12th March, Coming home…

What can I say?! It has been an unbeleivable year, everytime I think about what I have done seems overwhelming. Went skating in Central park for 3 hours – I need to remind myself where I am sometimes but its all drawing to a conclusion….

Couldn’t resist this one…

Central park ice skating…

“So where are we exactly?”

“The world’s gone upside down.”

We Checked out were John Lennon was shot and this is the memorial at strawberry fields central park.

I can’t beleive how quick the time has past and that practically a year ago I had no prpper planning with no clue about any of this. I am surprised I have managed to make it all the way through with all my plans followed and more. I had no idea I would make it to the states let alone cancun or disney land which was a good ‘off the cuff’ decision and I’ve had a ball. Now I have to think of getting back to the UK and sorting my life out and getting the bank balance up to speed.  I still don’t think I am fully ready but I have a flight to LA tommorow from new york (all the way from the East to West side) and one more day to see some sights but I really think I am ready to get back. I am looking forward to my own bed, some home cooking and seeing everybody again. No real Idea about were I am going to settle for a bit, looking at London (i feel just about ready to tackle the big cities now!) but who knows, might look at bristol again maybe abroad…

Favourite places have got to be shanghai and Sydney just for the fun, diversity of people and all the people I have met there. But generally all the places have been great, but I guess the biggest diference to anyplace has to be the people you meet there as that can really make a difference to having a really good time or a mediocre walk round and see the sights on your lonesome which is good now and then but I really do prefer the company of people.

Top things to do are still the classics, the great wall (and tobogan down!) that moutain trek in Xian, campfire songs in the middle of the jungle and sleeping under the stars in north thailand. Tthat full moon party (Mellow mountain bar on the left – people who have been there know what I mean). Also cycling round the chaotic streets that is shanghai were its everyman for themselves on that road, and one of the best things is getting some seriously cheap dumplings off street vendors at 11pm and trying to make conversation with someone who doesn’t speak any english and you don’t speak any mandarin. Walking aimlessly in the cities finding little places of interest, having a coffee/beer, trying to work out where you are on a map and people watching. The list goes on….

When of the best things you have to develop is talking to complete randoms – you can’t be shy in this game. Or you can if you like the company of yourself for days on end. One girl I chatted to said she started barking like a dog in her room just because she hadn’t spoken to any body for like 4/5 days… Made some good friends, and met a lot of people residing in London so I plan on catching up with a few and few around england.

So right now I am psyching myself up for the next flight to LA which quite frankly I’d rather just go straight back. Who knows I might be partying with a Celeb tommorow night… But I doubt it.

8th March, Too cold…

 

A rather small Statue of liberty…

Time square classic.

Brooklyn bridge from brooklyn, you can’t tell how cold it really is!

From the brooklyn bridge…

From the empire state building.

Madison Square Garden, Big East (or something) 2 matches lasted in total 5hours. Bloody ‘timeouts’.

I cannot beleive how cold it is here, I know I have been chasing the sun for almost a year but this is ridiculous. It’s much colder than england from my recolection but I havn’t been back for a while. I never suffered from having to run into a warm building because it was too cold outside…

Anyway, been having a good time here. No crazy partying apart from Lisa’s birthday weekend were we finished off the rest of the alcohol we had taken from Cancun’s all inclusive including that tequila we had won from bingo – which we basically give away to moe hardcore drinkers.

Had a strange experience being dragged along to a beauty salon as Lisa had signed up for a whole load of girly stuff, so I had to come along as they did men’s cuts and needed one. Didn’t realise I would have be given a ‘golden’ robe to put on (tres gay – I was feeling gay enough!) but soon didn’t mind as the place was heaving with women and I was the only guy…

Been over the Brooklyn Bridge, did a couple of tours around the city including booklyn, got some good night shots etc, went to a comedy club – funny stuff, went to see the lion king on broadway which was awesome and all the other touristy things like the empire state building and also went through a tour of ‘gound zero’ (as the media coin it) which was really touching as the tour guides were people involved and one had lost her firefighter son. Also went to a basket ball match at madison sq. gardens for something called the big east – we wanted to get tickets for some ice hockey (see some fights!) but got tickets for this which apparently we were quite lucky to get. All good fun but american ‘time-outs’ get ridiculous, with 2mins of play that can last 20 minutes with either teams calling for ‘Time-outs’ and subsistutions. It was becoming a joke at 13sec left of play and even 3 sec left of play….

So plan on checking out the place were John Lennon was shot and the tribute at central park and doing some ice skating at the rockefella centre in the next few days. Still far too cold…

2nd, March The big apple…

After having a great time in Orlando and not drinking at all in the evenings, which consisted of eateing pizza, chinese and watching TV (or should I say adverts) We have finally arrived at NY. Havn’t seen much at all and it looks like e

ngland outside – cold, rainy and cloudy. But then again its New york and not the UK….

Here’s just a selection of pics from orlando, no explanations needed really – classic themepark fun I guess. More like holiday snaps than backpacker pics.

Having to pack at 10pm leaving in the morning at 430am. Wasn’t in the mood at all. Needed to sort out hostels, taxi’s, pack and even find out what time my flight was…

Oh well all done now. Need sleep though.