When to Throw a "Hail Mary Pass"

No football fan (leave that to Pop!), I'm hardly conversant with the lingo.  The only familiar term is the "Hail Mary Pass,"  that last-ditch move made in desperation.  In the travel context, I sometimes think I must have invented the term.

Just a sprinkling of "Hail Mary Passes" over solo-traveling days:

* Moved home, company, and cats from Singapore to Hong Kong on USD125.  Landed home in Singapore late one night, heard "Sorry-lah, cannot" for the gazillionth time, and decided that was more than enough.  Landed in Hong Kong a week later, and flew courier to do it.  The trio of kitty-babies did just fine.  As for me, I love the place.

* How did I ever land in Asia to begin with?  Sorta-boyfriend rang at 3:25 a.m. California time, said, "I might have found you a job, get your passport."  Thought I was going to Bali, and wound up in the jungles of Borneo.  Turned out all right in the end, and even glad to get rid of the bf, ultimately.

* En route to a conference in Montreal, realized there was nowhere near enough money for hotels and all.  Made a left turn on the interstate, and wound up in Buffalo.  Great summer!

So, with varying degrees of ultimate success, every Hail Mary Pass has worked out in the end.  Maybe a little anxiety involved, but the worst part has always been just letting it fly.

Once more, a Hail Mary Pass launches Saturday.  I'll let you know how it goes.

When do you throw a Hail Mary Pass?  Whenever you're at your wits end.  When all other options seem to have evaporated.  When you're well and truly stuck.  Whenever you want to.  Put it out into the ethers that "this has to work!"  Ask your angels to protect you.  Grab your things and go!

Just guessing, but successfully completed Hail Mary Passes just might have a better average on the road than on the football field.  At least, that's how it has worked so far.  So, just let it fly, trust your luck and your angels, dash like mad to the end of the field, and catch your own football.

Let me know how your Hail Mary Passes go!

May your road rise to meet you - and your Hail Mary Passes get you to your end zone.
Ann

Take Time to Smell the Jasmine

At home, we usually can remember to take a moment to smell the roses.  Vacationers tend to take that time - it maybe their purpose for taking a vacation!  When traveling, however, especially for the Road Warrioress - expat, PT, or harried long-haul business traveler - too often we fail to take a moment to smell the jasmine or lavender or whatever is two feet from nostrils.

One of my fondest memories of Singapore is watching a teeny-tiny bird of the most brilliant yellow plumage out the window of my home-office.  One of my regrets is failing to explore the public library there.  I lived a few minutes' walk from the Norton Simon Museum in Pasadena, California, and held off spending five bucks admission - to my eternal rue.  An exquisite hummingbird with its long beak deep in the trumpet of a flower hovered within two feet of me while going for a stroll in Indonesia.  But I never made it across the broad Mahakam River to explore Samarinda.

It's always the little things we treasure most, yet are most inclined to miss.  Tired you may well be, but it's worth every effort to see something a city or country offers.  It recharges your batteries to take on the next round!  An hour's respite, or even a moment, ups your energy levels as well as your spirits.

Wherever you go, whatever else you do, take a moment to savor something in your surroundings.  Business can wait a second while you take a good deep sniff of a rose.  Savor the moment - you'll never regret the little things you see and do when you stop to smell the roses or jacaranda, or watch a bird or butterfly.

May your road rise to meet you - and may you enjoy your moments on that road!
Ann

Told You the Best, and Now the WORST!

When I lived in Singapore, I promptly patronized the very first US pizza chain to open its doors.  Every expat and PT needs a taste of home from time to time.  It bore little relation to products of the parent.  So I had a little chat with the manager.  “But we put cheese on it,” he protested.  “We know you westerners like cheese.”

“But there’s no sauce!”  Minor cultural glitch there.  You find out one thing about a country and culture, and miss something equally important (or more!).

They were literally using a paintbrush to stain the crust pink.  I explained.  The manager insisted I return for a freebie in a few days, while they mastered pizza-making.  It turned out quite acceptable - good-not-great category.

Already covered the fabulous pizza I experienced at Mike’s Stone-Baked Pizza in Tallahassee.  Alas, I have just learned he has sold the pizzeria, although he continues working there at present.  One can only hope the new owners continue Mike’s extraordinary quality.  Let me know when you stop by!

In fairness, I now announce the absolute worst pizza I’ve ever had in any country in my entire life.  Fat Cat Pie Company – in NYC and the Metro area, including Norwalk, CT.  I’m not the biggest fan of an ultra-thin crust pizza – prefer a little substance, a little chew, to a thin crust.  But a crust as crisp as a bland unsalted cracker – and thinner! – and so tough in the center you cannot chew it but must rip it is simply totally unacceptable.  So is a cheese pizza with nearly invisible, definitely untastable, cheese.  Where’s the sauce?  Their paintbrush must be missing half its bristles.  Singapore’s first pink-pizza had more sauce and more flavor.

You’d better believe I Yelped this one.  Yelp forces you to click on stars when you write a review, but this pizza did not even deserve the one star I had to click.  Even if you are a fan of cracker-crust pizza I would avoid this one – no substance, no flavor, no merit whatsoever.

May your road rise to meet you!

Ann

Another Foodie Find on the Road

Seek out little local eateries when you're on the road.  You can stumble upon some great finds in unexpected places!  This time it's in the Atlantic City area.

Route 30 from Garden State Parkway to Atlantic City is Motel Row - oodles of more modest motels than the glitz and glamour of high-rise casinos.  But here sits one of 6 family-owned sub shops in the Atlantic City vicinity.  Sounds pedestrian - but far from it!  Best sub or sandwich I've ever eaten anywhere in the world.

Sack O' Subs started back in 1947.  The Sacco Family, originally butchers, still butcher their own beef for delicious steak & cheese subs, and grind their own beef for hamburgers, meatballs and Italian sausage (the family recipe has been handed down for over 100 years).  They bake their own baguettes for the subs, bake their own rolls for the burgers and sandwiches.  "Foot-long subs?"  Bah, humbug!  These homemade baguettes run about 18 inches long, so a half-sub - very generously filled - actually will satisfy 2 for lunch.

Yes, they are in those glitzy hotels, too, both Bally's and Harrah's.  And they ship next-day priority overnight in insulated shipping containers anywhere in the US.  Yes, they do get orders from Hawaii, about as far cross-country as you can get.  I'm told a California computer mogul - transplanted South Jersy-ite - regularly orders 100 subs shipped to the California company for employee lunch parties.

Sack O'Subs, 784 White Horse Pike (Route 30), Absecon, NJ; www.sackosubs.com.  Locations in Ventnor and Ocean City, in addition to Bally's and Harrah's Casinos' food courts in Atlantic City.

The best pizza I found over 1,300 miles from the Pizza Capital of the World: Mike's Stone-Baked Pizza in Tallahassee, Florida.  I found the best Hong Kong Noodles in Singapore, and the best Singapore Noodles in Hong Kong (Foreign Correspondents Club, so unless you're a member or guest of one, you won't get any of those - sorry for your loss).  There's just no telling where you're going to find the "best" whatever - it could turn up wherever.

May your road rise up to meet you (with good food!),

Best, Ann

Foodie Adventurer Finds Best Pizza in Florida Panhandle

One of the greatest rewards of traveling is finding little-known local foodie favorites.  In Shanghai, I  discovered the only New York pastrami-on-rye sandwiches available in China.  The best Singapore Noodles in Singapore were called Hong Kong Noodles, and were far from the beaten Orchard Road path, but the best Singapore Noodles in Hong Kong were at the Foreign Correspondents Club.

Now I’ve found the best pizza in Florida’s Panhandle - best I've encountered in a couple dozen countries so far.  Many of their customers swear it’s better than anything they’ve devoured in the Pizza Capital of the World – New York City.  Mike’s Stone-Baked Pizza is tucked away in a lime green building just a five-minute walk south of Doak Campbell Stadium.  Popular with FSU students, foodies, and members of the music scene, Irish Mike spins out the most delectable pizza crusts while you watch.  The salads are picture-perfect beauties, and taste even better.

 

But the best surprise at Mike’s is his Garlic Knots.  No leftover pizza dough, these are melt-in-your mouth knotted dinner rolls liberally laced with garlic and butter.  Perfect accompaniment to Mike’s salads!

V-e-r-y reasonable prices for delicious pizza, calzones, strombolis, and salads in a very casual, very friendly hangout.  Don’t miss it!  1313 Jackson Bluff Road, Tallahassee, FL 32304.  Delivery to hotels, college campuses, downtown, and most of the city.  850-575-3000.  Be sure to “friend” Mike on Facebook at Mike’s Stone Baked Pizza.

Essential Business Traveler Card for APEC Region

Travel often on business to the APEC Region?  Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation has a unique program to speed pre-approved business travelers through immigration formalities.  It's geared solely to boost trade and investment in the region.  With the APEC Business Travel Card (ABTC), you speed through special lanes at immigration checkpoints if you are coming for a short-term stay.

The following countries participate:  Australia, Brunei, Chile, China, Hong Kong (China), Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Philippines, Singapore, Chinese Taipei (Taiwan), Thailand, Vietnam.  See: www.apec.org/apec/business_resources/apec_business_travel0.html

Most of these countries allow preapproved business travelers 60 or 90 days entry for business purposes without further need for a visa.  It acts something like a multi-country multi-entry business visa.  And it's for citizens of APEC countries.

The US is supposedly a "transitional member."  This means those carrying the ABTC may use the express lanes at airports (same lanes used by airline crews) to enter the US, but still must have their passports plus any normally required visas.  US citizens are not yet eligible to obtain the card for their business trips to member countries.  No wonder US is uncompetitive in international markets and exports are not moving the way they could.  www.businessmobility.org/key/usa.htm

Great idea for Road Warrioresses!  If you are eligible, look into it, and save yourself some hassle at the airports.