this is not luxury travel. This is backpacking...

As I shuddered under the ice cold water that was my first shower in America this evening, I told myself over and over that this wasn't going to be my only unpleasant moment in the next six weeks. I guess one day in, the realisation had already hit both Ollie and I that we weren't going to be living in the style we had generally always been accustomed to. Yes I know we had planned the hostel stays and budget accommodation but when one actually turns up at the plastic matressed, lights hanging by their wires and a sink full of mould hostel it's a completely different matter! Luckily I pride myself in being able to adapt to my surroundings...hence the cold shower! Ollie was a little dubious of the shared dorm but I convinced him otherwise. I believe the guy is German...won't be many jokes flying around our room then tonight...


Today we spent the day in Boston. The city has a fresh gentle feel to it and I think this is due to the fact it is right by the sea. A refreshing breeze constantly buzzes through the streets removing all the stuffiness other cities sometimes seem to have. I think on foot or by subway (still horrible when I bash everyone with my rucksack) we managed to cover the majority of districts in the city. Spending the whole day in the city we got to experience the cool fresh astoundingly quiet morning through to the busy midday centre with so many school kids on trips or many, many American tourists (all of a particular age, dress and demeanor) around the popular and awesome Quincy Market place (Please see giant Pretzel pic at bottom of page!). Lunch in Chinatown amongst old Chinese men playing Mahjong was a great experience; just the smell of all the delicious food was almost filling enough!


In the afternoon I persuaded Ollie to go over to Harvard University to see if it was at all impressive. And it was! Walking through the grounds past impressively magnificent old buildings I wished for a moment that I could be a student there! We sat in the centre of the oldest part of the university among the shade of trees, surrounded by students having outdoor meetings or studying hard in the late afternoon sun. We had a coffee in the near by Starbucks where it seems is 'the place to go'. Everyone in there was on a Mac! Mine was the oldest model there! Steve Jobs would have been proud to have seen so many of his creations being put to such good use in one place!


From the scruffy back alleys to the towering skyscrapers and instantly endearing accents, what has struck me so far about America is how strangely familiar everything seems. I can only put it down to the fact that I have watched so many American TV shows and Films that something of it's uniqueness has long before penetrated my psyche. The reality is everything and wonderfully more than I had expected. Everyone we have met so far has been utterly helpful and pleasant, from the man that shouted at everyone so we could get off the subway to the guy in the take away we bought dinner from. 'Tell me guys is it true? In England do they really serve fish and chips in newspaper?'




6/10/11


Fancy winning the first postcard we send?! Then take a look at this picture of Moomin Papa and answer the following question - 


Moomin Papa has made a friend. Tell us who the lucky Gentleman is to win!