Thursday, 22 March 2012
Sunday, 11 March 2012
sorting photos
Like many people over the years I have uploaded photos to various sites across the internet.
Unable to track down some precious photo files a couple of weeks ago I decided it was time to reclaim and organise my photographic history.
Through Google searches (and some lucky guesses at forgotten passwords) I tracked down accounts with Flickr, Kodak Gallery, Photobox and Picassa together with the ubiquitous Facebook and dug out old CDs and negatives.
The most exciting find so far has been three sets of negatives, that included pictures from after my graduation ball together with the pictures of my post graduation road-trip by Greyhound bus across the US (see my earlier blog: usa coast to coast by greyhound bus).
Unable to track down some precious photo files a couple of weeks ago I decided it was time to reclaim and organise my photographic history.
Through Google searches (and some lucky guesses at forgotten passwords) I tracked down accounts with Flickr, Kodak Gallery, Photobox and Picassa together with the ubiquitous Facebook and dug out old CDs and negatives.
The most exciting find so far has been three sets of negatives, that included pictures from after my graduation ball together with the pictures of my post graduation road-trip by Greyhound bus across the US (see my earlier blog: usa coast to coast by greyhound bus).
 |
| Seattle - from my road trip |
6,720 photos later, I now have all my photos dating back to 1998 (when I graduated) organised in iPhoto on my Mac and backed up at Picassa Web Albums.
My next target is a trip to my parents to track down earlier photos (hopefully) stored in their loft....
Saturday, 10 March 2012
half a trip to Cuba
Another trip down memory lane - this time a notebook with travel journal entries from a trip to Cuba, or rather half a trip - I guess I gave up writing for the last few days!
Like the US one I have not edited this or filled in the gaps - maybe I'll do an updated version later
Thursday 24th January 2008
Up at 5am, airport for 7am - 3 hour delay - flight didn't leave until nearly 1pm
Mooched round shops - Frankie & Benny's for breakfast - voted 'best breakfast at the airport' - I'm not convinced, the three egg omelette is very small - coffee at Nero, last minute purchases then off
Old style entertainment on the plane - and they ran out of booze!! Chavvy cabin crew 'Mawgan'
Taxi to Havana - saw dozens of people on a truck
Arrived at Casa Humberto - 'no room at the inn' - after ages we were collected and walked to a fabulous place owned by Myla, checked in, petted Linda the dog then were told to go back to Casa Humberto!!
Cute little house on the roof - no aircon, just windows
Very cold night - shower cold
Met Sarah, went to Taberna de la Muralla on Plaza Vieja - good mojito, strange tapas - sort of cheesy garlic bread with ham
Friday 25th January 2008
Woke feeling cold - must get a blanket - at 6am, dozed until 8am then up - lovely sunrise, cold shower
Walked to Plaza Vieja - some good art shops - then Museo del Chocolate - thick Aztec hot chocolate and orange digestives!
Walked to Plaza de Armes - book market - then on to Parc Central and Capitalo with old style polaroid cameras
Down to Museo de Revolution via overpriced cafe, then lunch at Bar Cabaña - chicken and rice
Walked back through tat market - Museo de Fotograph - interesting but like family photos - cool 'view finder'
Coffee at Cafe del Escorial - giant moka pots - on Plaza Vieja
Walked along Malecon to meet Sarah at Hotel Nationale for mojitos, then dinner at Paledores - spicy lamb and spaghetti
Early bed
Saturday 26th January 2008
Sarah came over to Casa Humberto, walked through Havana Vieja and saw a parade
Taxi over to Hotel Libre - fab 50s design - three hours by pool - no tan despite brilliant sun
Back to Casa Humberto before meeting Sarah at Casa del Armistad for drinks then on to Tropicana - fab evening - lost jumper
Back via bar then late bed
Sunday 27th January 2008
Very hungover, no time for breakfast at Casa - ham and cheese croissant in square
Havana Club Rum Museum then walk along Opisbo
Tried to get lunch at Hotel Inglaterra and bar on Opisbo - no service
Torrential rain then back to collect bags and taxi to bus for 2pm - lunch at bus station
3pm bus - great coffee en route
Couldn't get phones to work so no accommodation booked
Monday 28th January 2008
Arrived Santiago 7am ish - 16 hour journey - Britney moment with casa hawkers pressed against windows of bus station
Went with Martin (a teacher) in an old Plymouth to Casa Marti - great house - Martin speaks English
Wandered around town - Casa Grande Hotel for view and mojito $2 - lunch at pizza place (had pork), ice cream from street vendor (first peso purchase!) - unfortunate side effect a few hours later!
Sarah and Hywel took a salsa class, I took a nap
Dinner at Casa - dry fish, vinegary fried banana, rice, soup and postre (only soup and postre were good) - not worth $8, bed early
Tuesday 29th January 2008
Nice breakfast at Casa - fruit, bread, honey, sweetened coffee, scrambled tomato eggs
Taxi trip (with Martin) to Moro - a fort - and Cay Granma - an island - $45 plus $10 for extra boat trip
Thought about hotel pool but $10 entry each plus taxi
Casa Grande for mojitos and black bean soup then back to casa roof to read
Paladores for dinner - fried chicken - then Casa de Trova
Wednesday 30th January 2008
Day bus to Camaguey - two hours late arriving, aircon broke so had to open windows
Really tired - nice casa with poodle and dalmation
Dinner - tinned tuna and chips, drink in Cambio
Thursday 31st January 2008
Cameguey boring, breakfast expensive, coffee in Galleria Square
Casa organised taxi to Trinidad for $70 to avoid overnight bus and boring evening
Arrived Trinidad - wonderful casa - dinner at Estila - best on trip so far - roast pork, salad, banana chips, potatoes and creme caramel
Friday 1st February 2008
No cash!
Bus to beach $2
All day at beach - got sunburnt on shoulder and ankles
Bumped into Nicolas - French guy from Casa Humberto - had beer with him and arranged to meet up in the evening
Great fried chicken at Casa then out to Casa de la Musica - met Nicolas and a Cuban / Irish guy
Saturday 2nd February 2008
Borrowed cash ($200) from Hywel
Day out to mountains on a truck - 800m above sea
Interesting coffee plantation, then a walk from hell!
Met fun Aussie couple and nice French couple, guide was very cool
Nice lunch in Price on way back - walked around Trinidad - bought art, met Nicolas again at Casa de la Musica - very early night!
Sunday 3rd February 2008
Train at 9.30 to plantation - cool tower, train very dirty
Bumped into Aussie and French couples again
Ate only rice, beans and salad - Olga thinks I'm ill but I'm just too full!
Power cut in the evening - candles and torches provided
Got laundry done - very early night
Monday 4th February 2008 - Thursday 7th February 2008
No entries
Like the US one I have not edited this or filled in the gaps - maybe I'll do an updated version later
Thursday 24th January 2008
Up at 5am, airport for 7am - 3 hour delay - flight didn't leave until nearly 1pm
Mooched round shops - Frankie & Benny's for breakfast - voted 'best breakfast at the airport' - I'm not convinced, the three egg omelette is very small - coffee at Nero, last minute purchases then off
Old style entertainment on the plane - and they ran out of booze!! Chavvy cabin crew 'Mawgan'
Taxi to Havana - saw dozens of people on a truck
Arrived at Casa Humberto - 'no room at the inn' - after ages we were collected and walked to a fabulous place owned by Myla, checked in, petted Linda the dog then were told to go back to Casa Humberto!!
Cute little house on the roof - no aircon, just windows
 |
| our 'little house' on the roof of Casa Humberto |
Very cold night - shower cold
Met Sarah, went to Taberna de la Muralla on Plaza Vieja - good mojito, strange tapas - sort of cheesy garlic bread with ham
Friday 25th January 2008
Woke feeling cold - must get a blanket - at 6am, dozed until 8am then up - lovely sunrise, cold shower
Walked to Plaza Vieja - some good art shops - then Museo del Chocolate - thick Aztec hot chocolate and orange digestives!
Walked to Plaza de Armes - book market - then on to Parc Central and Capitalo with old style polaroid cameras
Down to Museo de Revolution via overpriced cafe, then lunch at Bar Cabaña - chicken and rice
Walked back through tat market - Museo de Fotograph - interesting but like family photos - cool 'view finder'
Coffee at Cafe del Escorial - giant moka pots - on Plaza Vieja
Walked along Malecon to meet Sarah at Hotel Nationale for mojitos, then dinner at Paledores - spicy lamb and spaghetti
Early bed
Saturday 26th January 2008
Sarah came over to Casa Humberto, walked through Havana Vieja and saw a parade
Taxi over to Hotel Libre - fab 50s design - three hours by pool - no tan despite brilliant sun
Back to Casa Humberto before meeting Sarah at Casa del Armistad for drinks then on to Tropicana - fab evening - lost jumper
Back via bar then late bed
Sunday 27th January 2008
Very hungover, no time for breakfast at Casa - ham and cheese croissant in square
Havana Club Rum Museum then walk along Opisbo
Tried to get lunch at Hotel Inglaterra and bar on Opisbo - no service
Torrential rain then back to collect bags and taxi to bus for 2pm - lunch at bus station
3pm bus - great coffee en route
Couldn't get phones to work so no accommodation booked
Monday 28th January 2008
Arrived Santiago 7am ish - 16 hour journey - Britney moment with casa hawkers pressed against windows of bus station
Went with Martin (a teacher) in an old Plymouth to Casa Marti - great house - Martin speaks English
Wandered around town - Casa Grande Hotel for view and mojito $2 - lunch at pizza place (had pork), ice cream from street vendor (first peso purchase!) - unfortunate side effect a few hours later!
Sarah and Hywel took a salsa class, I took a nap
Dinner at Casa - dry fish, vinegary fried banana, rice, soup and postre (only soup and postre were good) - not worth $8, bed early
Tuesday 29th January 2008
Nice breakfast at Casa - fruit, bread, honey, sweetened coffee, scrambled tomato eggs
Taxi trip (with Martin) to Moro - a fort - and Cay Granma - an island - $45 plus $10 for extra boat trip
Thought about hotel pool but $10 entry each plus taxi
Casa Grande for mojitos and black bean soup then back to casa roof to read
Paladores for dinner - fried chicken - then Casa de Trova
 |
| Casa de Trova |
Wednesday 30th January 2008
Day bus to Camaguey - two hours late arriving, aircon broke so had to open windows
Really tired - nice casa with poodle and dalmation
 |
| In the courtyard of our Casa - no idea why |
Dinner - tinned tuna and chips, drink in Cambio
 |
| dinner in Camaguey |
Thursday 31st January 2008
Cameguey boring, breakfast expensive, coffee in Galleria Square
Casa organised taxi to Trinidad for $70 to avoid overnight bus and boring evening
Arrived Trinidad - wonderful casa - dinner at Estila - best on trip so far - roast pork, salad, banana chips, potatoes and creme caramel
Friday 1st February 2008
No cash!
Bus to beach $2
 |
| beach at Ancon near Trinidad |
All day at beach - got sunburnt on shoulder and ankles
Bumped into Nicolas - French guy from Casa Humberto - had beer with him and arranged to meet up in the evening
Great fried chicken at Casa then out to Casa de la Musica - met Nicolas and a Cuban / Irish guy
Saturday 2nd February 2008
Borrowed cash ($200) from Hywel
Day out to mountains on a truck - 800m above sea
Interesting coffee plantation, then a walk from hell!
 |
| coffee plantation in mountains outside Trinidad |
Met fun Aussie couple and nice French couple, guide was very cool
Nice lunch in Price on way back - walked around Trinidad - bought art, met Nicolas again at Casa de la Musica - very early night!
Sunday 3rd February 2008
Train at 9.30 to plantation - cool tower, train very dirty
 |
| plantation reached by train from Trinidad |
Bumped into Aussie and French couples again
Ate only rice, beans and salad - Olga thinks I'm ill but I'm just too full!
Power cut in the evening - candles and torches provided
Got laundry done - very early night
Monday 4th February 2008 - Thursday 7th February 2008
No entries
Friday, 9 March 2012
USA coast to coast by Greyhound Bus (1998)
Sorting through old files, I stumbled across a pack of photo negatives from the summer when I graduated from university and lived in Charleston South Carolina. At the end of the summer I bought a 30 day Greyhound Bus ticket and headed across the country.
The photos proved to not be that exciting - they were pre digital, so I guess I rationed my use of the camera - but the accompanying travel journal is more interesting - or at least is is for me! I have resisted the desire to fill in gaps in the entries with my memories and this is the diary unedited.
Wednesday 26th August 1998
Left Charleston SC at 5am - first leg of the journey is Charleston SC - Columbia SC - Atlanta GA - Montgomery AL - Mobile AL - New Orleans LA
Hurricane in the morning - hit North Carolina, no storms in Charleston but incredible sky
Columbia SC - lots of army guys in uniform, one asked me how the tickets worked as he'd never been on a bus before
Columbia is like Charlotte NC but fewer, shorter sky scrapers
Driver and guy sat at front are discussing funerals (presume the guy is an undertaker) - "if a family member dies, can you do their body?" answer - "only cousins"
Apparently if a Greyhound bus hits and kills a deer, they report it to the police and the deer is delivered to the school food service and 'processed / ground up' and served in the school food system
Atlanta GA - driver is asked by the bus station staff to take an 'extra' passenger with no ticket with the right 'put him off if he causes trouble', thirty minutes of arguing later the driver refuses and sets off advising us over the PA system "if there is anything I can do to make your journey more comfortable just come up and tell me, if you don't feel like coming to the front then send someone else"
Montgomery AL - put watch back one hour to Central Time - groovy new bus station
New bus driver - "...no cigarettes, marijuana or crack - that includes the bathroom; chewers - you can chew but you can't pop"
Atmore AL - passed a 'mobile home outlet centre'
Thursday 27th August 1998
Met English couple on bus - Amanda and Martin from Potter's Bar - shared a cab to the New Orleans LA Youth Hostel
Went out at 2.30pm with them and a New Zealand girl called Cherie - streetcar was $1 - had coffee at Cafe du Monde - very touristy and over-rated - incredibly hot
Went back to sleep until 7.30 then we all headed out to Bourbon St - tacky and touristy - good covers band / awful 'po boy' sandwich; got wasted, got put in taxi, threw up in hostel and got into trouble
Friday 28th August 1998
Woke late - awful hangover - went straight to Greyhound depot as no interest in staying longer in New Orleans
Bus to Santa Fe NM will be over 24 hours - had ticket endorsed until 27th September
Bumped into Amanda, Martin and Cherie at depot - swapped addresses
Several English people on the bus - too tired to speak - bus left at 12.30pm
Lost double seat at 4pm
Due to hit Dallas TX at 1am - long layover - will talk to English people I guess
Driver "...one more thing. Get off my bus!"
Saturday 29th August 1998
Arrived Dallas TX at 2am (late) due to leave at 2.30am but actually left at 4.30am
Talked to English guys from Sussex Uni
Almost decided to stay in Dallas but would be pricey and only JFK museum to see - (should) get long layover in Albuquerque NM
Bought cheesy JFK postcard
Dallas depot - good camaraderie between delayed passengers as we sit on our bags on the floor
North Texas is very flat - soil an amazing red colour - saw a 'nodding donkey'(?) oil well in a small house's back yard
Very large cockroach between seats in front for most of journey
Stopped at Amarillo TX for 1.5 hours - walked to a Subway and around deserted downtown - usual mix of second hand shops, pawn shops and bail bond stores - took some photos - a contrast of 1930s and 1950s architecture
Spoke to English guys again - one called Steve - the other unwell
Set off at 1pm for Albuquerque NM - driver haring around bends
Passed 'Happy Tracks Horse Motel with stables'
Bus delayed at rest stop - when a woman had to be forcibly removed by the police fro refusing to show her ticket
Incredible scenery - orange rivers, tabletop mountains and prairie (?) as far as the eye can see - drive is interminably long
Long wait at Albuquerque NM - wandered round downtown for half an hour but backpack is heavy and there are few stores
Bus delayed for Santa Fe NM - arguments broke out over separated families, swearing and headphones!
Arrived Santa Fe NM very long walk to Youth Hostel and told that I have to do 'chores' - I choose to do the trash as it was the least involved - weirdo guy kept talking in the room - free breakfast
Sunday 30th August 1998
Santa Fe NM disappointing, all gift shops and paper cup cafes - not feeling too great hope it is altitude and not something else
Went to cool photography gallery then walked back to hostel (via Taco Bell)
Walked (in hellish heat) to bus station, which was closed until bus due - lost $1 in snack machine
Guy called Kevin got on bus at Albuquerque NM and we talked pretty much solidly until Flagstaff AZ - he's a dancer / engineer
Arrived Flagstaff AZ 11.15pm - ride arranged to hostel
Slept badly - now have sore throat
Monday 31st August 1998 (Labor Day)
Woke up in Flagstaff AZ - it's pouring with rain - decided to skip Grand Canyon - too wet and delaying trip by a day would mess up my schedule
Set of at 9am for Las Vegas NV - Aussie gave me a lift to bus
Unbelievably stunning journey over mountains and dessert
Sore throat is worse and now have a dodgy stomach
Arrived in Las Vegas NV at 4.30pm - checked bags into locker and took bus to The Strip
Tuesday 1st September 1998
Waiting for 3am bus to San Francisco CA - desperately tired but feeling better - must phone for accommodation from rest stop and do laundry on arrival - meeting Ollie tomorrow
Dirty old man on bus kept pestering me - otherwise a dull journey across agricultural land
Arrived in San Francisco CA 5pm-ish - hostels all full, paid $68!! for a box with no bathroom at Pension SF - did laundry, felt ill, bed at 7.30pm
Wednesday 2nd September 1998
Checked into Globe Hostel for $18 - much better
Did the shops - Banana Republic is amazing - lots of drunks and beggars around the town - did cable car and bought bus pass
Met Ollie at 4pm despite giving him the wrong coordinates, checked him into same hostel then went out walked round a bit then had an awful TexMex meal - couldn't eat it as too ill
Bed at 9.30pm - didn't sleep - felt terrible
Thursday 3rd September 1998
Up at 6am to drugstore - the remedy seems to work
Brakfast at Laundromat, wandered round to Golden Gate Bridge - too foggy to see it - bought Alcatraz tickets for evening - lunch at a lovely Italian in North Beach - back to hostel to change for the evening and Alcatraz
Alcatraz is amazing - cold, misty, dark we get the boat across, tour guide walks us to the prison, then we have an audio guide around the prison then another tour guide to take us back to the boat
On to Castro - used the subway - Castro is unimpressive just three small blocks and very dull - awful dinner at restaurant - drink at Irish bar beneath hostel, didn't sleep again but felt better
Friday 4th September 1998
Up early - breakfast at Laundromat again
Checked out and walked to cable car then to Union St (shopping), Fillimore St (steep), Haight district (hippies) - good lunch but not hungry - finally sent postcards
Changed and collected bags
Bus at 3.30pm for Portland OR - doesn't seem to take coast road
Saturday 5th September 1998
Arrived Portland OR in the morning - awful journey, coughed all night
Journey from bus to hostel is miles - walked to Burger King then got a ride - bloke with a beard and bedding in the back of his car (a bit scary)
Hostel seems ok - go for breakfast in Hawthorne district nearby
Hostel is actually pretty bad - twenty bed subterranean dorm with communal bathroom
Shopped in Portland - bought a watch
Went to advertising museum - bus trek to middle of nowhere - awful meal at a brewpub - then bed at the hostel with a chronic snorer in the room
Sunday 6th September 1998
Great breakfast at Hawthorne Cafe - eggs benedict
Managed to avoid 'chores' and hung out downtown instead
Feeling really ill - bad mexican meal - tried to go to brewpub but it's shut, so went to same one as last night - awful service, awful beer
Monday 7th September 1998
Left early for Seattle WA - bus full so had to wait a few hours for the next one
Arrived Seattle WA and checked into Green Tortoise Hostel - a bit happy clappy but clean and bright - and private bathrooms!
Dinner at fish and chip place by water - fun and a different angle on fish and chips to the UK
Went to Alibi Room Bar - very nice
Tuesday 8th September 1998
Good night's sleep - feel ok - went to Pike Place Market - amazing fish and flowers
Walked Seattle, shopped etc - Space Needle is crap for $9
Russian pie type thing for late lunch - very good
Coffee and photos in very first ever Starbucks shop - then watched bad parking
Bought a book in an indie bookshop - sign states ' don't steal the anarchist texts'
Went to Capitol Hill / Broadway gay area - great fun - sex shops, bars etc and got cruised repeatedly
Poor meal on fake pub type bar then coffee at Seattle's Best Coffee
Wednesday 9th September 1998
Poor night's sleep - ignorant sods kept turning light on - left for 12 noon bus
Waited for bus and talked to a Canadian - suddenly no bus, never had been a bus, despite tickets sold that morning and bus sat there with destination sign - French woman is thrown out of bus depot for complaining
We go to Starbucks (94 branches in Seattle) then caught the 1.30pm - saw incredibly fat Greyhound driver
Awful group of noisy passengers at rear
Got cross-examined at border - Aussie guy forced to get off bus
Arrived in Vancouver BC - nice station - Skytrain to city centre - hostel is $6 (Canadian) for a private room! with queen bunkbeds! free breakfast!
Found a fab restaurant - the Water St Cafe - wonderful halibut, wine etc for $80 = £30 for two!
Chinatown very scary - offered coke, weed and sex just walking round
Thursday 10th September 1998
Went to Stanley Park - walked round shore then took bus to downtown then bus to Granville Island Market - crap touristy and naff - took bus to Yale Town arty district - soulless - walked to Robson St - main shopping area - very cheap!! CDs £6 at Virgin Megastore, M&S, FCUK, Armani, Club Monaco etc
Met Ollie back at hostel then back to same restaurant - fab meal again - Ollie paid
Saw Double Jeopardy being filmed - rain scene
Drink in hostel bar and then bed
Friday 11th September 1998
Frid breakfast at hostel then shuttle service to airport - saw Ollie off then on to bus for me
Sent postcards then left
At customs I was cross-examined - "why Charleston?"
Had to look after bus for driver then talk to depot on phone for driver while he watched customs guys check the bus - cool driver!
Long layover at Portland OR before boarding with Driver Savage "Morning Class!" for Salt Lake City UT
Saturday 12th September 1998
On bus all day, arrived in Salt Lake City UT at 6pm ish - walked to hostel - the one NOT recommended by the Rough Guide - I can see why - owner is wired and rude - I had to wait 15 mins for him to finish a conversation before checking in
Went out between 7 and 9 to a shopping mall - Borders bookshop - awful meal at McDonald's , no OJ, tea or coffee - so settled for milk
Sunday 13th September 1998
Went to the Temple, immediately adopted by Korean missionary - she quickly realised I was a lost cause! Interesting in a weird kind of way, everyone (all day) in Sunday best 'Christian' clothes, within the Temple teeth everywhere, but outside the Temple no smiles
Walked up to the State Capitol and lay in sun for a while looking at amazing views
Bus at 7pm - Driver Savage again - stopped at Kum & Go gas station
Monday 14th September 1998
Awful journey through the night - no seat on driver's side so couldn't get comfy to sleep
Arrived in Denver CO 6am ish - old guy in depot booked hostel for me after quizzing me about Glen Miller?? Walked to hostel - allowed in room straight away so got two hours sleep!
Walked Denver then went to State Capitol and joined tour with 'Edna' - very interesting / informal
Met an English girl called Q - hung out together all day - went to the Mint (dull), historic district and Tattered Corner Bookstore
Did laundry then walked historic district before early to bed
Tuesday 15th September 1998
All day bus to Dallas TX - pleasant muffin and coffee next to hostel in Denver before setting off
Empty bus at 11 - passed an Emu or Ostrich farm
Stopped at 5pm for (surprise surprise) McDonald's rest stop - phoned Paige and actually spoke to her - aim for 3.30 on Friday - bus is very comfy and has low window sills
Saw a drive in cinema in Springfield CO called 'KarVu' - a desperately depressing small town
Stopped in Campo CO a bizzarre one block two - went into store - all counters and glass cases with stock decades old - faded medicine packets etc - one large soda fridge with a handful of cans and about ten candy bars - sort of diner counter at rear
Bus laid over in Amarillo TX for 1 hour - scary guy on phone to customer services needing money to buy food to go with his medication or he "might go crazy" - strange eyes! Lots of old ladies on bus
Wednesday 16th September 1998
Arrived in Dallas TX at 7am in torrential rain - no sign of it stopping
Asked at customer services for recommendation for breakfast - response: "what you don't like McDonald's??"
Lots of flying cockroaches outside the depot, scary people in McDonald's - chatted to mad woman
Walked in rain through downtown Dallas - Neiman Marcus appears to be the only store - eventually found a Starbucks, absolutely drenched, waited two hours - rain didn't stop, went to Neiman's - dull and I felt like a shoplifter in my holed soaked t-shirt
Walked to Dealey Plaza and went to JFK Museum - excellent audio tour for $8
Looked at West End - extremely tacky
Back to depot at 12.30 - customer services couldn't suggest any eastbound buses so I found my own to Nashville TN - who knows? Sat opposite an incredibly hairy woman was stares at me
Mean driver - old school grey uniform etc - only allowed 5 mins at rest stops - preceded and followed by a lecture
Thursday 17th September 1998
Messy bus change in Nashville TN - driver tried to be friendly but failed - no-one knew what was going on, which bus was going where etc - plus toilets closed by aggressive hispanic cleaner
Arrived in Atlanta GA at 7am - treated myself to $60+tax night at Hotel Super 8 - wonderful!! Took a bath and a shower, watched VH1, wandered round Atlanta in the morning - shops etc then changed and headed to Centennial Park / CNN - then back to hotel - slept all afternoon
Woke at 7pm and went out - unsatisfactory McDonald's - everything else closed - then back to hotel for Friends wedding episode on TV
Friday 18th September 1998
Up at 5am for 7.15 bus - Starbucks not open at 6am as it should be! Fell over and grazed hands, cut my lip and lost my dignity! - non-one acknowledged or helped, went to wash hands at depot and look at cut lip - aggressive beggar asks for money - couldn't deal with it
Uneventful trip to Charlotte NC - saw tobacco fields on way to Raleigh NC
Customer mix:
Charleston SC to Atlanta GA - poor black
Atlanta GA to New Orleans LA - poor black and white backpackers
New Orleans LA to Dallas TX - black and white trash and backpackers
Dallas TX to Santa Fe NM - white trash
Santa Fe NM to Flagstaff AZ - white trash and hispanic
Flagstaff AZ to Las Vegas NV - hispanic and backpackers
Las Vegas NV to San Francisco CA - hispanic
San Francisco CA to Portland OR - asian (Oriental)
Portland OR to Seattle WA - white and asian
Seattle Wa to Vancouver BC - white and asian
Vancouver BC to Seattle WA - elderly white
Seattle WA to Portland OR - white
Portland OR to Salt Lake City UT - white trash
Salt Lake City UT to Denver CO - white trash
Denver CO - to Dallas TX - elderly white and black
Dallas TX to Atlanta GA - black and hispanic
Atlanta GA to Charlotte NC - black and white
Charlotte NC to Raleigh NC - black
The photos proved to not be that exciting - they were pre digital, so I guess I rationed my use of the camera - but the accompanying travel journal is more interesting - or at least is is for me! I have resisted the desire to fill in gaps in the entries with my memories and this is the diary unedited.
Wednesday 26th August 1998
Left Charleston SC at 5am - first leg of the journey is Charleston SC - Columbia SC - Atlanta GA - Montgomery AL - Mobile AL - New Orleans LA
Hurricane in the morning - hit North Carolina, no storms in Charleston but incredible sky
Columbia SC - lots of army guys in uniform, one asked me how the tickets worked as he'd never been on a bus before
Columbia is like Charlotte NC but fewer, shorter sky scrapers
Driver and guy sat at front are discussing funerals (presume the guy is an undertaker) - "if a family member dies, can you do their body?" answer - "only cousins"
Apparently if a Greyhound bus hits and kills a deer, they report it to the police and the deer is delivered to the school food service and 'processed / ground up' and served in the school food system
Atlanta GA - driver is asked by the bus station staff to take an 'extra' passenger with no ticket with the right 'put him off if he causes trouble', thirty minutes of arguing later the driver refuses and sets off advising us over the PA system "if there is anything I can do to make your journey more comfortable just come up and tell me, if you don't feel like coming to the front then send someone else"
Montgomery AL - put watch back one hour to Central Time - groovy new bus station
New bus driver - "...no cigarettes, marijuana or crack - that includes the bathroom; chewers - you can chew but you can't pop"
Atmore AL - passed a 'mobile home outlet centre'
Thursday 27th August 1998
Met English couple on bus - Amanda and Martin from Potter's Bar - shared a cab to the New Orleans LA Youth Hostel
Went out at 2.30pm with them and a New Zealand girl called Cherie - streetcar was $1 - had coffee at Cafe du Monde - very touristy and over-rated - incredibly hot
Went back to sleep until 7.30 then we all headed out to Bourbon St - tacky and touristy - good covers band / awful 'po boy' sandwich; got wasted, got put in taxi, threw up in hostel and got into trouble
Friday 28th August 1998
Woke late - awful hangover - went straight to Greyhound depot as no interest in staying longer in New Orleans
Bus to Santa Fe NM will be over 24 hours - had ticket endorsed until 27th September
Bumped into Amanda, Martin and Cherie at depot - swapped addresses
Several English people on the bus - too tired to speak - bus left at 12.30pm
Lost double seat at 4pm
Due to hit Dallas TX at 1am - long layover - will talk to English people I guess
Driver "...one more thing. Get off my bus!"
Saturday 29th August 1998
Arrived Dallas TX at 2am (late) due to leave at 2.30am but actually left at 4.30am
Talked to English guys from Sussex Uni
Almost decided to stay in Dallas but would be pricey and only JFK museum to see - (should) get long layover in Albuquerque NM
Bought cheesy JFK postcard
Dallas depot - good camaraderie between delayed passengers as we sit on our bags on the floor
North Texas is very flat - soil an amazing red colour - saw a 'nodding donkey'(?) oil well in a small house's back yard
Very large cockroach between seats in front for most of journey
Stopped at Amarillo TX for 1.5 hours - walked to a Subway and around deserted downtown - usual mix of second hand shops, pawn shops and bail bond stores - took some photos - a contrast of 1930s and 1950s architecture
Spoke to English guys again - one called Steve - the other unwell
Set off at 1pm for Albuquerque NM - driver haring around bends
Passed 'Happy Tracks Horse Motel with stables'
Bus delayed at rest stop - when a woman had to be forcibly removed by the police fro refusing to show her ticket
Incredible scenery - orange rivers, tabletop mountains and prairie (?) as far as the eye can see - drive is interminably long
Long wait at Albuquerque NM - wandered round downtown for half an hour but backpack is heavy and there are few stores
Bus delayed for Santa Fe NM - arguments broke out over separated families, swearing and headphones!
Arrived Santa Fe NM very long walk to Youth Hostel and told that I have to do 'chores' - I choose to do the trash as it was the least involved - weirdo guy kept talking in the room - free breakfast
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| Amarillo TX |
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Amarillo TX
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Sunday 30th August 1998
Santa Fe NM disappointing, all gift shops and paper cup cafes - not feeling too great hope it is altitude and not something else
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| Santa Fe NM |
Went to cool photography gallery then walked back to hostel (via Taco Bell)
Walked (in hellish heat) to bus station, which was closed until bus due - lost $1 in snack machine
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| Santa Fe NM |
Guy called Kevin got on bus at Albuquerque NM and we talked pretty much solidly until Flagstaff AZ - he's a dancer / engineer
Arrived Flagstaff AZ 11.15pm - ride arranged to hostel
Slept badly - now have sore throat
Monday 31st August 1998 (Labor Day)
Woke up in Flagstaff AZ - it's pouring with rain - decided to skip Grand Canyon - too wet and delaying trip by a day would mess up my schedule
Set of at 9am for Las Vegas NV - Aussie gave me a lift to bus
Unbelievably stunning journey over mountains and dessert
Sore throat is worse and now have a dodgy stomach
Arrived in Las Vegas NV at 4.30pm - checked bags into locker and took bus to The Strip
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Las Vegas NV
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Tuesday 1st September 1998
Waiting for 3am bus to San Francisco CA - desperately tired but feeling better - must phone for accommodation from rest stop and do laundry on arrival - meeting Ollie tomorrow
Dirty old man on bus kept pestering me - otherwise a dull journey across agricultural land
Arrived in San Francisco CA 5pm-ish - hostels all full, paid $68!! for a box with no bathroom at Pension SF - did laundry, felt ill, bed at 7.30pm
Wednesday 2nd September 1998
Checked into Globe Hostel for $18 - much better
Did the shops - Banana Republic is amazing - lots of drunks and beggars around the town - did cable car and bought bus pass
Met Ollie at 4pm despite giving him the wrong coordinates, checked him into same hostel then went out walked round a bit then had an awful TexMex meal - couldn't eat it as too ill
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| San Francisco CA |
Bed at 9.30pm - didn't sleep - felt terrible
Thursday 3rd September 1998
Up at 6am to drugstore - the remedy seems to work
Brakfast at Laundromat, wandered round to Golden Gate Bridge - too foggy to see it - bought Alcatraz tickets for evening - lunch at a lovely Italian in North Beach - back to hostel to change for the evening and Alcatraz
Alcatraz is amazing - cold, misty, dark we get the boat across, tour guide walks us to the prison, then we have an audio guide around the prison then another tour guide to take us back to the boat
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| Alcatraz - San Francisco CA |
On to Castro - used the subway - Castro is unimpressive just three small blocks and very dull - awful dinner at restaurant - drink at Irish bar beneath hostel, didn't sleep again but felt better
Friday 4th September 1998
Up early - breakfast at Laundromat again
Checked out and walked to cable car then to Union St (shopping), Fillimore St (steep), Haight district (hippies) - good lunch but not hungry - finally sent postcards
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| San Francisco CA |
Changed and collected bags
Bus at 3.30pm for Portland OR - doesn't seem to take coast road
Saturday 5th September 1998
Arrived Portland OR in the morning - awful journey, coughed all night
Journey from bus to hostel is miles - walked to Burger King then got a ride - bloke with a beard and bedding in the back of his car (a bit scary)
Hostel seems ok - go for breakfast in Hawthorne district nearby
Hostel is actually pretty bad - twenty bed subterranean dorm with communal bathroom
Shopped in Portland - bought a watch
Went to advertising museum - bus trek to middle of nowhere - awful meal at a brewpub - then bed at the hostel with a chronic snorer in the room
Sunday 6th September 1998
Great breakfast at Hawthorne Cafe - eggs benedict
Managed to avoid 'chores' and hung out downtown instead
Feeling really ill - bad mexican meal - tried to go to brewpub but it's shut, so went to same one as last night - awful service, awful beer
Monday 7th September 1998
Left early for Seattle WA - bus full so had to wait a few hours for the next one
Arrived Seattle WA and checked into Green Tortoise Hostel - a bit happy clappy but clean and bright - and private bathrooms!
Dinner at fish and chip place by water - fun and a different angle on fish and chips to the UK
Went to Alibi Room Bar - very nice
Tuesday 8th September 1998
Good night's sleep - feel ok - went to Pike Place Market - amazing fish and flowers
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| Pike Place Market - Seattle WA |
Walked Seattle, shopped etc - Space Needle is crap for $9
Russian pie type thing for late lunch - very good
Coffee and photos in very first ever Starbucks shop - then watched bad parking
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| Seattle WA |
Bought a book in an indie bookshop - sign states ' don't steal the anarchist texts'
Went to Capitol Hill / Broadway gay area - great fun - sex shops, bars etc and got cruised repeatedly
Poor meal on fake pub type bar then coffee at Seattle's Best Coffee
Wednesday 9th September 1998
Poor night's sleep - ignorant sods kept turning light on - left for 12 noon bus
Waited for bus and talked to a Canadian - suddenly no bus, never had been a bus, despite tickets sold that morning and bus sat there with destination sign - French woman is thrown out of bus depot for complaining
We go to Starbucks (94 branches in Seattle) then caught the 1.30pm - saw incredibly fat Greyhound driver
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| Bus driver - Seattle WA |
Awful group of noisy passengers at rear
Got cross-examined at border - Aussie guy forced to get off bus
Arrived in Vancouver BC - nice station - Skytrain to city centre - hostel is $6 (Canadian) for a private room! with queen bunkbeds! free breakfast!
Found a fab restaurant - the Water St Cafe - wonderful halibut, wine etc for $80 = £30 for two!
Chinatown very scary - offered coke, weed and sex just walking round
Thursday 10th September 1998
Went to Stanley Park - walked round shore then took bus to downtown then bus to Granville Island Market - crap touristy and naff - took bus to Yale Town arty district - soulless - walked to Robson St - main shopping area - very cheap!! CDs £6 at Virgin Megastore, M&S, FCUK, Armani, Club Monaco etc
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| Vancouver BC |
Met Ollie back at hostel then back to same restaurant - fab meal again - Ollie paid
Saw Double Jeopardy being filmed - rain scene
Drink in hostel bar and then bed
Friday 11th September 1998
Frid breakfast at hostel then shuttle service to airport - saw Ollie off then on to bus for me
Sent postcards then left
At customs I was cross-examined - "why Charleston?"
Had to look after bus for driver then talk to depot on phone for driver while he watched customs guys check the bus - cool driver!
Long layover at Portland OR before boarding with Driver Savage "Morning Class!" for Salt Lake City UT
Saturday 12th September 1998
On bus all day, arrived in Salt Lake City UT at 6pm ish - walked to hostel - the one NOT recommended by the Rough Guide - I can see why - owner is wired and rude - I had to wait 15 mins for him to finish a conversation before checking in
Went out between 7 and 9 to a shopping mall - Borders bookshop - awful meal at McDonald's , no OJ, tea or coffee - so settled for milk
Sunday 13th September 1998
Went to the Temple, immediately adopted by Korean missionary - she quickly realised I was a lost cause! Interesting in a weird kind of way, everyone (all day) in Sunday best 'Christian' clothes, within the Temple teeth everywhere, but outside the Temple no smiles
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Salt Lake City UT
|
Walked up to the State Capitol and lay in sun for a while looking at amazing views
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| Salt Lake City UT |
Bus at 7pm - Driver Savage again - stopped at Kum & Go gas station
Monday 14th September 1998
Awful journey through the night - no seat on driver's side so couldn't get comfy to sleep
Arrived in Denver CO 6am ish - old guy in depot booked hostel for me after quizzing me about Glen Miller?? Walked to hostel - allowed in room straight away so got two hours sleep!
Walked Denver then went to State Capitol and joined tour with 'Edna' - very interesting / informal
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| as featured in Dynasty opening credits - Denver CO |
Met an English girl called Q - hung out together all day - went to the Mint (dull), historic district and Tattered Corner Bookstore
Did laundry then walked historic district before early to bed
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| Denver CO |
Tuesday 15th September 1998
All day bus to Dallas TX - pleasant muffin and coffee next to hostel in Denver before setting off
Empty bus at 11 - passed an Emu or Ostrich farm
Stopped at 5pm for (surprise surprise) McDonald's rest stop - phoned Paige and actually spoke to her - aim for 3.30 on Friday - bus is very comfy and has low window sills
Saw a drive in cinema in Springfield CO called 'KarVu' - a desperately depressing small town
Stopped in Campo CO a bizzarre one block two - went into store - all counters and glass cases with stock decades old - faded medicine packets etc - one large soda fridge with a handful of cans and about ten candy bars - sort of diner counter at rear
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| Campo CO |
Bus laid over in Amarillo TX for 1 hour - scary guy on phone to customer services needing money to buy food to go with his medication or he "might go crazy" - strange eyes! Lots of old ladies on bus
Wednesday 16th September 1998
Arrived in Dallas TX at 7am in torrential rain - no sign of it stopping
Asked at customer services for recommendation for breakfast - response: "what you don't like McDonald's??"
Lots of flying cockroaches outside the depot, scary people in McDonald's - chatted to mad woman
Walked in rain through downtown Dallas - Neiman Marcus appears to be the only store - eventually found a Starbucks, absolutely drenched, waited two hours - rain didn't stop, went to Neiman's - dull and I felt like a shoplifter in my holed soaked t-shirt
Walked to Dealey Plaza and went to JFK Museum - excellent audio tour for $8
Looked at West End - extremely tacky
Back to depot at 12.30 - customer services couldn't suggest any eastbound buses so I found my own to Nashville TN - who knows? Sat opposite an incredibly hairy woman was stares at me
Mean driver - old school grey uniform etc - only allowed 5 mins at rest stops - preceded and followed by a lecture
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| JFK Museum Dallas TX |
Thursday 17th September 1998
Messy bus change in Nashville TN - driver tried to be friendly but failed - no-one knew what was going on, which bus was going where etc - plus toilets closed by aggressive hispanic cleaner
Arrived in Atlanta GA at 7am - treated myself to $60+tax night at Hotel Super 8 - wonderful!! Took a bath and a shower, watched VH1, wandered round Atlanta in the morning - shops etc then changed and headed to Centennial Park / CNN - then back to hotel - slept all afternoon
Woke at 7pm and went out - unsatisfactory McDonald's - everything else closed - then back to hotel for Friends wedding episode on TV
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| Atlanta GA |
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| Centennial Park - Atlanta GA |
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Centennial Park - Atlanta GA
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Friday 18th September 1998
Up at 5am for 7.15 bus - Starbucks not open at 6am as it should be! Fell over and grazed hands, cut my lip and lost my dignity! - non-one acknowledged or helped, went to wash hands at depot and look at cut lip - aggressive beggar asks for money - couldn't deal with it
Uneventful trip to Charlotte NC - saw tobacco fields on way to Raleigh NC
Customer mix:
Charleston SC to Atlanta GA - poor black
Atlanta GA to New Orleans LA - poor black and white backpackers
New Orleans LA to Dallas TX - black and white trash and backpackers
Dallas TX to Santa Fe NM - white trash
Santa Fe NM to Flagstaff AZ - white trash and hispanic
Flagstaff AZ to Las Vegas NV - hispanic and backpackers
Las Vegas NV to San Francisco CA - hispanic
San Francisco CA to Portland OR - asian (Oriental)
Portland OR to Seattle WA - white and asian
Seattle Wa to Vancouver BC - white and asian
Vancouver BC to Seattle WA - elderly white
Seattle WA to Portland OR - white
Portland OR to Salt Lake City UT - white trash
Salt Lake City UT to Denver CO - white trash
Denver CO - to Dallas TX - elderly white and black
Dallas TX to Atlanta GA - black and hispanic
Atlanta GA to Charlotte NC - black and white
Charlotte NC to Raleigh NC - black
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