Washington DC

Washington DC - memorials, Lincoln, police and rain.

Washington DC was a great place, clean, friendly, free and cultural. I started my first afternoon in DC by walking around and discovering the area. I found the white house (really propper white), the capitol building, and the washington monument. A nice walk and good nights sleep gave me plenty of energy for the next day.

Today it rained, alot. But I walked regardless and felt the wet and was reminded of home. First stop was the Lincoln memorial. A truly iconic place, and it was worth the walk. From here I walked to the nearby and not so nearby Viet war, Washington and Jefferson memorial. Each one was hugely differenent and poignant. To escape the ever increasing hard rain I ran to the WDCs' natural history museum. Loads of great exhibits; varying from African life, global warming, water life, mamals, china (as in pottery), rocks and evolution. In the water life area I was able to collect shark teeth. I spent a good time scraping away at the few trays of bottom of the ocean sediment. After here I went to the Fords Theater, where Lincoln was assassinated. This was a great little museum, chronologicaling his and the people around hims' life. I got to see where he sat, the gun and many intriguing family photos and stories.

The next day I headed to the hirshhorn sculpture garden and gallery; a cool dougnut shapped biulding, holding art by lichtenstein, Ayyson Shortz, Anne Truitt and many more. This was agreat little gallery holding many interesting works. Form here I went and explored China town. It was relativly small compared to the likes of San Fran and New York, but it still had its charm. Here I had lunch, in an award winning chinese restaurant. I had a mixture of fish on a platter of greens. I spent the rest of my afternoon looking around china town, looking for a market that was closed and revisting the white house. I then spent the night packing my bag for the morning bus trip to my last and final destination, New York.
Washington was a great city, clean and tidy, friendly people and lots of free things to do, I look forward to returning someday.

Memphis

Memphis, Elvis and the ball game! After my long almost 11 hour bus journey, on which I couldn't sleep, I could do nothing but sleep most of that day. But I did get up in time to see a college basketball game, and oh my what a game. This was a college game, and 16,000 people filled the seats. The game was between the Memphis Tigers and The Uni of Central Arkansas. The game was an obvious win for the tigers, winning 81 to 47. But it was before and inbetween the game when things got exciting. Firstly we all had to stand and remove our hats for the national anthem, played by the big band that constantly played tunes all through the game. During half time a sndwich cannon was shooting t-shirts to the crowd, as well as t-shirts being dropped with parachutes from the ceiling. There were also prize give aways, someone won free pizza, a young child was selected for a bank bond thingy, and some guy won a flat screen TV from one of the many game sponcers. There were also cheerleaders, mascots, really angry sounding fans and strange anouncements. It was a good game, for for the spectacle of the event rather than the basketball game.
My second day was rather bad planning, Thanks giving, where nothing and I mean nothing was open, apart from a petrol station where I was able to buy food for dinner and tea. Not even a park was open, walked ages to get to Mud Island on the Mississippi river. It was a bit of a wasted day, but I did have a TV to entertain me.
Of course I couldn't come to memphis without seeing Graceland. I took a tour bus to the great site and looked around Elvises' former home and garden, and grave. He had great taste, and somewhat over the top designes. The jungle room, basement bar and old shooting gallery were just some of the amazing sights. I saw and read many tributes to him and his familly, He was a truly generous man, often buying the odd car for a stranger in the street. The grave site was a strange place, decorated with orniments and flowers from fans around the world. He lies alongside his parents and grandmother. After the house and grounds I listened live to the Elvis radio station, a small booth outside graceland contained a radio station, where they play nothing but elvis all day long. During my wait for the return of the tour bus, I listened to the weekly Elvis quiz, won by a woman who had been to graceland 19 times.
I enjoyed my small stay in Memphis, and continued on to Nashville, home of country.

Elk City

Elk City - There's not much here...

I really didn't do much in Elk city, this is due to a few reasons. One, the greyhound bus stop was way out of tow, Two, the motel I stayed at was a little out of town and three, there's not much in town. But I still had a good time.

I arrived at the bus station at 9.30 at night, only to discover that it was beside a highway, there were no pavements anywhere. I lucked out and got a lift from a worker at the petrol station to my motel, thanks lady, she didn't tell me her name. I did three things while staying at Elk, walked alot, I mean alot. Shopped alittle and looked round the route 66 museum.
Due to the strange placement of my motel, behind a few highways, it took me a good while to walk into the town, this is my route. From the motel I crossed a small highway and between a ditch separating the roads. Walk past a large garage shop and down a road to a housing estate. The estate was truly modern, as in large houses and no pavements, all the houses look the same and they all had large Cheveys in their drives. From here I crossed through a broken fence and accross another highway. After the road I walk along the side of the hhighway, grassverges all the way for about half an hour. Then yay theres the main street, bout a mile north, still theres alot of walking to do and mostly through car parks and along empty roads. But I got there, safe and sound. The whole walk takes around an hour and abit, loads longer with my bags when trying to get back to the bus station.
The national route 66 museum was a great little gem. It was cheap to enter and there was lots to see, though it was in a small building. The first thing you see is a pink cadillac at a drive in movie theater, showing that day was "The Thing!". Also on show was a small popeye display, not sure where that came into it, but it was good, I guess. You could walk around the pretend road and see all the sights and read all the information on the 66 in the past. Many items were on display, as well and small radio segments and recordings. It was a great little place and I'd like to go again.
On my leaving day, having loads of time til the bus would be picking me up, I decided to walk. Again it was a long walk, made even longer by my backpack and wheely bag. I got to the state highway and turned right, I should have turned left. After being told by a old guy in a pickup, I decided to go to the nearest petrol station and ask for a taxi. Betty Boop turned up in her black truck and said "I'm the taxi". I loaded my bags in the back and got in; a smelly smoke filled messy two seater thing. She drove baddly, trying to text and make phone calls while wrestling with the stick (gear stick). She seemed nice and didn't charge me much, but I can't say I'd get in there again. So I caught the bus to my next destination, Memphis.

Roswell

Roswell - New Mexico, ?????, Aliens and Cielo Grande Park?

I got to Roswell on the 19th of November, on a warm and dusty day, and immediately the presence of alien activity was clear. I needed a rest after my long journey, so I decided to investigate in the morning.

I started my day at the UFO museum, where I read about the events of Rowell, July the 9th, 1947. Clearly something strange had happened here. The museum was a great place, filled with compelling arguments from both sides. It was pretty clear from what I saw that the USA government was trying to hide something. From here I roamed the streets and the many shops. In one shop a small rat like creature, called Tink, ran riot and made hideous noises, I was told this thing was called a chihuahua. I brought a few items and left in a hast; to a coffee shop, "Not of this world" it was called, very strange. I finished my day with a lengthy walk to the shops to buy tea, it seemed that hours had passed on my journey, and it had, I had perhaps mis-read the map.

The next day I woke late, to find the time to already be 11, what had made me sleep for so long? After lunch I headed to Cielo Grande Park, a place I was told had great views of the city, but I was mislead. For down the long and meandering pathway I was stuck. The road seemed to end, cracked and broken the cement had disappered into a river below, and so I had no choice but to turn back.
My bus for Elk city would be leaving soon, so I packed my belonging and headed out the door, I waved farewell to Roswell, and as I left I kept my eyes to the skies.

Tucson

Tuscan was sunny, hot, dry and a little empty. The few days I spent here I was a little ill, so didn't get out much. When I did get out, there was not that much to do. I did though go shopping and brought a cool hat. I also went to a botanical garden, where I saw many species of cacti and many plants that were suposed special, but I'm sure we have them in our garden. There was also a butterfly hut, that was very nice. All in all Tucson was a nice city, a few cowboys here and there, but is mainly a uni place, but it was a nice place, if a little too quiet.

Las Vegas

Las Vegas, lights, money, less money, canyon, a tattoo and Robert Downing Jr.



I arrived in downtown Vegas early in the morning and trekked to the Stataphere hotel, my bed for the next few days.

On my first day I took a bus tour to the Grand Canyon, stopping at the hover dam on the way. Due to the events of 9/11, security measures meant that we couldn't get close, but the far away view was cool enough. I don't think you can see in the pic, but they are building a new bridge that will go over the gauge of the dam, this is aslo due to 9/11.

After changing from the large double decker bus to two smaller busses, we continued our trip accross the bumpy and rocky desert to the Grand Canyon, and it was GRAND!

There were seval different view points on the west rim of the canyon, I saw eagals, red indian dances and singing, old bat caves and the left over of a million pound effort to get the bat poo. The attemp to get the bat poo was a mistake, a rich fellow spent nearly 5 times the amount he made from the poo, bat poo is used in many womens make-up products.


While walking around the dry but well tourist troden land, I came across this <<, a film set for a chic-flick out (I was told) christmas time, and who was standing by the edge, Robert Downing Jr, very strange.









The scenery was truly beautiful, miles of endless nothingness, but it was wonderful nothingness.






The journey back to vagas was across catus filled deserts, felt like I was in a western.








The lights of the Las Vegas sparkeled everynight and lured many to lose money in the many casinos, and I was one of them. I lost a little money on the slots and won a little on them. I did try my hand at roulette, and didn't win once (think it was fixed).




This is a pic of just one of the many shopping centres, I think it was about 10pm outside, but you wouldn't tell with the painted ceilings and boats traveling between footlocker and Ben and Jerry's.



There were loads of people walking the streets, some happy and
some a little lost with empty pockets. There were some weddings, and while I was walking through the city I saw a drive through wedding, bright pink cadillac and everything.

Of course I saw the famous foundtain music show, Elton John sang "Your Song", and the water swayed back and fouth and almost pillowetted for everyone's eyes.


Vegas was great, over the top in every way and in every way awsome. I hope to come back, maybe catch that show I missed and try win some money for a change.

I missed my bus to Tucon and had to wait around 10 hours, so rather than lose my money on the slots I though I'd invest it in a tattoo on my back, it hurt a little.

HOLLYWOOD!

Hollywood was a city full of posers, orange burnt people, rocking bikers and too many tourists.


On my first day I took a walking/bus tour to the legendary hollywood sign. It originally read hollywood land, but due to years of weather, the downfall of the hollywood land real estate company and goverment
interference, it now reads hollywood, and is made from australian steel.
The letters of the sign cost $27,500 each, som celebs such as Hugh Hefner helped pay for the letters.

On my second day I took a bus tour around Hollywood, Beverly Hills, Melrose and LA. I saw celebs homes, film sets, celeb spots and owned cafes. The driver, Vick, was a loud mouth funny guy, who on ocations tried to coax celebs from thier homes. He was a strange man.


Other things I did in the night light was expore Hollywood Blvd, look at
the stars. Snooped around the famous kodak theatre, see a weird film in Grauman's Chinese Theatre (the fourth kind, very strange). It was a awsome strange fake city, and I looked forward to Las Vegas, another strange place. Bye.

SAN FRAN!

Long time no text...

San Fran, hippies, hills, seals and sun.

Day one, Golden Gate Park. Golden Gate Park was way to big and long, I underestimated the size of the place and spent m ost the day here, walking to the coast and back to the hostel.

The park is 1,017 acres and contains a stadium, a japanese tea garden, a few lakes, some windmills, a carousel, some buffalo, some other stuff and plenty of grass. After a long stroll pass some hippies and buffalo, I found myself at china beach, a surfers galor. From there I walked to Lincoln Park where I had great veiws of the bridge.
Day two and I hit Alkatraz. The small island off the coast is the home to the Alkatraz jail that held Al Capone and the Bird Man. This place had a great audio tour, with voices from real prisioners and guards of that time. I had a great oldy vibe and was kept in the same nick it was back then. The jail only closed mainly due to a lack of sewage system.

Day three and I walked to fishermans warf and toured round china town.
Fishermans warf was a bit like a sea front town, an upperclass Gt Yarmouth. Many shops and piratey themed cafes lined the shore, along with pier 39 or 34 (I forget) where hundreds of seals have made thier home. China town was great, true busy china in a relaxed city,
I saw alot of San Fran, too much for this blog, but come back soon to hear about Vegas. Bye!

Greyhound and Salt Lake City

I have just been on my longest bus trip yet, lasting around 40 hours. So I think Greyhound deserve to be blogged. The Greyhound busses are much like a normal bus, unless you get a specail one, these have radios and wifi so you can surf while on the move. The drivers all seem to be different, some nice and chatty, and some a little angry and uptight, you can usually tell which you get when they make there speach at the start of a journey, if they make a joke he or she's ok, if they say "it's against the law to cross the white line while in motion" then you know he or she is evil. If you're lucky you you get a double seat on the longer journeys and get to spreadout and lie down, and maybe sleep for a while.
I strolled around Salt Lake City for a few hours while waiting for my next bus. In that time I shopped, went to the cinema and got shown around the Mormon Temple and grounds by a couple of Mormon sisters. The square which holds the temple, a church, information centres and other wonders was a peaceful place, and one could understand why the Mormons built it. The temple was built by the Mormons by there own hands some 200 years ago, and since then the religion has grown all over the world.
Sister Wingate and Sister Monroco showed me around, I think they were trying to convert me. They were very nice and gave me a blue book to read. That's all for this episode, next time San Fran, bye!

Rapid City

I arrived in Rapid city on a warm slightly sunny day, to then leave two days over my estimated stay, due to a snow storm. On my second day I hired a car and drove through the Black Hills to see Mt Rushmore and Crazy horse.

In the welcome centre I met Iron Cloud, an artist who once lived in the UK, and actually knew where Norwich is. After seeing these wonders I headed to the small town of Custer. This was a true olden town with western and indian roots. The buildings wouldn't have looked out of place in Clinty film. On my way back to Rapid City I got a speeding ticket, I was only doing 11 over the 60 mile zone.
Due to the severe weather I didn't do much else. The busses wern't running and it was too cold to venture too far. I did however go to the cinema twice, it was very cheap and well worth the one pound sixty per show. Until next time, bye.

Mitchell, SD

Mitchell, South Dakota, was a small quaint town, filled with hunters with shotguns. Few shops lined the streets, but all of them welcomed hunters; , many displaying photos with people and there trophy kills. It seemed no animal was save, even in a vet.
There wasn't much to do here, except the worlds only CORN PALACE!










This building is decorated with all manor of different corn made pictures, displays and creations. This is the worls only corn palace, and I think the reason for this is obvious.
Overall this was a cool little town, a true american corner of the states.

CHICAGO!

Chicago was a busy city, mostly wet and filled with bussiness suits and people wanting your money. On first arriving I headed to the hostel, as it was 5ish when I arrived I lounged around there for a few hours before heading to the Navy Pier. This place gave me great views of the city aswell as a great insight into the world of stain glass windows at USA's only dedicated stain glass window museum. Aboad this pier was also a theater, ballroom, shops, many ports and a fun fair. After some food I hired a bike and peddled my way to the Lincoln Memorial Garden.
The next day I went on a walking tour of Chicago, seeing all the magnificent sights and buildings, aswell as a orange water fountain (orange for halloween) and plenty of squirrels. In the afternoon I strolled around Chicago's Contemporary Art Museum, a small place, but well worth a look.
Day three and another art museum, this time seeing some of the greats, like Van Gogh, Monet and that picture of that night corner cafe. I then decided to go up the Willis tower, formally Sears tower, but the clouding weather and price ($70) put me off. To finish my day I headed to the Millenium Park.
On my last day I went to Lincolon Zoo, big and free, one of the best I've been to. I brought a spoon.

After a 16 hour bus trip I'm now at Mitchell, SD, waiting for my clothes to dry. Bye!