Well I’m officially done school and off to travel the world. The main destination: India.
Richard, Kiran and I have been talking about a huge backpacking trip and the time has finally come.
In total the whole trip will be about two months long and we have a lot of ground to cover. The complete itinerary is (all dates in local time):
April 30: Leave Calgary – arrive in Los Angeles
May 4 – Leave LA
May 5- arrive in New Delhi via Singapore
June 16- leave Mumbai (Bombay) – arrive in Singapore
June 21- Leave Singapore – arrive in Tokyo
June 26 – Leave Tokyo – arrive home!
So in total we will be hitting 4 countries this trip and a whole lot of time zones.
While I’m excited for the other stops India is the core of the trip. As it can be seen we have about 40 days to get from New Delhi to Mumbai.
Throughout the trip I’m going to try to keep the blog updated. So check in occasionally to see my hijinks. I think the following video best previews my experience in India.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-bAN7Ts0xBo
Monday, April 30, 2007
Friday, April 20, 2007
Donkey Kong Board Game
Engineering students are notorious for their hijinks. Every year a plethora of costumes, toys and other junk is generated. But what happens to all the stuff that is to useless to keep and but not broken enough to throw away? Well in Mechanical Engineering it is stashed in a cabinet and quickly forgotten. That is until someone with too much free time decides to go through it.
Many moons ago I decided to investigate the contents of this locker of curiosities. I was shocked and entertained by many of its contents, however there was one item so awesome I can no longer keep it to myself. That is the Donkey Kong board game.
The year was 1982 and the Donkey Kong arcade game was dominating the quarters of a generation. Milton Brady decided to get on the action and pumped the board game out and the results were as expected: mediocre!
Let’s take a look at how good of a job they did transforming the arcade game to board game form.
It actually doesn’t look that bad.
The basic goal of the game is to reach the top and save the princess (surprise, surprise). On each players turn, they roll the dice to see how far their Mario moves. The spice of the game comes in the second action of a players turn. Each player gets to roll a dice to see how much they get to move a fireball or a barrel. Hit another Mario, send them back to the start!
The only defense against these sinister devices is cards. You get a card every time you land on a blue space. The cards offer you two forms of defense: jump or hammer. One destroys the obstacle while the other allows it to continue on its path of destruction.
The shining achievement of the game is the Donkey Kong. Where the rest of the game is shoddily put together, the designers went all out to make DK stand out on the game board.
Not only does he look cool, DK is functional. It’s been designed so when you to put a barrel in his left hands, the barrel magically is dropped by his right hand. This is perhaps mankind’s greatest and most unnecessary invention.
Now the question you probably asking, “Yea the DK gadget rules, but is it any fun?”. Well, not really. Jim and I tried to play it but we got bored reading the instructions. But dang, does it look cool.
However, the game itself is secondary. The most important aspect is the snap shot of Mario presented in the game. These isn’t the confident charismatic 2007 Mario that we have grown to love, this was Mario back in 1982. This Mario is fresh from the streets and desperate to prove himself. The Mario in this game knows that he only has one chance to defeat this monkey. One hit from a barrel and he’ll be spending the rest of his life fixing toilets. This is a Mario that has little to lose and everything to gain.
However, one can not help but ask some questions when playing this game. I mean we’re all familiar with Luigi, but what about the other Mario brothers? The game clearly shows them dressed in stylishly in yellow and blue; what of their fate?
In conclusion the Donkey Kong board game is an awesome blast from the past. I miss the good ol’days when a board game was created for anything even remotely marketable. I mean how long do we have to wait before we can see a “Gears of War” game? Those chainsaw-guns would make awesome power-up cards.
Bonus Donkey Kong Fun Fact: Back when DK was first created in Japan they needed a name for him. The programmers wanted to call him “Stubborn Ape” but weren’t sure how to say that in English. When they looked up these words in a Japanese to English dictionary, the dictionary listed “donkey” for “stubborn” and “Kong” for “Ape”. That’s why Donkey Kong has such a weird name.
Many moons ago I decided to investigate the contents of this locker of curiosities. I was shocked and entertained by many of its contents, however there was one item so awesome I can no longer keep it to myself. That is the Donkey Kong board game.
1982 Donkey Kong Board Game!
The year was 1982 and the Donkey Kong arcade game was dominating the quarters of a generation. Milton Brady decided to get on the action and pumped the board game out and the results were as expected: mediocre!
Let’s take a look at how good of a job they did transforming the arcade game to board game form.
Donkey Kong Arcade game
Board game (side view)
Board game (top view)
It actually doesn’t look that bad.
The basic goal of the game is to reach the top and save the princess (surprise, surprise). On each players turn, they roll the dice to see how far their Mario moves. The spice of the game comes in the second action of a players turn. Each player gets to roll a dice to see how much they get to move a fireball or a barrel. Hit another Mario, send them back to the start!
Use these to spite your enemies
The only defense against these sinister devices is cards. You get a card every time you land on a blue space. The cards offer you two forms of defense: jump or hammer. One destroys the obstacle while the other allows it to continue on its path of destruction.
The shining achievement of the game is the Donkey Kong. Where the rest of the game is shoddily put together, the designers went all out to make DK stand out on the game board.
Donkey Kong in all his glory
Not only does he look cool, DK is functional. It’s been designed so when you to put a barrel in his left hands, the barrel magically is dropped by his right hand. This is perhaps mankind’s greatest and most unnecessary invention.
Barrel in...
...barrel out
The mystery of DK reveled
Now the question you probably asking, “Yea the DK gadget rules, but is it any fun?”. Well, not really. Jim and I tried to play it but we got bored reading the instructions. But dang, does it look cool.
However, the game itself is secondary. The most important aspect is the snap shot of Mario presented in the game. These isn’t the confident charismatic 2007 Mario that we have grown to love, this was Mario back in 1982. This Mario is fresh from the streets and desperate to prove himself. The Mario in this game knows that he only has one chance to defeat this monkey. One hit from a barrel and he’ll be spending the rest of his life fixing toilets. This is a Mario that has little to lose and everything to gain.
Mario in 1982. You can practically see the desperation in his eyes.
However, one can not help but ask some questions when playing this game. I mean we’re all familiar with Luigi, but what about the other Mario brothers? The game clearly shows them dressed in stylishly in yellow and blue; what of their fate?
Four Mario Brothers?!
In conclusion the Donkey Kong board game is an awesome blast from the past. I miss the good ol’days when a board game was created for anything even remotely marketable. I mean how long do we have to wait before we can see a “Gears of War” game? Those chainsaw-guns would make awesome power-up cards.
Bonus Donkey Kong Fun Fact: Back when DK was first created in Japan they needed a name for him. The programmers wanted to call him “Stubborn Ape” but weren’t sure how to say that in English. When they looked up these words in a Japanese to English dictionary, the dictionary listed “donkey” for “stubborn” and “Kong” for “Ape”. That’s why Donkey Kong has such a weird name.
Tuesday, March 20, 2007
Stuff to Pack List
Back when I lived in Switzerland I used to have a “Stuff to Pack” List posted on my wall. Before I made that list I was constantly forgetting things (it didn’t help that I would often pack in the last possible minute).
I long ago lost that list. The purpose of this blog is to list on the internet so I will be able to reference next time I travel. This is a pretty idealized list for the most extreme travel places. Obviously you won’t need all this stuff for most trips. However, the way I look at it, it’s better to have a master list so you don’t forget things. So I present:
Books and documentation
Electronics
Clothing (and similar stuff)
Clothing (if going to warm place)
Clothing (if going to cold place)
Food
Toiletries
Other
Stuff to do before you leave
Make sure to leave someone at home a copy of your tickets, insurance info, hostel info, passport, visas or any other documentation you may have. If you lose this stuff this can be a lifesaver
Make sure everyone going has a map and directions to the hostel. It’s not uncommon for a travel group to be split up mid-transit
Establish some method of indicating to your travel partner that you are uncomfortable and need to leave the area. I know this sounds paranoid, but this can save you from imposing scammers later on.
Call your credit card company and alert them what country you might using there card in. Otherwise they may cut you off.
Make sure your internet password is only numbers and letters. This doesn’t apply for most places, but I’ve had problems typing a ‘&’ on a Turkish keyboard.
If you need to get vaccinations, make sure you do it well enough in advance so they can be effective.
I long ago lost that list. The purpose of this blog is to list on the internet so I will be able to reference next time I travel. This is a pretty idealized list for the most extreme travel places. Obviously you won’t need all this stuff for most trips. However, the way I look at it, it’s better to have a master list so you don’t forget things. So I present:
Stuff “Not to Forget” Whenever you Travel
Books and documentation
- Passport with needed visas
- Tickets
- Proof of insurance (including emergency contact info, make sure this is in your wallet and backpack)
- Travel guides and maps (make sure you have the place names in the local alphabet)
- Hostel/hotel info
- Disposable books/magazines for killing time
- Local currency
- Credit cards
- Money belt
- Notepad, notebook and pens/pencils
Electronics
- Ipod (including charger)
- Camera (including battery charger, extra memory card)
- Power converter
- Travel alarm clock (you be amazed how many people forget this)
- Watch (preferably a cheap reliable one)
- Head lamp (for hiking or reading in a dark hostel room)
Clothing (and similar stuff)
- Shirts, underwear, jeans (including stuff you can wear to a bar)
- Good walking shoes
- Flip flops (hostel bathrooms can be scary, trust a guy who’s had athletes foot)
- Towel!!! (Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy wasn’t wrong)
- Toque (even if you’re going to a warm place)
- Bathing suit (even if going to cold place)
- Sunglasses (remember snow is bright)
- A laundry bag to hold your dirt clothes
Clothing (if going to warm place)
- Shorts
- Sandals you can walk in
- Hat (bandana)
- Light jacket (preferably rain proof)
Clothing (if going to cold place)
- Warm jacket
- Mitts
- Waterproof walking shoes
- Long underwear (if it’s going to be really really cold)
Food
- Travel snacks
- Water
Toiletries
- Toothbrush, toothpaste and floss
- Hair gel
- Contacts
- Glasses cleaner
- Deodorant and other smelly stuff
- Soap
- Shampoo (and conditioner if you’re feeling saucy)
- Portable hand sanitizer
- Any medication or vitamins (Pepto-Bismol can be a lifesaver)
- Sunscreen (you can be burned even in winter)
- Insect repellant (if needed)
- Shaving razor
Other
- Daypack
- First aid pack (at the very least a pair of tweezers and bandages)
- Swiss Army Knife (remember to check in bag)
- Sleeping bag (depending on the places you’ll be sleeping)
- Travel Yoda (very important)
- Padlock (combo locks work best, make sure it's not too small)
- Postcards for home to give as gifts to people you meet
Stuff to do before you leave
Make sure to leave someone at home a copy of your tickets, insurance info, hostel info, passport, visas or any other documentation you may have. If you lose this stuff this can be a lifesaver
Make sure everyone going has a map and directions to the hostel. It’s not uncommon for a travel group to be split up mid-transit
Establish some method of indicating to your travel partner that you are uncomfortable and need to leave the area. I know this sounds paranoid, but this can save you from imposing scammers later on.
Call your credit card company and alert them what country you might using there card in. Otherwise they may cut you off.
Make sure your internet password is only numbers and letters. This doesn’t apply for most places, but I’ve had problems typing a ‘&’ on a Turkish keyboard.
If you need to get vaccinations, make sure you do it well enough in advance so they can be effective.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
