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livin’ the American Dream

July - August 2022
we actually don’t know yet what we’ll be up to, could be that we fly out to the West, maybe take a pit stop in Canada, if there’s a cheap flight to Hawaii, maybe that - only thing that’s for sure - New York in the end :) Read more
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  • Gin Tonic on Tourlivin’ the American Dream
    Day 4

    Georgetown & international evening

    July 28, 2022 in the United States ⋅ 🌧 23 °C

    This day has been so exhausting. But nice. And this evening has been as well. Actually not just nice but great, fantastic, wonderful, a blissful experience ;)
    We met Ananka (my 3rd Indian host family’s daughter) in front of the White House which is pretty unspectacular and then went to the appealing streets of Georgetown. There we took dinner right at the waterfront in a typical American sports bar with TVs hanging all around.
    Right after finishing dinner Becca and Shaurya came into the door and it was as normal as it was not to see her again - this time in the US, though.
    The three of us took a stroll to a bar with some DC peeps but then went somewhere else. Guys… I had to show my ID tonight - I didn’t even realize before but drinking age is 21 around here. Anyways, I met this guy from Ghana and he sponsored us all for the rest of the night. We all had some good talks and spent a nice evening together. I am still so happy to have seen Rebecca ❤️ next time in Italy, I guess?    Read more

  • Gin Tonic on Tourlivin’ the American Dream
    Day 5

    DC, we’re ready, Library of Congress

    July 29, 2022 in the United States ⋅ 🌧 24 °C

    In retrospective yesterday has been too exhausting. Whilst living through today I just thought that I am done with the big city life and wanna leave to someplace else. Maybe a combination of both. We’re in the US since 4 days and it’s already our 5th state I think and the 3rd city. Maybe we should slow down a bit. ;)
    The metro is not as loud as the one in NY and it’s really an experience to drive with the Metro bus - it took me quite some while to understand how to make them stop (there’s a yellow cord on the sides which you have to pull to signal the driver you wanna get off) and to get the system of street corner names (a combination of a number and a name - honestly, an awesome system because you always know how many blocks you’re away).
    Today we’ve been to the biggest library of the world which inhabits one of only 3 perfect copies of the Gutenberg bible and gained a great deal of knowledge from an old tourguide there. Also we are now able to enter the main reading hall for two years and have a pass with mugshot as proof. :D
    Unfortunately we didn’t have a place to stay, so we had to book something from the spot and it’s the first time I keep all my worthy belongings with me up in my bed. It’s really dirty and our room mate’s a real weirdo… not a nice atmosphere. We decided to leave for the beach tomorrow. Jacksonville, Florida.
    I wasn’t too much into the idea of going to Miami so we decided to take a pit stop (3 days) at the beach before visiting New Orleans. The place where The Originals is set.    Read more

  • Gin Tonic on Tourlivin’ the American Dream
    Day 6

    Great Falls, Lincoln statue, scary night

    July 30, 2022 in the United States ⋅ ⛅ 29 °C

    Fast, fast, fast, not gonna stay in this shithole of a dorm one second longer than necessary.
    Generator’s our savior.
    Spinach+Feta Croissant and a chocolate cake from down the Street.
    Half an hour drive to Great Falls just outside DC, at the triangle border to Maryland and Virginia. Ananka, mum and I are going right along the waterfall and waterline. There’s a deer less than 8 meters next to us in the forest, we’re climbing up and down the stones, fresh, breathable air surrounds us. What a nice trip right in the outskirts of the capital of the United States of America.
    Our plan was to go to the zoological Smithsonian afterwards but a rumbling stomach thwarts our plans.
    Fancy lunch at Dupont Circle in an Italian corner restaurant and then a sweet treat from the bakery around the corner.
    In the afternoon (multiple repetitions from my side, mum gets annoyed…) the temperature is quite pleasant and we say goodbye to DC by visiting one of the fathers of this nation: the great Lincoln (16th president) monument at National Mall (thx for the recommendation, aunt Lisa 🥰) - the statue there is featured in many movies and now we’ve seen it in real life.
    Long trip to the in capitol quotation marks “bus stop” where I almost threw up out of fear - to be murdered, robbed or things so worse I don’t want to imagine.

    Small foray for everyone who’s interested:
    We went through the whole town of DC to the east to get to some Shell gas station where our bus was supposed to leave at 10:45pm, as German as we are we planned to be there at least 1+ hour before. Worked out. Though at some point in the metro bus only odd figures started to enter. Either everybody really worked up, worn out or on more drugs in their life than countable. Anyways… it was dark, the atmosphere was awwwwwwesome and we contemplated to either stand in a corner of the rocked down shell station or sit outside next to the cockroaches, second guessing our life choices. Outside it was. A gang of motorcycles passes past us, whooping and only riding on one wheel.
    Then a loud noise from above and a helicopter with searching lights fixating on our surrounding and then on us. Even better. Two minutes later 7 police cars with sirens on race right past us. Then two police cars and officers storm the gas station, searching in every single litter can for what could only be part of a drug deal. Didn’t really feel safe at first, I started talking to the woman next to us who could only speak Spanish and tried to calm myself down. When the last police car took off 15 minutes later I was actually hoping for it to stay there till the bus would reach.
    All in all, never want to have that kind of experience again. I’ve been in such situations way too often for my young life.    Read more

  • Gin Tonic on Tourlivin’ the American Dream
    Day 7

    JAX, we’re really happy we’re here now!

    July 31, 2022 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 28 °C

    At first I was irritated and thought people here just don’t give a damn. Everybody playing music without headphones on inside the bus and watching TV, etc. Until I kindly asked our seat neighbor to put his headphones in or to turn it down a bit at least. Turned out he didn’t own any. After giving him the free sample I still had from our flight to the US he thanked me like 4 times and by the time we got out of the bus he stood up and thanked me again. What kind of country is this where people don’t have enough money to own headphones but a regular night in a hostel, Airbnb or any accommodation costs 250$ on average. Nothing too fancy, though… -
    Oi, we’ve missed getting out at our stop. What a pity. Just another gas station…
    The second one was still in Jacksonville, a caramel coffee and free Taco Bell wifi later we tried our best to either hitchhike (didn’t work out) or battled about who’s going to die first while crossing a big ass road to go to the bus stop.
    Half an hour later, perceived 40 degrees Celsius at least and a really long walk of 850m we’re at the bus stop, apparently. Just a red sign.
    Whatever, it’s only 1,75$ per person for a distance of 1 1/2 hours.
    Getting settled in the cute hut we are going to share with our host, Mike and then taking the bicycles to get acquainted with the beach. DREAMY. Fresh salty breezing air, sand as soft and white as a baby’s botty.
    Water’s having a fantastic temperature.
    After showering and staying in the bathroom for what feels like eternity to get rid of all the dirt and memories from the bus ride we go to the closest bar which coincidentally was the one our host would be advertising the most. Justifiably! The food was just awesome and compared to anywhere we’ve eaten before quite a normal European price and amount of food. Also: we’re getting used to paying the 20% tip…    Read more

  • Gin Tonic on Tourlivin’ the American Dream
    Day 8

    Human sushi at Neptune beach.

    August 1, 2022 in the United States ⋅ ⛅ 34 °C

    A whole boring day at the beach. Life can be marvelous.
    Sushi and Edamame for dinner in a restaurant where we both feel like we’re in Australia ;)
    Btw, thanks to Rebecca I’m now glued to Netflix in the evening: Sex Education has been a really great recommendation!Read more

  • Gin Tonic on Tourlivin’ the American Dream
    Day 10

    one sad eye says goodbye, Jacksonville

    August 3, 2022 in the United States ⋅ ⛅ 28 °C

    Our bus is going to leave at 9:20pm. We’ve been sitting at the Greyhound bus station from 5pm onwards - outside it’s pouring - it’s raining cats and dogs… a few minutes ago there has been a flash flood warning announced. Let’s just say mum’s not as relaxed as she used to be.
    The day was really nice, we caught a bus (1h 20min) to the city centre, bought a day pass (which turned out to be a waste) and went downtown. In a fancy restaurant a quirky waitress took on our suitcases and off we went to Cummer museum of art & gardens. A genuinely beautiful place and some truly beautiful artifacts. At this point of time 1 person told me my shoes were awesome and 2 persons said something nice about my dress. I may have been glooming…
    Lunch was great, a small beer tasting included but afterwards we showered by mistake. At a bus station. Without a roof above us.
    Back at the main station we took the air train and in no time there were lightning and thunder, resulting in as shown in the pictures.
    Our bus is soon going to leave to New Orleans. Unfortunately we’ll have to get out in Atlanta and wait there for 3 hours. It’s going to be a long journey.    Read more

  • Gin Tonic on Tourlivin’ the American Dream
    Day 11

    bus stop in Atlanta

    August 4, 2022 in the United States ⋅ ⛅ 22 °C

    First time that I actually understand the pro flying compartment… when you live in a country where getting out of a bus, accompanied by police and behind them an uncountable amount of homeless people, means to get inside an overfilled waiting hall at 4 am to return to another bus 3 hours later which will only drop you off another 9 hours later - then I can see why flying for even less or the same amount of money may seem more comfortable. Also, like I said before, there’s a bunch of really odd people around. In the buses as well as outside.Read more

  • Gin Tonic on Tourlivin’ the American Dream
    Day 11

    Welcome to NOLA!

    August 4, 2022 in the United States ⋅ 🌧 27 °C

    20 hour bus ride. Not something you do everyday.
    First look at New Orleans, Louisiana (LA) - not what we expected it to be.
    Checking into our apartment and first thing we see: our new roommate :) a dead cockroach lying on the floor 🥹🤩
    Switching rooms and then heading to Bourbon Street - a little bit like Ballermann on Mallorca, only slightly different. A marching band plays Jazz on the street, drugs are being sold next to plastic necklaces and there are queues of 20 people in front of some of the restaurants. We’re heading somewhere and order cheesy baked oyster and some fish sandwich. It’s good. Afterwards we’re too overwhelmed by all the lights and tiredness kicks in. So just back home, penthouse elevator up to the rooftop pool and then a good nights rest.
    We’re gonna have the next 5 days to explore.    Read more

  • Gin Tonic on Tourlivin’ the American Dream
    Day 13

    A stroll through the French Quarter

    August 6, 2022 in the United States ⋅ ⛅ 29 °C

    We wake up hungry and stroll around to find a nice restaurant for the “two chicks” that we are. Have you ever heard about grits? They’re quite good. Funny anecdote: I ordered a veggie sandwich with them, got one with meat and potatoes. They never even really apologized after bringing me the correct one. 15% tip and not satisfied… apparently the way it is.
    A nice lady helps us booking all the things we want to do with the GoCityPass from Sunday to Tuesday and then we walk through the warm rain down to the waterfront and throughout the famous French Quarter. Beautiful houses, beautiful stores, beautiful flowers all around. Most of the buildings were rebuilt in Spanish design after everything burnt down twice in earlier times.
    We got a bit tipsy in a cute little bar aside the street and went home at 6pm… sunset on the rooftop, short rain shower.    Read more

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