2012 has been a fun-filled year for Kelly and me, even more so because of all the visitors we’ve had to Austin in recent months. I absolutely love when we are able to re-connect with people from our trip – it just reinforces that the short, yet intense bond you shared at one point doesn’t change over time or despite the distance between you.
Kelly and I met Marianne in Argentina towards the beginning of our travels and were able to meet up with her again in Australia. After graduating from medical school in Norway, she had some vacation time and decided to come to Texas. We had a blast taking her around the town, drinking, dancing, and stuffing her face with Tex Mex. Her timing couldn’t have been better since she was here for Kelly’s 30th birthday ‘Party Like It’s 1982 – Electric Boogaloo’ shindig.
Breakin
Us and Marianne!
We were also proud to talk Marianne into doing her first ever keg stand and she reminded us that she is still the caipiroska making queen – just as she was several years ago at the Blue Parrott in Sydney.
Luke the Aussie visited us not long before Marianne. He stopped in Austin for a couple of weeks on his way down to travel extensively in Mexico and Central America. I had visited Luke 8 months before in Melbourne, so I was thrilled to get to spend more time with him. Besides the usual Austin haunts, we were also able to check out a couple of Austin staples that I had not yet experienced for myself – Hamilton Pool (absolutely stunning) and Chicken Shit Bingo. In case you were wondering, it’s exactly what it sounds like. You pick a number and if the chicken shits on your number, you win the prize. That’s right, ya’ll.
Luke and me at Hamilton Pool
Since I had Luke for a couple of weeks, we took a 4-day detour to New Orleans for Jazz Fest with my usual crew and our lovely local hosts Carol and Lionel. We visited our favorite bars, restaurants, got pretty inebriated everyday and danced our asses off at the festival. New Orleans is always a good time and I loved getting to experience it with Luke. I was sad to see him go.
Pigging out at Jazzfest
Kelly, Seth and I met Ed from London in Turkey on the bus from Istanbul to Cappadocia and hung out for a day or two while we were there. Ed works for BP and just happened to be in Houston for a week for work and decided to make a weekend trip up to Austin. Kelly took him out on the town one night and I spent his last afternoon with him driving him around the city, checked out Mount Bonnell, and had a drink on the lake at the Oasis. Turns out Ed is still up to all kinds of travel adventures. Check it out here: www.dromomaniacs.com
Having a drink at the Oasis
Kelly and I also hosted some new travelling friends – Stella from Australia and Courtlen from Canada. Stella is a friend of Kelly’s roommate and had spent some time working in Canada. She came to spend Austin in Halloween and we almost lost her to a band of gypsies and guy on a donkey.
Golden Girls, Ellen and Portia, and Boy George (aka Stella)
Courtlen is a friend of Luke the Aussie’s – they met while working at a hostel together in Nicaragua – and I put him up for the weekend during Fun Fun Fun Fest. Courtlen is probably the most hardcore traveler I’ve ever met. He’s hitchhiked across Mexico and Central America (hell, he even hitchhiked to Austin in a farmer’s PLANE) and spent 6 months living in a favela in Rio de Janeiro.
kickin it at FFF
And lastly, Thiago, a Brazilian work colleague of mine that I met while travelling for work, decided to base himself out of Austin for a month. I’m making sure he is getting his fair share of chips and queso and trying to see that he packs on the same ten pounds I did while I was in his country. Payback’s a bitch buddy.
Thiago and the ladies at Tacky Xmas Sweater Party.
Happy New Year everyone – hope to see your face in Austin soon!
Sisters Astray 