It's late here in L.A and I have a flight to Hawaii tomorrow. I had all good intentions to update this blog with my adventures in Tinseltown, but I've run out of time! Apologies now to anyone who has sent me an email and I'm unable to reply to.
I'm going to Hawaii to volunteer on an organic farm through WWOOF. I'll let you click on the website as I'm at the first hostel I've come across charging for wifi and I have little time left!
I will be working three hours a day, five days a week and my accommodations will be rustic, eh without electricity in what is described as a small cabin room with screened in windows, no glass. In return I can eat all the produce I can eat. After Hawaii it's onto Fiji, but only for five days before I fly to New Zealand.
Sunday 19 August 2007
Saturday 18 August 2007
When will I learn my lesson???
Greyhound sucks! Rather than take a bus to the Emeryville train station (just outside San Francisco), a train to Bakersfield and then a bus to L.A. I decided to take the express Greyhound bus from San Francisco direct to L.A, taking seven and a half hours. Supposedly.
Well as you can probably guess, it didn't go to plan. An hour and a half into the journey I woke up to find us parked on the side of the interstate. The driver informed us the bus had overheated. A few moments later a State Trooper told our driver he had to find a safer place to park. Once the bus had cooled down enough he managed to move us a mile up the highway and take an exit road.
We were allowed to get out of the bus and step into the heat, to find, well, nothing. We were in the middle of nowhere. And there we waited for four and a half hours.
Middle of Nowhere.
Greyhound sent out two mechanics and even though they knew the fan belt had broken they didn't bring a replacement. They didn't bring any water either, even though there were a number of really small children and old people on board. So we had to wait while the mechanics went off in search of a fan belt.
Richard, the guy sitting next to me phoned the customer service helpline. He was told there is no refund if Greyhound get you to your destination. Apparently it doesn't matter how long that takes.
The bus going nowhere.
I'm so pleased to think I don't have anymore overland internal trips planned, I'm free of Greyhound!
Well as you can probably guess, it didn't go to plan. An hour and a half into the journey I woke up to find us parked on the side of the interstate. The driver informed us the bus had overheated. A few moments later a State Trooper told our driver he had to find a safer place to park. Once the bus had cooled down enough he managed to move us a mile up the highway and take an exit road.
We were allowed to get out of the bus and step into the heat, to find, well, nothing. We were in the middle of nowhere. And there we waited for four and a half hours.
Middle of Nowhere.
Greyhound sent out two mechanics and even though they knew the fan belt had broken they didn't bring a replacement. They didn't bring any water either, even though there were a number of really small children and old people on board. So we had to wait while the mechanics went off in search of a fan belt.
Richard, the guy sitting next to me phoned the customer service helpline. He was told there is no refund if Greyhound get you to your destination. Apparently it doesn't matter how long that takes.
The bus going nowhere.
I'm so pleased to think I don't have anymore overland internal trips planned, I'm free of Greyhound!
Tuesday 14 August 2007
The Streets of San Francisco and the Rock
Sorry two screen references in one title is possibly over doing it. I arrived in San Francisco after a very long train journey from Portland, Oregon. The beginning of the journey was very beautiful, cutting through the Cascade mountain range. I wanted to get off the train and have a wander around, it all looked so inviting, huge pine trees, crystal clear lakes, under a clear blue sky.
San Francisco is an extremely popular place this time of year, so much of my time was spent finding somewhere to stay. After checking in to a hostel for a night, I've ended up in a hotel as ALL the hostels where booked through the weekend. It's the first time I've had such difficulties. Admittedly being the weekend didn't help.
I always like to walk around a new place, get an idea of where everything is and get a feel for a place. In San Francisco this is kind of difficult, unless your extremely fit (I'm not even slightly fit), the streets are so steep and the hills are impossible to avoid. It's great to hop on a streetcar, but with so many tourists often you are left watching another packed streetcar pass you by.
I managed to get a ticket to Alcatraz, no mean feat and sailed over in the late afternoon with what felt like every tourist in the city.
I was excited to see Alcatraz, could Sean Connery really break out? Even with the help of Nicholas Cage?
The cells
I imagine those brave souls entering Ellis Island at the beginning of the last century (notice how I avoid pinpointing the year?) to be prodded and questioned had it easy compared with a tourist arriving at Alcatraz! All fifteen hundred of us (do I exaggerate?) were herded up the hill after departing the ferry. There were too many people and too few staff, so a man stood with a loud speaker directing us up the hill to the "facility". Once there we were herded in a long line through passageways, eventually to pick up a set of headphones for the audio tour. The day before I had been mightily impressed with the audio tour at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, where they hand out video ipods. Unfortunately Alcatraz isn't quite as advanced. But I enjoyed the audio tour (narrated by ex guards and ex inmates), which led me from cell to yard, to visitors galley, to cell etc. The only problem being as the voice in my ears would say "turn left and look at cell number 38" at least another 40 tourists would hear the same thing from their headphones. At each interesting point I'd find too many people all cramming to see the same thing. I guess the only way to combat this would be to further restrict the number of visitors. I do think the tour would really benefit. I was disappointed that the audio tour and a few mounted photo's where the only means of information. I think the island would really benefit from some kind of re-enactment you see at other museums, especially when there are so many young visitors.
I left the island a little disappointed. I did learn a few things from the audio tour and the views from the island to San Francisco are really impressive.
Tomorrow I'm off to L.A where I'll be until Monday when I fly to Hawaii. Can you believe I'm taking ANOTHER Greyhound bus to L.A! But unfortunately taking the train would mean also taking two buses, it seems easier to take one bus from here and Greyhound actually have a stop in Hollywood, where I'll be staying. The hostel was recommended to me by a fellow English traveller. Check it out here.
San Francisco is an extremely popular place this time of year, so much of my time was spent finding somewhere to stay. After checking in to a hostel for a night, I've ended up in a hotel as ALL the hostels where booked through the weekend. It's the first time I've had such difficulties. Admittedly being the weekend didn't help.
I always like to walk around a new place, get an idea of where everything is and get a feel for a place. In San Francisco this is kind of difficult, unless your extremely fit (I'm not even slightly fit), the streets are so steep and the hills are impossible to avoid. It's great to hop on a streetcar, but with so many tourists often you are left watching another packed streetcar pass you by.
I managed to get a ticket to Alcatraz, no mean feat and sailed over in the late afternoon with what felt like every tourist in the city.
I was excited to see Alcatraz, could Sean Connery really break out? Even with the help of Nicholas Cage?
The cells
I imagine those brave souls entering Ellis Island at the beginning of the last century (notice how I avoid pinpointing the year?) to be prodded and questioned had it easy compared with a tourist arriving at Alcatraz! All fifteen hundred of us (do I exaggerate?) were herded up the hill after departing the ferry. There were too many people and too few staff, so a man stood with a loud speaker directing us up the hill to the "facility". Once there we were herded in a long line through passageways, eventually to pick up a set of headphones for the audio tour. The day before I had been mightily impressed with the audio tour at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, where they hand out video ipods. Unfortunately Alcatraz isn't quite as advanced. But I enjoyed the audio tour (narrated by ex guards and ex inmates), which led me from cell to yard, to visitors galley, to cell etc. The only problem being as the voice in my ears would say "turn left and look at cell number 38" at least another 40 tourists would hear the same thing from their headphones. At each interesting point I'd find too many people all cramming to see the same thing. I guess the only way to combat this would be to further restrict the number of visitors. I do think the tour would really benefit. I was disappointed that the audio tour and a few mounted photo's where the only means of information. I think the island would really benefit from some kind of re-enactment you see at other museums, especially when there are so many young visitors.
I left the island a little disappointed. I did learn a few things from the audio tour and the views from the island to San Francisco are really impressive.
Tomorrow I'm off to L.A where I'll be until Monday when I fly to Hawaii. Can you believe I'm taking ANOTHER Greyhound bus to L.A! But unfortunately taking the train would mean also taking two buses, it seems easier to take one bus from here and Greyhound actually have a stop in Hollywood, where I'll be staying. The hostel was recommended to me by a fellow English traveller. Check it out here.
The Art of Photography
Travelling on my own makes it sometimes difficult to get a photo of myself. After all the most important thing about this trip is having many photo's of myself, in front of famous landmarks.
This brings me to the Golden Gate Bridge, as far as landmarks go, it's impressive.
At the "photo point" by the visitors centre I found crowds of tourists. I took a few photo's of the bridge and then politely approached a woman and asked if she could take my photo for me.
This was the result.
Yes apparently it was too difficult to zoom in, or even stand up for that matter, so there's a lot of fence and a boy.
I decided I'd try the good old self portrait. But it's amazing how something as big as the Golden Gate Bridge can become elusive.
So I tried the other side,
Um, so how about portrait?
Okay so that didn't work. I approached another tourist. I was full of hope again.
Oh yes that's brilliant, I wanted it to look like the Golden Gate Bridge is growing OUT of my head.
I wandered off, found a quiet spot with a flat surface and set up the self-timer option on my camera. It's not brilliant, but there isn't a boy, fence or things protruding from my head so I'm happy(ish).
This brings me to the Golden Gate Bridge, as far as landmarks go, it's impressive.
At the "photo point" by the visitors centre I found crowds of tourists. I took a few photo's of the bridge and then politely approached a woman and asked if she could take my photo for me.
This was the result.
Yes apparently it was too difficult to zoom in, or even stand up for that matter, so there's a lot of fence and a boy.
I decided I'd try the good old self portrait. But it's amazing how something as big as the Golden Gate Bridge can become elusive.
So I tried the other side,
Um, so how about portrait?
Okay so that didn't work. I approached another tourist. I was full of hope again.
Oh yes that's brilliant, I wanted it to look like the Golden Gate Bridge is growing OUT of my head.
I wandered off, found a quiet spot with a flat surface and set up the self-timer option on my camera. It's not brilliant, but there isn't a boy, fence or things protruding from my head so I'm happy(ish).
Wednesday 8 August 2007
Discovery Islands Tour
Sometimes I get a little behind on this blog. It makes it hard to recall all the facts and details. But I'm going to surge ahead with this account as tomorrow I set off on a nineteen hour train journey to San Francisco.
After another bad bus journey (from Seattle to Portland) that took only three hours but was running two hours late, I'm looking forward to a spacious Amtrak carriage. I also have a stack of books to read having visited Powell's City of Books here in Portland, and it is now my favourite book store. It also happens to be the largest independent, new and used bookstore in the world!
After boarding a number of Greyhound buses and experiencing the delights of my fellow passengers quirky ways, from the 500lb pyjama clad woman, to the couple with blackened teeth I was pushed over the edge by a teenage girl boarding my bus to Portland with balloon animals. Yes balloon animals. It took her ten minutes to negotiate her way along the aisle to her seat, fellow passengers were left in her wake with static hair and thoroughly annoyed expressions.
However this post is not meant to be about my grievances with America, I'll get to that in another post, no now I want to write about my experiences kayaking in British Columbia.
I arrived on Quadra Island with trepidation, having never kayaked before and not really liking the sea, I began to think, why have I signed up for a 5 day sea kayaking trip?
The shock really hit me as we began (as a newly introduced group) to load our possessions, food and camping gear into our kayaks and after a quick introduction by our guides Jesse and Sandra, walked our kayaks into the sea. The sea was cold.
I had not considered the cold. Only a small problem for most, I however have been known to develop hypothermia when the central heating is turned down a notch. In our flat in West London, Kev and Gaz would often come home and find me under a blanket with several layers on and a hot water bottle pressed against my body, trying to get warm. I can only blame my Dad for this, it is after all hereditary. My Dad once complained when a friend (sleeping over) left a window open a jar all night. My Dad swore he could feel the draft in the next room. It was June.
I was teamed up with Richard in a two person kayak. As a group we were unusually light on couples (only two) and required lots of single person tents. Something else I hadn't considered, I would be sleeping alone in a tent in the wild! I was suddenly very grateful for my flashlight and extra batteries.
How evil looking is this tent?!
Me on the water.
We left Rebecca Spit for lunch on a small island off Quadra. Throughout the trip Jesse and Sandra cooked delicious meals. After paddling for an hour or so, as soon as we stepped out of the kayaks into the icy cold water (only a slight exaggeration) all the heat I had accumulated paddling evaporated and I was covered in goosebumps!
The weather on the first day was decidedly British, dark skies, a little wind and a sense of impending doom. Thankfully by the evening we had the type of beautiful weather we experienced for the rest of the trip.
I think I was really lucky to be in a group with a large number of singles and very friendly people. We all got along from the outset (putting aside your snoring Trevor) and spent a great deal of time laughing.
Jesse and Sandra make a delicious meal and entertain!
After the first day the kayaking for me became a lot of fun. I'd find a rhythm and kind of zone out. The scenery is absolutely stunning, we spent our time paddling around Quadra and Reed Island making stops for lunch and to explore. We spotted Seals lazing on rocks and Eagles soaring overhead. Jesse would always inform us about what we were looking at, from Blue Herons to kelp made into popcorn by indigenous people.
Beautiful Clear Water.
Anna also spotted a dolphin, but no one believes her. Sorry Anna, but you can't be the only person to see a leaping dolphin, that would just be unfair.
Bret did find a snake in the creek right by our campsite on the first night at Open Bay. I was rather alarmed to see he'd just picked it up and carried it into the camp. But his wife Sue Ellen explained they had once had a collection of pet snakes at home, some had even gone missing in the house and been found months later by one of their children. When Bret and Sue Ellen later offered me a place to stay in North Carolina if I ever pass through, I shook my head from side to side vigorously.
Bret and a snake
Only joking Bret and Sue Ellen, I know you no longer have pet snakes so I'd love to visit! Did I mention I love to stay with locals for months at a time and observe?
On the second and third nights we set up camp at Freedom Point, this is on Reed Island (population 55) and juts out into the sea (hence the reference to a point in the name) towards Quadra Island. Beyond Quadra the snow capped mountains of Vancouver Island are visible.
The view from Freedom Point.
Campfire at Freedom Point
Gary helped me set up my tent on the second day. The camping area was in a wooded area with views on either side of the sea. As usual after setting up camp we all wandered around, chatted, took photo's and relaxed.
As dinner time approached we noticed Trevor hadn't returned from his nap. It was at this point our tranquil little world was suddenly very frightening. Richard came running into the kitchen area, he took Jesse to one side, Trevor was not sleeping but unconscious.
I don't really want to go into the details of everything that happened, as for one Trevor has only learned the details himself just recently. But I was very grateful for Sandra and Jesse's knowledge and how they dealt with the situation. Bret also did his part, even when sap fell from a tree into his hair while he was trying to keep Trevor awake! What a soldier. I'm making light of the situation because at the time it was very frightening for us all, particularly waiting for the coast guard to arrive. I'm very thankful Trevor is now well, although without prognosis.
We all missed Trevor (I didn't miss your snoring or Pommie bashing Trevor) and would always feel someone was missing from our little group.
The Group and no we weren't superimposed! It's my overactive flash and Zong-Wen has just run into frame from setting up his self timer too, he's not doing anything "funny". I'm sure he has a better photo of the group.
The group had a talented collection of singers too. Anna actually makes a living from singing and Sue Ellen has sung with professional choirs all over America. I myself cannot sing and not in the annoying way people say, "oh me sing? Oh no I can't sing" and then break into pitch perfect singing. No I mean I really can't sing, it even sounds bad to me. So it was a delight to listen to people who can really sing, although I had "O Canada" playing in my mind for the rest of trip.
Jesse also entertained us, not just by singing but recounting the tale "The Cremation of Sam McGee" by Robert W. Service. It's an epic poem and Jesse gave a passionate account. I felt very inadequate, unable to sing or tell a story. I sat quietly and savoured every moment.
Even though I slept in a tent on my own, I'm pleased to say I only freaked out once, when I opened my tent at night, crept in and had the feeling someone was already in the tent. After shining my light frantically around the tent (it probably looked funny from the outside) I calmed myself and eventually fell asleep.
I feel very fortunate to have chosen this particular tour and at this particular time, as I really believe the people I met made the trip for me.
I got to hang out with Anna and Jenny a little longer, as we shared a hotel room on Quadra after the tour was over.
The next morning Bret and Sue Ellen kindly gave me a lift to Victoria. As a mother of six Sue Ellen obviously has a strong mothering instinct. Typically as they pulled up in front of the hostel in Victoria I had a reservation for, a group of very dodgy looking people where hanging outside. I could see Sue Ellen's look of worry. I pushed the homeless person's trolley aside and entered the hostel, very sad to say goodbye to my new friends.
Sky above Quadra Island, BC.
For those of you who want to check out more photo's from the kayaking trip, click on the Flickr emblem to the right.
After another bad bus journey (from Seattle to Portland) that took only three hours but was running two hours late, I'm looking forward to a spacious Amtrak carriage. I also have a stack of books to read having visited Powell's City of Books here in Portland, and it is now my favourite book store. It also happens to be the largest independent, new and used bookstore in the world!
After boarding a number of Greyhound buses and experiencing the delights of my fellow passengers quirky ways, from the 500lb pyjama clad woman, to the couple with blackened teeth I was pushed over the edge by a teenage girl boarding my bus to Portland with balloon animals. Yes balloon animals. It took her ten minutes to negotiate her way along the aisle to her seat, fellow passengers were left in her wake with static hair and thoroughly annoyed expressions.
However this post is not meant to be about my grievances with America, I'll get to that in another post, no now I want to write about my experiences kayaking in British Columbia.
I arrived on Quadra Island with trepidation, having never kayaked before and not really liking the sea, I began to think, why have I signed up for a 5 day sea kayaking trip?
The shock really hit me as we began (as a newly introduced group) to load our possessions, food and camping gear into our kayaks and after a quick introduction by our guides Jesse and Sandra, walked our kayaks into the sea. The sea was cold.
I had not considered the cold. Only a small problem for most, I however have been known to develop hypothermia when the central heating is turned down a notch. In our flat in West London, Kev and Gaz would often come home and find me under a blanket with several layers on and a hot water bottle pressed against my body, trying to get warm. I can only blame my Dad for this, it is after all hereditary. My Dad once complained when a friend (sleeping over) left a window open a jar all night. My Dad swore he could feel the draft in the next room. It was June.
I was teamed up with Richard in a two person kayak. As a group we were unusually light on couples (only two) and required lots of single person tents. Something else I hadn't considered, I would be sleeping alone in a tent in the wild! I was suddenly very grateful for my flashlight and extra batteries.
How evil looking is this tent?!
Me on the water.
We left Rebecca Spit for lunch on a small island off Quadra. Throughout the trip Jesse and Sandra cooked delicious meals. After paddling for an hour or so, as soon as we stepped out of the kayaks into the icy cold water (only a slight exaggeration) all the heat I had accumulated paddling evaporated and I was covered in goosebumps!
The weather on the first day was decidedly British, dark skies, a little wind and a sense of impending doom. Thankfully by the evening we had the type of beautiful weather we experienced for the rest of the trip.
I think I was really lucky to be in a group with a large number of singles and very friendly people. We all got along from the outset (putting aside your snoring Trevor) and spent a great deal of time laughing.
Jesse and Sandra make a delicious meal and entertain!
After the first day the kayaking for me became a lot of fun. I'd find a rhythm and kind of zone out. The scenery is absolutely stunning, we spent our time paddling around Quadra and Reed Island making stops for lunch and to explore. We spotted Seals lazing on rocks and Eagles soaring overhead. Jesse would always inform us about what we were looking at, from Blue Herons to kelp made into popcorn by indigenous people.
Beautiful Clear Water.
Anna also spotted a dolphin, but no one believes her. Sorry Anna, but you can't be the only person to see a leaping dolphin, that would just be unfair.
Bret did find a snake in the creek right by our campsite on the first night at Open Bay. I was rather alarmed to see he'd just picked it up and carried it into the camp. But his wife Sue Ellen explained they had once had a collection of pet snakes at home, some had even gone missing in the house and been found months later by one of their children. When Bret and Sue Ellen later offered me a place to stay in North Carolina if I ever pass through, I shook my head from side to side vigorously.
Bret and a snake
Only joking Bret and Sue Ellen, I know you no longer have pet snakes so I'd love to visit! Did I mention I love to stay with locals for months at a time and observe?
On the second and third nights we set up camp at Freedom Point, this is on Reed Island (population 55) and juts out into the sea (hence the reference to a point in the name) towards Quadra Island. Beyond Quadra the snow capped mountains of Vancouver Island are visible.
The view from Freedom Point.
Campfire at Freedom Point
Gary helped me set up my tent on the second day. The camping area was in a wooded area with views on either side of the sea. As usual after setting up camp we all wandered around, chatted, took photo's and relaxed.
As dinner time approached we noticed Trevor hadn't returned from his nap. It was at this point our tranquil little world was suddenly very frightening. Richard came running into the kitchen area, he took Jesse to one side, Trevor was not sleeping but unconscious.
I don't really want to go into the details of everything that happened, as for one Trevor has only learned the details himself just recently. But I was very grateful for Sandra and Jesse's knowledge and how they dealt with the situation. Bret also did his part, even when sap fell from a tree into his hair while he was trying to keep Trevor awake! What a soldier. I'm making light of the situation because at the time it was very frightening for us all, particularly waiting for the coast guard to arrive. I'm very thankful Trevor is now well, although without prognosis.
We all missed Trevor (I didn't miss your snoring or Pommie bashing Trevor) and would always feel someone was missing from our little group.
The Group and no we weren't superimposed! It's my overactive flash and Zong-Wen has just run into frame from setting up his self timer too, he's not doing anything "funny". I'm sure he has a better photo of the group.
The group had a talented collection of singers too. Anna actually makes a living from singing and Sue Ellen has sung with professional choirs all over America. I myself cannot sing and not in the annoying way people say, "oh me sing? Oh no I can't sing" and then break into pitch perfect singing. No I mean I really can't sing, it even sounds bad to me. So it was a delight to listen to people who can really sing, although I had "O Canada" playing in my mind for the rest of trip.
Jesse also entertained us, not just by singing but recounting the tale "The Cremation of Sam McGee" by Robert W. Service. It's an epic poem and Jesse gave a passionate account. I felt very inadequate, unable to sing or tell a story. I sat quietly and savoured every moment.
Even though I slept in a tent on my own, I'm pleased to say I only freaked out once, when I opened my tent at night, crept in and had the feeling someone was already in the tent. After shining my light frantically around the tent (it probably looked funny from the outside) I calmed myself and eventually fell asleep.
I feel very fortunate to have chosen this particular tour and at this particular time, as I really believe the people I met made the trip for me.
I got to hang out with Anna and Jenny a little longer, as we shared a hotel room on Quadra after the tour was over.
The next morning Bret and Sue Ellen kindly gave me a lift to Victoria. As a mother of six Sue Ellen obviously has a strong mothering instinct. Typically as they pulled up in front of the hostel in Victoria I had a reservation for, a group of very dodgy looking people where hanging outside. I could see Sue Ellen's look of worry. I pushed the homeless person's trolley aside and entered the hostel, very sad to say goodbye to my new friends.
Sky above Quadra Island, BC.
For those of you who want to check out more photo's from the kayaking trip, click on the Flickr emblem to the right.
Hostel Living
This morning I woke up when a book landed on my head. Somehow it had fallen from the bunk bed above me and onto my head. Even stranger though, it was a copy of John Steinbeck's "Travels with Charley In Seach of America", the book I am currently reading. It took me several minutes to come around and realise the book wasn't my own copy and no it had not hurled itself at me during the night, but the girl in the bunk above had dropped her copy.
Thursday 2 August 2007
Kayak!
My 5 day tour of the Discovery Islands is over. I met some great people (and I'm not just writing that, because some of you may be reading) and found another beautiful part of the world. I will post more in the next few days.
The view
The view
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
