Kaz-life Adventures

This cruise was a last last minute decision, encouraged by my friend Jas in Trini (and some of my friends back home). I'd cruised before, but never solo. Let alone solo in a foreign country! The over night ferry cruises to get to Germany last month don't count..

Any way turns out cruising Americans love that Aussie accent to.. somehow I met this amazing couple from Maryland on the first night. We clicked and ended up spending at least part of each evening together. Great minds think alike (and have the same drink/bar tastes)...

This cruise was a 7 night Eastern Carribean adventure taking in 3 ports out of Fort Lauderdale.

Sint Maartens / St Martins island was amazing. It blows my mind that such a tiny place is literally split in two. France owns the 53km sq northern side of the island where it's known Saint Martin with its capital Marigot. This area is wholly part of France, and as such they are part of the European Union. The currency is euro (although mist places will also accepr US dollars) and the people speak French as well as English.

St Maartens, on the Southern Dutch side with its capital of Phillipsburg is the smaller portion of the island at 34km sq. Where it's small in stature is made up by controlling the largest port and being able to accommodate the large cruise ships. This section is technically one of four constituemt countries that form part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Here they currently accept the Netherlands Antillean guilder (this is changing soon!) as well as US dollars.

The island itself was discovered in 1493 by Christopher Colombus, and at one stage was major producer of salt via a multitude of salt ponds some of which are still visible (but no longer used) today. The division between the 2 countries dates back to 1648, where the Dutch and the French finally agreed to split the territory via signing the treaty of Concordia. As you go from one side to the other it's clear how much emphasis on looking after the country has been placed by their respective governing bodies. Fun fact - as small as it is, it is still an international call to call from one side to the other! Oh, and the main airport on the French side is the one where they fly over you on the beach and you have to hang on to the fence to stop blowing away...

I did a bus tour to both sides of the island taking in the crazy iguanas in trees... seriously those things were huge and everywhere! I then spent the remainder of my day in Phillipsburg exploring it's gorgeous little streets and architecture, hanging on the fabulous beach, drinking beer and eating jerk chicken...I like to call that 'full immersion '😁

Then we were off to overnight to our next stop. San Juan, Puerto Rico. This one was an oddly short stop, which I found out later may have been due to some very high port costs (apparently US port areas charge steep fees based on time in port making it less cost effective to stay longer). Anyway we technically had about 6 hrs in port. After a leisurely start that saw me trying to convince myself to get off the boat, I wandered ashore with half a plan and ended up walking around the old town and city area for a good 2.5 hrs. Puerto Rico is classed as a US territory, so rather than being governed wholly by the US and it's constitution, it's kind of like the US over sees what goes on but the country govern themselves and follow parts of the US constitution. It's really complicated to explain fully, so go look it up and it'll make more sense! Anyway the city of San Juan was founded by Spanish colonists in 1521. The city lays claim to some of the most extensive preserved examples of Spanish coastal fortifications, as well as some amazing historical buildings. You all know how much I love a good fort, and here they were dotted along the cliffs of the city. Fort San Felipe Del Moro, Fort San Cristobal and La Fortaleza. No, I did not climb all over them... I wandered to each of them and marvelled at he ingenuity, but refrained from needing to climb to the top (I'm blaming time constraints ...🤣) anyway the gorgeous Santa María Magdalena de Pazzis Cemetery, a colonial era cemetery dating from 1863 is located just outside the walls of Fort San Felipe Del Moro and together the two form a breathtaking break in the skyline to the shore. Luckily for me a tourist from one if the tours warned me to get off the wall overlooking the ceremony as apparently you get a 500 USD fine for standing on it! No signs telling you that, so hey, dodged a bullet there! Later back on the ship, I overheard some fellow passengers stating they thought San Juan was a poor and dirty city. I guess all this travel has allowed me to see past that without realising. I thought it had a charm about it, (some of its residents thought they had charm too - queue guy trying to chat me up as he drove next to me in his car...🤣). It wasn't any dirtier than any other city I've visited (in fact there have been a hack of alot of places that were way worse, as were parts of LA - which I was yet to see) It's well known the country is struggling immensely with corruption and the vast divide in income for its citizens. The people I encountered were well versed in Touristing (again, like every where!) I really liked my time here, and would have liked longer in order to have been able to venture out of the city to see some of the natural wonders this country possesses.

Off overnight again, this time to the port of Labadee, a resort port on the island of Haiti that is owned by the cruise ship company. What a perfect Carribean stop, beaches, bbq, cocktails, sun and the glorious water of the Caribbean. I had only intended a multi beach swim /lunch/ then back on the ship stop, but ended up meeting a lovely young couple of newlyweds from Florida who wanted to spend the day 'chatting with the Aussie cause your accent is amazing'. 😂 hey I learned alot more about America and the music in Nashville (the husband was originally from there), and found out what 'dip ' is so it was a win-win. Btw 'dip' is like a tobacco but you don't chew it you stick it inside your bottom lip and then spit every now and then... kinda gross, but hey whatever floats ya boat!

Haiti outside of the resort area is a mess. A real mess. It's a country in financial crisis, with an unstable government and a collapsing infrastructure struggling to cope with the lawlessness of some of its inhabitants. I didn't do any of the tours as they didn't leave the safety of the resort bubble, so you weren't seeing the 'real' Haiti. I did end up buying a bracelet from a local artist and somehow being given 2 necklaces by another two artists...don't ask me what happened but to my relief, having them on seemed to deter other hardy salesmen. The people of Haiti still gain an income from having the ships come in, so for that I was grateful. It's not enough to fix their problems though....

All too soon we were back on board and off for our last night at sea, and for me, off to LA. Rather than doing the 6hr or so worth of flights followed by the big one back to Aus, I'd opted to fly to LA and spend one night there, leaving late the next evening. Synchronicity saw me receive the email for my free night of accomodation that I'd earnt earlier at one of the chain hotels in the US. This meant my last night was a freebie, go me! I got in late the night before, so literally had a day in LA. Jumped a tour that took me out to Marina Del Ray, Little Venice, Venice Beach, Santa Monica pier, Hollywood, the walk of fame, Mann's theatre... all the biggies! As much as I'd have liked to do the studio tours, no time. I will say I was underwhelmed by most of what so saw. Maybe I have been awed by too many things, but I thought LA was not worth the hype. The Hollywood walk of fame needed a bloody good clean, Venice Beach was just a beach with a whole lot of over priced tourist traps... I dunno. I'm hoping this isn't all of the West Coast because I was intending to go back and make it happen... (once I can convince someone to join me and share driving cause this one needs a co - pilot!)😁

I finally have to go back to Australia and make a decision about my job, where I'm going to live...pretty much have to go back and adult again (gosh darn it!).

How much has this adventure changed me? Immeasurably. I am so grateful I had the opportunity to do this. I am so proud of who I am and what I've achieved. Am I glad I did it - hell yeah! Would I change anything? Hell no! Everything that has happened, happened for a reason, changing it would change where I am now. I have learnt some amazing things about travelling, hints and tricks for booking places, how transport works in different countries, whether it's cheaper to buy tickets early/last minute. Logistical lessons most definitely. What I've learnt about me, could fill a book....

If I could encourage one person to take the step and travel solo and feel this joy and strength...even the smallest step, the shortest of time..just do it.

The people I have met have added something to each stage of my journey. No matter how small our interaction. For that I want to say a massive "Thank you", to each and every one of you. You have given me so much more than you would ever know or understand.

This isn't the end. It's only the beginning. There's a whole lot more of the world out there that I'm itching to explore ... I'll have to do it in pieces though as I've yet to discover the magic formula to allow me to continue to finance myself to keep travelling...

I am so ‘vex’ that I won't be ‘liming’ in this beautiful place any more. I have been one lucky person to have been able to come here and hang with a local for almost a week. Jasmine has shown me her Trinidad and for that I am truly grateful. I have eaten so many local foods and they have all been fantastic. I have impressed the locals no end with my love of pepper sauce. The food here is tasty, spicy, and pretty much specific to this island. ‘Nah boy’, I am so very much enamoured with this country! One of my friends asked me if I had posted photos of the food. Truth be told, I don’t have a lot of pics, its not the most photogenic, and I seriously just wanted to eat it! I have partaken in the local speciality of doubles, with ‘plenty’ I might add - for those unaware that is with extra hot sauce and/or the mango bone that is infused with more pepper. Doubles is made with 2 baras filled with a curry channa (chick peas), it originally started as a breakfast food, progressing to be an anytime of the day food. It’s nutritious, tasty, and sold at street side vendors everywhere. Apparently even pizza and KFC taste better over here. This I can now say I agree with. Not sure if the food tastes better, or if its adding the ketchup, mustard, and pepper sauce that assists with the taste upgrade.....

Jas took me to the home of street food a little town called St James, and made sure I got to have saheena, (seriously amazing spicy little deep fried spinachy deliciousness ) as well as alloo pie...amongst other things. The locals only really eat out at restaurants on special occasions so that meant Jas cooked for me a lot of the time, and wow, just wow. I loved the chicken curry (brown), smoked herring, baigan choka, salt fish, home made roti, the fabulous goat curry.... I could rave on, but google Trinidadian food and you’ll understand. Jas lives out in the ‘country’ to the South of Port of Spain, the capital. We spent one evening heading around to some of the local rum bars. Rum bars are everywhere here. Beer is cold and cheap (and made here - love the Stag and the Carib!). I got to meet a few of the locals. Over here they will buy you a drink even for something as simple as the fact that they had to order over you slightly. At the bar. They loved to meet the ‘white girl from Austalia’, as out here they dont see a lot like me... The good thing is none of it was them just trying it on with the foreigner. These are genuinely lovely, polite, caring people. I had a dance off with some girls from Venezuela, and ended up drinking way more drinks then I paid for, eating (they sell bar snacks and’cutters’ only at the rum shops) some tasty wontons at one place, and some really tasty fried chicken at another. We then got some free food from another lovely local who bought us a drink, and also then brought us across some Souse and Corn soup from his food stall (across the road from the rum shop). Anyway I can now say I have tried Souse, not sure I’d eat it again, it was flavourful, but pigs trotters in broth with onion and cucumber is not on my list of things to eat again! I think I have decided that I need to come back to Aus and start my own Trini food store, I think it’d be a huge hit. Love the local beers. Love the rum here. Jas made sure I tasted the Puncheon rum - 75 % and you never get a hangover or upset stomach... I wanted to bring some home, but alas no room in the suitcase! One of the biggest things, I was not aware that this is the home where Angostura bitters is bottled. It was first created in the town called Angostura in Venezuela by a German surgeon stationed in Venezuela, originally produced there between 1824 - 1830. In 1875, the plant was moved to Trinidad and that’s where it’s secret recipe is still produced today.

One of the main religions here is Hindu, they have a giant (85 feet - 26m) statue of Lord Hanuman Murti located in the grounds of Dattatreya Yoga. The statue is the second tallest in the world, and the tallest one in the western hemisphere. When we pulled up onsite there was one man looking after the bookstore who allowed us to enter the grounds and take photos. We weren't allowed to enter the temple/yoga centre as we weren't appropriately dressed. The gentleman then showed us the book explaining how the statue had been built and answered all my gazillion questions. It was like having our own private tour! Jas then took me down the road a little further to show me the temple in the sea. This temple was originally constructed by hand 1947 -52 by Sewdass Sadhu an immigrant from India. It has since been added to, and tidied up, but it's an amazing place, and a site of pilgrimage for Hindus. It's also one of the designated locations for Hindus to perform the funeral pyre. Hindu religion requires that the dead are burned near water and a holy place.

Brian Lara is still HUGE here. He is a home town Trini boy so I completely understand. Cricket is massive, and the new Brian Lara stadium is a huge landmark. They had a cricket game on when I was here (Trinidad vs Jamaica) but they had sold out the tickets otherwise we would have gone.

I spent a day at the beautiful Maracas beach, located on the northern part of Trini. On the way there we stopped at the lookout and had a quick look at the food stalls. I got to try some ‘Chow’, a garlicky spicy way of preserving such things as Pineapple, apple, mango, cucumber... its yummy and not too spicy and I really appreciated the stall holder giving me a taste ( and Jas’s friend Isabelle for buying some of the pineapple one). Maracas beach is a favourite with the locals and its a thing to do to have a ‘bake and shark’ when you go to the beach. Betcha cant guess what I had... Can I say amazing (again!!) You not only get your bake (which is a deep fried Roti) You get beautiful fresh deep fried shark fillet inside it, then you go to a buffet like area and add as many of the additions as you want . Yep, of course I added a bit of EVERYTHING . I had to taste it all. Seriously that thing was amazing. BTW I do taste everything first before adding pepper sauce... pepper sauce heightens the flavours. Jas’s friend Isabelle got her son in law to give us a shout out on the radio station he worked at ( they had it playing at the beach), so ‘Karen from Australia’ is now Trini Famous... love it!!

Jasmine took me out to the Pitch lake, in La Brea, and I’ll admit, I had no idea what it was ( I thought it was a lake!!) Anyway, some how we ended up with a colourful local as our personal guide, he was You tube famous and has apparently featured on David Attenboroughs visit to the lake. I have to sit and edit my ‘documentary’ when I’m back in Australia, it’ll be awesome.. I promise. Suffice to say the lake is the most amazing tar pit. Seriously amazing tar pit. The roads leading into the area are all like travelling over mini crazy hills due to the impact of the tar movements in the area. You have to use an authorised guide on the site, which is fair enough as a wrong step could see you disappear forever into the tar... literally... Trinidads pitch lake is the largest natural deposit of asphalt in the world (estimated to hold about 10 million tonnes) Its covers about 100 acres and is about 250 feet deep. There is a cool legend involving the origin of the lake the involves a hummingbird (I like the story), Historically Walter Raleigh re-discovered the lake on his expedition there in 1595. It has that charming rotten egg smell, and the mud and sulphur water apparently have healing properties. Locals were there immersing themselves in some of the pools while we were there. As we didnt have swim suits we had to settle with getting coated in the mud on our legs, and for me, also my face...lol!!! I didnt get a chance to put it on myself, out guide was very keen to smear it all over my face... (and shirt and hair.. etc...). Rinsing it, after it had set, was a whole other process involving splashing what looked Iike green water all over my face (and legs), all I wanted to do was rinse my face with some fresh water afterwards - and it took over an hour or so until I finally got somewhere to do it. Let’s not talk about how much scrubbing it required later that night to get the last bits of our skin! A great fun day though, made all the better for our colourful guide! I have had a crash course in some of the Trinidadian slang/words and between that and their accents I am sometimes lost in a conversation... (definitely accents particularly when you are trying to enter the country and the border control guy is talking to you and you have to continually say, sorry what??? ) I’m a lot better now!!

Jas couldn’t make it over to Tobago as she had work scheduled at her house that she needed to be around for. So I decided to head over for a night, hire a car, and see what I could see. Its literally a 20 min flight over (only costs about 50 US return) FYI 24 hrs isn’t really enough to see everything. I didnt get to the water fall or national park. I had headed down to Store bay beach when I first arrived with instructions to try the curry crab, conch and dumplings in Tobago (its their local specialty, amongst a few other things). Have to say I liked the conch, crab was over cooked and dry, and dumplings were kind of chewy. The ‘provisions’ that I got with it were really nice though - Plantain, Potato, green banana, avocado ..I would have liked to have tried another outlet to give a second opinion, but didnt have the time. I did get to the beautiful Pigeon Park, a natural reserve area, filled with some shops, water sports hire, beautiful beaches and glorious spot to watch the sunset. I also got out to the Fort of King George in Scarborough hiking up the giant hill to take in the glorious views. Hilariously there was a traffic hold up on my way there due to some goats being herded along the road. Island time boy. I would have to say, as much as its a part of the one country, Tobago island is completely different to Trinidad. Its a lot more touristy for a start, it has more servicible beaches. The roads are not as pot holed as Trinidad. The people are still lovely, but you get the tourist scouters who are looking to sell you on anything they can. Its a beautiful place and I’m so glad I got to go across and visit. As always, I can always go back!

An early start, a nice afternoon in Miami when I got here. Little did I know it would be the one and only nice day!

Miami is apparently the only major city in the U.S to have been founded by a woman. Julia Tuttle, she was the original owner of the land upon which the city was built, and was instrumental in convincing Henry Flagler (a local railway tycoon) to extend his Florida East Coast railway service to the growing city in about 1895.

Miami is split between the mainland and the islands. The main portion of the city is on the shores of Biscayne Bay, which contains several hundred natural and artificial barrier islands, the largest of which contains Miami Beach and South Beach. I was staying in South Beach, right in the middle of the art deco area. An area where one particularly passionate woman is credited with saving the majority of the fabulous buildings. She literally chained herself to some to stop demolition. As a result of her efforts preservation laws were passed and these gorgeous structures still stand today ( oh, and they also renamed a street after her..) Who says one person can't make a difference?

South Beach also has a wonderfully restored house made of shells. Originally built in 1916, it was left as a 'shell' of a building and almost torn down. Luckily the Miami beach historic preservation board stepped in and restored in 2011

All the bay islands are the refuge of the rich and/or famous, as they are very expensive land and houses all in gated communities only accessed by one bridge. The funniest thing is alot of the stars all live on an island aptly named 'star island'. All that is, except for the mega stars on Fisher Island. It is only accessible by a ferry service that in order to even get on the boat you have to be a resident or have an invitation/permission from a resident.

As a result of Fidel Castro's rise to power in Cuba in 1959, alot of it's wealthy residents sought refuge in Miami. As a result the city has a very strong Spanish speaking population and some fabulous Cuban food. (Puerto sagua).

I did alot of walking in the time I was here, exploring the area, walking the beach etc. I also jumped on the Miami Duck for the fun of land to water touring, learning alot more about the city and doing some star houses spotting. My first full day here saw the weather deteriorate into wonderful super heavy rain combined with humidity (reminded me of Darwin!) This meant there was little chance of getting out on a day trip to the glades. It also meant my second day was a great option to get my new tattoo - a symbol for me of all I have accomplished and perfect weather to be spending indoors.

I have had a good time in Miami. Not sure what I was expecting, but I had a nice relaxing time. I didnt get to swim at the beach (the stormy weather put paid to that!). Oh, and I got an amazing tattoo while I was here, a commemoration of my journey...

You have stolen part of my heart...

I was only here two nights, but all I want is a little more of this place! Oh, and you knew you were in the South...when there's rocking chairs everywhere in the airport!!

Savannah was established in 1733, a coastal city in the state of Georgia. It is separated from South Carolina by the Savannah River. It’s historic district is filled with cobblestoned squares and parks such as the gorgeous Forsyth Park with its giant 3 tiered fountain, shaded by oak trees covered with Spanish moss. The district has residences and buildings from a variety of time periods all anchored by the landmark, Gothic-Revival Cathedral of Saint John the Baptist.

I literally had one full day here ( a decision I regretted immediately!) I also managed to book myself into (what I found out later) is the most haunted hotel in the state, the gorgeous Marshall House. The building is a rarity as it was never a house, as its name would indicate, it was built as a hotel in 1851. The building was occupied by the Union forces during the war, and used as a hospital. When the hotel was restored in 1999, workers were replacing some damaged floorboards downstairs when they found human remains. The area became a crime scene, but they soon learned that the area had once been the hospital's surgery room, leading historians to believe that they came from the amputated limbs of Civil War soldiers. One of the really cool things is all the artefacts uncovered during the restoration process were framed or placed in cabinets and are displayed in the hallways of all of the upper levels (2-4) its a lovely way to wander around the floors discovering its history. The history of haunting is very interesting and worth trolling through some of the sites to read. I can say I was in room 214, which when I researched it turns out was a room that they had had problems with in the past (prior to having it cleansed, blessed, exorcised or whatever they did to fix it). Anyway, no really weird stuff happened when I was there, its an old building, so there’s always going to be odd noises, right??? An amazing cool old building, with a fabulous past, any wonder I was in heaven... probably also helped that they have a very civilised wine and hors d'oeuvres time from 5 - 630pm, in the library each evening with a musical accompaniment like the cellist we had on Saturday evening... I am so fancy some times - this one was a real treat for myself and right in the middle of the historic area so a perfect location.

The people in Savannah are lovely. I went off to the Old pink house for dinner on my first night here (I didnt get to the hotel till after wine and cheese time gosh darn it!) The old pink house was highly recommended on multiple food sites. I took off, forgetting it was Friday night, but still got a table pretty quickly (Aussie charm wins again!) The food was expensive, but amazing. The building was incredible with a fabulous history. I was very lucky (or he felt sorry for the solo female - I’m gonna go with lucky...), that my waiter took some time to tell me the history of the house while I waited for my main course. It turns out sections of it were built after the original in order to house the bank manager when the building housed a bank later in its life. It also suffered a recent fire, that fortunately didn’t injure anyone and didn’t destroy the older part of the original structure ( just the extension, which has now been rebuilt.) One thing I didnt know was that apparently the reason these old places have such steep stairs is there used to be a “stair tax” so in order to reduce their tax they made the stairs as steep as they could in order to reduce the number installed.

My one day there I jumped on the local trolley tour company’s hop on off historic tour. It was fantastic. They not only engaging animated drivers who obviously love their city, they also had actors dressed in period costume who jumped on at some of the stops and told us in character who they were and what they did, etc. We took in all of the major highlights of the area places like the Sorrel weed house, Owens Thomas house, the founder of the Girl Scouts movement Juliet Gordon Low’s house, The Hamilton Turner inn, the first house to be fully powered by electricity (apparently the locals used to gather outside at dark and wait as they thought it would explode). The history and the stories I heard were amazing and made me want to explore even more. The weather, however, didnt come to the party. I was headed out to get to the church of John the Baptist when it literally bucketed down, and didnt stop... To that end I headed back to the hotel to grab my wet weather gear and head out again. I then decided I was hungry so went to the Pirate House for some lunch because it was yet another incredibly old haunted building with amazing history and amazing food. The gumbo I had was nice, but didn’t really float my boat, but it seems apparently the spicier ones are to be found in New Orleans (which is why I found it so different to the one I had had there!) Anyway I think it was the service more than the food, he wasn’t engaged in what he was doing and seemed to be on autopilot - maybe he was having a bad day... anyway the building was awesome, and I did a little exploring while I was there. The Pirates' House is home to some rare early edition pages of Treasure Island, by Robert Louis Stevenson. They have them hanging on the walls of the Captain's room and the Treasure room. There are differing stories about the house and what went on there, but as Captain Flint was never proven to be anything more than a fictional character, you can safely say that one of the claims that he died in the room upstairs is false. Locals also claim the term shanghaied comes the pirate house, and the fact that they used to have lovely young ladies who offered young men a free drink, dropping poison or sleeping drafts in it when they were not looking. The next thing they knew they were spirited through a tunnel under the building out to the river, and woke up 20 miles out to sea being told they were now part of the crew on a pirate ship.

I then wandered along the riverfront heading back towards my initial goal ( the church), that’s when it bucketed down again. This was not rain, it was similar to monsoon rain that we get in Darwin, except it went on for hours at a time, not just a few minutes. The roads and gutters were awash with mini lakes and I gave up and headed back to my room (ps it also didn’t help that my body was in its ‘trying to kill me’ phase of the month) to be ready for wine and cheese night ... I met a couple of lovely locals who lived about 3 hours out of the city and had come in for the weekend, they were a heap of fun and we all survived the fancy hour together. I then headed out to locate a place that a lady at Nashville airport had told me to go to (yes, I have conversations with people everywhere!). Anyway I was on a mission to locate the she crab soup. I got distracted by a local burger place and had a bison burger instead. Amazing, free range Bison, so so tasty (sorry my vegan/vegetarian friends). My young server was studying at SCAD, the ‘Savannah College of Art and Design’, and filled me in on the huge film industry here in the local area, it was interesting as I had no idea it was so prolific here! Anyway SCAD is credited with rescuing and restoring so many of the historic buildings here, they are a fabulous institution, I loved them before I knew how much more they were doing for the arts industry here.

I have many many reasons to go back to Savannah, so for that I am truly grateful. I will be back to all these places, very soon. The ‘South’ has won my heart with its charm, history, storytelling, easy going way of life, and its people, places and food. I struggle a little with some of the really thick accents, but I think I do the same to some of the people here, so I guess we’re even...

My trip here was yet another adventure. I laughed at myself when I realised what I'd booked. Turns out skyscanner has small airlines on their lists, and being in a hurry and not doing airline research results in you being on a tiny tiny plane (max 8 passengers...) and propeller at the front... flitting your way across the countryside from Memphis to Nashville. Hilarious. It was like rockstar treatment at the small plane terminal. They had coffee, tea, popcorn, cookies. The flight was bumpy in parts, and hearing the warning beep beep thing a few times made it interesting! Great bunch of people on the plane, all either locals or nearby states (Kentucky). I don't think I've ever been on a plane that small, but hey - it was another adventure!😆😂

Nashville is an interesting city. There's a huge history here, of course there is I'm in the South! There is also a music culture so strong it'll probably survive an apocalypse (along with the cockroaches). 😆. Although not entirely dissimilar to New Orleans or Memphis in its intensity of music (including their streets full of bars and bands), there's something more here. I've been struggling to identify it, as intangible as it is, it draws you in and there's no escape.

Nashville, the capital of Tennessee, is home to Vanderbilt University, founded in 1873 and named after shipping magnate Cornelius Vanderbilt who provided it's initial 1 million dollar endowment despite having never been to the South. Its also very well known for its legendary country music venues such as The Grand Ole Opry House, home of the famous “Grand Ole Opry” stage and radio show. The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum and the incredible and historic Ryman Auditorium. The bottom half (Cumberland river end) of Boundary street is filled with honky-tonks with live music filling the streets that pretty much play from early to early...😁

The hall of fame and museum, is a tour through the history of country music. I'll admit it that I had no idea about some of it, and wandered through in awe at the excitement and reverence of some of the pilgrims around me. These people were so engaged with the displays that I often stopped to check I hadn't missed something. I get it though, they grew up country, and have lived it's ebbs and flows all their lives. Gotta love and respect that!

My time here (from the 30th Sep- 4 Oct) has been fabulous. Yes, there's way more I could have done, and some plantations I could have visited, and some nearby towns... but I got caught up in the music and the music history here... I spent an afternoon in the Ryman, what a glorious auditorium. It's history, dating back to the 1892, where it was first constructed as the Union gospel tabernacle. The story behind the origins of the building and how it became known by its founders namesake, Captain Thomas Ryman, is like one of the best soap operas. The 'leader' of vice and in godlessness in the town, attending an evangelists sermon, all of a sudden embracing God and changing his ways and building the tabernacle. It's history as a venue has seen it go to from strength to strength, with it closing down and almost being torn down due to disrepair in the 1950's. Somehow this city specialises in last minute repreives for its buildings and this 2362 seat icon is now still in use today. It's a beautiful building with some amazing acoustics and lucky for me a performer was doing set up and sound checks when I was wandering through so I got to hear just how good the space sounds. (Not just me mucking about on stage with a 2 stringed guitar... fyi they only let you have broken ones for the photos to stop the performers amongst us hogging the time...

Again, I have eaten too much food - can anyone say amazing BBQ as well as 'Nashville hot' fried chicken. I've had some amazing cocktails, Blood orange bourbon sour breakfast cocktail one of the best ever. Lo bro tuna sandwich and discovered the best sauce I've found, ever. Unfortunately I've had eggs Blackstone in two different places here and it seems they can't poach eggs very well....gosh darn it!

I've wandered the streets of Sobro, the printers district, out to the farmers market. Met two new friends at a gorgeous little wine bar in the markets. I've walked the John Seigenthaler pedestrian bridge across the Cumberland river. Chatted to some mad keen ice hockey fans on the opening night of the hockey league. Taken in the amazing show that is the Grand Ole Opry at its new venue in Opryland. What a show! I really enjoyed it. The venue is fantastic. Hey, I can say I've now seen Kevin Bacon and his brother sing with their band. (Btw he can sing!!). I've Listened to so so many bands, and heard at least a million versions of Jolene (kidding, - at least 10..)

I jumped on board a Nash trash tour, and learnt so so much more about the music history and music row here. The efforts that have gone into preserving the buildings with musical significance. An incredible tour to take if you are up for a laugh, some singing and a whole lotta music history. They do other tours, but unfortunately I needed to book in advance for their signature tour...

They are so polite here there's no whistling from construction workers... just a 'good morning' as you walk past (from each of them...😆), then I believe I heard my rating after I'd walked by.. thanks guys!!😁. Y'all is a term you'll hear at least 1000 times a day. I love the accents down here, there's something about that Southern drawl. Apparently they love the Aussie accent just as much, sometimes I keep my mouth shut so as not to attract attention and end up in too many conversations all the time (yeah yeah I know - there's a first for everything!)

I decided it would be fun to take the amtrak train from New Orleans to Memphis....and it was fun! A long trip (about 8.5 hrs or so) but great to see alot of the farming and countryside. I also got to meet some more cool people on the train. Two ladies in the cafe car and i spent a few hours chatting and having a few wines to celebrate their respective birthdays. Our conductor regaled us all with stories about some of the towns we stopped in, and I learned a whole lot more about the Mississippi area.

When I finally arrived after 10pm I settled in for a sleep ready for an early start to see as much as I could in Memphis.

Sun studio has the reputation as the birthplace of rock and roll. With an amazing musical history along with it. It still operates as a studio in the evenings and apparently has a sound that is truly only it's own. The tour was great. I still struggle with people who are oblivious to their surroundings and don't or won't move along to let others see something. But I guess that's something that'll never change! It's an incredible feeling to know you are standing in a place where so many talented people have created so much amazing music. It's where a very young Elvis recorded on July 5th 1954, 'that's all right' an iconic song mixing country and blues... plus there's that photo of some of the greatest musicians in time hanging out in the studio..

After the tour they have a free shuttle that according to their website took you out to Graceland as well as the rock and roll hall of fame. Apparently they don't go out to Graceland anymore.. 😪. As luck would have it, a guy on the same shuttle was heading the same way so we shared an uber out there, and both had someone to hang out with for the day.

I pretty much only had a few things on my must do list, whereas he had researched his trip more, and had a list. My top 3 were Sun studio, Graceland, and the Peobody hotel and it's ducks. So it turns out I introduced my new friend to one thing he didn't know of - the ducks!😀

I had a very busy but great day. Graceland was amazing and operates like a well oiled machine, cranking those millions of visitors through. I really enjoyed the audio commentary and was helped alot by Matt with his knowledge of all things Elvis and Graceland. To go through all the exhibits (except the planes) took about 3 hrs... It was Memphis heat wave hot too, so a very large icecream was very welcome! One big thing I never really knew about Elvis was how much he had done for charities and people in need. He regularly donated hundreds of thousands of dollars to either individuals in need or charities. One of the stories I saw involved him buying an old lady a new wheelchair as he had found out her family couldn't afford it, he then delivered it and lifted her into the chair himself. Btw the huge photos of him everywhere are awesome, his eyes are even more amazing...

We headed back to the new civil rights museum, located at the old Lorraine hotel, the site of the assassination of Martin Luther King. It was strange as I saw the motel sign i couldn't place why I knew the name of the hotel. Then it clicked. Apparently the assassination is taught in school here, as Matt knew all the details. Apparently it takes 1 -3 hrs to get through all sections, so it's on my list to come back to one day as it was too late in the day to get through it and still get to the ducks.

We then jumped on a trolley (yep they're trolleys here) and headed to the Peabody hotel to see the ducks in the fountain and their march to their duck palace on the roof. Loved it! They put on a huge show with the history of the hotel and the ducks all presented by the 'duck master', before they go on their little journey. The views from the roof are fantastic. Sneaking into the function room on the rooftop that had recently held a wedding and walking away with a pretty rose - worth it😂😂. The hotel also has a memorabilia room with some amazing artifacts. Having first opened in 1925, the story of how one drunken night was the start of the duck tradition is well worth looking up.

Then it was off to the 'Bass Pro' pyramid and my first experience with this shopping concept. There was a lift (with a charge), to the top of the pyramid, but we decided that we'd had a better view from the Peobody. An outdoors shopping concept with live alligators in a tank, and huge fish in giant ponds...its own restaurant and bowling alley what's not to love?😀

The famous Beale st was next, we were on a mission to find some awesome bbq with music to match. Played some pool, had some fall off the bone ribs, heard some great music, and ended the night in a bar with the "dueling pianos ". My one full day in Memphis was fabulous and it made a difference to have had some company. There's definitely more I could see and do, but Nashville is calling....(and sadly I've already booked everything for the next week, so can't change it...)

New Orleans 23 - 28 Sep

Oh wow...the food, the people, the things to see and do!

It’s incredible. The history here is amazing. The architecture of some of the old creole homes, the weather (how hot ? Not too hot, 90s and up every day with humidity) Yep I have finally given up trying to convert it back to Celsius, there’s a formula, but it involves maths and fractions so, yeah, mid nineties is how its gonna go.

After a late arrival due to flight delays, we got serenaded by the head flight attendant when we finally landed in New Orleans..... those videos that you see are obviously real ( I often thought they were just clever advertising). Had us all in stitches and a great end to a very long day we ended up 3 hrs late and had sat on the tarmac in San Antonio for nearly 2 hrs....

I was starving by the time I got to my hotel, and was pointed in the direction of a nearby 24hr place and recommended to have one of the local specialities - a ‘Po’ boy” pretty much a sub with the addition of your choice of either deep fried shrimp, crawfish, alligator, meats, you name it. It was tasty and whatever the sauce was that came with it added another dimension

New Orleans, or NOLA as its often referred, was founded in 1718. The city lies along the mighty Mississippi River, with the area also surrounded by vast lakes and swamp/bayou systems. Hurricane Katrina devastated large sections of the city in August 2005 when some of the man made levies broke, flooding large parts of downtown, the city still bears the scars today. NOLA is renowned for its music culture (oh the Jazz and blues!) Creole and Cajun cuisine, and its festivals. It has been described as the most unique city in America, a description that totally fits, and can only be understood by those who have visited this place.

My first day I decided to wander around and ended up jumping on a St Charles streetcar. The St Charles line is the oldest continuously operating streetcar line in the world and has been operating since 1835. I ran into an expat Aussie (who now lives in NZ) on the streetcar and wound up doing a mini walking tour with her. Lucky for me she had guidebook detailing the history of the houses we were looking at. The Gardens area is fantastic and houses some amazing architecture. FYI you can get a “jazzy pass” for the public transport here - $3 gives you 24hrs of transport anywhere in the city.

It’s been great meeting other tourists and locals as I am compiling a list of food places I need to try to visit. Not sure my waistline is going to appreciate it though!

Day 2 saw me head out for a meal at a local cafe, (catfish, smothered potatoes, eggs, and biscuits) another walk down Bourbon street, a wander around the French quarter, a tarot reading in one of the crystal stores there, beignets from the famous cafe du monde.. more walking... then a jazz and dinner cruise on the Creole Queen paddle steamer along the Mississippi River. As I boarded and was set at my table for one, a lovely lady came over to ask if I’d like to join their group. These 3 ladies had been in town for a massive administration professionals conference and it turned out to be an even more fantastic night, as its always better when your have company! The jazz trio were fabulous and the trip along the river gave stunning views of the city skyline.

The next day I was up for a late breakfast in readiness for my trip out to the swamp and bayous. This tour was fantastic. Somehow I ended up at the stern of the boat next to the captain (unfortunately he was married!) anyway it turns out, the lady the other side was another person who had been in town for the conference. Great fun to meet a new friend, and share some of our pics with each other. A swamp is classified as an area that has water running (to some degree) through vegetation. Capt Stefan explained how the ecology of the area operated and the impacts that introduced species of flora and fauna have had, as well as how they are combated today. This company is big on ecological tourism and only feeds the alligators, racoons, pigs etc special vegetable based pellets. They also ensure that the alligators have a healthy respect and fear of humans to make sure that they are not reliant on them for food. We saw many smaller alligators, huge fish, birds, a feral pig, and a gorgeous raccoon family. I had no idea that raccoons hands were so sensitive. Apparently they hunt for mussels and oysters in the mud of the swamps with their hands, sensing their location. Apparently that is where the term “cooning for mussels" comes from, the locals get on their hands and knees in the swamp mud feeling for them like the raccoons. I also didn’t know that the oysters here grew that way .... see there is always something new to learn! The raccoons were so cute climbing up the tree trunk to get to the pellets...It was a great trip and a heap of fun. I then headed out to another recommended spot to try the local oysters. Yep, those who know me I’m not a fan of this one seafood item.... but hey when in Rome, or in this case, New Orleans, you have to try them and the staff were great helping choose a version that was grilled with a garlic parmesan butter (ummm yum?). I had a lovely turtle soup, which was surprisingly meaty . Not sure what I was expecting, but gosh it was tasty! Then I grabbed a blackened alligator, nice flavours! Don't panic they were all appetizer sizes! Was stuffed after them though....

As I don't plan ahead alot, I then made a snap decision to try my luck at a show at preservation hall. The current preservation hall runs 45 min jazz shows every hour 5 or 6 times a day. They are designed to preserve the old jazz hall culture and raise money to continue the preservation. A small, intimate venue with same fabulous music, a must see in New Orleans, and worth the queue time to get in!

Plantation tour day was next, and wow. I'd chosen to spend the day visiting 2 of the main plantations. It was an educational and incredibly sobering experience. Whitney plantation was our first stop. This plantation has been set up as a memorial to the slaves and details life as it was during both periods of slavery. An emotional and haunting series of memorials intertwined with details of the processes used for slavery, how they lived, how they died. It included examples and documented memories of the slaves. On such a hot day it was incredibly emotional to think of what these people endured, while processing the 'white gold' for their masters. Even sadder to think that slavery is still perpetuated in parts of the world today (just in other guises like economic slavery). Researching the full details and timelines of what happened here is something well worth the time!

After Whitney we headed to the beautiful Oak Alley plantation. This one was picturesque with its 250 yr old oak trees lining the path to the main house. The slaves here had slightly better living conditions as their owner apparently paid them. Even money won't help if your freedom is not there. This plantation gives a respectful balanced approach to the details of the time, and the story told by our guide as we moved through the great house intertwined the impact of events on the plantation owners as well as their slaves. The area is also very set up for tourists and they make an awesome mint julep! I met two beautiful Californian ladies on this day trip (believe it or not they had been in town for the professionals conference 😂😂). We ended up out for dinner that night ticking off a place we all had on our must do list. I love this part of travelling, meeting new people and finding that connection. It was right at a time that I needed it...my heart is full!

New Orleans you have been amazing. I have met so many people here, learnt so much, eaten way too much, listened to some fantastic music and pretty much had an incredible time.

More photos to come!

Part 1 - Dallas... 17-21 Sept

After a nerve racking connecting flight (my first flight was landing while the second was boarding...) I made it to Dallas, and amazingly so did my bag! Well done Delta, that's twice now!

Dallas curent weather reminds me of Brisbane in summer. About 30 degrees and humid. My wonderful friends live in the suburbs near the airport. I also get to play with their dogs while I'm here - awesome! Texas BBQ for dinner!

I also did some major trip planning on my first day here, having a space to be able to do that is fantastic.

Carol and Chuck, took Thursday off work to spend it out at nearby Fort Worth stockyards with me. It's one of the original cattle sale yards, situated on the intersection of some of the major longhorn cattle runs that ran East West and North South across America back in the mid 1800's. The main one was known as the Chisholm trail. Fort worth today is the 4th largest city in Texas, it's stockyards are a major tourist drawcard. The area houses, the largest honkytonk in America, multiple shops selling, cowboy gear, gifts, and of courseTexas bbq as well as a few bars. We headed to the Stockyard hotel, the oldest hotel on the site, for a cold beer, and to take in its quirky interior. Then after more wandering it was time for the live longhorn drive along the main street. It was amazing to see these huge creatures ambling up the road metres away from the crowd. Ambling is the word! All I could think of is if they did that speed 100 years ago it would have taken the stockmen forever to get them anywhere!

Dallas (And Texas) are proud of their cattle history, an art installation was installed in Pioneer park as a tribute to the pioneering cattlemen who ran herds through where parts of the city now stand. It, and the nearby confederate cemetery are major tourist stops for visitors to the city. It's larger than life and the detail in the sculptures is amazing.

Friday I spent visiting the other main attractions in Dallas. The 6th floor museum created not only as a tribute to JFK, and his history but as a way of detailing the investigations that occurred into his death. An intriguing and informative way to spend a few hours, in the building where the shooting occurred. A quick walk across the road then takes you to the 'grassy knoll' and the memorial, as well as the X on the roadway marking the location where the first shots hit their mark. Nearby is the Reunion tower, one of the city's most recognisable landmarks. Built in 1978, 171m tall with 360 degree observation deck, it is visible across the city. While not the tallest structure, the views are worth the trip up! After I'd wandered around Dallas, I then headed out to the George W Bush presidential library and museum. Located on the SMU campus, it was an real introduction for me to the breadth of American politics. Apparently all the ex presidents have their own library museum's dotted around the country. They are set up as a means of immortalising their time in the top job, and, in a way, keeping their own version of events out in the public. An interesting and worthwhile experience for me to take in! I also got to sit at the replica resolute desk in the replica oval office and hear the story of how the desk was given to the country, and it's history. I was also unaware that the way the eagle faced on the US seal had been changed in 1945 immediately after WWII. Then president, Truman, had the eagles head changed to face the olive branch symbolising America as a nation of peace.

All too soon I was off on a mad scramble to the airport on Saturday morning. All I can say is I think I was so relaxed my normal on top of it-ness failed and I got times wrong in my head! Thanks to calendar alarm, and bigger thanks to Chuck getting me to the airport in time (checked my bag about 3 mins before bag check closed then had over 20 min wait for security check, then had to catch train to other terminal...) seriously cut that one closer than I ever have!!! (Made last boarding about 10 mins before they shut the doors...)

Part 2, San Antonio...21 - 23 Sept

Anyway made it to San Antonio! It is hawt! Back to total hot and humid again... A major city in south-central Texas with a rich colonial heritage, some of the key points I've covered (apart from food...Mexican and Texas bbq are the bomb here)The Alamo, an 18th-century Spanish mission that is being preserved as a museum and marks an infamous 1836 battle for Texan independence from Mexico. This story I knew very little about, and the tiny church and grounds area didn't help me much! Asking questions did! The mission was originally founded by the Roman Catholics in the 18th Century as an education centre for the local American Indians who had converted to Christianity. It was then abandoned in 1793, to be used by the Mexican armed forces 10 years later. A bit of a to and fro of ownership ensued, with the Mexican army destroying large sections of the mission as they retreated after the battle for which the area is now known. It then took some time for it to be recognised for its historical significance and steps were taken to preserve it since 1906. It's a huge story with great significance to the people not just of Texas, but Nationwide. I now have a much greater understanding of the term "remember the Alamo!"

The other big tourist drawcards here is following the San Antonio River. Set 1 floor below street level, the River Walk is a landmark pedestrian promenade lined with cafes and shops. The river itself has some amazing and unique engineering installed to prevent a repeat of the 1921 flood that killed 50 people. Its degrees cooler down here on a hot day, and a lovely place to explore.

HemisFair Park’s 229m Tower of the Americas overlooks the city, and surprisingly your ticket allows you to come and go for the whole day until 11pm....nice one! Sunshine and night views! Originally built as part of the world's fair in 1968, although not the tallest structure in the city, the views are fantastic.

Texas, you go a'right, the people here are so friendly and helpful! Awesome place to visit! Had one last Mexican meal at the oldest river walk restaurant for lunch before I left... um yummm. Also they put paid to my singles get the worst table theory...check out my view!!

All too soon (again) I'm off to New Orleans today! Replete with checking my flight time about 50 times😂😂. I am getting real good at drinking black filter coffee too... but that's a whole other story!

15-17 Sep

Located in Illinois on the shores of Lake Michigan, with the 153km long Chicago river running through it. Its the third most populous city in America. It's known as the 'windy city', but in reality that's a nickname that started some time in 1876 when a New York journalist used the term in an editorial when referring to its full-of-hot-air politicians. There's still wind, but it only ranks about 12th in the US for windiness!

It has been fantastic to catch up with my friend! Experiencing the suburbs of a huge city like Chicago has been interesting too! It’s only an hour on the train and you're in the city (not sure I’d want to do that commute every day though) Lucky Mel literally works down the road from were she lives. Her apartment complex, altough covering a huge area, is full of green spaces. The buildings themselves are only 3 stories high so it reminded me of the unit complexes in Aus. Good news is, all the green space meant I got to see some chipmunks! Cute little buggers!!!

I have tried all the main Chicago foods while I’ve been here - Italian beef, a kind of shredded beef in a roll with either sweet or hot peppers (delish!!!), Deep dish pizza, a cheesy, crusty, bready dish with sauce..., and the best burger I have had since I’ve been in America. The iron maiden burger at a local screamo metal place called Kumas corner. Music aside, (It is the one genre I just cant take to - if you cant understand the words what’s the point?) this place was awesome. Great menu, awesome tasty food, great service. Locals knowledge helped a lot in getting a taste of Chicago - thanks Mel!

Even the foggy day I faced on my one day in Chicago city couldn’t dampen my enthusiasm for this city. The architecture is amazing, and I really enjoyed the architecture boat tour (even if you couldn’t see some of the buildings due to the fog....) The city is known for its buildings and it has been seen as somewhat of a laboratory for architectural innovation and experimentation. The buildings cover a spread of architecture styles, all clustered together in a way that seems to just work. The aftermath of the great Chicago fire in 1871 saw the city rebuilt utilising more of a grid structure, allowing for a more even flow to its city streets.

The river walk was excellent and although I didn’t head down the whole length of it, it is an amazing use of space. I was interested to learn that the Chicago river is the only river in the world that flows backwards. In order to combat the pollution of the river (and the lake caused by the growing industrial city, the Sanitary District of Chicago made efforts to reverse the flow of the water, starting from about 1900. So instead of water running into lake Michigan, it now flows towards the gulf of Mexico, aided by a series of man-made locks and canals. It definitely saved the river, it's water quality is amazing, and it's a beautiful green/turquoise colour now.

All too soon my time here is over 😪. I have loved catching up with my friend Mel, and will be back one day to spend more time in Chicago, this place is a gem and there's more to discover!

(See what I did there!)

Loooong travel day, 6.5hr bus trip back to DC, followed by a train to the airport. I had allowed a good 5 hrs from the bus arrival to the flight departure, so when the flight was delayed by another hour it turned out to be a very long day!! All part of travelling though, and I am still the worst sleeper ever, so that doesn’t help either! I booked a brand new hotel that is part of a chain I have stayed in before. Good choice Kaz, it seems familiarity is still something you crave even when you have been on the crazy odyssey I have been on! Not the most expensive, but not the cheapest either, although research showed me that Boston is not the cheapest place for accomodation! Good news is I again lucked out and have ended up in walking distance to all the stops on the freedom trail, as well as the Tea party ships in the harbour. Oh, I almost forgot, more importantly walking distance to little Italy... seriously , yum...

My first day here, was a colder, wet day, and after my late night and big sleep, I decided to explore my local area, and find a laundromat, get the boring but necessary part of travel out of the way. I ended up at a local coffee shop while I was waiting ( in the Italian quarter - I worked out later.... in my defence I was tired!!) Anyway I had some great chats with some locals at both the coffee shop and the laundromat. Yes, I still talk to strangers....

I will admit it, I am in love with Boston. This place seems to have just the right balance of everything. Public transport system is not the newest or cleanest (or cheapest..) BUT it still got me in all the feels. The history here is amazing. I thoroughly enjoyed walking the freedom trail. Cheapo that I am I didn’t want to buy the map or books, I found a free online interactive map, that told me the stories of the sites, and conveniently the sidewalks had a tiled red section indicating the trail (no arrows or numbers like the one in Hanover though). Apparently a journalist had suggested marking the path to the 16 landmark sites some time in the 1950’s - fabulous idea!!! The walk itself apparently takes about 2.5 hours (its about 4 miles) and covers the sites that are integral parts of the history of not just this city, but of the entire country. The freedom trail takes you on a journey of the major players who were a part of the Boston Tea Party, an uprising that set the country on a course that ultimately ended in a war with England, and the birth of a new nation. Charleston, the site of the Bunker hill monument ( the final stop of the trail), a giant 67m tall granite monument erected between 1825 and 1843 was one of the sites of the first major battles between the British and the Patriot forces in the American Revolutionary War.

Luckily one of the guys in reception had suggested a local Italian deli that make, the best, Italian sub I have ever put in my mouth. Seriously. Tastiest thing ever. the fact that they shave the meat to order as they make it, only adds to the appeal. I then located a shop that makes Italian pastries getting a couple of cannolis that I was destined to eat over the next couple days. (Sad to say they may have been nicer than the ones I had in Sicily recently —-eeek yep I said it!!!) There are no rules about following the freedom trail, so truth be told I kind of did some on one day, then wandered and decided to start from the beginning the second day I was here, starting in the famous Biston Common, taking in such beautiful buildings as the Massachusetts state house, kings chapel, the site of the Boston massacre, Feneuil hall, and some amazing cemeteries (Google the whole list if you're interested!) It was then time for a lunch stop, and where better than Boston's oldest restaurant, the Union Oyster. I had to have the clam chowder and a lobster roll! The building was amazing, the interior covered in historical pictorials. The food was good, probably not worth the price, (and the roll was not as nice as the one I'd had in NYC) but hey it's the ambience and the history you sign up for!

After lunch I stopped before heading to Bunker hill, Instead heading to the Tea party ships and museum (in the opposite direction). Thinking about it, its not much different to how I have done everything else on this crazy adventure. I kind of just wing it and seem to end up in the right place at the right time. When I arrived at the tea party museum, I was just in time for the start of the next tour. I had no idea what I was getting myself into, these things are awesome. They have actors who take on the role of historical figures and lead you through the events of the past. You are given a card with your own character on it and encouraged to join in (as if I need more encouragement...) My kind of leaning really!!! The mix of live interactive performance and the films they show you gave me an incredible insight and understanding of the events that have been dubbed as the ‘Boston tea party’. The Boston Tea Party was a political protest that took place on 16th December 1773 at Griffin’s Wharf. American colonists, frustrated and angry at Britain for imposing “taxation without representation.” They boarded the ships and smashed open and dumped about 350 or so lead lined chests of tea, imported by the British East India Company, into the harbour. This event was the first major act of defiance to British rule over the colonists.

My last full day I spent out in Salem. The story of the witch hysteria, and what occurred back in 1692 is unsettling in the least. Understandable in way, given the time period it occurred, (hey its easier to look at anything in hindsight and go - ‘hey why did that happen’). Anyway it was another rainy day, which added to the intrigue. The city itself plays on its witch history, something I’m not sure sits quite right with me, but I guess you either own it and make it work for you or end up with al the tourists anyway! The historical area of the town has some amazing buildings. The witch museum tour was another tour presented by actors and gave me more if an understanding of the events at that time. The memorial for the 19 people who died as a result of the trials was very well done. A simple space that details the date and manner of thier death, with their final statements carved into the stone entrances to the space. 18 of the accused were hung, with one man (whose wife had already been hung), crushed to death. The law at the time required a trial and a plea to be entered before any punishment was dealt out. Giles Corey refused to enter a plea, so the torture of the day was applied in order to get him to speak. He apparently lasted almost 3 days of having boulders placed upon him, his only words each time, "more weight", his final words apparently a curse upon the town and the office of Sheriff. There is alot more interesting history that revolves around the Salem witch trials. The fact that they recognised they had been wrong and made restitution to the families of those who had been killed was a big step. They still have only theories as to how and why it all began, but I guess an onus of proof instead of heresay is one big thing that came out of it!

I then headed back to Boston on the train, catching a local train to get me over to Bunker hill memorial (yeah- I didn't feel like walking a mile by then!). I didn't climb the memorial as it was too late for the last entry, but it's impressive and kind of humbling to stand at its base knowing what occurred here.

All too soon, my time here is over! 😪