SleeperService

No Fixed Abode

mwalimudan — Fri, 13 Mar 2009 20:42:00 GMT

You can find the full story of the trip on www.no-fixed-abode.net

Enjoy!

Boston

mwalimudan — Fri, 5 Sep 2008 11:25:00 GMT

We like Airtran – the staff are nice, ( FLA to Atlanta were rather stern but in a pleasant way) We must go back to Georgia because the accent is so lovely and musical. The plane was early and you get snacks! ( no booze). The transport in Boston is excellent. The subway leaves from the airport and gets you to the centre in no time at all. We have a fantastically centrally located appt right near Beacon Hill!!! It’s slightly over budget but Lonely Planet are behind the times with their prices and hotels are busy booked and nowehere near $100. $200+ for a hotel, maybe a room for $130 out of Boston. We have already walked around the centre in the sun. Parts are like Glasgow and Edinburgh. We loved North End yesterday. It is chock full of Italian restaurants.

We walked into a grocer and STARTED TALKING TO THE GROCER HE REPLIED IN A FRIENDLY MANNER. He kind of weighed everything together in the scales and it magically came to $30. He has basil and parsley , rosemary, thyme, spinach, growing out back. Waiters and chefs from the surrounding restaurants kept coming in to get bits and pieces, a woman came in for 2 tomatoes. The grocer said he was busy all day, but that other grocers had gone out of business as the restaurants buy in bulk outside. The basil – dare I say it – is better than the stuff from France. Big butch and fragrant!

BOSTON IS...

Green, watery, fresh, vibrant, full of squirrels and geese and students, sailing boats, some homeless people under the trees and in wheelchairs at subway entrances( who are they?) , red brick and bay windows, joggers – lots of joggers, cosy looking pubs, sea food, Italian restaurants, coffee shops and Starbucks.

And we are off to watch WHALES tomorrow.

Weather permitting.

Arriving in America

mwalimudan — Fri, 5 Sep 2008 10:52:00 GMT

Well – most of you probably know that Storm Hanna is chasing us up the East coast of the US of A. She has completely scuppered our Wild Dolphin project trip, forced us to abandon any notion of margueritas down the Keys and even a trip up to Georgia. We had a rather sterile stay in West Palm Beach – mainly in the hotel before fleeing North to Boston!

Florida was hard to get around by public transport. Of course we did know this and originally we were only in West Palm to get on the boat. We got the Tri rail from Miami airport which was cheap enough, but the shuttle bus was late so we had to wait 2 hours for the next train. The distances between areas, beaches and, well, anything are too far to walk comfortably and not geared for pedestrians.

However, people are friendly and we felt like we were in at least 3 different countries.

The bus was like a Tanzanian bus. Everyone was shouting they had to get the 4 o clock train. The Spanish speaking couple shouted come on Frenchie! To some tourists who were stuck in the doors. A uniformed woman started shouting at the bus driver a big black woman who shouted back “ You better get on that bus I gotta close the doors cos you know that train is gonna leave on time! “ this at 3.56 at 3.58 someone is still stuck in the doors and we haven’t left yet. No one was happy. People yelled at the ones still hiking their suitcases on to hurry up. But it was too late.

The train was interesting. People TALK to each other.

On the train were:

An American couple who were volunteering in Guatemala through their church tried out their rudimentary Spanish on various passengers. They have cable, water is cheap, they love their country but they prefer it there. They shop with the Local people in the Local markets.

A man with a zimmer frame yelled from the back THERE’S A SEAT BACK THERE IF I CAN GET TO IT. Another slimmer man rather sanctimoniously helped him to his seat. Zimmer man wasn’t happy about the state of the buses. They don’t go as far any more. He’d spent Labour Day in the casino – all day drinking and eating for only $30!!

2 creole speaking black women wearing loads of jewellery and swearing occasionally into their phones.

In short the people in FLA were very pleasant and helpful – the guys at the airport, the hotel, everyone. Maybe there is something in this tipping culture. BUT Florida is flat and hard for walkers.

We did like the docks –we met Denise and Calie and Cindy who work on the boat – we went on the boat saw where we would have slept, would have eaten freshly caught and barbecued fish, would have scanned the horizon for dolphins would have slipped in for an up close swim and play..... our place is held until next season so watch this space!!!!