This is Halloween!
Despite the lack of sleep I head out and catch the morning train to Salem for the Halloween day festivities. The train is packed and when I get there the place is heaving!
I was planning on dressing up, but with the hassle of staying at the hostel I decided against it and opted just to wear my Bat T. When I get to Salem I regret and am glad of the decision. About 60-70% of the hundreds of people hear are in costume. Some are simple home made ones (lots of sports costumes and builders), some are cheap rented ones (lots of food theamed ones?) and some are absolutely fabulous (an angel with 6ft wing and a guy with a 8ft high gold dragon!). I feel a little sad that I'm not part of the dressing up club but to be honest I would have been embarrassed next to some of these people.
The streets are full of stalls selling food, new age goods, t-shirts and ones doing professional make-up jobs. Everything is witch-theamed in Salem. The streets are lined with tarot readers, ghost houses and witch museums.
I spend a couple of hours wandering around, drinking spicy hot cider and looking at the people and the town. The buildings a wonderful old New England wooden houses and the pier has a replica of one of the first settler ships and an inspiring view of the estuary. I find a brilliant comic shop and wander through eerie old graveyards.
As it starts to get dark I head over to the Salem Witch Museum to hear about the Witch trials. After the show, I head back to the main street to have some free coca and listen to some free music at the fountain stage. Then it's back onto the packed train and back to the hostel before midnight. Just in case...
Back in Boston
It's raining and overcast when I wake. The day seems to be a washout, but when I leave the hostel there's a crowd of people at the end of the street. In case you didn't know Boston Red Socks won the World Series (that's baseball's equivalent of winning the Champions league) for the first time in 86-year. This is a BIG thing here! Today they are having a parade. They estimate there are 3.5 million people on the streets.
Despite not knowing anything about baseball and not being local, I can't help being caught up in the festivities. I spend the next couple of hours following the crowd around as they chase the players and their families around the city. The team is being driven around in Duck Boats and the lead one is none other than good-old Cpt Foghorn's. I've driven that!
When I get bored of the 'chase', I head over to Fenway stadium to see the local 'hallowed ground'. I find a local mini-mart and get my pictures burned onto CD, as by this time I've reached my limit. As I leave, I'm just in time to see the team in their Duck Boats return to the stadium.
As the weather is still bad, I go looking for a fresh novel to read and then head back to the hostel. There's not many people around, so I head down to pier side for a 'table for one' meal. At The Chart House I have real Boston style Clam Chowder and north Atlantic King Crab. I only got the crab's legs, but by the size of them, I'm glad I didn't see the rest of that monster!
After the meal, I head back to the hostel. While chilling out with my book, I end up in a conversation with a Texan girl called Daleane. We chat until 3am (which is only 2am as the clocks go back) about traveling, jobs, how much the world has changed since we were kids and anything else comes to out sleep addled minds.
Train of Terror
It's another early start. I catch a cab up to the US side train station and head down to Penn Station, NY for my round trip back to Boston; 9-6 Niagara to NY, 7-11 NY to Boston, check in, couple of beers and a good nights sleep.
Everything starts to go wrong when THE MOST obnoxious black woman gets on and sits behind me. After that the world only contains her voice. If she isn't talking loudly to every fiend and family member she has on the phone ("What you up to niger, why you not returning my calls?"), she's commenting on everything ("Well look at the size of these seats, man this is finer than getting the bus"), or talking at everyone that moves ("What you reading? Is is a romance? A thriller?"), or crooning along to her tape player ("Yeah, my broken heart, yeah!"), or cackaling like a witch (defies a written description). Fortunately she discovers the guy opposite from me is also from England and tagets him her 'intentions'. I'm safe for now.
That's when things get worse... I finish my book at about 1pm, just as we get caught in traffic. I know it's a train! We have to wait for an hour for a freight train to pass us on a single line section. As we set off the cafe car closes and our food and drink supply is cut off. Not so bad now, but the story isn't over yet...
When the foghorn behind me wanders off for a while, I chat to the English guy opposite me who's beet talking all the flack. Turns out he's called Ashley and he's from Stockport. We chat about our travels, eBay, the crazy woman and why the train is going so slow...
Then we stop. Apparently the engine has overheated and we can't go anywhere. We will have to wait for an hour until they can tow us to NY. We where currently just outside Poughkeepsie station, that's about 1 and a half hours outside NY. Then the mad woman finds out...
With no engine there's no power, which means no lights. With no forward movement, there's no air-flow and as we aren't at a station, they can't open the doors or let us off. 'Buried alive' springs to mind ... with a banshee! After about an hour they decide they're going to limp to the station. Once there we can at least get off, but there's nowhere to get any food or drink.
After another hour they give us a choice; stay on the Amtrak and they'll make a 'dash' for NY or we can transfer to the local service and pay again to get to NY. Ashley and me decided 'dash' doesn't sound good so we swap trains. The fact that the crazy woman stays on the 1st train, doesn't affect our decision.
By the time we get to the next station the Amtrak train's 'dash' has apparently ended, so the remaining passengers get on to the local. As we now have to stop at every local stop, we don't reach Manhattan until 8.30pm - 30 mins before my last train leaves for Boston. Also, because we're on the local service we end up at Grand Central Station instead of Penn where I need to get my train to Boston. So, Ashley and me hail a Yellow Cab and I have to run through Penn to get a ticket and then to the platform. I make the train with 5 mins to spare.
After a 4 hour train tide to Boston and a cab to the hostel, I check in at 1.30 am. I think I'm going off train travel...
Falling Down
It's time to head south. I catch the early train ... just ... to Niagara Falls. After the delay crossing the border on the way up, I've decided to walk the border. It's a lovely sunny day when I get off the train on the Canadian side of the Whirlpool Bridge. Which means, by the time I've hiked the 45 mins down to the pedestrian crossing at the Rainbow Bridge with my full pack, I'm very smelly and sweaty.
The walk down is pretty though, following the Niagara River (which isn't a river) and kicking up the multi-hued leaves that have fallen on the path. The crossing was easy. Pay your 50c, walk the 10-15 mins across the bridge and show your passport to the customs on the other side.
By now the falls is in full view. The weather is perfect and I can't help being envigored by the sound of the rushing water. I'm too tired and it's too far to walk the hostel on the US side, so I check into a motel.
Once I've dropped my bags, I head off to explore the falls. By now it's 1.30pm, so I decide to stick to the US side. There's plenty to see, so I spend a couple of hours wandering around Niagara Park taking pictures of the three falls. The Maid of the Mist tour has closed for the winter season, but I do get to go up to the observation tower and down to the bottom of the gorge for the Cave of the Winds tour; where I found the end of the rainbow.
As the light starts to fade, I head back to the motel for some Country Fried Steak and a couple of Buds.
Night-time is a bit of a challenge. There really isn't anything on the US side besides the park. So as the hotel seams quiet, I cross the border to the Canadian side and head to the casino.
I wander around the Clifton Hill area. It's full of neon-lit tacky arcades and ghost houses. After spending an hour or so in a Marvel theamed arcade, I walk up to the Niagara Casino and spend a couple of house playing video poker and slots. I did get asked for ID entering the casino which, for a man of my newly advanced years, I took as a compliment. After all that 'excitement', I crossed the US/Canada border for the 4th time and went back to the motel.
Can't think of a title...
I hung around the hostel in the morning waiting for a free bus tour that was setting off at 1pm. Geoff is sleeping off last night, the Scottish girl appears cries off feeling sick and the Ausie girl (Catherine) has to arrange her next plane ticket. So it looks like I'm on my own.
The bus turns out to be a magic bus (a psychedelic painted US school bus) and the driver/tour guide looks a bit wasted. But it's free. The tour taked about 2 hours and we criss cross the city, going further out than I've explored on foot. The guide isn't great (no patch on Cpt Foghorn) but as we travel around I do regret not having more time in the city. The tour ends at a micro-brewery called the Steamwhistle Brewery near the CN tower. A small business based in a re-furbished railway roundhouse.
After doing the brewery tour, I walk across the road to the CN Tour. As the weather is better I go up. The tower is the tallest structure in the world. It's bigger that the Empire State but doesn't have the same attraction. The CN tower is just a big pile of concrete and, although there is a great view from the top, there aren't as many recognisable sights. From the top I call Jay and wish him a happy birthday.
The evening is pretty uneventful. Everyone I hooked up with at the hostel is either hung-over or too tired to do anything. So we get some Taco Bell to go and hang around the hostel taking trash. A quiet end to my two days in Toronto.
Yuk Yuk
As advertised its was only $2 to get in. We sat down and ordered some beers. I drank Upper Canadian Dark which was the only non larger that they served. We sat through 2 hours of students from the local comedy college; where you can get a degree in comedy apparently!?!
A couple of them were good, some of them were ok and there were quite a few how were cringingly bad. Luckily for them one of the tutor in the audience laughted like a maniac to every act. Without him I'm sure a few of them may not have made it home that night ... if you know what I mean.
Then there was another hour or so of semi-pros, topped of with a 'so-called' pro. Some guy I've never heard of who once had a minor part in a film that I've heard of but can't remember. Yeah, that guy!
After this we headed back. Along the way stopped of at an Irish bar and bumped into a couple of other people we recognised from the hostel; a girl from Australia, a girl from Edinburgh and a couple of guys from Mexico. So we stayed there for a couple more drinks before heading off to bed.
Tuesday in Toronto
I decided to walk down the the water front first thing in the morning. I start at the bottom of Younge St, which is the longest street in the world at 1900k. The whole lake side was heavy with fog. There are three islands just of the shore but all I can see is gray. Not a good weather day. I walk along the water front. I figure I might as well use this time to explore, if htere's anything good I can always come bacj tomorrow if the weather is better.
Once I reach the end of the water front I catch one of the trolley cars to head back into town. When I emerge from the train station, the sun is bright and the sky is blue. It's bazaar. The lake is still covered in fog but in the city bright and clear. My day is picking up, at least the weather in town is good for exploring.
I wander up and down Toronto taking pictures of interesting buildings and trying to find a ATM that will accept my cash card. For some reasons the Canadians like the Halifax less than the Americans. I also walk down to the CN Tower, but decide not to go up because of the fog on the lake.
Then I head back to the hostel. I'd picked up a free paper on my travels and found out about a cheap student comedy night. Toobie Tuesday at the Yuk Yuk Club (toobie is the name for the $2 coin in Canada). I bump into Geoff at the hostel and we head of for some beer and laughs...
T-h-e L-o-n-g-e-s-t D-a-y . . .
I arrived at Penn Station NY at 2am. Only a 5 1/2 hour wait for my next train to Toronto! The stations was empty and everything was closed. I must have caught the 'City that never sleeps' napping. Not wanting to hang around with all the tramps, I wandered across to the Pennsylvania Hotel and sat outside a coffee shop for 3 hours reading my birthday book and trying to stay awake.
Once on the train I tried to get some sleep, but NO that's not going to happen! With uncomfortable seats, people wittering all around and some woman tearing paper for about 3 hours I wasn't getting any sleep. The trip was long and draining. Just after I got my energy back from NY too.
Crossing the USA/Canada border was a bit of a joke. We had the get off at the side of the road on the US side so a Border Official could look at my passport and go 'OK, you're fine' and we had to wait at the Canadian side for an hour while their officials wandered through the train and stamped our passports.
Once in Toronto I check into the Hostel and bump into a guy from London. I have a shower to was the 'train' off me and then as it's gone 9pm we decide to get something to eat. We go to a nearby spaghetti place where I got spaghetti and meatballs (plus free soup and tea) for about $10. The we head back to the hostel for sleep. It's at this point I realise I've been awake for 2-days...
Change of Plans
Because I can't get to Toronto from here I've decided to cut my stay in Boston short. I'm going to travel back to NY so I can get the first (and only) train to Toronto. That way I can come back to Boston next weekend for Halloween. Can you spell Salem? : )
The trouble is the NY to Toronto train leaves NY at 7.30am. So, I'm going to spend the day in Boston and get the last train to NY. I'm going to loose 2 days traveling between NY and Toronto (which I'd hoped to do overnight) and I've lost half a a day by traveling to Boston first. Ah well, at least I can say I was in Boston for the 1st game of the World Series. Maybe I'll be here for the 6th and 7th too?
I spent the day exploring Boston. Wandering around Boston Common and the Public Gardens, taking pictures of buildings and statues. After I caught the T over to the Science Museum. I arrived for the last day of the Lord of the Rings exhibition and managed to get the last ticket. Pretty lucky, eh? The exhibit was cool, but there was too much to see - models, paintings, costumes, armour, documentaries...
After that I went on a Duck Tour or the city. DUKWs a WWII amphibious trucks. So we drove around Boston with a driver dressed in a navy uniform called Cpt. Foghorn, pointing out sights and telling us daft stories of Boston. It was pretty funny. Then we splashed into the Charles River for a bit of a sail. I even got to drive for a bit.
The day over I headed back to the hostel to do some washing and get my bags. Then it was of to the train station and out of Boston. Be warned though Beantowners, I'll be back...
Go Socks!
The train ride was 4 hours, which was fine. I'm exhausted. Now I've left NY and the adrenaline has run out I am very tired. I watch the America go past my window, take a nap and finish my novel.
When arrive at Boston South Station about 7pm, I decide to check what the times to Toronto are. This is when I discover that you can't get a train from Boston to Toronto, only from NY. Doh! I never actually thought of that, there are train lines from Boston to Toronto on the maps, but apparently they are all local traffic. Now I have to go back to NY and, as there also aren't any night trains, I'm going to have to send a day each way traveling. I'm going to have to change plans, but it's too late to think about that now...
I check into a hostel near North Station which is over a Hooters bar. The De-stress I go down stairs to watch the Baseball and have a few drinks. This is the first game of the 7-game World Series. The Boston Red Sox beat the NY Yankees to get into it and haven't won for about 90-years. This is BIG stuff to the locals. I have a few beers, chat with the locals and the Sox win. Last orders is 11, which is fine by me. I still need to re-charge my batteries from NY.
Leaving New York
I checked out and stored my luggage. I tried to get the money back they double-charged me but I really don't think the girl on the counter knew what to do. We live and learn, I'll speak to STA when I get back.
I spend an hour in the main post office trying to send a parcel of some of the stuff I've bought and collected back home. That way I don't have to carry it all over the US with me. Whether it ever gets home or if I get stung with customs charges I don't know ... and by the time I leave the place, I don't care.
I went down to Battery Park to see if I could go on the Liberty Island Ferry to see the statue. The queues were massive, so I settled for the view I had the other day on the Staten Island Ferry and the view from the pier. I walked up to Wall St, then caught the Subway up to the hostel, got my stuff and headed down to Penn Station to bet the train to Boston. Goodbye New York...
Birthday
I opened my cards and the one present that I brought with me first thing. Thanks for the cash work guys and girls, very useful since I lost mine last night.
I caught a bus tour of film and TV sights from 51st/Broadway. It was very cool, after walking around NY for days it was good to be able to sit down for a few hours. The girl leading the tour was very knowlagable and full of trivia. I saw loads of places from Ghostbusters, the house from The Cosby Show, Lois Lane's appartment and the Friends building.
After I had something to eat at the Empire Dinner, I made my way across town to the Empire State building. Man, I you don't like queues, tight spaces, long waits or heights -
DO NOT GO to the ESB. After at lease an hour and a half of standing in lines, I made it to the observation deck just in time for sunset. An amazing view, but possibly not worth the wait.
After all the queues of the ESB I was locking for some where to rest. So I went to the pictures near Times Square. I saw a brilliand concert/documentary film about blues - filmed right here at Radio City Music Hall NY, NY. When I Came out I walked across the street to the BB King Bar & Grill. I saw a band called Tower of Power play, had a couple of drinks, some birthday cake and a bit of a dance. Then back to the hostel for sleep. Not a bad birthday...
Pub Crawl
After going back to the hostel, I joined a pub crawl around some local bars with the guys and the girls staying there. I met two girls from Southampton, a girls from Australia and some Royal Navy guys ... one was even from Rochdale. It was a good night, until I got back to the hostel and realised I didn't have my wallet! Disaster! I tried to find the last bar on my own. Failed. Then went back to the hostel for directions. I found the place and my wallet. The money was gone (I probably had $50 left) but at least I've still got my cards. Few!
Out of Town
A little hung-over from last night I had a late start. My list of official tourist stops was still pretty short, so I decided to make up some ground. First stop, the Staten Island Ferry. I caught the Subway to the southern tip of Manhattan and caught the ferry. It's free and runs a 24-hour service (30 mins each way). They are renovation the ferry ports, so they where in a bit of a state. Everywhere I go something is being repaired or renovated. NY is reminding me more and more of Manchester.
The trip was nice. The weather was overcast and a little rainy, but I did get my first sight of Lady Liberty. At the other end I got off and skipped there next return service so I could wander. It's completely different being out of Manhattan. No skyscrapers here and the temperature is freezing. Being between all those buildings and tourists really makes a difference.
After that I caught a bus over to the Brooklyn Bridge to walk across. After ages trying to find an on ramp, it was only a 20 min walk. It was a brilliant view across the East River. And I even saw Gabriel Byrne walking the other way.
After that I caught the Subway over to the World Trade Centre sight. I ended up in the re-build train station that used to be under the tower, which was a little confusing. The place looked just like a building site. Which wasn't particulary interesting. Then I noticed that people had written prayers and messages on the steel security fencing. That brought a tear to my eye...
Smokin'
I went to a jazz club near the hostel called Smoke tonight. It's was only small and pitch black like most bars here. The regular ban where playing and, as they where all Yankee fans, were also watching the baseball on TV at the same time. That shows a certain lever of musical skill I think.
Between sets I chatted to a guy at the bar from San Fran, about beer, politics and music. Then something that's never happened to me before - the bar man bought me a drink! An unusual feeling...
Unfortunately, the previous couple of days caught up with me and I started to drift off at the bar. Time for bed I thought, so I walked back to the hostel.
King of New York
Mostly I shopped today. My first stop though was to go to the Ed Sullivan Theater. You can sign up to get free tickets to watch a filming of The Late Show with David Letterman. I had a bit of trouble proving them with a contact telephone number, so I don't thing I'm going to make the audience. Shame.
I stopped off at the Public Library next. It was closed on Monday and I wanted to see the inside. I had a snack in Bryant Park, next door. The weather is cool and overcast, but at least it's not raining...
After that I headed downtown to buy some comics. Wednesdays is new release day for comics, so I could smell the 'fresh meat' as I got off the subway. I knew the Flat Iron Building was also around here. After wandering around for 15 minutes, I discovered it was right next to the Subway station I got off at. Doh! The comic shop was called Cosmic Comics. According to the guides the best one in NY. It wasn't very big, but well stocked and the staff were friendly. The girl on the till gave me a good suggestion for Halloween. More about that later...
Next I went up to Bloomingdales on a mission. They give foreign visitors an 11% discount and a free gift. Cool! Loaded with bags and comics, I decided to finally find Trump Tower. Why Trump Tower? Firstly I couldn't find it the other day (
I will not accept failure) and the guide says it has a 5-storey waterfall inside. It looks more like 3 to me.
I caught the bus along 59th to check on the David Letterman tickets - no joy. But I did see Rick 'the whale' Waller walking through Times Square
Finally it's back to Jazz to get rid of these bags and get something to eat...
Legal Alien
It was raining when I woke, so I slept in and hung around the hostel until noon. Then I decided I was going to do less walking. I caught the Subway down Central Park West to the Natural History Museum. There I touched billion year-old meteorites and dinosaur skulls, saw skelli-bobs watching telly and planets, and walked darkened rooms filled with every creature on the planet.
After I walked down to 72nd to find strawberry Fields, the section of Central Park dedicated to John Lennon. Not impressed... It just seamed to be a landscaped section of grass. I looked for some sort of memorial or plaque but couldn't find one.
I decided to watch a show on Broadway. You can get cheap tickets from a booth in Times Square, so I headed there. I opted to see Dracula the Musical as it seemed the lest 'camp' of the current crop. With an hour or so to spare I had tea in the Times Square McDonalds.
The show was AMAZING! It was at a theatre called Belasco on West 44th (not physical on Broadway, but officially 'on Broadway'). In the 2-hours I was there; people where flying through the air, diapering through the floor and there was furniture moving on it's own and ladies getting naked. Well woth the $50 I paid for the ticked. During the interval I chatted to a mother and daughter from Minnesota who where on a driving holiday.
After I wandered upto 51st to get a couple of drinks. I ended up at a place called the Heartland Brewery. I sank 1 or 3 Farmer Jon's Stouts while chatting to a Irish salesman who looked like Alfred Molina. Then it was back to the hostel and bed.
Midtown Monday
Todday I went exploring. I got the Subway to 42nd/6th and walked around Midtown. I walked from the NY Public Library (
Shh ... can you smell something?), past Grand Central Station and the Chrysler building and across to the UN building on the East river. There I took the guided tour; I visited the rooms where nations meet and saw a blackened statue from Hiroshima.
Then I went for a Manhattan at the Manhattan Hilton.
From there I walked past St Barts and St Pats to Rockefella Plaza. Where I watched the folks ice-skate on the rink and workers set up TV screens and build a replica Air Force One for a political rally. Then I walked up to Radio City Music Hall and Carnegie Hall. Along the way I saw them laying the red carpet for the premier of Jude Law's new film Alfie. I also tried to find Trump Tower, but failed miserably.
Now I was a little tired. God knows how many miles I walked, but I did walk the equivalent of the width of Manhattan at least twice. With my legs aching I caught a Yellow cab for some dinner, to a place called
Mars 2112 on 51st/Broadway. A very naff sci-fi themed restaurant. After boarding my interstellar transport and traveling 108 years into the future, I ate and drank in the rocky caves of the Red Planet.
After I wandered down to Times Square, where I basked in the neon and plasma glow and burned my leg on some damn steam from a subway grate. Then I headed back to the hostel. I spent the rest of the night drinking free Bass beer (left over from Ollie's 22nd on Sat) and playing cards with two Swedish girls and a guy from South Africa (who was called Llwelyn and part Welsh). Bed called as I started to drift off while chatting to Llwelyn and a Yankee girl who looks just like Emma Brooks. Small world...
A Walk in the Park
I kept things quiet today. After checking in I went for a walk in north Central Park. It reminds me of Hyde Park in London. Lots of kids playing football (not the American kind), couples strolling, LOTS of joggers, cyclists and various people on wheeled footwear.
The evening I spent in the Hostel cafe. Scheming and chatting to people. The guy who was working the counter is called Ollie. He's an art exchange student from North London. I also met a guy from Israel, an Yale student and a girl from Chicago. I bought a cheap Chinese take-a-way and some Boston Brown ale and settled in for a night of gossiping and story-telling.
I didn't sleep well last night. The room was cold and I could hear the street traffic outside (my bed is right next to the window) - I probably had too much Brown Ale too. I've had my bagel breakfast and now I'm off to midtown...
9am NY, NY
Nice!
I've checked into my hostel. It's pretty much what I expected, cheap and cheerful. I got a bit lost on the Subway and had to wander around for a few blocks before I found it. The front of house in nice and ethnic, but the rooms are a bit 'Prisoner Cell Block H'. Not as nice as the Marriot, but a hell of a lot cheaper. I also got charged for my stay? I'm sure I've already paid for this, but there's enough room on my credit card for me to worry about that when I get back.
When I logged onto the web I discovered the blog-by-phone messages I've been sending for the past 24-hours haven't got through. Arse! So I've re typed them. That's something I've got to work on...
Now to make some plans...
3pm NY, NY
All American Breakfast
I stayed at the Marriot last night, a bit expensive ($100) but I'm worth it. I've had breakfast and checked out. There was an elderly couple in the lift as I was leaving. When she discovered I was single, she suggested I go to church to find a 'nice girl' to marry. Now I'm waiting for a train to NY. See you in the City...
I met a girl on the train called Megan. She comes from Boston, lives in New York and works as a teacher in Japan! My first friend in America.
Eternal
It's midnight America and 5am and I'm not sleepy. It's been a long day and it's going to be a long night...
Time Travel
It was dark in Copenhagen when I arrived and I had traveled an hour into the future. Only had enough time to walk between planes and then I was off again.
I watched The Terminal as an in-flight movie; consider it research. Now I'm in Newark Airport 5 hours in the past and trying to find a hotel...
Newark, NY
Good to Go
Well, I'm sat at T1 Manchester waiting for my gate call. Start the clock, it's game on!
My pack is heavier than expected, but manageable, and my 'one thing you always forget' was my novel. Had to pick up a replacement in town:
Hero in the Shadows by David Gemmell.
And for all by fellow geeks, the guy who ran Area 51 in town now works at Starbucks in Manchester Airport.
Amtrak Map
You can follow my journey on this handy PDF map courtesy of Amtrak
It may take a while to load..
How?
I booked my flight and NY accommodation via
STA Travel. I can't recommend these people more, their staff are all well traveled (and therefore full of useful advise) and instead of pushing package holidays on you they supply the parts you need to build your own holiday.
I fly with
SAS Airlines and I have bought a 15-day train pass from
Amtrak to get me around once I'll there.
I plan to book the rest of my accommodation as I go along via
Hostels.com. I used them to book a place to stay when I went to London a couple of months ago without any problems.
As far as supplies go, I'm traveling light. A weeks worth of clothes, my travel book from
LetsGo, my new
picture phone (
thanks Mum), my digital camera (Sony Cyber-Shot DSC-P72) and something to
read. All of which I'll be carrying around in my
Highlander Travel convertible rucksack. I also bought some
Brasher Rapid walking shoes to make my wanderings a little easier.
Mark
Where?
OK so here's Plan A:
* I fly from Manchester Airport 4pm Sat 16th to New York (Newark Airport). This is via Copenhagen. I know, "Why would you fly to Copenhagen (East) to get to New York (West)?". I don't know, all I do know is it saved me about a hundred pounds.
* I'm going to spend a week in
New York (until Fri 22nd). While I'm there I'm going to be staying at a hostel called
Jazz on the Park, which is just off Central Park.
* After NY, I go to
Boston then up to
Niagara Falls.
* Then I'm planning to go to
Toronto.
Why Toronto you say? Well It's just across Lake Ontario from Niagara and it allows me to say I've been to Canada as well as the US.
* From there it's back down to Niagara and Buffalo, then through
Detroit and on to
Chicago for my final destination.
* I plan on spending 4-5 days in the Windy City, before flying back home from Chicago on Mon 8th Nov.
Mark
Why?
As far as I can figure (
and I should know) there are 3 reasons for going:
1) I want to go to America. I mean, Man, it's America baby! As you all know I'm a big geek at heart and the USA is the
Land of the Geeks.
2) I'll be 30 in a weeks time (
Boo! Hiss!) and I wanted to do something
BIG for that.
3) I want to do something new, something against character, something unique. A couple of years ago I made a New Year's resolution to try new things and develop myself. I've since refined this in to a the 3
Es philosophy -
Experience,
Experiment and
Evolve. This trip is just another step along that road - a Big step mind.
E: where you see this, it will list the things new things that I've done and tried.
Mark
USA!
USA! USA!
