Strangers In The Night.

I am alive.

I have to admit there were moments last night when I had a feeling if instead of writing this blog today I would be apoligising to St. Peter, claiming that I really have been a good boy and hopefully be letting myself through some gates that are indeed pearly. But I will come on to that in a bit.

Where Queenie stays when she is visiting
'the Obamas'

My last full day in D.C. was pretty damn good. I headed into the city center and decided that I would walk around the front of the White House (reason behind this was that I have seen that side more often on 'The West Wing' - what can I say? I am a geek!) As I was walking up I popped into the White House visitor center which was pretty good, for free. Then I walked around to the White House. It was still white, and still a house. After I had taken a few more shots (on the camera!) I was walking away when I noticed one of the little town houses nearby being guarded by a policeman with a big gun (ooh er!). I enquired why he was protecting this seemingly normal house and he told me that it was the 'Blair-Lee' house. This was the house that all the heads of state (and Queenie) stay in when they are visiting the President. I thought this was pretty cool. So then I headed off to the Holocaust museum. It was pretty intresting, I joined a group that was being led around a exsibhit on Nazi propaganda. The tour guide was very informative. This was only a exhibition there and there was still the main display on the Holocaust to see, but by that time it was getting late and I still had the Natural History museum to go to, so that is where I went. On the way over I heard a helicopter. I thought that this was strange as I know that the airspace over D.C. is restricted, as I gazed up into the clear blue sky I saw Marine One (the Presidents helecopter) flying low. This was awesome and made my stay, now I dont know if he was in it or not, but I dont care! Natrul History Museum was mediocre. They had the capsule there that the Chiliean miners were rescued in, which was cool. In the evening I celebrated my last night with two Aussie girls who were staying in my hostel, we drank lots and decided that Britian beats Australia in both film actors and music!

Marine One BABY!

So I left D.C. the next day feeling pretty hungover, got on my greyhound coach at 11:00 ready for the worse night of my life. Now Greyhounds have a bad name but the first one I got on had WiFi, power points and lots of leg room so I didnt see what the problem was. Then I got into Pittsburgh at 18:00 and I saw what the problem was. I had to go to the sales desk to re-register my luggage as I was catching a connecting coach. I knew that the woman behind the desk wasn't the sharpest knife in the draw straight away because as I am walking towards the desk she is ordering a chinese takeaway. I wait for her to add on the Chop Suey and then she decides to help me. I say help, I actually helped her more. Americans aren't know for thier vast knowlage of geography, but if you work in a bus station, that has a direct route to St. Louis, you would expect her to know what bloody state it is in. After a brief lesson she goes to check me in. Then tells me that she cant check me in and moves on to the next customer. After demanding that I will be getting on that bus she refers me to customer service desk (a very good passing of the buck I have to say). There was no-one at the customer service (that made me happier). Eventunally I get to speak to the Supervisor and after informing him that his chinese is waiting outside (I know this because the takeaway driver asked me for directions!) he managed to check me in on the bus and I was away. You know how I said before that Greyhound has a bad name?

Chilien Miners capsule. At time last night,
I would happily have joined them!

Well this is why . . . . . . . . The coach was not as nice as the first one. It was probably about 10 years old. But that was ok, yes the WiFi was nice, but its not the end of the world. So we left Pittsburgh off to Columbous Ohio, Indianapolis and finally St. Louis (WooHoo). The mix of people on the bus was very varied. There were a lot of long distance lorry drivers going to thier next destination (they were ok), there was a few college kids heading home (kept themselfs to themselfs) with a few goths and hobos chucked in that was pretty much it. Oh yea, I forgot, the drug addicts! Crazy! There was a obvious heroin addict (or simmlear) behind me who one of the sleezy drives took a shining to (thats all I will say about that, nasty stuff happened!) and there was this small polystyrine cup of sprite that was being passed around the coach that no-one drank out of. Whenever someone had it they took it to the bathroom at the back of the coach. You dont have to put 2 and 2 together to work out what was going on. I moved seats to the front of the coach at the first opportunity and then pretty much slept the whole way. We got into St. Louis at 06:00. I read my kindle for a few hours in the bus station then checked into my rather swanky hotel. Luxury is something that I feel I need. I am here for 2 nights then on to Dallas, on a Greyhound, overnight again. I. AM. SO. EXCITED!

I know that this has been a long blog but hey, I have a lot to tell. I am off for some comfort food now.

1000 views! Thankyou all so much!

Tom.



P.S. - A english traveller that I met told me how when one particulary rude american asked him if we drive on the left side of the road over in the UK he replied that we do. The English guy then went on to say that we drive on the same side as the USA but our left is actually our right and vice-versa, so we do drive on the left but it is the same side as the Americans, the rude American actually believed him!

0/6 - Should have been 1/6