This is my first proper attempt at blogging directly from an iPhone so let’s see how it goes. Reet, I’m now just about packed up and all my bobbins have been moved to the auld fella’s back room, nice of him that.
Below is a pic of me carrying enough supplies for a season at a small Texan outpost. I’m gonna have neck muscles like Vin Diesel by the time this journey ends.
It gives me great pleasure to announce that my Vespa has a new piston and is back on the road, ta Joey. So after the USA spectacular, I still plan to conquer Europe on a 2-stroke. Bloody belter like.
Today (well, technically yesterday now) was my last working day for at least 6 months, it does feel pretty odd as I’ve never been unemployed since I left school at 15. I’m sure I’ll manage though, bumtastic.
I just deleted the recurrent 07:45 alarm on my phone, man that feels good. Also, I can now publish below my graffitied University of Manchester propaganda without fear of vicious in-house retribution.
Another thing I have just done is sign up to Boingo which gets you free WiFi access in 80,000+ spots worldwide for about 4 UK sherberts (or 8 US ones) a month. Well worth it when you consider that WiFi is essential for me to make phone calls.
A week to go reader(s) and I might actually do some travel blogging on this, erm, travel blog. Wooow weee yeah.
I had a spot of practise over the weekend for the many many hours I shall be spending on trains in the forthcoming months by stumbling from pub to pub on the Real Ale Trail. Me, Boacher, daft Pat and Clure had a very great time ‘n all from what I recall, it was a good second (after the family meal the night before) send off thingy.
Everything else is coming along nicely, if a little slowly. All supplies have been purchased and I’ve been booking all my hostels as sometimes space is limited and forking out for a full price motel/hotel will simply not do when slumming it. Though it looks like I’m going to be forced to in San Antonio, at the end of my travels I’m going to open a budget B&B there as there’s definitely a gap in the market me thinks. Stetson and spurs at the ready eh.
So I’ve been thinking how to stay in touch (in a cheap fashion) with the luddites amongst my close ones (namely Pops Bowen) who think the internet is a fishing tool. An acceptable solution has been reached I think, the ingredients below are required:
- iPhone
- Fring application and account
- Skype account (with SkypeOut credit)
- A Wi-Fi connection (preferably and likely free)
- The will and know-how to mash this $hit up
As luck would have it, I have (or will have at various points in my journey) access to all of these. So this means I can ring people with Skype accounts completely free and more importantly, make very cheap calls to landlines and mobiles, and all from the comfort of my iPhone without having to pay O2 any exorbitant fees for the privilege. Never was the term ‘Bob’s your father’s brother’ more appropriate.
Just sorted my accommodation for the first 5 nights in New York, am staying at The New York Loft Hostel in Brooklyn for about 20 sherberts ($merican sherbs not £ritish ones, though with the current horrific exchange rate they might as well be) a night. I hope it’s not in the same room Becks got jiggy with Posh.
I got caught out by the fact that there is a 14% hotel tax (actually State tax, City tax and hotel tax amalgamated) charge sneaked on at the end, the pesky fellas. I’m not sure if this is the same all the US over, will need to look into it. And to think of all that Independence fuss they made just to dodge a few taxes all them years ago eh.
I’m very much looking forward to sampling the local delicacies The B.A. has to offer, this one not this one. I think I’m going to have to develop a tough uncompromising iron will in a bid not to become a complete fatty on my travels.
Today I bought the bad boy below, The North Face Terra 60. It even sounds ‘ard. Apparently it holds 60 litres (of Strongbow), so that should do fine.
In other news from Bugger HQ, my plans for touring Europe on my Vespa for 3 months directly after the North America trip have taken a turn for the worse. Yesterday on the way to Chester via the M56 I had what is commonly known as a heat seize, which causes the rear wheel to lock completely and sends you skidding all over the place until you pull the clutch in and free it. Luckily I remembered to do this, all very scary though. I’m currently trying to assess the damage to the piston/barrel and seeing how realistic it is to carry on with the proposed trip.
As a backup plan I’m looking into the possibility of InterRailing around the European mainland. I wouldn’t have quite the freedom I wanted and I’d have to delay my dream of riding my Italian scooter in the Sicilian hills but it’d still be a bit bloody good.
Another quandary I am facing, is which of these classic traveller’s tunes should be the soundtrack of my adventures. Answers on a postcard please. Actually it might be easier just to post a comment.
This is STBB. Check out the 'About' section to figure out why you're here
 | Thristhan on Curtains |
|
Twitter
