Travel Diary

Santa Monica (July 6-12th)

Well Santa Monica is lovely, if a little pricey and short on things to do. Firstly whilst the hostel is still cheap, it's the most expensive I've stayed in so far at $28USD a night for HI members. Still it's very nice and literally one block from the beach. I haven't really done that much for the last week except see the sights, visit the beaches and cinemas, oh and some drinking.

On monday I really did very little except go and watch T3, get a haircut (I've since found out I could have got a much cheaper one at the Vidal Sassoon academy) and then spent the rest of the afternoon on the beach, oh and I had dinner at the "English" pub round the corner from the hostel.

On tuesday I took a trip out to Universal studios (nice discount for staying at the hostel as well!) and whilst all the rides were pretty tame they were still great fun, in particular Shrek 4D was superb, as was the live fire Backdraft show and the 50 minute long studio tour, with all it's various surprises along the way. I foolishly went out for a curry on tuesday night.

The Bates Motel

On wednesday I took a sightseeing tour (again discounted) which took in Venice Beach, Hollywood, Bel Air, homes of the rich and famous, Rodeo Drive, Sunset Strip. Also the toilets where George Michael was arrested and the location where Hugh Grant was arrested. Went out for dinner at the 50s style burger bar Johnny Rockets (puns aplenty in that name for sure).

Venice Beach, where White Men Can't Jump was filmed

The Hollywood Sign (covered in smog)

Very large advert (if you're wondering who it is, it's Vincent Pastore who played Sal aka Pussy in the first two seasons of the Sopranos)

Santa Monica Beach

Thursday was spent on Venice Beach, before heading off to see Pirates of the Caribbean, which is an absolutely superb movie, probably the best of this summers big movies. Johnny Depp pulls off a cracking English accent and most of the supporting cast are English which is a pleasant change. The chap who played Lieutenant Gruber in Allo Allo has a small part, also Jack Davenport from This Life and Coupling and Mackenzie Crook (or Gareth from the Office) plays a very amusing pirate with a wooden eye. Then in the evening I headed down the pier for a free concert with the Afrocelts playing (formerly the Afrocelt Sound System). Whilst I like their music they're not really a band to watch live, so I headed off with the others who'd gone down to a pub for the rest of the evening, then a manky little club called the Circle which was literally one room with a giant bar in the middle. I should also mention I saw my first celebrity in the form of Ed Begley Jr at the concert.

Today I decided to not do much and went to watch the League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, not too bad, but not that faithful a version of the original comic (why in hells name did they introduce Tom Sawyer and Dorien Gray I'll never know). Anyway that's about it for Santa Monica, off to NZ tomorrow night.

St Louis (and why you shouldn't go there)

I didn't really get any sleep during my last night in Vancouver, didn't help that 2 lads in the dormitory were checking out around 5am. Still checked out about 8:20 and caught the shuttle to the airport, which I was quite lucky to catch as the hostel told me completely the wrong place to catch it from. Anyway I got checked in fine even though the flight number was completely different to the one on my ticket.

Once you check in at Vancouver airport to a flight to the US you go into a special US only section that is fenced off from everywhere else (i.e. no duty frees) but it does also mean that you clear customs and immigration before take off which is quite handy. Now the cheeky bit, the $10CAN airport improvement fee, would have been more if I hadn't been flying to the US!

After the customs/immigration desk I had to open up my smaller checked bag for some form of swab test, don't know what they were looking for, but it seems strange that in Miami they X-Ray all your bags whereas here they just occasionally ask people to open some!

I then sat around for a couple of hours and heard a very amusing conversation from some American to his son whilst I was waiting to get some doughnuts from Tim Hortons. It went along these lines:

Dad: What the hell are these Canadians doing working here, this is American soil.
Son: No dad, that's just embassies, we're still in Canada, just we've cleared immigration and customs to make it like an internal flight when we land.
Dad: You're wrong son, and I bet you all these prices here are in US Dollars as we're in America now (they were actually in Canadian dollars).

So he was actually wrong on all three counts. Landed in St Louis a little early, the temperature was over 100 Fahrenheit during the day there, so it was a little hot. I should also mention that the baggage claim at St Louis is a joke, you can literally walk in off the street and grab yourself a bag, I kid you not.

Fortunately the hotel I'd booked had a free shuttle so no problems getting there at all. The front desk man was quite a local and seemed annoyed by the fact that he had to serve customers and this impinged on his ability to watch the NASCAR racing (or rather parade of cars in a circle) on the lobby TV. The room was great, large amount of TV channels and lovely, lovely aircon.

I then decided I'd go and get some dinner at the 24hr diner next door to the hotel, except it wasn't 24hr, it was closed. So I decided to walk about a bit and find somewhere else to get food. It wasn't difficult to find anywhere as there was just one road from the hotel to anywhere, but it was very long, four lanes and had quite a lot of police cars driving along it (this due to the fact that the police station was on the same road). Now given that all the food emporiums were on the other side of the road presented a great problem as the nearest crosswalk was about 1/2 a mile up the road. This normally wouldn't be a problem but despite it being 8:30 at night it was still 88 Fahrenheit. I eventually settled on Hardee's which is a great burger joint that only sells big burgers made from Aberdeen Angus Beef. For $6.45 you can get a 2/3lb double bacon cheeseburger meal.

Next morning for the first time since I've been travelling, I was able to watch the Grand Prix. Then I just headed down to the airport. And now the reason why you don't ever want to fly out of St Louis, after check in you give your bags to TSA who scan them all (behind a closed screen), they also have the right to break open your locks should they wish to check your bags. Yes they can break open your locks and then they'll just re-seal them with cable ties and leave you a little note explaining that they can do it (you're also not entitled to claim a new lock as they're doing it for your safety). Now in Miami they actually called you after your bag had been scanned to open it and then they'd inspect it. Not so in St Louis, and the obvious fact that it's all done behind a closed screen means you don't know they've broken your lock off until you arrive at your destination (fortunately they only broke the crappy cheap padlock off my shoe and book bag that I bought in Miami to comply with AAs pathetic weight restrictions).

Anyway the flight was pleasant enough, just like the flight to St Louis there was food but it was just a buffet bag that you picked up when you got on (still better than the Miami to Toronto offerings), and there was also an inflight movie, but it was Star Trek Nemesis which is an awful awful film.

So I'm now in lovely sunny Santa Monica, one block from the beach in probably the classiest looking hostel so far, but more on that another time.

Orlando

Well I'm now in the hostel in Toronto, more on that later though. Headed off last thursday 29th I think by train (Amtrak) to Orlando. The train was ridiculously huge and comfortable and cheap, but just like British Rail was late, it left on time and you could check your baggage in advance but it still got to Orlando almost two hours late!

So got to the Hotel OK (Comfort Inn Lake Buena Vista, nice enough for the money - and before you say anything Alex, I had to get a hotel as there's no hostel in Orlando, and transport costs there are ridiculous). Sarah came by about 10 (she'd just got back from Chicago) with her friend Ashley (who had a car with a personalised licence plate - I believe Sarah refers to her as a princess). We then headed back to where Sarah and Disney employees live before heading onto Pleasure Island which is a sort of multi club place with eight clubs in total, quite pricy and all the music played was accompanied with a video. Left at two, Sarahs other friend Alex who'd driven us there had cleared off so she tried to get us a lift with a Puerto Rican, but we decided not to as he was very drunk (despite insisting he was a racing driver so that made it OK). So we walked back to my hotel, which is something Americans just plain don't do whatsoever. About 3:20 we got to my room.

Up at ten the next morning we got a bus to MGM and did a few attractions: Indiana Jones live show, Muppets 3D, Terror Tower (superb), Rock and Roll rollercoaster, I did the Star Wars ride (which was enjoyable if riddled with inaccuracies - spod mode on 1. Star Wars doesn't have Warp drives, 2. How can you have R2D2 as a navigator on a tour ship when you're following Lukes X-Wing blowing up the first death star???? and there were some other problems there as well). We also took part in the Who wants to be a millionaire game, which is a replica of the TV show where anyone in the audience can end up in the hotseat. Now how to make a fool of yourself, play such a game with a friend who has an English Lit Degree, forget this fact, when a question about alliteration comes up, try and act smug and whisper to them what it means.

After MGM we headed over to Epcot where Sarah works, went on what purports to be a ride and got a free ecard with our photo on it, went round a few other bits before going round the World Showcase (sarah works on the English bit). Watched the Beatles tribute act, and a french mime artist/balloon blower who was very very funny. Then went round a few other bits before watching the fireworks at the end of the night (with an old American behind us who kept hollering, oh yeah, thats it, thats what I'm talking about).

I spent the next day by the pool at the hotel and in the evening headed out with Sarah, Ashley and some South American who was a bit of a ropey driver to downtown Orlando, where we all got in free to a club called Tabu (except Sarah as she'd forgotten her ID, so had to pay). This really was a great club except for the fact that it lived up to every stereotype of an American club I've seen in a film (I think it may have been that every song was a rip off of some European Trance and there was some fool with a Mike walking round, shouting Ooh yeah, everybody in the house make some noise - repeatedly - and yeah lets all get drunk).

Sunday went to Kennedy Space Center which was a whole day of interest, definitely worth going to for the 3D imax film on the International Space Station and some other nice little touches here and there (although the rockets with the exception of the Moon ones are smaller than I imagined). Went out Sunday night to a house party where Sarah lives, and had a nice conversation about the royal family on the way home with the taxi driver.

Saturn V Rocket Hall

Space Shuttle

Lots of Rockets

Monday I went to International Drive which is basically a collection of malls, attractions and hotels, all joined by a bus called the trolley which is a hop on/off affair that costs 75cents a ride. Visited Ripleys Believe or Not, (an odditorium) which was a very amusing museum. I've subsequently discovered there was also a shooting range (the sort that lets you shoot big guns) just close to where the shuttle from the hotel dropped/picked me up, but I still had a good day.

Tuesday I went out to Downtown Disney, which is lots of shops and restaurants (and also where Pleasure Island is), there wasn't that much to see/do so I decided to watch a film (XMen 2). I then spent the rest of my afternoon looking round all the disney shops parents wish didn't exist (like the all year round christmas shop). Then in the evening went over to the Disney boardwalk, which is a hotel resort, where I met Sarah in Jellyrolls, which is quite a funky little bar, even if there is a $7 cover (for non-disney employees I might add!). Basically cheap large cocktails and two pianists playing some great songs: Sweet Home Alabama, American Pie, Summer of 69 to name a few, as well as Don't Stop Believin' by Journey and a nice take on Livin' on A Prayer by Bon Jovi.

Caught the train back to Miami on Wednesday, only 15 minutes late this time. Then caught the plane up today to Toronto, for those who haven't been to the States since Richard Reid was arrested, I kid you not, you now have to remove the shoes you are wearing at the x-ray machine and put them through.

And I should also add the greatest reason for going to Miami International Airport: the Glockenspiel walkway. After you've arrived at Miami or are going out you have to pass through a walkway, where each pane of glass has a number of differently coloured perspex pieces attached to it so the incoming light is all nicely coloured. But then between each pane (of glass) is a motion sensor that triggers sounds when someone passes through it. So when you have a load of people coming back and forth across the tramalators it's great, it's also quite spooky when there's very few people about. And according to the placard it was created by a man who likes Jazz (which probably explains why I've felt the need to tell you all about it). I'm going to have to hit the hay now, but I'll keep you all up to date on what's going on in Toronto (pub crawl on Sunday or Wednesday for sure).

Miami - A little more and America in General

Since writing about my stay in Miami this morning, I seem to have actually done something today (besides trying to sort my mobile phone out to call International numbers - it can send SMS' overseas, and do calls to the states but no international calls which makes no sense whatsoever). First priority of the day was to pick up a second luggage bag to lower the weight of my main one for the train tomorrow. The street just round the corner from the hotel is full of luggage shops which are ridiculously cheap, however I didn't want a hard bag on wheels, so got a soft bag that I can fold down at a later date (wasn't bad for $9.99 and came with a drinks bottle - can't figure that out myself).

I then headed back to the hotel but my room still hadn't been made up, so I decided to take another stroll out and to get some lunch at the Hard Rock Cafe in Bayside Park. I've never been in a Hard Rock Cafe before but the place was great, and my judgements not clouded by the fact that it was buy one draught (for some reason they spell it draft over here) beer get one free and get the glass for free. So despite getting a bargain on beer, I've now also got a pilsner glass for the rest of my travels. I finally got round to trying some American beers, Samuel Adams and Samuel Adams Summer Ale (which weren't all that bad, Summer Ale was a little cloudy though), however the Bud I had to end off the meal tasted quite wrong. This does also bring me onto the subject on American waiting staff, they are exceptionally friendly and pleasant. Also they have Heinz mustard in a bottle here! Anyway when I left the Hard Rock there was a sudden thunderstorm which really wasn't that bad, just it would appear that American drains really aren't much use when the slightest bit of rain rears its head.

I started reading the Bill Bryson book that collected his weekly columns on living in America again yesterday (his books are much better than any travel guide - if you're going to Oz you have to read Down Under), and I have to say so many of his observations are correct. Firstly the mention of waiting staff being so generally pleasant and appearing to actually enjoy their work. Then there was his rant about adverts for prescription medicine (i.e. tell your doctor you need this) - I'm amazed at how many there are on the TV. My favourite has to be the one for getting rid of nail infections, it ends with the voiceover warning: side effects have included rashes, stomach pains etc, some other mild side effects have been diahorrea, and about 20 other bad things as well as a printed disclaimer stating that new nails won't grow for 10-12 months. Finally the other thing that stuck in my mind was Mr Brysons mention of how TV channels can't show a film without continuous advert breaks. I was watching a movie last night and there was literally seven minutes of film between each break!

As I said earlier today I should have some more interesting things to talk about after today.

Miami

Well it's now wednesday so I've been in Miami for 3 whole days. The flight over was pleasant enough (no screaming kids and a decent selection of movies on the TVs). Didn't get much sleep and consequently crashed out from about 8pm when I got to my hotel until about 6am. The hotel (Travelodge Downtown) wasn't to be honest that great, I won't go into detail, but I decided to head out first thing the next morning to find another. I've come to the conclusion that American town designers must be on something, as the grid arrangement just confuses the hell out of me. I tried a few hotels which were charging $109 a night, but eventually found a nice one over the road from Bayside Park which was a lot cheaper and has a wonderful view of the bay (as opposed to the roof of a shopping mall and bus stop). I really couldn't remember how I'd got there and seeing as I didn't have a map I was fearing a long walk back with my bags. But surprisingly I'd come a full circle from where I started and the new hotel was only a couple of streets away from the old one (but what a difference two or three streets make!).

A couple of other minor gripes, it is ridiculously warm here, it's pretty much unbearable for walking more than a couple of blocks after about 1 (well for me anyway). There was a big thunderstorm last night and quite a lot of areas around have inches of floods (I say nearby areas, we're talking London to Yorkshire distances here). The funny thing about thunderstorms is that they interrupt the TV programs you're watching to warn you about them, and not like a weather flash as we'd do in England, oh no, a high pitched squeal, the sound goes and a green bar appears across the top of the screen to warn you that between x and y hours there may be some sever weather. And for the life of me I can't figure out how pedestrian crossings and traffic lights work. It would appear that at crossroads if you're turning and the light facing you is red, you can just carry on, even if there's a walk sign lit on the road you're turning into!

I haven't really got up to much else, went out for dinner on Monday night to a fish restaurant in Bayside Park, they do insist on serving the beer ridiculously cold (and Fosters did taste decidedly different). Then took the Metroline yesterday across to the Amtrak station to collect my tickets for my trip up to Orlando tomorrow. It's only $1.25 which isn't bad compared to the price of a taxi for the same distance. I'm sure there will be more excitement in Orlando.

Oh and I hope other internet establishments are as cheap as this one: 99 cents an hour and new machines