July 2nd, 2010 by

Woke up to go to the toilet at about 6.30am and as I was walking back to my room the fire alarm started going off so load, so I ran back to the room and as I opened the door Harrie just looked at me with a massive death stare as if I had set it off. The alarm went on and off for about 15minutes with everyone in the hostel stood by their doors contemplating on whether or not to evacuate the building after this we both couldn’t get to sleep so we just sat there watching really weird kids television and eventually had a shower before getting out and adventuring San Fran.

Got Mc Donald’s for breakfast which was surprisingly really busy and I have no idea why as Mc Donald’s breakfast is gash. We still weren’t very sure about where we were headed and how we would get to the pier in the north of SF so we got the Bart to a more central point and decided to get a tram but with the size of the queue and the price of the damn thing we decided to walk up and down the steepest hills until we painfully reached our destination and just in time to catch our tour bus which we had planned to get. It was an old tram with wheels added to it and my god it was cold on that thing, so windy. We had the best tour guide really funny guy and saw some amazing places we went across the Golden Gate bridge which was very very breezy and all around the town going back along routes in which we walked up and down to get to the pier. After two cold hours we were dropped back and headed down towards pier 39 which was really cool loads of shops and market stalls with the biggest strawberry’s I think I have ever seen.

We then went to the aquarium which was so sick saw an octopus and loads of sharks but the best part was walking through the tunnel itself with the fish all around you with the most amazing jelly fish I have ever seen.

For dinner we decided to eat out and a restraunt we had saw previously during the day called rainforest cafe which like the name was like eating in a rain forest plants, life sized mechanical animals and it sounded amazing in there with all the animal noises and the water fall in the middle. It was very expensive but did get a lot of food which was okay the best part being when we ordered drinks and when they came out we looked so gash they were in a massive souvenir cup with a big straw and a toy in the bottom pretty embarrassing when they came out but we decided to keep them and take them home not sure how far along the line they will travel with you for.

Had such a great day in San Fransisco would love to have stayed longer not sure what else we would have done as we saw a large portion of what SF had to offer the only thing that I really wanted to do was go across to Alcatraz but never mind had a great day and then also whn we got back to the hostel I phoned Raeven our next couch surfer in Santa Cruz to make sure everything was still okay and not only did she sound really cool but she told us that we were going to Santa Cruz at the best time as the weather was so good there in the high 90’s and that we would regret going o Santa Cruz.

July 1st, 2010 by

Woke up on the floor behind the chair and span out a little bit, pretty comfy down here though as last night the train attendant didn’t come around to hand out the pillows so I had 5. A really annoying little Mexican kid has got on the train and has been screaming about having a dollar for the last hour now and will not sit still it’s going to be a long day. I managed to finish the book I started reading yesterday and have now completed what I feel to be the only book I have read in my life for pleasure and not because I had to in school. Go me!

Finally arrived at Emeryville the little kid didn’t sit still the whole journey and his mum was definitely pretending to be asleep and disown him… I would. We now had the problem that we hadn’t booked the bus as part of our Amtrak pass which should have been done in New York but luckily the guy didn’t really care and just let us get on the bus for free.

We got dropped off in San Fran at a random bus stop and managed to get the Bart (underground) to the road that our hostel was on. As we surfaced from the underground there were so many homeless people hanging around which was pretty intimidating and as we walked down the street in what we hoped was the right direction to the hostel. I almost got started on by some guy who looked like the only person we walked that wouldn’t be any problem just for looking at him which led to something being muttered and a fat shoulder barge, fucking knob arse. We eventually found the hostel unharmed and checked in. The hostel was what looked like an old cinema and was so big although very dated. Dropped off our bags and greasily went out to a really cool looking Mexican restraunt right next door thought we would play it safe.

June 30th, 2010 by

I woke up really early this morning paranoid that either the alarm wouldn’t go off or we wouldn’t hear it so I was in and out of sleep with the phone resting against my ear. We said our good byes to Sufi and jumped in a cab down to Union Station. We arrive at 7.15 and our train leaves at 8.15 not too bad just an hour to wait and eat shit food for breakfast from a vending machine. Trains delayed and won’t even get into the station until 10am, Harrie is absolutely livid quite funny really think shes just a little sleepy, I will sit here and eat more crap.

Train finally leaves and it’s the start of a very long 32 hour train ride through the Colorado mountains directly through to California and our next stop, San Fransisco. Harrie has already fallen to sleep so I am just sitting here reflecting on yesterdays events while Harrie snuggled up for a nap. The train keeps having to stop for really long freight trains and its a long drop down, we are on a double decker train on the edge of a ridge while we are waiting for a cargo train and its 89 fucking wagons its pulling along to go past us at least it gave me something to count while we waited and kept my eyes off of the steep drop and the deer galloping over fences below us.

Really wish that I had a shave before we left now I am starting to look like a right knob arse and Harrie has started to get really disgusted by the long pube like hairs growing from my neck, I think that she might start tugging on them.

Just stopped for a cigarette and food stop while they change staff we still have 24 hours to go until we arrive in Emeryville where we depart the train and get on a bus across the bridge to San Fransisco I cannot wait.

June 29th, 2010 by

Long almost sleepless night on the train and bam we are in Denver and we have gained another hour due to the time difference. Luckily enough we were able to leave our bags in the station for the day, so we could enjoy the day without carrying around my life in a bag.

We walked towards the mall as it was supposed to be a good one but think we ended up walking past it, couldn’t of been that good. We kept walking until we saw a point of interest, a large tower with what looked like a theme park, waded right in towards that. It turned out to be a theme park and water park all in one called Elitch Gardens, $40 not to shabby.

It turned out to be a really hot day in Denver and it was nice to not have any wind. Had a great day in the water park some pretty dope rides and a lazy ass river had to leave due to getting very sun burnt.

We walked back towards the station and ended up sitting by the river for a while, was pretty cool so many people in the water swimming, skim boarding and flipping in off the side into water no deeper than their ankles, pretty sketchy.

Walked back to the station to slp on some after sun and waited for our host. We met Sufi and got a cab back to her apartment which was so rad, clutter every where and her dog wookie was a wierd looking thing actually looked like a wookie from star wars.

Had a shower and then went to a massive liquor store before we met her friends and drinking on her roof. All her friends were so dope made us feel very welcome. Sufi had got us both tickets to a gig she classed as one of her favourite bands The Melvins. They all seemed to really like them, don’t really know why. Wasn’t really mine or Harries cup of tea, don’t really know how to describe them apart from they are a stoner metal band so every one stood and pretty much did fuck all apart from some wierd hand gestures, they were all dressed as cave men, they had two drummers both which played almost exactly the same thing and they had to take a break half way through… they were pretty old. Had a good time though was pretty funny, we met some woman from San Antonio and she recomended a few things for us to do while we are there. We ended up going back to Sufi’s apartment and drinking more on the roof trying to describe to them what concentrated juice was and talking about the language of the hobo before getting to bed for an early train ride in the morning at 8 o clock.

Had such an amazing time in Denver, wish we could have stayed longer but looking forward to San Fran so much which is the next stop.

June 28th, 2010 by

Right so not a great deal to write about today, woke up did a bit of research into what we can do in Denver while waiting for our first Couch Surfer Sufi to finish work. Found lots of possibilities for us to get up to.

Boarded our train after a long wait in a shitly layed out station but had some great chinese.

Denver here we come.

June 27th, 2010 by

Woke up to a monsterous thunder storm, thought that the day would be ruined and spent in the hotel, but while eating breakfast it started to clear up. American toast and the England game was horrible. Erica came and picked us up from the hotel and took us to popeyes as we were curious of what chicken and biscuits was, turned out to be chicken and a scone… bah! Erica was certain the game was at the cubs the cubs ground but turned out it was at the White soxs. As she drove away we saw masses of people flooding the streets in next to nothing so yeah why not check it out. Turned out to be gay pride festival. Managed to find a really good spot and right next to a store which sold the massiva cans of fosters. After a couple of hours and enough of men in drag we decided to hit downtown Chicago and went up the willis tower which used to be the tallest building until the one in dubai popped up. Both our ears popped pretty badly in the lift bur definitly worth the view. It also had glass pods which you can step out onto 103 floors from the ground. Got the metra back toward the hotel closest station being 5 miles away, so without a signal let alone a taxi number we were expecting the walk. Luckily for us there were loads of cabs waiting at the station and the driver most certainly did not want to give me back my $2 change. Really liked Chicago can’t wait to come back in a few weeks time. Not to self find a hostel closer to Chicago.

June 26th, 2010 by

Woke up on the train wrapped up in an uncomfortable position with my hoodie covering my entire body even my face as they left the lights and air conditioning on all night. We are currently going through a town in Ohio i think, I don’t have a clue really, the town we just past had previously been hit by a tornado by the looks of it. I think we are about five hours away from Chicago at the moment but thats just a guess my phone can barley crack a smile let alone tell me the time.

Arrived in Chicago fine and left the station for a cigarette and instantly got hassled by a couple of crack heads for money and cigarettes. After that the cigarettes were thrown to the floor and we were straight back in the station to board a Metra train in the direction of the hotel. 50 minutes later we are in the middle of no where, there was no public phone at the station and we didnt have a signal, so we went into the cafe and luckily they were just closing up and offered us a lift. They informed us that we had come to Chicago on the best weekend, both of the baseball teams are playing each other and it’s gay pride festival.

Arrived at the hotel and it turns out that Harrie accidentally booked the hotel for 26th Jul instead of 26th Jun but after an hour on hold to expedia it was all sorted and we got it cheaper than quoted. Walked around in the middle of no where and found a Dunkin’ Donuts where the English card first came into play, two absolutely massive scoops of ice cream for a dollar.

In the evening we decided to go for a few drinks in the hotel bar and were amazed to find all the different flavours of spirits which were slowly getting tested. During this time we were talking to the bar maid Erica and had an english v american comparing things conversation, she thought that fish and chips was a piece of fish and a portion of crisps haha. Now tomorrow morning she is going to pick us up to take us to the baseball stadium where hopefully we are going to pick up some tickets outside the ground.

June 25th, 2010 by

Warm nights sleep air con started working eventually so not too bad. Had Burger King for breakfast, note to self don’t have french toast again. Watched a little of the Portugal vs Brazil game while checking my emails to confirm that we definitely have accommodation for Santa Cruz.

“Wa wa wa wa wade in”

Found a super market and grabbed some grub for the train then checked out before making our way to Penn Station to collect our tickets, our train reservations and all of the tickets, had to pay $51 as there weren’t any seats available on a train but we need to get it so its not too bad at least it wasn’t all of them seeing as we left it to the last minute. Harrie seems a little happier than yesterday which is good I would feel uncomfortable in a place I have never been before and especially where we were staying.

Went to check out the hostel we stayed in earlier in the year which terns out to have been running illegally so has been closed down by the city, so ventured across the road to an amazing hostel and booked all of our accommodation for the next time we are in New York in a few weeks time. Before this as well we accidentally walked in to a film set of a crack den thinking it was a hotel pretty funny, everyone turned around and just looked at us and didn’t say anything so we just cracked on.

We boarded our train in plenty of time nice and spacious with reclining seats that actually recline and air cons always a plus. Next stop Chicago.

June 24th, 2010 by

3 hours sleep and a very early hay fevery start. It still hasn’t really kicked in that we are going. Harries already asleep on the bus, I hope that this bus is going to stop at the right place, it keeps saying terminal three and we need terminal 4. We arrived at the airport fine everyone really didn’t want to help though moody fuckers. Boarded the plane with great confusion (never fly with Delta) the planes freezing and have been waiting for the run way for 45minutes now. The only good thing that has come from this is that the touch screens are working on the back of the seats and they have bejewelled and zuma… wade in.

Some guy just woke up and sketched out so bad think he was sleep talking but he was looking me in the eyes and making bird noises and elbowing his wife in the arm.

Landed in NY all okay found our way to the hostel which is pretty ghetto we are definitely the minority here, borderline Bronx don’t want to be coming back here too late just get my head down fall asleep and get the fuck out of there. We had a look around downtown and sat in Bryant Park and watched about 100 people roughly take a yoga class.

Got hassled by some guy on the way back to the hostel trying to hand us his CD “Fuck me man that sun is BRIGHT, I am walking like a blind man.”

Cold shower before bed air con sucks and the TV aerial is a hair clip, just dropped my phone off of the top bunk and the screen is broke, what a great start.

June 21st, 2010 by

So excited now only 3 days to go now, everything is coming together nicely. Flights and Amtrak booked, insured, couch surfing confirmed, hostels booked, car hire booked from New York to New York via Chicago, Denver, San Francisco, Santa Cruz, LA, San Antonio, Austin and Chicago.
32days 6,800 miles oh god