Six Month Nomad

I once read somewhere that 'California has the softest air you'll ever breathe'.

What a way to sum up paradise! 

After a couple of days in Orange County with Tania, where we rented a 2014 Ford Mustang and drove along the coast with the top down all the way to San Diego - what a rush! She had to go back to reality and I had to get back on the road.

From LA, I caught a bus up to San Francisco to meet back up with Meggan & Matilda from the Topdeck tour. Boy! When you spend a bit of time in tiny 'hotel' rooms with girls - you discover some unfortunate truths about life: 1) Girls burp. 2) Girls fart. 3) Girls are gross. (Sorry Meg & Til for dobbing you in there!)

I spend a lot of time wondering if I could see myself living in San Francisco, or if it is just a novelty of being in such a beautiful place. Crossing the Golden Gate, riding cable cars, inhaling clam chowder down at the pier... It seems like the life! Though the smell of the seals down at Pier 39, I can definitely live without! Oh & the pretentious hipsters! They can totally piss off to Melbourne or something ;)

After a week of exploring San Francisco, Half Moon Bay & Santa Cruz (...& a loss to the Seahawks), it was time to head north. First stop - the Muir Woods!! Oh man!! You would never believe how big these trees were even if I told you! I wish I could've seen it in the summer too - more light, better photo's etc etc. But after only 2hours on the road, and with 13 more to go to get to Portland, OR. We couldn't hang around for long :( So we said goodbye to the giants, took the windiest road (carsickness is guaranteed) up the coast, before we could cross the Marble Mountains to get to the interstate. Fog, traffic, ice & darkness all did their best to slow us down but finally!! At 1.30am we arrive in Portland! Yay! 

After a few hours sleep we continue our journey up to Seattle! (Fortunately only half the distance today!) Unfortunately I only have a few days here, so I don't get to see too much... The Pike Street Market was really cool - even got to see the famous seafood place where they pelt the seafood at the server waiting with ready hands and a plastic bag for his customer. Sadly being winter, a weekday & the afternoon, the guys aren't too busy, though as we walk away, screams can be heard in the background. Ready, Steady, Cat-fish!

Having my flights delayed in New York unfortunately meant I lost my time in San Francisco & the first couple of days of the Topdeck Tour of California/Arizona.

I am gutted about this because I was more excited to spend time in San Francisco than I was New York...

From San Francisco I caught a bus & a train to Bakersfield, CA to meet up with the tour and the girls. Totally worth the wait!! Over 40 young people crammed on a bus all excited for good times and adventures! A travelling hostel! What a week! Sadly after 6 weeks of no routines, plans & schedules, I began to find myself running late for the first couple of days and was dubbed 'The Late Guy'... after all, I'd already missed the start of the tour (not my fault :P) and then nearly missed the bus on my first morning!! I learned pretty quickly to be organised :P Driving through Death Valley was a real grounding experience. Though Australia is reputable to be one of the most arid, isolated environments in the world, nothing prepared me for this desolate wasteland. It was a strange experience after almost 4 weeks of constant noise in previous cities to be out here in the middle of no where, surrounded by desert, mountains and deafening silence. I could've spent hours here, though the bus waits for no one, and we were on our way to VEGAS!!

Our tour guide Adam was explaining to us on the road in that Vegas is one of the hardest cities in the world to get arrested. "You have to be doing some pretty sick shit to be locked up & that if you do get arrested, you probably deserve to be in there...". It is EXACTLY how it is in the movies! Bright lights, "Dings & rattles" of slot machines, lots of cursing (both happy & sad) and lots of casino's designed like mazes. I guess that's why the call it Sin City. I feel like I did Vegas justice; going to the Cirque du Soleil with a pretty girl, getting a tattoo, getting blackout drunk, dancing on the table at a fancy club, Won (... and lost) in the casino's - What a city!! But Alas, the bus waits for no one.

Next up, the Grand Canyon!!! Incredible!! (Paid a bit extra for a Helicopter flight through it and they played this as we flew over the top! I was lost for words the whole time. Definitely something that has to be seen to be believed! I wish I could put words together that could describe it to you... I guess you'll just have to see it for yourselves!

Still in Arizona, our next night we stayed in Lake Havasu, a town built on a man made lake, created by the Parker Dam which was built to tame the mighty Colorado river. As it was the last night of the tour - we had a themed pub crawl. White Trash/Redneck... and boy did we live up to expectations. I wish I could say I remembered this night apart from walking in the bar, but I don't - so I can't tell you about it, however there was a BEAUTIFUL sunset over the lake before we started drinking. Lucky me. I think I'm going to think of this sunset when I'm freezing my nuts off in Edmonton, AB.

Last Stop - Hollywood Boulevard, we say our goodbyes to old friends and new. Some people have to go back to reality, thankfully this is not me... I leave Los Angeles with an awesome girl I met on tour, Tania as we head south for more adventures!!

I must admit I wasn't sold on the whole tour thing, particularly having a tight schedule to stick to... I don't know if this is me any more..? Rules. Regulations. Time Limits. Do's. Don'ts. Routines. Schedules. I guess we will wait and see...

It can be said that New York is one of those cities that you have to see before you die.

This couldn't be further from the truth.

I think it could be argued that you haven't lived until you've seen New York City.

At first it's in your face, ears, nose & mouth.

Noise; so loud you can see it. Lights; so bright you feel it. Smells; so intense you can taste it. It's so exhilerating, and terrifying, that the only comparisson that I can make is what death must feel like.

What a rush!

Though it is the city of opportunity, you certainly pay for it every step you take. Apparently it is cheaper to eat out, than it is to buy your own groceries and make your own food...!

I went for my first 'Run'over here since my operation. Christmas Eve - almost 6months post-op. 5km in 45minutes, through Central Park! (and only 3 spews!!)

2013 was one of the most personally challenging years of my life. With ups and downs and a major knee reconstruction. I've never been one to stress very much, but I have learnt a lot from my injury.

'One door closes and another door is unlocked. You just have to open the door yourself'

or my more current mantra,

'Manána' - 'Tomorrow' Everything can always be done tomorrow. Let's live today. (possibly responsible for several late nights & seriously early mornings)

(EDIT: Definitely responsible) 

I basically spent my first week without a phone (internet, gps etc etc.) due to a faulty charger, which turned out to be a blessing! I left it this way intentionally so that I could get 'lost' in the city, as you are able to experience more than the rats in the subway tunnels.

Christmas in NYC was amazing! It didn't snow, however I joined a family of travellers that I had met in New Orleans. We ate roast chicken and drank egg nog until we couldn't breathe! (...and then we ate & drank some more!)

Due to a mix up with flights and an enormous storm across the Northeast of the country, my flight to San Francisco was delayed by 3 days... however, it SNOWED!!! 30-50cm deep!! SNOW! WHITE COLD STUFF!!!(Q@*$&(@*#&($*#(*!@(!U

I've never been so excited in my life! Snowball fights in the street until your fingers nearly fall off, snow angels, swan dives!! AMAZING! I don't really know how one describes their first snow, but all I could think of was waking up on Christmas morning to find that Santa had been! (Click to see my reaction)

I don't know how I'll ever settle down in one place ever again... Life on the road is incredible. I'm not on a soul searching mission or anything, but I do know I've never felt like this before. Home is forever on the horizon.

Unfortunately it's time to say goodbye to New York.