San Diego

USS Midway, San Diego CA

Let's start off with the good aspects of the St. Christopher International Hostel in San Diego. There was a very relaxed atmosphere where everyone was introduced to one another upon arrival by Juliette, the hostel manager. We were encouraged to bring back beer and wine (no spirits) so we could spend the evening with the other guests learning about each others cultures or playing card based drinking games. This place had the hostel spirit of bringing together people from different backgrounds better than any other hostel I've stayed in.

Balboa Park, San Diego CA

And the not so good? Juliette was incredibly friendly, kind and helpful, but this is not the best thing in the world when you don't want your things washing just before you intend to use them. And the relaxed atmosphere is great for sitting around recovering from the heat and the Greyhound, but not so great when you ask for a sheet for your bed and each time you're told she'll get one for you as soon as the washing's done, and you probably won't need one anyway. Yes the room was dark and at least 30 degrees with no air flow so the temperature isn't a problem, but with no door and 5 other people sharing the room I'd be more concerned about exposing my sweating slumbering body to the rest of the hostel - nobody deserves that. The most obvious negative, obvious once you've been there at least, is that the hostel is on the flight path so every couple of minutes there's a 737 flying at about 30 ft bringing all conversation to a temporary stop. Also, I was staying in the 'African Room'. I think she had another reason to call it that, but she was much more animated in telling the story of the orgies that took place in there when a couple of Nigerian lads stayed. If the stories are to believed, those bunk-beds took a battering.

San Diego itself is an alright place. If you like boats then there's plenty to see down at the harbour and I had an amazingly geeky afternoon aboard the aircraft carrier, USS Midway, sitting in ejector seats and F-4 Phantom cockpits. I also went up to Balboa Park with the intention of going to the world famous zoo. I remember having a CD about San Diego Zoo when I was little, but at $42 I thought it was a bit pricey so just went round the desert garden instead for free. Apparently it's much like any other decent zoo so just image Chester Zoo in 40 degree heat and you're there.

Goodbye dear friends...

There was a sad moment before leaving San Diego as I had to say goodbye to a good friend. Two good friends in truth: my trainers. They were stinking! Plus I'd made my way through most of the sole. They were left with the good people at Sketchers to be incinerated as a biological hazard. This time I've toned down on the colour from yellow to red, but to make up for it I've gone for more colour. You should have seen the yellow ones though - not even I could get away with wearing them.

...and hello to my new obscenely red friends.

Arizona somewhere

Another overnight Greyhound bus trip has got me to Flagstaff AZ. Again, no proper crazies, just a late bus, a border patrol check, and someone who'd just left prison as an initial traveling companion. Traveling across Nevada and Arizona has a similar kind of feel as traveling across Montana, except it's far dustier and there's one or two more cacti.

Today, the washing machine. Tomorrow, the world! Or the Grand Canyon, whichever's easier.