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Published: March 15th 2007
It's LA BABY!!
Just a normal day in downtown LASo... our journey is over and we have made our way from LA to New York and home to England.
I am writing this looking out of the window at the rain and the wind... it has rained for one week solid now, and I suddenly know why we all love England so much!
Yes, it is over... I am not writing this from some interesting place around the world. I am in England, thinking about our travels rather than actually experiencing them.
I am not depressed about it though. In all honesty, when we reached Brooklyn, New York, I had had enough of travelling. I was pleased to be where we were but the notion of packing up our stuff and heading to another destination, other than home, made me feel tired. We had an amazing time, but we were glad to be at an end - and what a place to end it!
We finished our journey through 13 countries, in Brooklyn, New York, in a part of Brooklyn that is best described as 'The Hood'. When we got off the subway and walked to our hostel it was dark although only 6pm, and we
Shopping in Brown Paper Bags!
We were SO excited when our very good friend Chris took us shopping in Memphis. We got BROWN PAPER BAGS!! had one of those BBC Casualty moments... you know, when Casualty starts they show a really happy couple enjoying their life, when suddenly a huge lorry ploughs through them! Well, we weren't looking around for lorries, but we did feel a tad uneasy (when I say tad, I actually mean we were terrified). We obviously stood out like sore thumbs - we were by far the ethnic minority and we had all our worldly possesions on our backs and fronts. We looked completely out of place. And LOTS of people were staring at us!
We did make it to our hostel, two men who didn't speak English were sitting on the steps outside. It had no name on the door and we were more than a little dubious, but they let us in, so something was going right. Once we dropped our bags in our super tiny room we felt a little easier. We didn't want to think about how we hadn't eaten in about seven hours because that would mean dipping back into 'the hood' again.
Brooklyn is actually a lovely place, and as I write this I look back at our time in NY with real
fondness. It was a great way to end the journey, we had had an AMAZING time. I was sad to leave America. But hey... lets start from the beginning.
I had high hopes for the USA, Helen hadn't been overly keen on visiting the U S of A but I was convinced that I could change her impressions. I didn't have to in the end, America was ready and waiting for her.
It really IS just like the movies. From the moment we set down to the moment we left, it was just like being on the set of a movie. From the crazy people walking along Venice Beach Boardwalk, to the lovely Brooklyn Sicillian owned restaurant in New York, everything seemed to be new to us but also a part of our minds already.
LA was a spectacularly strange place. ESPECIALLY Venice beach! For anyone who has never been to LA, it is actually made up of about 10 different places spaced over a big stretch of land. The more famous places being Downtown LA, Hollywood, Beverly Hills, Venice Beach and Santa Monica. We had heard a lot about Downtown and unless you were homeless it
Hollywood Reporter
I hope this news reporter only has to wear this outfit on Halloween, unlucky for her if it's all year round. probably wasn't the best place to stay. Our guide book had suggested that one of the beach destinations would be a good choice so we picked the place which has been described "as though you were walking on Mars" - not because it had huge red craters, but because the people... well... the people didn't seem from this planet. From the disco dancing, roller skating 70 year old wearing nothing but a gold pair of lycra speedos, to the man cycling on a pedal motorbike with a huge live parrot on the handle bars, this place was weird!
Venice beach is famous for "White Men Can't Jump" being filmed there, and it was great watching the 'locals' play on the basketball courts. It was as though we were on the set and they were all actors... only, I don't think I saw a "white man" playing basketball... all the white men had cameras in their hands and were watching the movie play out... including me, none of us were jumping (perhaps Woody Harrelson would have kicked us in line, but he wasn't there).
Normally, when we get into a new country, we ask the hostel staff whether the
The Statue of Liberty
As if you weren't sure what it was. area is safe or not and where NOT to go (always more important that where TO go!), normally they try to fob you off and say that everywhere is safe (even though to our nice little English village mentality that is not always the truth). But our hostel in Venice Beach could only say "well, it's LA..." which was odd... and then "just don't go out on the boardwalk at night" - which was more odd because Venice beach consisted only of a very long boardwalk and nothing else... America had begun.
We were fortunate to be in America over Halloween. We learnt that Americans are pretty serious in thinking Halloween is a proper 'party' event so we thought we should go and see how it is really done. It's not like at home where it is just an excuse for the youth of today to claim their monthly allotment of ASBOS.
On 31st October after a long day in Hollywood, we made our way to Santa Monica Boulevard (which isn't in Santa Monica but actually in the middle of downtown Hollywood) and waited for what was promised to be a 'real' Halloween Party. We weren't disappointed as
over 500,000 people flooded a stretch of Santa Monica Boulevard about a mile long. We soon learnt that it wasn't really a Halloween party as we know it, but more Mardi Gras PART II - there were more semi-naked men in chaps, and drag queens than ghouls and ghosts. It was certainly a very eye-opening evening! It was also one of the friendliest party atmospheres I have ever come across.
I LOVED America. I was really looking forward to it, it had a lot to live up to and as it was our last stop, a lot was riding on it. I was in no way disappointed. San Franciso and Chicago were absolutely amazing. We were also very fortunate in Chicago because on our arrival day there was a massive parade and festival in the centre of the city, ending in an absolutely HUGE fireworks display. It was the start of the christmas season, what a way to start it!
'Huge' is probably the word I should use for everything when I talk about the States. Everything is massive, from the food, to the people, to the continent - they like it big! And when you get to
Texas - they like it TEXAS BIG!
We managed to visit the following states California (LA and San Francisco), Texas (San Antonio, Austin, Fort Worth), Arkansas (Little Rock, briefly), Tennessee (Memphis, Nashville), Illinois (Chicago) and New York State (Buffalo and New York City) - of all of them, Texas was our favourite. In fact, of our entire year long trip, Texas and then onto Memphis was one of the top three highlights for us.
We have been home for 3 months now and a lot of people have asked us what our favourite place was. So, to answer that question - 1. Vietnam - if you want to know why, see that blog. 2. The campervan in NZ. 3. Texas and into Memphis.
So why Texas? Because it is Cowboy land! Because they literally force feed you Dr Pepper, Barbecue Ribs and sub sandwiches. Because the people are the friendliest around. Because in Texas everything is BIG, including your enjoyment. I think Helen and I ate enough for ten people per day in Texas - it was the best ten people's food I have ever had!
The Americans are famous for their tipping and their service,
Yes... we were there!
Look! What's behind me? and in Texas you really do get an understanding why. In one restaurant Helen couldn't make up her mind what to have (which is hardly a rare thing) and so the waitress sat down and said... "well... what do you want to have?" - Helen thought for a second and replied "I'd like some chicken, some broccolli, and some mashed potatoes" and that's what she got. Not one sigh, not one roll of the eyes; you could literally ask them for anything and they will make it happen. Think of the hassle it takes to get some mayonnaise with your meal at home.... in America they virtually throw sauces at you! And refills of drinks? We NEVER finished a drink without another one being placed on the table free of charge.
Am I sounding a little food obsessed? well... I guess I am, but in all honesty, that's what the States was about to us... it was all food, glorious food. We don't have to even remember things, all we have to do is look down at our bellies and we know what we did for forty days. IT RULED!
Austin was our favourite place in America. Chicago
and San Francisco came very close behind, but because Austin was in Texas it edges past the rest. Austin is famed for its music, and after going there, I now know why. You just can't get away from an open mic situation. There were so many musicians you started to worry about whether they would be playing in the loo (sorry - Restroom).
I think the funniest thing about America was the fact that they didn't have a clue what Helen and I were saying most of the time. We had to say everything twice. We went to see a movie called "Bobby" at the cinema, but they didn't know what we were saying in our 'posh' English accents. They only got it when we pronounced it "Barbie" - crazy! On more than one occasion I was asked whether we were from Germany!?!?!?!? And I would say when they weren't suspecting us for Germans they were asking whether we were Australian. They really had absolutely no clue about guessing accents. I knew of the stereotype, but it is true... Americans are very knowledgeable about their own country but ask them were Ireland is and they will more than likely
BEARD WATCH!!!
I TOLD YOU IT WOULD BE BACK! say "near London". Nearly ninety percent of people could only name London of all the places in England. Some new liverpool as well because that's where the Beatles came from.
But the people were adorable. They talk and talk and talk. They are definitely the most interactive country we visited, and the most communicative. You can't expect to sit anywhere without someone asking you something. I remember wearing a t-shirt that had a 'Transformer' emblem on the front and at least five people in the space of two hours stopped me and wanted a detailed conversation about it. In that respect, England and America are worlds apart. The whole mentality of an Englishman's right to a quiet life was blown apart in the USA, and for a month, I loved it (but given the choice I would still prefer to sit on a train and read my book without interruption, especially in the mornings, I feel that's my right as anEenglishman, let our politeness always be the controller of peace and quiet!! ;>)
The one really sad part of visiting America was the 'down and outs'. Having travelled the whole length of the country (by plane, train and
They've got guns!!!
Please remember... no dogs, food, smoking and... er... HANDGUNS!!! bus) we came across so much homelessness, for us it was comparable only to Cambodia in regards to the amount of begging. I couldn't believe it. I never realised such a powerful western country could have such a huge amount of poverty. You couldn't go more than half a block without someone wanting money from you.
America was also the country where we felt the least safe. We have had many questions about how we coped in Asia but I can 100% say that I felt safest in Asia (apart from New Zealand - but hardly anyone lives in NZ so who is going to rob you?). In our two months in Sydney there were at least fifteen accounts of gun crime, and in the States, as soon as it got dark, in the places we visted it often got very murky and we often felt uneasy.
I don't think we were ever in danger, but I also know we never felt totally safe when the sun went down. In some of the places we visited, the locals would say, make sure you don't walk left when you leave the hostel, because if you walk five blocks left
you won't be coming back again... that never happened in Asia, you might get pick-pocketed, but seriously attacked? No chance. In America, although with some common sense it wouldn't happen, there was always the chance of both.
But even with the little un-easiness at the back of our minds, I LOVED the states. Four days in Brooklyn and New York City was an awesome way to finish our trip, and just before that, we had five days in Toronto, Canada which was also fantastic.
So... ten months have gone by. I am finishing this blog three months after being home, and even though we are not travelling anymore it is great to be ending this chapter of our lives with this blog. We were both ready to come home, and even though we loved our time away, neither of us had the energy to keep on travelling. It was perfect, everything was memorable, and we shall never forget it. Thank you to everyone who has read my thoughts, feelings, and lets be honest... my RANTINGS... it has been a pleasure sharing our last ten months with you.
And thank you Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos,
Gun Anyone?
You can walk into Walmart, and as long as you have a drivers licence and you are an American Citizen, you can buy a gun instantly! Crazy eh? Vietnam, New Zealand, Australia, China, Raratonga the USA and Canada. It was definitely a pleasure.
Sam
End Stats
FLIGHTS: 25
Bus Journeys: 32
Mini Vans: 3
Boat journeys: 80
Train Journeys: 15
Different beds in a hostel: 52
Nights slept on a boat: 1
Nights slept on a bus: 1
Nights slept on a Train: 4
Nights slept rough: 1
Nights slept in a campervan: 40
Sicknesses: Sam - 3 Helen - 1
Time Spent: 10 Months
Money Spent: All of it and then some
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Roger / Dad
non-member comment
Well done Sam !
Great new / last Blog Sam, love the photos, and the food stories. Glad we didn't know how scared you were....