Where did I leave you? With a bit of a Mexican salsa I imagine, well now I'm screaming out at you from New York - New Yizzle to the gangstars I talked to last night. Right now my trek leader is using the computer right next to me, so I will hold back from taking it out on him for the moment. I just kid. He was probably the only 'normal' person on the tour. After leaving Mexico I thought I would, finally, be able to just speak plain and simple English to people. The big guy upstairs had other plans for me... In my team were:
1 German
1 Austrian
A family of 5 from Denmark
1 from Switzerland
And finishing off with 1 person from Korea.
None of them spoke English as there first language, although they did speak it quite well, its just not the same as being able to chat to good old trustworthy Brits.
I wrote loads more down on some paper whilst we were having a long drive in the van but that is at the back of the luggage store cupboard. Now its not that I am that lazy to get it, its just that there are another 30 peoples cases between me and it. I think I will just wait for now...
So, I'm going to save this as a draft, and when I get to that paper - when I eventually do battle the jungle of luggage, I will update this bad boy and get it posted in a public fashion.
For now; its good to be back.
Love always,
[clarke]
****************************************************************************
And I'm back in the room, smoothly sliding into the same chair that was previously accommodating my buttocks and my fingers are gently tapping away, lovingly creating this blog. In the time, represented by the stars above - are the numbers of stars significant? - since the first half of the blog I have been to Boston airport and visited some old family friends. It was so awesome to see both the families and, although it was only a day there, I really miss them now... I actually felt quite sad coming back on the plane. My love goes out to them and I hope SOOOO much that I will see them, and Spermy, again soon!
Now, I believe it is because of you, dear reader, that Friday evening was so exhausting, emotional and down right 'worst evening of my life' material. Maybe I should explain a bit...
On Friday I missed two flights.
There. I said it. Happy? I was all ready to say goodbye to my tour team and packed to head off to Boston. I asked in plenty of time how to get to JFK airport and the person told me, gave me the instructions and said it would take about 40 mins. So my flight left at 4.30pm and I had to be there one hour early for check in and all that nonsense. I left at 2.00pm from the hostel which gave me plenty of time to get there. I got the subway down to '42nd Street/Port Authority' station and changed for the one that should have taken me to the air train. Ohhhhh no. There was some engineering works and so it took me down another branch. I got off the subway and went back some stops and got on the next train. It did the same again. Wooooo... I asked someone (now, I should have done that straight away) and I hadn't gone back enough stops. I went back one more than I did before and I got the right train and managed to get to the Air Train. I looked at my watch. 3.30pm.
I didn't make it.
I was all in a tizz wozz but I managed to scramble onto a self service check in. 'You are too late to check in' came up on the screen. You think? Thankfully it just gave me the option to get onto a later flight. I was able to get a seat on a plane going an hour later. I called the Ashby's who I was staying with and explained what had happened feeling extremely stupid. Niiice. I walked around to the departure lounge and shoved in the iPod. The plane was delayed. Twice. After the second delayed announcement I don't really know what happened. Apparently they were calling it out to board the plane as usual. They were paging me because I wasn't there yet. But nothing happened. I was about 20 meters from the boarding entrance, and I missed the plane. It wasn't until I realised nothing had happened did I get up and look at the departure boards. Flight 4616 wasn't there any more. Tentatively I went to the desk and asked where it had gone. 'Sir, that plane has left. I was paging you. You have a seat on the next one boarding at 10.40.' It was 8.00 at this point. It was another call to the Ashby's feeling 10 times more the idiot. Ian had already left to pick me up, thinking that I was on the flight that had left... The rest is now history. I got there in the end, and now I'm back in New York, and you have heard already about me missing them.
I want to take this chance to thank you valued readers, well at least the readers that have read them religiously and most importantly the ones that enjoyed them, for reading my thoughts and daily actions over the past 2 months. You are all awesome and I cant wait to see you when I get home. If you have been one of the regulars go on, leave a comment on this one just so I know who you are. Thanks again for reading!!
It was quite funny being with all the Europeans all the time, there English wasn't so good so I had a sneaky giggle at how they pronounced some words:
- Chewlery for Jewelery
- Beats for Beads
- Skettle for Schedule.
- Gravity for Graffiti
- 'I like watching paintings'
There were loads more, but I lost the paper I was writing them all down on :(
I have also found a way of being instantly accepted into a group. Just walk up to a random group of people who are posing for a photo and offer to take one of the whole group. I guarantee that within 30 seconds the whole group will be smiling back at you.
The average amount of time we drove was about 5 hours a day. On two of the days we drove for 10 hours. At the time I just accepted that as something we had to do but in reality that is like driving tip to tip of little old United Kingdom! And that was just a tiny part of the States.... UK is small, but we can act tough. Right?
There is no way that I can update you about the whole time I have spent in America. That update from when I went to the beach was to long itself, and that was only 5 days. I dread to think how long it would take to do that for this, and I have seen ALOT more stuff. When I am home I'm sure you will coax out all the tales and tribulations of my terrific travelling time. Alot of t's there. BUT, just for you I have broken down some of the things I have done for you. I'm an amazing guy. I have no hope that it will give you a good picture of what I have been doing - but its a start.
- I have been away for 2 months old.
Which is 10 weeks.
Or 69 days.
Or 1,674 hours.
Or 100,482 minutes.
Or 6,028,926 seconds. - I have been through 16 States and by the end of the trip 3 Countries.
- In 10 weeks I have been on 8 different planes from 6 different Airlines.
- On the ground I have travelled way over 4000 miles, accounting to near 100 hours driving in a Mini Bus. Resulting in 1 numb bum.
- During the drive I have read 5 books. 3 of those books in 6 days. And yes, I did read Harry Potter. Took me 2 1/2 days.
- More Hot Chocolates in 10 weeks than I will have in a lifetime.
- My towel has never been completely dry.
- I have become extremely attached to my iPod. It has never been as loved before.
- I have half as many socks as I came with.
- I have developed a phobia of Europeans. Started out as Claustrophobia.
- Resorted to pointing at stuff I want. A mixture of Spanish and European language is drifting around in my head. English seems to have hidden somewhere.
- Experience blog withdrawal symptoms.
- No Money. New Guitar.
- I don't sleep in cars. I can now run off about 5 hours sleep.
- I'm a Mosquito 'All You Can Eat' buffet.
- I have cooked for 11 people 3 times.
- I have washed my clothes 5 times. Showered every day. Impressed?
- I don't have any clean clothes now. Good luck Mum.
- I have the same single pair of shoes I came with. My glasses aren't broken.
- I have taken too many photos.
- I haven't taken enough good photos.
- I have developed a craving for Englishness.
- I have been camping for 3 weeks without a pillow. Just a cotton bud would be amazing to sleep on.
- I have loads of unforgettable memories and experiences.
But right now none of that maters.
Tomorrow, I'm coming home.
Love always,
[clarke]
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