That’s what Benji and I looked like when we started out on a road trip in Oct. 2005 that sooner, rather than later, landed me permanently at Kansas State.

Today I departed solo for a brief — very brief — stay in Melbourne, Australia.

So far I’ve made it to Dallas.

The flight was a mixture of blessings — I finally started into Anthony Bourdain’s 2001 epic, A Cook’s Tour, and the flight attendant gave me a free beer. Even had an empty seat beside me, a rare blessing on flights these days.

However the 60-something dude in front of me who couldn’t wait to get his seat back and thrash his head and overtly large body around like there was a giant lizard strapped to his face for the entire short flight was, uh, interesting.

The first two chapters of Bourdain’s book — killing the pig in Portugal and recreating his childhood summers in southwest France — were full of great writing, food and life. Amy will enjoy the French parts. Sounded like where we were this summer, writing …