Hey Denise,

I guess it's a handful of things all at once. Not sure if I'm ready for the double- and triple-booking of evening events or all of the excitement that this city has to offer. But one thing is obvious from the second I got to the airport - New York has a lot of personailty and people are really happy to offer up comments and snappy little lines that are pretty damned funny.

I think I'm still in vacation mode because I am paying attention to the same kinds of things that I was when I was travelling, noticing all of the little things I would look for in a new city and watching people. It's probably the single best thing to do in this city.

Went out to a friend's birthday thing lasst night - really just an aquaintance, but enough of a friend that it was worth going. But truly, I don't have much in common with a bunch of these people and I think that I really felt more like it last night than I did before I left. When you are travelling, even among strangers, you still have that common experience of travel, being outside your homes, all of the strange experiences that come up, etc. You also deal with a lot of people that are radically against the war and not many that are in support. Kindred spirits of a kind, if only for a time. Was it Twain that said that the people who leave home are always more interesting than the ones that stay behind? If he didn't, I'd like to claim it as my own. Feel free to quote me and impress you friends with my succinct (sp?) wit.

The party was a simple beer-and-bar thing and we all sat around yabbering and then cuta cake. I just wanted to sleep, which was something I hadn't been doing much of for the past several weeks. One woman who I was speaking with said - well, you don't seem very excited about your trip and I was thinking that nothing short of high voltage was going to get me excited at the moment. She also asked me what has become one of my favorite questions -

So what have you learned from this trip?

...as if she were one of my parents or I had just recieved some kind of punishment for a transgression at school. Really an odd question, but I think I should come up with a list of ludicrous responses for it because I think I'll be hearing it more and not less in the coming weeks. I think generalizations are best served to provide absurd examples and don't seem good for much more than that. Inaccuracy is their best trait, for while they're true, they're just as false.

For instance, I have learned that Bolivians can really drink and will often do so until they fall over. I have been very impressed by this. Many South Americans have no problems peeing wherever their seems to be free space to do so. Bus travel isn't so bad. My tolerance for bad personal hygiene is actually much lower than I would have ever imagined. My face tans through a short beard. Etc. Maybe the list needs work. I should think of some more absurd and generally unture things, although my favorite has been to talk to people that claim to know much more about the countries that I have visited than I do. While I usually figure they just might, they then make it very obvious that they don't.

It's also really hard to answer the what was [insert country/place] like? I've been to a lot of places lately and I'm still trying to sort it all out for myself. "Nice" just doesn't seem like much of an answer, even though most people are kind of satisfied with it. This is one of the reasons that I write - to sort out for myself what I think of so many different things that happen to me. I think "Tell me a story" would be a much better thing to say. I think that's what they really want. But I'm much more interested in hearing what other people have been up to.

This party really was a bit more than I was ready for last night. Gracefully, I can bow out of a lot of social occasions claiming to be too tired after 6 months of travelling. I did, in fact, have a lot of time to rest in all of this as well. As it is, I am taking my time getting to a party that I am supposed to be going to. My friend Rob has himself triple-booked for tonight and that is going to be really strange, but is really the norm here. I'll meet up with him and then go on to the next party if I feel like it. Nice to have options.

Actually, there's nothing wrong with it, it's just the approach. These parties and social occasions are kind of like appointments for Rob and his girlfriend. That's the thing about it I find so strange. Much nicer if you could go or not and then the other people would simply understand if you weren't able to make it. Make everything a lot easier for everyone, really.

I haven't even begun to think abotu where I'll live, what I'll do, etc. I think it will be best to get a job and then make plans accordingly. I think I need a little luck and serendipity for these parts. Not quite ready for it yet, I think reactivating my cel phone and sorting out my mail will be intimidating enough. never mind the quizzes, etc. with family and friends about all of the little things that I have done, best parts, etc. These are really hard questions to answer and kind of rude to ignore. Funny. It will still be a while before the dust settles. In a lot of ways, the trip's not over.

So to answer your questions, I am glad to be back, but disoriented still. Give it time. I am sure that I'll want to travel on. Looks like I'll be living somewhere in NYC and a few friends have made offers in the meanwhile to help me get myself settled. I've got some plans, but I have to deal with family and some sort of emotional inbox items first, such as the death of one of my best friend's fathers while I was gone and my mother's neurosis. The whole picture will become clearer soon enough, I think. I think I'll get a lot of help on this one. After this week or so, I'll see about what can be done for work and go from there. At the moment, I'm happpy to have a place to stay and that my clothes are all clean for the first time in a while. My needs are truly simple these days and I am more eager to keep them that way than to complicate them too quickly. That'll come without my help.

And I guess that's what I'm thinking for the moment. I'm glad things are going well for you. It's cold here & I miss the sun already myself. It would be great to see you in NYC. As I've said before, if I've got a place, you're welcome to stay. At the moment, I am relying on friends. I really hope I have all of this sorted out by summertime.

Alright - guess I should get going to this party. Should be nice and I think I can afford the entry price. Hope it's a chill affair or maybe some dancing. That would be really nice. I could use to move around a little bit.

Talk to you soon. Love ya lots.

Keith
----- Original Message -----
From: Denise Coleman
Date: Sat, 26 Apr 2003 15:14:57 -0700 (PDT)
To: Keith Christiansen
Subject: Re: jiggity jig



Well it is a gorgeous day today so I am spening most of it outside; trying to work on writing but it is so nice I want to play instead! Personally, I am fine (better than in a long time) and the job is good too. But the state of th country and the world is another story entirely.

How abotu you? Glad to be back? Where will you live? Plans? Thoughts?

I am glad you're back... no big plans for the summer so maybe we'll try to come visit.

Love,
D

Keith Christiansen wrote:
Yup. Love ya, kiddo.

How's everything in Texas?

K

----- Original Message -----
From: Denise Coleman
Date: Sat, 26 Apr 2003 11:06:57 -0700 (PDT)
To: Keith Christiansen
Subject: Re: jiggity jig



Hey hey hey!!!!

Yo're back! Yipeee!!! Will call soon.

--- D

Keith Christiansen wrote:
Hey all -

Sorry about the group email, but I am back in NYC again. Just keep it quiet - I'm not going to be dealing with my family until Monday. My cel phone will be on eventually, but you can contact me via Steve's at 212 725 6149. The wierd thing is that it doesn't seem to work on the first ring, so you'll have to call it twice. It just disconnects, but works on the second go. Go figure, we'll call Verizon.

Anyway, I hope everything is cool with everyone. See you soon.

Keith

Hey Rob -

How are you doing? How is everything with Melissa and work and all
of the other things?

Macchu Picchu was incredible and so was the 4 day trek to get there.
If it didn't cost so much, I might do it again. I am leaving today
for Arequipa to hike the Colca Canyon with the Brazilian guys I have
been travelling with for the past week or so. Should be a good time
- it-s twice as deep as the Grand Canyon and is a good spot for
seeing condors, which I have seen a lot of, but I'd like to see a few
more. They're really, really massive birds. I had seen one that
looked like it had about a 7 foot wing span, but I hear they can get
as big as 9 feet. That would be cool. Damned things could probably
fly off with me in the mitts...

Might doa little rafting down there, too. I hear it's an incredible
spot for it.

Got an email from Carmen yesteday. She was in the same town (Cusco)
and wanted to meet up for dinner. So we did, but it was really
awkward. Somewhere after the second drink, this guy walked in and
she whispered something to him in German. I got the very specific
impression that she had slept with him a few days before and really
didn't expect to run into him. Something she'd said about getting
drunk witha couple of German guys and having a really great time and
hangover the other night. He joined us for a drink, but looked
incredibly uncomfortable after she whispered whatever to him. Funny.
The whole conversation was incredibly stilted after he showed up and
Carmen left a lot earlier than I think she first expected.

Awkward. I don't understand why she wantd to get together, but there
you have it... It's very strange and a little tough without
surprises like that anyway.

Ah well. Looks like I'll be back in NYC around the 26th of April or
maybe a day or two before that. I'm planning on hanging out in the
city a few days before heading out to LI to visit the parents. Give
myself a bit of time to adjust before the overwhelm. I'll probably
be at Steve's or John's during that time. I think Steve's makes a
bit more sense. When I get back, I may move back in with him if I
can afford it. It's all about saving money for a while when I get
back. Any temp agencies you can suggest? I am very open-minded
about work when I get back...

Hope all is well. Let me know how you're doing.

Keith

YEah, I've heard from him. And I've seen some of the stuff he's been
putting on his website,as well.

I'm in Nasca today and I will be leaving Peru in the next day or so.
I have a bus to Tacna tonight, which is one of the towns closest to
CHile. From there, it's Arica, then Iquique and then San Pedro de
Atacama for a little desert time and to try my hand at sandboarding
some more, which I am getting pretty damned good at.

Went on a short flight this morning to see the Lines and they were
really pretty incredible. Really hard to imagine why a people that
lived almost 1000 years ago, well before flight, made these massive
symbols in the earth. But they did and there they are. Lots of
interesting theories, from worship of their gods to aliens coming to
earth, etc. I took lots of pictures. We had good light for it
today.

Looking forward to relaxing in Chile. I have really had to be on my
guard here. Just against theft and constantly having to haggle over
things and hassle people to keep their word about tours or deals, or
prices paid, etc. Gets to be really tiring. And the Peruvians also
like to blast radios, TVs, whatever at deafening levels. That gets
very tiring. Combine that with what seems to be hospitality of havin
a TV or radio on in every restaurant, it is impossible to eat in
peace. It almost forces you into the Gringo places... I am
currently being deafened in an internet cafe just off the Plaza de
Armas of Nasca.

Hope everyone is well. Looking forward to seeing you all and I
should be home in just a little over 3 weeks at this point.

Love you all,

Keith

----- Date: Wed, 2 Apr 2003 10:02:42 +0100 (BST)

Subject: good morning

> Hi all,
> Well, trying to get the institute to move on their
> contacts for me. I feel like the nagging editor from
> h-e-double toothpicks, but this deadline's kind of
> short and so the sooner I get this stuff, the better.
> They don't seem to appreciate that the articles don't
> just materialize out of thin air, I have to actually
> call people and talk to them first.
> Talked to John the cattery owner yesterday and he's
> got a cage available (heated beds, cat runs, etc) for
> the week we want to go off driving around the Loire
> valley in France. Very exciting. Which means we won't
> be able to make the 4th of July bbq Bob, sorry. We'll
> be ogling olde buildings and eating cheese and bread
> with the paysans.
> Has Keith gotten back from his hike yet? Anybody
> heard from him?
> Ok, off to pester them some more. They've coughed
> up one contact so far... Love, Sue

Okay - that's fine with me. I don't mind losing a day or two, we'll
just have to relax a little quicker is all. It's most important to
me that you'll be there. So we can share this magical time
together...

HAHAHA!

No really. It's fine. Looking forward to it.

Go ahead with everything & let me know what I owe. I am going to San
Pedro de Atacama in Chile tonight and will spend the next 8 days or
so honing my already masterful sandboarding skills. I will tear
Blackpool asunder with my fearsome moves. The Eiffel stuff was less
exciting than I thought. Nice, but nothing like the Eiffel Lift in
Portugal or the Tower. I guess he had to get started with something.

I'm not sure if you can buy them with a US card. It all depends on
the provider of the tickets, doesn't it? My thought is that it's
better to pay with the UK card - this is likely a UK based company,
or maybe Canadian.

My current plans & flights are as follows:

I am in Pan Pedro for the next week or so, chilling in the desert.
On the 12th, I go to Iquique, get my flight from Iquique to Santiago
the next morning, then spend a day or so in Santiago before flying to
Mexico City. I'll be in Mex City from the Tuesday and then meet you
on Thurs. After doing some reading, Mex City seemed worth at least a
few days of checking out.

So with the flights listed below, I'll be back on the 25th or so.
That's all just fine with me. Looking forward to this... And
thanks, if I haven't said so.

Already, just 23 kms south of the border, life is already more
tranquil in CHile. I have already gotten stuck waiting at a corner
for a car to pass. And waiting, and then waiting a few more seconds
before realizing that they were trying to let me pass and were
waiting patiently for me to do so, although maybe a bit less so with
each passing second. You have to time your crossings well in Bolivia
and Peru. No one stops. It's ugly.

Talk to you soon. Let me know if I can do anything.

K
----- Original Message -----
From: "Purdom, Stephen"

Date: Thu, 3 Apr 2003 12:48:47 -0500
To: "'Keith Christiansen'"

Subject: F'ing Fares...

> I know, it's tough at the top, isn't it? And that jibe from a
man who's been on holiday since early November!! huh!! :)
>
> Wow, the eiffel stuff sounds wicked. look forward to seeing the
phones. Sandboarding sounds fun. youcan do that in Blackpool too, by
the way, should you ever be passing through. You'd probably be the
town champ, byt he sounds of it. Maybe a new career beckons?
>
> Bad news re flights in that Sat or Sunday return would involve a
$363 increase in my fare (no seats available). The Friday 25 April
return below means that I dont pay any extra:
>
> Flights:
> Thu 17 April
> Out from NYC at 5.05pm, arriving in Mex City at 9.20pm
> Fl. 1970
>
> Fri 25 April
> Return from Mex City at 9am, arriving NYC at 2.48pm in Newark
> Fl. 1971
>
> We therefore need to fly out to Havana on the Friday 18 April,
back on the Thursday 24th, so we get 6 days in Mexico.
>
> The lfihgts i found on findcheaper flights were:
> Fri 18 Apr
> Dep Mex City at 10.25 am
> Arr Havan at 2pm
> Thu 24 Apr
> Dep Havana 3.10pm
> Arr Mex City 5.05pm
>
> This is same fee $1025 plus $20 processing fee.
>
> I am assuming i can't buy the tickets being here in the US - or
should I buy them with my UK credit card?
>
> If I dont hear back from you i will book the Friday return later
to day with Continental and we'll take our chances with the Havana
flight.
>
> let me know ASAP
>
> thx
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Keith Christiansen [mailto:adrifter@mindless.com]

> Sent: Wednesday, April 02, 2003 12:14 PM
> To: Purdom, Stephen
> Subject: RE: Hmmm.. Nasca, eh?
>
>
> Great, thanks!
>
> Sorry to hear that you're going as long as a month between
vacations now, that must be an incredible strain. :)
>
> Looks like I am leaving Peru tonight, or maybe tomorrow. I have
a bus to Tacna, near the border and then down to Arica and some other
spots in the desert. Amazingly, Eiffel (the Tower guy) designed a
bunch of churches and public buildings in these places and I want to
check them out. SHould be interesting, but I think I'll do that and
have lunch in Tacna before moving on. Just doesn't seem to have that
much going for it.
>
> From there, it's Arica, then Iquique and then San Pedro de
Atacama for a little desert time and to try my hand at sandboarding
some more, which I am getting pretty damned good at.
>
> Went on a short flight this morning (I have been travelling with
this funny Dutch guy for a few weeks - not typical Dutch, fun.) to
see the Nasca Lines and they were really pretty incredible. Really
hard to imagine why a people that lived almost 1000 years ago, well
before flight, made these massive symbols in the earth. But they did
and there they are. Lots of interesting theories, from worship of
their gods to aliens coming to earth, etc. I took lots of pictures.
We had good light for it today.
>
> Looking forward to relaxing in Chile. I have really had to be on
my guard here. Just against theft and constantly having to haggle
over things and hassle people to keep their word about tours or
deals, or prices paid, etc. Gets to be really tiring. And the
Peruvians also like to blast radios, TVs, whatever at deafening
levels. That gets very tiring. Combine that with what seems to be
hospitality of havin a TV or radio on in every restaurant, it is
impossible to eat in peace. It almost forces you into the Gringo
places... I am currently being deafened in an internet cafe just off
the Plaza de Armas of Nasca.
>
> Hope everyone is well. Talk to you soon. Any luck changing the
tix?
>
> Keith
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Purdom, Stephen"

> Date: Wed, 2 Apr 2003 01:26:56 +0100
> To: "'adrifter@mindless.com'"


> Subject: RE: Hmmm.. Cuba, eh?
>
> > Ha ha ha!!
> > :)
> > Sure re the book, I'll bring it along.
> >
> > As for my mum, yes I guess I do spoil her, but then she's
had a pretty rough deal from all the other blokes in her life and it
was 6 weeks since my last holiday and 3 weeks before my next one so I
did actually want to go myself too.
> >
> > Catch u later

It can't be called that. And, unless the change the name, I really
think Zagat's would would be a bad idea if they're not ready. Good
guide, but there's other ways to spread publicity that could be more
immediate. Zagat's wouldn't publish it until next year and just
about any restaurant can easily be out of business in 3 months
without enough business. No sense rushing - better to go to a lesser
guide because it's better to be undiscovered than have a bad rating.
Just my opinion, of course. The owner of the place I managed always
insisted on going to "the best of the best," but his staff
couldn't support those standards and they slammed us. I thought it
would be much better to just go to the good ones and get some
positive press.

I've met more restaurant owners without experience or experience in
totally unrelated fields and it always amazed me that everyone thinks
they can do it. No one would walk into a dentist's office or a
lawyer's office and just say hey, these guys are making money here!
We should open one of these! without experience, but everyone does
that with restaurants. Funny.

The restaurant gig would fill the immediate gap, so at least I've got
a little positive $ inflow. Plus, it could make for cheaper
socializing, which is always a massive cost in NYC. I also think I'd
get a kick out of it. Even if I egt an office gig again, I could
always cook on the weekends or some nights. We'll see.

I am sure that Polish will take you far in Cuba. Oh boy, am I
looking forward to this.

Careful abouth the shoulder, good luck with the deal and don't worry
to much about the Spanish (I don't think you are). I can give you a
crash course in gringo spanish in about the time it takes to drink a
beer. I've been giving plenty of lessons like that. This way,
you'll have some basics and won't go walking into minefields if there
are any available.

Cuidado! Hay minas! - means Careful! There are landmines!

Consider that Lesson One and feel free to just drop it into
conversations as you see fit. The ladies love it.

K


----- Original Message -----
From: "Purdom, Stephen"

Date: Mon, 14 Apr 2003 18:07:37 +0100
To: "'Keith Christiansen'"

Subject: RE: jazz, subways, stuff I wouldn't eat

> its called "Live jazz brunch". they have menus, its
just that they're not that good. Well, the omlettes are quite good,
but its prety restricted.
>
> My only worry would be clash of personalities wtih the existing
chef/Bonnie as i'm sure you'll have your own ideas and they would be
good, just that she's not necessarily that experienced in the
industry. But its worth a try, and she was WELL impressed with the
food you did for the party and wanted you to get in touch ASAP when
you were back. I am sure you can work something out whereby you have
some freedom to try some stuff and see if it has an effect. They
might even consider a re-launch and get Zagat in there to rate them.
It kinda fills that immediate gap, and its hardly a long commute from
mine...
>
> Spanish. Oh, yeah. damn. Meant to ask Claire for the book y'day.
I'll be lucky if i can say please and thank you, sorry, but otherwise
i'd lose my Polish and i need that more, with 3 Polish god-children
to look after. They'd get kinda confused if I started speaking
Spanish to them all of a sudden. I'll have a phrase book though and
if you're not around and the dude doesnt speak English, I'll just go
without. Or speak LOUDLY and SLOWLY and maybe they'll understand me.
Or maybe some of the older people speak Russian? Didnt Kruschev send
a consignment of pigs over here in the '60's? That solves at least
one problem - everyone will know what "pig" is (swinie,
pronounced "sh-vin-e-yeah"). So i wont starve if i need a
pork chop.
>
> I also bought vanity fair, cos it has a picture of Hugh Grant on
it and business week with a list of the largest 500 US companies.
Each of their market cap likely to be larger than Cuba's GDP, but
then you thought they'd like that stuff, right?. I will try and bring
the Economist and Time magazine, which apparently will have a big
picture of Saddam and a red "X" on his face, reprising
their May 1945 cover with Hitler on instead. I am sure they'll like
that too, right?
>
> Your description of the subway makes me understand fully why I
also takes cabs. Though i have been on the PATH twice in one week,
which must be some sort of record. I'll have a Jersey accent soon, so
watch out. It is funny though isnt it, how small the mexicans are,
but as a newly found giant, i guess you're used to it by now? The
zocolo is pretty cool, i liked it, especially with all those green
beatles going around it. the Holiday inn restaurant has a nice view
of it, you can just grab a coffee or a beer there if you wnat, nice
place to wathc the world go by from.
>
> We might actually havea deal today, so i'm going to go sign off,
i might be busy over the next few hours
>
> laters
> Steve
> PS I've crocked my shoudler, no idea what i've done. trying to
find a doctor to go to tomorrow at some point, need to get a
referral. doubt i get it fixed before i come on holidays so expect
lots of ibuprofen and whingeing. wlel, i'll be in pain, that;s for
sure. the only thing that seems to make it sligthly better is a
massage, even sleep sdoesnt work and it usually wakes me up. ho um,
such is life...
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Keith Christiansen [mailto:adrifter@mindless.com]

> Sent: Monday, April 14, 2003 12:33 PM
> To: Purdom, Stephen
> Subject: Re: jazz, subways, stuff I wouldn't eat
>
>
> Good. SOmething feels very right about this right now and I
have collected a heap of good recipes. Have they even made real
menus yet? Have you eaten there? I was never too impressed with
their food - I can do much better, I think (humbly). And what the
hell are they calling the place now?
>
> Mexico City seems really, really cool. Just a bit of walking
around, but nice enough.
>
> I got in first thing this morning adn to a massive, if very
welcoming, complex of a hosetl called the Hostel Catedral. It's
cheap for here - US$10 a night - but I guess I have to get used to
spending real money again instead of the US$4 a nigth I was spending.
It's a beautiful day and I've already been wandering around the main
plaza & will do a little tourism later. Should be fun.
>
> Wierd to be around familiar food again, tho'. Coronas, Modelo
Negras for beer, huevos rancheros for breakfast, other mexican stuff.
I mean, it's mexico - all the food is mexican here!
>
> I got a taste of the Mex City rush hour first thign this morning
and jammed into the subway coming out from the airport. People just
rush the entrance - there's no civility like in NYC. You barge in
and take a spot. I haven't sen that much mad scrambling for seats
since I taught kindergarten. Being a tall gringo with another 35
kilos of stuff on my back, I just smashed in and let everyone suffer
with my presence. One older woman kept begging me to move, but no
one could.
>
> Joven, por favor... with pleading eyes, but there was nothing I
could do. I was jammed up against the wall myself. When I bashed my
way out, the only reason people didn't fall down is because they were
packed against each other.
>
> I've had a few mornings like that on the NYC subway and eveen
the Underground, but I think it's like this every day. Yuck. I was
glad to get to where I needed to after 3 changes, wrestling my way
into the cars every time. The Zocolo (main plaza) was wide open and
unpopulated in the early morning. I got settled and started to take
care of my things.
>
> I had a long, slow conversation with an older man about thigns
to do in the city, thing he likes, places he's been, etc. It was
nice taht in such a mad, huge city (20 million, count 'em - 20
million people), this guy wanted to just BS for a bit. Nice.
>
> I'll see what I can do about grabbing some more good recipes
while I'm here. In Chile and Argentina, I got very good at talking
myself into kitchens to see how things were done. They were less
welcoming in Peru and I really don't think I know anyone that wants
to be subjected to some of the food I ate in Bolivia.
>
> And yeah, I did want the 3rd book - thanks, man!
>
> How's your Spanish coming?
>
> Keith