Gap Year: Week 14: U.S.A Trip

Back for a week and a bit but updated what I wrote on the plane

We are above the Atlantic, seven weeks are up and it is time to head home. It is the 16th September and since my last entry in Atlanta so much has happened, so much has been done and so many things have been seen. What a trip the group can reflect on as the plane set off from New York in the cliche evening sunset with the Big Apple's skyline to be seen in the distance, the nearly complete Freedom Tower looming above it.

After a late night in Atlanta updating two weeks of the blog, the first thing we did was set out to find Ollie's Holy Grail Wallmart to pass the time in Atlanta. In all honesty the city is a transport hub, a place where people change flights, a commercial city centre mainly composed of TV and media stations. This was certainly not a place where Peter Parker or Bruce Wayne would strive to defend. They rightly preferred New York/fictitious Gotham. It was a fairly dull place only satisfied by Wallmart and a trip to the Waffle House; the latter delivering waffles glazed in chocolate chips, maple syrup with side orders of bacon and eggs. Wallmart provided T-shirts for around $5 and me and Charlie did not pass off the opportunity to seize some T-shirts to replace some old and well-worn tops. Interestingly as well Wallmart also sold machete's for $6.95, a tempting purchase just so I could say 'I brought a machete at Wallmart, what the hell!?'. Guns also lined some of the shelves albeit not in numerous numbers. They were mainly for hunting and a bit pricey to purchase. The kill-time for the remainder of the day was Internet, T.V, gym and a venture out to 'Noodles' for some large and tasty portions of Asian food (a refreshing change to the seemingly endless conveyor belt of burgers). The Premier League transfer deadline also provided some excitement . We needed less time as summarised by 'In Time' Justin Timberlake's rather dull movie.

The next was a drawn-out drive to North Carolina which had to be done in good time so that we could drop off the car successfully at the Alamo depot and be available for pick up. Added to this was that it was our final car journey we wanted to simply get on with it so that thousands of miles of driving could finally be complete. South Carolina was where we stopped off for our final Wendy's of the trip before the state border to North Carolina was crossed. After the car was dropped off Ward Procto picked us up on the edge of the roadside in the grass (His family we would meet briefly in North Carolina). North Carloina was quite different to all the places we had been before and proved that the trip could keep throwing up pleasant surprises. Though humid (90.F) their were plenty of things to see that could help us cope with the heat. North Carolina provided beautiful pine forests, fields of soy beans and tobacco and vineyards aplenty in the sunshine, a welcome relief after the rather average time in Atlanta. I commented to Rupert that it was very similar to Sweden with the familiar scenery of lakes, trees and surprising degree of variety in weather.

Christine and her boisterous husband David were there to welcome us and straight away proved extremely hospitable in helping us settle down into their home, a lovely white house situated in the countryside of North Carolina that was very similar in part to Forrest Gump's house. Added to the fact three dogs were there, family pets something we had not seen in a while it was a great place to sit back and relax after some severe mileage with us lucky devils being provided with home-made lasagna, plenty of salad, the first home-made food since San Jose, which was pretty amazing. It was starting to hit us all how far we had come. We were given great accommodation, a bugalow laden with watermelon, banana's, poptarts (basically like eating cake for breakfast), cereal and savory snacks. Me and Charlie took the beds whilst Ollie and Rupert made do with floor and sofa.

The following day was largely composed of visiting Wallmart (again), visiting a typical comic book store (nerds) and Ollie and Charlie investing in some more technological equipment to pass the time. We returned to after a pint at the Aviator with the mosquito's feasting on us and relaxed the rest of the day playing worms, fruit ninja and Pokemon. I did not play the latter, but it would prove for the other three competitive, ruthless, amusing and angry (particularly Ollie) up until New York. I was lambasted by the other three for not investing my time when I was a child in the game and understandable upset Rupert and Charlie when I called 'Mewto' Meatron. After dinner we had a chance to speed around on a golf car until darkness fell and pushing the floundering vehicle buckling under the weight of five men reduced us to sweating wrecks. 

The next day was divided into three parts. We awoke and had agreed with David to do some shifting of wood across the road from Scott's house to his. In all honesty it was a good way to earn our stay because David and Christine had been so good to us. It was a very hot day and we drove David's truck over and start shifting large logs onto the truck, branches onto the piles equipped with gloves to do the job. Scott, an atypical red-neck appeared chainsaw in hand and their probably wasn't a person in the group who didn't think we were in trouble, but Scott proved to be a funny guy. He has a large build, slightly racist and ignorant, but we managed to overlook that as we talked about our times in California and his massive truck which consumed many gallons of gas per mile. After we had completed our work at noon, he invited me and Rupert in to consume some of his homemade rye whiskey to ease our suffering in the heat. It was well-made but as I took the shot glass, looking at the clear liquid I secretly contemplated saying goodbye to my eye-sight, fearing that it would largely be made of pure ethanol. Scott the red-neck has some kittens believe it or not as well which rubbed up against our ankles as we consumed the whiskey. After this he dropped us off back at David's and we spent a few hours cleaning up our scratches and washing the dirt from our faces and arms, nursing our increasing amounts of bites (Charlie and Ollie getting ravaged). This was all done after we blitzed it around David's land in his truck each taking a go, trees whipping those in the back in the face and those in the back also being flung around by some Charlie and Ollie. 


 After this we made for the coast with David after packing a small sleep-over bag. Cramped legs and butts for a few hours and the car pulled up along the North Carolina beachline where we were treated by David to a few beers, relaxing in the warm evening sunshine setting in typical crimson fashion. This was then followed by not sea food as expected by most people who go to the coastline but by steaks and burgers, Rupert taking the oppurtunity to crush the cockroach scuttling around the restaurant. It was a hygenic place though don't get me wrong, and we left the restaurant to stay at Rosie and Bill's holiday house which was located two minutes walk from the beach. Before we stacked up on a few beers for the beach the next day. Rosie and Bill were both very kind, the former particular in pointing out her love for BBC, British television and specifically Luther. Let's just say after the shit we've seen in the last couple of weeks spewed out by American television it was a pleasant surprise. After a heavy session of Pokemon and me reading the old Kindle bed beckoned and I rose early and made my way to the beach. The beginning of quite a remarkable day which would involve beach, driving, Bojangles and a college party.

The Atlantic was reasonably warm, matched the Pacific water, nice and relaxing although after recent stories of sharks, the Jaws effect I did not swim out to far and was relieved as Christine mentioned later Tristan very nearly at a young age had his toes nibbled by a curious and probably ravenous shark. Could have been me this time. I was joined by Rupert and Ollie and finally Chalie, David and Bill morning chilling, swimming and throwing stones or alternately skimming them along the surface of the ocean. After a beer we left our final beach of the trip and made our way back to David's house after a extremely good time by the beach under the good graces of Rosie and Bill. We naturally stopped by Bojangles on the way back, where chicken and biscuits were consumed? The biscuits were in reality scones amusingly. In England you can get scones and jam, in the U.S.A you can get scones and fried chicken.

On arrival back, Dominoes, finalizing packing for staying at Dakota's at North Carolina University and numerous pictures to be taken were done in the 'big house! as Rupert called it: "In the big house?!?!" 1:32 onwards in video.

The house was very similar but not with 19th century attitudes thankfully and fter that Christine drove us very kindly to North Carolina University. Driving into the University was quite upsetting for me and Rupert as it reminded us loud and clear that we were no longer at University. We groaned and wailed whilst Ollie and Charlie reflected on the fact that University awaited them on return it with a great deal of satisfaction(third year though so we'll see whose laughing later in the year when dissertation and exams pile up). The campus reminded me of Nottingham University alot but on a much larger American scale, but really cool campus and many a few building that reminded me of Hugh Stewart Hall, the dreaded Hallward Library and more. We eventually drove past the fabled Frat Party ongoing and considered whether or not to crash that specific party but refrained from doing so. Still the college had a major streets full of restaurants and bars that were easily accessible from Dakota's. In the end one bar was all that was needed to make the night epic.

Firstly though Christine showed us into Dakota's flat where we made camp and then quickly head out to a bar to pass the hour while we waited for Dakota and all shared a final drink with Christine. The bar was situated on a nice balcony overlooking the main street where all the students hang out. After several beers which had blueberries in them (pretty tasty) we said our goodbyes to Christine after we had joined Dakota.

Matthew Williams