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…Yes, again. I am packing, again. Ugh. This isn’t fun. It is time to look into sending luggage ahead. Seriously. Also, I need wardrobe trunks…that way when I live out of a suitcase, it’s actually a suitcase that looks like a closet. Does anyone use wardrobe trunks anymore? Things to look into…
xo
J. Justine
PS. MERRY CHRISTMAS 
I also went to Copenhagen…in below freezing weather.
We protested. Kidding! We didn’t get their early enough to join in on the organized demonstration, but we found them and agreed with them and promptly left when the police officers in riot gear with cans and cans of tear gas showed up.
We went to Christiania, a “free town” of freed minds, where we poked around in stores and turned down multiple offers to buy certain “mind-freeing” substances. We got cold and went into a coffee shop, where Tornado Rider, a band from Oakland, was practicing. Yes, the lead singer is playing the cello.
We met friends and went to a house party and had a blast, though the clothes I wore will never smell like not smoke again.
There was limbo, in which I did not participate. I did, however, dance and hop around to Lady Gaga’s Bad Romance and Poker Face. Later, we went to Hopenhagen and to see art installations around the city for the climate conference.
I haven’t had this much fun in a while. I’m going back because as it turns out, Scandinavia is pretty and the people are friendly and sweet and shower you with compliments, I’m a sucker for compliments…but next time I go will be during the summer, when its warm(er) and the sun doesn’t start setting at 3p in the afternoon.
xo
J. Justine
I went to Lyon for the weekend to see an old friend. We laughed.
We shopped for freshly made silk. She made jokes her French friends could not understand and I laughed harder at their blank stares.
We walked for hours to find a restaurant that would feed us. We found one, but they only served steak so Z and I, both pseudo-vege-something-ans, ate french fries for dinner. We laughed again.
Then, we went to see the lights. We ooohed and awwwed. We then went out for a nightcap and talked the night away.
xo
J. Justine
Back home for the holiday and Delta is giving me partial presents. Received mileage credit for my flight from CDG to JFK but not any of the three other legs of my journey. Hm. Isn’t getting flight mileage super fun? I love calling companies and waiting on the line for hours only to have them tell me to fax all my information to their black hole of mileage credit.
In other news, happy holidays all. For the holidays that have passed. For the holidays that are to come. I hope they will be, or were, wonderful and that you spent them happily with family and your travels getting there were safe.
J. Claire just left me for the west coast – after missing her flight, on which she was upgraded to first class for free days ahead, she got on another flight cost and guilt free on which she was ONCE AGAIN upgraded to first class for free. It was like the year 2000 in terms of travel ease. We both wish you the happiest of holidays and much love and joy for the season.
Note: This is neither J. Claire nor me. (It’s Shala Monroque and Alexia Niedzielski in Moscow) But it could be. And Koons’ heart looks like a giant ornament. It felt appropriate.
xo
J. Justine
I recently got my December 2009 American Express bill. That’s the one that includes the annual fee. The platinum fee is enough to make you search for other options. And Mint, my online financial adviser who sends me emails like “You’ve exceeded your shopping budget,” hates my AmEx card. They tell me my bank has “nickeled and dimed me” in their standard anti-fee emails. And I considered it. I considered closing my American Express account.
Then, today happened. It snowed in Paris and as a result, Charles De Gaulle is a ZOO, and where it’s not a zoo, its eerily quiet because flights have been cancelled left and right. My flight has been delayed hours. Annoyed, I sat by the gate, glaring at the man who thought it would be a good idea to start guitar practice. THEN, someone reminded me on Twitter about airport lounges. I’m not an elite member on Air France. I think I’m silver or gold for Delta. But, I am an American Express card holder.
One flash of the card, along with a valid boarding pass, and entry was free. FREE! Is there a more glorious price? The businessman next to me was forced to pay 35 Euros, which is a discount for his elite frequent flier status. And my AmEx got me in for free. Todays happen all the time. AmEx covers my rental car insurance AND travel insurance automatically if I purchase a flight or a rental card with the card. The AmEx is staying, annual fee and all. Sorry, Mint.
xo
J. Justine
I almost just fell off my chair doing my excited dance. British Airways has flights for $2, excluding taxes, from Geneva to London, says Orbitz. $2?! And British Airways is my absolute favorite airline. Booking immediately…
xo
J. Justine
Actually, I need a bit of help. As a US based traveler, I have almost no idea how to search for deals in Europe. To Europe, of course, but not within. I’m a huge fan of travelzoo.com, airfarewatchdog.com, etc…do they have European, or better yet, Switzerland, based sites? Is there some equivalent?
xo
J. Justine
Someone asked me, just yesterday, whether or not they should go to Johannesburg and if so for how long. I’m so bad at answering these questions. Not sure why. Here’s my attempt:
I enjoyed my time in Johannesburg. But so much of what I enjoyed was made possible because one of my closest friends, S., lives there. The things that everyone would typically do in Johannesburg turned out to be very mundane. Our first full day in Johannesburg, we went to the Apartheid Museum, where we were first divided arbitrarily into racial groups to enter the museum and given a detailed history of South Africa and apartheid. Normally one who takes their time during museum visits, I seemed to speed through the exhibits compared to my friend, C’s, snail-like pace. We would have probably spent the entire day there, had the lights not gone out, forcing C. to run out of the museum, missing a little more than a quarter of the exhibit.
We also went to Soweto, the most popular township known for its role in the struggle against apartheid. We dined buffet style at Sakhumzi’s while we were serenaded by a girl with a beautiful voice, and joined by a contortionist who had been folding himself into awkward positions on the street with hope to receive tips, earlier. I couldn’t pull my eyes away from him. C., on the other hand, was not as interested. Sakhumzi’s perfect location put us right in between Bishop Desmond Tutu’s house and Nelson Mandela’s house, which is now a museum. So we visited the both, with the latter having more activity around it, particularly people selling things.
Speaking of selling, S. took us to the African Market at Rosebank to search for souvenirs. Let’s pause for a moment right here. NOTA BENE: When I say souvenirs, that is precisely what I mean. Trinkets. Magnets. Mass produced paintings. Etc. Although, I quickly fell in love with this number:
Yes, that is a real zebra hide. Yes, I saw it and was drawn to it, like a moth to a flame. Dear PETA, please don’t hate me. I loved it, up until I found out the price. 8,000 South African Rand. Please do the math on that. Yes, over $1,000. I chuckled and walked away, and it was mistaken for a negotiation tactic.
Salesman: How much do you want to pay? I give you good price.
Me: No no, honestly, I cannot afford it. The fact that you started at 8,000 rand means I shouldn’t even continue to talk to you.
Salesman: Give me 6,000 rand and you can have it.
Me: What about 6 rand?
Salesman: What you said? Six thousand? [Emphasis on thousand]
Me: I need to go find my friend.
The run-of-the-mill Johannesburg activities were fun, yes, but like most other tourist activities you may want to run quickly through them so that you can get to the real fun…
xo
J. Justine
At this exact time in two days, I will be boarding my flight to South Africa. I had no idea what to bring to this trip, so I reviewed the itinerary/list of events, got on the internet and figured it out. Unfortunately, because I was a little late with shopping, I had to order many things overnight, which is sad considering so many online stores now have free shipping. I packed “city attire” for Johannesburg, “beach attire” for Cape Town, and some brightly colored mix of the two for our Garden Route road trip.
Then, it was time to pack for the few nights we’re spending at a game reserve. I look in my closet and through buckets of storage. I have nothing. My friend (C.), currently quoting straight from Fodor’s, tells me that I need to bring lots of khaki, neutral colors – no white and no brights, lest I scare away all the animals. The friend we’re meeting in South Africa (S.) is telling me to bring warm clothes for early morning game drives. I declare that I have nothing and NEED to go shopping. I am ignored. I scream that I found the perfect safari dress.
C: This is not Hemingway meets Africa
Me: Ohh, I like that. [writes it down in planner to remember]
Call me a romantic, or ridiculous, but I have visions of how the game reserve will be – detailing every ounce, down to the outfits I’m wearing, which I purchased. It includes:
Anyway, I’m all packed and ready to go. Very excited. Still missing: An appropriate hat. It’ll work out, though.
xo
J. Justine
Dress: 3.1 Phillip Lim, available at www.theoutnet.com
Boots: Hunter, available at www.nordstrom.com
In less than a week, I’ll be on my way to South Africa. I’ve reviewed the itinerary. I’ll soon start packing. But, truth be told, there’s somewhere I’d rather be: Paris. As stated before, I’ve been STALKING the Paris shows. It’ll be over soon, and I’ll calm down. But, honestly these shows are making it difficult for me to garner excitement for this trip. Today, I watched the McQueen show live on his website. Omg. If there was any doubt that this man was a genius, I mean…
God, I love it. Sigh. Anyway, enough of this. I need something to make me excited for South Africa. Although, I do hear the weather this time of year is perfect, and I’m very excited to have a reason not to put my summer clothes into storage just yet.
xo
J. Justine
Photo credits: Style.com, Alexander McQueen SS2010 Show “Plato’s Atlantis”
