| Bristol, UK |
[Aug. 4th, 2005|09:38 am] |
Well, this is it.
Last night, I uploaded the last of the photos.
This morning, I finished unpacking my bags.
The end of the trip has come, I can't hang on to it anymore.
It's back to the rest of my life. |
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| Bristol, UK (!) |
[Aug. 3rd, 2005|05:29 am] |
Sorry for the late entry seeing as I got home yesterday afternoon. I'm home safe! Flight was all okay and Simon came and picked me up from the airport. Got home at around 5pm only to head back out to a dentist appointment at 6pm.
Simon bought me the best 'Welcome Home' present ever in the form of two guinea pigs which are, as yet, un-named.
Sadly, now I'm back in the UK, I have no way of powering my laptop as my UK cable died while I was in Canada. So, until I get a new power cable sorted or an adaptor for the Canadian one, I won't be able to get the photos online.
Hopefully I'll be able to get something during my lunch break today.
It's currently 5:30am - I've been awake since around 4am but I stayed in bed for an extra hour. I don't seem to be sleeping too much full-stop at the moment so I'm pretty pleased with the 6 hours I managed.
Hopefully I have kicked the jet-lag well enough to function at work... not that it takes a lot of brain-power at the moment.
I imagine there will be one more entry when I get the photos up. Apart from that, it's 'so long, farewell etc. etc.'. Looking forward to seeing you all very soon! |
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| Vancouver (Airport), BC |
[Aug. 1st, 2005|08:09 pm] |
Wow - that's gotta be the quickest present-buying session ever - yay!
So, back to work on Wednesday. All seems a little surreal at the moment. As usual, in some ways, it seems only a short time ago I was sitting in a similar lounge in Heathrow; in other ways, it seems like I've been away for ages. The roadtrip really was an experience of a lifetime. Sadly, doing it by myself, I think a lot of the experiences and memories will fade quite fast without anyone else to remind me of them. Hopefully this journal and the photos will help.
Gatecon was excellent. I made some truly wonderful friends that I'm sure I'll keep in touch with. Had an excellent time and can't remember the last time I partied so much for so many nights in a row. I didn't think I could still do that 3-4 hours' sleep a night thing. I haven't come away with that many souvenirs or photos but I don't think I'll need them to remember.
This really was going to be my last con but I imagine I'll have to pop along to some of the future ones even if just to meet the people I met here. Gatecon is moving to the UK as of next year and is in Cheltenham in 2006... I think I may have to at least go for a day - it'd be rude not to, seeing as it's so close. ;) |
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| Vancouver (Airport), BC |
[Aug. 1st, 2005|07:59 pm] |
Wow... what a trip. Have just finished on a high, chilling on Kitts beach with a friend for a day. Lovely. Am now back in an airport business lounge. In less than 10 hours, I will be back in the arms of my lovely husband. Can't believe I'm going to have to go back to work on Wednesday - shit, just realised I didn't get them anything from here... need to go look for something here at the airport.
May post again before I get on the plane but I may be boarding in as little as 10 minutes so possibly not! |
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| Vancouver, BC |
[Jul. 31st, 2005|11:14 am] |
Well, last night was the charity auction which was exceptional fun. As you know, I donate a fair whack of money to charity. I came here with the plan of donating some of it at the auction and it was a fun way to do it. :) I have a few amusing pictures - the auctions tend to become suitably debauched affairs as the evening wears on with all the actors running around trying to get people's bids up in any way they can :). Over the course of the week, we've raised more than $20,000 for charity. Very cool.
Although I bid on a gorgeous art print for the new Joss Whedon film - Serenity signed by both the artist and JW himself, it got a bit steep for me and I stopped. In the end, I got a great picture of Amanda Tapping (the one with the pink cowboy hat - for those that know) which is, obviously, autographed. I also got a lovely picture of Richard Dean Anderson with a very cute baby seal, also autographed and, finally, a cool black 'Stargate SG-1' cap signed by all the guests. Oh, and bundled in with the AT photo, I got a cookie and a chance to spank Richard Hatch!?!?! (Yup, didn't think I could top the 'Star Trekkin' thing - I was wrong.)
I think I'll probably eBay the pictures (I *may* keep the RDA one - we'll see). I obviously paid more for the photos than I'll get on eBay but, to be perfectly honest, the point was to give the money to charity. I think I'll keep the cap as a memento of this absolutely excellent week; I may try to get the words "Gatecon 2005" embroidered on it somewhere as well when I get back home.
After the auction we went down to a bar a couple of blocks away in a big group and boogied the night away to a live band. The band finished at 2am, we all came back and I ended up chatting into the night and finally going to bed at around 3:45am, I think. Simon? What time did I call you?
Last day today - closing ceremony in 1/2 hour. Then, it's trying to get a few more signatures on the cap and, finally, the wrap party tonight.
Tomorrow, my flight leaves at 8pm. I'm planning on spending the day chilling, perhaps at Kitt's Beach and/or Stanley Park. |
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| Vancouver, BC |
[Jul. 30th, 2005|07:59 am] |
Well, the disco was excellent fun. There were, sadly, never that many people there but it turned in to a real party in the end anyway. Richard Hatch and Alex Zahara (and his mate, Colin) arrived towards the end and all the fangirliness in the room upped the dancing a notch (!).
The US guys seem to know far fewer dances than the UK people do - I even managed to know a couple that they didn't - amazing!
The highlight and most surreal moment from the whole evening was definitely doing 'Star Trekkin' with Richard Hatch from original Battlestar Gallactica (and the new one as well, in fact).
Someone took *lots* of photos, if/when I get to see them, I shall ask if I can put them up on my site. |
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| Vancouver, BC |
[Jul. 29th, 2005|07:38 am] |
The con has turned out to be great, definitely the best I've been to. Every day has lots of talks, some better than others of course, but the usual suspects (Colin Cunningham, for example) are certainly giving their all and I've never laughed and cheered so much in my life. Every evening has been a social get-together of some sort. First night was a meal out, second night - a cocktail party, third night - a banquet, last night - Sekh's Party with live music and a completely *insane* mini-auction (Aaron Douglas is hilarious). Tonight is the 'disco', tomorrow night is the big charity auction and Sunday night is the nice little wrap party for the volunteers and guests.
There's a nice little/big group of us made up of around 15 attendees and 3 or 4 guests. It's lovely to know that there's always someone around that you know. Last night I felt particularly loved when I had a chair on two different tables saved for me.
I'm currently surviving on about 5-6 hours sleep a night. I figure I can sleep on the flight home! :) |
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| Vancouver, BC |
[Jul. 25th, 2005|06:05 pm] |
Well, so much for worrying about meeting people. I currently have 8 people in my room all watching stuff we've downloaded on to the telly, chatting, eating and drinking. :)
Today was a good first day, we went out on a boat and got a kinda cabaret show from the 'Stuntdawgs' team - a bunch of stuntmen that have started a new series about the stuff behind stunts. They did some sword and fist fights and some jumping over people and crashing into things. It was all good fun and done in a very silly way. Afterwards, we just got to chill, hang around on deck, enjoy the wonderful views and sunshine and chat to 'the stars'. I ended up chatting to Alex Zahara (only SG people will have heard of him so don't worry about looking it up) about diving and travel in Africa - really cool and relaxed. Hopefully things like the cocktail party, the banquet and the wrap party will be equally chilled.
Tonight, still really a night before the con officially starts, we'll probably go out for some food at a local restaurant that's supposed to be good. Every night after this has some sort of party or event and the days are pretty full too.
I imagine over the next 6 days, my posts are likely to get less frequent because I don't think many of the readers of this journal are particularly excited about me hanging out with fellow sci-fi geeks and 'meeting the stars'. However, I'm good, enjoying myself (as everyone suggested I would) and looking forward to coming home next week.
Ed: Now 12 people. ;) |
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| Vancouver, BC |
[Jul. 24th, 2005|06:31 pm] |
Well, I'm here... at the con... supposedly the grand finale of the whole trip where I meet loads of people and have a ball... and it's the most lonely and down I've felt yet. I've met up with the volunteer coordinator who seems nice enough but I get the feeling she's part of an inner circle that I'm never going to make it in to. Being just outside an inner circle is the worst place to be - you've got more access than 'the masses' so you are a little excluded by them but, equally, you're not really in either.
I've managed to get my laptop powered up (by buying a cable that cost a small fortune) so that's one thing sorted at least. I don't think I realised how much I relied on my laptop to keep me company over the last few weeks until it died. Sad, I know but I guess we each have different crutches.
So, here I am. I'm sure my views will change over the week but right now, I'm questionning what all the fuss is about and why I'm spending a small fortune being here when I could be at home with Simon planning a nice evening out for our 5th wedding anniversary. It really doesn't seem like the sort of thing worth missing an anniversary (even if only by a few days) for. There's only going to be 250-ish attendees which is *tiny* - I thought this con was supposed to be enormous! Still, at least that means more quality time with the guests... although the hope that someone vaguely Stargatey might turn up doesn't appear to be happening. Well, actually, Teryl's coming along to Sekh's Party 6 which should be good.
The absolute killer thing for me though is that all the extra little workshops such as the one being run by Lani Tupu seem to cost an additional $35 each?!?! WTF?! I think I may be getting into these for free as the mic-runner - I hope so!
Hmm - having now got to the end of my rant and gone and checked out the website, I feel a little better.
I'm still missing Simon terribly and I can't believe I chose to be here for our anniversary but, I'm here now, I'll have a good time, I'll learn quite how much I enjoy being at home with hubby and this time next week (almost), I'll be packing my bags ready to get on a plane back to him. :)
In the meantime, I've decided not to fork out the small fortune to enable a Canadian SIM for my mobile. Instead, I can make free calls from my room and will be doing so whenever possible. In the meantime, people are welcome to call me. I'm on +1 604 273 7878 (Room 276) should anyone wish to call me. :) I *think* there's even a messaging service. There's no point in leaving a message on my US number because I won't be able to pick it up. And there's already one on there - I'm assuming Simon but if it's someone else (Keeley?) apologies. |
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| Vancouver, BC |
[Jul. 24th, 2005|03:15 pm] |
Aaargh - my laptop power adaptor seems to have stopped working. Also, my mobile doesn't work in Canada either. Will hopefully rectify both sometime soon but, if not, I'm safe and well and with people I (sorta) know so no need to worry about me.
Will write up the trip when I get the technical stuff sorted. |
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| Seattle, WA |
[Jul. 23rd, 2005|10:21 pm] |
Well, my last day in the US has been lovely.
It started very slowly again with me only making it out of my hotel at around midday but I still managed to pack a fair amount in to it.
First up was the Science Fiction Museum. It was pretty good but I think you'd have to work quite hard to persuade me to go to yet another one now. There's a limit to how many replica phasers you can look at. :) The bit I enjoyed most was the little bit about science fiction fandom. Did you know that both Ray Bradbury and Isaac Asimov started as fanfic writers? :) It also talked about how the SF community is the most accepting community out there and I agree, I'm really looking forward to the con.
Next was the distinctly un-touristy thing of getting a haircut. I've not had much chopped off but it looks much better than it did before. I need to try to find myself a hairdresser in Bristol.
The Underground tour that I did at the end of the day was excellent. Both it and the Ride the Ducks tour were both 90 minute tours of Seattle - and that's about where the similarity ends. This was heavy on the talking and there was no YMCA. :) The whole of the downtown area was originally one floor further down and now it's all underground. There's a whole reason and history behind it but I'm too tired to explain now. Needless to say though, I really enjoyed it and I even bought the book that goes with it.
Dinner was at the rotating Sky City restaurant at the top of the Space Needle. It was an excellent view but to be perfectly honest, the food wasn't that great considering how much it was. It was the usual thing that the parents talked about when they were here that there were just too many strong flavours mixed together. It was beef tenderloins marinaded in something peppery, with garlic mash, a blue-cheese topping and mushrooms with their own sauce as well. All nice enough flavours in themselves but a bit OTT all together. |
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| San Francisco, WA |
[Jul. 23rd, 2005|04:22 pm] |
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Oh, and by the way, I managed to get $50 out of Hertz for the key saga - I'm pretty pleased with that seeing as it wasn't really their fault. |
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| Seattle, WA |
[Jul. 22nd, 2005|10:00 pm] |
Well, today was a slightly slower day than others, I spent most of the morning on the Internet and chilling in the library. In the afternoon, I went to a food and wine festival in the centre near the Space Needle which was good. There's this excellent fountain sculpture there and there were loads of kids playing there. The aim seems to be to get in as close as possible to touch the sculpture without getting wet - it was excellent fun to watch. I also hung around and watched a couple of bands. Everyone of every age seemed really happy and comfortable to get up and dance, I've decided I like Seattle even though I haven't seen much of it and I'm not that impressed with my hotel.
This afternoon, I had what I believe to be the most surreal experience of this trip. I went on a tour called "Ride the Ducks" which is one of these tours where the vehicle can go on water and land. The guy running it was so painfully upbeat the whole time and laughed at all his own jokes... no-one else did... and he kept putting on this terribly cheesy music. There also wasn't as much content on the tour as I was expecting. Still, when I wasn't cringing, I was fighting hysterics at how truly terrible it all was so I guess that's good. ;)
Tonight, I fancied something easy so I went to see Charlie and the Chocolate Factory at the IMAX close to here. Wow, those screens are big! I don't know if it's out in the UK yet. I quite enjoyed it but I think my heart will always be with Gene Wilder's Willy. Now *there's* something you don't say every day.
I finished off all the Doctor Who books a couple of days ago. No spoilers but I ended up reading them in reverse order of enjoyment for me. The first was the weakest and the last the best: The Clockwork Man, The Monsters Inside, Winner Takes All. Sorry Michelle, gave you the duff one - didn't know that at the time. ;)
I'm now reading Bill Bryson's 'The Lost Continent' which, of course, is particularly relevant to this trip. I'm enjoying it so far - he's rather cruel but very witty and well observed. My only concern is that, as with 'Notes from a Small Island', it'll start to get a bit repetitive towards the end.
Tomorrow, I plan to have another fairly quiet day. I'd like to do the 'underground' tour of Seattle if that's possible during the day. I also feel I ought to go to the Science Fiction museum as that has been a sort-of theme on this trip. Finally, I've booked myself into dinner in the restaurant at the top of the Space Needle for sunset (my last sunset in the US). |
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| Ack... |
[Jul. 22nd, 2005|05:53 pm] |
What is this wet stuff coming down from the sky in droplets?!?!
:)
I think today is going to be a lazy day, we'll see. |
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| Ferry to Seattle, WA |
[Jul. 22nd, 2005|12:22 am] |
Well, the road trip bit of the trip is almost over. Once we dock in Seattle, I'll be driving it to the airport getting it there around 40 hours early - I wonder if I'll get a refund. I hope I do, but, either way, it's just going to be a hassle to keep.
I've got two days and a bit in Seattle to do some sightseeing and I figure I'll head to Vancouver on Sunday morning. Apparently there's a ferry but it seems a bit too much like a pfaff so I'm going to go back to the first plan of catching a coach. Must remember to get a seat on the right because I think that'll be the side with the views.
Today has been a lovely drive around the Olympic National Park. There were plenty of stunning views to take pictures of and a got to do a nice little walk up to the top of a ridge for a bit of exercise and more wonderful views. I, of course, drove back down the mountain/hill with the top down. Seems only right.
The car has really made this trip special. I'm not actually a big fan of driving but it's been so easy. I will find out the exact mileage when I drop the car off but I think I've averaged over 200 miles a day for the last 2 weeks - and it really hasn't felt that much. Cruise control is very cool and *wow* it can accelerate when you want it to. :) And my iTrip/iPod combo has been great to listen to music whenever I like although it's been lovely just to cruise with the top down listening to the hum/roar of the engine and smelling all the flowers and trees. It's also kinda fun to have people compliment me on the car - something that'll never happen normally as I can't imagine ever owning anything flashier than my Peugeot.
No doubt, I will have more reflections in general to add at points over the next week but I really have enjoyed this trip so far. It's been a really great way to 'finish off' this stage of my life and I'm well and truly ready for the next one - starting a family.
*watches half her audience run away* :) |
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| Seattle, WA |
[Jul. 21st, 2005|07:26 pm] |
I'm really hungry but eating involves going out which also involves having a shower.
Hmmmm...
I was a little sad to say goodbye to the car but now at least I don't have to worry about it. At one point, I considered going for something a little cheaper and more low key - I'm glad I didn't. :) |
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| Forks, WA |
[Jul. 20th, 2005|08:58 pm] |
Yup - the place is called Forks - didn't seem strange until I typed it. And, no, it's not at a series of forks in the road - there's only the one road and it goes straight through the middle.
Today has been a strange day overall. A lot of it has been driving. Today is the first day that I've actually felt a little rushed. Other days, I've kept moving but stopped if I wanted to see something. Today, there were a couple of things I quite fancied but I felt I had to keep piling the miles on to be able to get to Seattle by tomorrow. I still don't know if that was the best plan but I do know that I'm ready for the big city and Vancouver and the con and seeing friends.
There were only two tourist spots today. This morning, I stopped off at the Tillamook Cheese Factory. A surreal choice, I admit but it was fun and I fancied some cheesy, okay?!? :). I'm sure the way they make their cheddar isn't the way we make it... however, the thing that got me most was that we got to see the factory floor. I just can't get over the jobs that these people do. There was this cool machine that separated the cheese blocks out based on whether they weighed the correct amount. It looked like it was done using the inertia of the blocks themselves. The ones on the outside lanes were the ones that were too light. Then, it was the job of a couple of people to place a spare strip of cheddar on to the top of the block and place it back on the belt. It was just hypnotic to watch this and after a while, it sunk in quite how dull this job must be... it's hard to comprehend it. I've been very lucky that the most mindless job I ever had to do was checkout girl - that was positively taxing in comparison.
In the afternoon, I went to the Hoh Rainforest which was lovely but, as usual with rainforests, full of mozzies so I didn't hang around there long... and now, on to the part of the day that was strange. It was actually before the rainforest.
I made the decision this morning to head for a little hostel in the middle of nowhere called the Rainforest Hostel. It looked super-cheap and therefore, likely to be a little scummy but, spurred on my very true comments of hubby (and past experiences when we were travelling in South America) I decided it was a good way to meet people. However, when I got there, it was only myself, the slightly odd owner and some other guy that I never met who was apparently staying for a week, arrived by bus, had been travelling for two years, didn't really talk to anyone and was camping out rather than staying in one of the many free beds.
I'd already paid my $9.50 before I actually got to look around the place. The sheets came off a big pile of sheets and didn't scream cleanliness. The bathroom was dark and dank. The beds had stained mattresses and the whole place stank of garlic and mildew. All of that could have been dealable with if there had been a bunch of people there but it was me and two strange guys, no locks on any doors in the middle of nowhere. As I drove away to go to the Hoh Rainforest, I was obviously already considering not staying as I'd not unpacked any of my stuff. On the way back from the Rainforest I made the decision, I'd been having more and more bad vibes. I decided that, for the sake of a fiver, I'd keep going to Forks and book in to the easy choice of a motel.
So, I chickened out of what could have been an adventurous interesting experience, or I chose a nicer, safer, easier option. I feel I made the right decision - it's one of those things I'll never know.
Interestingly, having just done a quick web search I got this page up: http://www.hostelz.com/display.php/26972+Rainforest+Hostel - some very mixed reviews. Confirms my feelings a little more. |
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| Newport, OR |
[Jul. 19th, 2005|10:55 pm] |
And so on to today. I set off a little late from Brookings because it turned out to be the perfect place to do some laundry - towns that are a specific size are big enough to have a laundromat but small enough to find it easily. I finally got on the road at around 11am - too late really. Today's goal was to a) get across Oregon if at all possible and b) to see the dunes. I managed the second one of these.
The dunes were amazing - we've seen some bigger ones (Peru and Namibia) but it was still very cool to see these dunes so close to the big forests. There was supposed to be a trail at the one I went to but I completely lost where it was and just went for a cool wander across the dunes. They were so empty and it was so windy (see - same spelling?!?) that the experience was actually a little scary even though I knew exactly where I was and how to get back.
After the dunes, it was time to stop for lunch. I chose a town that I can't even remember the name of now and had a basic pizza at a place that's probably a chain. I got chatting briefly to the guy who worked behind the counter. We talked about where I was from and where I was heading. He said that he'd never been further than some town in Washington (about 300 miles away-ish). Makes you think... and makes me realise quite how lucky I am.
Time was getting on now but I suddenly discovered I had a signal on my mobile, something I hadn't had for days. I had 11 messages in total across the two phones (US and UK) - I feel loved. I managed to have a quick chat with Simon although not for long because I had to call his mobile. I also rang the bank because they wanted to check that my credit card was being used in the States validly - they're good like that. While I was waiting for them to call me back (also very good - I can thoroughly recommend First Direct) I thought I'd quickly see if I could get a wifi connection on my laptop. Lo and behold, sitting in the middle of a garage forecourt, I got a weak but useable signal... was most amused. Spoke briefly to Keels and Sel just because I could and then shut it all down and got back in the car for more driving.
The second and final touristy stop for the day was the Sea Lion Caves. This is an enormous cave that you can access via an elevator from the top. It was amazing to watch these creatures for a while and see how they interact.
I'm now in a middle-sized town called Newport. I'm not as far up the coast as I would have liked but the hostel I was hoping to stay in further up was pretty-much full when I rang them anyway - and I wouldn't have gotten there before 9pm - darn-slow-speed-limits-I'm-sticking-to-100%! :) I went to a bar for a quick drink but I didn't feel 100% comfortable there as a woman all by myself and it didn't seem the sort of place where I could get my book out. I left there and grabbed a bite to eat around the corner and now, I think it's really time to go to bed.
Tomorrow, it's another early start to try to get to the Olympic National Park in Washington. I imagine I'll try to stay somewhere near/in the park and then drive to Seattle the day after that. This will give me 2 to 3 days in Seattle; I wonder if I can get a refund on the unused day/days of the car? I've already picked up a leaflet and have a bunch of things I want to do. I may try to book some of it in advance to avoid disappointment. Even though I'm actually only just over half-way through this trip, it already feels like it's coming to the end... and I'm actually not that sad about it. I'm really enjoying myself but I'm looking forward to getting back to the husband and the house... and whatever pet we decide to get. :)
Ed: This should have gone out last night but obviously didn't make it. |
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| Newport, OR |
[Jul. 19th, 2005|10:32 pm] |
Wow - so much to catch up on and I'm shattered. I may try to at least do a little bit tonight.
Yesterday was a a very full day in many ways... and it was a day of lessons learned!
I left Fort Bragg pretty early because I wanted to get as far as possible and make good time. This proved to be a very good way of going about things and I'm going to do the same thing tomorrow morning. The main goal of the day was to see the redwood forests up the coast. One of the first stops was the "Drive-thru-tree" which was excellent fun. It's so tight that I had to climb out of the back of the car and run around to the front of the car and tree to get the shot. Someone kindly took a picture of it with me in the driver's seat as well. I popped in to the kitsch gift shop but didn't get anything.
Soon after the tree, there was a stop at a cheesy place where 'gravitation doesn't behave normally!' or... they built a house wonky so it makes all your senses a bit screwed up. Sadly, several of the exhibits required at least 2 people so I was in and out of there fairly quickly. Still, tick in the box.
After that, it was just a leisurely drive through the forest along the 'Avenue of Giants' looking up at these amazing trees. It's really quite difficult to grasp the size of them in photos or even while there. The roads are so windy (how do you spell that?!?) that I spent most of my time looking at the road and only seeing the trunks of these beasts.
Time for lunch - and a quick stop at a restaurant where you can 'eat like a lumberjack!' It's essentially a fixed menu all-you-can-eat meal - I didn't even make it to desert!
After lunch, I decided I was a bit redwooded-out and instead, headed to Patrick's Point State Park. This was absolutely the highlight of the day, partly because it was so unexpected. There's nothing out of this world about it, there are just some beautiful views a short stroll from the carpark out to sea. I found it very relaxing and invigorating. What was supposed to be a quick 20 minute photo-stop turned into almost 2 hours of peaceful walking. Lovely. After that, it was back on to the 101 and on to the drama of the day.
The 101 is a 2 to 6 lane road that runs most of the way up the coast. In Oregon, the maximum speed is 65 mph... even on completely empty bits in the middle of nowhere with 3 lanes to play with. All of this pre-amble is because I feel I need to explain why I was very naughtily going around 77 mph down a stretch of road and got pulled over by a traffic cop. Oooops.
The guy told me he clocked me at 74 mph (will explain the difference in a minute) and could he see my paperwork etc. etc. etc. I was very flustered (having never been in trouble with the law and now I go and do it in a foreign country where the police carry guns!!!) and explained a lot of the paperwork was in the trunk. I got out of the car, went to get the paperwork and apologised profusely to him about the speeding, coming up with some story about being on cruise control and not having that on cars in the UK. In the end, he let me off with a verbal warning and drove off. I got back in the car, more than a little stressed and after a moment, went to start the car... where were the keys?!
I'd only gone and locked them in the boot.
Bollocks.
You would have thought a flashy car like a Mustang convertible would have the design element on it that stops you from locking your keys in it. Hell, it's nigh-on impossible to do it on my cheapy Peugeot 206. Nope, on this car - put the keys down in the boot, close the boot and voila - you're screwed. There's no lever or button to open it from the outside... although there is something *inside* the boot should you lock yourself or your children in there! If only there were a way to train the keys to use the lever. Sigh.
After 10 minutes of trying and failing to work out a solution reading the manual and everything, I used the roadside callbox (conveniently where I had been stopped) to call the emergency services feeling very stupid. After various conversations trying to find a way to open it and an explanation of the fact that I was a lone girly, they said they'd send out someone to look after me... and who turns up but my friendly traffic cop. :)
We pfaffed around for a bit longer and he couldn't find any way to open it. Then we got a locksmith along (after 40 minutes of chatting about everything under the sun - he has 3 boats and 2 kids - in that order!) who also couldn't find the fabled lever. We were kinda pleased that we hadn't just been crap. Eventually, about one and a half hours after the whole saga had started, we were into the boot/trunk with a new key that the locksmith cut after getting the relevant numbers off the hire-car company. The bill was *big* but smaller than the speeding ticket would have been. It was at this point I overheard him talking to the locksmith - he'd actually clocked me at 77mph... this is when the locksmith, who I later found out had a long history of speeding tickets said that going more than 10 mph over the speed limit was actually a felony... I'm not so sure about this, but it's possible there was a reason that the cop said he clocked me at only 9mph over the limit.
I decided to get a quick photo for posterity. There can't be many people who get a photo of the cop who does them for speeding.
Thus ends the drama of Vicky speeding in the US, which she will never *ever* do again! I feel very stupid and almost didn't write this up but I feel it's a good story even though I'm sure it'll get me some disapproving looks from several people.
I also learned that they keep spare sets of keys under the material in the boot so I now have a spare set of keys to hand should I be so stupid as to lock the keys in the boot again. Mind you, it's *so* badly designed, I may write a letter to Ford and/or Hertz and see if I can get my money back. There's no harm in trying.
Because of all this, I didn't get as far up the coast last night as I would have liked but I made it to a fairly nice town - Brookings - and crashed for the night, pretty shattered. |
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| Fort Bragg, CA |
[Jul. 18th, 2005|07:16 am] |
Yay! I've ordered myself an Emerald City Omelette - this whole place is Wizard of Oz themed. :)
Wow - I've got a lot to catch up on and I'm not even sure I'll manage it all this morning because I really need to cover a lot of ground today.
Yesterday, I left San Francisco a bit peeved. I was annoyed at myself for getting sunburnt the day before (I have a horrible feeling that, despite slathering it with moisturiser morning, noon and night, it's gonna peel - probably just in time for Gatecon!). I was also very peeved at the garage I'd stored the car in. I had been assured that it maxed out at $29... oooooh nooo - $75 later I finally got the car out... grrrrr. Ah well, live and learn. On the bright side I found my favourite bra that I thought I'd lost in the boot of the car, it had obviously just fallen out when I was doing one of my many rummagings on the road. I'm very pleased, not only because I would have struggled to buy a good replacement but because it means that my packing system works and I still haven't lost anything. :)
Sadly, the drive through Golden Gate Park was harder than it should have been because they'd shut off a bunch of roads for the Aid Walk later that day. I finally made it out of SF about 2 hours after I'd left the hotel, looking forward to the smaller towns to come. I tried to catch pictures of the famous Golden Gate Bridge on the way over it and from the other side at the 'Vista Point' - you'll see the results over at the photos! :)
Once on the road, I started to feel a little bit better - not that I was in that bad a mood really in the first place. I also made another important discovery (after munching through half a packet of cookies without even noticing), I'm completely addicted to sugar again. *Sooo* not good. So, it's no refined sugar at all for me for at least a week. It probably explains the general lethargy and moodiness I've had for a little while.
The plan was, and still is to head up the two-lane coastal road - Route 1 as far as I can go before I run out of time. I'd really like to get through the Olympic park to the West of Seattle but, equally, I'd like to spend some time in Seattle. Realistically, that means that, today, I need to cover off the rest of California and a large chunk of Oregon. Hence the very early start.
Yesterday was good in the end. The route along the coast is very twisty so speed is not an option. The views were great - when they weren't covered in mist (which was a lot of the time). I finally made it to Mendocino which is an absolutely beautiful town on the coast with lovely views and pretty streets. I took a bunch of photos, got myself a couple of extra books (Dune - which I haven't read and Bill Bryson's American one) from a second-hand book store and, after an abortive attempt to find somewhere local to stay that was less that $120, I drove 8 miles down the road to Fort Bragg. Here, it's *much* cheaper. I managed to check in to a Super 8 motel for less than $70 including tax.
Then, in the evening, I went back to Mendocino. There's a music festival on there at the moment. I went to see a concert of the music of young Brahms together with a narration of where the works came from between each of them. It was *freezing* - outdoor marquee - but the music was lovely and I'm going to have to get one of them from iTunes to remember it by.
Finally, on the way back to Fort Bragg, tired and very cold, I *did* do what I'd planned to earlier which was to stop and open the roof to look at the stars. (This is the first time I've been driving at night.) However, the moon was pretty full and I wasn't comfortable about moving too far from the road so it wasn't as good as it could have been. Perhaps another time.
So, that's about it - I'm sure I've missed out loads (and the photos aren't up yet) but it'll have to do for the moment because I've eaten my breakfast and I have to get on the road. Perhaps I should have treated myself to a dictaphone like F had to allow me to do updates as I go. |
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| San Francisco, CA |
[Jul. 17th, 2005|04:04 am] |
It's my final night in San Francisco and I feel I ought to be going out... but I'm tired, a bit sunburnt (slap-wrist) and generally up for staying in. I may yet make it out, we'll see how it goes.
Today was good - went out for a stroll/hike (around 6 1/2 miles) further north from San Francisco with 'Bob's Hikes'. I confess that I've been on better treks and I've also been with more professional companies but the guy that ran it (I was the only one doing today) was really lovely and we had a good old chat while we were walking. We also went for a beer at the end in a really excellent little bar. I'd love to go back there in the evening for food and music but I've no clue where it is.
So, tonight, I'm staying in, working out where I'm going tomorrow and from there onwards. The second half of the trip was always a little less clear. I've got a few places that I've been recommended but the *most* recommended place has been Seattle so I think I'll be doing a lot of driving to get nice and far up the coast sooner rather than later. The only thing that really appeals is the Redwoods forests and, possibly Crater Lake other than that, there'll just be a lot of coastal driving cruising while looking out at the sea.
I have a horrible life. :) |
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| San Francisco, CA |
[Jul. 15th, 2005|10:43 am] |
What a difference a few hours makes. Only this morning, I was feeling a little down... not lonely so much as alone. I spoke to Simon, which, of course, cheered me up but I was still very aware that I haven't really met very many people while travelling - well, none that I've actually been able to engage with. One of the problems is that, despite my sociable nature, I quite often don't just talk to random people unless we've got something at least in common. Secondly, it's just not easy to strike up a conversation with a stranger as a lone woman.
I was also a bit peeved in general with San Francisco - everything seems to be just slightly more work than I was expecting. All minor things but they were kind of bugging me this morning. One of the things that was frustrating me this morning as I chatted on the phone with Simon was that according to the notice board, I may not be able to go to Alcatraz until Sunday! As it was, I managed to get the last ticket on a boat that left just over an hour later. Another time where being a solo person got me on to something earlier/at all. :) I went off to have a spot of lunch and treated myself to a glass of wine with my salad.
After that, it was back to the queue to wait for the boat. I was standing just in front of a group of American ladies and a big bunch of French people tried to push in. I wasn't going to say anything until the Americans spotted it and they were a bit peeved... then I said something to the French and made them go to the back of the queue like everyone else. The Americans were very pleased and I couldn't resist saying "And we beat them to the Olympics too." which they didn't get at the time but it didn't really matter. :)
I got chatting with them and they said I should join them - they worked for the American equivalent of the National Trust and they were going on a free behind-the-scenes tour of Alcatraz. :)
The tour turned out to be excellent - we got to go to all sorts of places that everyone else didn't and found out lots of extra little bits of information. I got chatting to them further, of course, Karen, Karen and Leslie. They'd been in town for a convention they were speaking at.
Alcatraz is amazing. I've been Robben Island Prison (where Nelson Mandela was imprissoned) and it was completely different. In hindsight, perhaps it's obvious as Alcatraz was designed as a prison for sociopaths and Robben Island was actually pretty mild. Alcatraz was so overwhelming. Everything was old and dirty and intense. There were bars *everywhere* and, in some ways it was even worse that it was so close to the mainland. Apparently, if the wind was blowing the right way, it was possible to hear parties and smell food cooking on the mainland.
After the tour, we all went back to the mainland and had some dinner. It was so nice to actually have a meal out with someone other than a book! :) Now, I'm back in the room chilling but feeling happy about it because I did some fun stuff today. I *may* try to last to midnight to buy Harry Potter but probably not. Tomorrow, I'm going on a hiking trip somewhere near here. I'm really looking forward to it.
I'm going to stay one more night tomorrow night and then probably go for a big drive the following day. I keep hearing good things about Seattle so I think I'm going to try to get there one day earlier than the schedule currently suggests. I may also be able to take the car back a day early which will save a chunk of money. |
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| (no subject) |
[Jul. 14th, 2005|10:25 am] |
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Aaargh... e-mails not going and battery about to die! Will try again tonight. |
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| Tahoe City, Lake Tahoe, NV |
[Jul. 14th, 2005|10:04 am] |
Well, last night was the first night I've felt a little down but I think it was avoidable. Basically, I stayed in and watched telly (kinda the plan) and ate waay too much pizza (not the plan at all). I woke up at 4am not feeling completely well and a little lonely... and peeved with myself for not going out. But, at the same time, I'm feeling a little travel-weary today. I've managed to do and see so much, and that was always the plan, but it's kinda hard work. :)
Still, it's all relative - instead of being 100% happy, I'm only 85%. :)
Yesterday was another good day. I did the relatively short drive (probably only 100 miles) from Genoa over the mountains to the coast of Lake Tahoe. This lake is enormous - 72 miles around the outside. Am I'm driving most of it. It really is beautiful although, sadly, the combination of the scale of it and the fact that they won't let you stop and park to take pictures easily means it's hard to describe/show you.
On top of getting to the coastal place I spent last night, I also managed to fit in a walk, a swim and a boat trip. The first was around a little lake South of Lake Tahoe called Spooner lake. It was absolutely beautiful and the 2.1 mile walk was just perfect given the heat. Next, it was back in the car and round to a beach that had been recommended to me - Sandy Harbour. It was truly lovely - fine sand and shallow crystal clear waters and, of course, none of that nasty sticky feeling when you get out because it's fresh water. I went for a bit of a swim over to a rocky outcropping and did some 'jumping in' games with some kids and then swam back. As usual, I got talking to someone who thought it was very brave that I was travelling by myself. It used to worry me a bit that I was missing something when people were surprised and worried for me when they found out it was just me but I'm getting kind of used to it now. I wonder if I would get that reaction from people in other countries or if there is a more fear pushed upon Americans, especially at the moment.
Finally, after pfaffing around a bit to find a room that was cheap but still okay, I decided that I needed to squash something else in to the day so I went on a short boat cruise around a bit of the lake on the 'Tahoe Gal'. Very pleasant and, I'm afraid, I spent quite a bit of time just reading on it. The views are lovely but I'd seen it a lot by this stage.
Anyway, I've only got about 1/2 hour of battery life left on the laptop so I'd better make sure that this gets posted along with the photos. Today, it's off to San Francisco for a couple of days. At the moment, the plans are: Alcatraz, shopping, posting stuff, and watching the season premieres of Stargate SG-1, Stargate Atlantis and Battlestar Galactica. I'm so sad! :) |
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| Genoa, NV |
[Jul. 12th, 2005|06:24 pm] |
Yay! Another day done. Not quite so much driving today (probably around 300 miles) but in some ways it was harder because it was just so damn hot! I stopped at a garage... sorry - gas station to fill up and the thermometer said that it was 94 in the shade!!! I may have to rethink my plans to do some trekking around Lake Tahoe, there's no way I could do much if it's gonna be that hot. I've found myself a lovely little inn in a tiny place called Genoa which was, apparently, the first settlement in Nevada. I'm very tempted to just chill and stay here a couple of nights and explore Lake Tahoe from here. We'll see how I feel in the morning.
Today had a few nice moments - I went to see some petroglyphs that the guidebook said was amazing but I wasn't that impressed - it was only later on re-reading it that I realised I'd gone to the wrong site. Doh! Still the walk was very nice and the views were amazing. Other than that it's just been driving and chatting with a few people in the little towns on the way. I left Eureka quite late this morning, there's something to be said for heading out early. Oh yes, another couple of things I did was to find 'The Loneliest Phone' although I'm afraid I didn't make a call because it only took credit cards and didn't give any idea as to charges... and I didn't know who to call at that time anyway! I also went to 'Sand Mountain' which is the enormous dune in the middle of nowhere. The guidebook suggested it was a half-hour stroll to the top but one look at it (I am, oddly, fairly experienced at dune-climbing) told me that was a gross underestimate and we were looking at at least an hour each way - at 2pm in the searing heat, I thought not. I got chatting to some Yanks there that had just finished doing some dune buggying. They were lovely... as have all the Americans I've met been. We ended up having to dig both of our vehicles out of the sand, most amusing. Don't stop driving!! :)
Now, I think I'm gonna go back to sipping my wine on my balcony watching the world go by and just not worry about anything. I'm *so* lucky. :)
ETA: Other thoughts - it's been a week that I've been out now and most of that's been by myself except for the lovely evening with Michelle. And, you know, I'm not feeling lonely at all, I think I can amuse myself for quite a long time before I need to make contact with people. I would consider myself a perfectly sociable person but this trip is confirming that I'm actually very happy to be by myself a lot of the time too. I wonder if I played by myself a lot when I was young?
ETA2: Although I have been speaking to Simon pretty much every day so maybe that discounts the theory. Oh, and I think I've decided that I won't stay another night... this place is lovely but it really is tiny. There's nowhere to eat except indoors at this French restaurant (which is still boiling at 8pm!) or getting take-out at Wally's which is 2 miles down the road... and I'm too drunk to drive to now... and I can't face an hour's walk for a bit of pizza. So, I'm going to have another spectacularly healthy meal. Today I have eaten:
Breakfast: Tea, Cereal, Sweet Pastry thing
Lunch: Crisps, Frozen Yoghurt
Dinner: Crisps, Cookies, Fruit, Wine.
Yay! So balanced. :)
Will have to eat properly tomorrow. |
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| Eureka, NV |
[Jul. 11th, 2005|07:59 pm] |
Well, it's been a really long day but a great one. I was on the road for around 10 hours at least 8 of those driving and I covered over 500 miles... I'm not expecting to have to do that again!
It started waaaay back in Las Vegas with a quick trip to the Luxor hotel which is absolutely amazing... it's hard to describe quite how enormous it is. The inside is the same as the outside - a pyramid in shape. Rooms look into the inside of the pyramid... I can't tell if they look out as well as the whole of the outside is covered in sheets of dark glass.
Then, it was pfaffing around Las Vegas trying to get out of on to the freeway. Eventually managed it and did an *awful* lot of driving to get to Rachel on the Extra Terrestrial Highway. I stopped at the Al'e'inn for a Space Burger... which I ate while reading lots of *very* pro-Republican and gun-law stickers... I didn't dare say much about anything. :)
However, the woman who ran the place said that it was much better to cut back rather than go on because it was longer to go on for where I wanted to go... however, when I actually got to the junction, I couldn't bear driving back 50 miles even if it was technically quicker so I went on... it was an excellent decision in the end.
I ended up at this tiny station called Black Rock Station that literally had gas, snacks and a loo... and a very friendly couple. I explained where I was going and the wife suggested this little pool in the middle of nowhere. I had a little bit of time spare so I headed there. It was absolutely wonderful. It really was in the middle of nowhere, just me, some cows, great views and perfect clear, warm water. Truly one of the best experiences I've had yet. :)
After that, there was just a hell of a lot more driving. I could have done 36 miles on dirt track or 100 miles on road and I chose the latter. It obviously took a lot longer but I didn't have to worry about blowing a tyre on a road that had next to no traffic.
I finally made it here to Eureka, a tiny town in the middle of nowhere but very lovely. The hotel room has cost a lot more than I was expecting but it's very nice and suitably safe.
I went out for a meal tonight and met up with one of the fire-fighter team guys in the bar. He offered to buy me a drink which I accepted and I then proceeded to carefully drop in the 'husband' thing in case he a) hadn't seen the ring and b) was hoping the drink might mean a date. Once I'd felt I'd got that out of the way, and also bought a round, we had a good chat about lots of things although I steered carefully around politics as I don't want to uneccessarily offend anyone.
Overally, this trip continues to be excellent with highlights every day.
Tomorrow, I need to get the car checked out as I was leaking a bit of anti-freeze when I had to stop for a while for some roadworks and then it's on to Lake Tahoe. The south route has a lovely road through a canyon so that sounds like a plan. Am pretty sure there'll only be around 200-300 miles of driving tomorrow, which is good. Oh, and tomorrow should also see the loneliest phonebox and Sand Mountain - a dune that apparently it's worth strolling to the top of. I've also found that I can have the roof down if I wear a hat and my denim jacket... even though it's around 100, going at 70 miles an hour gives enough of a breeze to keep me cool and I'm not having to use precious petrol on air-con. |
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| Las Vegas, NV |
[Jul. 11th, 2005|07:01 am] |
Wow!
Was about to go to the gym... I don't know if I've mentioned this before but I've made a promise to myself to go to the gym in every hotel that has one... but I've just found out that this one costs $20 a day to use!!! I think not.
So, it's off and out of Las Vegas and, at this rate, I should be in the car and driving by 7:30am, which is great. |
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| Las Vegas, NV |
[Jul. 11th, 2005|12:04 am] |
Yay! Had an excellent evening... in the end.
Went out on to The Strip to try to catch some of the nightlife... Las Vegas is insane! And I don't know if I've said quite how big it all is yet. For example, my room number is 5 digits long! The first two tell you my floor... there's more than 9 and the second three tell you my room number... there's more than 99!
Other random thoughts - our limo driver dirver this afternoon was called "Shag"... most amused.
I'm sure I wrote an entry for today... *goes off to look*. |
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| Las Vegas, NV |
[Jul. 10th, 2005|07:59 pm] |
I can't believe I haven't written about the show I went to see on my last night in LA... it was absolutely wonderful. It's called "Wicked" and it's about the Witches of Oz - specifically, the Witch of the West and Glinda the good and what they got up to before Dorothy came along. The show was funny, knowing, spectacular and just great fun all the way through. It was wonderful to get a different take on the story of the Wizard of Oz.
The story of me getting in is rather special too. I got there with about 1/2 hour to go to curtain up and I went straight to the ticket booth and asked if there were any spare tickets. The lady looked at me a little funny and pointed to the *enormous* cancellations queue. Sigh... looks like I wasn't going to get in. Still, I figured I didn't have anything else planned so I might as well stand in line and see what happened. With about 5 minutes to go and me disappointedly starting to work out what I could do with the evening instead, someone came along the line and said - "Does anyone want a single ticket?". Me me me!!!
So, I managed to get the ticket at cost price (still bloomin' pricey but worth it) and it was a great seat. So pleased and I must remember that moment when I'm feeling a bit down and lonely because there is *no* way I would have gotten in to see the show if I'd been with someone else. |
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| Las Vegas, NV |
[Jul. 10th, 2005|06:05 pm] |
Well, the helicopter ride to the Grand Canyon was amazing. The scenery really is awe-inspiring. The next thing to do is to rek it but that would *have* to be done when it's cooler - the helicopter temperature gauge read 112! I'm now at the pool of the hotel for the "Sunday Pool Party"... and it's pretty terrible! :) There music is spectacularly cheesy and there are some rather scary people looking *very* burnt hanging around in and out of the pool.
Tonight, I'm going to head along The Strip and see the lights! |
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| Las Vegas, NV |
[Jul. 10th, 2005|12:14 pm] |
Woo hoo! Currently sitting in the back of a limo (a first, I think) on my way to a Grand Canyon helicopter tour... also very much a first. I've summed up my spending habits today - I paid that bit extra to get the "VIP" tour which includes the limo, a video and a photo and a champagne lunch... then I spent the rest of the morning driving to a laundromat and supermarket on the outskirts of town (which isn't that big) to avoid the extortionate prices for breakfast and laundry in the hotel. I guess what I'm going for is 'maximum adventure'. :) I still havent' really got the hang of Las Vegas bt I'm pleased I made it out to do the boring chores.
Just rang Simon and it was actually a little embarrassing as there are several people in the car with me. It's so lovely to talk to him... the mobile with the calling card is very cool and not bad value considering. |
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| Las Vegas, NV |
[Jul. 9th, 2005|07:05 pm] |
Well, here I am, I made it to Las Vegas and there's a lot to catch up on.
I met up with Michelle yesterday which was great. It's so nice to meet her face-to-face after all of these years. We had a very relaxing evening just watching telly and chatting. I drank waaay too much.
The car is absolutely gorgeous although it's enormous and I haven't really gotten used to the size of it yet. I have a feeling there will be quite a few 'the car's the star' shots! The drive through the desert was amazing, stunning views that I tried (and failed, I think) to capture on the camera. I drove into Las Vegas with the top down which was very cool... or rather not as the temperatures are around 100 in the desert! Soon, I had to put the top back up and the aircon on for fear of getting sun stroke.
Las Vegas, if I'm honest, is a little intimidating. Everything is just so large and on a grand scale. I think I've picked my hotel well though; it's a Star Trek themed one so hopefully packed with geeks just like myself! I am currently sitting in Quark's bar drinking my glass of Klingon Blood Wine (which tastes surprisingly like Merlot) and my Palmerian Blackened Tuna (which seems to be just like seared Earth Tuna!) ;)
I'm sure there are a million and one other things I want to say but my brain is dieing. I think I still ahve minor jetlag so that, combined with around 6 hours of driving has done me in a bit. |
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| LA - Universal City |
[Jul. 7th, 2005|06:33 pm] |
Well, that was good but I'm officially knackered now. I'm going to go back to the hotel, maybe do a quick session in the gym and then try to make it to the theatre. Apparently, it's sold out but it's got to be worth trying to get a single ticket.
The best bits for me were the studio tour with the amazing set from 'War of the Worlds' and the Waterworld show. The Animal Planet Live show was very sweet and the Fear Factor Live was very funny... and a little disgusting. The T2 and the Back to the Future rides were good although I think they're starting to look a little tired. Just like how my feet feel!
Walking through City Walk was a little surreal. I can really imagine future city centres looking like this - very bright and constantly bombarding you with stimulus. |
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| LA - Universal City |
[Jul. 7th, 2005|02:55 pm] |
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Continuing my theme of getting photos taken with cute guys, I've just had a shot taken with a very wet chappy who may or may not be called Ian Patrick Collins and may or may not be in Desperate Housewives! Anyway, he looked nice wet. :) |
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| LA - Hollywood |
[Jul. 7th, 2005|01:26 pm] |
Right... this machine is getting *very* flaky. I hope it survives to the end of the trip.
I've managed to get the first lot of photos online.
At the usual place: http://dotvicky.net/gallery/ |
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| LA - Hollywood |
[Jul. 7th, 2005|11:15 am] |
Cool, just got interviewed by CNN. I burbled quite a bit so I doubt I'll make it on to telly but I got to say my bit. Of course, in hindsight, I wish I's said other things such as how that many people (and the rest) have died in Africa this morning already.
In other news, I pfaffed with the computer quite a bit this morning. Now, I'm off to the Universal Studios tour. Later, I plan to go to the gym and maybe a comedy night that I have a free ticket for. Tomorrow, I get a haircut and go and pick up the car.
Wow, the metro is *really* quiet, I wonder if it's because of what happened/is happening in London. |
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| LA - Hollywood |
[Jul. 6th, 2005|05:25 pm] |
Well, I seem to have found myself another nice bar - the parents really should try the West coast next time.
I *really* enjoyed the LA city tour, much more than I was expecing to. Seeing the stars' homes was particularly good - less for the fact that they had famous people for owners and more because they just looked amazing.
LA is different to any other city I've been to and I really like it. The landsapes are amazing and they've been populated in unique ways. The perfect lawns of Belair. The mud-slide-prone hills of Mulholland Drive. The huge buildings of Century City. The rather lovely 20's buildings in the dodgy downtown areas. The huge freeways. Yup, really enjoying it so far.
I'm sure I'll get lonely be, at the moment, I'm really revelling in the freedom of being able to do exactly what I want to do when.
The hotel I've found is pretty good too. I kinda wish I were staying a couple of nights there. I wonder if there will be many hotels, with the exception of the Best Western in Vancouver, that I'll saty in more than one night. There doesn't seem to be much room in the schedule!
ETA: 18:20 - Excellent, wine from the Montalcino region. Funny to think that the parents are there right now. Am a bit tipsy. :) |
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| LA - All over! |
[Jul. 6th, 2005|10:52 am] |
I've decided to make a few notes on this tour as I go. Firstly our tourguide, Nick, is from Sussex. I feel cheated! :)
- Santa Monica pier is the end of Route 66.
- There are 1 1/2 cars per person in LA and California has the 5th largest economy in the world (I think I knew that second one already but it bears re-mentioning).
- Olvera stree is the oldest street in LA.
- Even at midday, the freeways are busy.
- London won the Olympic bid!
- You can pay ($15,000) to get a star on the Hollywood Boulevard.
Film/TV sets seen:
- Sister Act
- War of the Worlds (the original)
- Pretty Woman
- LA Confidential
- Beverley Hills Cop
- Spartacus
- The Bodyguard
- Fresh Prince of Belair
- Desparate Housewives
- The Island
- The Doors
- Charlies Angels
Stars' Homes:
Britney Spears, Justin Timberlake, Jennifer Lopez, Billy Crystal, Eddie Van Halen, Tom Cruise, Charlton Heston, Jack Nicholson, Leonardo Di Caprio, Julia Roberts, Meg Ryan, John Travolta, Carrie Fisher, Angelica Houston, Matt Le Blanc, Danny Glover, Belinda Carlisle, Leonard Nimoy (yay!), Sally Field, Jennifer Garner, (Shirley Temple), (Clark Gable), Mick Jagger, (Elvis Presley), (Cary Grant), Steven Seagal, (Burt Reynolds), (Frank Sinatra), Elton John, (Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall), Robert Redford, (Drew Barrymore), Sultan of Brunei, Nicholas Cage, Aaron Spelling, Cher, (Mae West).
If you hadn't figured out, those in brackets *used* to live in the house. |
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| LA - Venice Beach |
[Jul. 6th, 2005|09:15 am] |
Well, here I am on Day 2 of the trip. I'm sitting in a great cafe called 'Figtree's Cafe' with my pancakes -
- just had a phonecall from Simon. He can get away with calling the States from work because he's been deaing with them. Very cool. It's really nice to talk to him about mundane things going on on the house.
... my pancakes and tea on their way. Today is the cheesy tour of LA including all the big sites. I'm going to see if I can get them to drop me off in Hollywood where I plan to stay tonight.
One bizarre thing I've noticed is that all the homeless people have loads of possessions on trolleys etc. I wonder why this is different to the UK. |
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| LA - Venice Beach |
[Jul. 5th, 2005|08:26 pm] |
Well, today has been a very successful day and I'm doing pretty well considering it's supposed to be gone 4am according to my body.
Today, I went for a stroll up to the Santa Monica pier which I think is around 3 miles up the beach from Venice Beach. I went on the Ferris Wheel which was good fun and only scary on the first few turns. After that, I traipsed into the shopping area and I manages to get a notepad and pen, a candle and lighter, a mobile phone SIM and a calling card and a Hershey bar which I'm not very impressed with. I've also called AJ which was nice. I may well call her again if/when I get lonely - it's nice to have someone in the right-ish timezone.
I'm now waiting for the shower to become free - there aren't very many in this place. Once I've washed, I think I will venture out for a quick drink if for no other reason to keep me awake for a little longer. It seems fairly unlikely I'm going to make it to wake Simon up but there's always a chance.
I think the cunning plan is that I'll retype these entries inot the computer for a journal or such-like. |
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| LA - Venice Beach |
[Jul. 5th, 2005|04:49 pm] |
Well, here I am. After the saga that was LAX and passport control (2 hours!), the rest has gone swimmingly. The hostel is fairly run-down but the staff seem very friendly (German, I think) and it's excellently located.
I've been for a stroll along the beach which was very pleasant. Now, I'm sitting in a little cafe-bar by the beach watching the world go by with my glass of wine. Very civilised.
My body seems to be doing okay so far with the jet lag considering I shoudl have been in bed for at least a couple of hours. It seems surreal that this morning, I was saying goodby to Simon at Acton Town tube!
Had an amusing moment at the airport this afternoon. There was the 'no parking the red zone announcement' that they have at the start of 'Airplane'. Very funny. That, or I'm easily amused. :)
I think I'm going to have to get myself a notepad to keep a journal in. This is all very well working away on my phone but it's not that practical and a bit conspicuous. |
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| London, UK |
[Jul. 4th, 2005|10:13 am] |
Right, it seems that I *am* going to keep an online journal of this
trip.
Expected trip route (dates - and probably locations - are very rough):
3/5 - Bristol
4/5 - London
5/5 - Los Angeles
8/5 - San Diego
9/5 - Las Vegas
11/5 - Eureka, NV
12/5 - Lake Tahoe
15/5 - San Francisco
18/5 - Humboldt State Park
20/5 - Arcarta
21/5 - ???
22/5 - Seattle
24/5 - Vancouver
2/6 - London |
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