Share this blog with your friends -
The story of the Trek America Grand Trek: 28 April 2004 to 10th June 2004.
Alex(Ipswich), Alex(Buckinghamshire), Craig(Glasgow), Elaine(Glasgow), Hiroshi(Japan), Jo(Boston), Kim(Korea), Konomi(Japan), Laura(Ipswich), Liz(Brisbane), Sheena(Surrey), Steven(Edinburgh) and Vicki(Buckinghamshire).
Day 1 (Washington DC - 28/4/04)
It all starts in the lobby of the hotel Belle Claire, NY, as we slowly meet the people we will be spending the next 42 days with. We should have realised then that time keeping wasn't Greg's strong point as he is the last trek leader to arrive. Soon we are on the road to DC and arrive at the campsite by mid afternoon. We have a quick tent tutorial and then a day of firsts. The first meal we cook together, the first camp fire, and our first night sleeping in a tent, which was bloody freezing! 
We also have our first experience of getting lost tonight, on the 'Illuminations' tour! One thing's for sure, we'll never forget the Capitol building!
Day 2 (Washington DC - 29/4/04)
The next day we went back into DC to see what it is like in the day light. After having lunch in the Ellipse gardens in front of the White House we head to the Washington monument and then to the Holocaust museum . It was a humbling experience.
Next we head to the old post office tower which gives great views of the city including the Pentagon, and that Capitol building again!
Day 3 (Rocky Top, TN - 30/4/04)
First Wal-Mart trip (that's TRAM-JAW in the mirror!?!) I wonder if we'll be able to find anymore of these places along the way?
We'll always remember tonight by those three guys from Texas! Who'd have thought that naming a cat 'Spoilt Rotten' could cause so much amusement for the rest of the trip! Also, Liz, 'Have you seen a kangaroo?!' 
Day 4 (Ocoee, TN - 1/5/04)
White Water Rafting!
We arrive early at the campsite but somehow manage to choose the worst site on the entire field. Never mind, once we've repositioned our tents, we get ready for rafting! On the way up to the landing area, the converted school bus we're all squeezed onto, breaks down, and we have to wait for a replacement. It also starts to rain. None of this helps our nerves at all, (well, some of us are nervous!). We're all terrified when, almost there, we glimpse a huge waterfall in the river with seemingly no other way down, eeek!
But it turns out to be a fantastic experience and one of the highlights of the trip for many people, (except probably Vicki, who had one of her many 'near-death experiences' here, getting stuck underneath the raft!)
Day 5 (New Orleans, LA - 2/5/04)
The first time it rained on the trip! We all get nice and soaked for the long journey to New Orleans!
When we arrive we explore a bit, some of us go to Cafe de Monde for coffee and doughnutty things covered in icing sugar. We made a lot of mess, but so was everyone else! But we were soon keen to return to our luxurious accommodation, and the first beds we'd seen in five days (heaven!) 
My favourite quote of the day (which soon became a reoccurring theme) "This is the really dodgy part of town, you need to watch yourselves around here guys . . . . oh! Here's the hotel!"
Day 6 (New Orleans, LA - 3/5/04)
The night of the Hand Grenades (and beads)!
Some of us went on the Swamp Tour during the day, where we saw alligators (NOT crocodiles), lizards, turtles, an owl, a heron and a ninety-year old man who goes fishing everyday (personally I think he just likes being a minor celebrity in the bayou)! A definite highlight was when the guide grabbed a random snake from the grass (Steve Irwin style), and proceeded to show everyone on the boat. He earned his tip!
Day 7 (New Orleans, LA - 4/5/04)
Some will remember this night for wandering the streets of New Orleans, yelling "where's all the jazz?" and "where's the ice-cream?" Two of life's big questions.
A few will remember this being the day we were approached by a curious lady in a cafe, who told us that we had "some really interesting and unusual vibrations and auras!" Okay, and if we give her money, she'll tell us why she thinks this???
|
|
Rate this blog
|
|
|
