Wow, I haven't done this in a while!
Am in Frankfurt now (with a bloody keyboard that doesn't like it's space bar being used) and it's so pretty.Flying out to Rome on Saturday, have found my bus and all- I'm so organised :P
Just briefly:
*Ran intoa girl from home whom I've always known but have never really had much to do with. Get back to the hostel one day and who is sitting on my bed?! Was very surreal, but lovely catching up. She has exciting things ahead of her and I can't wait to hear how they pan out.
*Flight out of JFK was delayed 2 hours, then we sat on the tarmac for an hour because we'd missed our take off spot(someone told me, I was fast asleep as soon as I got to my seat!)
* The Natural History Museum in New York is amazing. Granted, I kept waiting for the Indians to start fighting the cowboys but it was very cool. Go there if you can.
* Frankfurt is so, so, so pretty. And cute - stamp vending machines anyone?! My hostel is on the bank of the Main river,an easy walk to the main part of the city. Very surreal watching barges travelling under bridges hundreds of year sold.
* My sunnies have been stolen (she says 99% sure,I know exactly where I left them last and they aren't anywhere I would have put them but will look again). These are the sunnies bought in '00 with Toby when we went to the Olympics. They don't even make these kind of minutes anymore so I'm more than slightly pissed off(although hard to stay angry for long when this place is so gorgeous).
That's enough from me today, this has taken me 40 minutes to write and the space bar is driving me nuts!
Friday, February 29, 2008
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
Just quickly
Lots and lots of snow today. Stepped out this morning and there were very light flakes which had me jumping around like a little girl. They got heavier and when I emerged from lunch heavy, heavy snow which was lots of fun. No jumping this time though otherwise I would have had a broken neck!
Also managed tickets to the Late Show which was lots of fun. Main guest was Evangeline Lilly from LOST and can't remember the others. Ended up having dinner with a flight attendant with Emirates so I now have free accommodation in Dubai! (Thanks Julz for the inside info!!)
Love to all of you xx
Also managed tickets to the Late Show which was lots of fun. Main guest was Evangeline Lilly from LOST and can't remember the others. Ended up having dinner with a flight attendant with Emirates so I now have free accommodation in Dubai! (Thanks Julz for the inside info!!)
Love to all of you xx
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
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
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
Wednesday, February 06, 2008
Apologise in advance for spelling mistakes, fingers are freezing and can't be bothered correcting them should they appear!
Has been an interesting couple of days. Got food poisoning from hell Sunday night which was a lot of fun. Did I get sick in Thailand? No. San Francisco? Hell yeah. So not much has been done since then, finally got rid of my body aches so I can throw punches at the junkies around here (joking).
Spent Sunday at Fishermans Wharf, first glimpse of golden gate bridge and Alcatraz. Have been running wild on the cable cars, swinging from the sides is so Sleepless in Seattle and You Have Mail even though they have nothing to do with the movies!
Popped into Tiffany's today. OMG. Ok, I've never been the most girliest of girls but I defy anyone (man or woman) to go into Tiffany's and not be overwhelmed. Wow, wow, wow. Even the security guard was trying to talk me into buying something - while looking at a bracelet worth $15,425 - his reasoning was that I needed something to remember my holiday with! I think I can do it a tad cheaper than that buddy!
Dinner in Oakland with some friends last night which was lovely and am seeing them again on Saturday before I head off.
It's such an easy city to navigate, BART is awesome, I think I've covered the cable cars and MUNI will go anywhere the other 2 don't, it's great.
Sorry for the lack of detail, but my fingers are soooooooo cold I'm not that enthusiastic but didn't want you thinking I'd forgotten about you! Will put some photos up soon, am heading to the zoo tomorrow to meet the relatives xx
Has been an interesting couple of days. Got food poisoning from hell Sunday night which was a lot of fun. Did I get sick in Thailand? No. San Francisco? Hell yeah. So not much has been done since then, finally got rid of my body aches so I can throw punches at the junkies around here (joking).
Spent Sunday at Fishermans Wharf, first glimpse of golden gate bridge and Alcatraz. Have been running wild on the cable cars, swinging from the sides is so Sleepless in Seattle and You Have Mail even though they have nothing to do with the movies!
Popped into Tiffany's today. OMG. Ok, I've never been the most girliest of girls but I defy anyone (man or woman) to go into Tiffany's and not be overwhelmed. Wow, wow, wow. Even the security guard was trying to talk me into buying something - while looking at a bracelet worth $15,425 - his reasoning was that I needed something to remember my holiday with! I think I can do it a tad cheaper than that buddy!
Dinner in Oakland with some friends last night which was lovely and am seeing them again on Saturday before I head off.
It's such an easy city to navigate, BART is awesome, I think I've covered the cable cars and MUNI will go anywhere the other 2 don't, it's great.
Sorry for the lack of detail, but my fingers are soooooooo cold I'm not that enthusiastic but didn't want you thinking I'd forgotten about you! Will put some photos up soon, am heading to the zoo tomorrow to meet the relatives xx
Sunday, February 03, 2008
26 hours later...
Well, I made it in one piece. Late, but that didn't matter seeing as though I wasn't getting on the connecting flight to Chicago unlike the 50 million people next to me! I do believe they ended up holding the plane, but like you care :P
So I'm in San Francisco and I'm not even tired. Granted I'm getting a little sleepy but it's one of those I know I'm going to sleep well tonight sleepy feelings (not a fan for travelling longer than 24 hours, might just stay in England that 18 hour flight to Bangkok is going to make me jump out of the plane). It's raining and cold, not icy cold but the cold that I wanted, to me this is perfect weather.
After chatting with a lady in my bus who was born and raised in SF but now lives in Sydney she gave me lots of good pointers - especially for Boston and Washington and a couple nice bars here which I must check out. Dropped off at the hostel which is lovely (I'll be digressing the entire way through this so bear with me but what is with $1 bills? Weird.) but in a dodgy area, think Redfern. The locals are most complimentary of my arse so maybe I picked well?
Thoughts so far because composing complete paragraphs is just too difficult at the moment:
So I'm in San Francisco and I'm not even tired. Granted I'm getting a little sleepy but it's one of those I know I'm going to sleep well tonight sleepy feelings (not a fan for travelling longer than 24 hours, might just stay in England that 18 hour flight to Bangkok is going to make me jump out of the plane). It's raining and cold, not icy cold but the cold that I wanted, to me this is perfect weather.
After chatting with a lady in my bus who was born and raised in SF but now lives in Sydney she gave me lots of good pointers - especially for Boston and Washington and a couple nice bars here which I must check out. Dropped off at the hostel which is lovely (I'll be digressing the entire way through this so bear with me but what is with $1 bills? Weird.) but in a dodgy area, think Redfern. The locals are most complimentary of my arse so maybe I picked well?
Thoughts so far because composing complete paragraphs is just too difficult at the moment:
- I like what I see here so far, stopped on my wander for a chai latte and bagel and cream cheese (he he!) and they're massive. People really aren't joking when they say about portion sizes being huge here, I'm currently chugging my way through my "small" drink. Next time you wander past an Australian Starbucks check out their largest take away size and that is comparable.
- I've had 5 "Hey giiiiiiiiirrrrrrl", "Hey sweetheart, how u doing" and "How u doing"s so far. I've been in downtown SF for 2 hours :P Must keep my ego under control or I won't fit on the flight to New York
- I've found Bloomingdales, Armani, Fendi, Bally, Gap and others that my brain can't recall at the moment. Also fell in love with a Bally bag at Sydney duty free - $1296 and I still can't stop thinking about it. The really bloody scary thing is that I considered it for a full minute before slapping myself.
- If you desperately want to be a flight attendant but have the personality of a wet tissue then you must apply with United. I don't think I got one smile out of them the whole time, even when I asked for vodka with breakfast (and I was joking!). Also they were old (old for flight attendants, plus 40 and mostly men looking like they've come from the marines).
- US customs and immigration was a breeze. I got the whole "Welcome to America" which made me giggle and it hurt to not be able to take a picture in front of the "Welcome to San Francisco" sign. Why? Because just as I thought about doing it a young Asian couple were pulled up by the security dudes and given the third degree about it.
- It frustrates me that I cannot put a gap between each dot point.
- BOB: I should not have been joking about looking the wrong way for traffic. Have stepped out onto the road a couple of times before actually thinking about what I'm doing, thankfully no cars around but gees! Now I'm trying to get myself into a habit of only walking when the white (yes white man, no green man, and they flashing red man gives you a count down of how many seconds you have to cross!) man is up (preferable) or to look 4 directions before deciding to cross. Or just follow someone looking like a local (they're the ones wearing designer gumboots).
That's all I can remember at the moment. I'm off for more of a wander before settling into a food place somewhere and writing and writing and catching a cab back to the hostel for a hot, hot, hot shower and a snooze. NO sleep before 9pm!
I'm sorry, but I have to say it again - $1 bills?
Talk soon, hope you're all well xx
Friday, February 01, 2008
Last
As I'm counting down my last minutes at work (yes, I really am that pathetic!) and sniffing the wonderful flowers that the people at uni gave me I'm starting to get butterflies. I've been boring people about this trip for months and it's finally around the corner.
I'm ordering the shampoo/laundry soap sheets that I've bored Celeste with so I will have a nice little Xmas present waiting for me in San Francisco. Am still tossing up whether the see the Foo Fighters on Saturday night! There are still tickets available but depends on how knackered I'll be.
Today is the last day of work, last friday in Hobart for a long time, last time I'll see John and Greta before October, last meal out, last night with my teddy (yes, I'm 23 and I still adore my teddy bear!), last walk home.
It's all beginning tomorrow! Thanks to you know who for your wonderful friendship over the last couple of months. I miss you guys like crazy already and am so looking forward to a new life with you guys (hell, maybe we should just get married!!!). Keep Irish warm for me, I will be back!
I'm ordering the shampoo/laundry soap sheets that I've bored Celeste with so I will have a nice little Xmas present waiting for me in San Francisco. Am still tossing up whether the see the Foo Fighters on Saturday night! There are still tickets available but depends on how knackered I'll be.
Today is the last day of work, last friday in Hobart for a long time, last time I'll see John and Greta before October, last meal out, last night with my teddy (yes, I'm 23 and I still adore my teddy bear!), last walk home.
It's all beginning tomorrow! Thanks to you know who for your wonderful friendship over the last couple of months. I miss you guys like crazy already and am so looking forward to a new life with you guys (hell, maybe we should just get married!!!). Keep Irish warm for me, I will be back!
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