TravelStream™ news feed for member annieek on TravelPod's free travel blogs service http://www.travelpod.com/syndication/rss/annieek en-us Copyright ©2009 TravelPod.com Tue, 02 Jan 2007 12:11:06 -0500 http://www.travelpod.com http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/annieek/uk_06_07/1167757620/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/annieek/uk_06_07/1167757620/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/annieek/uk_06_07/1167757620/tpod.html Tue, 02 Jan 2007 12:11:06 -0500 My home for the next 6mths, London and working in Thame Oxforshire and all adventures in between

Jump to the full
entry & travel map

Thame, Oxfordshire, United Kingdom

A short trainr ide from London and i am in rolling green hills and a small english town called Thame, very pretty, and very old.

I am working in a 700yr old pub called The Birdcage on the main street and also living here upstairs with a couple of other aussies. Its upmarket and seems chilled out. Ustairs is loungeroom and my room is roomy and finally get to see whats in the bottom of my suitcase and unpack the mothership!!
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/annieek/uk_06_07/1167065700/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/annieek/uk_06_07/1167065700/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/annieek/uk_06_07/1167065700/tpod.html Tue, 02 Jan 2007 12:07:24 -0500 My home for the next 6mths, London and working in Thame Oxforshire and all adventures in between

Jump to the full
entry & travel map

London, United Kingdom

Arrived in London on Christmas Day , sun is shining, i didnt sleep a wink so having been awake for more than 24hours i crash for the first day. the next day i went solo walking around Buckingham Palace, Leicester Square, Trafalger Square, Covent Garden, Guards on horeses and whatever else i stumbled upon.
Nobody i met at the hostel in Piccadilly Circus spoke english so was a little lonely except for the creepy indian guy who worked reception who took a fancy to me, i barred him very quickly when i noticed he had crazy eyes! u know serial killer looking freaky ones!#
I then met up with Ed for the day in london and had a VB in a walkabout aussie bar, tower of london visit the beefeaters!and westminster abbey. we then trvaelled to Sevenoaks where he went to school and met some of his posh buddies for a few drinks.
Headed back and checked out Notting Hill Portabello Markets (my fave place!)Mayair, Knightbridge, Harrods, Kensigton Palace all of this while it is pouring rain so i come home drenched and still tryin to get my jumer dry... sucked but so worth it!
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/annieek/usa_solo/1166666580/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/annieek/usa_solo/1166666580/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/annieek/usa_solo/1166666580/tpod.html Wed, 20 Dec 2006 21:47:36 -0500 The rest of the USA and Canada was up to me and only me. i survived after seeing the best of the best and the worst of the worst an everything in between

Jump to the full
entry & travel map

Buffalo, New York, United States

We arrived to empty streets, about 1 person every 100m. Ed and i arrived at the hostel to find out we are the only 2 people staying in the hostel! Very starnge kinda place. We went for a walk to find the 'ultimate' buffalo wings. We had come to love our wings and these were not a let down. the original wings mmm.
We walked to streets to find coats hanging in trees, crazy people walking around talking to temselves, so it began to get dark and i didnt feel safe so i headed to the hostel and organised. pretty much played pool and watched movies for a night in the basement of the hostel before finally arriving in San Fran!
(10hrs to get accros the country, which is a 6 hour flight. I was delayed out of Buffalo, missed my connection to San Fran in Cincinnati, waited 4 hours, headed to Atlanta and arrived in San Fran 6hrs later to no luggage.. informed my luggage was lost i stressed for 24hrs and then finally having it found at the airport i am now safey in Oregon relaxin at my Aunts before heading to London which will be a whole nuther adventure)
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/annieek/usa_solo/1165799820/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/annieek/usa_solo/1165799820/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/annieek/usa_solo/1165799820/tpod.html Wed, 20 Dec 2006 20:45:15 -0500 The rest of the USA and Canada was up to me and only me. i survived after seeing the best of the best and the worst of the worst an everything in between

Jump to the full
entry & travel map

Niagara Falls, Canada

Our Day trip to the falls was fun, very quiet because nothing is open this time of year, but falls are spectacular... the sun came out just as we boarded the bus to leave which sucked but still you get the picture
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/annieek/usa_solo/1166654880/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/annieek/usa_solo/1166654880/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/annieek/usa_solo/1166654880/tpod.html Wed, 20 Dec 2006 20:17:12 -0500 The rest of the USA and Canada was up to me and only me. i survived after seeing the best of the best and the worst of the worst an everything in between

Jump to the full
entry & travel map

Toronto, Canada

After our 8 hour lay over at Buffalo- Depew train station where we got the best pizza and spaghetti delivered to doorstep at the trainstation, we boarded the train for 6 hour Journey to Toronto Ontario Canada.
We arrived in the evening and the station was again right in the heart of the city, we felt safe but it did look like just another city and suprisingly not as cold as i had expected , alot warmer than Chicago!
We found our hostel, my room was just like a hotel room very clean freindly hostel but many of the poeple were students and already knew each other and didnt seem welcome newcomers. But Ed and I enjoyed free pancake breakfast every morning, raiding the free food cupboards for gourmet pasta and free Chilli cooked by the Hostel! we lived on around $6 a day on food! cant beat it! and i won a Hostel shirt playing Trivia woohoo (i lost but still won)
We went up the CN tower for views of Toronto and stood on the Glass floor and looked straight down 1200 feet!! kina freaky. We walked Yunge St where all the cool record and T shirt shops are, cafe's, bling blig shops and over to the Shoe museum, where Ed sat bored shitless while i admired jimmy Choos, Mahnolo and binding shoes!
Ed and i took a bus to Niagara Falls from Toronto only around an hour drive. The town itself was dead and a little strange, nothing was open but lokoed like a tourists dream in the summer but in winter only locals in flannalette shirts puching strollers. The falls were amazing and the mist starts raining on you around 2 miles from the falls themselves!! we spent 2 hours here before realising there is nothing to do one you have taken photoes and admired the falls and local tacky shops (reminding me a little of vegas with the themed shops linign the street) . Worth it just to see Niagara Falls though, the light show on the falls at night looks spectacular but there was no way we could kill enough time in the town to be bothered seeing it.
The last night we headed to the hostel around the corner that had a pub below and found it to be alot more welcoming we made friends with a brit now living in Toronto working at a top scale bar and a guy who is a security guard. Hearing stories of Toronto's elite, Hockey player, celebs, mafiosos who all attend this club and the drama that unfolds very interesting! wasnt a big night as our train for Buffalo left at 7am the next morning
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/annieek/usa_solo/1166652900/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/annieek/usa_solo/1166652900/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/annieek/usa_solo/1166652900/tpod.html Wed, 20 Dec 2006 18:21:31 -0500 The rest of the USA and Canada was up to me and only me. i survived after seeing the best of the best and the worst of the worst an everything in between

Jump to the full
entry & travel map

Louisville, Kentucky, United States

Next stop was Cincinnati. I headed here with Ed as he had family freinds he was visiting so i planned to just stay in a Hotel while he spent the weekend with them. Upon arrival at 3am i find out Cincinnati , is a hole with a very dangerous reputation and noone actually lives there they live accross the Bridge in Newport Kentucky and surrouding burbs.
Joe the man Ed knew offered for me to stay with them as their is no real suitable hotels anywhere. So i agree and if it had not been for me tagging along with head this is one typical american lifestyle i would never had experienced. Redneck america yeehaa!
The Capoli family were so hospitable and made their home so welcome to me i am very grateful, as it was short notice that i was even coming. I headed to Louiville the colledge town where 2 out of the 8 kids attended Louisville Uni. We took in A colledge american football match with 50,000 people, dorm life with Mary Kate and some heavy partying colledge style with her brother Kenny and his buddies. After being politely excorted from the club coz i was having to much fun and fell over dancing just a couple of times we headed back to the family home in Fort Thomas.
They showed us just what there is to do in Kentucky... Eat, drive around and eat some more of no doubt the worlds worst food for you! Everything is fried, processed, buffet and burgers. We trully saw american midwest culture here, where everyone drives pick ups and SUV's, flags hang proud from the houses, they talk a little slower. Small town america very sweet and homely but the diet and lack of things to do was making me yearn for the big city again. After a drive around the surrounding towns and visiting a petrefied rock ( only because i had never heard of one before and was intrigued) we picked up Pizza at 1am and boarded our train to Chicago
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/annieek/usa_solo/1165358040/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/annieek/usa_solo/1165358040/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/annieek/usa_solo/1165358040/tpod.html Wed, 20 Dec 2006 17:46:47 -0500 The rest of the USA and Canada was up to me and only me. i survived after seeing the best of the best and the worst of the worst an everything in between

Jump to the full
entry & travel map

Chicago, Illinois, United States

Next stop is Chicago, which i heard great things about and was so excitied to arrive at after our small town dose. After our 10 hour train ride we arrived at Union station right in the heart of Chicago's financial district, we arrived at around 4:30pm and as soon as we started walking to our hostel this city had a great feel about it, reminding me slightly of New York, people walking the streets that were lined with snow and ice, bars, students and feeling very safe on every street we turned.
The hostel is the largest in America accommodation 500 people and doubling as a student centre for the colledge accross the road. It was right in the heart of Chicago.
Ed and i viewed the city at Sunset from the Sears Tower (tallest building in the world) and then enjoyed a free Brazillian meal cooked by some students on the first night and a few rounds of ping pong.We headed to the local bar for a few drinks with a couple from Madison Wisconsin who ran the local hostel there and a guy from Atlanta. It was a very intellectual convo on teaching and US politics so Ed and i tuned out and continued drinking the pitchers and nodding occasionally. Nice people but dead boring!
Next day Ed, Me and the Atlanta guy ( who had a soccer accident and was on crutches) walked slowily around Millenium Park admiring the Architechture and the bean which reflects the skyline in the shape of a jelly bean, amazing. we then walked the Magnificent Mile lined with ritzy shops to Hancock tower for another view of the city. This is the coldest i have been and probably ever will be in my life... with temps in the day of minus 6 plus wind chill factor (they call it the windy city!) we headed to thaw out in shops and lobby's every 20mins before the pain became to great we decided chillin at the hostel would be much more fun. We signed up for a Jazz and Blues show at a famous Blues Club (whre it all started)) Blue Chicago for some great music and onto a nightclub for lots of fun and memory loss. I loved that stage gold plated it was built for me to dance on (no pics sorry).
My second fave city on the east coast Chicago is definatly a city i would like to spend more time in, mabye in summer when its not so bloody cold!. Enjoy.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/annieek/world_tour_06/1161405120/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/annieek/world_tour_06/1161405120/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/annieek/world_tour_06/1161405120/tpod.html Tue, 19 Dec 2006 17:00:32 -0500 Contiki Oct 06

Jump to the full
entry & travel map

Las Vegas, Nevada, United States

To the city that never Sleeps!!! All that happens in Vegas stays in Vegas but i will share my hard partying and 24hr drinking times with you all. Up there with my absolute fave cities in the world!! the most fun an adult could have it is dysneyland for adults and i didnt even get to gamble.. From the Freemnt light show, to getting married in the Graceland Chapel by elvis where demi and bruce married, to walking the strip by day and seeing inside the most elaborate casino's in the world to Partying in famous celeb club hangouts such as RumJungle, Mandalay Bay Pure in Ceasers Palace and scamming VIP seats awesome times, memories i will always remeber,
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/annieek/usa_solo/1164611220/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/annieek/usa_solo/1164611220/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/annieek/usa_solo/1164611220/tpod.html Tue, 19 Dec 2006 02:28:40 -0500 The rest of the USA and Canada was up to me and only me. i survived after seeing the best of the best and the worst of the worst an everything in between

Jump to the full
entry & travel map

Washington DC, District of Columbia, United States

Next Stop was Washington DC, home of the White House, Endless Memorials, The Capitol Building, Washington Monument, Martin Luther King Movement, and Smithsonian Museums. I gota glimpse of all of these.
I really didnt like this city overall as far as cities go. alot of homeless crazy people.. crack is whack! and 1 block thr wrong way and you are in the Ghetto. it is all about power and Polatics here.
Met my travel buddy ed here, while stressing big in the Hostel Lounge trying to figure out where to go next. He had a rail pass, and was heading to a few places i wouldnt mind seeing, so i asked if he would mind and there you have it we travel north east USA together.
We hit the Washington Nightlife at a local Irish Pub, with a couple from the Highlands in Scotland and John a Sacramento native who just kinda floats around the country not really worried if he doesnt have a home, the most worldy 20 yr old i have ever met, then he got hitby a car after we had left him and caused us all worry for 24hrs but he ws ok just a little beat up! secret drinking in the hostel as the staff were really un freindly and there was a no alcahol policy which amazes me! Although we did walk halfway into serious ghetto to get out alcahol. very scary. i also had my first solo ghetto experience when i took 1 wrong turn very scary!! fun times had but shitty city!
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/annieek/usa_solo/1163555880/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/annieek/usa_solo/1163555880/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/annieek/usa_solo/1163555880/tpod.html Tue, 19 Dec 2006 00:59:10 -0500 The rest of the USA and Canada was up to me and only me. i survived after seeing the best of the best and the worst of the worst an everything in between

Jump to the full
entry & travel map

New York City, New York, United States

So i decided New York would be my next stop, and Ann decided to accompany me. She had client who lived on Park Ave so i would stay there for a week, then Ann went home for Thanksgiving and i headed to the Chelsea area where i spent another week in an awesome Hostel which made my stay in New York soo much more than just the sights. had the most fun in the whole trip... i miss new york already!
I stroled Central Park, saw Strawberry Fields, Times Square, Empire State Building, Ground Zero, little Italy, Chinatown, Gramercy Park and walked the Brooklyn Bridge and drank in an Aussie pub in Chelsea! i think i pretty much walked all of Manhatten in my 2 week stay.
Ann and i enjoyed a taste of the real New York when we headed to her friends birthday party at a Morrocan Restaraunt and a very small Williamsburg Latino club with locals!
enjoy these photoes, fave place so far!
]]>