England: Bearwood. I'm joking. Summary of trip.

As the plane wheels hit the deck at Heathrow, I was reminded of English weather. This was the worst weather of all my arrivals in different countries! The local time was 6.10AM and I was so, so tired. I hurried off the plane and then went through Heathrow's pretty slow immigration queues. Walked into arrivals and was greeted by Mum and Dad. Was strange seeing them in the flesh again, but I had missed them both. We drove home via the service station (which we seemed to be at for ages, I thought..) Here's why! Once I arrived at home, I was surprised by all the family who were there waiting for me. I really wasn't expecting that! Great to see everyone and I thank them all for coming! There was a picture of me in front of the golden gate that had been framed that was nice... even a cake with the picture on!

So, I thought I'd do a brief summary of sorts of my traveling as a whole. Here is my ranking of the places I visited. I enjoyed everywhere I went, so even the bottom of the list was a good experience. Nowhere was horrible or put me off... Here it is:

9. Rarotonga

8, Hong Kong

7. Los Angeles

6. Auckland

5. Dubai

4. Sydney

3. New York

2. Singapore

1. San Francisco

One thing I would say is that New York, Sydney and Dubai especially are very close... and on another day they could be entirely the other way round! I like them all in different ways.

So Rarotonga comes in last. Which is funny because it was effectively paradise! Hong Kong was certainly one of the biggest culture changes I experienced, but it didn't 'Wow' me as much as Singapore. Singapore and Dubai especially, are often described as 'sci-fi cities'. I guess I like that kind of feel. Modern, unique and almost futuristic feeling places. Los Angeles comes in at 7th. Hollywood was an experience I won't forget...it's very easy to get lost in the feel of the place... However, it's not quite as glamorous as you'd expect. Yes, there was poverty everywhere... But there were a lot of crack heads here. Also, a lot of try-hards thinking they had what it takes to "make it". The people were my least favourite out of every place I went to. Auckland is in 6th place despite a short stop. I wish I had more time and money to spend here, so I could explore the little outer islands nearby. It's a lovely place Auckland and New Zealand certainly has much more for me to see.

So the top 5 starts with Dubai. A very unique and visually impressive place. Everything is luxurious. I stayed in the old Dubai which was a massive contrast to the touristy, 5 star part of the city. I enjoyed that contrast because it meant I saw the real Dubai I guess. Before it's partial transformation into a spectacular, grand place. Sydney comes in at 4th. Sydney really is a 'harbour city'. My favourite places were circular quay and darling habour which define what Sydney is about. It was one of my favourite places to just relax and take it in. Manly beach was one of my favourite memories too. In 3rd place is New York. New York reminded me of London in many ways. It's a very vibrant, busy place. You feel very small in New York but at the same time you almost feel slightly important walking the streets. It has a real personality as a place, probably because of it's great history. The views from the empire state were really something else... Singapore loses out to San Francisco in 2nd. Singapore is a place like nowhere else. It is a beautiful place and incredibly clean and safe. I've never been to a place so immaculate and pristine. It was like walking through an artificial city. The Marina Bay Sands resort and mall, with the Singapore river and the Singapore Flyer are phenomenal. But just as incredible was the botanic gardens. I'm not a lover of plants and agriculture but it really was amazing and I won't forget it.

But San Francisco was a clear, clear winner for me. I have fallen in love with it. I miss it already and I wish I was still there. If I had to move anywhere tomorrow, it would be there. In fact, I even might in later life. I won't bang on about it anymore than I have previously, but San Francisco left a real mark on me.

Overall, I will never forget my experience traveling. I'm glad I went to all the destinations I chose and I am glad I got to see a lot of the world rather than just one part. It has certainly created a passion to travel and I really hope I am able to return to some of these places, as well as discover new ones as soon as possible!

America, New York: Central Park, Museum of Modern Art & Brooklyn Bridge.

This will be briefer than previous entries (few sighs of relief) as I am packing in what I can before Friday! It's finally setting in that I'm coming home and to be honest... I don't want to :( Apart from seeing family and a few friends, I would much rather be seeing the world... You start to take it for granted a little bit and I know when I'm back in a normal routine, I will be reminiscing about these days! This is going to be my last entry whilst away, but I will be doing a sort of summary when I get back (I can hear your groans from here.) Last few days have been great. I love New York. Like I have loved everywhere. I'm genuinely happy that I went to every country I decided on. Not one has let me down and in that sense, my travels have been a success :)

Tuesday was a bit disappointing down to the weather :( I can't complain because I haven't had a really wet day for the 8 weeks I've been away. But tuesday, rained and rained and it didn't stop. Coupled with that, I decided that Tuesday would be the day to see Central Park (cracking planning). Despite the rain, and the serious lack of people and atmosphere; I loved it! It's truly a lovely setting, right in the heart of the city. It's not all the same, like you get in some parks like this. I entered from the southern entrance and got a glare from the waterproof bicycle taxi man when I said I didn't want a ride... I walked through and came across various huge parks (all empty of course.) I was sure I recognised some. Sounds weird but so many films have been shot here... Spiderman 3 sprung to mind! (It didn't, cheers google.) Further on, was the huge lake which spread far and wide with a bridge connecting me over to the other side. The trees, in front and behind the water with the skyscrapers in the background was quite a sight. It was such a contrast to the chaos of the city, and the urban landscape. I kept thinking that in the summer, it must be really lovely. Likewise if it was snowing, it would be amazing. Unfortunately the weather got worse so I made a dash for the art museum!

So, the Museum of Modern Art in New York has quite a reputation. It cost me $25 to get in and the place was heaving. It was absolutely huge... To see it all, it would have taken hours. So I just saw the bits that interested me, plus anything that I came across. I'm not a connoisseur of art as you are aware... This museum was both art pieces as well as old artifacts and relics. I saw old Roman statues, old armoury from the tudor times, old firearms and spears and medieval furniture. So quite a mix. Some of it was fascinating, particularly the old armour (including Henry VIII's customised piece) and the old weaponry. However, there is only so many Roman statues of Goddess' you can look at before they blend into one. Maybe it was just me... Some of the information next to them didn't give the context of it, so it didn't really interest me. On the 2nd floor, were the more traditional art pieces. There were plenty of paintings from the French renaissance which didn't particularly bother me. I have decided I'm a fan of oil paintings. By far the most interesting. Also, one section was exhibiting modern photography with the influence of technology. For example, one picture was put together entirely from small pictures of people from the google image search 'photo'.

To be honest, most of it was probably lost of me... I enjoyed some of it but some wasn't my cup of tea. After, I walked up to the Guggenheim (I liked the name). I didn't go in as I had heard that would be even more lost on me. I enjoyed a man singing 'aint no mountain high enough, aint no mountain low enough' (not the lyrics is it?!) for about 10 minutes and then ventured into the rain again... Later that day, I went to 'Ellen's Stardust Diner' on Broadway. I was recommended this place by Chloe and her mum and it was great! It's fairly small, but it's a good atmosphere inside. All the waiters and waitress' are aspiring singers and Broadway performers. They rotate and take turns in performing in the diner as you eat! At one point, I had two blokes standing on the table in front of me, whaling out a classic. It was certainly an experience! I had a pork sandwich with fries, coleslaw and 'Mac n Cheese' bites... (Don't ask.) The food was good, but I particularly loved the milkshake. They even served it with the metal shaker they mixed it in. Small pleasures and all that...!

Today I walked across the famous Brooklyn Bridge and then wandered round Brooklyn Heights ( a very wealthy part of Brooklyn.) The bridge itself it no Golden Gate but it's very old and it gives great views of Manhattan behind you. They are doing a lot of reconstruction work there at the moment so the views were restricted which was a shame... Once I got across the other side I walked around and tried to get a feel of Brooklyn. It's a big place and I saw a tiny, tiny part of it. I walked down to the promenade which was lovely and very posh. The views were amazing looking back. I took a load of photos, grabbed some lunch and then got the subway back to New York.

This wasn't as brief as intended (sorry guys)! But I didn't want to ramble on too much with the lack of time left! Wasn't my best but oh well... But that is it! My last blog abroad. I will do a summary once I'm back and then that will be it. Don't worry, I'm not going to blog my travels into Bournemouth or my ventures do Castlepoint. After seeing 5th Avenue and Broadway, Castlepoint might as well be the Hampshire center again. I hope to do some last minute shopping tomorrow and generally relax! Friday I get picked up from the hotel at 2PM before my flight at 7PM local time. It's been a fantastic two months and I'm sad to be leaving here, but also leaving behind the life I've had for 8 weeks. It's been the best thing I've ever done. I will summarise more in my next entry, but thank you all for reading and sharing my experiences with me...I never expected over 2000 views, so thank you! See you all soon!

America, New York: Hudson River Boat Ride, Grand Central & 9/11 Memorial.

I'm sat in my hostel, just coming back from 'New York Pizza Suprema' which is a little pizza cafe just round the corner from me on 8th Avenue. New Yorkers love their pizza; and this particular place was the only pizza joint to score 10/10 from a local blogger who visited every single place selling pizza in New York! They are very proud of that and everywhere you look, it reminds you of it! I have had a great couple of days, seeing the heart of New York on foot and on water. The weather has got slightly milder at about 10c. I think we sent the cold weather to you back home... Sorry. New York is a work hard, play hard kind of place. It's the home of the so called 'American Dream' I guess. It really is the city that doesn't sleep. Public transportation runs 24 hours a day here and bars and clubs don't close. Americans talk about 'finding yourself', with New York being the place to do it.

I started Sunday by taking a Grayline ferry ride down the Hudson River. Like I mentioned, Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty are closed off due to hurricane damage, so this was my only way of getting close! The boat started on the west side of Manhattan and went clockwise round the southern side and then under some bridges. First off, I got great views of the financial district and downtown New York passing the huge skyscrapers. The skyline of New York is very impressive. The boat passed the derelict Pier 54, which was the exact location the Titanic was supposed to dock. Instead the Carpathia arrived here with the survivors. A little further along I saw (one of!) Leonardo Di Caprio's apartments, right on the bay. As we continued along the river, to my right was New Jersey and Hoboken (the birthplace of Frank Sinatra.) It was at the southern end of New York that I could see the big gap in between the buildings. The guide explained this was the location of the two towers. We passed Battery Park City, which is where the ferries leave to Staten Island and Brooklyn. From this side, the views were amazing once again. We then went under the famous Brooklyn Bridge. It's a traditionally old fashioned looking bridge, made of Bricks by the look of it. The guide said New Yorkers didn't trust it at first when it was built. So the architect walked a parade of Elephants across it, to assure them it was safe! The Manhattan bridge soon followed which is a far more modern looking bridge, but still over 100 years old! Finally, the Williamsburg bridge (which by this point I had switched off to bridges). I can't tell you a thing about it. Do you even care? Williamsburg however is a part of Brooklyn which is supposed to be very fun. I may take a look if I get time! The boat turned round at the UN Headquarters/Chrysler building and made it's way back down the river to the statue of liberty. When we got there, I was surprised at how big it was! It's visible from quite a distance and it really does it's job in standing out. I learnt it was donated from the French (random...where's our gift, apart from watching Zidane) to America. The statue resembles the Roman Goddess of Freedom. At the bottom of the woman, is a broken chain symbolising freedom to the people, as well as a welcoming sign to immigrants from abroad. I took 172 photos of the same thing before the boat shot back to where we started. I spend the remainder of yesterday visiting Chinatown (the 387th one so far on my travels.), Little Italy which was lovely (good New York Cheesecake!) and Rockafeller's (great Lego shop!).

This morning I decided to visit Grand Central. I think this was the equivalent to Waterloo in London, but it had a bit more character. The building itself appeared very old and was a beautiful sight from outside. Parts of New York have very nice architecture (Union Square) springs to mind. Inside there is the main concourse, where the daily commuters stroll through in a hurry, just like Waterloo's. Further inside was a huge corridor with various off shoots to trains and subway platforms. Outside one restaurant, people were talking to walls and giggling as there friends heard them from the opposite side. Now, that look like gobbledygook I know. I have done some research and apparently this called a whispering gallery. If you whisper in a certain spot, it can be heard in another spot close by... News to me, I thought St. Anne's had been let out. My favourite part of the station was the dining concourse. The were various food outlets and loads of restaurants to choose from. I got a chinese meal which was lovely and sat watching people come and go (always fun). It sounds a bit odd visiting a station, but it's a lovely building and anyone else who has been to New York will know it's worthwhile.

I then caught the subway downtown to the streets that held the 9/11 Memorial sites. There is a tribute center, as well as visitor and preview center. I had already booked my visitor pass prior to leaving home, so I took the time to walk around the area where it happened and have a look around. Just seeing the wide open space was enough to upset me. I still remember the day so well. I was 9 years old, with my friend Carl at after school Football club and Mum picked us up. She told us something had happened in America and when I got home, I watched the TV for hours and hours. It's without doubt the biggest news event of my lifetime so far. I have visited memorials etc in the past, but none of them have been in my lifetime so I have struggled to connect with them. This however, felt so much more 'real' to me. I started by the entrance to the memorial by walking down the street a little. Here I saw a street corner with a poster of all the firemen who lost their lives. Flowers, badges, notes and pictures were still being placed there. Even 12 years on. A little further up was a huge display against the wall, with drawings of the emergency services attacking the blaze on the towers. It listed all the names of the lives lost and in big writing above said: "Dedicated to those who fell and those who carry on. May we never forget."

I entered the Memorial and picked up a guide. The guide leaflet introduced you and explained how they are still building the main museum. Eventually, there will be hundreds of blossoming tress and a large museum within the memorial. However, they have finished the two pool's which are in the exact location of where the towers stood. This particular model was chosen from a number of different options, when deciding how to pay tribute to those who died. I read the leaflet in full and then headed for the south tower pool. It's incredible. It was beautiful - and soothing - and calm. The exact opposite of the day 12 years ago. I was quite glad I was alone as I wouldn't have been able to talk. The place was almost silent. People approached the pool and said nothing. What can you say? The names of all that perished are engraved in bronze around the edge of the pool. The names are next to friends or colleagues they worked with, as requested by their families. I walked round the whole pool and took some pictures. I went over to the north pool and wandered by all the names of the people inside the towers at the time it fell. It was so surreal. It was very harrowing and very upsetting. It had a strange atmosphere, but I'm glad I got the chance to see it.

I cant really describe how I felt after. I felt guilty almost... That I was walking freely around... It kind of felt rude. Being a tourist, coming to a scene of mass destruction. I guess those feelings are natural, but it was about paying respect. I came out very philosophical, appreciating all I have. It certainly makes you realise that life is far more important than what you think of day to day. I walked out after a good 40 minutes and gave a $10 donation as I left.

A popular phrase Americans use for 9/11 is: 'We Will Never Forget'. After today, I know I will never forget too.

America, New York: Times Square, Empire State Building, Wall Street & Soho.

Here we are then. My last week of traveling :( Going to miss not seeing new, exciting things every single day. Soon, the best views I will be able to get will be from Aruba or the Bournemouth Balloon. As you are all aware, I am now in Manhattan/ Big apple/ New York! Not a bad place to finish up really! I arrived yesterday (Friday) at 3pm and caught a shuttle to my hotel. I had forgotten what cold air felt like on the face until I stepped out of the airport. It's freezing here. There's been a fair bit of snow here recently and there was still some lingering around yesterday too. My hotel isn't great, but it's in a good location. West 30th Street on 7th Avenue is really close to Empire State Building and not far from Times Square. I was knackered after my flight (no surprises there) due to the fact I slept at the airport the night before. But still, I got changed etc and headed out. With it being night time by this point, I thought there would be nowhere better to see at night than Times Square. I had a quick wander down 7th Avenue by my hotel coming across the expected e.g McDonalds, Starbucks. (How many Starbucks does a place need? It's extraordinary.) I did the dirty thing and got a McDonald's as I really couldn't be bothered to look around and I was starving. I got my subway week pass and then went to Times Square. The subway is basically the same as the London Underground. There's virtually no difference to me.

As I walked out of Times Square station the lights hit me... BAM. Everywhere you look; left,right,up,down there was just bright colour and lights. I'm not mocking it, but if you had photosensitive epilepsy you wouldn't have a good evening out put it that way. I walked down 42nd street, pausing every few moments to take some pictures. I have never ever not known where to look more than down this street! I kept walking and then round the corner, back onto 7th Avenue (Road names here aren't exactly exciting but it makes it far easier to navigate around.) As I turned, the bright lights and tall advertising billboards mounted onto buildings,multiplied. It really is quite an incredible sight. Especially at night time. The streets are lined with big shops like the humungous Toys R Us store or the huge M&M shop (not the rapper). The McDonalds LED sign itself was about half the size of the Ferndown branch. I kept walking further down, not knowing again where to be looking. I took tons and tons of photos, but like may times before. They couldn't quite match what I was seeing! In the middle of the square, there is a statue and some stairs to walk up and look back down the street. At the top of the stairs is a balcony with a camera, which if you are in the shot... you can see yourself on a building above! On these stairs you get great views of the tall buildings and the lights. It's funny how a set of adverts on buildings can create such a spectacular sight. It was so packed you could barely move, but I think this is one of the main places to be at night. I was feeling the effects of no sleep so I made my way through the floods of tourists, comedy show ticket sellers, liberty statue impressionists (yep, really) and tramps and made my way back to the hotel.

This morning after a little lie in, I headed straight to the Empire State Building. I saw the building on the way from the airport and I was eager to go up and take a look. I bought a ticket from a company outside, meaning I didn't have to queue for tickets inside the building. I would go through the following 652 procedures before you actually get to the top, but I wouldn't want to bore you. I swear they made it more confusing and complicated then it really was! So busy too. Don't like crowds. Anyway, British moan over. After the lift and climbing some stairs, I was at the Observatory Deck! I stepped outside to the South side and got an amazing view of the Downtown district. The buildings nearer me were quite flat, but then gradually grew to the tall buildings in the financial district. Beyond that, I could make out Ellis Island to my right, and the Brooklyn Bridge to my left. The views were here were great, but I particularly liked the views to the North of the city. Looking out, the buildings are all fairly tall. This means you can see above and beyond them, but they are still not too far beneath you if that makes sense. Imagine looking directly down on something. It's view will be different than if you look slightly above it. I think this is what makes it such a incredible view. As I looked out, I could make out Central Park. A huge green area that just sticks out, right in the middle of the city. To the right was the river, engulfed by tall buildings. It really is quite something.

Having been to the Burj in Dubai, I am automatically skeptical about tall building look outs. I mean, what can beat the tallest building in the world for views? Well, I preferred the Empire State Building and here is why. To look at from a distance or up close, from outside the building, the Burj is stunning and beats the Empire State hands down. It's height is quite astonishing and it blew me away every time. Don't forget it is nearly triple the Empire State's height. However, at the top of the Burj wasn't quite as astonishing. You were so high up that even skyscrapers became tiny. In a way, you couldn't make anything out as you were literally on top of it. You can't make out what something is looking directly on down onto it. The Empire State however, was the perfect height to get a fantastic view of the city. It's positioned perfectly. You can see everything. Because of that, I preferred the experience to that of the Burj, even if the building itself isn't as spectacular.

After the Empire State, I walked through Madison Square Park and Union Square, which had a lovely market. They like a good park in New York, but they really add to the place. You see lots of locals on their lunch break, sitting on the benches. New Yorkers by the way are very nice. I've seen quite a few times, them offering help to anyone looking lost or reading a map. They respect tourists far more than Londoners! Anyway, I got some lunch and then headed on the tube to Wall Street. Many might find the New York Stock Exchange to be incredibly boring, but I wanted to get a glimpse of it. Correct - it was boring, but quite cool to see the building. I turned a few corners, just having a wander and I came across a wide open area with some sort of construction work. I had unexpectedly walked to the site of the 9/11 attacks. I come here Monday to visit the memorial, so I won't go into detail. I looked around and saw building after building and then within this block - just nothing. I thought back to the day of the attack and imagined the carnage on the street I was standing on. It was quite surreal and sad.

I caught the tube (is that an English term?!) back northwards to Soho. Broadway runs and runs from the South of Manhattan to the very top! I walked along Broadway in Soho going in a few shops. I gave in again to the Converse shop and bought a top. They have a customised converse factory thing at the back and I had to drag myself away! After a bit of shopping (I'm not going to blog the detail of that - that would be worse than reading the dictionary), I headed back again to Times Square to see the bits I couldn't be bothered to walk to the night before...

New York so far has been really good. It reminds of London a lot. I still have loads to see and do before I can give it a full assessment really... But it's kind of impossible not to like in my eyes, just like London. On the down side, Ellis Island is closed due to damage caused by Hurricane Sandy (cheers Sandy, you bitch.) I can still get a view of the Statue of Liberty from a ferry tour which I hope to do tomorrow! This time next week I am home, better make the most of the last 5 days!

America, San Francisco: Last days & Summary.

This blog may be slightly different to the rest as I don't have anything groundbreaking in terms of sight-seeing to report from the last few days. I have visited the Golden Gate Park, re-visited the famous Lombard street, seen Ghirardelli Square, done some shopping on Market Street and relaxed further by the piers. It's not easy to get bored here, despite the fact I've practically seen every street and every neighbourhood! I use the cable cars every single day which is an attraction in itself. It's seriously fun. I wanted to summarise my thoughts on San Francisco and say exactly why it has been my favourite destination (along with Singapore) so far. But firstly I will quickly go through the last couple of days!

Tuesday didn't hit the thrills and excitement of Monday but it was still another good day :) Golden Gate Park is very popular with the locals and is surrounded by gardens and museum's. The scenery is very lovely here and it's very easy to relax and unwind. The very middle of the park features a number of Pollarded trees (I googled that, I have to admit.) in a sort of grid, which makes for impressive viewing, along with water fountains and features. As I said, there were a number of museum's but for once I didn't really fancy one! The science museum is supposed to be interesting but the price was pretty hefty. The botanical gardens and Japanese tea garden also looked pretty as I walked through but both charged for entry and I wasn't too fussed. It's a nice area, but I preferred the Presidio by the Golden Gate. It was eerily quiet here too and I imagine it livens up a bit in the summer.

I hadn't previously written about the famous Lombard Street. The 'crookedest' (that is a word!) in the world. The street has eight very sharp turns. Sounds remarkably boring but the views from the top are great. Also, it makes quite a view from the bottom looking back up the extremely steep street. I think its a 30% gradient or something. Watching drivers go down was a laugh; they looked terrified! One guy was clearly mental and was skateboarding down the street... He asked me to film him jump over the ledge on his board and then carry on down the street. He didn't last long and he almost feel flat on his face. A group of Chinese guys were lobbing tennis balls down the street. It was like a lunatic asylum has been let out, so I caught the cable car to move on.

Today I saw Ghirardelli Square up by Fisherman's wharf. This is quite a small area, but it features chocolate, cake and ice cream shops. Of course I was going to visit... I saw the cupcake shop, but had to wait for the group of girls to leave. The shop was bright pink and looked very feminine. I couldn't stroll in there with a straight face, being by myself. The cupcake was average. Long live Hummingbird Bakery... The square is very small and there isn't a great deal more I can say about it. Probably not even worthy of a paragraph. Oh well.

So I say goodbye to San Francisco on Friday and although I am looking forward immensely to New York, I don't want to leave here... Yes, I have seen all the sights... But in a very weird way, it almost feels like home! I would choose to live here above any other place I have visited by a long, long way. It really has everything you would want from a city. Its intimate yet vibrant and that is what I love about it. You can relax in it's quiet spots and indulge in it's more busier, touristy areas. It has a rich history and a culture of it's own, even as a small city. It's incredibly diverse, with no two areas the same. It's traditional in places, alternative in the next. It's beautiful to look at, with it's amazing hill top views and steep streets. This is a place not ruined by ugly high rises of buildings. Some cities you almost feel trapped by all the skyscrapers, but not here. It's architecture is lovely, with victorian buildings everywhere you look. It feels modern and old fashioned at the same time, which I found totally unique. You can walk from district to district seeing new things and discovering great scenic views along the way. I have never found a place where each street gives a new perspective so regularly. It has it's iconic structures with the Golden Gate Bridge (which is one of the most incredible things I have ever seen) and Alcatraz. It's cable cars however are at the core of what San Francisco is. A city proud of it's past, especially in overcoming the worst natural disaster the USA has ever seen (1906 Earthquake). There is something so special and tranquil about hanging on the side of cable car, gliding both up and down hill after hill, taking on the views at each street. I will honestly miss it. The people are lovely, unlike the arrogant, try-hard Los Angeles locals. Here, nothing is forced. The people are so proud of where they live, they admire it and revel in it. I doubt I will encounter a place with such character and such a rich personality as San Francisco.

Whilst in the Boudin Bakery Museum, I came across a selection of quotes on San Francisco. Here are a few of my favourites.

"San Franciscans are very proud of their city, and they should be.  It’s the most beautiful place in the world."  (Robert Redford)

"One day if I go to heaven…I’ll look around and say “It ain’t bad, but it ain’t San Francisco”. (Herb Caen)

"If you’re alive, you can’t be bored in San Francisco.  If you’re not alive, San Francisco will bring you to life.  (William Saroyan)".  So true. I'll be back.

America, San Francisco: Presidio, Golden Gate Bridge walk & Alcatraz.

What an amazing few days. The last two days in particular I will never forget. I have been very busy since my last entry, trying to see every corner and street of San Francisco before friday. Every street offers something new, or changes the atmosphere. I will come on to the last two days (Sunday and Monday) in a moment but first I will share Saturday. San Francisco like any major city is split into neighbourhoods and I wanted to get round as many as possible in one day to get a feel for each one. This really is the most diverse place I have ever been. I mean where else has a 'Chinatown', 'Japantown' and a 'Little Italy'?!

It was 'Telegraph Hill' I trekked up to first. Obviously, with the city being so hilly it naturally gives off spectacular views at certain points. Telegraph hill is one of the best. You can get great views of the bay, but also across the other way to the Golden Gate. I went up the 'Coit Tower' which is 200 odd feet high and gives incredible 360 degree views. That high up you can see the city's bumpy landscape as it peaks and troughs for miles. I then walked a few minutes to 'North Beach', which is a really lovely district. This is where the 'Little Italy' is situated amongst 'Washington Square' - a lovely green park. I really loved North Beach. It really had that Italian feel to it, with authentic small coffee shops and Pizzeria's. The small streets were lined with little bars and cafe's. As I wondered further down the road, Italian cafe's started merging with Chinese restaurants and Dim Sum cafes. Such a mix of culture just along one single road... It would have been easy to forget I was in the USA. I eventually reached Chinatown which unlike the countless other Chinatown's I have seen on my travels, quite intrigued me. It was certainly the best one I had come across (bar Hong Kong obviously. That would be a bit mad.) The street was narrow and chinese banners and signs brought the area to life. I stopped in a chinese food joint and has ribs, sesame chicken and rice. It was really good. After lunch I wondered up a hill. Then another. Then another. Lots of hills. I reached a hill. Nob Hill. There, I visited the Cable car museum which was surprisingly good! Inside were the big wheels and the motors for the cables running through the city... You could see the cable enter the museum, hit a big wheel and then exit again.  As you can gage, I haven't a clue how it works. It was technical. Nob Hill is also the highest geographical point meaning a lot of the local streets offered amazing views down the slopes again. I bumped into a local man, who directed me to a street for a great panoramic view. The cars on this street had to park horizontally to avoid slipping! Each neighbourhood had a completely different feel to the last, yet every single one was interesting.

That brings me on to yesterday (Sunday for me). It was one of the best days on my traveling and perhaps ever. I started the day at the Presidio, which is a National Park directly beneath the Golden Gate bridge. I walked through the park which is like a forest at the beginning. It was a very well looked after area and was very pretty. As I kept walking further down (it was on a hill. Weird.) I started to make out the Golden Gate Bridge amongst the trees. I walked for quite a way before reaching Crissy Field. A lovely wide open green area, right in front of the Bridge. The view from here was quite amazing. People were having picnics, playing games, walking dogs etc. If I lived here I could see myself spending a lot of time there! I took a ton of photos here, mostly on a little promenade they had built into the sea, giving you a different angle on the bridge. I got some crazy Japenese guy (liked doing Kung Fu moves when being photographed by his mate.) to take a picture of me. I grabbed some lunch (Frank Dog, but I could have had a Mutt Dog, Brat Dog or Not Dog.) and then continued my walk to the bridge! It seemed so close but the walking went on and on! It was a pleasure though, I never get bored. You reach Fort Point which is a historic Fort used during World War 2 I think... Here, you can begin your climb some stairs and along some paths to the pedestrian entrance to the bridge. The views got more and more spectacular the nearer I got. One spot was particularly amazing giving a good view straight across, showing the two towers. Honestly, the pictures I took did no justice. I wanted every single person I knew to be seeing what I could through my own eyes. It was breathtaking. I continued up before I was finally on the bridge.It was extremely cold and windy but I didn't care too much. I walked the entire length and it took me about 30 minutes to reach the other side, including stopping to take pictures.

It was an experience I won't forget. The views back to the city and to Alcatraz were amazing. The camera couldn't focus at that distance, but to the naked eye it was brilliant. To the north side of the bridge was mountains rising high, giving a totally different but still amazing view. I can't really describe why walking over a bridge was so good, you really just have to do it for yourself. It's difficult to describe it's beauty too... The sheer scale and prominence of it, really takes you back. I walked all the way back and back towards the city, trying not to turn round for another glimpse every minute. I caught a bus which took me south to another district called 'Haight Ashbury'. Again, totally different from the rest. This area is the music centre point of the city and is definitely the 'alternative' side. My cup of tea, as you would imagine. However, I didn't have a lot of time and despite the scenery looking pretty cool, it was mainly bars and being 20 and not 21, limited me to what I could do! I did find another branch of the same record store I found in LA and I gave in and bought the Wu Lyf vinyl I had my eye on! By this point I was knackered so I got some tea and headed back :)

So today was Alcatraz day! This is one of two tours/activities I booked prior to leaving. I was very excited. I started the morning at Pier 1 and the ferry building again, looking around the markets. I walked to Pier 39 and tried out the 7D experience! Where they got 7D from I don't know. Essentially it was a 3D ride simulator with a laser gun shooting zombies. It was alright, nothing special and I came 4th out of 5 in the room. Disappointing. Had a bit of time to kill, so I walked up to the Boudin Bakery museum, which is mainly a cafe and a restaurant. I never knew before coming here, but San Francisco's quintessential dish is soup with 'Sourdough' bread. This bakery invented Sourdough bread and they still use the same recipe since 1849. The museum is set in the middle of the kitchen meaning you can look down at the bakers mixing, cooking and moulding the various types of bread, pastries etc. I won't go through it all, but it was really interesting. I got a free taster of the bread and it tastes exactly what it says... Sour! It has a kind of twang to it, which is hard to describe. Still, the people of San Francisco are very proud of it, as the company survived the devastating 1906 earthquake.

So shortly after, it was time to board the ferry to Alcatraz! By this point it was freezing cold. Today took me by surprise and was the coldest day so far on my travels. 10c. That's about triple what you guys have right?! HA. The ferry took about 10 minutes and when you arrive you are split into little groups and walked up the hill (again.) to the cell house. It was already quite an eery experience. We were told on the way up the hill, we were making the exact walk the inmates would have done when first arriving to the island. We were told of various escape attempts and how they failed and succeeded. However, no one successfully made it off the island alive whilst it was a federal prison. Three men got free and swam but they were never seen again, but lifejackets were found a short while after in the San Francisco bay. As you walk in you are handed a set of headphones and a remote which let you pause your audio guide as you walked along. The guide was fantastic as you heard inmates and ex-wardens give their recollections as you went along. We entered the cell house and walked along the different streets of cells. The cells were as basic as you would imagine. Very little space etc. However, these were luxury compared to 'D Block'. D Block was where Isolation was. No inmate wanted to be sent here. It was for the prisoners who did not follow Alcatraz rules. The four/five cells at the end of D Block were called 'the hole'. It was a tiny little space with no light whatsoever. Prisoners got the smallest amount of food and were let out once a week for a shower. It reminded me of Shawshank Redemption when Andy is sent to Isolation. Hearing an ex inmate sob on the audio guide as he described being in isolation was very haunting and chilling. Along the walls were pictures of the inmates who spent a lot of time in D Block. Al Capone was one of them, but perhaps the worst of the lot was Robert 'The Birdman' Stroud. This guy was a mental case. Literally. He spent a lot of his time in the prison hospital upstairs too. He would wind up the other inmates too with his insanity. I walked through various other parts of the cell house including the library, hospital and dining area. The dining area was considered the most dangerous and the inmates were given knives to eat there food with. Tear gas was lined in the walls and was ready to be deployed at any moment if need be.

In the main cell house, you were told of the 1946 escape attempt. One inmate starved himself so slip through his cell door bars and take out an officer. He unlocked two of his mates and they got hold of the warden's keys. However, they couldn't unlock the door as one warden has already taken that key and hidden it. They took several prison guards as hostages before finally being apprehended. One guard was shot dead by one of the convicts and the cell in which the guard died has a memorial inside. It was so creepy being in the exact location in which the break out attempt took place. After the audio tour, their were various other talks by staff. I went to one describing in more detail, the attempted breakouts. After, they opened the prison cells with the controls and slammed them shut. That noise has been described as the 'Alcatraz slammer'. Inmates that were on Alcatraz say that to this day they can still hear the sound. The tour guide showed us the slam. It was a very loud and distinct noise. It has been used in many films too! Jurassic Park and Star Wars used the sound when they showed a door/gate closing in the films. They used the sound of Cell 1 door's closing, which was the very one that was being demonstrated! I learnt so much more, but it is too much to write down here! It was excellent and I didn't want to leave. It's definitely somewhere I would return. Always wanted to return to Prison sounds a bit odd doesn't it?! I think U.S.P Alcatraz restriction #5 sums the place up perfectly. " You are entitled to food, clothing, shelter and medical attention. Anything else that you get is a privilege".

After I got back to the mainland I went to the Rainforest cafe. I'm a big fan ever since the day I set foot in one in Florida when I was much younger. I looked a bit odd, all by myself but I didn't really care! I know this is another long one, but I wanted to say as much as I could about the last few days as they have been brilliant! I have really fallen in love with it here, and I won't want to leave on Friday. The locals are prouder of their city, more than anywhere else I have been and I can see why. It has everything you would ever want. Four days left here and then it's the small matter of New York City! Very exciting.

America, San Francisco: Pier 39, Fisherman's Wharf & Golden Gate Bridge views.

Hello again... After traveling about fairly quickly from place to place, I have finally arrived in San Francisco where I will spend a whole week! My last day and a bit in LA was fairly relaxing, but uneventful. Unfortunately as I have mentioned several times, without a car I was restricted to Hollywood/West Hollywood and couldn't go further a field to other areas, for example; Santa Monica. Overall though I really liked it in Hollywood and the added bonus of the Oscars certainly made it worthwhile! After a huge panic over my transport, I arrived in San Francisco yesterday at 7pm Local time. I found out at 11pm the previous evening that my booked bus from LA had been suspended as the company were reviewing their service. After a lot of worrying and panicking, I managed to sort out another bus that got me here around the same time, albeit costing me more money.

This was without doubt one of my most anticipated places to visit before I had even left England and I do have very high expectations for it! I was very tired after my 7 hour bus ride yesterday (hard work, sitting on your arse doing shit all.) so I just took a wander down to Union Square after checking in at my hostel. Talking of which, I have managed to acquire two roommates with fairly distinctive characteristics. One is the modern day equivalent of Frankenstein (I nearly asked him why he had a pair of those Halloween novelty teeth in) and the other snores to the tune of a Dyson vac. Anyway, on my way to Union Square I quickly confirmed all the warnings to me that San Francisco has it's rough areas. Even the hotel reception warned me that an area close by is 'seedy'. 'Tenderloin' as it is named on the map, isn't pretty. I walked close by yesterday and there was a street with just lines and lines of homeless. Plenty of gangs too. However, in the day it isn't too bad and I am told that San Francisco is odd in that the nice areas and the bad areas are often very close to one another.

I was first struck by the transport. The cable cars are really fascinating to see, having so much history. Also, the buses here are Streetcars attached to a metal guiding above them. The streets are very steep with a lot of slopes. It reminded me of Bath in that, it's like one huge hill. Some areas even look a little old fashioned giving it a really historic feel. I walked to Market street and had two slices of pizza from a small cafe. In America, two slices of pizza is about a Large Domino's. They should call it a 'wadge' of pizza. Ridiculous. Or at least 'Bloody big' slice of pizza. I wandered around a bit longer but tried to veer away from the dodgy streets. Around my hostel there isn't anything grand. Union square is nice with it's little garden and cafe's, with Macy's to it's side. I went back to my hostel and slept as I was pretty knackered. (All that sitting.)

Today however, I saw what I had really come for. San Francisco is a beautiful place with so much character. I already love it. I headed straight to the bay as that is where the famous pier's are lined up one by one. I walked from pier 1 to pier 45, stopping off at a couple, including the incredibly cool Pier 39. At Pier 1, there is the ferry building which does what it says on the tin really. (No, it doesn't build Ferry's, smart arse). Ferries  leave here to Oakland, the other side of the bay, Alcatraz etc. However, the building also has a really lovely market inside. Little shops and stalls were set up, each selling things like chutney, cheese and fresh bread. I'm a bit of a stuck up snob, so I like that kind of thing. There were also ice cream, chocolate and sweet stands too. I will definitely return there and look properly as today I only passed through really. After walking on I got to a sign saying: 'Pier 1 1/2'. I wondered if there was a pier 9 and 3/4... You never know. I walked along the bay taking pictures of the other side of the river and the other bridge that connects to Oakland, the Bay Bridge. I stopped off for a couple of drinks along the way before reaching Pier 39. This pier is slightly different from the rest. Restaurants, bars, shops, museum's, aquariums, rides and amazing views are all here, within the stretch of the pier. Houdini's magic shop and Lefty store were my favourite shops! I had fish and chips in a little cafe and then wandered round the back to see the Seals! I really loved it, it has loads to see and plenty of places to eat and drink. I will come back at night as well to see it in the dark.

After Pier 39 it is a short walk to Fisherman's Wharf which has a whole range of things to see. Again, it has bars and restaurants (including a floating one!), but also memorials of 'lost fisherman', old ships, sweet/chocolate shops and museums. Again, I really liked the feel to the place. It was fairly busy with tourists as you would expect, but it had a kind of market feel and being so close to the harbour made it a lovely spot to take in the views and relax. I haven't seen all of this yet and I will be sure to return. I did notice a Rainforest cafe however, on the walk back. I have a bit of a history with them (sounds like an ex girlfriend, I know) so I will definitely be going in at some point! If you keep walking past the Wharf, the attractions and more strikingly, the views do not end there. Next up was the Maritime National Park which as a long strip into the sea to let you take in the views of the city behind you. I kept walking to the Fort Mason park which allowed to get a glimpse of the Golden Gate Bridge I was desperate to see. This then followed on to the marina, holding hundreds of fishing boats. The views literally 360 degrees around you were stunning. After a long long walk along the Marina, I reached 'Presidio',the green area next to the Golden Gate Bridge which has a beach, art museum's, restaurants etc. It was here on the beach I could see the Golden Gate Bridge in all it's glory. I was really blown away by it. Quite possibly more than anything I have seen so far. I took a whole load of photos and sat on the beach, taking it in. It's reddish colour against the blue of the sea makes it really stand out. It stands in front of the north bound green, mountainous side which only adds to the views. If I looked behind, I could see part of the city stretch up and up on it's slope. If I looked to the right, I saw Alcatraz all alone. Everywhere I looked was incredible.

I hope to walk the bridge on Sunday which should be brilliant. A definite 'must do' I think. I then took the streetcar back before walking around the wharf a little further. I then had chance to take the very famous cable car back to market street, This was a highlight! It was so fun! I want a cable car in Ferndown or Bearwood... I managed to be standing at the side of the cable car (such a thrill-seeker), holding onto a rail for my only support. We went up and down the slopey roads stopping at every block for traffic. Every few minutes we would pass another cable car and each car would greet the other like it was waving goodbye to the Titanic. It was such a good experience. It's hard to explain without doing it yourself, but it was really fun. Also with it being so old it's another 'must do' in the city.

I have definitely seen two contrasting sides to the city. The downtown areas can be pretty rough as I mentioned, but just a little further up, the bay with all it's piers; the wharf and the green parks are really beautiful. It's a very unique city, I haven't seen anywhere like it and I don't think anywhere is like it. I have plenty yet to see but I love the feel of the city. It's historical, slightly old fashioned, very pretty and it has nice architecture. I am looking forward to seeing what else it has to offer!