So we have been back now for quite a while, but due to restarting work and the terrible laptop I bought in Bolivia deleting an entire blog entry (never EVER buy an ASUS Eee PC) I am only just now getting round to updating you on the US of A leg of our journey. Today is however exactly 1 year to the day since we landed in our first destination, Rio de Janeiro (well, it was yesterday when I wrote this…) .There is a lot to cover, so sit back and enjoy.
First though, some final stats:
Days away – 193
Countries Visited – 10
Hours on Bus – 330.5, or 13.8 days
Flights Taken – 12
Different accommodations – 75
Blog entries – 22
Photos taken – 6375
Although very sad to leave Mexico we flew via LA to San Francisco, which was cold and average. I had various 60s songs in my head about revolution, freedom and liberty, but in all honesty found the place to be fairly dull. Lots of Starbucks, trams and tourists. Also, I had heard that the Bay Area has its own micro-climate, and that it was prone to being a little cooler and damper than other places on a similar latitude. I wasnt prepared for the climate of London in November to be happening in San Francisco in July.
Although cold, we had fun in San Francisco, and it was good to have some hearty American food and new clothes so we didn’t look like travel worn Hippies anymore. I think we covered most things – trams, Alcatraz, Chinatown, worlds windiest road etc
From San Francisco we were originally meant to be picking up our rental car and 6 weeks later dropping it off in New York, but since we had less time we only had it for 10 days, so our plan was to take it up to the giant redwoods just South of Oregon, then back down through Big Sur and onto Los Angeles.
I was a bit apprehensive about driving, as I hadn’t done so in about 7 months, but after seeing the Italian chap in front of me leaving the rental car park and smashing his gold convertible Mustang into the back of a stationary van within 3 seconds of exiting (I hope 10 minutes earlier he ticked the box that said comprehensive cover) we were off. Next stop Golden Gate Bridge.
The car was epic (relatively speaking). We had paid for the cheapest option, which is usually whatever a Vauxhal Corsa is badged as in the US, but we had two category upgrades and found ourselves in a Toyota Corrola. More importantly, I understand why Americans are so loathed to get out of their cars their roads are amazing. We were on Highway 101 heading north, which on the map looks like a huge intestate (which it is) the British equivalent of the very uninspiring M1. However, the fact that there only seemed to be 3 people on it, that it wound its way down occasionally to 1 lane taking you through beautiful little towns, and that it climbed its way up though the mountains through some of the most beautiful scenery we have seen all trip made it such a great drive. Also, the further north we got, the better the weather, it was constant sunshine and about 28 degrees. EAT THAT SAN FRANCISCO YOU COLD BASTARD. Unfortunately, we dont have any evidence of any of this as I was driving.
Still, after 6 or 7 hours we were really getting ready to stop. We were in the Redwoods, and had seen plenty off signs for camping, and thought we would pop into “Standish Hickey State Recreation Area” to have a look and see what their prices were. Although expensive at $28 a night, the camping was incredible. Each pitch had a proper table, fire bit, BBQ and Bear locker. Yes. Bear Locker.
We had arrived late, and earlier in the day in the supermarket couldnt find the right gas canister for our Argentinian camping stove and were trying to cook spaghetti over a glorified candle. However, whilst we were enjoying a californian pinot noir and a couple of Sierra Nevadas, our neighbours whom I had introduced myself to earlier came to our rescue and invited us over for a welcome amount of hot-dogs and smores. For those (like me) who have never heard of a smore, they are, apparently, an American camping institution. A combination of Graham cracker (pronounced Gram), milk chocolate and toasted marshmallow. We stayed up, drank too much and I prented to know a lot more about American politics than I do. It was great fun.
The next morning, with heavy heads we were off to explore the redwood forests. The sheer size of these magnificent trees is awe inspiring.
(Can you see Nikki at the bottom of that last one?)
We spent so long craning our necks that we decided to spend another, though much quieter night at the same campsite, as we wanted to trek down to the swim hole people had been telling us about. After a relaxing night and being fed again by our neighbours (baby back ribs this time) we set off early down to the swim hole. Swim Hole turns out to mean river suitable for swimming in English, and it was a beautiful spot:
On the way out I noticed a particularly strange looking twig in the water. The twig then stuck its tounge out at me. I am glad he wasnt around when we were getting in
The area around Standish Hickey was very beautiful, with more than just giant trees to look at:
And so we were off, via the avenue of giants, which is the old route 101 but now a tourist road that takes you through some particularly huge examples of Giant Redwood trees as well as some unbelievably quaint towns.
Our next campsite, although not as impressive was very nice, and now it was our turn to BBQ. I knew Nikki’s vegatarianism was cured once and for when she insisted that baby back ribs wouldn’t be enough, and we would need steak to go with them.
We didnt do much here other than hang out by the tent relaxing, which was just what I needed before the drive back down through San Fransisco to at least Santa Cruz for the start of Big Sur. This time we did manage to stop for a few photos:
We were so focused on getting to Santa Cruz that we hadnt planned where we were going to stay or what we were going to do. After a quick and pointless run round the super market (I believe I bought 2 cans of root beer, some peanut butter m&ms and a 3 foot long deli meat sub) we decided to drive around the various campsites on the outskirts of town. All were occupied. Starting to panic I took a wrong turning and we ended up in a tiny town called boulder creek:
We found a weird but tolerable campsite and then thought we would pop out for a quick drink before coming back and tucking into the aforementioned 3 foot deli meat sub. About 6 hours later, having met the inhabitants of Boulder Creek in its one bar we were drunk enough to call it a night. It was hilarious, but didnt bode well for the following days drive down through Big Sur.
Big Sur. The Mecca for Californian road trips. And what a disappointment. We had no idea it was possible, anywhere, for campsites to charge $60 and not allow you to bring in food. Well it is in Big Sur. Although the coastline is impressive, so is Dorsets. I dont think the terrible weather helped the situation.
The strange thing was that when we went off the main coastal road, up into the mountains following a sign to a campsite we climbed above the clouds and it was glorious:
I can definitely see the appeal if the weather is nice and your campsite is pre-booked, but it just wasn’t working for us. It was then, having driven from 9am till 4pm, not being able to find anywhere to sleep or eat that I uttered the fateful words fuck it, shall we just go to Vegas?. I was mostly joking, but the severity of Nikkis response meant there was only one place for us. Vegas Baby, Vegas.
Annoyingly, just after this decision was made, we saw a sign for the famous elephant seals, so had to have a quick divert.
We also saw a chipmunk. I think.
Anyway, after all this nature, we were off, and the scenery leaving big sur was incredible:
In fact the scenery the whole way was amazing, but Nikki had just confirmed that yes, it was 500 miles to Vegas, and that stopping for photos every 5 minutes was not option. We travelled through scrub-land into wine country, which slowly turned in to oil country, and then into the biggest most endless farmland I have ever seen.
We were somewhere around Barstow, on the edge of the desert when the hunger began to take control. So we stopped for a burger, and carried on.
It was incredible how much hotter it had got. The car had automatic air conditioning, and I hadnt noticed the temperature go up on the cars thermometer, but at 10 oclock at night it was 105 degrees.
A few hours later, at midnight the distant glow in the desert got brighter and brighter until at 12:30 we were rolling down The Strip. It was so late, and we had driven so far that we just crashed at the cheapest looking motel we could. In the reception the only adverts they had were for strippers. The room had barely functioning air con and a lot, LOT, of mirrors. The television? 2 channels. ESPN and porn. It didnt matter, we just needed to crash before looking for somewhere better in the morning.
The cold (well, really hot) light of day showed us the true nature of where we staying
Still, checkout was at 11, it was now 9 and we had a hotel to find
We checked the Luxor, which was pretty cool, and then Excaliber, which was ridiculous, but found our place in NEW YORK, NEW YORK.
So we checked out of the hell hole (and yes, I did check. At 10:30am its still just ESPN and Porn) and we moved into our king size flat screen strip view Empire State Building awesomeness. The most luxurious room of the trip bar non. this was our view:
After settling in and cleaning any remnants of the previous days journey or the hellish night in the motel off of us it was time to hit the strip:
One problem with Vegas? The food.
We had to eat at Subway for lunch as it was literally the healthiest option around, but we treated ourselves to an epic burger for dinner and then once again hit the strip, when it really comes alive:
Having seen Swingers many many times I knew that the smaller less glam casinos is where the real action was at. This was why we found ourselves at who knows when full 99cent frozen margahritas in Bills Gamblin Hall playing low stakes roulette. We only had $25 reserved for gambling, and after a few hours of play left with $25. I think the highest we got up to was about $100 and the lowest was $5. After this things got hazy and weird:
I wasnt sure how I was going to take to Vegas, but I absolutely love it. It is the world turned on its head though. You see this kind of thing everywhere
Yet if you jay walk you get arrested. You can buy beers from a 7/11 and drink them in the Bellagio bar, or take a New York, New York cocktail down the strip and drink it at one of the bars in Cesar’s Palace, but if you are caught selling water at the side of the road it is $1000 fine and a night behind bars. Anyway, we had another night in Vegas with more of the same. Here is a collection of stuff we came across along the way:
Time to smash across the desert again, Next stop LA and the Carleton’s pad in Hollywood.
Getting from Vegas to LA was fine, finding the car drop off point in Inglewood equally so. trying to get from LAX to Hollywood via public transport was hell. over 3 hours to travel 12 Miles. Still, well worth it. Unfortunately my camera stayed in its bag for most of our stay, too busy catching up.
On the Friday whilst Sarah and Will were at work we hiked up and round Runyon Canyon with its awesome views:
Its True, everything really is bigger across the pond:
We were in LA far too short a time, it really is an epic city. After a final Dinner (and terrible quality group photo) in Malibu….
….we were off to New York.
Obviously, Nikki having lived here a few years ago, She was in charge. we were staying in a great little studio in St Mark’s Place.
The problem was that because we didn’t sleep on the red eye from LA we were out of sync for the first couple of days. I had only been to New York once, and that’s when Nikki and I first met, so this time she was going to be my tour guide. First off, a walk to Brooklyn Bridge via the financial district then on to the Staten Island Ferry. Off we Go.
That night, we went to the bar where we first met – Welcome To The Jonsons, a dive bar in Lower East Side. When we were there a few years ago, it was great – a dump where you get a $1 can of beer. Now its really “cool”, drink prices have doubled and with the tip trebled. I’m not sure why you would tip to be treated like shit, I know plenty of hell holes in Britain where you can drink piss in squalar with out some trendy tosser giving you attitude. Any way, Nikki got kicked out (twice) so we headed for home.
Next day we went Up Town to see, amongst other things, Nikki’s old work, 101 Park Avenue (but did she care? NO WAY)
The rest of our stay was spent catching up with Nikki’s friends, eating drinking, walking and exploring. Here is some of it:
And so that was that, we got to our final day of the whole trip. After a walk round central park where I’m sure I could have got some nice photos but didn’t I discovered that this was the last photo of the entire trip. Not a particularly great shot, but I like it.
Home. I wasn’t looking forward to it, but since getting here I have loved it. We moved straight back into the flat, Nikki got a great job almost immediately, and I went back to my old work. Most importantly, a few weeks after getting back, In France, Nikki agreed to marry me.
Lastly, and perhaps most importnatly – A Fridge Magnet Guide To Our Trip:
THE END.
