Spongebombing the Capital – Road Trip from Philadelphia to Washington, D.C. via Baltimore

Thinking back to how cold, wet and windy Philly was, it seems so strange that I'm currently writing this, basking in the sun in Richmond, Virginia. I'm getting ahead of myself now, but the passage from North to South is so noticable, in many more ways than just the weather.

We departed the one-time capital of the US the following day, and continued southward. It is at this point Gareth left, leaving me and Ben to unearth America together without him. Before setting out on the Interstate we filled up gas for the first time on the trip. Regarding gas prices, Americans seem to be in a constant state of panic over them rising, but if they were to see the prices of petrol in Britain they might have a small heart attack (although that might have something more to do with the food available).

We drove for some time down towards the present-day capital, DC. On the way we passed through Baltimore, which looked like such a great place to spend the day. Really colourful town, built on the harbour. However we'd arrived too late to really make the most of it, so we continued onwards. Our destination that evening was a KOA campground (basically the Travelodge of the RVing world.; you know what you're getting, reliable, and everywhere). It was a relief to spend one night with full hook-ups, proper showers and great scenery. Even more importantly it had giant chess, which was really missed on our previous nights spent in Walmart car parks.

We woke up early and drove towards DC, parked up in the suburbs and got the Metro into the centre. DC is built around the needs of the tourist. The National History Museum, American History Museum, Air and Space Museum, several art galleries, Lincoln memorial, Washington memorial, WWII memorial... are all within 20mins walk of each other, and all free. The Lincoln memorial was the most popular of the lot, and understandably so. It was strangely inspiring and moving, particularly considering I'm not American. The Smithsonian museums were also a good walk around. The Natural History museum is very similar to the one in London, good to look around, some really interesting insects, and a giant squid. But it was the American History and the Air and Space museums which were by far the best. They were heavily biased towards the three wars, (I, II and Civil), which was great for me as I could really understand and appreciate the exhibits, unlike the Natural History museum in which I just enjoyed the pretty colours. We also visited the National Archives, but they were sadly closed by the time we got there, however it was almost worth it to see the huge door. It was rather large.

DC provided us with some unique memories. We got to see the steps where Martin Luther King made his infamous "I have a dream" speech; the Wright Brothers' plane; artifacts from the first moon landing; the first US Revolutionary War battleship; and an actual filming location from Night at the Museum 2! Also whilst out in DC we did run into a few school/ college trips, and on bumping into a group from Virginia I got to witness my first ever "Oh my GAAAAAD, are you British?", which was simply amazing. And so it began...

We left DC with no specific destination in mind. We were hoping to just find somewhere to stop for the night as we continued our venture south. By about 10pm we came across a small town by the name of Clarksburg (the name of which we only actually found out in the early hours of the morning). We parked up behind a gas station and mooched into the (Irish) bar next door. On heading inside, before even buying a beer, two guys at the bar had introduced themselves and demanded we do shots with them. Chris and Brooke became our instant best friends for the night, allowing me to experience my first ever Baby Guinness (Baileys and Guinness shooter), introducing me to the Car Bomb (Tequila bombed into a glass of Guinness, and becoming co-creators of the Sponge-Bomb (Tequila bombed into pineapple juice). The rest of the night consisted of four guys getting drunk and finding the quirks of the other one's culture amusing. We ended up going round Chris/ Brooke's flat, playing some music and getting incredibly jealous at their standard of living.

The one lesson I have learned these past couple days (after visiting the memorials, the Smithsonian museums, driving several hundred miles in a couple days) will stay with me forever, and is something I want to pass on everywhere I travel next, and throughout England when I return home. It is simple: Sponge-Bomb's are awesome; do them; do them hard.

Again, have a video:

RV nearly there yet? – Road Trip from New York to Philadelphia via Princeton

Firstly, it has become very clear that I had no idea how hard it would be to find time to do these blogs. But I'm doing my best and hopefully will try to make these shorter and more frequent (which is how you like it, right ladies?). Anyway, since the last post we've picked up the RV and driven a couple hundred miles south towards Philadelphia, but not before checking out NYC, and enjoying several places in between.

Following us picking up the RV, we drove and parked in the Liberty Harbour RV park, which was just a slab of concrete in Jersey City, but in the best location we could've found to park. It actually overlooked the Statue of Liberty itself. We got there mid-afternoon, had a nap, then when straight out to find a bar to get something to eat and have a pint. We ended up that night heading into Manhattan on the subway and having several pints in an Irish bar there. Irish bars are EVERYWHERE in NYC. In fact they're everywhere in everywhere, as far as my experience goes so far. If you went out and walked into the first place you found that sold pints, I bet 7 times out of 10 it would be an Irish bar of some sort (maybe even 14 times in 20!).

The next day we got up early to go watch the Spurs v. Arsenal game at the Spurs supporters' club in, you guessed it, an Irish bar. It was so packed you could barely move. There was probably a 50/50 split of Americans and British people in there, but that didn't mean the chants of "YID ARRRRRMY" weren't 100% participated in. Then we wandered around Manhattan for the day. Times Square, Grand Central Station, Starbucks.... It was almost too cold to properly enjoy however, the wind was so harsh it just made us want to cotch up inside. As a result we decided to move on earlier than planned and make the most of New York in the spring weather when we returned in June.

We set off the next day, taking the road around New York to head to Princeton. On the way we stopped off at Morristown, a small historic dwelling with some quirky shops and nice people. This was our first hands on experience of small town America, where we could meet some real Americans. Ironically the first person we came across was a loud mouthed cockney, screaming at his mate to get him some fags. After leaving here we rolled into a Walmart just outside of Princeton. Here we spent our first night dry camping with no hook-ups, just what we brought with us. We also experienced Walmart for the first time. If you hadn't already guessed, it is huge. It's also a great place to really see Americans go about their daily lives. They have an interesting quality in that they seem to enjoy commentating on what it is you're purchasing ("This boy's gat himself some Nuttella!"). It also becomes incredibly clear why the average weight is what it is. It is simply impossible to buy anything of a modest size. Buying a carton of juice that actually fits in our fridge proved to be an unachievable task.

Princeton itself is amazing. The amount of money pumped into the University/ town means it is one of the most pristine places I have every seen. Seriously it's like in Hot Fuzz, I think they murder hobos. This also meant it was a pretty average places to go out drinking (uni towns in the UK are very different!), but we did find a great mini-brewery/ bar to watch the Man U v. Real Madrid game. Let's not discuss the score, but the burgers were amazing!

That evening we got to do something I've always wanted to do: attend a University sports game. On Ben's insistance we saw the Princeton Tigers beat the Villanova Wildcats at lacrosse, and it was immense. No offence to Ben, or lacrosse,  but I was really surprised to see several hundred people not only turn up to watch the match, but also get REALLY passionate about it. After the game we wandered back to the RV via a(n Irish) bar, which happened to have a pub quiz ongoing. Special shout out for the winning team: Hugo-ing, going, gone. The two gents on the bar were also very helpful in suggesting places to go in Philly, where we were headed next. Writing all the vital information on a napkin for us:

We drove to Philadelphia that night, and spent the evening cosied up outside another Walmart, which were already beginning to look exactly the same. Philly itself was noticeably different to New York and towns such as Princeton. It was charmingly crafted out of and around many different cultures and ethnicities. Sadly again it was a miserable day, but that didn't stop us trudging into town to see some of the historical sites such as Independence Hall and the Liberty Bell. It felt really special to be standing where the Declaration of Independence was signed, and be in the same room, with the same furniture, that George Washington used. We also meandered down South Street where I finally got to enjoy a real diner (Johnny Rockets cheese steak sandwich, and an Oreo milkshake... amazing) and also found my favourite named Irish bar so far (Paddy Whack's), situated just across the road from the brilliantly outgoing Condom Kingdom.

That evening we got drunk.

Sorry this post was so long. Had to cut so much down. In future I'll do it more regularly, and as a result be a lot more interesting (hopefully). Have a video:

Oh and for those interested:

Cheerio England, Watto NYC - Mar 1-2

Smooth isn't the word. Well it is, but just in big, shiny capital letters. Crossing the Atlantic has never been made to look so simple. We arrived an hour early; all the bags were on the carousel before we got to it (although it may have helped that I was taken 'into the office' for 'VISA complications'); the SPAM outfit made it through as hand luggage; and I managed to watch half a series of the Thick of It. Easy. We got the first pints in at Heathrow Wetherspoons, my last cider for several months sadly had to be a Magners; poor show Heathrow.

Anyway, the flight was easy. It literally flew by (*applause). Anywhere I can get a free beer and a curry is somewhere I can enjoy. After landing and coming through VISA control I was taken away to the back office with, originally, no explanation at all. I was genuinely starting to regret the brightly coloured underwear I'd chosen to wear that day, but luckily it was all a misunderstanding, and my trousers stayed firmly on. 

Getting the subway into Manhattan had mixed results. We certainly got the subway into Manhattan, just the completely wrong bit. It turns out just because you're on the right avenue, doesn't mean you're anywhere near where you want to be. Whilst a walking tour of Times Square on a Friday night is great, having a huge backpack, a guitar, and laptop case to deal with makes it a little less enjoyable. However we finally made it to the Chelsea Star Hostel (not before a Starbucks and cheeky check-in on Facebook of course). On arrival it sadly became clear that they'd over booked and we had to be upgraded to an apartment, which was such a shame. 

That evening we braved the streets and subway once more, however this time with just a wallet and some cans of Coors Light (which, btw, is horrible). We met some of Gareth's (Gavlar's) mates in their trendy Brooklyn flat and then crashed another flat party of students and musicians. As far as my research goes, all New Yorkers have record players and enjoy the art deco theme. Whilst Ben was asked several times if he was Australian, it was noticeable what a multi-cultural city this is with only half the people we met actually being American. This was almost a disappointment on the first evening, as I'd come here to meet Americans! It is also noticeable how well travelled the Americans here are. Most had been to England, and I even met one who'd spent several weeks in Saffron Walden. I suppose I'll have to wait til I'm out of New York for my first "Oh my Gaaaad, are you British?!"

The next day was a slow, hard one to begin with. The hangovers/ jet lag taking full precedence. We had to make our way out to pick up the RV, and it turned out the address and a GPS system was not enough for our taxi driver to find the place. Luckily a quick phone call to the wife saw us straight. Again picking up the RV (or HMS Wagon-Mobile, as it has now been dubbed) was simple, although having to wait until Monday to be able to use the water system (long story) means it still has yet to quite feel like home. However this shall not be the case once we've properly decorated and really marked our territory...

I'll end it there for now. RV driving, Spurs/Arsenal, NYC and Times Square next (and don't worry I'll make it a lot shorter). Enjoy a compilation video of the experience below ;)

Oh yeah

'... have you seen Molly?'

Beer, Blues and Britishisms - At least that's the plan

Almost two years ago I was cuddled up on my faux-leather, uni-standardised sofa when a rather large penny dropped. Halfway into my three year degree, I still had no idea of what I wanted to do with my life following my graduation; and what better way to avoid making that decision than giving me an excuse not to have to make it. My mind was combusting with excitement, random cataclysmic events bursting with ideas in my now fixated head. America. The United States of. The USA. Walmart-land. This was my decision.

And so it was there, in a more than likely lacklustre amount of clothing, that the next two years of my existence were determined. The following few nights consisted of me sitting for hours on my laptop, tabs aplenty, scouring the internet for information, ideas, and plans. I looked at everything from flight prices and RV rental, to the opening times of the Devil's Rope Barbed Wire Museum. No matter how small, serious or mundane these things were, they all contributed to an important motivating factor: excitement. It has been this state of excitement that has meant, two years on, I am now sitting at my laptop with a US VISA and plance tickets, quibbling over the best way to get from JFK Airport to Manhattan.

I'm not gonna tug you along through a sob story of all the hard work and effort I put in to make this trip possible (although I think having to use email again is worth a mention. I mean seriously, email?), but I will say one thing, it was bloody boring. A three and a half month road trip through the States in an RV with two other guys, two guitars, and an egg shaker, however, will not be. 

It’s hard to say exactly what this trip, or this blog, will consist of, because I have no idea. The freedom to drive where we want, when we want, is the whole core of it. Below is a vague outline of a possible route, but who knows what it’ll look like afterwards. The only thing I can be sure of is that beer, blues and Britishisms will be occurring themes. What me and my two counterparts, Ben and Gareth, aim to achieve from this journey is the creation of a whole new mental filing cabinet of embarrassing, amusing and awkward anecdotes to whip out at the pub in the years to come. I’m not getting goosebumps over the possibility of seeing the Empire State Building, or the Seattle Space Needle. I’m looking forward to that time Ben had to shit in a sandwich bag; that evening we spent playing cards with Randy and Wilma from the RV next door; and that time we told a bunch of girls in a bar we were extras in Harry Potter and were friends with Rupert Grint on Facebook (all of which I intend on making happen).

Not having actually travelled anywhere yet I wasn’t too sure what I wanted this first blog post to achieve. At the moment I can see it mainly serving to fill some space, and giving me something to feel guilty about when I come home in several months time, and this is all that’s here. But we'll see.

'Laissez les Bons Temps Rouler'