Welcome to the big old USA

Au Revoir dear Paris we will miss you . We hope the feeling is mutual.

We are flying with Swiss air to Newark airport NYC. But first we have to go back to Zurich and touch base there. Going though passport control we got the “I just need to make a phone call look”. We were one day over our 90 day visa. But it wasn’t our fault seriously, it was the airlines fault for changing for flight time. He gave us a warning frowned at us like naughty children. He knew we had a flight to catch in an hour waved us through. Such power he weald from that tiny box and tiny desk. Seriously guys we aren’t criminals just your average Aussie tourist trying to leave your beautiful country.

Swiss Air was a pretty good flight. During the night or maybe it was early morning I looked across at the lady sitting or laying across the row and she had two dachshund dogs one was on her lap and the other wrapped around her head like a turban. Her husband got up and took one of them to the bathroom to pee I guess. Its an 8 hour flight, dogs need to pee too. But I was thinking how was this done? did he hang its little bottom over the toilet or just let it pee and wipe the floor. Note to self always wear shoes to bathroom not those socks they give you when small dogs are on the plane.

We have arrived in the big old USA we are no longer virgins to this country.

We are coming to stay with some wonderful guys we met and our inspiration to this whole year long adventure. Mark & Jim. We met Mark & Jim back in 2017/18 on bike riding trip in Rathjastan,India over a 2 week period. It was a fabulous bike ride with Grasshopper bike tours. At that stage they had been travelling for nearly 5 years. We had a chat with them, they inspired us. We had a chat over a beer or two, we decided then and there we will make this happen. We left one year to the day when we decided lets do this. Here we are 9 months in.

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Mark & Jim have generously offered for us to stay in their apartment in the lower east side. We had no idea were this is we just got into the taxi. Actually it’s a great part of NYC. We felt like it was in burbs of the city. Great views from the windows to the Empire State Building and the landscape of the buildings near and far and just mesmerising .With some direction and helpful tips we walked and walked the streets. Up first Avenue to the tourist end of town which we didn’t particularly like. Time Square and all is like mmm…. but have you been to Shibuyu in Tokyo now thats something. We stayed we looked took a photo or two and get the hell out of there. Some days we walked 20kms which we can’t believe we did. We touched on Central Park a little it’s a massive park. The reason we touched on it. The old scenario of finding that damm loo, toilette, restroom whatever you would like to call it. NYC needs more of them. When we did find it there is only 3 and a long line, omg wetting my pants is not an option here. Coming back to their apartment after a long day walking and looking dinner was being prepared it was heaven. Jim is fabulous cook. They haven’t cooked hardly ever when they were travelling.Well I don’t think ever. But his culinary skills are fantastic. Now Mark he is the cocktail man. He introduced us to the Manhattan, oh my….Our new favourite cocktail. We watched how it is made it, pour this and add that and a touch of that and splash of this, stir with a swizzle stick over ice pour into your fancy cocktail glasses. So good. Also Rob Roy when a certain ingredients was already consumed. Going on our list of cocktails. Just need the ingredients list. mmm…..Must get that. Mark can you send me that please .

Another day we walked to the 9/11 memorial water feature. I was surprised the size of these water features and sombreness of it all. Did touch our hearts in a big way. We went inside the Oricle amazing building. The railway system was underneath the twin towers so its a huge shopping complex. We found this awesome Italian shop/restaurant it took up a whole floor. The food that was there was unbelievable the quality and the freshness. We had an amazing lunch. After lunch we thought we would search out The Charging Bull on Wall Street. Well that was too funny to say the least. You have this picture in your mind that its huge and in large plaza. Sorry folks, totally the opposite small bull small corner of a plaza. People where lining up with manners and grace to have their photo taken in front of this bronze bull’s head and I must say the rear end balls had become shiny with all those hands giving them a little rub. hehehee….. We didn’t do that, what for! We just come to see and witness. We also attempted walk across the Brooklyn Bridge we started with determination but what put us off was the people, so many people that don’t know how to keep right for god sake. So its a constant battle with people walking into you and you into them. We got one third in got the photo we wanted and abandoned this trek. Maybe if we were on bikes the adventure would have finished. I don’t think we missed anything other than saying we walked over the Brooklyn bridge. We did, just not the whole way.

We walked through chinatown to get to Wall Street and the memorial. I really felt like I was in China the smell of this area the whole look and feel.

Another far interesting place we visited twice was the Hi Line. To get to the Hi Line from Jim & Marks you walked through a great area which we liked the vibe of is No Ho. The apartment buildings the shops and restaurants. The Hi Line was a railway line at one stage instead of knocking it down they have made it a green garden in the sky and its flourishing. Not sure about all the apartment building being built up so close we could just about see what some of the dwellers had on their walls.

In the Hudson Yards they have this rather interesting sculpture that you can climb inside if you so desire, The Vessel. It makes for a great photo. We didn’t climb inside couldn’t really see the point.

Also near the Hi Line is an art Museum The Whitney we love modern art. Ok I think this collection was fasinating pushing the boundaries what is art and what is a pile of stuff is .

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We also went to the affordable art show and our good friend from Adelaide Emma Hack http://www.emmahackartist.com was there showing her wonderful artwork which we have a couple at home. It was so nice to see another familiar Adelaideian. We do get about us Adelaide people. We are looking at all the other artists and then came across this striking piece by a photographer. The megapixels that the art was done was at 3000 who knew you could even do that. He had taken spots on the pavements around NYC that had paint splashed on them etc. But the clarity was astounding you thought it was a painting you looked sideways at this art work and it was a print. Jim was with us that day he was intrigued too and one of the artists pieces was of the pavement near where they live well directly across the road actually. Next day they made appointment to see the artist with Mark they are now the happy owner of this fantastic piece which will find its home in their new apartment.

The artist was Dan Piech collection was Concrete Canvas

VASTPHOTOS.COM/CONCRETE. DANVASTPHOTOS.COM

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Mark & Jim have decided to put some roots down in NYC and have bought an apartment floor in NO-HO they took us there to check it out before demolition started it has 49 windows the views are fantastic and that warm sun coming in was so light and bright. We saw it a just before we left again nearly completely empty of the ugly and not needed and ready to create this awesome space they have planned. A great project. We hope to return one day to stay in a guest room. wink, wink….

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Tony Had his 58th birthday in NYC, lucky man he is. The day started like this- let’s do a ferry ride on the Hudson River. So we walk and walk and walk its a nice walk along the Hudson banks. We get there. Maybe 20 people already to do this ferry ride that lasts for 4 hours. Then it was cancelled. OMG… no alternative either just all out cancelled. So what do we do, go have lunch. We ended back to a building behind the The Vessell found a really nice restaurant that over looked The Vessel.We had the best food we have had eating out so far. I mentioned it was Tony’s birthday bingo bango got a free desert plate for the birthday boy. Next on the agenda for Tony’s birthday is we are all going to see The Book of Mormon in the broadway district. Now we have been walking its great for fitness. But the boys took us on the under ground it was quick but it done and off the list of needed things to do in NYC. Not my must favoured way of getting about.The play was superb. When a play starts and the first song is’ God is fucked’ it’s going to be to funny. We are in for a good old belly laugh. Seats are tiny and so close though. Tony was sitting next to some rather volumous people they are really touching into your personnel space, they had to sit on their sides, poor things. After we went to a Cubaian restaurant and had some dinner listened to some music which was great, got up had a a little salsa dance. I think the birthday boy had a great day and night. Thanks Mark & Jim for sharing the start of Tony’s 58th year.

We say goodbye To Mark & Jim and promise ourselves we will comeback just to see their amazing new apartment.

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We are off up to Rochester to see my sister Debbie for her up and coming 50th birthday. We decided to drive up, not far 5 hours or so. We picked up a car from Avis. Note to selves don’t deal with Avis the worst service by far we have experienced. What’s with this too, every time we book a car its never the one we order, never. Grrrr…..We got out NYC with ease which we were surprised. 5 hours wizzed by. Here we are in Rochester my brother Brenton and his wife Gayle are here too to celebrate this number that we have all achieved just a few years before.wink, wink.

Debbie and Frank have this party planned with her friends and family. We help her get things ready with a huge grazing table. Looked fabulous. We all had a great night met many of her nearest and dearest. Clearly don’t remember their names. Hopefully they did ours. Next day was part 2 of the birthday celebrations with brunch and 10 pin bowling. Meeting another group of people another bunch of names and faces. Brenton and Gayle are heading back to Toronto then Hong Kong and back to Perth. So we had a couple of days when all 3 siblings are together which is a rare and strange event.

Next day we head up to Niagara Falls about a 90 min drive from Rochester. Debbie is doing all the driving so thats relaxing. We cross the border into Canada see the falls. It was a little underwhelming after seeing Victoria Falls. The strangest sights was all the side shows and rides and tacky tourist things that was there it kinda wrecked the whole area. Another tick off the list. Drove back cooked some dinner for everyone as I hadn’t cooked in some time. We had a great 3 days of partying and meeting her American family. She has a whole month of small gatherings and get togethers as her offical birthday isn’t until November 5th. Happy birthday dear sis.

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We are off to San Francisco quite a long flight to other side of this huge country we are in. We catch a cab to the place we are staying on the waterfront area. It was very heart breaking coming through the burbs and seeing the amount of homeless people with nothing and looking like lost souls. In a world were no-one cares. We did also see this a lot in NYC homeless people with absolutely nothing lying on the ground over the warm airshafts to keep warm. Its sad state of affairs when there is no-one out there looking out for them. What happens to these people in bleakness of the winter especially in NYC. All so sad.

So here we are in San Francisco sick as dog, dam-it. Tony is good but his time will come, you wait. One good night sleeping should cure this chest shitty thing I have. Next day feeling perky enough to walk to the Golden Gate Bridge always think sunshine and fresh air helps with the distraction of feeling like crap. It was lovely walking along the foreshore right up to the iconic Golden Gate Bridge. We caught the iconic trolley car. Cause we are into iconic things it seems. hahaaa….. San Francisco is extremely hilly. Standing on the side rails scooting up and down those hills in the trolly car. It was fun. Another iconic place we went is the world’s most crookedness street Lombard st. Tick number 3 we need another iconic place to visit the painted ladies. A row of iconic (there is that word again).Iconic no 4 the houses are painted beautifully. I couldn’t really see why they are iconic but they where beautiful.

Our hotel it was large had many rooms and we had a nice room I am not complaining well I am slightly complaining. One night well in the early hours of the morning we are woken to the shenanigans of the people next door. It sounded like they were making a porn movie to much fake oooo’s and ahhh… Then they had some rejuvenation time and back at it at the crack of dawn with the full on bed banging against the wall. Come on guys…. seriously. So hotel on the foreshore design fault 101 thinking sound proof walls would have been good. Another thing I could hear someone coughing across the hallway. Holly shit batman. Budget build.

We met up with another Adelaide friend well he is a good friend of our son Zac & Ruby he is working in San Francisco. Nice to see Lachlan he is loving his life and work. Another familiar face.

We are picking up a car until the end of the month. Guest what not the one we ordered again but better service from a different company SixT. The guy was so nice we loved his name Rudolph maybe he was born at Christmas time and his mum & dad couldn’t think of name and then Rudolph the red nose reindeer was playing. Boom name sorted. You remember the ones that make an impression. We are off to Half Moon Bay about an hour from San Francisco. Guest what its pumpkin season and they are everywhere those yellow round pumpkins ready for Halloween such a big thing here.

We found a great pub style place to watch the non existent surf but at least we are on the beach and looking at it having dinner and a beer. Our hotel is fine, spacious and clean. We wanted to see where Mavericks surf break happens. We could see it but of course wrong time of the year.The small town of Half Moon Bay was sweet just a main street really. We found some amazing art from a man in Atlanta very different so its on its way back home. Won’t it be fun when we get home boxes of little things that have been shipped home over the year. One surprise after another. We found another brewery bar on the bay it certainly had some strange beers but we had a couple such wonderful weather. On the point of the bay is the American forces radar you can see this large dome shape apparently after reading about it, missiles can be fired from there. Now that is not what I want to read.

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Dinner another night was at Thai place it was different, unusual. But did the trick for some asian food. After dinner we went to check out a billboard we had seen during the afternoon stroll down the Main Street. “The Jones Gang” http://www.thejonesgang.com. We walked upstairs paid our entrance fee and sat down amongst the grey head brigade. Hang on we are part of that the grey hair gang. But we are only just entering it not completely immersed in it yet!. It’s in the old town hall. Travis Jones the lead singer gets up and plays this most beautiful song ‘A Woman Like That’ we stayed we are intrigued and he has the most beautiful voice. 90 mins later we are sold to his music met the man himself what a charmer. It hasn’t been something we come across is live music. Once in Santiago in Spain some local folk music was playing. It was fun. Hope we come across more.

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On to our next stop Santa Cruz we are staying in another hotel again, eye rolling emoji insert right here. Its looks modern, nice decor. Front desk staff have the personality of a cactus. Prickly don’t talk to me I might prick you with my prickle, good start. The room is nice but then it all goes down hill. We had dinner at the hotel. Staff thought we had our cloak invisibility on. Not good, food was tasty. Then came breakfast same thing. the cloak was still on. Oh well, we thought give them the benefit of the doubt. But we are glutton for punishment we had dinner again at the hotel again the cloak was on and again the next day at breakfast so bad. Where was the Manager?. Then expect 20% tip, no way. We left after two nights not after Tony had a moment he thought he was getting Tonsillitis I told you he would get sick. It turns out he is all good. But the doctors was certainly happy charging us $220US for the pleasure to tell him . Better to be safe than sorry. So we left said hotel got our account emailed to us. Guess what ladies and gentlemen we didn’t get charged for our dinners both nights we had a bottle of wine too one night. So maybe our vibe of being invisible worked in our favour. Is that a Paradox? That was name of the hotel. Paradox

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While we are in the Santa Cruz area we visited Capitola we met a lady in a surf shop raved about it. So we go and get incredibly disappointed by the whole bay area couldn’t see the attraction but everyone is different in what they see as beautiful some see it with rose coloured glasses. Santa Cruz was nice but time to drive inland to the Sequoia National Park and Kings Canyon.

It was about a 4 hour drive along major freeways boy do California have some huge freeways. Tony is an expert and negotiating the cars and so many trucks . Google maps is fantastic .Don’t forget Siri we love her too. We are staying at a faux par gone with wind themed BnB place. Well it’s different, unusual and stuck in 1980’s decor. But I did read she is a fabulous cook, breakfast you are in for treat. We arrive late because we decided to drive into the Park and take a look around first it’s a very windy road up to the giant trees. Took over an hour. But it was definite wow moment to see these majestic trees so tall and the girths so broad. We came back to Gone with Wind place checked in. Dinner we are always wondering where. We are out in middle of no-where. So Lisa the host directs to the next town Exeter 10 miles (now I am now slipping into the American way ) to a restaurant called Monet. It was super delicious food didn’t help that we were very hungry as we hadn’t eaten all day. We went back the next night too. Would’nt you know it we met a man there who had been to Adelaide. Then he started naming some random country towns from NSW to Victoria .It was totally to funny. He use to sell fertiliser to the farmers. He named lamingtons and vanilla slices and canned spaghetti on toast I am not sure who eats that. But he said he loved it. He gave us some tips for Yosemite National Park. Thanks kind man.

Back to Sequoia National Park and Kings Canyon we did a hike through the giant trees to Moro Rock it was so beautiful the autumn (fall) colours the air is warm and still perfect for hiking around underneath such a beautiful canopy of natures beauty . Climbing Moro rock the views are just astoundingly beautiful. We decided we should drive to Kings Canyon to see this waterfall. It read well and kind man said go and the pass to get there is very scenic and high. Ok lets do this, 90mins later we arrive at the waterfall. Ohhh….we drove all this way. for this. Yes, its a small waterfall. But guess what I get to drive again after my greek island misadventure on the other side of the road. Tony trusts me to get us back to Gone with Wind BnB. He only slightly yelped when he felt I was to close to edge. But we are here aren’t we.

Some crazy American road rules:

When you come to a stop sign first you have the right away on across road. But if you arrive second you have to give away to who ever was there first. Righto.

Second one is that you can turn right on a red light as long as there is no traffic coming and is clear to do so. Righto. In the city no matter where.

We are driving to Yosemite National Park we have hired an airbnb place thank goodness I need to cook my own food. I am tired of hotel rooms and restaurant menus and that 20% tipping thingo. So the town of Oakhurst is just about an hour outside of the Park. Its a great retro style place with a leafy outlook. Love it, Bring on some home cooked food. Its all about the small things.

OMG, Yosemite is so beautiful those vistas are like nothing that we have seen before. Especially when you come through the tunnel and there is the most beautiful view of the Dome and El Capitan. We saw a documentary earlier in the year about a guy called Alex who slept on the sheer cliff face trying to reach the very top after many attempts. Aspiring movie to all rock climbers out there.’ Free Solo ‘ watch if you haven’t it’s an awesome movie. When we watched the movie we were in New Zealand enduring camper van life right at the very beginning of our adventure. I never thought in my wildest dreams that we would be standing in front of such a rock face seeing it just there. it was something else to be up close looking up and just thinking I can’t believe he did that.

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The kind man we met in Exeter said we should do couple of adventures the Tioga Pass and Brodie it was a 4 hour drive each way. So we left early one morning and drove and drove through the Tioga Pass at 9945ft (3031m) it was built in the beginning of last century in the early 1900’s which is pretty amazing due to the engineering of it all. Brodie was a gold mining town discovered in 1876 and deserted in 1915. About 5% of the building remains to this day. They found about $18 million dollars worth of gold which is pretty amazing. Not sure how he Brodie found that gold and what brought him to this valley in the first place he was from New York State. He died before seeing the actual gold removed from the ground. There was a massive fire so that why there isn’t that many houses left from the 8 thousand occupants of the time. What was fascinating is that some of the building contents are as they left them. Apparently they couldn’t take all their things as it was so hard. So it was left. We thought we were a throw away society it had already started way back in 1915. Makes you think.

It was interesting walking around Brodie a very cold wind whipping down the streets. Apparently it can get up 20 ft of snow those poor people how did they survive everything would have frozen over. One other point to note was 95% of the houses are made from hard timber. Where did timber come from not a tree insight. The landscape is bare hills void of trees and life. They are just hard ass people trying to make money with their time on this earth.

I got to drive again. Only on roads with one lane. Will leave the multi lanes to Tony. We have left Yosemite with great memories of nature in its finest.

Time for another epic dive back to the pacific coast and another airbnb more home cooking. Its a record a whole week of cooking. So good, love it. The supermarkets are amazing. Wholefoods is wow…..

Summerland, near Santa Barbara is were we are staying in a place that has views of the pacific and oil rigs. Didn’t know that when we booked this. Tar on the beach from the oil bubbling out of the cracks under sea. So the beach is off limits for walking and swimming. Unless you want tar on your feet.

So 5 days of doing basically f..ck all. We are looking forward to it and have enjoyed it. We have loved it all looking and being a tourist every step of the way but there comes a times we need a break from this. Why am I complaining, nothing to complain about we are living the dream. Being in a place that has a great outlook and a fantastic kitchen not to mention a washing machine. Is heaven. It was good to live those days as if you are at home just pondering around doing nothing of importance not looking at things or needing to. We managed to bit of shopping at outdoor shops for our up and coming adventure to Peru. But thats it, so boring I know but how we relish in the boring is super ridiculous.

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Today we are to off Viva Las Vegas 5 hour drive to the city of sin and frivolity . It just a place we thought we need to tick. We have booked a helicopter flight over to the Grand Canyon at sunset. So we are excited about that. A 5 hour drive then do helicopter flight good idea in theory . Tony does all the driving I am just the DJ. Full on freeways with up to seven or eight lanes at some points just crazy and the amount of RV’s with the small car in tow its just amazing. Love to know where they are going and where have they been and why.

We have arrived .We are staying at the Bellagio a massive hotel with the iconic fountain in front.Think Ocean’s 11, 12 and 13. You know the scene. Anyway its been here awhile. We check in, but we are in awe of the gambling as you walk to the elevator you can have a quick go on the pokie machines or a quick game of something before you even reach your room insane to the brain we are thinking.

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We are being picked up by Sundance helicopters http://www.sundancehelicopters.com

All very professional picked up by a limo only in Vegas with other punters. The lads that have joined us are from San Paulo Brasil. No English. So Brasilan lads are with us on the same helicopter they have paid extra for front seat. It was a amazing flight over the Hoover dam and Lake Mead that was formed from the dam. Its was such beautiful landscape to fly over. To see a tiny little bit of the Grand Canyon was a definite tick off our list. The helicopter landed on an area below the rim for photos and bubbles. We got to get out and have a wonder for a bit and take the shots. We drink the bubbles with a little snack and have a chat with our pilot Arron. It was beautiful, we loved it. Then fly back on dusk over the strip of Las Vegas coming to life with it vibrance and colour. Awesome few hours. So lets just get lost in maze of casinos and colour ,drink some expensive drinks and people watch. At least we found some awesome asian food. It was an experience of seeing people and them being memorised on those machines hoping for the win. I feel sorry that they think they are going to win when we all know its the house who is the winner. Next day feeling like someone shouldn’t of mixed their drinks. doh….

We are off to see a Cirque Soliel ‘O’ at the Bellagio. Very convenient. Wow and triple wow… What an amazing performance in 90mins. It’s all done in a pool of water that is just so hard to explain the spectacle, the skill of the performance was just outstanding. It was memorising to say the least. Great way to finish our short but intense stay in Viva Las Vegas.

Elvis has left the building………

We are off to Palm Springs for the iconic retro homes and architecture that we both adore. 4 hours drive on a busy freeway and its Monday doesn’t anyone work .

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Here we are in Palm Springs staying at the Villa Royale http://www.villaroyale.com

I don’t often say where we are staying but we are at the end of our USA stay one more night at the airport and we are outer here. But first we are loving Palm Springs the people the vibe those homes the back drop of the mountain range. The cocktails, the retro shops that I wish I could fill a suit case up and ship it all home. So good. We are totally inspired and have plans in our creative minds for when we return home. The style of home will definitely suit our climate and where we live. Palm trees are my fav especially the Washington palm. Cactus and gravel what’s not to love.

We have had a blast in the USA we have seen such small portion of this massive country. But it’s time for the next adventure of the next month. We are closing in on year long time away. Still have 3 months to go and maybe 4 more countries to visit. We are excited because Cuba here we come.