Travel 2009: A Year for the Home Fires

Tonight, people will say goodbye to 2009. Don't let the door hit you in the ass.
A tough year in many respects, 2009 was a year to stay relatively close to home. Many of us, despite the wanderlust in our hearts, did just that.
The stay-cation became an accepted norm. In New York, the stay-cation is no raw deal. People pay good money to get here; we don't have to sink the airfare or hotel cost to see a Broadway show or visit the Met.
In more certain times, we take one big trip out of the country and several domestic trips every year. But we only left the borders of the city a couple of times, though we did reach the left coast once.
The moment my job was assured, we spent a week in California, driving down Highway 101 and spending some time in both endcaps, San Francisco and Los Angeles.
In August, we went to Milwaukee for a week, since we skipped it in 2008 in favor of Austin. Milwaukee is my adopted hometown and 2009 was a year for going home.
Not everyone confined themselves to the continental US. Good friends went to Turkey and Greece, another just headed to India.
Where, if anywhere, did you go in 2009?

The Amazing Race 14: India

This leg of the race belonged to father-and-son team, Mel and Mike. Sixty-eight-year-old Mike pulled off a remarkable tortoise-and-hare game. Though they finished second in the leg, it was a second place worthy of a standing ovation.
First, teams fly 2000 miles to Jaipur, India, known as the Pink City. They drive to Dhula Village in the remote outskirts, to the Sacred Tree, Peepli Ka Pedh.
Victor and Tammy have tightened up their game, since their "meltdown in Romania." Victor is challenging himself to adjust the mindset he has learned as his "right role as eldest son in Asian family." Victor narrates his actions like a sportscaster and his chattiness has gone from irritating to endearing.
Cara comments on Jaime's "aggressivity." To Cara's credit, she questions whether "aggressivity" is a word. Still, minus points for the non-word escaping her mouth.
Stuntmen Mark and Mike observe, "We have three teams of girls that are all almost six feet tall and here we are; we stand on each other's shoulders and we are not six feet tall." Their height doesn't hold them back, but sometimes their sense of direction does. They recognize they should always choose the physical task.
Arriving in India, Mel and Mike hop in a cab. The instant they realize the driver doesn't know the destination, they try to switch cabs. But the driver has already run away for directions. Mel and Mike stick with him, only because their bags are locked in his trunk. This cabbie isn't about to lose a promising fare.
Christi and Jodi's cab needs to stop for gas. Considering they face a Speed Bump in this leg, they don't have any time to lose. In hindsight, the gas stop may have eliminated them from the game.
As the teams drive through India's slums, all racers are moved by the stark, open poverty they see through the windows of the cabs. The naked children and stray animals eating garbage bring several racers to tears.
Once teams reach the massive Peepli Ka Pedh tree, they must search for their clue. No clue box this time--the teams must realize that the bright red phone next to mystic men sitting under the tree holds their clue. Teams must dial one of the numbers on phone to hear a recorded message. The phoned-in clue is recorded in heavily-accented English. Jaime and Cara grab their cab driver to listen and translate.

Roadblock: Care for a Camel?

Teams now travel to Amber Fort, Gaura Parvati Parking and face this week's Roadblock.
Mel and Mike's taxi driver, determined to make up for his earlier digression, becomes an asset for the team, driving them quickly and making himself part of the race.
In this Roadblock, one team member must choose a herd of camels. The team member must load and carry enough food and water to satisfy each camel in their group. This involves making many trips with heavy buckets of water across a large field. Tammy/Victor arrive first.
Victor shouts as grain blows out of the basket on his shoulder: "Camel feed doesn't taste that good." But victory does.
I knew this Roadblock would be tough for 68-year-old Mel. His heavy breathing sounded painful and I worried he would collapse. In my mind, I urged him to take it slow and steady as he carried each bucket. His son on the sidelines, expressed regret that he didn't grab the task himself. He hated seeing his father suffer and struggle.
Everything turned around when Mel moved from the water buckets to transporting the food. Most teams missed the stack of wide straw baskets and pitchforks available to tote the food. Kisha stuffs her shirt with the camel feed; someone else is filling the water bucket with food.
Christi and Jodi finish the Roadblock last, but not by much. Now they face their Speed Bump. They must go to a temple and use colorful paint to decorate an elephant for an upcoming festival.

Detour: Movers or Shakers

In Movers, teams choose a cycle rickshaw loaded high with barrels and drive 1.5 miles through the streets. Once they reach their destination, they must search through the containers for a small metal elephant to exchange for the next clue.
Stuntmen Mark and Mel are the only team to choose this option. They have no trouble with the cycling, but nearly lose the race looking for the tiny elephant.
Needle-in-the-haystack searches have always been a losing proposition in the Amazing Race. Steer clear.
In Shakers, teams don traditional costumes and makeup, then join a Rajasthani dance troupe. They must dance in the crowded street and shake their hips for tips. Once they've earned 100 rupees, they must return to the bandleader and exchange the cash for the clue.
This is a fun one. Victor and Tammy have a good time as shakers and develop a big lead. Margie takes the lead over shy Luke with lipstick all over her teeth. Screenwriter Mike says, "There's such poverty, but then there's also such festivity. The people were so generous."
Despite the poverty, India is filled with amazing sights: monkeys just hanging around, colorful turbans, camels, painted elephants, a snake charmer.
Jaime and Cara have an easy time making tips, but they freak out when their cab driver isn't nearby when they finish. They think the driver took off with their bags. Jaime whips out her sharp tongue.
Jodi and Christi arrive last to the Detour, but dance and make their tips easily. Here is a blonde advantage. For a couple minutes, I think they may beat out the stuntmen.

Pit Stop: Jaigarh Fort

The pit stop is a 15th century fortress. Tammy/Victor log another easy victory. Mel and Mike are a proud Team Number 2. Later Mel says, "When [Mike] said, 'you really smoked 'em, Dad,' that was better than a million dollars."
Teams ran a foot race for the middle positions. Kisha and Jen landed third, Margie and Luke, fourth, Jaime and Cara, fifth. Mark/Mike pull in just ahead of Christi and Jodi, who despite a good effort, were eliminated.
Anyone else grossed out by guy playing flute through his nostrils?