Florida (Grayton Beach State Park & Orlando)

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Can't upload any pics at the moment, blogger gotta problemo, they're all on here though:

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Monday 15th October - Grayton Beach State Park

A 400+ mile journey from New Orleans gave us our first taste of Florida. An awesome state camp ground right on the Gulf of Mexico coast. Pitched my new $20 Wal-Mart tent (testing it out in advance for Hawaii) and took the rangers advice for a run and hit the forest trails for 8 miles. The sunset sent vivid rays of orange light through the trees, which was almost blinding on the way back, but had one of those runs where you feel as though you are flying, yet not even trying. Think it’s the cumulative effect of all the weeks we’ve spent at high altitude along with the runs up there too.

Ran straight to the beach where everyone else was, that really fine white sand you imagine the Caribbean being like. The Gulf as warm as a bath, one problem though. Red Tide. A bacterium in the water (and air) which causes irritation. Tonnes of dead fish lined the beach! Meant it was easy catching though. Sunset, possibly the best yet. Rays of orange shooting into the sky even after the sun was down. Truly B-E-A-utiful.





A red-tide-dead fish!

Saw my first wild snake later too, camouflaged against the leaves next to my tent, this toffee coloured snake about 4 feet long. A biggun. No one sure if it was a poisonous one or not so just left it and took extra care on the way to the bathrooms. Bit worrying though in the pitch black with nothing more than a head torch! Ah but that’s what it’s all about though, hey?

Left at 3am the next day (!)…6 hour drive to Orlando, to give us a full day at Wet and Wild…

Tuesday 16th October – Wet ‘n’ Wild - Orlando



Hayley and Conor, on the Trek...

Might as well have been in Spain! British tourism hell.

Bald, beer belly, chain smoking, England footy-shirt-wearing hooligans. One incident stands out. A young truant from England (it’s surely not half term already?) swimming right behind me on the lazy river, probably 11, screams to her friend “arr just shove him out the way, get by, just shuve him”. Erm, excuse me young lass, “calm it”. “Oh, for goodness sake” she replies giving me the eye. I’ll tell you what, cheeky little…

Anyway, it just hit me today, most people I’ll ask, “you been to America”, yes for sure, “we’ve been to Florida”. Oh dear... Never appreciated until now just how “not America” this place is. And it’s blatantly obvious as soon as you hit it after 54 days on the road around everywhere else.

It was pretty good fun though, highlight being some random rocket ride you stand up in, then some guy waves you good bye, pressing a button and a trap door opens (much like Saddam Hussein) sending you pulsing down 100 odd feet…

Early start just getting here today, as we only penciled in 1 day in Orlando, but to make the most of today left at 3am to fit in one more whole day, rather than having it traveling. Probably a good idea. In possibly one of the nicest campground yet, I mean even the toilets have a CD system. Top bombing.

Wednesday 17th October

Universal Studios, learnt that it's actually two parks. So to Islands of Adventure first. Loads smaller than I ever thought, and only 2 decent rides. Should have gone to Alton Towers! How overrated is this place! Massively! Humidity was probably the worst we've had, temp up in the 30s. This place must be hell in July when there are cues. We were just straight on and off, re-riding all the time, looks like October is the time to visit. Half day in Islands of Adventure, then spent the afternoon in Universal Studios, just a bunch, of well, erm, studies with different movies like Jurassic Park and Jaws, and a tonne of simulations trying to get you, literally, "into" the film. Kinda works. Loved Shrek 4-d. Especially the bits where spiders tickle your legs from behind your seat, and water sprays in your face. Kinda good fun, even for a 21 year old.



May well actually need a vacation!

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Wetens always the best!

Men in Black a bit of a let down though. Got beat by two 11 year old girls on the Men in Black gun game = embarrassment.

By the end of the day, pretty much glad to leave. Too hectic for me, but glad I visited, wouldn't really not wanted to have seen in. Off to the Everglades, last mainland national park (before volcanos in Hawaii!). Going to get bitten by 1.2 billion bugs. My legs are caning from 3 days here already. Think they like the taste of me.



She loved my wife beater

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New Orleans

It's 11.48pm. Everyone else is out at the Jazz Club, I'm sat in the hotel canceling all my credit and debit cards. Paid the bill for a meal out tonight (using my wallet), then 3 minutes later in the bathroom, realise my wallet is not in my pocket. As I moved no more than 10 feet to the bathroom, right beside the table I knew that it had either fallen out or was taken. No sign of it anywhere in the restaurant, despite the manger and lots of other people looking for it.

Fast forward two hours, after I'm back at the hotel canceling cards, I get a phone from the restaurant, saying that the wallet has been found in the garbage bin in the bathroom. Minus $70 cash and all my credit and debit cards. Good job I cancelled them all right away.

But as there was only one bathroom, and I went straight in there after paying my bill, this means that when I came out frantically looking for my wallet, that the person who stole it must have still been in the restaurant, taking my cash and cards, and then when i left to go back to the hotel to cancel the cards, then went back into the bathroom and threw it in the trash. Thankfully, they left my drivers license, which I absolutely need for Hawaii (to rent the car I've booked), but the cash and cards are a bit of a nightmare. Going to have to get them sent to the last hotel (in New York)...

Why are there people like this in the world?

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Sunday October 14th

Anyway, what's this place like. They say it's the most "cultural city" in the America. And I suppose they're right. Not ventured much out of the French quaters, apart from the swamp tour on the way in (60 miles west) but there's definitely a vibe to this place.





The Cathedral in Jackson Square. Just far too touristy for me. I'm starting to learn that I'm really not all that much of a city person. Or maybe it's just cause this place has claimed my credit cards?



There are a lot of down and outs. Got quite a bit of banter just wondering around town on my own today, some guy trying to engage in conversation about my sandels, thought it was just friendly banter at first, but he was clearly after some money. Pretended to be Spanish and moved away, "apesadumbrado no entiendo"

Felt strange being at the other end of the Mississippi, 7 weeks ago I swam in the Northern Mississippi in Minnesota, 3000 miles away, and thought it would seem ages til I saw it again. But it doesn't really. Just feels kinda like yesterday.

Bought some new trainers as it's suddenly dawned on me I've got the Hawaii Half Marathon in little over 3 weeks and I'm running in off road shoes more suited to the Colorado Rockies...

Walked around New Orleans, then chilled for 2 or 3 hours in the park, winding away the hours with the cheeky ipod. Couldn't kick myself into gear after the wallet issue, and also trying to rest the left calf, which just seems to be getting tighter and tighter with every run. Hopefully these new trainers and 2 days off will sort it out...hate not getting out in the parks and on the roads though...

On the way into New Orleans stopped by Cajun Jack's - seemed a good lad, but couldn't understand one word he said for 3 hours as he whisked us off through the swamp on his pride and joy: "Cajun Jack II"



Saw alligators, beavers, and got told about all the deadly snakes. Not a big swamp man, even though I love Shrek. But it was worth it. Even met some of the Cajun locals like Uncle Joe here:



Had a box load of crawfish (amongst other delicacies) worth over $1000, the best fisherman in the area can make this by lunch time when the swamp is higher than usual. He's definitely not doing too bad for himself, though the risks are huge as all three of them have to venture off the boat into the raised parts of the swamps to collect nets left over night. 3 types of snake in the area have venom that kill pretty much instantly, there's alligators all over the shop, perhaps not my idea of a career.



Here's just a small alligator we saw. Though they can grow to over 9 feet!

Just before Uncle Joe left us to the tour, I knew the conversation was turning bad. At 89, he might know his stuff, but as soon as he mentioned he was a Democrat, and then what he'd do to Bush if he saw him, I saw only one direction this conversation was going in - as I tried to depict via facial expression:

Austin, Texas

Austin Photo album pictures same as Carlsbad album here:

http://dur.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2173559&l=3e804&id=61205739


Austin - Texas. Writing this at 11pm, trying to think back over what we've done these last two days!

Quite a bit. Awesome campground, got everything, showers clean for once - so I've had 4 in two days. Mr Sheen me. Booked my internal flights for Hawaii. But get this, you can't fly with Hawaii Airlines inless you have a US Credit Card and therefore a US address...thought this was just online, so phoned them and got told the exact same. So I put it bluntly to their customer service guy, "if you are not American then, you cannot fly". To which he answered, "yes". Unbelievable, just think of all that business they are loosing! Thankfully phoned their competitor, Aloha, booked over the phone no problem. Also got a top deal on a hire car, and avoided the young drivers surcharge, so got that down to less than 200 bucks for a weeks car hire on Big Island - real good news as this means I can get up both Mauna Kea and Mauna Lao, both over 13000 feet. Can drive up to the trail heads out in the wilderness. From sea level that's going to be some awesome views!!

Anyway - oops. Where are we? Oh yeh, Austin. *In Jamaican accent* ReggAE, maN.



This reggae club was brilliant. Absolutely brilliant.

Also loving this guy too, one day I'll be this cool:



But it's not just this I love about Texas. It's also the gun counter in Walmart next to the produce, no kidding, and the bullet holes in the Welcome to Texas sign on the Interstate 10: (!)



Look at those bullet signs. Looks like in Texas everyone just pops off at the street furniture for a chuckle!

Earlier today (that was yesterday), we did tubing. Basically sat in rubber rings and cruised down 3 miles of the Cobal River 50 miles outside of Austin. Good fun, saw lots of turtles - never seen them in the wild so they were good to see. Then back to the campground via WHATABURGER, and ate a triple whata beef burger I can only describe as capable of knocking off 5 years of my life. Had a Whatatummy ever since.

Oh almost forgot, on the way to Austin, past through Roswell, New Mexico. Saw one alien:



Thought the best bit of the town though, was probably the museam and "Research Centre"!!! I'm still chuckling to myself now!



Anyway, off to Layfayette tomorrow, en route to the big one, New Orleans. So better get some kip.

Austin Photo album pictures same as Carlsbad album here:

http://dur.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2173559&l=3e804&id=61205739

Santa Fe & Carlsbad National Park (New Mexico)

Photo Album:

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Santa Fe & Carlsbad National Park are more overnight stops on the way to Austin, Texas and New Orleans as opposed to destinations in their own right. This being said, Santa Fe is a pretty nice, if smallish town. All the buildings can be painted only one of 24 shades of brown which gives the place a slightly brownish looking colour. Makes it interesting though, I suppose.

Bored stiff after 2 hours. The park had two pic nic benches and the river had no water in it. hmm.

Thankfully, went straight off to the camp/RV ground. Too dark to go for a run, so killed some time talking with the other then got thrown out of the TV room at 19.29, by the 101 year old camp ground owner who informed me that "it shuts at 19:30, not a second before, or a second after". Fair dos.

Shame to see a girl from the other group (there are two groups doing out route) leave, obviously she wasn't enjoying it, still guess it was the right decision for her.

Only picture from Santa Fe, a New Mexican sunset from the van. Nice.



Onto Carlsbad Caverns (Caves) National Park next day, far better than I thought it was going to be. Eagerly informed by the typically over-eager park ranger to ensure that we could manage the three quater mile DOWNHILL hike to the bottom of the cave. Only to then be told that there are elevators (yes, in a cave!) to bring us back up! Exhaused we all reached the bottom, love this shot, over exposed for 4 seconds with the backdrop of the caves which have taken millenia to form:




Afterwards, sat down at 5pm in the ampitheatre to await the nightly (we hoped) bat flight where 1.2 million bats screamed out of the cave and off into the dusky sunset to hunt for their nightly feast of insects, often eating over their entire bodyweight in insects. After an hour and fifteen, with the park ranger scratching his head as to why they hadn't come out he informed us that by adopting a bat (5 bucks) you could help pay for more accurate equipment designed to help provide advance warning of their flight out the cave! Clearly concerned that it wasn't going to happen tonight, he decided to kill some time with a Q and A session - too many bat questions for my liking so asked him "who his favourite superhero was" - I'll give you two guesses?

Though, would have loved to have asked this one:

"A bat is flying Easterly at 10 mph. Travelling west at 678mpshis a US Air Force Stealth Bomber. They collide. Did the bat know that the bomber was there?" Apparently this is the best question he's ever been asked - wish it had been me!

Anyway, bats eventually showed their faces at 6.40pm, flew out, wern't allowed to use cameras, so you'll have to take my word for it - was kinda cool.

While waiting for them to emerge, couldn't help but notice this husband and wife dressed identical. Kinda, oddly works I think:



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Telluride, Colorado Rockies

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and first proper video of the trip entitled "Hi, Andy's Mom" where my American accent lasts for the first two words!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gZSywnEdkEM

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Again, never heard of the place, like Moab, but again, one of those places I will definitely come back to! Nestled high up in the Colorado Rockies far away from the well known ski resorts like Aspen, Telluride is a small ski town that sits beneth the largest concentration of 14,000 ft mountains in the States. love it.

We also seem to have arrived at a good time of year, it's the off season, so although there is no snow, the arguably more fun stuff, like Mountain Biking, is big. Never downhilled before, but through forests rich of Autumnal colours today has got to have been one of the most fun days of my life. Flying down from 10,000 feet down trails made for bikes, just absolutely brilliant, and definitely given me the bug for it. Just phenomenal.



Just look at those fall colours on the ski slope!

Also, got up early today, after a night out at a local bar last night (for live music), thought the best way to wake up was to run up to Bear Creek Falls, about an 8 or 9 mile round trip, but that gets up over 10,000 ft, therefore the highest I've ever been... Was totally worth it for this waterfall



and views like this:




But the weather closed in, and as I only had the trail map and not a topo map best thing was to follow the trail back down. Was great to get caught up in a snow storm though, certainly didn't expect to see snow again after Lake Louise in Canada a few weeks ago.



Turn back time - Weather really closed in after about 10,500 ft. The air is noticably thin at this height too, thin enough to make my head ache, it's beyond me what it must be like up 20,000 ft in Alaska, or even more in the Himalayas...

A fantastic curry got the night off to a flyer, credit to Big Gihan our Sri Lankan curry expert. Making full use of the chalet (Americans saw condonimium) which in a word is unbelievable. En Suites, warm! showers, comfy beds, fire - after camping for over 40 nights, the feel of carpet on my feet was almost too much, I cried.



Look at this place! To see more of the chalet check out the You Tube video at the top

That night we ended up at the Million Dollar Saloon, after proving I was in fact over 21, and not 17 as the doorman thought, the hours drifted away to the sounds of Geresh, a strange mix of chilled out stroke heavy metal, sounded alright now I come to think of it. Not usually my thing, but the locals made it. The walk back was sooo cold, ice all over the roads, well below freezing. And we were supposed to camp here!

Here's the band (kinda in the background)



By the way, do you like my new sunglasses? Comments please!!!



Picture of the day? May be this one...



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Moab, Utah (Arches & Canyonlands National Parks)

Moab, Utah. Big Boys playground. This place is awesome!

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Never heard of the place before we arrived, and it took a little while to get my head around it. 4 x 4s with huge tyres, proper off roaders flying down the main street. 4 x 4 trucks loaded to the hilt with mountain bikes or ATVs (quad bikes). Didn't quite get the picture til I called in the local visitors centre.

Then it became all the more clear after a hummer tour in a former US Army Hummer (with all the armour removed though...), pretty cool, loved it when he let air out of the tyres before a steep 40 degree ascent! Then pumped it back in, all at the click of a button!



Although I'd normally find it bad, I love the way it's all about decimating the enviroment in Moab, solely for the purpose of FUN! A huge hummer roaring over miles of slick rock and open desert...all of this leaving it's mark:



We stopped for sunset at the high point of the slick rock, overlooking the Colorado, the colours became more and more vivid - awesome!



Had to miss out on mountain biking Moab's Slickrock Trail (apparently the most famous mountain biking course in the world) - not that I knew this, otherwise it would have been first thing on the list. Found out too late, and as Canyonlands and Arches National Parks took up our final day decided it would still be good to see them, mainly because of views like this:



The sunset over Canyonlands, the road you can see winding into the distance we took a day later, a 31 mile dirt road, so slow I just had to jump out and run ahead of the van, opened up a mile or so at one point. But fantastic because it's so empty, a road only accessible to 4 x 4s, means that I didn't see a sole. Surely one of the world's most empty places.

Also managed to fit in Arches National Park, and that is cool:




The soft sandstone erodes with human touch, so it's no surprise the forces of nature can scuplt spectacular gaps in the rock like this, which form arches like these:



as well as balanced rocks like these, balanced a lot better than me!



I could keep adding pictures for ever to this post, but got to keep it readable. All the ones I want to add are in the album here, and is probably one of the best albums so far - so check it out! All albums have picture captions too...!

http://dur.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2171988&l=8ae48&id=61205739

One last picture though, this describes Moab...it is:




WHAO!!!!

Monument Valley

The Navajo Indians and Monument Valley! The valley is in their reservation, their way of life slllooowwwww, and at times pretty dull. Huge suicide rate, a lot of crime, high unemployment. Shame because they have such an amazing landscape:



One of the most photographed landscapes in America



A monument valley sandwich



And finger



And the monument valley Navajo step keep-fit class.

And here's the picture that sums it all up. It's the place where Tom Hanks (Forest Gump) stops running in the movie. It's the place that is on the front of numerous US guidebooks, the straight road running into the red desert. Lovely.



On it was from there, to Betty and Rusty's. Make as much noise as you like she proclaimed at 10 o clock after her and rusty sang us songs around the camp fire. Legends.



Slept the night in some awesome traditional Navajo mud huts - a lot warmer than camping!



What a place they have, no running water, no toilet other than a portaloo and certainly no showers! But the upside being that it was absolutely in the middle of no where. Got out of the little ranch and on to some sandstone cliffs to watch the sunset. Perfect.

The next day, onto Four Corners and Moab - oh yes, my finger was in 4 states at the same time. Now that's got to make me cool!



Oh one last thing, on the way back from Four Corners, saw this pole that was 4760 feet high. So decided to climb it - all the way to the top. Great views as I held on for my life.