Week 13 Gap Year: Week 4 and a half in the U.S.A

Now sitting in Atlanta, one of the more plain cities that the group has been to since arrival a month ago. I say this because I walked around it at twenty minutes at night and a long drive. 2nd of September and arrived on the 29th July. It seems quite unimaginable it has been that long and how quickly the time has gone by especially after arriving in Texas. After the ferocity in which we embraced Las Vegas it was at first depressing, but now slightly

unsurprising that the trip slumped for a few days. Scant sleep in Vegas, long distances travelled in days and relentlessly filling in a tight schedule and on a constant high on the west coast, Dallas and Austin (the latter of which we were all gutted about) were spent recovering and shifting from Dallas to Austin.

Dallas as expected we did not see in great detail, virtually seen in darkness on arrival at Dallas/Fortworth airport in a pricey taxi and then rushed to the train station in the morning. That was not surprising. At the train station things took a slight dip when our train scheduled to turn up at 11:15 turned up fifty minutes late. Never have I witnessed a train go so agonisingly slowly as our second Amtrak train journey to Austin. How can a train go that slowly. Countless delays and endless technical difficulties. Drive or take the plane, the public system of transportation is scandelous bar San Francisco and San Diego. Amusingly the group also failed to check the location of our hotel in Austin, the location in the fourth largest city in the U.S.A coming back to haunt us. We had forgotten that Austin was an urban sprawl and it turns our we were stuck in a Bosworth Hotel at a major junction on the Northern Interstate Highway, one full-hour bus journey away from Austin and 6th Street, a city and place well-known as the most liberal city in Texas, full of bars and showcasing plenty of live-music. For Ollie inparticular I felt particualarly bad because we all knew how much he had been looking forward to Austin. It was a bad mistake not to check location and one that shall not be repeated. We struggled to find anything to do in the three days we were there! Applebees and 7/11 provided our much needed food as there wasn't even a mall nearby, but we drowned our sorrows on several cheap but very good pitchers at Applebees' bar and were lifted by the Texas waitresses going 'Hey y'all!'. Our two days there was extended to three as Rupert needed a day to recouperate after being struck down by sickness brought on by a variety of factors (still Charlie managed to get quite a good impression of the dire straits Rupert was in for that day). Lots of TV, a dodgy swimming pool, bites on Charlie's leg from a likely invested mattress and a gym with no air-conditioning in the humid air of Dallas, and not much good food nearby to get to, it was a plunge from the highs of the Elara Hotel. However now I look back on it, those three days recovery were quite important especially after two days of intense travel from Vegas to Dallas and Dallas to Austin. I guess it all caught up with us.

The bright side was that last Tuesday was a good day, the group had decided after recommendations from locals that Galveston on the Gulf of Mexico was a preferable destination to Houston and still close to the Space Center/NASA coveted by Charlie. We booked it up and after shifting a few dates forward after the extra day in Austin and picking up our rented car from Alamo in Austin airport (Hyundai Genesis, our best car yet) we set off for the coastline. A fairly long drive but that was helpd by some passing by what seemed like the whole Galveston police force surrounding a particular district and passing by NASA and Houston signs and arriving at the Gulf of Mexico sparkling in the late afternoon. It was cool to think we had another chance to surf and catch some sun and sea for the last time before we get home. The Gulf of Mexico was really, really warm. I don't think any of us have ever been in water quite that warm. The Pacific coast water was decent at times, but still quite cold, the Atlantic untouchable in my eyes and the Mediterrenean okay. Waves and just pulling pranks on each other in the warm evening sunshine was a nice relief after a long drive and a long couple of days. It really felt like the trip was back on track. Me, Ollie and Rupert stopped by 'The Crow' in town, Rupert the designated driver as we checked out the bars in Galveston. We met our geniune first red-neck Jesse James who was quite the character who told us of New Orleans and the promises ahead, not to mention his occasionally extreme views. The bar was really cool though, a standard American bar which has on its wall a Jeager Meister surfboard. I wish I could I have had that but alas I am a poor surfer.

This day proved to be my most glutenous of the trip so far. A breakfast and a half at Denny's  (which included scrambled eggs, pancakes with creamed butter, bacon, sausages, hashbrown, water, coffee, Charlie's hashbrown, Charlie's eggs, Rupert's sausages and Charlie's muffins) was followed by a watermelon challenge in Galveston were I managed to eat half a watermelon. This was shortly followed by all-you can eat buffet which culminated in the devouring of several salads, four small steaks, chips, a large Dr. Pepper and some chocolate cake. Pig. All I can say what followed the night after made me glad I had packed myself with food.

Another day spent by the beach and surfing (which was not as good as California in all honesty) and some shopping for food in the local mall and Charlie delaying his trip to the Space Center for the next day. First things first though was a much-needed haircut, my conversation got me a student discount which was pretty awesome (I still tipped well though). It was refreshing considering I had start to slik back the hair and had been reminded so often by the group that my hair needed a cut to prevent a mullet or a certain stupid look emerging. I accidentally fell asleep by the hotel pool to awaken to a somewhat charred face but after a sandwich, a shower and paralysing the group with laughter on an unfortunate dropped towel we went back to 'The Crow' for a few more beers than the previous night. Ollie and Charlie made do with the pool table whilst me and Rupert chatted about gap year and Rupert's potential plans to travel Asia, work in Austrailia for a few months and possibly visit Japan whilst he was out there. I spoke mainly about cycling and Uganda and it was a pleasant evening in general and we were ready to go to New Orleans

That night though 'The Night of Sorrows', as the Spanish at Tenochticlan called it, I joined Rupert on the illness front, violently sick four times during a sleepless night out of nowhere to be honest. Poor diet, perhaps too much sun or fatigue? I don't know but it was first time I was sick from illness and quite frankly I was not missing out and hope it was my last time. It was karma I guess and it had been coming as I had jokingly been talking about leaving the sick and wounded behind in Austin and proudly talking about my 'perfect immune system'. Funnily enough and fittingly probably the tables had turned the next day asking to the group if we were 'still cool' and that they wouldn't leave me behind. I have to admit though it was a pretty wretched morning for myself, 7-8 hours travel ahead and stomach wreaking all sorts of havoc and pretty horrendous heat. We also had to skip the Space Center as well for time, another destination that we had wanted to see scribbled out to make for time. We crossed from Texas into Louisiana and I slept most of the way to compensate for a dismal night before and when we arrived the hotel, it was a few slices of pizza, nectarine and bananas and then bed. Still New Orleans at first glance was visually quite the drive through highways poisitioned on first swamps, rivers, lakes and finally ocean. It was hardly surprising however to see why the city has flooded courtesy of Hurricane Katrina a few years back, it is quite the spot for a good flooding.

It was good to be back in a big city surrounded by skyscrapers and what was best was that we were one left and two blocks away from Bourbon street. The timing of my recovery was perfect, ill on Thursday and raring to go again on Friday for a night out on the best street in New Orleans. During the daytime we visited the street and were drooling at the amount of bars, clubs and shops to chill at for the day. How do you describe New Orleans and Bourbon Street? One massive party and just like Vegas but without casinos. People were clubbing, drinking and committing all sorts of tomfoolery as we did and then collected our laundry that afternoon. We could scarcely comprehend what awaited us from the evening to early morning. Charlie was hit by illness at a bad time but he managed to make a few hours out, but we started in the hotel bar with some quite lethal cocktails one of which was called the 'Firecatcher' and the other, a particular contributor to Rupert's eventual demise, 'The Freight Train' which had to be the strongest cocktail I had ever had,  a combination of something called 'Diesel' and some other ingredient which simply gave it a little colour. When we reached Bourbon Street following some spectacular street dancing, we headed for an array of bars and one which served us the 'Hand Grenande' and people showering from above with bead necklaces and an cheeky pouring of beer meeting some interesting characters along the way. Many hours later we returned early morning to the hotel  Rupert Arvidsson take a bow. It was a great night and it was a shame we couldn't do anymore nights. Our final day left us all feeling worse for wear and a hangover in which only endless episodes of 'Ink Master', Popeye's and two Mcdonalds in a row could cure. The latter was regrettable . After nearly 5 weeks you do grow frustrated with the lack of fruit in the damn country which eventually forces you to go to fast-food places which after a while become repetitive and inedible. When I get home I won't be touching fast-food for a while. Still if you go to the U.S.A, go to New Orleans and go to Bourbon Street, it was simply unforgettable and if we could of had more time there we would have stayed longer. Any city that reduces Rupert to religious conversion and rocking backwards and forwards on his knees in prayer to Mecca for a hangover cure deserves credit!

Today we awoke in Louisiana, filled the car with gas in Mississipi, ate lunch in Alabama and after this blog is finished sleep in Georgia after a fantastic meal at Noodles in Atlanta. It has been quite the day and quite a drive but still awesome and the Kindle has provided me with some great reads along the way. Two weeks to go and so much to do when I get home!

Quotes of the Week:

• "Oh look parachutes for the both of us" "Whoops not anymore!"
• Alejandro
• How jer fand me!
• "Weirdos!!"
• "Where are you guys from?" "England" "England?! DAMN me and the Queen gat something goin OWWWN!"
• "That's raaaght baby!"
• "Feeerrreeeeky"
• "Love that chicken from Popeye's!"
• "We're going to die"
• "Noooo, I clean"
• "Housekeeping" (so many damn times)
• "So give us a call, you'll be glad you did! Cannon Box!"

Matthew Williams

Gap Year Week 12: 3rd Week (and possibly a bit more) in the U.S.A

 

 (This may be a few weeks out but finding a computer and time has been a bit of a nightmare. This was written about a week and a bit ago.) As I write the team are sitting on a plane several thousand feet above the United States. We ran out of money and have decided after lavish spending on the glittering West Coast to return home whence we came.

 

Only joking (but we did contemplate the East Coast simply constituting sleeping in JFK airport the spending was heavy) we're on our way to Dallas in the centre of Texas. The group decided to skip the gruelling 18 hour drive across the harsh climate of New Mexico and Arizona for a decently price flight. Another week has gone and we are now half way through the trip having completed our adventure on the west coast. It has hit our wallets hard and supreme budgeting is now the order of the day.

 

The week previously we were on our way to the Grand Canyon and woke up to remember that the Premier League had started (yawns from Ollie and Charlie), but for me and Rupert's fantasy teams and football lovers we checked results before heading down for breakfast. We had awoken to freezing temperatures in our room. Ollie was recovering from a cold brought on by a combination of tiredness, lack of fruit and excess travelling. The group was a little under the weather but morale soon recieved a boost with a solid breakfast; which for once included milk, cereal and plenty of fruit. On top of that the drive, though short as we headed for the town of Williams, proved to be a memorable one along the fabled Route 66. Though we didn't quite make it the end of the route (Chicago),it was a great drive as searing, dry heat turned to driving through quite the thunderstorm which included rain, forked lightening and hail to boot, an immense relief to be perfectly honest. Temperatures dropped from 45 C - 16 C in mere minutes and afterwards I reflected upon how fortunate it was that I relieved myself before we hit the rainstorm along perhaps the straightest road you and I will ever see. Corners could be seen miles ahead and Charlie had to prepare himself for the mental test, the mere shock of seeing a corner (which as usual was greeted with drama). Straight roads, deserts turning bog in the storm and lenghty freighttrains passing through the mother of all wildernesses (a particular favourite of Rupert's) and driving along to American countryside music praising Jesus (we have to prepare for Texas), it was a landscape to behold that epitomised the heartland of American wilderness. It makes you realise how little of America, the U.S citizens actually live in. This was capped off by a B.M.T Italian Subway at the end of the route.

 

We arrived at Williams town nearby the Williams Grand Canyon and settled down nicely on the edge of town, walking distance from the restaurants and mall needed to supply with food the nights before and after the Grand Canyon. Whilst the others rested I took a stroll round the town named after my surname stoppin at a remarkable Native American shop after buying some homemade chocolate fudgecake). The shop was full of items and objects hand-made by Native Americans on the reserves. An assorment of bows and arrows (the latters made from razor-sharp stone and glass), battle axes, hunting knives (probably also used to scalp enemies in history past), drums, dreamcatchers and well-sculpted pottery engraved with and made with certain purpose. With traditional Native American music to boot, being in this particular shop was a real enjoyment. I did buy a few gifts but I passed on the oppurtunity to buy my dad a battle-axe; the iodea of him swinging the axe around on a sit-on-mower would probably have been too much for mum's stress, not to mention the issue of getting the axe through customs. I was joined by Ollie and Rupert and we had a chat with the store owner Don for a good hour.

 

Quite the conversation it turned out to be. Three years retired and a Vietnam veteran , Don was living quite the lifestyle as a hunter who came to Arizona to shoot, stalk and roam the area for wildlife and in the winter was a ski-instructor who lived with his wife in the North of Yosemite Park. He also happened to come from the best city as well (San Diego). He and Rupert had lots to share on hunting and shooting, both of them exchanging pictures of past kills (though obviously Don has quite some kills, one of which was a bull male moose that actually has to be cut apart to carry out of the canyon). The debate of hunting laws and gun laws emerged breifly and it was unnerving to think (though not surprising) to think that alot of people walk around the U.S.A carrying hidden weaponery. Nevertheless he did amuse us with one of his stories of when he and his group hunting were camping a bear came snooping in the middle of the night. It turned out that rather than doing the obvious and s**tiing themselves as we would have done, one of the group, a stocked butcher punched the bear, a big wild bear in the jaw and sent it scurrying. That was one ballsy butcher. After numerous tales of skiing, hunting and our own travels we left Don, Ollie reflecting how he could have sat with Don for hours in a pub drinking beer and chatting non-stop. Quite alternate views, but the conversation was pretty cool, a very traditional American.

 

After this the group was re-joined by well-rested Charlie and we went out for a great steak and chips in one of the local restaurants (I passed for financial reasons) and then contented ourselves with both Kill Bill movies to us in the zone for the Grand Canyon.

 

We rose after a good night's sleep, the double bed sharing disgruntling Ollie, indignant at how I took up the whole bed and being on the whole a bit sensationalist. After a large jam-sandwiches and a few bananas we set-off. Originally I was quite surprised during the one hour drive that the Grand Canyon would be in this particular area given the nature of terrain which was more foresty, mountainous and green than I previously imagined. I had always assumed that the Grand Canyon would have been a hole in the middle of arid desert previously seen when arriving in Arizona. After debating with Rupert about the dire state of our fantasy teams we arrived and were not dissapointed. You've seen it on films, heard about it from all and sundry. Is it worth the hype? The answer is a resounding yes. The Grand Canyon, a mass of red rocks and cliffs tanning in the sun for about 2 billion years, is vast and incomprehensible in age. Peer over the edge and you confront an awesome landscape with steep valleys and canyons that one man could not explore in one-lifetime. We stared munching on our mini-picnic on a precarious cliff-edge looking on as another awesome storm lingered in the distance, brought on by the high temperatures. This offered some stunning photography oppurtunities which we took in kind. Group-photos, selfies, pouting (possibly an exaggeration), normal pictures, looking adventurous; we practically hogged the cliff-face and made it our own, thinking screw the French tourists).

 

After this the group drove a scenic route stopping at different locations along the Canyon and left driving through some scenic plains quite similar to the Great Plains. Idiotic Custer making his stand against three-thousand furious Native Americans sprang to mind as I drove; the others reminding me occasionally which side of the road to turn out onto. Once again Ollie managed to exploit the tiredness adding to his sizeable album. On return to the hotel room, Tom Hanks in Cast Away was the order of the day. Vegas was waiting for us which would prove to be quite the opposite to what we had just seen. Williams and the Grand Canyon had spoiled us. Nevada and Vegas was about to do the same but break us financially and mentally in the process!

 

Bags packed, heads in the zone for a long, traditional Vegas night to come we piled into the car and set off for Sin City. We double-tracked Route 40 which had led us into Arizona and made our way to Nevada. It is quite hard to believe that a city existed in the middle of the desert, given life by the Hoover Dam. Though a overcast day, it became humid and hot, particularly at our visit to the Hoover Dam, but we managed to get a few decent shots and peers over the steep dam. It may have been smaller than the one from Golden Eye in James Bond but it was still pretty high. Skateboarding down it would be fun, but short-lived (quite literally). We left Arizona for Nevada to reach the Hoover Dam and returned to Arizona to park, we then left Arizona by foot and returned to Nevada to see the dam. Content by the view we strolled back into Arizona, got back in the car and drove back into Nevada for Hotel Elara. The complications of a dam being a border of states...

 

The drive into Vegas was naturally accompanied by several Hangover tunes including Kanye West's 'Can't Tell Me Nothing', Flo Rida's 'Right Round' and Usher. None of us were particularly huge fans of these artists, but on this occasion it fit the bill and it got even better when we found our room in the Elara Hotel. Situated on Floor 11 it was massive and exceeded all expectations. The room had a hot-tub, a view of quite a bit of Vegas, a big bathroom and a fridge in which to store excess amounts of beers. Clearly though we detected that as me and Ollie had a fold out bed, this was room was designed for couples (shit). The hot-tub was designed for two as well. Into shirts and smart attire we headed out for the casinos and glamour of Vegas and did so again for four nights straight.

 

Summary of Vegas:

 

• What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas.
• 0-00 was good to me personally :D
• What happens in Vegas will most likely emerge on Facebook and Youtube and stay forever.
• We ate alot of Panda Express, almost every meal.
• I sleeping patterns were completely screwed over by Vegas.
• No sleep.
• Vegas and the house won overall (particualarly on Charlie and Matt)
• Pool and Television was recovery.
• Money very, very, very well spent.
• Free drinks at the Roulette machines were great.

So now we head East. Texas, New Orleans, Atalanta, North Carolina, Washington, Philadelphia and New York beckon and if the first half of the trip is anything to go by we are in for a treat again. Perhaps a little cheaper hopefully.

 

Facts of the week

 

• American TV remains crap
• It was weird watching Premier League football in the morning.
• A girl we were chatting to believed that in England the lords ruled over pheasants as supposed to the correct term peasants.

Quotes:

 

• Just one more!
• Go on Lucas stick him!
• Hornbear and Matterhorn
• I have a direct shot at your head Mr. Bond, go sit on the bead JA? Pop your trousers on the stool to Ja! Dr. Kaufman.
• Names in Vegas adopted: Hector (Matthew), Glen (Ollie), Sven (Rupert) and Lee-Kee Wang (Charlie)
• Xerxes
• Persians!
• Xerxes stood aforth a gold hummer, with Gucci accessories that only a Persian would find cool!
• You can sit with me if you waaant! (Forrest Gump).
• Though contemplated we haven't as yet got tattoos on our arms which resembled a skull surrounded by chains and weaponery with an American flag as the background with word below saying 'Freedom! F**k Yer!'

 

Matthew Williams