Dave Gorman - the writer of many a funny "boy-project" book, along with his then flatmate Danny Wallace, has proved to be our nemesis. Or has he? Well, Duncan was at home last week for a couple of days and his parents gave him a book that they had been told about.
"America Unchained" by Dave Gorman... the back page reads "The plan was simple. Go to America. Buy a second-hand car. Drive coast-to-coast without giving any money to the Man. What can possibly go wrong?"
There goes MY book deal...
Monday, 22 March 2010
Tuesday, 16 March 2010
Providential clumsiness
While studying away in the lounge yesterday evening, I heard an almighty bang from upstairs. Probably just Duncan standing up too quickly and smacking his head off the roof - not normally something to worry about, but in this instance anything was more interesting than reading up on the ins and outs of dealing with confounding factors in epidiomological study design...
Semi-expecting to be greeted by a bleeding corpse with a massive dent in its head at the top of the stairs, it turns out that in turning round too quickly Duncan had knocked his printer over and as it fell to pieces, out fell his passport. He'd been looking for it for a few weeks now and no stone had been left unturned. But thanks to his oaf-ish clumsiness, he now not only has a broken printer, but a valid passport too!
Another step toward getting us closer to America!
Semi-expecting to be greeted by a bleeding corpse with a massive dent in its head at the top of the stairs, it turns out that in turning round too quickly Duncan had knocked his printer over and as it fell to pieces, out fell his passport. He'd been looking for it for a few weeks now and no stone had been left unturned. But thanks to his oaf-ish clumsiness, he now not only has a broken printer, but a valid passport too!
Another step toward getting us closer to America!
Saturday, 6 March 2010
Thursday, 4 March 2010
Update, Bad news (part 1), Good news (part 2)
Hello, I'm back. Studying and the like have gotten in the way of my plans. Not just the updating of them on here, but the actual hard planning of our actual trip.
Since last updating, we have got accommodation guaranteed in Pella (IA), Tampa (FL), Atlanta (GA) and possibly in Toronto (ON) and Montreal (QC).
Firstly, the bad news - the cost of car hire has finally dawned upon us. Duncan did a little bit of research on various carhire websites, with the lowest cost being in the region of $2000-$3000, with one even quoting $4000! Duncan being under the age of 25 would also have cost a right arm and leg to insure. While we both like the idea of a company being responsible for call-outs and fixing us up, this is not a sum of money we want to part with for 8 weeks of driving.
On a much happier note, our friends Peter and Lynsey are getting married on September 18th in Florida. We both hope to make it down there for the happy day, but it does slightly throw a spanner in the works in terms of our driving route from east to west. Our initial plan had been from NYC across to Ohio and up through Michigan and down through Wisconsin, through Nebraska and over to south California. However, my Masters course doesn't finish until the 27th of August and Duncan has to be out of America by October 26th. I'm hoping to be able to be on American soil from September 1st. We could potentially drive the first part of the route and fly from Chicago to Florida for the wedding and then back to Chicago.
However, possibly the most exciting news is that 2 of our friends, Richard and Matt are spending 9 months in Canada ski-ing and working from the end of November. So, if we can buy a car of our own, we can drive it across the country and then sell it on to Richard and Matt. We both have little to no knowledge of fixing and running cars, so we are a little anxious about doing this. But, if we can get friends in Cleveland to look into getting us a good 2nd hand car then we can drive down to Florida for the wedding, and then after the wedding head west through some of the more southern states. This evening we passed a car with it's bonnet up and a woman looking forlornly at her grubby hands and staring deep into the engine with an almost complete admission of defeat. We both immediately looked at each other and said "that could be us". But surely that's part of the fun - being stuck on a dirt track, in the middle of nowhere, waiting by the side of the track for some redneck in his tractor to drive by, pick us up and fix our car while his slightly odd-looking and smelling wife force feeds us apple pie. They're the sort of stories I want to experience and remember in years to come.
I have yet to buy my flight tickets, but I'm slowly getting on to that. Just the small matter of assignments and some more exams first. You may also have noticed reference to Canada - this does render the blog title useless, as we'll be taking in more than one country. But our driving adventure is east to west in America, so the title will do just fine thanks.
Since last updating, we have got accommodation guaranteed in Pella (IA), Tampa (FL), Atlanta (GA) and possibly in Toronto (ON) and Montreal (QC).
Firstly, the bad news - the cost of car hire has finally dawned upon us. Duncan did a little bit of research on various carhire websites, with the lowest cost being in the region of $2000-$3000, with one even quoting $4000! Duncan being under the age of 25 would also have cost a right arm and leg to insure. While we both like the idea of a company being responsible for call-outs and fixing us up, this is not a sum of money we want to part with for 8 weeks of driving.
On a much happier note, our friends Peter and Lynsey are getting married on September 18th in Florida. We both hope to make it down there for the happy day, but it does slightly throw a spanner in the works in terms of our driving route from east to west. Our initial plan had been from NYC across to Ohio and up through Michigan and down through Wisconsin, through Nebraska and over to south California. However, my Masters course doesn't finish until the 27th of August and Duncan has to be out of America by October 26th. I'm hoping to be able to be on American soil from September 1st. We could potentially drive the first part of the route and fly from Chicago to Florida for the wedding and then back to Chicago.
However, possibly the most exciting news is that 2 of our friends, Richard and Matt are spending 9 months in Canada ski-ing and working from the end of November. So, if we can buy a car of our own, we can drive it across the country and then sell it on to Richard and Matt. We both have little to no knowledge of fixing and running cars, so we are a little anxious about doing this. But, if we can get friends in Cleveland to look into getting us a good 2nd hand car then we can drive down to Florida for the wedding, and then after the wedding head west through some of the more southern states. This evening we passed a car with it's bonnet up and a woman looking forlornly at her grubby hands and staring deep into the engine with an almost complete admission of defeat. We both immediately looked at each other and said "that could be us". But surely that's part of the fun - being stuck on a dirt track, in the middle of nowhere, waiting by the side of the track for some redneck in his tractor to drive by, pick us up and fix our car while his slightly odd-looking and smelling wife force feeds us apple pie. They're the sort of stories I want to experience and remember in years to come.
I have yet to buy my flight tickets, but I'm slowly getting on to that. Just the small matter of assignments and some more exams first. You may also have noticed reference to Canada - this does render the blog title useless, as we'll be taking in more than one country. But our driving adventure is east to west in America, so the title will do just fine thanks.
Thursday, 4 February 2010
Good news (Pt 1)
Well yesterday was an exciting day - Duncan confirmed his flights. This is a good thing, as the adventure now has at least one definite participant. Despite stealing the last seat on his plane at the travel office, he's got the ball rolling.
I don't want to talk about balls, but we do have a few other balls teetering at the top of a hill, ready to roll, but just waiting for that little nudge or piece of wind to set them in motion. That nudge and fart being time and money.
We have a large North American map on our lounge wall, with coloured pins stuck in where I know people, or where Duncan knows people, or where someone we know knows people, or places we want to go. It's remarkable how straight some of those connecting lines are. We have an almost perfectly straight route from Washington DC, to Pittsburgh, to Cleveland, to central southern Michigan.
We have started emailing our friends and family members and friends of family members and family members of friends of friends. So far I am excited to say we have definite accomodation in Norman (OK), Lexington (KY), Lexington (NE), Cleveland (OH), Pittsburgh (PA), Minneapolis (MN). The two letter initials after each place name are not my opinion of the places we're going. While it may seem fair to class Norman as OK and to remark OH! when considering the-mistake-by-the-lake that is Cleveland, they are infact state abbreviations. If you don't them all then take a peek here http://www.usps.com/ncsc/lookups/abbr_state.txt
We have a large list of people we need to email and contact. Without these people we would quite possibly have to pay for one, or even two, nights accomodation in a motel. This would completely ruin the whole concept of this journey. That concept being driven, especially by myself as a student, by money. Or lack of.
So why do I love to travel? I was reminded over the Christmas holidays why I love the actual motion of travelling. I don't like going slowly. Walking is great, but when you've got a bike or a bus or a car, it's so much quicker. But it's the range of things you can see in a given time period. In 10 minutes of walking you're unlikely to get anywhere near out of Aberdeen, but 10 minutes on the bike could see you down by the beach or over by Cove lighthouse. 10 minutes by car in Aberdeen: well you'd probably still be further behind than the walker. But 10 minutes on a train and you're already approaching Stonehaven, having taken in the crazy farm for experimental breeds or rare breeds or whatever government-fronted scheme there is going on there. You've already passed the amazing cliff-top golf course on the left and will soon be free of urban sprawl and with the Angus hills fast approaching on the right. It makes me want to swap seats so I can always get the best view.
So during the Christmas holidays, New Years eve in fact, I jumped on a train to Edinburgh from Montrose. Almost as soon we left the station, we moved inland and south, where all the snow had been falling. Even the hated Arbroath (I'm sure you'll find out why with time) looked appealing. Snow draped trees, the setting sun, and then once over the Tay, the rolling hills and low-lying mist completely transformed what was just a regular train journey. Flags on pins on golf course after golf course just peeked out through the mist as the air temperature dropped. How could people sitting opposite me not stare in amazement as the landscape changed and rolled alongside?
I used to think travelling for the sake of getting somewhere was nowhere near as much fun as what you did once you got there. Childhood memories of journeys to the south of England, or over to Europe in the car being the main players there. Being allowed to listen on the stereo to one side of a cassette each on a days travel, or getting a sucky sweet every hour of being in the car. Dad inevitably always used to time toilet stops at 1 hour 55 minutes, so as to save the stash of sweets. But the thought of interstate highways in America, and the changing scenery, and the humungous cars, and the questionable country music once we're in the south, all excite me and makes me add another variable to the equation.
Not only will I be comparing the American places with the American people, but now also with the actual journey.
I don't want to talk about balls, but we do have a few other balls teetering at the top of a hill, ready to roll, but just waiting for that little nudge or piece of wind to set them in motion. That nudge and fart being time and money.
We have a large North American map on our lounge wall, with coloured pins stuck in where I know people, or where Duncan knows people, or where someone we know knows people, or places we want to go. It's remarkable how straight some of those connecting lines are. We have an almost perfectly straight route from Washington DC, to Pittsburgh, to Cleveland, to central southern Michigan.
We have started emailing our friends and family members and friends of family members and family members of friends of friends. So far I am excited to say we have definite accomodation in Norman (OK), Lexington (KY), Lexington (NE), Cleveland (OH), Pittsburgh (PA), Minneapolis (MN). The two letter initials after each place name are not my opinion of the places we're going. While it may seem fair to class Norman as OK and to remark OH! when considering the-mistake-by-the-lake that is Cleveland, they are infact state abbreviations. If you don't them all then take a peek here http://www.usps.com/ncsc/lookups/abbr_state.txt
We have a large list of people we need to email and contact. Without these people we would quite possibly have to pay for one, or even two, nights accomodation in a motel. This would completely ruin the whole concept of this journey. That concept being driven, especially by myself as a student, by money. Or lack of.
So why do I love to travel? I was reminded over the Christmas holidays why I love the actual motion of travelling. I don't like going slowly. Walking is great, but when you've got a bike or a bus or a car, it's so much quicker. But it's the range of things you can see in a given time period. In 10 minutes of walking you're unlikely to get anywhere near out of Aberdeen, but 10 minutes on the bike could see you down by the beach or over by Cove lighthouse. 10 minutes by car in Aberdeen: well you'd probably still be further behind than the walker. But 10 minutes on a train and you're already approaching Stonehaven, having taken in the crazy farm for experimental breeds or rare breeds or whatever government-fronted scheme there is going on there. You've already passed the amazing cliff-top golf course on the left and will soon be free of urban sprawl and with the Angus hills fast approaching on the right. It makes me want to swap seats so I can always get the best view.
So during the Christmas holidays, New Years eve in fact, I jumped on a train to Edinburgh from Montrose. Almost as soon we left the station, we moved inland and south, where all the snow had been falling. Even the hated Arbroath (I'm sure you'll find out why with time) looked appealing. Snow draped trees, the setting sun, and then once over the Tay, the rolling hills and low-lying mist completely transformed what was just a regular train journey. Flags on pins on golf course after golf course just peeked out through the mist as the air temperature dropped. How could people sitting opposite me not stare in amazement as the landscape changed and rolled alongside?
I used to think travelling for the sake of getting somewhere was nowhere near as much fun as what you did once you got there. Childhood memories of journeys to the south of England, or over to Europe in the car being the main players there. Being allowed to listen on the stereo to one side of a cassette each on a days travel, or getting a sucky sweet every hour of being in the car. Dad inevitably always used to time toilet stops at 1 hour 55 minutes, so as to save the stash of sweets. But the thought of interstate highways in America, and the changing scenery, and the humungous cars, and the questionable country music once we're in the south, all excite me and makes me add another variable to the equation.
Not only will I be comparing the American places with the American people, but now also with the actual journey.
Monday, 1 February 2010
Welcome
Well hello. Aren't you looking mighty fine today.
I'm new to this blogging scene. I don't like the idea of sharing my innermost thoughts and feelings with potentially the rest of the literate world; especially not with the illiterate world as they just wouldn't understand.
So the purpose of this blog is so that I can have written down somewhere, what I get up to as I travel across America with my flatmate Duncan. Planning, organising and then taking part in a 2-3 month travelling expedition across America is of course the next logical step for a 26-year old with 2 undergraduate university degrees and in the middle of a Masters course.
I'm sure it will be a great adventure which, upon ending, will signal the start of the real world to differing extents for us both.
Perhaps you're thinking that 2 undergraduate degrees and a Masters are not too excessive, but when you realise I've spent almost 9 years at university in Aberdeen and that they are in Geography, Sports and Exercise Science, and now Human Nutrition, you may start to realise that I've no clear career direction in mind.
I've had 3 visits to America before, and each time I have been staying with friends and families and experiencing family life American style. I have always defended America from over here in Scotland. I find Americans warm and friendly, happy-to-help kind of people and I am looking forward to seeing whether a whistle-stop tour of non-family life across the states renders me more of a fan of America's people or America's places.
I'll keep you updated on our thoughts, our planning, and our proposed route as and when we finally get round to finalising.
I'm new to this blogging scene. I don't like the idea of sharing my innermost thoughts and feelings with potentially the rest of the literate world; especially not with the illiterate world as they just wouldn't understand.
So the purpose of this blog is so that I can have written down somewhere, what I get up to as I travel across America with my flatmate Duncan. Planning, organising and then taking part in a 2-3 month travelling expedition across America is of course the next logical step for a 26-year old with 2 undergraduate university degrees and in the middle of a Masters course.
I'm sure it will be a great adventure which, upon ending, will signal the start of the real world to differing extents for us both.
Perhaps you're thinking that 2 undergraduate degrees and a Masters are not too excessive, but when you realise I've spent almost 9 years at university in Aberdeen and that they are in Geography, Sports and Exercise Science, and now Human Nutrition, you may start to realise that I've no clear career direction in mind.
I've had 3 visits to America before, and each time I have been staying with friends and families and experiencing family life American style. I have always defended America from over here in Scotland. I find Americans warm and friendly, happy-to-help kind of people and I am looking forward to seeing whether a whistle-stop tour of non-family life across the states renders me more of a fan of America's people or America's places.
I'll keep you updated on our thoughts, our planning, and our proposed route as and when we finally get round to finalising.
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