PICTURES

{{2011}} London, GB | Rail N Sail | Amsterdam, Netherlands | Prague, Czech Republic | Budapest, Hungary | Sarajevo, Bosnia | Romania | Chisinau, Moldova | Ukraine: Odessa - Sevastopol | Crossed Black Sea by ship | Georgia: Batumi - Tbilisi - Telavi - Sighnaghi - Chabukiani | Turkey: Kars - Lost City of Ani - Goreme - Istanbul | Jordan: Amman - Wadi Rum | Israel | Egypt: Neweiba - Luxor - Karnak - Cairo | Thailand: Bangkok - Pattaya - Chaing Mai - Chaing Rei | Laos: Luang Prabang - Pakse | Cambodia: Phnom Penh | Vietnam: Vung Tau - Saigon aka Ho Chi Minh City

{{2012}} Cambodia: Kampot - Sihanoukville - Siem Reap - Angkor Wat | Thailand: Bangkok | India: Rishikesh - Ajmer - Pushkar - Bundi - Udaipur - Jodhpur - Jasalmer - Bikaner - Jaipur - Agra - Varanasi | Nepal: Kathmandu - Chitwan - Pokhara - Bhaktapur - (Rafting) - Dharan | India: Darjeeling - Calcutta Panaji | Thailand: Bangkok - again - Krabi Town | Malaysia, Malaka | Indonesia: Dumas - Bukittinggi - Kuta - Ubud - 'Full Throttle' - Gili Islands - Senggigi | Cambodia: Siem Reap | Thailand: Trat | Turkey: Istanbul | Georgia: Tbilisi

{{2013}} Latvia: Riga | Germany: Berlin | Spain: Malaga - Grenada | Morocco: Marrakech - Essauira - Casablanca - Chefchawen - Fes | Germany: Frankfurt | Logan's Home Invasion USA: Virginia - Michigan - Indiana - Illinois - Illinois - Colorado | Guatemala: Antigua - San Pedro | Honduras: Copan Ruinas - Utila | Nicaragua: Granada | Colombia: Cartagena | Ecuador: Otavalo - Quito - Banos - Samari (a spa outside of Banos) - Puyo - Mera

{{2014}} Peru: Lima - Nasca - Cusco | Dominican Republic | Ukraine: Odessa | Bulgaria: Varna - Plovdiv | Macedonia: Skopje - Bitola - Ohrid - Struga | Albania: Berat - Sarande | Greece: Athens | Italy: Naples - Pompeii - Salerno | Tunisia: Hammamet 1

{{2015}} Hammamet 2 | South Africa: Johnnesburg | Thailand: Hua Hin - Hat Yai | Malaysia: Georgetown | Thailand: Krabi Town | Indonesia:
Sabang Island | Bulgaria: Plovdiv | Romania: Ploiesti - Targu Mures | Poland: Warsaw | Czech Republic: Prague | Germany: Munich | Netherlands: Groningen | England: Slough | Thailand: Ayutthaya - Khon Kaen - Vang Vieng | Cambodia: Siem Reap

{{2016}} Thailand: Kanchanaburi - Chumphon | Malaysia: Ipoh - Kuala Lumpur - Kuching - Miri | Ukraine: Kiev | Romania: Targu Mures - Barsov | Morocco: Tetouan

{{2017}} Portugal: Faro | USA: Virginia - Michigan - Illinois - Colorado | England: Slough - Lancaster | Thailand: Bangkok | Cambodia: Siem Reap

{{2018}} Ukraine: Kiev - Chernihiv - Uzhhorod | UK: Camberley | Italy: Naples Pompeii | USA Washington DC | Merced California

{{2019}} Las Vegas Nevada | Wroclaw, Poland | Odessa, Ukraine | Romania |

For videos with a Loganesque slant, be sure to visit here. You can also Facebook Logan.

Thursday, September 7, 2017

THE GRIM NORTH

CURRENT STATE OF AFFAIRS

Wanted to do a bit of an update.  Otherwise, people might think I'm dead or no longer interested in my blog.

Both are untrue.

Yes, we are all a bit surprised I am still alive.  I average about one near death experience per year.  Or Death averages one 'near-Logan' experience a year - depending on how you look at it.

As to why I haven't been posting much, two reasons.

First, I was visiting friends for a few months as I went through the USA.  I didn't want to intrude on their privacy.

My life is pretty public.  Anyone reading this blog should have a pretty good idea what kind of person I am and how I feel about most things without me being worried about losing a job or some crap like that.  I am able to be honest.  And I don't mind having a spotlight shone upon my life.  I am a fairly 'public persona'.  Not saying many people in the public know me but if they wanted to look they could surely find out about me.

The people I went to visit didn't sign up for that.  They just wanted to hang out with Logan for a bit.  So I didn't report on stuff going on.

Second, I've hit the point where I am not encountering much new stuff.

I am not tritely saying I've "been there and done that" for there is plenty I've not done and many places I've not yet been.  However I would need to go and do some new stuff to get new information.

Just the other day I was discussing my post England plans with Matt and said I'd be going back to Thailand and Cambodia over the holidays because fuck the cold and that I was a bit bored of it.  He said that he wishes he could travel so often to the far east as to become 'bored with it'.

Which struck me as very odd when he said it.  I forget that I am now considered 'decently traveled'.

For those wondering how many countries I've actually been to, I stopped counting both the number of countries I'd visited and my age when I hit fifty.  Why continue counting?  Do I get a cash prize at some certain number of countries?  When I hit ten years of non-stop travel?  When I get to throw a spear at someone?



WHAT AM I DOING NOW?

I got brought to England to run a tabletop roleplaying game for a buddy of mine.  He's taking care of room and board for this.  Nifty.  For the five of you who can't get enough of Logan, you will be able to eventually see the campaigns as they are being recorded and will eventually be released onto Youtube.

So I will be doing that for a total of just under three months (visa runs out then) and then traveling to Thailand/Cambodia (the only countries I seem to enjoy in SE Asia) and hang out there for 3-4 months then fly back.  I already have my return ticket.

The next break from England I may end up going to somewhere in Eastern Europe (I enjoy EE) that I haven't been before.  I'm pondering Croatia.  I need to research it - but it is outside of the EU (as soon England will be BWAHAHAHA) and does have a Roman Colosseum I wouldn't mind seeing.



WHY IS LOGAN HAPPY ABOUT BREXIT?

Well, because the Brits have decided to fuck themselves and it may just make my life a wee bit easier.
The first thing that will come about because of this include Britain no longer being part of the Schengen Area which means that I can visit England then go to a different country within the Schengen area.  I am sure that someone out there who is upset at my joy might counter that it could be hard for me to get into England.  Given how many English retired people are still living abroad (bunches) in the Schengen area, I'm thinking that I will be OK.  Despite racist, nationalistic, xenophobic and nostalgic idiots wanting to cut England off from the rest of 'globalism', it is impractical.

The second thing is that the British pound sterling will do a face plant.  Looking at what happened to it when there were just rumors of an upcoming Brexit then when they announced the vote for Brexit, I believe there is a very good chance the pound may sink to as little as 1-1 with the Euro.  For me, this would be decent new.  Better if I had more money - but I don't.  So I will keep an eye on it and buy a bit more if it does indeed face plant.   Even if it doesn't, I think it will be a significant amount of time before it can climb back to anywhere close to what it use to be.



THE GRIM NORTH

My travel mentor is named Adam.  I've known him for close to six years now, having met him when he owned a hostel I stayed at back in Ukraine.  I went out to stay with him for two nights in Lancaster.  Who else remembers the War of the Roses?

Anyway, they call this area 'The Grim North'.  Half the day it rains, the other half it is overcast.  Horrible weather.

I had some unusual sleeping arrangements which Adam took pictures of and posted on his Facebook.  I am going to repost them here, along with his comments:


So Logan comes to stay for a few nights.....but as many of you know he snores like a bastard....and you live here.



...so you put him in a tent outside in the yard on top of the 4x4.



...and laugh and laugh and laugh...



...watching Logan get into his new accommodation...





...and so doesn't break his neck going for a midnight wee....You give him his own WEE WEE BOTTLE...



...and everyone slept happily ever after.


End of Adam transcript.  And yes, that is real pee in the bottle.  Don't tell Bear Grylls!

Once I got into the tent, it was comfortable - aside from the rain lashing down and a drip forming from condensation on the window.  Later this was fixed.  Getting into or out of the tent for someone fat and crippled - not easy and a bit painful.   But we made it work!

A note about peeing into bottles.  There is a technique.  Also, you get about two pees into one bottle before you are in the 'danger zone'.  Take several empty bottles to bed with you.  If you are cold, it can make a 'hot water bottle'.  Make sure the cap is on tight though...



IN CONCLUSION

So that is what I've been up to.  I realize that a lot of people would like to see more consistent posting but interesting stuff doesn't normally happen on a consistent basis.  And I'd rather post now and then than to just have a bunch of crap.