So far, be up to date on all hepatitis vaccinations. Will be treated well as a white dude but might get "weird" attention for it Take constipation/other GI meds with him Be prepared for poverty on a whole new level. But also know that poverty doesn't indicated danger Ill add more in a bit...

DS has a really good friend from Delhi. I can ask him for any advice. I know DS has been advised by a Filipino friend with whom he's going to the Philippines to plan on having GI/stomach issues for a few days. Apparently the different microbes take some getting used to. I imagine it might be similar in India?

Yep. Like this: https://abcnews.go.com/US/deputy-fires-weapon-after-mistaking-acorn-for-gunshot/story?id=107229338 Our entire backyard is lined with oak trees. Falling acorns have never once made me think of gunshots--imagine that.

Exactly. It makes no sense --for all the reasons--yet oft repeated despite how nonsensical it is. It has the same lame ring to it as "thoughts and prayers", as though either are any sort of solution.

Once again, the "good guy with a gun" theory proven wrong. Again, and again and again and again.

If you don't have a local Habitat for Humanity, you might have a Catholic Charities or local groups that help settle refugees/new immigrants. I personally prefer that items will be given directly to those in need rather than resold, if possible. Bummer the buy nothing attempts didn't work out.

Of course another approach is to view the volume of cars as the problem, which is precisely why so many cities are reducing vehicle lanes and turning them back (or flat out creating)spaces that work for humans instead. I far prefer that approach myself, having travelled extensively and having followed localized news, about both the headaches and benefits. North America is way behind when it comes to workable city planning, but cities that do adopt a different way of thinking show that is absolutely possible and beneficial.

Yes I've been to Amsterdam and other Dutch cities many times. One gets used to it 🙂

That makes a lot of sense--thanks! He said something about China now offering 7 hour(?) transit visas that allow for outside exploration, as long as you're actually headed somewhere else. I think I have the details right; I trust he does.

Yes! It's very similar, only missing the sea air. I'm an ocean girl, and Lake Superior helped make Minnesota an almost ideal place for me to live despite being so far from the sea. 🙂

We spent our first anniversary in the UP! We stayed at some crappy snowmobiler "cabin" with very loud drunken snowmobiles doing stupid stuff outside all night, and re-watched the Lost Boys because it was the only thing on the ancient tv. During the day we went cross country skiing before getting our truck stuck in icy muck, which required me to flag down the sole vehicle that drove along the rapidly darkening road (of course they rescued us and were very nice). lol Its so beautiful up there, despite the weirdness of our adventure we just loved it.

We spent it in the ER where DH had been rushed due to high blood pressure. Turned out his blood sugars were off the charts and he was declared diabetic (thanks, pancreatitis). The sweet nurses sure felt bad for us!

Yes, if a bike lane doesn't offer various accommodations it is poorly planned. That's not a bike (ie non-car centric) problem, that's a basic city planning problem.

The US is not and hopefully never will be a "Christian nation" no matter what some people (not you) want to believe or say to score points. Also that story is appalling and I cannot imagine how that person lives with themself after turning down a request for help. Disgusting. 😞

Is not being able to leave the airport unique to certain countries? DS purposefully schedules long layovers so he has a chance to go to new cities between legs of flights. This spring he's taking advantage of an opportunity to have a layover somewhere in China for the primary purpose of taking the maglev train 🙂 And of course countries like Iceland encourage it. Curious to learn more. What a bummer if she'll be there and can't see anything!

@Arcadia Thank you keeping us safe! Seriously, I think we'd all die if not for your detailed product recall lists! (feeling thankful to have survived 4 dinners worth of Costco street tacos this past week)

Well most of us here do modify our driving habits to give more grace when we see one, so 🤷‍♀️ I choose to not give the jerks out there priority in my life.

I didn't use one for DS, but I love seeing them widely used. I'm a driver who tends to give space and patience anyway (seriously, we live in a small town, why is anyone in a hurry?) but I definitely give even more when I see the stickers/magnets. I've sat through whole green lights when they just don't start moving in time in front of me, lol. I'd hate to think new drivers get extra flak--they are under enough pressure as it is!

We love City Nerd! Also, Not Just Bikes and lots of others.

I think worst is in the fall when turkey hunters walk along the roads and in fields casually holding scary looking rifles; then we have to worry about turkeys being flushed out AND armed people aiming at them. Ugh.

And that's why I include good leadership and will. Since when did so many people give up? Anyway, I'm sure many of our subways provide similar accommodations, I just haven't been aware of it because I haven't been looking. That's on me and now I'm more aware and can do better. I once watched a video how in Japan when an elderly or disabled person approaches the doorway of a train from the platform, workers rush out with a small board to cover the gap. Everyone was like Only in Japan can they do something so wonderful, but last I time I took the train from my small town in the US they did the same thing. It's never a question of can we or can't we, it's a question of how much do we want to help each other. And that goes back to good leadership and will.

Recently in a train station in a small town in the Netherlands, I noticed a vision impaired woman with a cane navigating the station on her own. I was curious how she moved with such confidence in a crowded space, before realizing her entire path was created of raised "bumps" which guided her through with ease. Looking around, I saw the raised path led not only from the doorway to the platform, but to the ticket machines and everywhere else a person might need to utilize. It was SO HUMANE. I then noticed the same in every country we went, also along many sidewalks along busy shopping type streets the length of the street and leading to every street corner with a light and crosswalk. I've no idea how such things happen, but it takes *leadership*. It takes compassion, it takes a small amount of money to allocate and it takes the will. Nowhere does it happen easily, but it certainly benefits everyone.

It's not an American problem, it's a leadership problem. Change and attitudes start at the top, for better and for worse. With as much internal conflict as there is in pretty much every country, it's hard to get anything done, particularly when an enormous percentage of a population votes against politicians and policies that help people (ie who vote against their better interests). This is far from unique to any singular country and it's a disservice to pretend otherwise.

Once again the Aussies win for most creative and fun sounding names!

Apparently cat purrs have a similar effect (and more) https://www.purina.com.au/behaviour-cat/what-makes-a-cat-purr.html#:~:text=Studies have shown that the,in the healing of fractures.