I Dream of Californication–Day 1

It might not look like much, but that is

Jupiter...I wish my camera could pick up all

the stars. 

Apparently Uranus is right next to it too.

WOW…I think that’s the best and only way to start this entree. After leaving at 4 o’clock this morning, driving for 18 hours, and covering about 1,000 miles, we have stopped just outside a small town called Brookridge in California, the middle of nowhere. It’s pitch black here and I can honestly say that I have never seen this many stars in the night sky, amongst all of them is several extremely clear shooting stars and Jupiter. You can even see the Milky Way.

I’m writing this blog whilst being sat in Mark’s truck, my bed for the night in the passenger’s seat, I wish I could publish this now, but I have no internet. But I still wanted to get it all written down.

So after getting to sleep last night (this morning) at about 1:15, I did actually wake up to my alarm going off at 3:15…so me, Mark, and Dylan even headed out 5 minutes earlier than planned, leaving at 3:55. I did pretty much sleep the whole drive through Washington, but woke up in time to cross the state-boarder into Oregon, and I even got to see Portland…Twice.

Sunrise, near Portland

The pictures on this post are all in order to show you how much the weather has been changing through our day

Crossing the Washington / Oregon state boarder

Passing out several times through Oregon (I wasn’t tired, but trust me, the back seats in Mark’s truck are pretty tight to say the least, and sleeping just seemed the best way to get through it), though on each occasion of waking up I did see Oregon’s awesome scenery. We had a McDonald's is the most scenic venue that I’ve ever been to. The McDonald’s being there kinda made me laugh, kinda shows that you can’t except them arches.

After not too long, and after climbing higher, we past the state boarder into a not so typical stereotype of California…I’m pretty sure that it’s not meant to snow here. But to be fair I have seen extreme sun, some extreme rain, some extreme winds, and some extreme snow today, all on several different occasions (we’ve been travelling up and down several hills all day). And if I’m being honest, the north of California is VERY similar to the south of Oregon. We even got to stop off in a small town called Weed, which seemed to be taken advantage of it’s name for all the tourist gimmicks on sale…also thank you to the two girls in Weed’s Petrol (Gas) station for having such an entertaining conversation!

My last view of Oregon...

...And my first impression of California

Several hours driving, (and after another kip in the back) we crossed another state boarder into Nevada to the city of Reno and headed for an ‘In N Out’ which is pretty much what we did in Nevada, we were in and out within a few hours (and sorry to Ryan and Katie, we were still a good 5 hours away from you guys in Vegas). It was good grub…simple menu…awesome food. And my tip for any fast food, if you ever buy a chocolate milkshake, once finished, don’t rinse out your cup, just fill it up with root beer for a throffie and surprisingly tasty delight.

In N Out's menu...simple

It aint as big as Vegas

After driving for about another 3 hours (and crossing into California again) we arrived at our present destination. It’s pitch black here, so I’m pretty excited to wake up and see what’s around me…all I know is that I’m in a dessert…..(but by the time I get round to posting this, I’ll have already seen the answer.

All I know of my current surroundings

So here we are...currently halfway down the very east of California

This now means that (including DC and stop over flights (which I’ve been told I’m not allowed to count…but I’m gonna)) I’ve now been in 15 US States in my life time. And including my trip to Tampa, Florida (back in March and April of this year), by the time I arrive in San Diego, I will have covered the four corners of the USA in this year alone (including Seattle and Boston). Not bad, considering I was never originally planning on coming to the Sates and considering that I aint even covered the four corners of England (well…I’ve never had a need/reason to head up to the Northeast.

On this trip (to date (since leaving England two months ago – to the day)) I’ve covered:

• Towns/Cities: Already countless (but all firsts on this trip)
  
• States/Provinces: 7 (6 of which are firsts on this trip)
  
• Countries: 1

I’m gonna leave the car door open now until it gets too cold, it’s pretty impressive up there tonight, and it’s gonna be a long time before I see this many stars again…I hope it doesn’t cloud over tonight.

…And Dylan, if you ever read this, sort me out with them enhanced pictures of the night's sky so I can put them on here. Cheers mate.

Seattle

So this weekend has pretty much involved two trips to Seattle, and a thrilling Saturday evening down the Duvall Tavern (now otherwise known as the cure for the common cold - since I seem to have cured Ryan's). However, in typical style due to whatever reasons, both days started a little bit later than planned, but so what.....

Saturday included a tour of the Experience Music Project / Science Fiction Museum. The EMP was pretty cool and the SFM...well I'll be honest, it took me a little while to notice the number of nerds...., I kinda felt like this.

Famous

We then headed for the worst Mexican food I've ever had, or (if you're more of a "the glass is half full" kinda person) the best tasting cardboard that I've ever had, followed by a trip to the Space Needle

Sunday included a trip to Pike's Place Market, the original Starbucks (which, in my very honest opinion, could do with a refurbishment) and Hard Rock Cafe, as well as the rest of Downtown Seattle.

If you ever heading to Seattle it is worth looking in to getting a Seattle CityPass which has several attractions on it.

So, in short,  it was a pretty touristy weekend for me!

The weekend ended with a farewell meal for Ryan and Katie, with Steve and Jane. And my Monday started dropping Ryan and Katie off at Seattle airport, hope you both have an awesome time in Vegas, even though you were only here for 5 nights, my little villa feels empty without ya. And with all that's gone on since I left England, I dunno when I'm gonna see you both again (which sucks) and the same for most other people back home (which also sucks).

Also applied for a fair few more jobs North of the boarder today and over the weekend.

And finally, check this crazy awesome dude out:

Na, not him,....this guy (below) was crazy awesome:

Right, this time I really should go to sleep now...I'm Road Trippn' in less than 4 hours!!!

Gifts from England.

So before Wednesday it'd been nearly eight weeks since I'd seen anyone that I knew before this decade started, but that all changed on Wednesday night (just a few hours later than planned) the Anglo-American newly weds, Ryan and Katie, arrived in Duvall...meaning that I now have to share my little basement/awesome villa down here...but on the plus side I have a hell of a lot more food down here now, but more importantly...TREATS FROM ENGLAND.

First off, thanks to Danny G, Pigeon and Ed for my extremely considerate gift selection from what can only be described as "Mikey's big envelope of joy", which included...well, everything I could EVER need, including: a "winner" medal, a cut out from a newspaper of "Pompey Vs Forest" (the score really isn't important and no I didn't read it), a pierced vanilla johnny (it worked), free trail at Dan's gym, 21p, some Euros, keyboard cleaner, blue tac, the actual Lucy Pinder, a losing scratch card, a "John" name tag for Sainsbury's (he used to be a trolley boy?), a key to Dan's heart....oh the list goes on, but I'm a very lucky and spoilt boy.

And I didn't spend it all at once

"Yes" to the pound!!!

Lucy Pinder has a tattoo of my initials

If the Church boys tell me to "Scratch + Sniff" then you'd better believe that I'll scratch and sniff...
...And it was well worth it. (Notice how I didn't say "totally worth it"...I aint that Americanised yet!)

And thanks to Mum and Dad for my REAL jelly...I will be saving at least one for my birthday, and don't worry that they didn't have any Lime jelly, you also forgot Orange. And thanks for my USB stick, which I'm assuming I can keep, and my documents for Oz, hopefully they will be coming in handing pretty soon and much sooner than originally planned.

And thanks Stinks, I aint opened my envelope from you yet, but I will. And thanks Ryan and Katie for bringing it all over. AND thanks to Mariah for the shout out, but it's not the "the British guy", it's "Mike, the English guy who won't eat peanut butter and JAM sandwiches."

So I've given Ryan the grand tour of Duvall...it's taken us two days, but I think he knows his way around now!? It's been a pretty chilled out couple of days really. Canada job hunt is getting there, pretty pleased with my progress. My day started with a phone conversion with a friendly Canadian, meaning I heard a Canadian accent for the first time in just over a year, I forgot how it's pretty much an American accent but easier on the ears.....oh yeah...I can't get away with saying things like that just yet. (And give over, I've had over eight weeks of Americans mocking and mimicking my perfectly spoken 'ampshire accent).

After Sunday, I'll go back to being eight hours behind England...weekend's an hour longer...yeah...wait...what difference does it make to me!?!?!? I suppose it means Ryan and Katie have to stay here an hour longer than planned. Hope you all had a good Bonfire night back home...and yes, yes they do have a 5th November in America (it's just 7 hours slower)!

I probably should go to sleep now.....

This is Halloween

I told you I wasn't gonna dress up, but Halloween is a strange time (this isn't even a costume, it just happened:

Yes...Yes that is a barking lobster

But on a much more positive note, I found a bar that shows football....yeah...shame it's in the next town over! But it is another English themed bar "The Three Lions" and the fish and chips aint too bad, closest to home compared to anything else that I've had in America.