Weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!

I just saw the Spice Girls :) I feel like I'm back in high school and need to have the Clare's etc aroudn me! They were very, very cool. Huge range of ages there, lots of blokes (gay and straight) and screaming girls. No, of course I wasn't one of them!

When I was little and we lived on the farm, mum and I would get up early and go walk the dogs. During winter when it had snowed there was a cool (ok, bloody cold) chill to the air, it was still and you were chilled to the bone. When I got out of JFK it was like one of those mornings all over again, except without snow, mum, the dogs and my blue parachute jacket that I'd wear (remember that?). Ouch! Took me forever to find a shuttle into the city and finally found one which was the same company I'd used in SF. Except he was going to New Jersey. "But I can drop you of on the way back to the airport if you like". No problems. I left the airport just after 10.30, got to my hostel at 1am. I had visions of Law and Order SVU running through my head, regretting that I hadn't told the folks how I wanted my funeral to be. Who says I overreact?!?!

SF was great, I love that city. Have found the perfect house for me and you're all welcome to visit however I don't think my mother will ever leave it :P It's a Victorian (from what you can tell) covered with ivy that runs into the window sills. And it's on a cable car line. Perfect. Anyone like to lend me around 1.5 mil? Much appreciated.

The last couple of days were hectic and touristy. Me? Leave things to the last minute? Never!

Thursday I spent down around Fishermans Wharf as I had my Alcatraz tour that night so I'd planned to spend the arvo there, have a nice lunnier (opposite to brunch) and catch up on some writing. But not to be. I found a guy who ran fishing tours when the salmon were running but when they were did harbour tours to bring the money in. $10 for 1 hour out under the bridge and around Alcatraz. Why not, it looked stable, the guy was a b it of a larrikin but there were plenty of other people so thought it couldn't be too bad. It was the best $10 I spent in SF. It was freezing once we got away from the shore so everyone went inside which left the whole bay to me and 3 other people. Was amazing to go under that bridge, it's pretty impressive. Moreso I'd say that Sydney. The orange is actually a primer, they were going to paint it silver but the city liked it so it stayed. 30 people have full time jobs painting/priming it and takes 7 years to get from one end to the other.

Alcatraz was amazing but how could it not be. Ended up running into a family from Perth while waiting and kept bumping into them on the way around, nice to have a familiar face every now and then. Incredible views of the bridge and city at dusk onto sunset, so beautiful. The pictures don't look so great, but will eventually get round to putting some up, by the end of the week promise. They had an audio tour included in the price which I wasn't too keen on but they lined us all up and gave them to us. Wow. I have a short attention span, I don't like things like that. It was very, very, very cool. They had all the sound affects, made us stand in certain positions while describing what happened when, it was great. I would love to go back though, we were allowed 3 hours there and there is so much more to see and that lighthouse is so gorgeous.

Friday I did a super city tour, the morning taking me out to Muir Woods. Largest redwoods in the states and last grove like that. They make excellent building material so when they had to rebuild after the earthquake and fires, it was done with redwoods. Except a conservationist had bought 600 acres to save it. Legal action was taken so they could use it but Teddy Roosevelt ended up declaring the remaining part a National Monument so it couldn't be touched. And good on him. It is so serene and the air is so pure. They had trails through the rest of the park that I'd love to go back and do - but the coyotes worry me a bit.

The afternoon was spent running around the city, checking out landmarks and bits and pieces that I'd either missed or not had the inclination to get to by myself. It was good, walked part of the bridge, just out to the water but my heights thing and the rumble of the traffic sent me back. Ended the day back at fishermans wharf with the most incredible hot fudge sunday ever and watching the sun go down around Alcatraz.

Saturday night I went out with some of the TT girls which was good fun. I have connections for margaritas in DC should I make it that far and ended up with a hangover Sunday morning. Was a great night, excellent company, margarita's way way way better than Taco's would ever do and some very strange tasting midori. Oh, and I'm 29 btw.

Which puts my in New York today. Today I jumped on and off the Subway, just looking around but not really for anything in particular. Checked out another couple of youth hostels, some are as dodgy as this, others are slightly better but astronimical for a youth hostel and being so far out of the side (Upper upper west side, so yeah close, but compared to the others it's ridiculous!). Will stay here another couple of days till I head to Boston which I'm thinking will be Thursday.

Tomorrow I'm planning on going ice skating, hot dog through Time Square in the evening, might warm up in Borders for a bit. They had Westminster Dog Show today (SATC anyone?) so thought I might check that out. Bleacher seats right up the top $40. For someone who spent so much of her formative years in dog shows I couldn't even stomach repeating that! But I was very pleased to see that a Clumber won best in show in 96, more a Bruisyard than an Irving which I liked :P There were dogs trotting around Madison Square Gardens, in and out most of the day.

Pizza for breakfast today as well, they are HUGE! Sitting in the window watching the world go past, saw two people with what looked like a bunch of fox pelts, easily a hundred of them. Just seemed a tad strange to me.

Bed time for me, Aus to US I was fine with the time change, but I'm now 3 hours further ahead in NY and it's really thrown me.

Miss you guys, hope you're well, talk soon xxxxx