Austin

I managed to get a lot done the past few days. There is so much to do and pack for a trip like this. Today, I bought a new Mini-DV Camera. High-Def to "film" the tour. Verry cool. Tucker and I will continue our video portrait of the 'wild east'... From Lubbock to Bombay by way of Damascus and Casablanca - we have some amazing footage already.

We had some visa problems and had to get our passports back from the Vietnamese Embassy in Washington without a Vietnam visa stamp. They hadn't put the visa on 'em by last Monday and I flinched and told them to send it back...without visas! My new friends at the State Department in Ho Chi Minh City say they can get it done at the airport.

Lots of packing yet to do. It's like going to the dark side of the moon. I usually take way too much stuff and this trip will be no exception. The guitars and equipment have to be handled with care and we are praying to the gods that United Airlines will let us take our guitars on board. I've had three smashed guitars on previous trips!

I'll be bringing Original Spirit CDs with me to sell, if there are any takers. They said that it was better to sell 'em for $10 in Vietnam and Thailand. Ha! I sell 'em for $15 just down the block at Jovita's. Have to go all that way...