Alcatraz

On Wednesday June 27th, I went into San Francisco on the BART train and met up with Emma and Isa again. We walked down to the piers and along to the one where the Alcatraz ferry departed from. After a quick lunch, we collected our tickets and boarded the 12:35 ferry to the island.


So, a few quick facts. Alcatraz was a lighthouse, then a military fortification, then a military prison followed by a federal prison until 1963, when it became a national recreation area. It was home to the infamous Al Capone and has been in several movies, recently The Rock.




When we got there, we went straight to the main attraction on the island, a self-guided audio tour around the main cell block, which took about an hour or so. It explained the history of the island and each room you went in to, with various escape attempts and incidents narrated by former inmates and guards. It was a little spooky at times but enjoyable and brought the place back to life.


After we'd completed the tour, we still had plenty of time, so went around the whole island to make the most of the slightly expensive ticket. We saw a few more out of hte way areas, like the bird colony and exercise yard that you might have otherwise missed. Although very windy in parts, the island also offers great views over the bay and of the rest of San Francisco.




After we'd had a good look around, we caught the ferry back to the city and went our seperate ways, as Isa and Emma would be flying back to Sweden the next day.

University of California, Berkeley

On June 26th I met up with Gary and Woo Mi from the TrekAmerica bus tour at the University of California, Berkeley, for a guided tour. Berkeley is one of the most prestigious universities in the world and with it being so close by, I thought it would be worth a walk round.

There were a surprising amount of people on the tour - about 150 - which was split into two groups. In our half, we were the only internationals. The student guide explained the history of the university, which dates back to 1868, and then took us around the campus for about an hour. It was also interesting to hear about the differences between our universities and theirs, particularly the fraternities and sororities with their Greek names.

The campus itself is what you would expect; clean with plenty of grass and classically styled buildings. In the Life Sciences building which we went in, there's even a full T-Rex skeleton on display. After the tour, we went up The Campanile, a large clocktower that dominates the campus. From here you could see over the Bay to San Francisco and around.

We went for lunch in Berkeley, then I said goodbye to Gary and Woo Mi, and went off in search of a camera shop. My camera had been overexposing photos, so I needed to work out what was wrong with it. I found a small independent shop and tried out various combinations of cameras and lenses, eventually working out that it was the lens that was faulty.

Out and about in San Francisco

The next day I got the BART train into the city with Alice and then went to buy a cheap phone, since I had lost my own in Los Angeles. After getting a simple pay as you go phone from AT&T, I called Emma and Isa from the TrekAmerica tour and we met up in Union Square in the city centre.


We went to the tourist information office and then booked a trip to Alcatraz due to the high demand for the city's most popular attraction. We walked down to the Embarcadero area, where we began to walk along the various piers. Number 39 is Fisherman's Wharf, a tourist attraction akin to a theme park, where we ended up having lunch at a fish and chip place.


The rest of the afternoon was spent getting to the famous Golden Gate Bridge. We caught a bus to the Marina district, then walked the rest of the way. Along the way we met a few other people from our TrekAmerica tour, which was pretty cool. After catching the bus back into the city centre, I got the BART train back to Albany and Alice's house.

On to San Francisco

On June 24th, it was our last day on the TrekAmerica tour. We got up for breakfast at 9 and had everything ready and cleaned at 10:30. The entire day was spent driving to San Francisco, with little to report on the way there. We got to the city at about 4:30, where I bid farewell to my fellow travellers and phoned Alice, who I would be staying with.

San Francisco is known as one of the more affluent and 'liveable' cities in the US, with a population of about 800,000 and another 7 million in the surrounding Bay Area. Apart from landmarks like Alcatraz and the Golden Gate Bridge, it's home to Silicon Valley, where many of the world's computer companies originated from.

I caught the surprisingly clean BART public transport trail to the Albany in the East Bay area, where I met Alice, who I had first met on a bus tour in New Zealand. I got settled in and contemplated what to do over the next 7 days I was in the city.

Hiking Yosemite

The next day we were free to explore Yosemite and do whatever activities we liked. Isa, Emma and I chose to hike the Upper Yosemite Falls trail, taking us to the top of the highest waterfall in North America (and 6th highest in the world). It would be a 9 mile round trip, with a 823m elevation gain.


Waking up at 6:30, we drove into the central Yosemite Valley, then got a shuttle bus to the trailhead. We started the hike at 10, but took 3 hours to get to the top. Needless to say, it was a steep trail! We wound our way up the hillside next to the waterfall, climbing switchback after switchback. Half of the time we were in the shade, but even with that it definitely lived up to the National Park Service's description of it: "very strenuous".


What greeted us at the top made it all worthwhile though. The views from the overlook were simply stunning, showcasing the entire valley below. The sheer cliff dropped away immediately below, adding to the effect.


We stopped for lunch at the stream at the top, which was beautiful enough in its own right, then continued an extra mile to an even higher vantage point. This one was even windier than the first and presented an even more dramatic view.


We took our time climbing down, arriving back at the valley floor at about 5. The rest of our group who had been doing various other hikes met us at a pizza place, where we all had dinner. Sadly, it was our last night together as a group on TrekAmerica.

TrekAmerica day five - on to Yosemite

On June 22nd, we left the campsite at Benton Hot Springs and started the short drive to Yosemite National Park. We got to the World Heritage Site at about 1pm, after stopping at Mono Lake for lunch.


We drove across the park to a grove of Giant Sequoias, where we went for a short walk which lasted about an hour. Yosemite reminded me of New Zealand a bit, with its steep sided glacial valleys, forests and lakes. It doesn't seem really that imposing, but we would find out the next day what it was really about.


After the walk, we drove on to a campsite at Indian Flats, where we would be spending the next two nights.

Las Vegas to Benton Hot Springs

Our fourth day on the TrekAmerica tour from Los Angeles to San Francisco took us from Las Vegas to Benton Hot Springs. We had an unusual lie-in in the morning, then left the motel in Vegas, heading up Highway 95. It was a day that involved driving for the most part, so it was largely uneventful.

We stopped in Tonopah for lunch, then arrived at Benton at around 5. The campsite was fairly basic, but it had two hot springs, which were great to take a dip in and relax after a hard day's drive. That evening we celebrated one of our number's 25th birthday, so it was another day of 'merriment' following our night out in Vegas.

From the Grand Canyon to Las Vegas

The next day was our third on the TrekAmerica tour and one which would take us from one of the great natural wonders of the world to one of the most spectacular cities on earth.

We woke up early at our camp site in Tasayan and headed for a number of trails which went around the Grand Canyon. A number of us chose to do the rim trail, taking us along the very edge of the massive gorge. Starting at a place called Hermit's Rest, we walked for three hours along the track, taking in the views and enjoying the early morning sun.



We headed back to our camp site for lunch, then started our 5 hour drive towards Las Vegas. Going through the deserts of Arizona and into Nevada, you always wonder why people live there. The land can't be farmed and it's too remote for many, so maybe there's mining out there. We drove on and on, finally arriving in Las Vegas at 6:30.

So a few quick facts. Las Vegas is the fastest growing city in the USA and is home to 14 of the world's 15 largest hotels. This includes the biggest of them all, the MGM Grand, which has an incredible 6,276 rooms. It didn't even exist until 1905 but is now home to around 2 million people.

We pulled in at the Super 8 Motel in Vegas right when a film was being shot outside. They were only filming one scene and left shortly after, but it was cool to see. The film was The Return, which is due out later this year. Tim Robbins (of Shawshank Redemption fame) walked past our driver in the lobby, but I wasn't there at the time.



The motel was surprisingly comfortable and luxurious by the standards that we'd been used to whilst camping. We went out to dinner at the Hard Rock Cafe, then went for a 2 hour limo ride around Vegas, which was really cool because it was included in the cost of our trip. Driving around (or being driven around) Vegas really gives you a sense of the scale of the madness that is The Strip. Casino after casino line the main boulevard, which is complete with model versions of Venice, Paris, Mote Carlo, New York to name a few.

Our limo ride ended at the Bellagio, where the four of us who were under age (gambling only allowed for those over 21) stayed together and decided to look around. We went into the Bellagio and tried one of the slot machines. Within four spins, we were $65 up and quickly cashed out. A second later, the three other people with me - Dane, Isa and Emma - were asked for ID and we left, but more importantly, with a coupon for the winnings in my hand. I came straight back into the Bellagio and got another person from our group to cash the voucher and then left. We proceeded to Ceaser's Palace and Paris before heading back to the motel in the early hours. It turned out that we were the only ones to come out ahead by the end of the night!

TrekAmerica day two - to the Grand Canyon

On Tuesday 19th June, we woke up early and set off for the Grand Canyon. It was a fairly sizable drive through the desert to the campsite at Tasayan where we were staying, but it wasn't as hot as it had been the previous day. When we got there, I went and checked my exam results on the Internet and found out that I had got 73% average, which I was very pleased about!

A few people in the group went off on an optional helicopter ride and after that, we made our way to the Canyon. Our guide and driver, Lori, bought a bunch of paper bags to cover our heads with so that the surprise of seeing the Canyon would be even better. We shuffled in a line, up to the canyon rim (don't worry, there was a guard rail!) and took off the bags.



The sight that greeted us was incredible. The sense of scale is something that photos can't really do justice. I guess it's obvious, but the gorge is just massive!



We walked around a small section of the rim as the sun set and then drove back to the campsite for a well earned rest.

Going off to TrekAmerica

On Monday 18th June, I had a bus to catch. TrekAmerica are a tour company primarily aimed at backpackers and I was doing the Los Angeles to San Francisco 7 day trip, taking me to the Grand Canyon, Las Vegas and Yosemite on the way.

I woke up at 5:30 am and was out the door of the hostel at 6. I had an hour and a half to get to the pickup point near LAX airport on the other side of town, so I got on the Metro rail system and began my journey. On and on it went, as I travelled with all the early morning workers. It seemed a bit slow though. I changed lines and headed towards LAX, but by 7:15, I decided to abandon the Metro and get a taxi.

In a lot of countries, there are usually taxis near stations, but not where I was. I had gotten off in the middle of Los Angeles, or in effect, the middle of nowhere. No-one knew where to get a taxi and I was panicking a bit. I phoned up TrekAmerica and told them where I was and asked them to tell the tour leader. It was 7:30 - when I was meant to be leaving - so I phoned again. They said that the leader knew and that they would wait.

So back on the Metro system and off to LAX. I got there and jumped in a taxi to the Hacienda Hotel, where I finally arrived at 8:30, two and a half hours after leaving my hostel! I apologised profusely, but everyone seemed fine with it. The group was 15 strong and came from a range of countries, much like the other backpacker tours I had been on before.

We left at 9, driving to Hollywood Boulevard, where I had been staying the previous two nights and left 3 hours earlier. The irony was not lost on me!

After a quick look around, we began to drive out of L.A. and head East to the Colorado River. On the way out, we got stopped by the police for being in the wrong lane, an experience in itself! At about midday, we stopped for lunch, before moving on. It was a hot day too; we got out in the desert at one stop and after taking the temperature, realised that it was 42C!


We camped right on the banks of the Colorado River that night and got to know each other over dinner. It had been a hectic start to a day that turned out to be very relaxing in the end.

Los Angeles and Hollywood

Sunday the 17th of June was my only full day in Los Angeles and I decided to spend it in Hollywood, where I was staying. I woke up at 8 and had breakfast, before heading out for a walk around Hollywood Boulevard. Because it was so early on a Sunday, there were few people around and I got to see the Walk of Fame and the signatures in the concrete in front of the Chinese Theatre in relative peace and quiet.

Hollywood is really what you expect it to be; a superficial theme park style tourist attraction. There are big brands, shiny new malls, huge cars and all the souvenir T-shirts you could ever need. It's a place of bored security guards, pilgrim tourists and tacky attractions.

That's not to say that the novelty isn't enjoyable though. You can walk around all the places that you've seen on TV or read about and that's quite satisfying in itself. I went and walked around the Kodak Theatre, where the Oscars are held each year and the Hollywood and Highland mall, a meticulously shiny new development.

At 11:30 I got on a 2 hour tour of Hollywood, mainly focused on Beverly Hills and Bel Air, where many of the stars live. The guide drove us up to Mulholland Drive, where we stopped briefly at a panoramic viewpoint over the city. You could see the famous Hollywood sign and the rest of L.A., although you had to look past the endless smog. The whole of the city is consumed with a haze and it must be one of the most polluted places in the developed world.

We continued along Mulholland Drive, spotting the first of many celebrity mansions along the way. The hills are home to many expensive houses, but it's also some of the most dangerous real estate around. Mudslides occasionally claim a multi-million dollar home, with no 'mudslide insurance' available to cover for the cost.

Part of Mulholland Drive includes The Summit the most prestigious of the few gated communities, where Jennifer Lopez and the like live. Britney Spears was currently staying there with a friend, and there were around 20 paparazzi SUVs waiting for any sign of movement outside. We also drove pat Leonardo DiCaprio's solar-powered house and few few other notable homes including Meg Ryan's and John Travolta's.

We headed down into Beverly Hills and Bel Air, where the impression of being in a toy town increased dramatically. Immaculately maintained streets with matching trees either side of the road are home to many of the rich and famous. It demonstrates the huge contrast between the bubble of wealth and the rest of the city outside. The area has the only post office with valet parking in the US and has a hgih school where the fees are around $50,000 a semester. The guide was great and the trip was certainly enjoyable, but you couldn't help but feel as if you'd just been driven through someone's fantasy world.

After the bus tour, I had lunch and then went to an Internet cafe before booking tickets for a film later on. I had a further walk around, then met up with a couple of the guys in my hostel room to go out for dinner. We found a typically-styled American diner to eat at, and then I went to see Ocean's 13 at the Chinese Theatre. The film was entertaining if predictable, but it was nice to see a Hollywood blockbuster in Hollywood.

Flying to Los Angeles

Yesterday I flew out to LA from Heathrow on what can only be described as the most secure flight ever. You had to go through security as normal, then had to put your shoes through a dedicated shoe scanning machine, then get your passport checked again. If that wasn't enough, at the gate itself everyone had to empty their bag, get frisked and had their shoes inspected. That's about double the normal security measures!

The flight itself was fine, although I didn't get any sleep. We got to America without actually crossing the Atlantic; we went via Iceland, Greenland, Hudson Bay and Canada instead. Seeing all the endless sheets of ice was a surprising bonus. I watched The Shooter on the plane, a mediocre action blockbuster and Without a Trace.

A few things made me chuckle. First were the portrait photos of George W. Bush and Dick Cheney in the walkway which you walked down as soon as you landed; I can't see us putting Blair and Brown photos in Heathrow! On the CBS channel on the plane there was a documentary about global warming, which helpfully assisted those viewers who weren't aware of the most basic geography, "In Antarctica, at the bottom of the world, ..." There was also one question on the visa waiver form which was bound to catch out anyone who's up to no good, "Have you been involved in, or are currently involved in sabotage, espionage, or were you involved in any way with the atrocities commited by Nazi Germany between 1933 and 1945?".

So I went through customs with no problems, then got a shuttle bus to the hostel I was staying at in Hollywood. The driver was pretty friendly, he was from Belize and had been in the US for about 10 years. Anyway, it took about 30 minutes, but only cost $13, which was a bargain compared to the cost of a taxi. The hostel is pretty basic, but it's cheap and centrally located. By this time my body thought that it was 5am, so I went straight to sleep!

Ready to go

Well I'm all packed and ready for the flight tomorrow. I filled up my backpack completely, as before, but this time I've somehow lost 4kg of luggage. When I went to Australia and New Zealand, my main backpack was about 17kg, but now it's 13kg. A bit odd, but I'm not complaining! Anyway, the flight is tomorrow at 15:15 from Heathrow, but because of the time zones, after a 12 hour flight I arrive in LA at 18:35. I think I'll be heading for an early night!

Hello

Welcome to my travel diary for my trip around the USA in the summer of 2007. Here I'll be sharing my thoughts, observations, plans and photos. I've never been to the USA, so I don't really know what to expect from it. Well, it's bound to be familiar to everything we see on TV and in popular culture, but I'm sure there's more to it than that. I hope so anyway.

I'll be travelling first to Los Angeles, where I'll stay in Hollywood for a couple of nights. I'm then going to go on a 7 day Trek America backpacker bus tour to San Francisco, going via the Grand Canyon, Las Vegas and Yosemite National Park. After spending 5 days in San Francisco, I'll be travelling to Reno, where I'll be working in the Lake Tahoe area, doing conservation work for 7 weeks. In the first week of September, I fly to Washington D.C., then after a couple of days, go to New York. After a week there, I fly home.

I leave on Saturday, so this week I've been getting everything ready and making sure that I have all my kit. I'm re-using a lot of stuff that I bought for my trip around Australia and New Zealand, so I know what to take and what to leave behind.

Anyway, check back for more posts soon. I'll try and keep this as up to date as my internet access allows.