Vegetarian Adventure Travel

I think that anytime you travel, it's likely to be an adventure -- there's always the possibility for something to happen. And this week with all the American Airlines flight cancellations, there are probably more adventures than usual.


It didn't affect me in my travels but I've had other things. I arrived at the airport for a 6 a.m. flight at 5:28 and they closed the baggage check-in. Granted the airport has 1 ticket counter and only 1 flight at that time but I had the issue of liquids in my bag. Luckily the guy behind me said that he'd carry my extra bag through security.


Then it turned out that he didn't have his correct boarding pass so he had to get out of line, with my liquids, in hand and get the pass. I knew he'd come back because his wife had already gone through and they were on their way to Oaxaca, Mexico. And he did return.


Other than two women sitting behind me drinking beer at 6 in the morning and talking and laughing raucously, the flight was uneventful. And that's a good thing.


And most of my day went the same way until I realized that I couldn't sleep in the afternoon although I needed a nap. (It didn't feel that way as my head bobbed during a dietitian's talk with the lights dimmed.) So I went for a walk.


As I headed out the door so did a tall man. We walked together and he introduced himself as Keith but with an awfully strong Aussie accent. He said that he was going to go for a walk, and I said that I was, too. So we walked down Century Blvd. in Los Angeles. Ugly area right near a strip club and nondescript fast food joints and office buildings. This was his only time in LA. Ugh.


I told him that he needed to get a cab and go to the beach-- Marina del Rey, Venice or Santa Monica. Keith was in LA just overnight because his American Airlines flight had been cancelled. He is in the Australian military and on his way to Virginia.


We had a good chat and he explained the economic state of affairs in Australia. We talked about fast food, and there's plenty there, along with kids who aren't so active. So be on the lookout for obesity in Australia.


At the very first light we came to Keith was confused about whether or not he could cross the street. It was green our way, so I said that it was fine. As I stepped into the street, a young man driving a BMW, busy on his cell phone, almost hit me -- as close a call as I've ever had. But we kept on walking, and I guess being tired made the incident not so big for me.


Keith asked if I'd like to take he and his buddies on a taxi tour of LA. And believe me, I wanted to but I am going out to eat at House of Vege in Lomita for dinner with others who want to eat vegetarian. If I hadn't helped set up the dinner, I would have gone with Keith and his friends -- as a friendly American thing to do. I am sure that he understood.


As for the vegetarian adventure travel -- anytime I go, it's an adventure but I am actually taking a small group to Umbria, Italy in September. If you'd like to check it out, take a look at http://www,bluone.com/. You can bet that it will truly be an adventure, because I know that every trip is.