not sure why this is, but I suspect it's related both to insurance and the fact that you can do things like climb the rigging, stand watch and take the helm which regular passengers probably aren't supposed to do.

I chickened out of doing much climbing of the rigging - went up to the platform once, but that was it. Some of the other VCs were out on the yards after a while, but not me. I did clamber out on the bowsprit to stow some sails, though - it's quite an experience to climb around with nothing between you and the Pacific Ocean churning under the bow but the rigging. At least if you fall off the mainmast there's a nice solid deck below. [Read entire topic]

#14: Moon howls back (poet-lariat) Mon 18 Oct 04 22:27

Mon, 18 Oct 2004 22:27:00 PDT

Mike, i got the brochure in the mail, but it did not really sound like the Soren is an "interactive" sailing vacation, but you say it is? The spartan facilities etc, would nix it for my wife, but the hands-on part would fulfill some of my childhood fantasies... [Read entire topic]