In other news, I've made progress on my arrangements for my upcoming trip to Peru. Specifically, I've managed to buy a plane ticket from Lima to Cuzco. This is harder than it sounds because my credit card company decided this was "unusual activity" and blocked it until I called them. My other internal travel will be by train and bus. I really need to decide whether or not to spring for the large amount of money to stay a night at the Machu Picchu Sanctuary Lodge (the one right at the entrance to the ruins) versus a hotel in Aguas Calientes for a night. It would be nearly half the total cost of the trip (remember, I got an amazing deal on the airfare to Lima) but the idea of seeing Machu Picchu in the early morning is pretty appealing.
Also travel related, I went to Flyer Talk dinner last night. There are actually people who are far more obsessed with frequent flyer miles than I am. I ended up sitting next to one guy who churns credit cards (i.e. signs up for new ones with mileage bonuses) so he can take four or 5 international trips a year. But he travels in coach, which drew the wrath of the guy sitting across from me, who is a fan of buying cheap and complicated domestic tickets to earn the mileage for fewer trips, but in first class. This is something of a religious war and makes me look reasonably normal.
FInally, I am still following The Amazing Race. For my take on Sunday's episode, look behind the cut.
I particularly enjoy episodes set in places I've been to. For example, I immediately recognized the post office as soon as I saw that clue, for example. I've been to the Reunification Palace, too, though I never had to push concrete animals around or take VCRs apart before getting there.
I was hoping that Lance and Keri would be eliminated, but no such luck. The poker girls are annoying, but in a more interesting way. And, even though I liked them, I think Marcy and Ron did themselves in by taking so long to figure out they should ask a local to unscramble the letters.
If you had to ask me now for an overall pick, the Harlem Globetrotters are cool and collected and just seem like a class act.
