by Jeriah Hildwine
Hello there fellow snackers, from SEVEN HOURS IN THE FUTURE! I'm
visiting my sister here in Budapest (say it "Budapesht" to sound more
cool), which is why I was not out foraging in Chicago's gallery/snack
bars this past weekend. I hope some of you went out, ate, drank, and
looked at art, though! In lieu of my regular snack report, I'm writing
this special Budapest edition, where I'll mention some snacks, some
art, and some more general observations about Budapest, travel, etc.
Thursday
morning, I went and taught the final session of my Acrylic Painting
class at LillStreet Art Center. Stephanie picked me up at 1:00 with
coffee and a fishbiscuit (lox bagel). We stopped by Wright College for
a few errands on our way to the airport, leaving just enough time for
two more snack stops! Having good food is critical to an enjoyable
airline flight experience, and under most circumstances, the airline
isn't going to provide much in that department. (Actually, while true
for domestic travel these days, international flights still give out
some decent grub, as I was to learn.)
morning, I went and taught the final session of my Acrylic Painting
class at LillStreet Art Center. Stephanie picked me up at 1:00 with
coffee and a fishbiscuit (lox bagel). We stopped by Wright College for
a few errands on our way to the airport, leaving just enough time for
two more snack stops! Having good food is critical to an enjoyable
airline flight experience, and under most circumstances, the airline
isn't going to provide much in that department. (Actually, while true
for domestic travel these days, international flights still give out
some decent grub, as I was to learn.)
So,
first we hit El Allegre Burrito on Grand and Harlem, where I ate a
cheese enchilada lunch special (maybe the best meal you can get in
Chicago for five bucks, lunchtime only though), plus a pair of
vegetarian burritos: one for Steph, and one for me to eat on the
plane, later. I really like El Allegre; of all the Mexican places I've
been to in Chicago, they're probably the closest to what I remember
fondly from San Diego. Their vegetarian burritos are my favorite in
Chicago (and Steph's too), but at lunchtime I think the best deal is
the cheese enchilada lunch special. This place is conveniently
situated by our favorite shoe repair place in the city (really, it's
the first one we went to, and they were so awesome we never looked
elsewhere), our gold dealer (because after the zombies rise, well,
credit cards won't work and cash will probably lose value rapidly), and
of course Illinois Gunworks, the only pistol range in the city (that I
know of).
first we hit El Allegre Burrito on Grand and Harlem, where I ate a
cheese enchilada lunch special (maybe the best meal you can get in
Chicago for five bucks, lunchtime only though), plus a pair of
vegetarian burritos: one for Steph, and one for me to eat on the
plane, later. I really like El Allegre; of all the Mexican places I've
been to in Chicago, they're probably the closest to what I remember
fondly from San Diego. Their vegetarian burritos are my favorite in
Chicago (and Steph's too), but at lunchtime I think the best deal is
the cheese enchilada lunch special. This place is conveniently
situated by our favorite shoe repair place in the city (really, it's
the first one we went to, and they were so awesome we never looked
elsewhere), our gold dealer (because after the zombies rise, well,
credit cards won't work and cash will probably lose value rapidly), and
of course Illinois Gunworks, the only pistol range in the city (that I
know of).
So, vegetarian burrito in my
man-purse, I topped off my in-flight snacks with a trip to Dominick's
for raisins, cashews, and string cheese. I also had a few energy bars
in a side pocket, and an empty Nalgene bottle. You can't bring liquids
on board, but you can fill up a water bottle in the bathroom sink after
you pass security!
man-purse, I topped off my in-flight snacks with a trip to Dominick's
for raisins, cashews, and string cheese. I also had a few energy bars
in a side pocket, and an empty Nalgene bottle. You can't bring liquids
on board, but you can fill up a water bottle in the bathroom sink after
you pass security!
Speaking of which, I'd like
to talk here a little about travel tips. I'd like to consider myself
an experienced and savvy traveler, within a few basic constraints: I
travel on a very tight budget, I pack extremely lightly, and I'm not
trying to impress anyone I meet on the plane. So, here's how I roll:
to talk here a little about travel tips. I'd like to consider myself
an experienced and savvy traveler, within a few basic constraints: I
travel on a very tight budget, I pack extremely lightly, and I'm not
trying to impress anyone I meet on the plane. So, here's how I roll:
I'll
be damned if I'm paying some airline $20 so they can send my bag to the
wrong country. There are two kinds of luggage: carry-on, and lost.
So I pick my one carry-on bag and my one personal item very carefully.
I also pay attention to what I wear to the airport, to maximize my
speed, convenience, and comfort.
be damned if I'm paying some airline $20 so they can send my bag to the
wrong country. There are two kinds of luggage: carry-on, and lost.
So I pick my one carry-on bag and my one personal item very carefully.
I also pay attention to what I wear to the airport, to maximize my
speed, convenience, and comfort.
For my
carry-on bag, I use a Kifaru Zulu rucksack. This pack isn't cheap, but
it is tough as nails, and its capacity is quite flexible. So, if you
don't overpack it, it will fit easily into the overhead bins of modern
airliners, and can usually even be squeezed into the bins of older or
smaller planes. I chose the Zulu because of its simple construction:
no zippers to fail, no excess junk hanging off it, just a simple,
solid bag. If you want to add capacity, you can attack Kifaru or other
brand MOLLE-compatible pouches to the PALS webbing on the outside of
the pack.
carry-on bag, I use a Kifaru Zulu rucksack. This pack isn't cheap, but
it is tough as nails, and its capacity is quite flexible. So, if you
don't overpack it, it will fit easily into the overhead bins of modern
airliners, and can usually even be squeezed into the bins of older or
smaller planes. I chose the Zulu because of its simple construction:
no zippers to fail, no excess junk hanging off it, just a simple,
solid bag. If you want to add capacity, you can attack Kifaru or other
brand MOLLE-compatible pouches to the PALS webbing on the outside of
the pack.
The two other Kifaru packs I'd
consider as carry-on luggage are the Express and the Marauder. The
Express is a little smaller, a little lighter, and a little cheaper
than the other two. It's probably the ideal carry-on bag. You're not
as likely to overload it either in terms of weight or bulk, and it
doesn't look quite so military as the other two (assuming you get it in
a solid color and don't opt for the optional PALS webbing, that is).
Access is by top and bottom circumferential zippers, so basically the
top and bottom unzip and the pack body is like a tube. In practice I
imagine you'd mostly just use the top zipper like any other top-loading
backpack.
consider as carry-on luggage are the Express and the Marauder. The
Express is a little smaller, a little lighter, and a little cheaper
than the other two. It's probably the ideal carry-on bag. You're not
as likely to overload it either in terms of weight or bulk, and it
doesn't look quite so military as the other two (assuming you get it in
a solid color and don't opt for the optional PALS webbing, that is).
Access is by top and bottom circumferential zippers, so basically the
top and bottom unzip and the pack body is like a tube. In practice I
imagine you'd mostly just use the top zipper like any other top-loading
backpack.
The other option is the Marauder;
this is Stephanie's travel bag of choice. It's similar to the Zulu,
but instead of having a top lid and drawstring opening, it's got a
"panel" type zipper, in which the whole back panel of the pack unzips
on 3 sides to hinge open. The interior of the pack is lined with PALS
webbing. This pack is great for the neat freak; you can either pack it
full of neatly folded clothes and have them stay that way, or even
mount MOLLE pouches on the PALS grid inside the pack, to
compartmentalize everything. It's slightly heavier and more expensive
than the other two, but is the best bet for maximum organization.
this is Stephanie's travel bag of choice. It's similar to the Zulu,
but instead of having a top lid and drawstring opening, it's got a
"panel" type zipper, in which the whole back panel of the pack unzips
on 3 sides to hinge open. The interior of the pack is lined with PALS
webbing. This pack is great for the neat freak; you can either pack it
full of neatly folded clothes and have them stay that way, or even
mount MOLLE pouches on the PALS grid inside the pack, to
compartmentalize everything. It's slightly heavier and more expensive
than the other two, but is the best bet for maximum organization.
I
use my carry-on bag for stuff I need at my destination, but not during
the fight (the way most people use checked luggage). Mostly it's
clothes, even after heeding the sage admonition, "Bring twice the money
and half the clothes you think you'll need." Most important are SOCKS
and UNDERWEAR, 1 pair of each per day for as long as you'll want to go
without doing laundry. For 10 days there, I brought 4 pairs of each,
plus what I wore. Doing laundry once, in the middle of my trip, I can
have clean underwear and socks every day. If I get a chance to do
laundry again before I leave, well, then my bag will stink less when I
open it up at home! I also pack my boots in my bag, so I don't have to
take them off when I go through security. Balled up socks get stuffed
inside the boots to save on space. Two shirts, a sweater, a pair of
pants, and my kilt round out the clothing.
use my carry-on bag for stuff I need at my destination, but not during
the fight (the way most people use checked luggage). Mostly it's
clothes, even after heeding the sage admonition, "Bring twice the money
and half the clothes you think you'll need." Most important are SOCKS
and UNDERWEAR, 1 pair of each per day for as long as you'll want to go
without doing laundry. For 10 days there, I brought 4 pairs of each,
plus what I wore. Doing laundry once, in the middle of my trip, I can
have clean underwear and socks every day. If I get a chance to do
laundry again before I leave, well, then my bag will stink less when I
open it up at home! I also pack my boots in my bag, so I don't have to
take them off when I go through security. Balled up socks get stuffed
inside the boots to save on space. Two shirts, a sweater, a pair of
pants, and my kilt round out the clothing.
The
carry-on bag goes in the overhead bin, and I don't access it at all
during the flight. My personal item goes under the seat in front of
me, and is for stuff I use during the flight: mostly snacks, a book,
wallet, passport, etc. My "personal item" is a man-purse, technically
a Jumbo Versipack by Maxpedition. It's got a big main compartment for
lots of snacks, a flat document pocket for maps or thin books, a wallet
pocket that fits my passport wallet (see below for details), and a 1
liter water bottle holder, for that empty Nalgene I'm going to fill
with water in the bathroom sink. I also keep my digital camera, pens,
pencils, sketchbook, and a few other things in here.
carry-on bag goes in the overhead bin, and I don't access it at all
during the flight. My personal item goes under the seat in front of
me, and is for stuff I use during the flight: mostly snacks, a book,
wallet, passport, etc. My "personal item" is a man-purse, technically
a Jumbo Versipack by Maxpedition. It's got a big main compartment for
lots of snacks, a flat document pocket for maps or thin books, a wallet
pocket that fits my passport wallet (see below for details), and a 1
liter water bottle holder, for that empty Nalgene I'm going to fill
with water in the bathroom sink. I also keep my digital camera, pens,
pencils, sketchbook, and a few other things in here.
Lastly,
you've got to consider what you wear to the airport. Obviously, this
is in part dictated by local conditions where you leave home, partly by
local conditions where you're going, and partly by how much room is
left in your bag: do you pack your jacket, or wear it? Leaving
Chicago in the winter, I wore my jacket to the airport. It does add an
extra step at Security, but I didn't have room to put it in my pack and
still expect it to fit in the overhead bin. Other than that, my main
priority in picking what I wear is based on getting quickly and easily
through security. This means slip-on shoes (I like Crocs, with socks
in cold weather; flip-flops are find in summer), and a non-metallic
belt (I couldn't find mine this trip, so I had to make do with a normal
belt). When you're passing through security, you shouldn't be mucking
about with buckles, laces, etc. Your actions should be smooth and
simple: jacket off and into a bin, personal bag into a bin, carry-on
bag onto the conveyor belt, kick off your shoes and put 'em in a bin,
and you're good. Nothing in your pockets, passport and boarding pass
in hand, nothing to set off the detectors. Smooth, and efficient.
When I see a huge-ass line at security and wonder why, I immediately
get my answer when I see men and women dressed to impress, taking
forever to unbuckle, unlace, unsnap, and unzip their articles of high
fashion. Where do you think we are, people? This isn't a fashion
show, wrong kind of runway.
you've got to consider what you wear to the airport. Obviously, this
is in part dictated by local conditions where you leave home, partly by
local conditions where you're going, and partly by how much room is
left in your bag: do you pack your jacket, or wear it? Leaving
Chicago in the winter, I wore my jacket to the airport. It does add an
extra step at Security, but I didn't have room to put it in my pack and
still expect it to fit in the overhead bin. Other than that, my main
priority in picking what I wear is based on getting quickly and easily
through security. This means slip-on shoes (I like Crocs, with socks
in cold weather; flip-flops are find in summer), and a non-metallic
belt (I couldn't find mine this trip, so I had to make do with a normal
belt). When you're passing through security, you shouldn't be mucking
about with buckles, laces, etc. Your actions should be smooth and
simple: jacket off and into a bin, personal bag into a bin, carry-on
bag onto the conveyor belt, kick off your shoes and put 'em in a bin,
and you're good. Nothing in your pockets, passport and boarding pass
in hand, nothing to set off the detectors. Smooth, and efficient.
When I see a huge-ass line at security and wonder why, I immediately
get my answer when I see men and women dressed to impress, taking
forever to unbuckle, unlace, unsnap, and unzip their articles of high
fashion. Where do you think we are, people? This isn't a fashion
show, wrong kind of runway.
(Read Parts 2 and 3 for slideshows of pictures from Budapest, and full reports on all the delicious snacks I had once there!)
Filed under: Uncategorized
Tags: Budapest, Snack Report, Travel
