Memphis, Tennessee

So I have arrived at the Pilgram House Hostel. The pilgram house Hostel is located on cooper / young st in a trendy neighbourhood (or so the reviews said) and is joined to the First Congress Church. I had prepared myslef to be drowned in religous paraphanalia, but too my surprise the hostel is not like that at all! Its a really funky with bike hire, lots of warm and inviting common areas and spacious rooms, the guy, Anthony, working the front desk was super cute and has a few tattoos, so good first impression!

I head out to find the deli on the corner to buy some food, and the famous Memphis down pour decided to give me a taste! So rushing into the deli to escape the rain, I barely notice my sourroundings change. Once inside the deli, seeing the cage around the shop assistant... I knew this place was not where I parked my car!

As I leave I see a middle aged man pull up on a bike. He asks me to look after his bike quickly, and seeing though it was raining i said i had no problem staying undercover. He noticed my Australian accent and I confirmed his accent was Scottish. He asked me what the hell I was doing in the neighbourhood, which caught me off gaurd a bit and said I had just arrived and wanted to go to the deli. He strongly advised me to wait were I was and he would walk me back up the street as it wasnt a good area.

The way he said it put the fear of god into me! And as he went to enter the shop this real dodgy guy walked out. Scotland gave him this fierece ass look, that had me wanting to run away and then looked at me, walking into the shop.

Dodgy dude started to walk towards me fearing I was about to be rolled by the look in his eyes, Scotland came out if the shop (i am pretty sure he didnt even get anything) and like that ... dodgy dude changed direction and was gone. My heart has never beat so fast before in my life!

Scotland introduces himself as Paul, and insists he walks me back up the street (to the nicer area of town). Along the way he points out a lot of no go zones and makes me promise him a thousand times i wont go back down there. He even points out his house so that if i was to ever get into any trouble I knew where he lived!

Once we are back where all the restaurants and bars are, he points out all the good places to go, gives me a hug and makes me promise one more time I wont go back down there, and he is off back to his house!

I cant beliee how lucky i was for Paul to show up when he did, who knows what could have happened!

And that is my most scary encounter i have had on this trip todate (following close behind my good "friends" the Somalians in Seattle and Bungy Jumping in New Zealand, and the Vegas Greyhound terminal)Read more