would Cowboy boots suit us?

A 17 hour bus journey is not pleasant. Especially when most of it is spent on the world’s most cramped bus, and no matter what position you try to sleep in, you inevitably end up with severe cramp that you can’t get rid of ‘cos there is no where to stretch your stupid long legs! Oh and the man in front dribbled every time he spoke to me and told me more than once that I looked so peaceful sleeping that he wanted to nudge and wake me ‘cos he was jealous. Just a little bit creepy don’t you think? So glad I had Ollie next to me! 

We knew there had been a giant storm last night because the rain was so heavy the traffic on the freeway had slowed to a standstill and we had been stuck on there for over an hour and half hardly moving. Apparently a tree had fallen in the road as well and we had had to take a detour. Flashes struck across the sky well into the night. I had never seen lightening go on for so long. At the bus station in Nashville though we saw on the T.V just what had happened. A tornado had swept through Washington just after we left! I was relieved. Ollie was disappointed. Before we left England he had been saying how much he had wanted to see a real Tornado!

* * *

Nashville is an incredible place. Before I came here I had people say it had music ‘running it its veins’ and I had scoffed at the cliche. But they were right. It really, really does. Waking down the main street ‘Broadway’ every bar we passed had live music escaping through it’s door way and filling the street with its exciting sound. There’s nowhere else I have been where you can sit and take in so much free music at one in the afternoon on a weekday! Bands of all types were gigging today. Country, Rock, Bluegrass (a favourite of mine) and Hillbilly all swirling in a delectable mix around us. We stopped by one bar and Ollie ordered a beer. Bottled. Of course. The band playing were great but the real highlight was when a cop came in off the street and after watching for a moment jumped up on stage and started singing! And he was awesome at it! The whole bar whooped and cheered as he finished the song with the band.

We shared an amazing lunch of nachos, BBQ sauce, chicken, melted cheese and salad all piled on top of each other in a gooey mush of lovelyness! This time we watched a solo guy with a guitar perform. He was pretty good too and so relaxed he stopped to text between songs! Everyone here seems to be a musician and it makes for such a fantastic vibe. Ollie and I both agreed we feel more relaxed here than anywhere we’ve visited so far. There’s something about this town that just instantly soothes you into a chilled state. The only thing I have trouble with is the accent. And what an accent!

This weekend the ‘Southern Festival of Books’ is taking place. Loads of stalls have been set up around one part of the town and we visited them today. They belong to lots of different small publishing firms and writers groups. It’s great to see such a positive writing scene and there seems to be a lot of talent in the region. I’m almost jealous of what I see but it only makes me feel even more intent on sorting my writing career out when I get home!

This evening we are spending the evening at our hostel. Eating out is proving far too much of a temptation and food is literally eating our money! So it’s ‘Walgreens’ finest tonight and an evening with the rest of the people staying here. We seem to have finally found a hostel where people actually talk to each other! There is a super little community going on here, one which we are very glad to be a part of. Two’s great but sometimes the looks Ollie gives me when I go on about some random thing for the millionth time are beginning to worry me. I’m happy he finally has someone else to speak with for a bit!

14/10/11