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- Giorno 1
- lunedì 20 aprile 2015
- ☀️ 15 °C
- Altitudine: 20 ft
InghilterraMinster51°25’9” N 0°47’42” E
Minster on Sea

After years of talk, saving and planning, we're finally off around the world!
We're boxing our life up and only taking with us what we can carry on our backs for 6 months across the USA, New Zealand, Australia and South East Asia.
Thank you to our family, friends and everyone who has helped us in many ways to make this a reality for us. We hope you will join us as we go from place to place and share with you the things we see, the people we meet and the adventures we have.
For those of you wondering about the 'semi-serious' part of the title, this is related to Alex's belief that he is not growing up, that his life with Kim has not yet become 'serious' and instead only 'semi-serious'. This has led to some of our friends naming us 'Mr and Mrs Semi-Serious'...Leggi altro
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- Giorno 17
- mercoledì 6 maggio 2015 16:32
- ⛅ 12 °C
- Altitudine: 200 ft
InghilterraGatwick Airport51°9’20” N 0°10’5” W
Gatwick airport

Getting excited waiting to board!!!

Chloe GillAlex, soon you'll be able to sell your long locks as human hair extensions. Might give you enough funds to extend your trip?!
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- Giorno 18
- giovedì 7 maggio 2015 09:34
- ☀️ 19 °C
- Altitudine: 82 ft
Stati UnitiSniffen Court Historic District40°44’44” N 73°58’40” W
New York baby!!


Kim and AlexHaha Kerry our hostel gives us free dunkin donuts and coffee in the morning lol! Very very yummy xx
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- Giorno 18
- giovedì 7 maggio 2015
- ☀️ 24 °C
- Altitudine: 85 ft
Stati UnitiThe Mall40°46’19” N 73°58’25” W
Midtown and Central Park New York

An orchestra of sirens, horns and bouncing chassis rang through the night of the city 'that never sleeps'. But it was the sound of Michael Jackson's 'Beat It' from a truck radio that stirred Alex from a fitful sleep that we fell into after arriving late the night before.
Our room is well equipped for its small size with our window doubling as our fire exit for our convenience. We made use of the free coffee and Dunkin' Doughnuts provided by the hostel before heading out into sunshine and a city that was then truely awake.
Crossing up onto 7th Avenue we were greeted by the flash and buzz of Times Square, where amongst the throng of tourists entertainers dressed as cartoon characters posed for for photographs and tips. I caught Olaf, Elmo and the Cookie Monster counting dollar bills in a huddle under an array of digital billboards inviting you to not look where you are going. Yellow taxi cabs jostled with delivery vans and black sedans as human and vehicle traffic snaked through the streets converging on the square.
Leaving the bustle behind, we strolled into the green oasis of Central Park and lay down in the carpet grass of Sheep Meadow as aeroplanes cut across the blue vault above. Every generation was out playing and sunbathing whilst buildings bordering the park stand watch over us. The Sheep's Meadow is one of the many landscaped areas of the park that include; Strawberry Fields (dedicated to John Lennon who was shot in the archway of The Dakota hotel that borders the park in 1980); The Great Lawn with its six baseball pitches (the line 'the cross is in the ball park' from Paul Simon's 'The Obvious Child' played in my head) and the great body of water, The Jackie Kennedy Onassis Reservoir, around the mile and a half border of which, Alberto Arroyo pioneered jogging. After jogging for over 50 years, Alberto died in 2010 at the age of 94. A small sign of sun bleached news cuttings commemorates his achievement of jogging for over 50 years and inspiring thousands of New York residents to do the same. He was honoured by the State Senate in 1985 and became known as 'The Mayor of Central Park'.
With the park to our backs we headed down 5th Avenue to take in views from 'The Top of the Rock' at the Rockefeller Centre. Through polished corridors of Art Deco design, we took a lift, the ceiling of which is transparent, allowing you to watch the speed and distance of your ascent to the 67th floor as your ears pop to the quick change in altitude. The views are brilliant and we're not sure the photos even do it justice.
An orange dusk coated the brickwork as we arrived back at our hostel, jet lagged but sun kissed from a great first day in New York City.Leggi altro
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- Giorno 19
- venerdì 8 maggio 2015 20:21
- 🌙 20 °C
- Altitudine: 23 ft
Stati UnitiBattery Park40°42’14” N 74°0’54” W
Midtown and Lower Manhattan New York

Despite the fanfare of city life outside the window we slept through exhaustion and readied ourselves for another day of exploring Manhattan.
We crossed over to 10th avenue to walk down the 'High Line' a converted industrial railway line that was built above the avenue to carry goods brought off the docks of the Hudson River in the 19th and early 20th century. The railway line was built above the avenue as prior to its construction the line had intersected with the streets below and caused so many accidents and deaths that the avenue became known as 'death avenue' and horse back riders had to be employed to ride ahead of the trains in a bid to get pedestrians out of the way. With the decline of heavy industry in the city in the 20th century the High Line became derelict until at the turn of the 21st century it was donated to the city for conversation following advocacy from residents. You can now walk along the leafy 1.45 mile route and look out upon the corridor streets that stretch eastward to the horizon.
After descending from the High Line we ventured along the waterfront of the Hudson River and down into the Financial District through the 9/11 memorial, passing the charging bronze bull of Wall Street and into Battery Park.
The 9/11 memorial with its cavernous pools of flowing water and lists of the dead was compelling in its size. However it was later that the human loss of that day more deeply resonated when several fire engines went past, with sirens and lights ablaze and tired firemen looking out.
From Battery Park we dodged through the lines of hawkers for boat and helicopter tours to get onto the Staten Island ferry. We cruised out across the Hudson River as helicopters flew overhead and jet skis jumped in our wake. We past the Statue of Liberty who stood resolute gazing back at us as an anthill of tourists clambered beneath her bluegreen copper robe.
After a quick turnaround we were back in Manhattan and looking out across the East River at the Brooklyn Bridge with its iconic archways from the South Street Seaport, where 19th century tall ships rest, slowly rusting in contrast to the 21st century sheen of the skyscrapers bearing over them.
Crossing through Chinatown and Little Italy with their distinct residents, buildings and cultures we rested in Union Square where we drank ice tea with skaters, pigeons and the NYPD.
We finished the day eating fresh hot pizza at $1 a slice that was the size of our heads (Alex's hair not included) as the sound of the city continued to flow on around us.Leggi altro
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- Giorno 21
- domenica 10 maggio 2015 05:58
- 🌙 17 °C
- Altitudine: 571 ft
Stati UnitiChurch of the Holy Saviour43°5’54” N 79°2’25” W
New York to Niagara Falls by Amtrak

New York was wrapped in a cool smog as we walked to Penn Station to take our Amtrak train upstate to Niagara Falls. Now we know our backpacks are heavy but when do you really appreciate how heavy? Carry them for over 1 mile on a mostly up hill gradient. A good morning workout.
Fighting fit entering the station, we caught our breath standing in line with some very large Americans before filing down into the depths of Penn Station and onto our train. The train's distinct aluminium carriages gave the impression we were boarding a silver bullet to our destination. However this analogy ended when our conductor informed us that we'd be running an hour late due to speed restrictions of 25mph in places due to track regulations.
As we left New York the smog lifted and the skies opened. Conifers and maples clipped past as we bobbed along the tracks. We rolled through towns of timber clad buildings and farms with traditional red barns.
Despite the journey's length it was a clean, comfortable and friendly experience, contrasting somewhat with UK train travel. The conductor even performed a magic trick. I never saw that on Southeastern rail but maybe that's a good thing?
There was an amusing interaction between with the conductor and a neighbouring passenger, which we will not be able to do true justice through this blog. However the passenger was possibly (but not certainly) Indian with a heavy accent (think Goodness Gracious Me/similar stereotypes) who became confused by the very helpful but perhaps over-informative conductor regarding the number of stops, direct of the train and arrival time to Niagara Falls. This led the conductor having to repeat the whole saga several times as the passenger became more confused 'how many stops? An hour late yes? Turning around? Not back to New York no? Oh dear. But going to Niagara yes?' to the point that the conductor, clearly exasperated, simply said 'we'll get you there' before making a hasty retreat. Meanwhile we were quietly giggling away. Recalling it now, it might have been at this point that the conductor did his magic trick as a likely distraction tactic. Kudos to anyone who can confuse a Southeastern rail conductor to the point that they have to perform a magic trick Paul Daniels stylee to get away.
As the day was ending as we arrived at our motel but Kim still felt like she was still in motion from the repetitious roll of the train.
When you have a long train ride you have time to listen to lots of music so here is a New York and upstate inspired playlist with a song for each hour on the train (if you've got Spotify or download it for free then click http://open.spotify.com/user/somebodyalreadyhas…)
Ryan Adams - New York New York
Beastie Boys - No Sleep Till Brooklyn
The Ramones - Blitzkrieg Bop
Run-DMC - It's Tricky
Stevie Wonder - Living for the city (full version on Innervisions album)
MGMT - Electric Feel
Grizzly Bear - Two Weeks
The Rapture - No Sex For Ben
Big Country - In A Big Country
Trevor Jones/Last of the Mohicans soundtrack - The Kiss (the film is set in 18th century upstate New York)Leggi altro
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- Giorno 21
- domenica 10 maggio 2015
- ⛅ 24 °C
- Altitudine: 577 ft
Stati UnitiChrist Redemption Tabernacle43°5’53” N 79°2’16” W
Niagara Falls

After a 'continental breakfast' of sugary muffins and coffee served in the reception/quickie mart of our motel we took the short stroll down to see the Falls. It was 9:30am but it was already hot as we made our way through the typical tourist town make-up of restaurants and souvenir shops as well as a heli pad for helicopter tours of the Falls. Like Joey in 'Friends' we took a moment to 'get in the map' but the Falls were pretty hard to miss with the spray of their cascading waters hissing in the distance.
Being in the U.S. we naturally came upon the American Falls first with the Canadian Horseshoe Falls in the distance but largely out of sight due the mist of spray coming off it. We purchased tickets to take the 'Maid of the Mist' boat ride that takes you as close as is safely possible to the base of both Falls (we laughed when the adolescent male ticket attendant with braced teeth commented 'you're accent is awesome' to Alex as we paid).
Looking down from the observation tower we could see tiny people clamber along walkways from the lifts that would take us to our boat. Down below was also the walkways for the Cave of The Winds tour that unfortunately we were just outside of season for due to the walkways requiring repair after yearly harsh winters and the constant battering they receive from the Falls.
Once down at the boat we were issued with blue ponchos to keep us dry (you can see from the photos they are very fetching and Alex particularly liked his). This was a natural selfie moment for all with Kim helping a family get a picture of themselves all together.
As we approached the Falls the 'oohs' and 'ahhs' turned to shrieks as water sprayed down onto the deck and we were enveloped by the mist. The ponchos were definitely necessary! Soaked by the end, the views and experience were incredible and we'd highly recommend it to anyone going to see the Falls.
We explored the rest of the State Park with its islands and outlooks around the Falls. Three small islands, The Three Sisters, are named after the daughters of General Whitney who are believed to be the first European settlers to explore the islands in the 19th century. Not such a big deal looking at the size of the islands or the distance between them when you're crossing the now connecting bridge but the current is obviously strongly and there is only one way you'd go if you fell into it.
We also went food shopping (really exciting but necessary). We noticed both in the State Park and in town how we felt like we were the only people walking anywhere with tourists taking a bus around the State Park and residents driving around town. The town was eerily quiet as it was Sunday as well as Mother's Day in the U.S. Rows of dilapidated timber framed homes stood silent with only a chained dog, an old man on a porch and some children playing in the distance showing any signs of life.Leggi altro
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- Giorno 22
- lunedì 11 maggio 2015 08:29
- ☁️ 21 °C
- Altitudine: 128 ft
Stati UnitiKoreatown40°45’8” N 73°59’36” W
Niagara Falls to New York by Amtrak

There being only a handful of passengers to board at Niagara Falls in the rising light of early morning we got our pick of seats, choosing some at the end of the carriage with enough leg room to stretch right out.
The sun blanketed the bodies of a father and his infant daughter as they slept in their seats. Broken and graffitied facades of abandoned industry stared back at us whilst dirty great freight shuttled past with their telltale bell ringing. The long mournful call of our horn sounded over the ever present click-clack of the tracks.
Morning turned to midday and it became apparent that we were going to be delayed for similar reasons to those we encountered when travelling up to Niagara Falls. This meant that we missed our connection to Washington by 3 hours...Leggi altro
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- Giorno 22
- lunedì 11 maggio 2015 20:50
- 🌙 23 °C
- Altitudine: 72 ft
Stati UnitiMausoleum Square38°54’3” N 77°1’37” W
New York to Washington DC by Amtrak

...When we finally got back into Penn Station we noticed that the father and his infant daughter who got on the train in Niagara Falls also missed their connection in New York. The father had his daughter and more luggage than us so we stood watch over her in her baby carrier whilst he got their luggage off the train and located a 'red cap' luggage handler to help him onward. We met him again at the ticket counter as we both got our tickets changed. He was from Jamaica but when he realised where we were from he told us he was a DJ and travelled to London regularly. He recommended listening to fellow DJ David Rodigan on BBC 1Xtra/BBC Radio 2 who was ,quote, 'bad'.
We were impressed by his daughter, who managed the long train journey better than many of the adults, and the care he offered to her. In our line of work when we're confronted with so many appalling examples of men it's also nice to see this contrasting example.
After over 600 miles through Buffalo, Rome, Hudson, New York, New Jersey, Philadelphia and Baltimore that took 15 hours we arrived in Washington DC under the cover of darkness. Kim read a whole book (Pt. 1 - The Travelling Man) and started another (Pt. 2 - The Travelling Woman) in this time. Here's another playlist of songs that got Alex through the journey (http://open.spotify.com/user/somebodyalreadyhas…) -
The Who - Baby O'Riley
Florence & The Machine - Ship Wreck
Vampire Weekend - Unbelievers
Hozier - Someone New
Snow Patrol - New York
Harold Melvin and The Blue Notes - Bad Luck
Banks - Goddess
The Knocks - Comfortable (Lightwaves Remix)
Ella Eyre - If I Go
Junior Kimbrough - Meet Me In The CityLeggi altro
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- Giorno 23
- martedì 12 maggio 2015 18:08
- ⛅ 29 °C
- Altitudine: 105 ft
Stati UnitiAsbury Methodist Church38°54’10” N 77°1’38” W
Washington DC

We woke to a solid breakfast courtesy of our hostel, which has a ritual that guests greet staff with a 'good morning' in a language other than English. Alex eager to finally put his D in GCSE German to good use, fired off 'Guten Tag', only to realise that it is in fact 'Guten Morgan'. Fail.
The next day was better, eager to redeem himself, Alex got in early with 'Buenos Dias'. He was so convincing the staff member tried to communicate further with us in Spanish thinking Alex was in fact Spanish. Ole!
It was another hot and humid day out on the streets of Washington. We knew we'd arrived at the White House even before seeing the building because of the watchful security and tourist crowds. Snipers on the roof, K-9 dog teams, guns, body armour and of course - sunglasses surrounding the white shining walls of the the President's residence.
We strolled around the great lawn of the Eclipse as sunglass-toting men with 'secret service' stitched on their body armour rode past on bicycles. Before us towered the obelisk of the Washington Monument with clouds brewing around its pinnacle. You can go to the top of the monument but the tickets for the day had gone by the time we arrived. Many historical attractions and museums in Washington are free to the public which is great but unfortunately we are not staying in Washington long enough to fully appreciate this.
We walked down the Mall as a slight breeze lapped the water of the reflecting pool with the Lincoln Memorial growing in size as we approached. Inside the raised stone temple sits a marble statue of the man enshrined by engravings of his Gettesburg Address and his Second Inaugural Speech.
These engraved speeches give reference to 'one nation under God', a need for 'freedom' and that 'it may seem strange that any men should dare to ask a just God's assistance in wringing their bread from the sweat of other men's faces'.
However the sense of optimism raised from this fanfare of success is muted when you realise that nearly 100 years later, in 1963, Martin Luther King stood on the very steps of the memorial to deliver his 'I Have A Dream' speech due to the significant short comings in this ideology.
We walked the short distance to the memorial that now stands to Martin Luther King. His likeness carved out of milky stone, arms crossed, looking out across the waters of the tidal basin. Quotes of Dr King's own speeches are carved in a dark stone wall behind his figure, one reading -
'The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy' (25th February 1967, Los Angeles)
We later joined a free tour of the city's African American history from our hostel. It took us to the home of Duke Ellington and other buildings of significance in the area around U street, which until the boom of Harlem in the 1920s was the largest African American community in the U.S. We finished the tour at the landmark Ben's Chilli Bowl where previous patrons include Bill Cosby and Barrack Obama. Sitting in the diner, with its walls displaying memorabilia and a jukebox playing Smokey Robinson and Michael Jackson, we tucked into the signature dish of chilli half-smoke (hot dog in a bun with mustard and chilli served over the top and a side of crinkle crisps).Leggi altro

ben WinderLove reading your travel reports, sounds like its all going well. Bella now venturing out into garden, I will send some photos when I can sort out a way of doing it. I'm not very techno minded. Dont forget to take hundreds of photos. take care.Ben

Kim and AlexThanks Ben and Jayne. Ben you need to get whatsap and you can send on your phone for free :-)
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- Giorno 24
- mercoledì 13 maggio 2015
- ☀️ 10 °C
- Altitudine: 630 ft
Stati UnitiChicago O'Hare International Airport41°58’40” N 87°54’26” W
Washington DC to Chicago by AA

On our tour last night we met several fellow travellers including George from the University of Brighton who has been working in Chicago for the last year as part of his degree in Psychology and Francesco from Parma, Italy who happened to know Canterbury well from staying there previously. However our favourite were John and Mayra-Fernanda from Columbia.
When we ordered at Ben's Chilli Bowl, Kim noticed John and Mayra had also stayed behind to eat (after the tour the group split with some heading to a bar) and Kim offered for them to sit with us at the table we'd managed to get. Up until this point we had not spoken to them and only knew from group introductions that they spoke very little English. However as we sat and edged conversation in slow English (also using Google Translate when really stuck) we quickly became friends.
We chatted away in the diner, walking back to the hostel together before sitting in the communal area as other travellers sat and watched The Shawshank Redemption on the television. We learned about each other's homes and lives as well as previous and future travel plans. We learnt some Spanish and they offered for us to visit them in Bogota. Both in their mid-30s with jobs in law and finance they have a young son who is cared for by family back home whilst they briefly holiday in the U.S. It was clear that they both missed him very much and talked about how they were uncertain whether to have a second child or not.
Although we missed each other at breakfast we made sure we said 'adios' before leaving for the airport to fly to Seattle. This was one of the best parts of our trip to Washington. Despite living in very different countries and with no real shared language we were still able to quickly relate as 'strangers in a strange land'. It was a brilliant experience and one we hope to continue throughout our adventure. Naturally we are now friends on Facebook with John and Mayra thanks to Kim having this and we hope to stay in touch with them.
As for the events of today, we took the metro out to the airport, briefly meeting an American family who were interested in our travel plans. The father telling his wife up ahead, 'hey honey, they're going to Seattle AND LA, damn, I live here and I haven't even been to those places!'. After a rush through security we made our flight, which transferred in Chicago before arriving in Seattle.Leggi altro

Chloe GillKim how on EARTH are you managing to carry that massive bag?!!! You are hardcore. Respect!
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- Giorno 24
- mercoledì 13 maggio 2015
- ☁️ 12 °C
- Altitudine: 89 ft
Stati UnitiFremont Baptist Church47°39’4” N 122°21’0” W
Chicago to Seattle by AA

We arrived tired and in the dark (a reoccurring theme of travelling) at our hostel in Seattle. We worked out that today alone we've travelled over 2200 air miles to get from Washington and within a week we've visited 3 cities in 3 states. It's been a fast pace originally dictated by limited finances but we feel we've achieved alot and have some great memories.
So far we have generally found locals to be very friendly, forthcoming and helpful and we hope this experience continues. People have been interested in our accents (some asking if we are Australian) and our travel plans. Something we had believed was a stereotype but in fact experienced firsthand was being asked if we knew someone in the UK as if the whole country is a very small close-knit community. At Seattle airport a friendly woman asked if we knew her friend 'Sam Roberts' (no further information given). When we explained that we did not and asked about Sam, the woman said she did not know where he lived but that he wore a blue polo shirt and khakis. No lie.Leggi altro

Jayne HarrisonSee I told ya you Australians. And don't even mention Wales that's just way to confusing x
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- Giorno 25
- giovedì 14 maggio 2015 07:25
- ☁️ 10 °C
- Altitudine: 89 ft
Stati UnitiFremont Baptist Church47°39’4” N 122°21’0” W
Fremont, Seattle

Leafy Fremont is a change of pace and scenery after the hot and busy landscapes of the North East. A lone motorbike thunders down a nearby street and the smell of freshly baked goods catches the air in a bohemian neighbourhood of small independent shops and street art. Amongst a backdrop of trees and water that makes you feel you are somewhere far more rural than one of the North West's major cities.
On the way to the local laundromat, we met the grey and dusty Fremont Troll, crawling out of the ground under a bridge connecting Fremont to Downtown Seattle. He let us pass but told us to send any goats his way whilst his coppery glass eye bore into us.
We later walked up the steady incline of Fremont Avenue with timber-clad and brick houses sitting up out of the green foliage as if built onto the trees themselves. Seattle is nicknamed the Emerald City and has been voted as having one of the top ten urban forests in the U.S. Trees are so extensive that they are considered to have a canopy covering 23% of the city's landscape. Yet there are plans to improve this further. The Seattle government has set a goal of 30% by 2037.
At the top of the incline we lunched in Fremont Peak Park, where from our small perch we gazed out across the urban forest to the mountains at the end of the horizon.
We found ourselves tiring in the late afternoon as our bodies adjusted to a further time change (Seattle is 3 hours behind New York and 8 hours behind the UK) so we chose to rest back at the hostel, cooking dinner is the communal kitchen before planning the next part of our adventure.Leggi altro
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- Giorno 26
- venerdì 15 maggio 2015 21:11
- ☁️ 14 °C
- Altitudine: 95 ft
Stati UnitiWaterfront Park47°36’34” N 122°20’31” W
Downtown Seattle

Leaving quiet Fremont behind we headed into Downtown Seattle and back across to the airport to check into our pre-Trek America tour hotel. Catching a bus into Downtown we then walked along 3rd Avenue to get the Link Light Rail to the airport. We were again greeted by people who were very willing to help us find our way around, our large backpacks giving us away as strangers in possible need of direction. After checking in and leaving our mammoth bags behind, we went back into Downtown.
We went to Pike Place Market where fishermen's catch from the Pacific Coast is displayed and sold to locals and tourists alike. A steady stream of people pass stalls of giant fish, crabs and lobsters along with fruits, flowers and art. Outside, the docks and piers lean into the bay, where ferries carry commuters to the suburbs and tankers bring in goods to be unloaded by the dock's cranes. Seattle's Giant Wheel (ferris wheel) stands temporarily vacant whilst the seawall is renovated. People sit out on the grass under the gaze of totems and the odour of cannabis drifts through the islands of friends and families.
We left the busy waterfront and walked along the avenues to the Seattle Centre. Originally built for the 1962 World Fair it is educational playground for the city and home to the landmark Space Needle and a collection of science and art exhibits. The line for the Space Needle was prohibitive enough for us to choose to walk back to the waterfront than spend hours in a queue.
Back at Pike Place Market we got dinner from Piroshky Piroshky, a Russian bakery that has been at the market since 1922. We ordered the trademark salmon pate piroshky, which is shaped like a fish and delicious, before wandering back through artisan shops and street musicians.
We got back to the hotel to ready ourselves for the start of our Trek America tour across the West of the U.S. that starts at 7:30am tomorrow. We also managed to meet a few of our Trek companions in the bar for a beer. However due to collective jet lag/general travel fatigue we were all in bed by 9:30pm!Leggi altro
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- Giorno 27
- sabato 16 maggio 2015
- ☁️ 14 °C
- Altitudine: 3.215 ft
Stati Uniti13N19W22BC__01 Well46°52’20” N 113°59’35” W
Trek America - Seattle to Missoula

Today was the first day of our Trek America tour and we peeled ourselves out of our last proper bed for 2 weeks to begin this next part to our adventure. Despite the early alarm (5.30am) we were both very excited to meet the rest of our group and start the day.
We met most of the group at breakfast and the rest when meeting our tour leader as not everyone had stayed in the same hotel the night before.
Our tour leader/driver is Emily, who advised that this was her 2nd summer as a tour leader. The group is made up of 7 women and 3 men including us. The group (aside from us) are all solo travellers and have their own unique story of why they are travelling.
We had a huge distance (450 miles) to cover on the first day to our first stop at a camp site in Missoula so there was plenty of opportunity to get to know the other members of the group. Kim chatted to some of the women in the mini bus that will take us from place to place on the tour whilst Alex met the other men. Here is a brief rundown of our group.
Jade, 27 years old from Australia, is backpacking for nearly a year and has been since early February. Jade booked on the tour only two weeks prior its start, having already travelled in New Zealand and Canada as well as down to Las Vegas and LA in a motor home with 3 other people. After the tour Jade plans to continue travelling to South America before returning home for Christmas.
Katie, 22 years old from Milton Keynes. Katie arrived in Seattle the evening before our tour and she leaves the day our tour finishes as unfortunately she could only get two weeks off work. Katie rides horses back home and is excited to try western style riding once we reach Jackson as this is one of the optional extra activities we can do there.
Lowrie, 21 years old from Cardiff, who has been studying at college (university) in Ohio for the last year on an exchange programme. Lowrie enjoyed her time studying and got to meet lots of new people. She has also had the chance to see a little of America during college breaks but wanted to do this trip before returning home.
Anne, 21 years old from Dublin. Like Lowrie, she has been studying on an exchange programme and has many stories about her experiences of college life to tell. She told us about college frat parties, which are just like in the movies, where there are kegs of beer and 100's of people attending. She told us that the boys have to pay $500 to enter into the frat and it is this money that pays for all the alcohol.
There are two other girls, Sophie, 19 years old from Germany who is taking the tour as part of her gap year from education and Kim, 36 years old from South Korea. Alex is pleased to not be the old man of the group but she looks more like 21 with her smooth wrinkle free skin. Kim works as a computer programmer and speaks little English.
The males on the trek are Seokgyeong from South Korea and Matti from Finland. Seokgyeong has been studying physics at Berkley University in the U.S. and he joined the trek as a break after his exams. Matti is using his holiday from work for the trek and will be going for a week's surf school in LA after the trek.
Thanks to Emily we made great time, arriving at the campsite in Missoula by 6:30pm, an hour sooner than any group previously. We pitched our tents and used a gas stove to make a quick dinner of spaghetti and salad.
It was not long before everyone retired to their sleeping bags as we had to be up and back on the road by 7:00am at the latest the next day with a 5 hour drive to Yellowstone National Park ahead of us.Leggi altro

Kim and AlexTaxidermy appears to be a booming industry. We stopped at a camping/hunting store with a huge central display of dead animals including a polar bear killed in 1971.
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- Giorno 28
- domenica 17 maggio 2015
- ☁️ 3 °C
- Altitudine: 8.330 ft
Stati UnitiCentral Plateau44°35’11” N 110°36’49” W
Trek America-Missoula to Yellowstone NP

We broke camp by 6:30am to be on the road and at Yellowstone National Park by midday. A light drizzle flicked against the windscreen whilst mist rolled off tree covered mountains.
The mountains edged closer and further away befire returning as we moved east and south ti Yellowstone. We came across cowboys hearding cattle across the plains, having to edge our van through the herd as it leaned into the road. Later we found buffalo grazed at the roadside against the panorama.
We stopped at a Safeway (remember them?) for supplies, not thinking too much when the cashier said 'oh you might see some snow' after asking where we were headed. But sure enough when we arrived at our campsite it was littered with the winter's snow that had not been thawed by the approaching summer. Fortunately the ground where we pitched our tents was absent of the snow. However the temperature still bobbed at 8-10C at midday.
We pitched our tents and lunch before spending the afternoon visiting some of the park's geysers including the famous Old Faithful, which has gained its name from the regularity at which its shoots jets of boiling water into the air. When we arrived we were informed that Old Faithful would next erupt in a hour, giving us time to wander the park and see some of the other geysers. The group separated and we set off with Matti, setting an alarm to make sure we were back in time to see Old Faithful erupt. The three of us made good time but as we approached the site of Old Faithful we saw a sign directing visitors to an observation point 1/2 mile away at a 200ft gradient. Our alarm told us we had 8 minutes or so until the eruption, making a quick decision and an even quicker ascent to the observation point, we arrived just in time with our lungs heaving to get some good photos of Old Faithful erupting with the crowds looking on.
After the show we returned to the group triumphant at our endeavour, physical and mental perseverance paying off. We returned to camp and celebrated with tacos and beers before roasting marshmallows over an open fire.Leggi altro
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- Giorno 29
- lunedì 18 maggio 2015
- ☀️ 7 °C
- Altitudine: 8.114 ft
Stati UnitiYellowstone National Park County (historical)44°35’35” N 110°35’30” W
Trek America - Yellowstone NP

It was a cold night under canvas in Yellowstone National Park (NP). With the hoods of our mummy-style sleeping bags drawn tight around our heads with only a small breathing hole left, our bodies were kept from freezing but we still awoke with cold feet. Getting over the initially shock of leaving the relatively warm embrace of the sleeping bags we got ourselves warm by readying breakfast and making our camp 'bear safe' before leaving to explore the park. Due to being in the middle of a national park with a bear population you should not leave any food or scented items, e.g. toiletries, in your tent or camp site, either overnight or when leaving camp as this attract bears looking for food.
Fortunately no bears came into our camp however we did get to see a grizzly bear at a safe distance later in the day. Driving across the expanse of Hayden's Valley we spotted the dark shape moving across the grassy plains (as had a number of other park visitors). As we got closer along the ridge line of the road we could see it in detail. The fur underneath it's frame was wet from water nearby and it's snout was almost a yellow against the dark brown of its thick fur. At the distance we stood from the bear it did not appear particularly large, but undoubtedly it would have been fearsome up close next to our flimsy human frames. A park ranger was present to ensure that none of the spectators got too close or did anything stupid (people are killed in national parks every year because they don't respect the dangerous nature of all the animals present - during our time in the park a girl was gored by a bison that she tried to hug for a photograph). The bear however went about its business of assumedly foraging amongst the grasses. We later saw bison (crossing the road in front of us) female elk and smaller wildlife.
We went to the 'grand canyon' of Yellowstone, a canyon of yellow and reddish stone that gives the park its name. The yellow in the stone was stoked by the sun with the colour falling down into the chasm of the canyon below where it met the deep blue and white water of the river flowing through it.
In the afternoon we hiked the Bunsen Trail, which is a 2 mile ascent up to Bunsen Peak standing at 2599m with commanding views over the park. We followed the trail through pine forest and grassland, remaining mindful of the possibility of bears, before taking the steady, but in places steep, incline up the peak as the path cut back and forth over the hillside. A couple passed us on their way down, warning of slippery snow further up the trail, some of which we found and thought not much more of it. However what they really meant was the last 50 metres to the summit, which was a thick blanket of snow and ice. The weight of the sky's bright blue ceiling pushed down on us as we scrambled and slid up the snowy slope. Breathless in the crisp air with legs burning it felt very uncertain as to whether we would make it. Yet after one last burst of energy we arrived gasping but elated at the top. The sun stood proud in the sky as we gazed out across the picture-postcard scenery of green woodland, slate and white mountains and cloudless sky. At this altitude the sun felt powerful against our faces but the wind also sent a chill when it picked up. We stayed on the summit for about 1/2 hour contemplating life at what felt like the top of the world.
If the climb up through the snow had felt difficult it certainly felt almost impossible attempting to come back down. We stood on the slippery gradient with the world falling away at our feet thinking 'how the effin' hell are we getting down here?' before Lowrie in a stroke of both genius and comedy decided that she was going to slide down on her backside. After that we all decided to do the same like a bunch of lemmings, one after the other, bouncing and sliding down the 50m gradient to relative safety.
The remainder of the descent was relatively easy and we returned to camp proud of our achievement. Unfortunately the glow we felt was dampened when we arrived back at camp to find that it had been subjected to a localised rain and hail storm leaving a number of our tents inhabitable. Fortunately there were spare tents and we grouped together to set the camp back to some semblance of order. It was another hard cold night in Yellowstone as the sun set and her campfire dwindled but tomorrow we were on the move again and heading south.Leggi altro
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- Giorno 30
- martedì 19 maggio 2015
- ⛅ 10 °C
- Altitudine: 5.955 ft
Stati UnitiColes Canyon43°20’29” N 110°43’28” W
Trek America -Yellowstone NP to Jackson

Morale was low as we packed wet tents into our trailer and stood shivering around the camp stove. We had experienced wonder and elation during our time in Yellowstone but as the van pulled away and the sun crested the tree line (Canned Heat - On the road again playing on the stereo) we were happy to be on our way to warmer climes and new adventures.
After leaving the boundaries of Yellowstone we moved into the Grand Teton National Park that sits just below. Here we saw the Teton mountain range rising dominant and snow capped before a plateau. We moved ever closer until we were directly under the feet of these giants. After lunch in the woods we hiked around a grey lake to squeeze between the cragged mountain face and the stony shoreline to find a thunderous waterfall hidden in the rock face. We took a boat back across the lake to our starting point, which was fortuitous as the heavens started to open and rain descended upon us once more.
As we drove away and headed to our campsite in Jackson, it was on everyone's minds that we were facing another cold and wet night under canvas, which was still wet from the previous night's deluge. Lady Luck shone on us however as when we arrived we found that for a nominal fee we were able to upgrade to some basic cabins with bunk beds and a power outlet. Being off the cold ground and able to take a shower (this was not possible in Yellowstone due to the remote location) was an absolute blessing. Morale as raised to a giddy high and we slept like proverbial logs.Leggi altro
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- Giorno 31
- mercoledì 20 maggio 2015 01:17
- ⛅ 3 °C
- Altitudine: 6.240 ft
Stati UnitiSaint Johns Nursing Home43°28’47” N 110°45’45” W
Trek America - Jackson

We woke feeling refreshed and warm after our sleep in the cabin, giving us somewhere warm and dry to recharge.
The day was less intense than previous days, with us heading into Jackson at late morning with everyone taking advantage of a well deserved lie-in. Historically Jackson was a frontier town of cowboys and gun fights and the buildings around the town's square have been preserved making you feel like you are on the set of a spaghetti western. Shops offered cowboy hats, fringed leather jackets and boots and the square is bordered by archways made from the antlers of male elks who shed these. Nowadays it is a thriving tourist town due to its history and availability of rafting in summer and skiing in the winter.
After lunch we went white water rafting on the Snake River with its Grade 3 Rapids as well as calm stretches of water allow us to watch the scenery and catch our breath.
It was still a pretty cold day but with our attractive wet suits we were kept warm enough. We met our raft instructor, Ian, at the river and we were given the option of sitting at the front of the boat where the full force of the rapids would be felt. Alex and Mattie immediately raised their hands. There was also the chance to 'ride the bull', which meant sitting on the front edge of the boat whilst dangling your legs over the edge and holding into the two hand straps. This is not easy, especially when the waves hit you face first. The aim is to hold on for as long as you can and try not to get swept into the thundering rapids around you.
At one point Ian told us we had reached a spot where we could swim in the river. Alex was first to jump in with Mattie following behind. Soon the whole group decided to have a swim but it wasn't long before everyone was clambering back into the boat to escape the freezing water. The funniest moment was when we were all safely back in the boat but Seokgyeong lost his balance and fell straight back in! The group was in fits of laughter. Only this could happen to Seokgyeong, who is fast becoming the group's comedian without even meaning to. The rapids were great and we had such an amazing time.
After showering and getting ready we all went out to the Snake River Brewery for dinner. It was a relief from camp cooking with most opting for the large bison burger and locally brewed beer.
What a great day it has been, lots of laughs and feeling very happy to be part of a great group, who are really starting to gel. Kim came up with the title TATA (Trek America Team Adventure) after the Bunsen hike in Yellowstone, which has now stuck. We wish we were spending more time in Jackson but we are on the move again tomorrow, heading further south into Utah.Leggi altro
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- Giorno 32
- giovedì 21 maggio 2015 02:41
- 🌙 8 °C
- Altitudine: 5.328 ft
Stati UnitiVernal40°27’22” N 109°32’17” W
Trek America - Jackson to Vernal

The landscape changed dramatically after leaving Jackson and heading south into the Mormon state of Utah. Gone were the snow capped and tree studded mountains as arid plains of scrubland rolled out into a never ending horizon. The Rockies reared up over our shoulders as we moved further south and east to the town for Vernal where we would camp for the night.
On the way to our destination we stopped at the 'Flaming Gorge', a huge brimstone red gorge of rock turning up out of the water in front of it like the tail of a diving whale. Although it was not hot, it felt very warm compared to Yellowstone and we recognised how the land must become a furnace in the summer. We also stopped at the Dinosaur National Monument,created following the discovery of over 500 species of dinosaur fossils in 1909. The high concentration of bones is as a result of the area having been a river bed, drying out during a drought before flooding again, drowning a number of dinosaurs and trapped carcasses of others that had died in the drought. The river bed trapping and preserving their bodies to be discovered millions of years later. Although Alex was a little sceptical of this school trip detour it turned out to be interesting.
When we arrived at the campsite, the sun and blue sky were out with the mood buoyant at the prospect of a dry warm night. However as the sun set a huge thunderstorm broke in the distance, lighting us up like the headlights of several cars. Rain started to patter across canvas and we retreated to our beds for the night.Leggi altro
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- Giorno 33
- venerdì 22 maggio 2015 12:07
- ⛅ 19 °C
- Altitudine: 4.052 ft
Stati UnitiPack Creek38°33’50” N 109°32’52” W
Trek America - Vernal to Moab

We drove south through Utah (taking a detour into Colorado so to add another state to our list of those visited) to Moab, which would be our base for exploring the Arches National Park and a stepping stone to the Monument Valley. The scenery changed again and even more dramatically as we left the dusty plains and entered canyons of towering red rock, which we seems to squeeze through. Moab is a major centre for mountain biking and off-road culture and with this weekend being Memorial Weekend in the US (think a Bank Holiday weekend and Remembrance Sunday combined) the road through town was streaming with off-road vehicles in various states of cleanliness as well as vehicles strapped with and towing mountain bikes.
After setting up camp we had a few hours to ourselves (which we used to explore Moab and give this blog a much needed update) before heading out to the Arches National Park to view the Delicate Arch at sunset. After an hour’s hike up and over sandstone boulders and cornering a walkway hewn out of the rock face we came to the Delicate Arch. The arch starred back at us across a gaping amiptheatre of smooth red sandstone. On one side of the crescent walkway was a sheer drop whilst on the other was a steep slope to a floor 20 or more metres below. The arch itself stands 20 metres high and the scale is truly felt by watching others make their way around to stand underneath it. The sun began to set behind us and the light reflected against the sandstone to highlight its many red and orange shades.
Unfortunately the sun was not to last as thunder clouds moved in and lighting began to strike in the distance. As dramatic as this was, the wind began to howl around the amphitheatre, buffering us like the warning of an angry god. With actually sunset still some hour away we decided to begin our descent for safety. Darkness descended as we returned to our van and back to camp. For a while the van was silent as we looked out the windows and contemplated what we had seen.Leggi altro

Nicola CollisLooks like your both having an amazing time. Look all relaxed and chilled xx
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- Giorno 34
- sabato 23 maggio 2015 10:11
- ⛅ 14 °C
- Altitudine: 4.774 ft
Stati UnitiTown of Castle Valley38°43’14” N 109°33’54” W
Trek America - Moab

We planned an early departure (5:30am) back into the Arches National Park to hike into ‘The Devil’s Garden’, which took us past and through some of the park’s arches. Emily informed us that the three requirements for an arch are; for it to be 3 metres or more in diameter; be naturally made; you have to be able to view the sky through it.
Like a blanket being slowly draped over a surface, light moved across the domed sandstone towers as the sun rose up into the sky. It flashed through the arches that we gazed out of, like windows into the world. Small rabbits darted across the pathway whilst crows sang somewhere high in the rock. The first part of the trail was well trodden and maintained but as we moved further through our 6-7 mile hike, the path moved to being ‘semi-primitive’ and then ‘primitive’ as illustrated by our map. This meant that we were increasingly required to clamber and scramble over, round, down and through sandstone walkways along the trail. When we arrived at arches, we would rest under them, taking on food and water to continue on.
The sandstone contains furrows and hollows like magnified fingerprints, which were created by water during the early creation of the earth. Whilst the sun rose higher in the sky we remained in shadow at times due to the towering rocks around us. At the highest elevation of the trail the views stretched for miles with distant mountain ranges visible across the bright blue sky. Again rain clouds threatened as we finished the trail whilst many others were only just starting.
We moved through the park to view ‘The Windows’ arches, three connecting arches that when viewed from below form windows to the sky. Several of us climbed over the rock to look out through the end window, which has views across the park. We were especially grateful for starting so early as when we exited the park we saw the long line of vehicles attempting to get in.
By the time we returned to camp it was only 11:30am but we had the remainder of the day to ourselves. Kim took a nap before we went out to Moab Brewery for craft beer and chips. We went and did some shopping in Moab and drank more beer before heading out to Horseshoe Point State Park for a picnic dinner. The views were fantastic with canyon after canyon of red sandstone rolling out into the distance. After being up close to the rock during our hike this morning, this view gave us perspective of how enormous the park and its canyons are. We can only imagine what scale that the grand canyon will be given the size of what we have seen.
We ate our picnic and sat out with others on the cliff edges (including a motorbike gang where one member proposed to his girlfriend on edge of the canyon) hoping to catch a sunset, which was once again thwarted by rain clouds. It didn't stop us having a brilliant time and we returned to camp full from our sensory feast.Leggi altro

Carrie-anne WickettsI am loving reading the blog. I really feel like I'm there with you. I'm glad your both having a amazing time. So wish I had done this xx
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- Giorno 35
- domenica 24 maggio 2015 06:03
- 🌧 6 °C
- Altitudine: 5.026 ft
Stati UnitiOljato-Monument Valley37°1’41” N 110°13’36” W
Trek America - Moab to Monument Valley

We drove through a landscape of arid tundra and hillsides to the Monument Valley. The valley lies within the Navajo Reservation meaning that it is self-governed by the Navajo population and largely autonomous in this respect from the U.S. itself. The seemingly never-ending highway suddenly reached a point on the horizon where the dark but recognisable shapes of the valley's rock formations (buttes) began to stretch up to greet us. The valley has regularly been used in films, including John Wayne westerns and Forrest Gump because of its unique and dramatic scenery.
As part of our trek there are certain additional experiences that we can pay to do, for example as a keen horse rider, Katie, chose to do horseback riding in Jackson. For Monument Valley we and the rest of the group unanimously decided that we wished to go deeper into the valley and stay overnight with Navajo guides, something not possible to do on your own.
Arriving at the valley's visitor centre we met our large and steady Navajo guide, Ron (who took a liking to Alex's Guns and Roses t-shirt) and our transport, a large open-backed 4x4 with seats and storage space.
Ron guided us through the various buttes that dominate that landscape and were originally formed as a result of up-thrusts from the earth's trembling surface during its early creation. The different shapes of the rocks allowed your imagination to create faces and pictures from them and Ron advised us on what each were named by the Navajo.
We drove to where we would be sleeping for the night, a structure made from cedar wood and the red clay of the valley floor called a Hogan. There are male and female Hogans with the male version being narrower with a pointed end to represent a man holding a bow, which is only used for ceremonial purposes. The female version is a dome with a hole in the centre of the roof for a fire/stove pipe to project from. The female hogan represents the womb and its structure is supported by 9 outer cedar beams for the 9 months of pregnancy. Each hogan can take 8 people working 8-10 hours a day, 3-4 months to construct.
Inside the female hogan that we were designated to sleep in, a female Navajo guide demonstrated Navajo weaving. She explained that genuine Navajo stitchings will be left open at one point so to not close up the mind of its designer.
After this we drove onto Hogan Cave, so named as at its top is a large hole letting through the sky and sunlight. We were invited to lie back on the rock and look up at the ceiling whilst a traditional Navajo song was sung with double flute and drum beat. On the ceiling you could make out the giant face of an eagle whilst drops of water hurtled down towards us, catching the sunlight as they fell. It was a visual and auditory experience that we don't think we'll ever forget.
We moved onto the Sun Arch that is high up on a butte overhang and as we stood underneath it, Ron invite us to shout up as loud as we could, the result of which was a resounding echo that seemed to go on long into the fading light.
We viewed glyphs on the rock face and saw wild horses grazing in the distance as we moved on again. This time we headed to a sand dune that we raced each other up and down. Lucky none of us tumbled head over heels on the way down, which would have made for a very dusty and itchy night.
After some constructive 4x4 driving over the dirt track we made our way into a camp where we ate Navajo tacos (beef steak atop a salad of onion, tomato, lettuce, cheese and beans on a base of flat bread), which was very tasty and filling. This was followed by a display of Navajo dance with Ron donning traditional regalia to move around the campfire. We were all then encouraged to join in, with the men (warriors) and women (maids) lined up with each other to pledge to care for each other before dancing around the campfire ourselves.
After the sun had truly set we made our way back to the Hogan under the cover of darkness. With the absence of light pollution in the valley, a galaxy of stars were on display and once back at the Hogan we all decided to sleep outside under the stars. Wrapped up with only our faces exposed to feel the cooling air brush past, the stars were the last thing we saw before sleep took us.Leggi altro
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- Giorno 35
- domenica 24 maggio 2015
- ☀️ 12 °C
- Altitudine: 5.039 ft
Stati UnitiOljato-Monument Valley37°1’40” N 110°13’31” W
Trek America - Porta-loo

This is a special post for an incident that occurred at the Navajo dinner.
After dinner fellow trekker Jade braved the unlit porta-loo, using her IPhone's torch to light her way. The first we knew of anything was Jade shouting out something ineligible. When she returned to our waiting jeep she explained that she had managed to drop her phone down into the loo!
Jade's phone had a huge amount of her photos, both from the trek as well as from her travels prior to joining us. It had a lot of her music and it was also her method to call/Skype home. 'Gutted' didn't quite cover it.
As everyone was at a loss of what to do, Alex jumped out of the jeep, switching on his headlamp and heading for the villainous porta-loo. The rest of the group followed in sheer bemusement with another jeep of tourists forced to also watch as their jeep was sitting behind ours and unable to move on.
Alex called out for someone to get him a stick as he flipped the toilet seat. A scene that can only be described as hell itself starred back at him whilst the smell was gag worthy. Unperturbed, Alex pulled up his Buff scarf around his mouth and nose. Kim returned with a stick but unfortunately this was only 6 inches long and would do nothing but stir up the madness sitting in the bowl. After some more furious stick hunting, the hunt for the iPhone was on as Alex sought it out with his makeshift prongs. One of Navajo guides offered a rubber glove before finding that it was full of holes.
After what felt like an hour, but was more like minutes of searching, with some false alarms, there was ultimately no success in finding Jade's iPhone. We trudged back to the jeep with Ron telling Jade not to worry and that he'd call her from the phone if it eventually turned up. We might not have recovered the phone but as far as a memorable comedy moments go it was a success.Leggi altro
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- Giorno 36
- lunedì 25 maggio 2015
- ⛅ 14 °C
- Altitudine: 6.598 ft
Stati UnitiTusayan Airport35°58’30” N 112°7’28” W
Trek America - Mnt. Val. to Grand Canyon

After our night under the stars we awoke at 6:00am to view the sunrise over the buttes before breakfasting with our Navajo guides. We then returned under the rising sun to our start point at the visitors centre where we were back on the road again to our next destination - The Grand Canyon.
We crossed from Utah into Arizona as we travelled South and when we arrived Emily blind-folded us as agreed so she could lead us to the edge for a 'big reveal' of the canyon. We must have looked like a very special cult as we tentatively stepped blindly in a column, hands on the shoulders of the person in front, to a point when we were allowed to remove our blind folds. The sun pierced our eyes, temporarily blinding us, before we regained our senses to see that a few feet in front of us the world fell away to ravine after ravine into the Colorado river twisting below. Standing on the southern rim, the canyon stretched into the horizon where the northern rim looked back. In sheer size alone it deserves the title 'grand', being a mile down at its deepest and 70 miles across at its widest. Yet it is the spectrum of shapes and colour that make up the canyon which really makes it brilliant.
We toured the the rim near us known as Desert View before heading away to set up our campsite. Unfortunately the campsite had not been reserved correctly by the Trek America office but Emily quickly turned us around to another campsite. We headed back to the canyon for sunset, where we dined on pizza whilst sitting on the rim watching the setting sun changed the colour and shape of the canyon's surfaces.
We returned to camp and quickly all retired to bed as we were all tired from last night's sleep under the stars as well as the knowledge that we would need to be up early tomorrow for our hike down into the canyon.Leggi altro

Kerry MarchNearly in vegas i keep looking at your map, im so excited for you to get there xxxx
Dan
Debbie gloverHi
Rachel barnettSafe journey x
Kerry MarchGood luck and have a fab time x