TcV His Life In Pieces

As you may recall, ages ago in the planning stage of my great American road trip. I stated quite categoricaly that I wouldn't be visiting Alabama after viewing the Top Gear programme part of which was filmed there.

Well I have changed my mind after Dave Gorman drove through there in America Unchained, he received fabulous hospitality there. He also drove though a town called Brilliant there. How brilliant is that?

I have already seen the television programme that Dave Gorman made charting the rapidly declining world of Mom and Pop's America.

Well I have just read the book and it does what any good book does it expands upon the film and offers more subtle details.

And while I already knew he had done what I had wanted to do and didn't.
He actually stayed at The Dog Bark Park Inn in Cottonwood Idaho, I thought since he was friends with Emma Kennedy in real life she might have told him about it. I found out about it from her blog, but in fact he found it himself.

I also learned from his book that I had stayed longer in Klamath Falls than he had, (they didn't stop) but he did stay in Salem and Eureka which for me were just station stops. I had already regretted missing out on Portland, and now I regret missing out on the tree houses in Takilma, Oregon.

I didn't do America Unchained, In many ways I would have had a better time. I enjoyed my trip but I did stay in Chain Hotels (as far as I know). I definitely would have had a better time in Philly had I stayed in the Society Hill Hotel as opposed the Omni Hotel next door. If my liver could have coped with the free drinks.

I did eat in chain restaurants (McDonalds, Quiznos, Arby's, Papa Joes, Baker's Square, Starbucks, Denny's, iHop). I didn't eat at the Olive Garden (the largest chain of Italian-themed full-service restaurants in the U.S) but is widely criticised for its lack of authenticity, the closest we have is Frankie & Benny's. Nor did I eat at Taco Bell, but for my shame I ate at an outlet of small chain of English themed bars in Chicago. I had shepherd's pie and it was very, very nice.

Is Amtrak a chain, it is after all nationalised?

It did stay in Cookie-cutter hotels, which something I have avoided in the past staying in the brilliantly potty Christopher North for years, where I could have accrued thousands of points in a boring hilton/ marriott hilton chain.

The flight left Boston only ten minutes late and arrived early but there was a small delay at Heathrow for the gate.

I got to Terminal 1 and went through security.

The Newcastle flight was twenty minutes late but still got into Newcastle a little after a 11am.

My luggage hadn't made it and I had eported it missing and was out of the airport by 11:30.

We did not go through customs and not one word was said about the duty free cigarettes that I had bought my folks. I should have bought more.

I was disappointed that Gregg's at the airport was closed. As I have already said I went to the cashpoint and thought the money looked weird.

I got home and chilled out and the BA courier delivered my luggage at 7pm.

I am glad that I went and I have had a spectacular time.

Yes maybe I could have done more and made more stops especially Portland, Oregon.

I should have spent longer both in San Fran and Seattle and less time in Boston. I should have got my act together and went on to Maine at least for a day.

I should have had a foray into the South West like Texas and I should have gone to Vancouver.

Casualties:

In my travels I lost:
The Stylus for my DS on the flight over.
Two combs the one I brought with me and the replacement that I bought.
The rubber eye-cup for the viewfinder of my Canon 350d
Zoo Keeper for the DS on the bus from Boston to Hyannis (Cape Cod).

However I gained;
An Aiptek Dv4000 digital camera with video from Jenny who never uses it.
A Polaroid OneShot600 and A Yashica Twinflex compact 35mm from a Seattle thrift store for $3 each.
valuable experience.

On going to the cash machine at Newcastle airport I was struck by how big the money is.

I did quite a lot of stuff in Boston, but not as much as I could have done.

I found an Irish pub called the Corrib which was full of authentic Irish folk and not one of them was drinking Guinness, it was a elcome relief from the cult of Guinness I tell you. They all were drinking American lite beers. Another night I noticed some people drinking the black stuff but those customers were American.

On July 4th I watched the famous Boston Pops fireworks, hosted by that numpty Craig Fergusson, on TV in the Corrib, where I met a nice young lady from Galway (I have forgotten her name, sorry if you're reading this email me) who invited me along to see her play the following night in a different part of town.

July 5th I arrive at the Burren which is a fairly typical Irish bar and find a seat. The friendly lady who had invited (still doesn't register) came over to say hello before she started playing. There was a three piece she played fiddle and there was an accordionist and guitarist. Garven (spelling unknown) the bartender bought me drinks when he discovered that I support Sunderland football club.

When they finished their set we were locked in for about half an hour and she was telling me about her husband an her family, and as she lived near my hotel we shared a cab. I do hope that she emails me as I feel rotten for not knowing her name.

I visited downtown Boston and saw the first Church of England Church in the Americas, the Old South Meeting Hall, where after three days of discussions failed to get anywhere the went and tipped the Tea into the Harbour.

I also went to the Old State House which was the Governor's mansion before that bit of unpleasantness in 1770 odd.

I went to Cheers the outside is superb exactly like the TV but the interior was a disappointment.

I bought souvenirs in a mad dash in the last hour before the Airport Shuttle collected me.

There was only me in the Airport Shuttle and I arrived with 5 hours to spare for my flight and boy was I glad that I had the queues at security were long but not unpleasant and it moved quite quickly.