Dublin airport and travel reflections

I’m on my way. I have a 4 hour scale in Dublin, still 2h30 to go.

Now, I’ll say this, from all the airports in which I’ve been stranded, Dublin’s is probably the best. It’s not like I remembered it, but hey, more than a decade of water has passed under those bridges, and in any case I don’t remember much of the last time.

It’s got many things to amuse the patient traveller like myself.

On the plus side: Enough shops to keep my eyes busy, since I only shop windows, enough cafes to grant an extended period of reflection before choosing one, enough snacks to turn me into a fatso.

I mention the snacks because I’ve had flashbacks today. Crap, it’s been more than a decade since I didn’t eat some Tayto crisps. And brother, are they good. On the downside, the chocolate and the Taytos have reminded me so strongly of my adolescence, when I first came to Dublin, that for a while I’ve gone back to my shy former self.
No, seriously. Like, I speak with english A’s all the time in Paris, but here… you know, it’s like they are REAL english speakers, who live in their country and speak nothing but English all the time, unburdened by the conundrums of translation and interpreting.
So… I don’t know I just can’t speak with them. I use a very low voice and minimum service sentences…

It sounds stupid, it IS stupid, but… dunno. Anyway, there are girls around, so I might as well get rid of that ASAP.
Oh, and talking about the girls, HOLY SHIT, this place is full of lookers! One more cool thing about Eire…

On the minus side: they have nice scarfs, and I need one (since my scarf was STOLEN the last time I had a party at my house) but holy shit, they come with quite the price tag. I’ll just buy one in the states, I guess.

Anyway, I was sitting there all bored and started reflecting on travel and things. Specially about my trusty backpack, which has accompanied me all around the world. Now, just to give you a picture: A very good friend of mine from Spain became my fellow traveller once. Because he was bored, he asked permission to examine my backpack, and I granted it. After going through my things, his conclusion was «Pablo, you are someone who spends a lot of time alone, aren’t you?»

So I just compiled a little list of my travel gear. Items with marked with an asterisk are items that are with me only because I’m travelling, the rest are items that are ALWAYS with me.

Upper front pocket

– 10 colour ballpen
– Waterman, Shaeffer, Lamy and universal ink cartdriges
– Sewing kit
– My bank data
– And old student card (yeah, I have junk too)
– Voice recorder
– Slide rule
– Rechargable AAA batteries
– Toothbrush*
– It’s all greek visit card www.itsallgreek.co.uk
– Ioana’s visit card

Lower front pocket

– Scientific calculator (yeah, I solve physics problems sometimes just for fun or time-killing)
– Sewing kit (a second one, yeah)
– Adress book

Main Pocket

– 3 notebooks, including the oldest one I possess
– Isolating earphones. I actually love those. Philosophically I love the idea of hearing nothing but what I want to hear. xD
– Gloves
– The latest number of The Seafarer’s bulletin, the yearly magazine of the International Transport Workers Fedetaion (ITF) sea branch. In Russian.
– Camera*
– 2 Books. All of tomorrow’s parties and Full House, the book Robert gave me for my birthday. Thanks Rob, I love you. And the book is awesome.*
– Leather card holder. Yes, THAT ONE.*
– Second pair of glasses.*
– Unesco portfolio* (because je me la pete)

Smaller main pocket

– Chess computer (which consistently beats me)
– Two old newspapers in Russian, Argumenty i Fakty and Novaya Gazeta. No, not old. Stale.
– Disposable razors* (that’s one long story)
– Hi tech fly-back-to-you paper planes that I bought at the science museum in London.
– Map of Paris.
– Metro map of London and Madrid.
– A booklet with the history of all Paris metro stations (junk)
– Two notebooks with Russian vocabulary.
– A Vietnam-war style waterproof rain hat.* (Extremely ugly, but very practical).
– Detailed map of the area where I’ll be lodging in NY, so as not to get lost*

So yeah, that’s essentially my gear. I am happy and I go about life being prepared.

Love to all.