Bostonians

7/23

The drive to Massachusetts was quite pleasurable. I experienced a revelation! In order for Alan to take part in the decision making and planning of our journey all I had to do was to approach each jaunt of the trip as if it were a flight. Once we both reached this realization we had great fun. He's planning the route and the back up route (in case the first isn't sufficient). I'm driving and he's navigating while watching the instruments in order to calculate our ETA and our fuel situation. We took a few small roads to avoid rush hour traffic and we were able to enjoy the typical New England towns with their mom and pop markets and their town hall which also functions as the fire and police station. We were a good team; I'd say that was the best part of the journey.

Our first night in Boston was hell. Honestly... The rain was torrential, we couldn't see, and neither us nor our GPS were very good at navigating these strange things called “rotaries”. The traffic from the city was the worst I've ever seen. After all, it was the weekend but it seemed as though all of the yuppie urbanites were headed out to Cape Cod for the weekend. What should have taken only a few hours turned into a nine and a half hour trip out to the Cape. We went out with some friends to a couple of local bars but when you're tired, irritated, burnt out from the day and all wet from the monsoon it's VERY hard to have fun.

After a good nights sleep and a beautiful Cape Cod breakfast I was off on my very first ever train ride all by my self. Yep, I had to be a big girl and travel into the city all alone. My excitement grew because I knew that one of my best friends in the whole wide world was waiting for me just a few minutes down the rail.

You know that you've met a similar soul when you've been apart from someone for quite some time and when you meet back up it's like you were never apart. I haven't found many people like that in the world so I value those few special relationships.

At first I was super elated to be in such a beautiful city but once I met up with my girlfriend I couldn't have cared less about what we did. All I became interested in was her. Although I wanted to see the sights I probably would have been just as happy setting in her apartment just catching up because when you've got a good friend the conversation never dies. I must say that my short stay in Boston has to be my favorite part of the trip so far.

I love the feeling I get while in Boston. I love knowing that I'm in a metropolitan area and that there's always something going on.

Also though, at the same time nature has been preserved to a point where you almost feel as though you're still in the suburbs and no matter how deep you dive down into the city you never reach that point where you feel overwhelmed and crushed by all of urban-ism.

We toured Faneuil Hall Marketplace while taking our time to observe some interesting specimens of the human species.

I gained a new appreciation for craft beers while partaking in the consumption of the most tantalizing crab cake that my tongue has ever had the chance to take pleasure in.

The air was warm and I could feel my blood pushing through my veins at an accelerated rate due to the fact that I'm a lazy Floridian and I just walked from the T-Station, which was only about a block away. The air that blew through the city streets was cool, almost cold and it immediately brought goosebumps to my skin. At that moment I thought to myself, why would anyone ever leave this city? I felt at home. Mass transit makes transportation a non-existent issue.

I love the idea of never having to worry about the stress of driving, parking, insurance, vehicle maintenance, car payments and last but not least D.U.I.'s. Oh yea, and riding the subway forces normally lazy people to get some exercise!

The architecture of the city is just overwhelming from an architectural point of view. The seductive city of Boston looks as though it were a garment designed by Alexander McQueen (controversial English fashion designer). One minute I'm enjoying a beautiful classy meal at a haute restaurant and the next minute I'm taking a midday stroll through the cemetery. I LOVE IT!!! After a night of drunken debauchery with the girls I awoke slightly hung over. My face was smashed into my feather pillow but I immediately smiled because the first thing I heard when I woke was the sound of the city bustle outside the window.

My last day in the city will be embedded in my memory forever. I learned all about the alchemy of beer and I discovered the best beer I've ever had.

If you're a Cider fan you've got to check out Harpoon. Our waterfront dinner followed by a walk along the boardwalk was gorgeous. I'll definitely be heading back to this city in the near future.

Who knows maybe one day I'll become a Bostonian myself?

Washington D.C.

The trip into Washington D.C. was one that I was not looking forward to. For weeks I had been hearing the agonizing stories of lengthy traffic delays and a poorly structured networking system. After three hours of sitting in traffic and numerous fights with Mandy, I knew my story would be no different to others. However with the car safely stowed in the parking garage the true experience of one of the most diverse cities in the world was still to come.

We arrived at our hostel at just the right time. Hosteling International was a unique experience. The hostel was filled with the sounds and smells of travelers from all over the world.

People from every corner of the earth had converged in this one place to experience the capitol of the United States of America. As we checked in we realized that a tour was preparing to leave.

We had a great evening chatting with people from all over the world. After our tour we ended up in a pub chatting with an Irish guy who had just finished a triathlon and then we all went on a midnight run to McDonald’s.

Washington D.C. is a city which can only truly be enjoyed as a pedestrian. From the hustle & bustle of China Town to the riches and royals of Georgetown we were in for a weekend like no other.

With the easy accessible metro & bus system it makes commuting strangely relaxing. As a city fueled by the amplification of the “American Dream” there is a history in the area which would take months to appreciate.

Being on a backpackers budget we benefited from the fact that all the monuments and museums were free to visit.

Some which we took advantage of were the Lincoln Memorial, the Washington Memorial, the WWII Memorial, the Vietnam Memorial, the POW memorial, and several others. Educational tours we took included the African portion of the Smithsonian Art Museum and the Holocaust Museum.

No visit to the capital would be completed without paying a visit to the President of the United States house.

With all of our pictures taken and blisters on our feet we left on the next chapter of our adventure with smiles on our faces.

The Blue Ridge Parkway and Va.

7/19
The Blue Ridge Parkway was an amazing drive from Asheville to Roanoke. We spent over 7 hours on the scenic route taking in everything that this amazing stretch of road had to offer. We ate our cooler-lunches while drooling over one of the highest points on the parkway.
Once we made it to Va. The party officially started. Nanny had the cornbread and beans ready and Aunt Ginger was ready with some of the best fried chicken and mashed potatoes I've ever had. Eating and hanging out with family inevitably turns into a drinking session. The next couple of days were spent just spending quality time with amazing friends and family. It was hard for us to leave (that's why we stayed an extra day ;) Downtown Roanoke brings back fond memories of my childhood and it's always a necessary stop. Greasy market food and the best coffee in the world were some of the highlights of this portion of the trip.

I decided to make this entry short, so I wrote a couple of Haiku's. A Haiku is a traditional Japanese poem which has a total of 17 syllables. I just thought it would be silly and sum up Virginia.

red clay under feet
mountain fog lingering near,
drives on windy roads


crazy family
full bellies, moonshine, good food
happy memories









D.C. Here We Come!!

Asheville=Heaven on Earth

BLIND BOY CHOCOLATE AND THE MILK SHEIKS..Live in Asheville. Yes, ladies and gentlemen Blind Boy Chocolate is playing the saw!!

Oh, Asheville....The mountains make me feel at home while the eclectic mix of characters make me feel like it's okay to be whatever and whoever I want. I understand why artists of all mediums flock to this creativity inducing valley that's tucked away right off the Blue Ridge Parkway. I love being surrounded with artistic free willed spirits who aren't afraid to express their opinions or their individuality. In this small city you'll often find white-collared professionals opening the door for tattooed and pierced, dirty smelly hippies. Simple acts of kindness such as this make me smile. People here lack the closed-minded judgmental mindset that I have found to be quite widespread across the southern states.

We stayed in an amazing hostel which was within walking distance from downtown.

We were swept away with the mountain air into a blissful state of semi-consciousness. The abundance of live street music forced us to stay up late and sleep in late too.

We explored downtown Asheville in the early morning followed by early afternoon beers which inevitability led to early afternoon napping which was then followed by.... you guessed it, more live music this time at a local Irish Pub and more beer!

We even caught a traditional Irish music session!

The Hostel in The Forest

Once upon a time, a little boy and a little girl ran away together into the forest. They ran and they ran until they couldn't go any further. What they stumbled upon you'll never believe...

They found a path winding through the forest which soon turned into a wooden walkway that wound around the trees. They were both so excited about their discovery but they were scared at the same time. Where did this walk way come from and where did it go? The little boy held the little girls hand as tight as he could and they both smiled together as they followed the path through the woods.

When they turned the corner it was if they had ventured into a whole new world. People were living in the trees! Chickens and ducks ran around with their little chicken and duck families. Birds were singing in the trees and butterfly’s flitted from flower to another. The sweet aroma of pine needles filled the air. Tree houses of all sizes surrounded them and, as they walked further they found two large domes built out of wood. The people that they met in this world were like no others they had met before, they were exuding euphoria. These people were in harmony with nature. They wore no shoes while walking on the sandy pathways and everyone wore a smile upon their face. The people were unusually friendly they welcomed the little boy and the little girl with open arms. The little boy and the little girl were so happy, they explored the tree-house village and decided that they would stay for a while. The little boy and the little girl didn't speak about the world in which they had come from, they just decided to soak in as much of this new world as they could.

They sat together in a swing overlooking the beautiful crystal clear lake while listening to the wind blow through the trees. They decided to canoe around for a while before dinner and while they took turns paddling they admired all of the beautiful fish below. The water was so clear and unpolluted, even the little fish seemed so happy.

They heard the sound of the dinner bell and as they put their canoe away and walked closer to the central dome the smell of fresh rosemary, basil, and blueberries filled the forest air. The little boy and the little girl were ecstatic about the dinner they were about to enjoy. They practically ran up the path to meet the other people of the forest. The chef filled the buffet table with steaming cast iron skillets that were covered to hide what was inside. Everyone gathered around the room holding hands in a circle to exchange energy with each other. They all expressed gratitude and appreciation for each other, the moment, the dinner, and the world in which they had created in the forest. All at once everyone raised their hands in unison and yelled to the top of their lungs, “CHOMP!” The circle broke and the feast began. The little boy and the little girl had never tasted such delicious, delectable food before. The feast filled all of their senses and when they were done their bellies and their minds had never felt so good. The conversation was enlightening. The little boy and the little girl learned that the people of the forest were extremely happy with themselves, they loved their home and they made as little impact as possible on the forest. They appreciated the forest and she appreciated them in return. They lived completely off of the land, they had no material possessions and they genuinely loved one another. Jealousy, vengeance and negativity didn't exist in their world.

After helping with the cleanup duties and making sure that all of the little chickens were in for the night the little boy and the little girl headed for their tree-house. They lit their candles sat on the bed just listening to the sounds of the forest at night. The sounds of owls, locusts and bullfrogs had replaced the chirping birds and clucking chickens from the day. The music of the night lulled the little boy and the little girl to sleep.

In the morning they woke to the sound of the rooster crowing. The sun was up and so was he. The little boy and the little girl headed to the lake for a morning swim in the wonderfully warm water. They didn't want to leave this new world that they had found but the people of the forest invited them to come back soon.

The little boy and the little girl knew at that moment that they had been blessed with the presence of these amazing individuals. They all said their good-byes and then little boy and the little girl went back to the real word carrying a whole new perspective on life with them.

GETTING READY TO GO!

SO, HERE WE GO!!! FINALLY! We have 44 days to travel over 10,000 miles. We're planning on hitting some of the major natural attractions that America has to offer. Along the way we'll see the Capitol, Niagara Falls, the big arch in St.Louis, Mount Rushmore and that's just the beginning. We'll be hostelling and staying with friends and family. The planning has created a lot of anxiety but with a new car and lots of preparation the excitement has begun to outweigh the anxiety. We're both looking forward to this amazing experience and we'll be posting almost daily to keep everyone updated with lots of photo's and travel experiences. Be sure to check back with us often, I have a feeling that this is going to be an interesting trip!