Marry your niece
Right. I’d like to sing along to “my bags are packed, I’m ready to go”, but I’m not. I just booked myself into a hotel room for the next week. Getting money changed was a chore - banks in Australia don’t really keep USD lying around, so a trip to the money changers in the city was immenent. What a perfect time for the AUD to be at its lowest as well, right?
This stayed in my browser without even a post. Oops. I’m in San Francisco now. So anyone in the area that wants to meet up, do drop me some e-mail. I’m near Union Square. Sitting in the Starbucks at the corner of Powell, getting free wireless. Looks like my daily grind might have to come from here - its 24 hours, so I’m hoping the free net access (though unreliable) will come.
Oh, so I got pulled over to secondary inspection at US immigration today. I’m a “frequenter” it seems. So they wanted to know what the heck I’m frequenting the US it seems. Told them, and they were satisfied. While waiting at secondary, there was another bloke on the same flight as me (from Sydney, though), who got us all laughing. His reason for coming to America? He was going to marry his niece. At least now I know even the immigration droids have a sense of humor.
Oh, caught Ocean’s Twelve and Millon Dollar Baby. Former was good, latter was rather, oh well, I’m not into boxing.
June 5th, 2005 at 12:47 pm
Welcome to S.F.! I live just 20mi. North in San Rafael … but I thought I’d tell you ’bout two things I’d suggest while u’re here:
1. Check-out Peet’s Coffee(http://www.peets.com/stores/store_list.asp#2) shops(Yum!!) instead of Starbucks.
2. Here’s a great way to find the free wi-fi in town and elsewhere: http://www.wififreespot.com/ca.html and http://www.cheesebikini.com/archives/000256.html
Drop me an email if u’re still in town and I’d be happy to meet ya.
-Chris
June 9th, 2005 at 11:03 am
If you have watched Lost in translation, then marry my niece fits quite nicely. In a certain European language the phrase translates to make the arrangements for the marriage of my niece (with someone else). I suppose that guy had a heavy accent as well.
June 9th, 2005 at 2:15 pm
Nah, the immigration officers were simply insensitive clods :)
What the poor man meant was that he was travelling to the US “in order to organise the main wedding preparations for the marriage of his niece (with some person)”. The “marry my niece” looks like a direct translation from a certain European language. :) Just like in the movie “Lost in Translation”…
June 15th, 2005 at 7:00 pm
Thanks Chris. Trip was too rushed, maybe next time.
Ah, Simos, maybe. But doubt it was the case - this bloke really did look like someone that would marry his niece (well, after all the looks and smiles he gave us). Oh well, we’ll never know. He also had a special entry visa that allows one to get married and leave the country, so I guess that helps :P