Rather unexpectedly, I got my Tennessee driver’s license today! I went down to the Licensing Office this morning thinking that I could take the written test and get my permit, and then I’d have to schedule the road test for a later date. But when I explained to them that I was coming from Australia, and needed to get my license quickly in order to be able to buy and register a car to go on an epic road trip,…
The Frist Center for the Visual Arts in Nashville, TN is currently holding an exhibit called Bellissima: The Italian Automotive Renaissance 1945 – 1975, which celebrates the dynamic and innovative coachbuilt and concept cars of the post-war period. Wartime work in aeronautics helped Italian engineers and designers become familiar with principles such as lightweight body construction and streamlining, the use of advanced materials, and powerful, high-revving aircraft engines. After the war, these skills were put to awesome use in automotive design…
Today Andrea and I had lunch at the Thistle Stop Café (thistlestopcafe.org). It’s run as part of the community of Thistle Farms and Magdalene, which offer residential communities and a social enterprise for women who have survived prostitution, trafficking, and addiction. For two years, they offer housing, food, medical and dental care, therapy, education, and job training without charging the residents or receiving government funding. The community operates under the principles of hospitality to all, healing, chado (a Japanese word…
I’ve only been back in the US for two days now, and I’ve had limited mobility, but I have some first impressions to share. It will be interesting to see if these change with time, or possibly with location, as I meet more people and travel more widely. Looking out of the airplane window as I flew in to Nashville, I was stunned at how green and vibrant everything here is. I think I’ve had this reaction every time I’ve…
A journey of 10,000 miles (16,000 kms) begins with a single step. Very early Wednesday morning I took that first step, and after stops in Sydney and San Francisco, I landed on schedule in Nashville, TN. Except for being surrounded by – I kid you not – EIGHT babies and kids under 5, on my last leg, everything went surprisingly smoothly. I highly recommend the upgrade to premium economy for long trips in the 787, the bit of extra leg…