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
