Houston: We have a problem...with your BBQ sauce. It's too good.

A little bbq shack in Alvin.

After arriving in the US’ fourth biggest city we were reluctant to get our hopes up after our previous big city experience, Los Angeles, but saying we have enjoyed our time here is a bit of an understatement. We think it is the realization that we are indeed doing something you only get to do once in a lifetime and only now are we starting to spend a little bit more time, and money, enjoying ourselves. Houston is more than a big city, if you know where to look and where to go, and we feel we have really got a feeling for most of what this place has to offer.

Houston highways: A tarmac nightmare.

Our first morning in Houston was spent navigating the many causeways and underpasses en-route to a shopping complex called The Galleria [which is kind of like the one in Perth, just as many shops, just as little variety]. After spending a good half hour trying to find parking, which was made ever more frustrating when you see meadows of outdoor parking obscured by a height restriction of less than seven feet [pointless much], we grazed through the food court and meandered through the twists and turns of the main complex. Unfortunately, we have been trying to come up with an acronym capable of describing the bland and repetitive shopping big city complexes offer but have failed miserably, so if you come up with one we would love to hear it. Do not get us wrong, if you were looking to find all the usual stuff then this place would be great. However, after being on the road for so long we are always on the look out for the different and unique places offering more than the promise of familiarity and low, low prices. We have both developed a taste for things you do not find in department or chain stores. For James he does not want to dress in a flannel shirt [sorry boys] and Antoinette wants a dress capable of being worn by a model who eats at least one sandwich a day. If nothing else The Galeria served as a helpful distraction from Houston highway traffic, which managed to doubled in the time we were in the centre.

Aollo XVIII's permanently grounded Saturn V

This city sticks out in modern history for more than it’s contributions to the great Texan tradition that is BBQ and if you are thinking of possibilities that are out of this world you would be very warm. We were bound for the Houston space centre to find out about this whole ‘man in space’ business and take in a little history and see if they have room for any +1s on the space shuttle’s guest list. For starters the space centre is not really in Houston, more like the Houston greater area, but it is crammed with stacks of stuff that draws your inner science geek to the surface for a few hours. We were able to take a tram tour, which was pretty good if you forget about the frozen extremities due to the cold, and see the original mission control room restored to its former late 60s glory. Seeing the room where the decisions and communications assisted the astronauts who first landed on the moon was pretty cool and considering they did it with computers less powerful than a modern graphics calculator this was no easy task. After seeing the actual frame from the Saturn V rocket for the canned Apollo 18 mission, the training facility and trying on a few space helmets for ‘research’ it was time to call it a day.

The iguana at the butterfly house: Churro

Houston may be a metropolis, but like so many, it has its oases scattered through the dense concrete jungle and one of them in the heart of the city is home to the museum district. We were looking for a lazy afternoon and being in what most would call a desert we did not expect to end up in the Butterfly House. The Butterfly House is a maintained habitat with tropical temperatures, humidity to match and more wings than a Texas sports bar on game day. The collection of butterflies they have is really impressive and when surrounded by so many it is a unique feeling difficult to capture through any photograph or paraphrase. We hung around and discovered an iguana named Churro staking out a spot under his conveniently placed heat lamp before heading back to the RV and our temporary home. This morning was also a special morning because we did our first shop in over two weeks. Our food shopping has been lasting us a long time and we have taken some ‘creative culinary’ steps to make each shop last a little longer than the last. Cutting down on luxury items has been hard, but with the bigger picture of more money to spend in the big apple as a reward it will be worth it in the long run. It seems strange that only now are we getting the most out of what we have and we only have just over five weeks left before we have to hand, Phoenix, our trusty steed back to her rightful owners.

After that little blast of sentimentality for our RV we needed to get our heads straight so after being in Texas for almost two weeks we did what any Texan would to relax, shoot a gun. This is something we have both been reluctantly excited about since crossing the border from New Mexico and after a little research we found a place that looked the goods. Right from the moment we walked in it was clear it was going to be less intense than either of us thought, but still the excitement and nerves of holding a genuine Smith and Wesson 357 Magnum is something we will not be forgetting in a hurry. After a quick training session and being told about how to load and unload this kick ass revolver, how to shoot straight and that the range was all out of Osama Bin Laden targets we hit the indoor range. We were both a little nervous, but got the hang of it in the end. Antoinette stuck it out and actually had a smile on her face every time she turned after letting off six shots into, and around, the target despite the deafening thunderclaps going on around us while James was happy just laying shot after shot into the head of the blue silhouette, with a few exceptions. We were both surprised at how unnatural and controlled it felt and were both happy that most of the shots landed somewhere in the blue zones. We both buzzed our way down the highway and after a good cup of tea and a few hours it was time to experience another Texan tradition.

Our first visit to Joe's BBQ. Mmmm ribs.

A forty minute drive down the Texas Six took us right where we needed to go, Joes BBQ. We searched for BBQ places a few nights before and this looked the most tantalizing and we were both a little confused when we walked in and saw what looked like a food court smashed together with a taxidermy practice. A powerful lesson to learn in the southern US states is that good food comes from places that look anything but. Some of the best food we have had in Texas has been from places that look like little more than a dilapidated farm house on the outside and Joe’s BBQ is a perfect example. Any vegetarians or animal rights activists should skip the next part, you have been warned [please skip to Section A], but carnivores or those who enjoy being at the top of the food chain can read on with envious eyes. Any doubts we had were overshadowed by the one and a half kilos of meat, BBQ sauce and sweet potato fries we had split between two plates and we took the first available seats to save precious eating time. The pork ribs were the best we have had since arriving in the US and the pulled pork was arguably the best chance we have taken in a while. The flavours and textures were bang on, so much so we went there again two days later and it was even better, and we cannot wait to try and recreate the experience for all of our carnivorous friends back home. The ribs were as thick as two fingers and the meat dropped off the bone with a feather like touch, the pulled pork was seasoned beautifully and required very little chewing while their famous beef brisket was succulent and matched perfectly, better than the ribs at least, with their house made BBQ sauce. Overall these are the sort of days you hope for while traveling. A unique experience with someone you love, good food and memories that will last a long, long time.

SECTION A – Broccoli [irrelevant we know, but we are thinking of you.]

Beer can house.

Another attraction in the Houston area is a labor of love most men can relate all too easily with. A house decorated and adorned with beer. The Beer Can House is testament to one mans undying love of the amber carbonated beverage and his passion for artistic self development. This house has so many cans, pull tabs and tops all over the place it is incredible to see and you just have to wonder if he drank all of these himself. After taking a couple of snap shots and satisfying our curiosity, while James had to contend with the  sudden and overwhelming desire for a beer, it was time to head onwards to Rice Village for a coffee. All we can say is…FAIL. We found our way there easily enough, but because it was a Saturday afternoon it seemed all of Houston was in this small shopping district and parking, traffic and pedestrians were a nightmare. It took us twenty minutes of scouring the side streets and inadequate public parking sections before we cut our losses and got out of there. We were not that phased about missing another shopping area because five weeks in New York will present far more than this 12 block district in Houston.

Sunday was a clean out day and our mums, James’ at least, will be happy to know the RV is spick and span. If we were still getting paid pocket money [no really, feel free to give us some cash ;)] we would get bonus for our efforts. We are both adamant Phoenix will be cleaner when we drop her off than when we received her and we hope missing hubcaps that we lost somewhere between Roswell, New Mexico, and Junction, Texas, will be unnoticed [we are hoping the fact both rear hubcaps are missing will be seen as ‘natural’]. For what seems like the first time in a long time a city has delivered more than what we expected it too and we are both happy to be moving on. Houston really has been great, not our favourite part of Texas, but it definitely has its moments and if we ever come back we will be picking up where we left off [ribs???]. The last couple of evenings have been spent mapping our route from Orlando to Washington and we will be seeing most of North and South Carolina in that time with most of the destinations being small country towns. We are really looking forward to our next couple of stops in Louisiana, which will hopefully deliver more than grilled swamp dwelling animals. Alligator kebab anyone?

‘Till next time,

Antoinette and James.

Howdy Y'all: Texas 1.1

Our first Texan Sunset

We will begin by saying we are both feeling much better after being quite under the weather for a couple of weeks with bad colds and so forth and being in the deep south has definitely lead us to warmer weather. The drive from Roswell to Junction, a small town on the interstate en-route to Austin, was the longest one we have completed yet at just under eight hours. The scenery was spectacular and we passed through a number of old shantytowns on the way through, with some looking more suitable as sets for old western movies, with plenty of abandoned buildings and ruins kicking around. Our first Texan sunset lived up to the reputation we had heard about and even though we saw it through our small rear view mirrors it was still fittingly beautiful. Needless to say we were both very glad to arrive in Junction, hook up the RV and chow down on some dinner before passing out happily in the back under a very stunning Texas night sky.

The town of Junction is a little further east than the town we intended to visit, Sonora, but we are glad we did. We are both finding it more relaxing and rewarding visiting the country-side and small towns rather than the big cities crammed with freeways and people who, genuinely, do not think of doing any thing for another person. Southern hospitality has a tremendous reputation and we have encountered it in spades in the smaller towns while in the cities we have found people to be less friendly. Anything you hear about these country people being simple is, quite frankly, untrue as there is nothing simple about what they do or how they do it, but rather they disregard all the usual bullshit that burdens so many people and all that is left is genuine. We have had very few unpleasant encounters with American’s on a whole, and we hope this trend continues, and are grateful the stories we heard back home have very little to do with a vast majority of this country’s citizens.

Armadillo: We called him Arnold

Our first outwards expedition in Texas was to a small state park about 20 minutes out of Junction with promises of wild deer and turkey roaming about the grounds. We managed to photograph the deer as they frolicked across the road at sunset, which had James scouring the roadside for any signs of movement to ensure safe passage for Phoenix, and we even tracked down a couple of Armadillos grazing, which was something we did not even think we would see on this trip. After getting off to such a good start in our latest destination we headed the way we came for Sonora and onwards to the Caves.

We do not know about you, but seeing caves is something we did not expect to hear of, let alone see, in Texas but we are very glad we took a punt and drove on down the interstate. The caves were found by a farmer who’s dog chased a raccoon down a small hole in the early 1900s and the farmer set about exploring the spaces below with no more than rope, a candle and a handful of good faith. What he discovered were some of the most decorated caverns and caves in the world and it is something you really have to see with your own eyes to appreciate. 

One of the highly decorated caverns of Sonora

We were there on a very quite afternoon and there were two other people on our tour, who for one reason or another really frustrated us [we cannot explain why; they just did], and we had an excellent guide show us the different sections, formations and history of the Sonora Caverns. There were all the usual formations, pools of water that looked no more than a few centimeters deep, but in reality were deep enough to dive head first into, and some very unique formations found only in a few places all over the world. The Sonora Caverns are frequently visited by geologists from all over the world and it was very easy to see why. This natural wonder speaks of Texas’ diversity and ability to deliver the unexpected to people willing to take a chance and take the road less traveled. This may not have been what we were expecting from Texas, but it was something totally worth seeing.

Our next stop was Ausitn, Texas’ state capitol, and after another taxing drive on America’s bustling and dim witted highways we arrived at what we thought would be our destination for the week. Upon reporting to the office we were informed even though we had made a reservation there were no spaces available. This was ok with us as we are never in any real hurry to get somewhere, but what pissed us off was her attitude. She made out it was our fault for not double checking and she then went on to explain she was having trouble with her email account and she said ‘I’m computer illiterate,’ which made us wonder why she has an online reservation system when she has no f&#$ing idea what she is doing? Apparently calling someone to tell them their reservation has been declined is something she never thought to do and when we combined this incident with a punctured tire, empty stomachs and post American highway tension we really did start to feel a little dejected. We ended up checking in at a close by RV community, and they only had one space left so it was meant to be [take that discourteous host @ Austin Mid Town RV Park]. The rest of the afternoon was spent at Walmart [a classy place were all your troubles can be forgotten or drowned in responsive consumerism] waiting for our tire to be fixed and picking up a few essentials for Antoinette’s birthday.

Antoinette's birthday invention complete
with multicoloured candles.

Even after a bad first impression we quickly fell in love with Austin. There is something about this city that just seems so right and after spending a day wandering through Austin’s downtown shopping district and speeding through Antoinette’s Texas shopping list [hat, boots and a belt buckle] in less than a few caffeine fueled hours it was time to head back to the RV park and re-coup for the next day. Antoinette’s birthday started with a champagne breakfast served with a weird and wonderful birthday breakfast cake consisting of French toast with peanut butter, chocolate marshmallows and dark chocolate sauce. The results were delicious and we both felt the buzz from ingesting so much sugar so early in the day, but we needed our energy as more shopping waited around the corner of South Congress Avenue. Before hitting the stores we made our way to Austin’s capitol building and learned a lot about ‘the six flags of Texas,’ Austin and the south in General. We were amazed to hear Texas has been ‘owned’ by six countries during it’s history and was even an independent nation for short time after the revolutionaries seized the state from Mexican authorities.

Antoinette in her new boots outside of the
State Capitol.

The little utopian society of Texas shopping better known as South Congress Avenue has a wicked range of all the things you would expect to find in the south and also plenty of whacky objects and antiques with questionable uses and origins for that matter. Antoinette found an authentic pair of cowgirl boots made right here in Texas, a couple of other items and just in time for her birthday too, while James settled for a hand made pair of cufflinks to use when he actually starts wearing anything other than t-shirts. The afternoon wafted away gently with James getting his hair buzzed at a real barber shop, coffee and dinner before trudging back to the RV park with heavy feet and significantly lighter wallets. Coming to Texas we knew we wanted to see a rodeo and the only one we could find was in Fort Worth, approximately three and a half hours north of Austin, so being no stranger to longer than usual day trips at this stage in our adventure that is where we headed.

Action shot of the Cowtown Coliseum in action.

The Stockyard District of Fort Worth was tactfully laid out and really brings out the cowboy or cowgirl in any one walking through the area. Stuck between the old railway station, souvenir shops and saloons is the Cowtown Coliseum, which was host to the worlds first indoor rodeo. The two hour show was really entertaining and with bull riding, run a way roping, barrel racing and more bull riding we really got a taste of what rodeo is all about. By no means are we experts on the subject after this event, but we definitely have an appreciation for the skill and dedication the cowboys, cowgirls and bull fighters [the clowns that distract the bulls after the rider ‘exits’ the bull] have to their respective crafts. The bulls are absolutely massive with most of them weighing close to, or over, 900kg and how the riders hold on is a feat that defies sense and physics. The day trip was possibly one of the best things we have done recently and we with our rodeo lust satisfied we headed back south for Austin on a Saturday night.

Synth player from
Bright light Social Hour

For this nocturnal escapade we would hopefully employ the lessons learned in Las Vegas [warm clothing, no happy hour and most certainly no more espresso martinis], and were destined for a club just out of the central entertainment district called momos. The night started on a promising note caffeine, ice cream and frangelico [aka affogatos] and it was not long before we were stumbling around trying to find where we thought the club was. In the end we both got half of the location equation right with it being on Sixth street, but in the opposite direction and after poking our heads in to see an empty club we staggered across the road to the beckoning neon lights of a local pub. We sat down to two of our favourite beverages [James had his favourite beer La’Fin Du Monde, which is near impossible to get in Perth and Antoinette tucked into a cider, something that is very uncommon in most American bars]. 

We think this guy looks
like THIS GUY

After this intermission we headed back to Momos and the placed was rammed, which was surprising because it had no more than a few bar staff in it an hour ago, and the 71s were revving up a sizeable crowd. After the 71s a crew called ‘The Bright light Social Hour’ came on and really stepped it up to another level. One of the singers looked like this guy [youtube link], another one rocked out on a keytar and the other looked like the cousin it of Adams Family fame had a musical lovechild with Cher on drums. Both the acts we saw were phenomenal and had such an eclectic energy and stage presence that really drew you into their performance. To top it all off we had a wicked taxi driver who made our cab ride disappear faster than we can come up with a David Copperfield joke. Leaving Austin was very hard after such an amazing night. Nights like this really made us want to stay for longer as the club and music scene here is the best we have experienced so far and it would be lovely to kick back and check out what this fine city has to offer.

Even signs in Texas have a slack jaw.

We are currently in Houston and will be here for a week before heading on through Louisiana for some quality Cajun cookin’ before roaming through the south east and onto Florida, where we will be spending Christmas and New Years. The trip is starting to wear us down a little as the repetition and lack of motivation is overtaking the excitement of entering and exploring a new destination. This week however, we had a nice moment, when we locked down our accommodation in New York. After a couple of tough weeks of research, emails and long distance phone calls a fully furnished apartment in Chelsea will be our home for around $90 a night for both of us and we are both relieved we will have a little space to luxuriously spread out and call our own after living out the back of a van for over two months.

‘Till next time,

Antoinette and James. 

The Southwest: Sedona, Albuquerque and Roswell

Sights en-route to Sedona

After leaving the woes and headaches behind in Vegas the clean mountain air and clear blue skies of Sedona were, quite literally, what the non-existent doctor ordered. The drive between the grand-canyon and the Sedona township took us through the interstate and onwards through yet another mountainous road into a deep valley awarding views of red rock and sandstone on either side. Driving through the township of Sedona on a beautifully warm and sunny afternoon with nothing but blue skies and the trails from passenger jets painting their presence against the cloudless sky gave us a really good first impression and one, which unlike others we have had on the journey so far, would not evaporate over the coming days.

Chapel of the Holy Cross

We are not sure if it was the warmer night time temperatures, meaning no more ice on the inside windows of Phoenix, or the friendly greeting we received at the RV park we were to occupy for the coming days, but Sedona was just what we needed. The next morning we decided another day on the road was in order and we headed for Chapel of the Holy cross, a church set on a bed of red rock overlooking the entire basin, and we know this does not really sound like our kind of thing, but seeing the simple architecture and the stunning views made this a very worthwhile stop. Our next destination took a little getting to and after another windy and lofty drive into the hills we arrived at Jerome, one of the first and original settlements in the area. Jerome’s buildings tell of a time more fortunate and the ruins of the hotel, bank and post office really gave the area a sense of history. We did wonder why early settlers took such and arduous journey up a steep hill to set up a village, but after parking phoenix and doing a 180 the panoramic view of the basin punctuated with various mesas, small table-top hills, explained it all. The fancy boutiques, antiquity dealers and art galleries made this destination a perfect distraction for the afternoon and after a pleasantly surprising lunch, one of the best we have had while away, it was time to make our way back to ground level.

Common Sense - Jerome Style

Our second and final day in Sedona would be spent in the back seat of a 4wd taking in some of the awesome sights Arizona has to offer and really testing the traction control and tread of the tyres as our guide expertly guided us through some of the geographic wonders surrounding us. The layers of red and white rock were separated by a band of stone running in a horizontal line through the whole valley as though the top layers of rock were cut off with unrealistic precision and replaced after the filling was spread over the rocks below. The other half of our tour, the Broken Arrow tour, was a little more extreme and saw the 4wd tackle impossibly steep climbs and at times had the bonnet of the jeep pointing to the ground at a 45 degree angle. The ride was as bumpy as you would expect it to be in a modified 4wd, but was an experience nonetheless. Our guide imparted stories of people coming to the area in rental jeeps and getting stuck in the most ridiculous of places, including a truck driver who thought the steep slopes and tight turns of a loose gravel road would be a good shortcut for his fully loaded semi-trailer [nice one anonymous American truck driver]. Arizona has some very common sense laws that make sure if you go somewhere you are not supposed not only will you have to pay for the hefty retrieval fee you will also get a massive fine, so hopefully this truck driver got everything the short cut promised him. For such a rugged landscape it is surprisingly fragile and delicate ecosystem that can be thrown out of balance, more often than not, by tourists who drive in the area unaware of the damage they are doing to the surroundings. There is an organism that lives on top of the soil, holding it firmly in place, at the base of certain plants and grasses that takes hundreds of years to form and can be lifted away unknowingly by the wayward tread of a callous 4wd enthusiast. The resulting loose sand can mean devastating sand storms when strong wind whip through the valleys and plains. We also discovered the desert is home to juniper bush, a key ingredient in Gin, and a certain type of plant used for making tequila so, needless to say, those would be some happy Indians if only they had discovered traditional distilling techniques. Like so many times before, we came to love a place just as we had to leave but we really did not know what to expect from Sedona and were grateful chance lead us here.

Overlooking Sedona

Our next stop was Albuquerque and again the drive was a sensational combination of desert plains and rolling hills. Our Las Vegas escapades, unfortunately, took their toll and we were bed ridden for three out of the four days in Albuquerque. One day in Albuquerque we were held captive inside of Phoenix for an entire day as gusty winds shook her violently from side to side. We did, however, manage to get out on our final day and we headed for the old town district. The district survives on tourism and supplies quality jewelry, pottery and other tasteful creations made by local indigenous artists to those willing to take the time to visit all the shops in the area. Overall Albuquerque was what we expected, a small American country town on steroids, and we were happy to put this town and our sickness behind us.

Roswell is an 'illuminating' experience

Roswell was the next destination for us and promises of UFOs and more south-western hospitality were the out of this world experiences we had in mind. After the 1947 incident involving the US Air Force, a couple of farmers and plenty of tales to wet the whistle of conspiracy theorists Roswell has survived with the notoriety of being the closest town to the ‘alleged’ UFO crash. There really is not much else [we even saw our first tumbleweed in a shopping centre car park] except for a main street crowded with UFO souvenir shops and a few badly themed stores, but if you come to Roswell you have to check out the International UFO Museum and Research Centre. The museum, if you can call it that, presents a lot of information on the 1947 incident and presents a variety of theories and perspectives on the events that took place on a ranch 40 miles outside of Roswell. It lets you make up your own mind and if you read all the information there are definite inconsistencies on both sides of the argument, but the other exhibits really did feel like people reading in between lines that do not exist. There are some interesting reads in the museum, but your own influences and opinions will dictate what you take away from this place.

Our immediate future holds an introduction to Texas before heading through the deep-south on our way to Florida, where we will be spending Christmas in Tampa and New Years in Miami, and onwards up the east coast. It feels good to be back to normal health wise and it makes it much easier to motivate ourselves to get out and draw in as much as we can before having to whisk ourselves away to make it to our next location. Such is the life on the road.

‘Till next time,

Antoinette and James.  

Nevada and Arizona: More than a money oasis.

Vegas Baby!

It’s been a while since we had the energy, or more precisely the motivation, to get you all caught up on our adventures from the last two weeks and the best place to start would definitely be Vegas. For those who do not know Las Vegas is in the Nevada desert surrounded by mountains on every horizon and is constantly rated as one of America’s best cities to let your hair down and let your wallets open.

We arrived on a Sunday afternoon after a long drive from San Diego through some pretty amazing scenery. The way the American landscape changes so dramatically from urban jungle to desert plains studded with monoliths and mirages of mountain ranges in the hazy distance is quite something and we are so glad we chose to drive, rather than fly, across this unfathomably beautiful and rugged terrain. Las Vegas is as glamorous, in parts, as it is made out to be in the media and when the sun goes down the lights come on and the whole city awakes from its daytime hibernation.

Even strolling around the Las Vegas strip you get an appreciation for just how much money is in this city and many try to capitalize on that, some more successfuly than others. If you can look past the peddlers selling wild fantasies through to urban hip-hop jazz fusion artists pushing their latest audio offerings the streets are safe and alive with an electricity like we have never experienced. We were staying at a motel on the Las Vegas strip and we spent one day collecting tickets for David Copperfield and trying out an amusement park on the top of the Stratosphere Casino. The ride we went on was a rollercoaster wannabe and if the roller coaster was not 108 stories high the ride would have been rather lame, we were kind of feeling a little ripped off as it cost about $50 each including entrance to the Stratosphere observation deck, so we spent the next couple of days wandering around without any goal in particular. Antoinette developed a curious, and honestly tempting, craving for espresso martinis and this would take us a few days to stumble across, but we will save that tale and it’s consequences for later.

Each casino has it’s own theme and most are kept in pretty good repair. The MGM Grand has a lion enclosure on the casino floor, the Venetian has Venice inspired gondolas cruising the moat in front of the casino and well you get the idea. The temptation to consume booze most days was hard to overcome, as everybody else seemed to be doing it, but with money being tight for the time being it was probably a blessing in disguise. The shopping in Vegas is truly world class. Almost every major hotel has three things. A Tiffany’s, Gucci and Louis Vitton store either inside the complex, or adjacent to, but there are plenty of other stores to visit and we spent a good day or so strolling through a mall with clouds painted on the ceiling and indoor fountains supposed to fool you into thinking you are outdoors.

Delicious, but deadly.

We did eventually locate somewhere to get an espresso martini, which was delicious, but for some bizarre reason the waitress told us about a place we could get an even better one [which was pretty daring because the ones we had in front of us at the time were lush] and we decided that would be our destination for our large Friday night out on the town. We arrived at Blue Martini around 5.30 to take advantage of their happy hour specials [$7 cocktails until 8pm which included the shaker they were made in that doubled the amount of cocktail goodness you received] and the results were messy. After slamming down four cocktails each, and the extra from the shakers, we were uneasily intoxicated and barely had the sense or energy to make it back to our motel, let alone any casinos. It was a good thing, however, because we would have been cannon fodder for the highly trained fortune distributors behind the smooth felt tables of any casino. The hangover was disastrous and we spent most of the day flicking between anything and everything on a disjointed cable network while avoiding any mention or sight of the sun and the scary neon lit world that lurked metres from where we lay defenseless and in need of a miracle.

This afternoon held promise, not similar to the afternoon before it, but the thought of seeing David Copperfield at the MGM Grand was enough to lure us from our incapacitated state, although we were both hoping he could make our hangovers…disappear. The show was brilliant and Copperfield really does things that defy logic and leave you scratching your head thinking ‘How?’ Even though the show did not seem too important to Copperfield he was still having fun, mostly at the audiences expense, and the show was worth the money. So after succumbing to the temptations of Las Vegas, perhaps a little too much, it was time to escape the strip and head to the Grand Canyon.

Grand Canyon 1.0

After another eastward drive we found ourselves on highway 64 50 miles south of the Grand Canyon in a town called Williams. We were a little bewildered when we checked in and were given a sheet saying ‘freeze warning,’ but we quickly figured out why. This place was freezing. We woke up in the morning to find ice on the inside windows of our RV, seriously it was so cold we could not sleep, but after a hot breakfast and an hour long cruise down highway 64 we arrived at our destination. Photos really do not do justice to the Grand Canyon and although you can capture, preserve and display portions of the canyon in great light and detail the vastness and gargantuan space this wonder occupies can not be described by any single image. The park was really well run, with free shuttles running constantly through some of the parks better spots, and we found ourselves walking within metres of the canyon rim in no time.

Grand Canyon near Desert View

We took as many photos as we could before deciding it was time to head somewhere else and we tackled the 30 minute drive to Desert View where a lone tower watches over the plateaus and crevasses and forgoes magnificent views deep into the canyon and over the plains. We do not know what it was, maybe the extended hangovers, but for most of the trip we were both speechless and did not feel the need to gasp and gape because the views said it all for us. Even though the light for most of the day was horrid with shadows stretching through almost every shot the journey out here was really worthwhile and even though we might never come back the majesty and immensity of this place really is something you have to see for yourself.

After another cold night in Williams we headed south for warmer weather to a small town called Sedona, literally a blip on the map, and found a strange affinity with the red rocks and desert hills that make up so much of what we are now seeing. For us the south-west really feels like the real America and being able to drive through such mind blowing natural phenomena makes us realize just what we are doing and makes us really glad we are actually doing it. We have a couple of things to take care of in Sedona before heading through to Albuquerque, Roswell, Senora and beyond, which, undoubtedly, will hold plenty of sights, sounds and tastes for us to write about, but you will just have to wait a while.

‘Till next time,

Antoinette and James.

California: Childhood Adventures and Remembering Ron Burgandy

So, when we left you last we were on the cusp of fulfilling every child’s dream and entering what is arguably the most famous theme park on the planet, Disneyland. Antoinette could hardly contain herself the morning of our departure and after loading our pack mule, James, with sugary supplies and a really atrocious coffee we arrived at the gates about 30 minutes prior to the park opening. This, as it turned out, was a really good move because if you want to experience everything this park has to offer it will take more than a full day and we found it was not until half way through our second day we had seen all the different areas in Disneyland. We decided not to tackle the California Adventure Park because it just would have meant we would have to split our time between the two destinations and not be able to get the most out of our Disneyland experience.

James hanging on for dear life.

After waiting for the park to officially open and hearing the ‘strategies’ of people standing next to us and how they were going to go to this ride, grab fast passes for this ride on the way, while the family continued on, and how walking through the park with a stroller was about being ‘firm, but fair’ we did not know what to expect. We quickly realized how lame and unentertaining it would be to have a strategy and we just decided to do everything in the entire park and we were always joking about having a strategy while waiting in line for the rides, which was a good way to pass the time. Even in off season there were lines for pretty much everything, but the lines all move really quickly and we would hate to come to this place during peak season because you would definitely end up feeling like a herd of animals as the lines crawl to the departure point. Some of our favourite experiences included when Tigger, the sneaky and unsubtle so and so, covered James with Antoinette’s scarf during a photo to get James, quite literally, out of the picture, completely overdosing on sugar for the two days and James holding on for dear life while Antoinette drove carelessly around a closed circuit. Some of the rides were, obviously, better than others and Space Mountain, Splash Mountain and Madhatter were some of the best and we made time to revisit these on our second day.

The place itself is all done really well, with the exception of a few of the older areas, and each theme is executed near perfectly and the décor in these sections really does make you feel like you are in the jungle, in the wild west, a futuristic land of tomorrow or part of a Disney fairytale yet to be told. After two days of strolling around, tackling the exciting and authentic attractions and having all of our childhood fantasies fulfilled it was time to say goodbye to Disneyland and say hello San Diego, the birthplace of Ron Burgundy, the greatest fictitious news presenter the world has ever known.

Antoinette with her recently acquired friend, Samuel.

Those of you who have seen Anchorman will now be thinking of plenty of ridiculous quotes from the most eccentric scotch loving, suit wearing and mustachioed character ever produced, but San Diego has more to offer than entertaining news anchors. After two non-stop days at Disneyland we spent one afternoon on Pacific Beach, just a 10 minute drive north-west from the city centre, lazing about and it was great to be able to get outdoors, relax and forget about everything to do with traveling for a few hours. The beautiful white sands, gentle sea breeze and warm sunny conditions made this just what we needed to get our heads back in the right places after the swarming mass of crying children and angry parents that was Disneyland.

The San Diego Zoo was also another reason we came this far south and it did not disappoint. The place is massive and there are so many animals here and although it is always a bizarre feeling to see such majestic creatures behind bars, prisoners for our own enjoyment, it was still an enjoyable experience. This zoo has elephants, polar bears, tigers, lions, leopards, jaguars and so much more it was hard cramming it all into one day, but after walking without a break from end to end and side to side we had seen everything there was to see, except for the animals that spent their days hiding just out of view. After two days of drinking down the smooth delights of San Diego it was time to get amongst the city centre and we found ourselves dragged towards the Gas Lamp Quarter.

The Entry To the Gaslamp Quarter in San Diego

The Gas Lamp Quarter is a 16-block sanctuary in the centre of San Diego overflowing with restaurants, shops and night clubs nestled in some very classic Victorian architecture. The energy around this place on a Saturday was quite electric and one could only imagine what would take place here once the sun went down, but we could only imagine because the 300 mile drive the next day limited our debauchery to a late lunch and, yet another, average coffee experience. Overall San Diego is definitely worth visiting if you ever find yourself this far south and had we been privy to a couple more days here there was more we could have done, but with Vegas beckoning with its bright lights and promises of unclaimed fortunes it is time to say goodbye to California and hello to Nevada.

‘Till next time,

Antoinette and James. 

Los Angeles: Broken Dreams and Happiness

One of the most iconic Los Angeles Images

A long drive and a really dodgy motel, or hotel as the owners prefer to call it, was not the impression of Los Angeles we were hoping for. The room was without doubt the oldest and most neglected we have stayed in. We had to park Phoenix, our camper, in an alley way opposite a dumpster with ‘fuck life’ sprayed badly on all sides and the smell of disinfectant was everywhere in the room from the yellowing floor tiles through to the sandpaper-esque towels and bed linen. It took a little getting used to, but the homemade vegetable vindaloo seemed to get rid off, or at least mask, the strange odours of this motel room in disguise.

Our first day was spent strolling through the down town area of L.A., which was a little disappointing in all honesty, and the shopping was all oriented to wholesalers and the area was full of tacky discount stores. It was not what we were in the mood for. We looked into being part of a studio audience and after reserving tickets online, two days prior for those of you wondering, we headed out to Sony Pictures and after a hour and a half bus ride and a further 30 minutes waiting around in the carpark we were told the studio was full and we had to go home. They did offer tokens that would see us certain entrance to an audience of our choosing, which was great because now we can see a show we do not really give a shit about the next time we come down the road from Australia. The whole experience was really disappointing and was the pinnacle of a number of let downs we have had to endure and we were both pretty pissed. 

Legends from the Rock Wall on Sunset Boulevard

The night’s adventures did not end there, however, we decided to pick up some supplies [corn chips for nachos, pineapple juice, vodka] and write our own hilarious sit-com. Downtown L.A. is not the trendiest part of town by any stretch of the imagination and while picking up the supplies from a convenience store with bulletproof glass around the register James was told he was going to hell for being greedy and that he needed to read the bible after declining a Hispanic guy, who ‘just got outta jail’ [his words, not ours], spare change. So our first L.A. escapade saw us travel pointlessly for three hours on public transport, get turned away from a show with tickets in hand and been told our futures were not so bright in the eyes of someone who, obviously, lives his life according to the good word…NICE!

Killer mural along Venice Beach

This city is renowned for it’s glitz and glamour and a trip to Hollywood was enough to get our moods back in the right place. The tour we settled on took us through Hollywood, Beverly Hills and down Sunset Boulevard on a two-hour loop around some of the city's sights and attractions. The sights mainly revolved around celebrity existence and for two people who hold only the slightest of interest in what celebrities worked where before they made the big time the highlights were few and far between. The walk of fame is pretty cool, but again did not really do it for either of us, but if you dig your celebrity gossip and want to tantalize your senses with the lifestyle of the stars then this is the place to do it. Our favourite place was the 'rock wall,' a storefront crowded with handprints of very influential music stars from previous eras. Beverly Hills’ meticulously manicured lawns and shopping centres with no sign of wear and tear were impressive, including the world famous Rodeo Drive, but were awash with a pretentious and almost inaccessible aura.

The highlight of Los Angeles, by far, are Santa Monica and Venice beaches that are shining examples of what the city has to offer. The beaches were hemmed by distant images of mountains and the white sands were tamed by blue water on one side and a whole range of crazily unique stores selling everything from urban artworks through to cooky giftware. We finally picked up a mascot on the Venice Boardwalk, a little Wall-e figuring made out of recycled hardware, and wandered around until we decided it was time to move on to the Santa Monica pier. The pier is the western most point on Route 66 and was a fitting destination seeing we will be crossing the country using parts of this historic roadway. It was nice just taking things a little slower than in the centre of Los Angeles and the coastal vibe was a welcome change after the trials of the previous couple of days.

Kick ass figurines made from scrap metal at Venice Beach.

Our last days in L.A. were spent people watching in Santa Monica and overdosing on burgers for our ‘last night dinner celebration,’ and we were both ecstatic to be putting the badly lit and interesting aromas of our lodging for the previous seven nights behind us. We are currently in Anaheim, after a shorter than expected drive, in a much nicer motel chain and are set to fulfill all of our childhood dreams with two days kickin’ around in the grounds of Antoinette’s future house, the Disney castle. With San Diego and a week in Las Vegas on the horizon, not to mention all the happy snaps with idols from an age gone by, there are plenty of tales to come.

‘Till next time,

Antoinette and James.

California 2.0

The Rock

So our last entry left you all hanging and thinking about the mischievous deeds Antoinette and James would be up too when they hit San Francisco. The city itself is relatively small, by city standards, with approximately 750,000 residents, but there is so much history in San Francisco you do not know where to start. We were located right in the heart of the downtown district in an ok motel, but the location is what got us really excited.

After crashing hard in the afternoon after the long and busy drive composing of aggravated Americans, lost Asians and totally awesome Australians [we give you one guess to figure out which group we were part of] we booked ourselves tickets to one of the city’s most famous landmarks and tourism hotspots, Alcatraz. We decided to walk in the morning, as the map made it look easy, but we have both sworn never to say another word about how geographically boring Perth is compared to this place. After many ascents and descents through the hills of central San Fran, including a waddle through the ‘crookedest’ street in the world, we arrived at the iconic waterfront district and were en-route to the small island in no time.

Alcatraz has so many stories to tell, and the island itself has changed its persona more than a hermaphrodite on drag night, but just walking around the grounds was enough to make you appreciate how isolated the prisoners of Alcatraz were. The cellblocks were eerily quiet as everyone was cruising around buckled to the voices of the audio tour and getting the insights of former wardens and inmates into the daily happenings on The Rock. There were stories of retribution, foiled escape attempts and gory details of prison life. The views to San Francisco were brilliant and the prisoners would have been able to enjoy what is one of the best views of the city if it were not for the 6m high brick walls and barbed wire surrounding their ‘recreation yard.’

The Golden Gate Bridge

After our Alcatraz experience we headed back to our temporary home to recoup for the next two days in the city. We jumped on one of the ‘hop-on / hop-off’ buses and headed for the Golden Gate Park, a massive man made expanse of huge trees, shrubs and grassland. In the latter half of the 1900s the Golden Gate Park was transformed from barren sand dunes into the lush and beautiful retreat it is today. We have also walked the span of the Golden Gate Bridge, checked out were the ‘hippy movement’ began, discovered the joys of antique arcade machines on Pier 45 and strolled the streets of central San Francisco taking in the epic Victorian and Edwardian style homes that colourfuly dot streetscape after streetscape. San Francisco is the sort of place you could spend a month and still not see everything, but with this just being the start of our trip we needed to keep moving. If we were to come back it would be with a lot more money in our back pockets to take full advantage of the insane amounts of boutique retailers and one-of-a-kind shops that we just do not have back home. When it was time to say goodbye to San Francisco it was time to say hello again to mountain country and we set out for Yosemite National Park.

A grassy meadow in Yosemite Valley

The three and a half hour drive rewards you with massive slabs of granite rocks sprouting vertically into the bright blue sky on either side with lush forests, meadows and rivers at every turn. The sights here are unlike anything we have ever seen before and the pictures we have burned into our memories do the place more justice than even the most high-resolution panoramic shot of the valley. The next day we wound our way down through Fresno to Kings Canyon National Park and took a hair raising ride down into the valley, which [for those of you playing at home] is not as much fun as it sounds in a 17ft camper van on steep winding roads with loads of blind corners, but once we got to the valley floor and were enveloped by the walls of granite we quickly forgot the potential drama of the downward journey.

Giant Sequoias at Kings Canyon.

Going back up was a little easier and after cruising through some fog we arrived at a patch of forest that is home to some of the biggest trees in the world, the Giant Sequoia. These trees are massive. Standing 30m away you still cannot get the entire thing in a picture frame and the biggest one, General Grant, is estimated to be between 1600 to 2000 years old. Feeling insignificant when standing next to these natural giants is all too easy and these fire resistant behemoths have withstood more than any human will ever experience and really define the word awesome.

We have seen so much in the last five days or so and we just hope it all sinks in over the long drive we have in the next couple of days to Los Angeles, five and a half hours away, which we will be calling home until our next major stop. Disney Land, but do not tell Antoinette she might pass out.

‘Till next time,

Antoinette and James.

California: More Than Just Oranges

Our apartment on wheels

Heading out of Seattle after cruising the suburbs and market places one last time we were ready for something new, fresh and a little warmer. San Francisco is located in the Bay Area of north western California and there is so much to see and do in the northern area alone and our Lonely Planet USA book, aka our bible, is open all the time.

We had to pick up our camper from the east side of the bay in a suburb called Hayward. For all those wondering we still have thick Australian accents because we get asked to repeat everything when we are trying to tell drivers where we are going. Our camper van, who we have named Phoenix to fit in with our trashy adopted personas, was waiting for us at a motel just off the interstate highway and the only thing separating us from the road was the desire to get some sleep somewhere other than a motel car park. Phoenix is a converted Dodge van with a fuel guzzling V8 and everything you would expect in an RV; fridge, microwave, shower, toilet and what has now become a really comfy bed. The RV appeared smaller than we thought it would, but after camping out for a couple of days we have become used to making the most of the space we do have, but we digress.

Our first stop once we got on the road was Walmart to pick up some supplies for the journey ahead to make sure we don’t get caught out unprepared and then onwards towards the Napa region. Even though it has been only a matter of weeks since we had driven in Hawaii we were quickly reminded of the discourteous manner and apparent lack of peripheral vision amongst American drivers. Within minutes of being on the interstate we witnessed dozens of ‘near misses’ and saw two crashes within about ten minutes of one another and this really had us on edge considering we were ‘easy prey’ for the cut throat attitude on American roads.

Ken: Elkhorn Peak's Magician

Regardless we arrived at our campsite a little later than expected and got ourselves comfortable for the day ahead, which would see us head into one of the worlds most recognised wine regions. The morning started as many more will, by getting a little lost, but after stumbling through the Napa town centre and finding our pick up location we were taken away on a bus with four other couples to our first vineyard. The Napa Valley is about 50 km long and about seven wide and laden with vineyards and wineries capable of producing some very top quality wines.

The valley is subject to a number of different micro-climates and these different regions are suited to different varieties. The southern more temperate climates are better suited to pinot noir whilst the mountainous regions are better suited to Cabernet varieties to give the grapes the sunshine they need to ripen properly before harvest late in the season. What surprised us about the valley is a majority of the grape producers sell nearly all of their grapes to the local wineries, while keeping a small percentage for themselves, to create a system of sustainability and quality throughout the Napa region.

The 'Yates Family Representative

Our first vineyard was Elkhorn Peak and Ken, the owner, has been growing pinot noir in the valley for about 30 years and his wines were really a cut above the rest. His passion and ability to cut through all the bullshit and misconceptions many have of the wine industry really caught our attention and his no nonsense approach to growing a top quality grape delivered sensationally tasty results. The most disappointing thing about the smaller producers is that most will not ship overseas because it is too expensive and they cannot guarantee their wines will not be affected by the shipping methods so we had to make do with a couple of bottles of pinot and a really tasty desert style wine that, we swear, will only be consumed when we get back home. Napa is a really beautiful region and had we the time and money we would have stayed for much longer and tasted our way through many more of the small vineyards to get a real taste for what the Napa Valley has to offer.

After saying goodbye to the valley we took Saturday to re-fit our RV and get ourselves properly settled. We have pulled out the bed into a more permanent position and stored everything away to get used to the limited space we have available to us. We have already found when it comes to cities and camper vans it is cheaper to get a room at a motel than it is to stay at an RV park, which could be anywhere from 30 to 40 minutes away from the city centre. Our list of cities to visit includes many major cities and if traffic in San Francisco is anything to go by staying off the roads will be a very wise move for our sanity, not to mention safety. San Francisco will be our home for the next couple of days and with Alcatraz and plenty more on our agenda before heading out to Yosemite and onwards to Kings Canyon we really have a lot to think about.

‘Till next time,

Antoinette and James. 

Seattle: Sleepless? No way.

The sunset over the lakes crossing the US / Canada border

Leaving Whistler we decided to take a different approach to traveling, we have typically broken longer journeys into two, so we decided to treat it like a band aid and rip it off in one go. After starting our trip at 10am with a bus ride, followed by another bus ride, followed by a painful five-hour wait in a bus station, followed by a train ride over the border and finally a cab we arrived at Seattle Hostel around 11pm. After more than 11 hours of travel we were glad to stop moving and get ourselves settled in the heart of downtown Seattle.

Our accommodation is an old historic building given a new cutting edge feel with local artists transforming each room into a quirky representation of contemporary art. The artist who themed our room is obviously quite an interesting character and her interest in exploring the relationship between organic subjects and technology is an interesting setting to chill in. Being right in the middle of the city is a huge bonus and everything we need is within a ten minute walk or less.

Our first morning we took advantage of the sunshine, a rare thing for Seattle, and wandered [or waddled after taking advantage of the hostel’s free breakfast] to the well known Pike Place Markets. The diversity and quality represented throughout the marketplace was quite something and at 10:30 in the morning the place was pumping and full of people. It sounds strange, but the vibe at the markets was something quite special and being back in a city again after Whistler was really a big buzz.

Gotta love Seattle Hard Rock

After cruising our way around and getting a little lost, we’re quite use to that now, we headed for Space Needle and the attached Experience Music Project and Sci-Fi Museum. The EMP [Experience Music Project] is a representation of the musical movements and individuals who have shaped music history in Seattle and around the world. From ancient posters of Jazz artists in the early 20s and 30s, the perms of Hard Rock superstars, draft lyrics handwritten by Kurt Cobain and guitars used and trashed by Jimi Hendrix this place is a music buff’s paradise. There were stacks of interactive exhibits and after Antoinette had a go at slappin’ the bass, James almost loosing Roofus [our little point and shoot camera] and mixing ‘Sweet Dreams’ by the Eurythmics [quite badly we are sorry to say] it was time to check out the Sci-Fi Museum.

Each cabinet and glass case was overflowing with costumes, books and movie props to satisfy and interest some one with even the most fleeting of interests in sci-fi stuff. Full size Teenage Mutant Ninja turtles, ET and a wide range of robots and droids and original movie posters adorned the walls of sci-fi museum and the scariest thing was most of it is either made or donated by fans of the movies. After coming a little too close to a Tranformers poster of the animated movie it was time to rip James away from his boyhood hero, Optamus Prime, and go to higher ground.

Ready for take off.

The Space Needle was a little expensive, $20 each, to get to the top and were it not for the blustery wind conditions and the cold we probably could have got our money’s worth out of it. It was something worth doing, but it really did look a whole lot more impressive from the outside, as do many things in this city. Don’t get us wrong it was cool to see one of Seattle’s most well known landmarks, but we both felt it needed more to justify the price of admission.

After feeling a little jaded by the whole Sky Tower thing we headed back to the hostel to reload for the next day of cruising one of Seattle’s most historic sections. Pioneer square is one of the most historic parts of Seattle and the architecture really reflects so many qualities of the city itself. Old red brick buildings tower over the arcades and streets filled with boutique fashion houses and quaint art galleries nestled in between plenty of caffeine replenishment zones, restaurants and pubs. Most of the Pioneer Square area was built after the great fires in the late 1800s and exploded into the consciousness of ordinary American’s when it was marketed as a ‘gateway to gold country’ during the biggest gold rush in America that lasted the best part of two decades. It was a good thing we came during the day as this area has quite a bad reputation at night, especially on the weekends, so we decided something a little more sophisticated was in order for our night time shenanigans.

A lazy dinner and some down time awaited before we ventured out to a club called ‘The Tripple Door and Musicquarium,’ for a live Jazz troupe and a few glasses of Napa Valley Cab Sav. The music was good, but the wine was better, and after chilling in the mood lighting for a few hours we retreated happier than when we arrived and devoured plenty of sleep until the next morning.

Saturday had arrived and we decided a ‘do nothing day’ was essential. We finalized a few little bits and pieces, including the arrangements for picking up the motor home, and our first stay at a trailer park in the Napa Valley, which is more expensive than we thought. As time passes we are getting a lot better at not spending so much while still spending enough to keep ourselves from going insane. We spent so much more than we thought or intended too during the first month and a half, but we did not really know what to expect so we are both glad to be on the mainland away from most of the tourism oriented places where businesses charge a shiteload of money just because they can.

A mural that sums up Seattle's diversity and heritage.

Money matters aside Sunday was spent cruising through the Fremont Sunday markets and delving deep into ‘vintage’ territory. This district is certainly the most alternative we have seen thus far and Antoinette described it perfectly when she said ‘this area is like Fremantle except it is hip, not hippy.’ With plenty of random junk and trinkets to pick up and touch we spent a few hours looking at all things weird and wonderful and after buying a couple of little bits we headed home happy that we were able to check out something that really felt like Seattle. There is also plenty of public artwork around on almost every street corner in Fremont. A Lenin Statue from Europe on North 35^th, a troll under a bridge snacking on a VW Beetle on North 36^th and statues waiting at a disused bus stop on North 34^th all testify to the artistic nature of this city and is a very welcome sight under the overcast skies.

We have a couple of days left in Seattle and have a couple of things left on our ‘to do’ list before we leave and after cramming so much into days just passed it should be a leisurely cruise to the finish and then onwards to genuine sourdough bread [sorry Antoinette], cable cars, Alcatraz and San Francisco.