Ramblings

Back from beyond

daisy — Mon, 16 Aug 2010 10:10:00 GMT

Well, I’m back from the far reaches of the globe. To catch you up, I did indeed go to Fremont and the Burke Memorial Museum. The Burke was great, very ‘together’ exhibitions that were local to the area. There was also an exhibition of photographs around the theme of conservation. Really excellent. Had a quiet evening in at the hostel, with a final walk down to Pike Place for food later on.

On the Monday after, I spent the WHOLE day trying to get to NYC. I was up super early, walked to the bus stop, got on a bus, then went on a train, then walked a bit more, then waited a while, then got on a plane, then got to Newark, then waited a long time for the shuttle bus, then waited for shuttle to pick up passengers, then waited for it to drop off aforesaid passengers, then FINALLY got to East Harlem guesthouse and welcome of family. 3.5 hours to get from Newark to Manhattan – not impressed.

Slept badly because it was HOT! And here’s where it goes a bit fuzzy because I didn’t keep up with the holiday diary. But here’s a rundown. We did... Ellis Island (great building, shame that the exhibits made no sense), Museum of Modern Art (where we watched a screaming exhibition by Yoko Ono – odd! Also saw a dizzying selection of the most famous works of art in the world.), Museum of American Folk Art (interesting, in a slightly odd building), Central Park, Macys, a bit of Bloomingdales, and we walked and walked and walked, and I probably forgot something really major, but never mind. Yep, thinking it through we also went to the Metropolitan Museum of Art – fantastic. Huge, and like the Louvre in that you can spend hours and hours there, and barely scratch the surface. Even the gift shop was huge – and pretty naff. We also did quite a bit of book shopping – significantly heavier bag on the return leg.

We had a pretty long flight back to Heathrow, which was quite delayed. We made good time though, and had a good long kip driving down to Portsmouth. A few more zzzz later and we got to our formule 1 bed for the night. Up early, and a drive to Les Hallerais, near Dinan. Snazzzy litte campsite that we stayed on last about 20 years ago! It has a swimming pool now though. (And the world’s NOISIEST neighbours. We all got woken up at 3am on our first night by the hippos next door – seriously, how do you not wake yourself up making that much racket?!)

Very relaxed week spent reading, dodging rain showers, getting really competitive in games of Pictionary and trumps, trudging up the cobbled slopes of medieval Dinan, pootling around St Brieuc and attempting to sleep on sloping root-ridden ground. We had a day staying in St Malo, where we had dreadfully overpriced food, but managed to bag a few bargains, enjoy wandering the walls, step down to the beach, and admire a man flying 30 kites attached to one cable. Long ferry and car ride back to home. I can't emphasise enough how much I love my duvet after a month away!

The All American Parade

daisy — Sun, 1 Aug 2010 10:12:00 GMT

Howdy folks

Pounding the sidewalk of seattle yesterday, visiting the Seattle Art Museum and Pike Place Market, and attempted to find shopping, but wasn't really in the mood. Felt a bit lonely after being surrounded by others for two weeks! But hurray, I bumped into a fellow trekker, who is staying in my room! We made for the Space Needle, noticing that there were preparations being made for a parade. There were all sorts of bizarre vehicles lining up in local streets, and lots of runners on others. By the time the marching bands started up, it was after seven, but we could see them from the top of the VERY tall space needle. We were up there over two hours, but we saw the sun set over the Olympic Mountains, and could see Mount Rainier in the far distance, behind the skyscrapers of downtown Seattle. Brilliant views. We eventually got down the needle, frozen and hungry, and stopped to watch the rest of the parade, which was going for pretty much three hours! We loved the pirates who fired a cannon, the jazzy dancers, and had been astonished to see from the top of the needle all the dancers forming these intricate patterns. There was one float which had ladies sat in giant lotus flowers pretending to meditate - impossible as the crowd was so raucous! Fantastic to catch the end of the parade. Fremont and Burke Memorial Museum today I think...

And then there was one

daisy — Sat, 31 Jul 2010 09:40:00 GMT

Hello!

Long time no write, I know. The internet options are limited when camping in National Parks that are lucky to have more than 2 loos and any showers at all! Here follows a quick rundown of what I've done thus far!

17th July, overpriced town car to meet fellow trekkers - full group of 13 plus leader. A quick stop at Grauman's Chinese Theatre, and a squint at the far distant Hollywood sign, and then off to Santa Barbara - hot hot hot, and the first of many sandwich lunches to come. First campsite was mostly for RVs - huge, and very cramped together. Somehow I managed to have my own tent!

18th July was a drive with lots of stops on the Big Sur coastline - absolutely beautiful.

19th July was a long long drive day to Yosemite - campground about an hour's drive away. We stopped in at a grove of Sequioa trees - they really are quite large!

20th July was our first proper walking day in Yosemite. I got the front seat in the van, and was able to get the full picture of our arrival into the park - it is like stepping into a Jurassic Park / Lost World. You can understand why John Muir - who 'discovered' it acted to preserve it. Absolutely astonishing. The waterfalls here (6 mile hike later) kicked the butts of any and every other waterfall we saw afterward! I didn't manage the trek up Half Dome - it was too hot, and I'm too unfit! (As I discovered on the trip down into the Sequoia grove the day before.) Pizza for tea once everyone had managed to drag themselves off the mountain was hard-won!

21 July we drove into San Francisco. Foggy crossing over the freezing golden gate bridge - lots of people bought sweatshirts here! Lunch on Haight street, photographs of the Seven Sisters, then to our hotel (!) which was so worthwhile! We went on a sunset sailboat cruise (booze cruise) which was ace - saw dolphins ad pelicans, and Alcatraz loomed over us. I may have ended up singing in a karaoke bar...

22 July I went on my own to the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art - and possibly one of the best museums I have EVER been to. Felt quite emotional afterward! I then had a mooch down Market Street, and climbed to the top of Powell Street. I then met back up with the group, had dinner and strayed to a local bar.

23 July We bid farewell to the amazing gorgeous sunshine we had in SF, and ended up at the Klamath Camper Corral, which was possibly the weirdest place we stayed. Next to the coast, it had a permanent gloomy fog. I got completely and totally freaked out by the very nearby arrival of a scavenging bear - yes I actually saw one!

24 July we had a small ramble in the Elk Prairie Creek Redwoods Park, and saw a big tree or two. I bought a jumper here, and everyone bought blankets at Walmart - it was cooold the night before. Nobody much fancied a long hike in the afternoon, so we went to the closeby beach - which was amazing. Beautiful, and weird because of the fog and driftwood. We saw whales here - really close to the beach. Ceremonial area for the local Yurok tribe.

25 July we drove up the Oregon coast -a long day, but it is gorgeous. I decided not to dune buggy, and instead clamber the massive dunes. Bad idea as I was sandy for about three days afterward, and this was where I got bitten, probably by a spider.

26 July we had another long drive day, stopping in on Portland. I loved it, despite the fact that my hand had swelled up to about 3 times its normal size from the bite. First stop when I got there was the pharmacist for lots of strong anti histamines! We had probably our best campsite in the Ike Kinewa state park - we were a minute's walk from the lake, and we had a great late night, watching the sun set, the full moon rise through the trees, and I saw my first shooting star- amazing. (Also stopped at the Mount St Helens visitor centre - big mountain explodes basically.)

27 July we went to Mount Rainier - hot sunny day, yet we were scrambling through snow on the glacier! Everyone loved it, but I was soggy and tired, and it felt very alpine to me, so I wasn't as amazed by it. Whistling Hoary Marmots were everywhere.

28 July we were driving again, and I saw lots of road signs for places I know of from the Twilight books. Very odd. We even stopped in Forks! We stopped off at the Hoh State Park visitor centre, which was fantastic. Tiny, but had signs that very clearly explained the formation of the rainforest in the area. Short walk through dry rainforest, where even the phone box had moss on it. Tiny terraced campsite is very tree-y.

29 July we hiked up to Sol Duc waterfalls - very pleasant walk was undulating, so you didn't notice any elevation - fantastic after the strain of climbing Rainier and another late night! We wandered over to the nearby spa resort - very smelly but lovely in the sunshine.

30 July we packed up for the last time and came on the ferry across Puget Sound to Seattle. Foggy arrival, which cleared up to a beautiful sunshiny day! Dropped off at the hostel, wandered around a bit, then had dinner with the trekkers, and drinks on a terrace watching the sunset. Fantastic.

Today - weird to wake up under a duvet and without all the trekkers. Pike Place Market, here I come!

It's 10am, and I've been awake since 4

daisy — Sat, 17 Jul 2010 10:00:00 GMT

Was a long day yesterday, but I arrived into LAX eventually. Short wait for the shuttle to the hotel, and amazingly, because it was early afternoon, I managed to stay awake until 8pm. It didn't stop me waking up at 4.00am! I have had a wander this morning, and breakfast at the diner 30 seconds away. Discovered an amazing food shop - Bristol Farms - every kind of yummy looking food you can imagine. Currently sat in a rocking chair that the hotel deem appropriate furniture for sitting at a computer - which is more comfortable than it should be! Gotta organise a cab for the transfer to the gateway hotel for my tour tomorrow, then it's off to the pool side for me! (It is already pretty warm this morning.) Early cloud has burned off.

The Plan

daisy — Wed, 14 Jul 2010 08:15:00 GMT

Alright folks, I’m writing this in sort-of sunny home location when I really should be repacking the bag or checking flights... ummm...

Plans are thus (for those who are interested!)

Wednesday 14 July - Train down to London, where I'll start the holiday by stopping with a good pal, overlooking the Olympic Stadium!

Thursday 15 July - 'Orrible early start venturing across London, to get on the flight to Los Angeles. 11 hours later I’ll be zombie-walking my way to a hotel near the airport.

Friday 16 July – sleeeeeeeeping in the hotel / next to the pool then maybe wander to the shops and restaurants close by to the hotel. If I’m feeling more adventurous, I’d ideally like to get up to the Hollywood Hills to the Griffith Observatory – it would sort of complete the James Dean examination for me.

Saturday 17 July – Depart hotel super early to head towards another hotel to meet fellow trekkers. Los Angeles and Santa Barbara today. (and first night under canvas!)

Sunday 18 July – Big Sur (BIG stretch of coast – surfing potentially?) Song for the day: ’Surfin’ USA’ – The Beach Boys.

Monday 19 July / Tuesday 20 July – Yosemite National Park... there be bears and first sightings of the big trees! (And serious camping.) Song for the day: ‘Lions and tigers and bears, oh my!’ – from The Wizard of Oz.

Wednesday 21 July / Thursday 22 July – San Francisco baby! Two nights in a budget lodge here, flooring! Walls! Windows! Bathrooms nearby! And a sunset sailboat cruise round the bay – oh yes!

Friday 23 July / Saturday 24 July – Redwood National Park. Those that know, will realise that this is the bit of the tour that swung it for me – the giant trees are what I most wanted to see. Looking forward to this.

Sunday 25 July / Monday 26 July – Oregon Coast and Mount St Helens. Another ‘really looking forward to this’ day. The Oregon Coast is meant to be stunning – just reading about it made me want to see it. Mount St Helens is a huuuuge volcano that last went off quite recently. National Geographic did a big feature on it recently – amazing place.

Tuesday 27 July – Mount Rainier National Park. We’re getting into Twilight territory here – this is the biggest mountain in Washington State (I think). Hope my legs are ready for it by this point! Song of the day: ‘Clair de Lune’ – Debussy.

Wednesday 28 July / Thursday 29 July – Olympic National Park. True Twilight territory! I’ll try not to veer into the path of any teen vamp/wolf scenarios! (I’m told there are hot springs here...)

Friday 30 July – Seattle! Last day of the trek. Song of the day: Anything at all by Nirvana!

Saturday 31 July / Sunday 1 August - Hostelling in Seattle. Gotta see some live music here, and the Pike Place market.

Monday 2 August – early flight to NYC – which will take most of the day because of the time difference. Grrr. On the plus side, meeting fambly!

Tuesday 3 August / Wednesday 4 August / Thursday 5 August – NYC. Wahey! Wanted to come back since the blizzard of 2004! Song of the day (as I’m sitting here writing): NYC – from the musical ‘Annie’.

Friday 6 August – NYC still, but the last day, with a flight in the evening back to the UK.

Saturday 7 August – arrive in UK, straight onto Dinan, vive La France!

Fast forward a few days...

Saturday 14 August – back to the UK proper.

And now – to get dressed and ready for the off!

Daisy x