San Antonio Mon. 7 Feb. 2011 Hi folks its 11.15pm in the lobby of the Crockett Hotel cross the road from the Alamo, as you should know by now. I am blogging up from the foyer as I got my bag outa hock when I left it there at 12.30pm before further exploring the town on foot. Although breakfast runs until 9.30am, I set an alarm for it but woke up so knackered I decided that rest was better so rest my alarm for 10.45am to manage noon checkout. Extra sleep way more important than free food. First up walked up to the Amtrak station the other side of the freeway and near the Alamodrome – a big stadium/event venue. Temp today was 15C rather than balmy 20C/70F yesterday and a little windy. That new oilskin ... read more

San Antonio Sat. 5 Feb. 2011 Well an entry at last some might say – well it is now San Antonio TX having escaped the chills/freezing of below zero by hibernating with Vic and Carol in Austin for 4 nights. And today Sat. was finally “back to normal” for this time of year i.e about 16C (60F) from a min. of ard 1C (34F). Mind you the outside thermometer in Carol’s garden seemed to be stuck on 20F (-6C)most of the time! Vic (who is future cabinmate Tim’s older brother) and Carol met me off the train in Austin at ard 6.45pm on Tues. nite 1 Feb. We then drove to Carol’s house in the Hills district which is about 30mins drive NW of Austin. We stopped for a quite nice dinner at a steak-house type ... read more

1 Feb. woke up at 7.15am due to nature's call and thought I would check out the window. Not expecting (although I knew a cold cell was going to drop temps) for the ground to be covered with snow. Yikes! And the Ipod tells me it is not much better for a couple of days. Getting the train to Austin this arvo (I hope!) - wonder if there will be delays?... read more

Sunday 30 Jan.11 In Dallas at the Adolphus til very late check out – they allow 1pm. Due to fact I was having a meltdown re “loss” of Ipod and all my digital information. Finally found it fallen into a slot in my pack – phew. Then rolled the bag over to new hotel 2 blocks away (down town Dallas fortunately quite small blocks) Aloft Dallas – a W Hotel – for the funky young things, a warehouse conversion and quite different from the Olde Worlde Adolphus. 14 feet ceilings and some exposed walls and different textures and colours. Then out for a walk – to the Dallas Museum of Art – a good African mask exhibition the main exhibition. And selection form their American moderns. Pity I only had an hour. A free trolley runs ... read more

Although I had thought of buying the one day transport pass to economically take at least one regulation cable car ride did not even manage that. Confined to the room with the need to book myself into some hotels in Dallas. Due to the labrynthine hotel bookings available via various providers this is a bit of a jungle and you almost have to look at 3 or 4 providers. I have previously used Booking.com as you only give your card details as a deposit guarantee against no shows. Anyway enuf frittering on details – this has gotta be seriously speeded up as it is now 31 Jan and I am in Fort Worth. I think now some Quick text and more pix – which some (ahem) might prefer. Decided as I had the BART ticket, and ... read more