Category Transportation

A friend sent me this photo recently and as many of you know, this is an issue we’re pretty passionate about. There is crap public transportation in America, and yet we pioneered using the railway to link our two beautiful coasts. Apparently we haven’t updated our trains since they were first rolled out on the tracks. It’s disgusting. Every time I take Amtrak in the states I feel dirty, but the trains are basically the only way to get from place to place without flying or owning a car. Why do they have to be so horrible?

That Russia has super sweet trains and we don’t is a bit shocking. But even France can get it together. Wow. Low blow. China and Japan are at the forefront of technology with trains and while China has suffered a devastating crash on it’s high-speed train, that was ruled human error and everyone is moving on (with trepidation). Japan’s trains are one of the only ways to get around the country, which is super cool.

Imagine how much more time you’d have to play angry birds if you didn’t have to drive? You could just plop down in a seat and read or work on your laptop or finally figure out how 90% of the iPad works. Driving a car is fun, and necessary if you live out in the countryside in the USA, but for most people traveling form say New York to DC should involve sitting on a nice, clean, high-speed train for an hour or two while perfecting your aim at digital paper toss.

I’m still fuming about France’s sleek train.

In our travels around this pretty blueberry planet we’ve only ever seen one train as horrible and unmentionable as an Amtrak train– and that was in Kazakhstan where we witnessed cops climb on board, take off his cap and pass it around the cabin as all the passengers filled it up with cash. When we got to our destination we saw people un-tape bags of ______ from their chests and clamber down the ancient stairs. That was horrible. HOWEVER, on one Amtrak trip a lady asked me to watch her screaming baby while she went to the bathroom. An hour later the thing still howled and screamed and the lady wasn’t back. The cabin attendant finally found her in the bathroom with a needle in her arm. Not that different, really. And yet the trains in Slovakia were awesome, clean, sleek and super shiny and no one O.D.-ed in the bathroom or had ____ taped to their bellies.

I’m all for spending a few of my tax dollars on better, faster, less embarrassing trains. And while we’re at it (don’t get me started on this) better roads. The German autobahn doesn’t have potholes filled with black tar all over the place. Why can’t we build a decent road? AGHHHH!!!!!!

The State of the Union Address was January 25th, 2011, ATC reviews the plans behind President Obama’s speech.

Transportation:

One issue we’ve always been open about at ATC is transportation in America. While traveling around the world, we found America to be one of the most difficult places to travel due to poor infrastructure in terms of non-air modes of transportation. Plans to expand the rail network

Previous articles on ATC about transportation include: Amtrak- An Open Plea to the Government. USA Travel Options- Choices in Futility. The Empire Builder. 3 Things I Didn’t Miss about America. Transatlantic Options. Across America by Land.

Education:

Traveling around the world has taught us something else. Americans are not considered to be that intelligent.  This seems to be a nearly universal opinion. Obama’s speech indicated that he might agree with those internationally accepted opinions. Education in America has serious problems that need to be addressed.  I think teachers should be required to have a masters in their field as well as advanced training in teaching methodology and technology. Why not aim to be the best? We have high unemployment and a strong need for teachers, this is a great time to require more education for 1-12 teachers and to reward teachers who went out of their way to get their masters degrees, or who have learned to use technology in the classroom.

Students in Europe are way ahead of US students in many regards. They speak multiple languages and have a firm grip on science, math and geography– three of American student’s worst subjects.  In the chart they US is ranked well after Estonia, which is ironic because the average American probably couldn’t find Estonia on a map, proving my point. American students need to learn a second language fluently by the time they graduate from High School. 12 years is plenty of time. Students in Europe study for around 8-12 years learning English and as a result sound like native English speakers. In China, students go to classes all day and then spend their limited spending cash on English tutors because they know education is key. That is a lot to compete with. We need full immersion schools in the US, and teachers who are bilingual. As Obama noted, the baby boomers will be retiring soon, and its a good time to enact new laws to better the education system. Next time I travel through Europe I would love to see a young American speaking the local language and causing people abroad to reevaluate their opinion of Americans.

Finances:

Americans have a spending problem. Nobody is debating this anymore. Our debt is out of control, our spending seems to be endless and yet our infrastructure can’t compete with that of Western Europe. We have a culture of instant gratification that has resulted in an acceptance of poor-quality goods and a lack of appreciation for high quality goods you have to save up for. I don’t think Americans should have to deal with a ‘credit score’ system that rewards people who buy before they have the money to pay for the items they’ve purchased. Paying in cash by saving up in advance should be rewarded, not punished by harming your credit score. the score means that you can put yourself in debt to a larger entity, you enslave yourself into a cyclical system. I think this system needs to be re-imagined to reward people who can plan ahead, save ahead and can live without the companies that charge ridiculous filing fees, high interest and who hold the deed to your home like a mob boss until you pay up. This system needs to be re-imagined as well, so another housing bubble doesn’t result in more people losing the homes they can’t afford. I think this should have been better addressed in the 2011 State of the Union Address.

Articles ATC has posted on finances and money include: Poor Journalism & American Debt. Should you Look for Work in China- ATC Responds. China versus America: A Conversational Comparison. Why I Hate Wal-Mart.

With the 2010 Mongol Rally behind us, we found ourselves sitting at a restaurant in Ulaan Bataar, Mongolia, wondering where we should go. Should we head to Thailand, which was the original plan? Or should we hop on a train to China and see where the road takes us? It was hard to say, but after being on the road for a year and a half the idea of getting an apartment and relaxing in one spot for a while seemed more than enticing. It was just such a big decision that we decided to hop across the border and see how we felt.

We had previously met two American brothers, also on the rally, who were planning on heading down to Beijing. Likewise, the Irishman from our convoy was headed that direction and we had heard that several other teams had members heading towards China’s capital. It seemed like the place to be. We walked to the UB train station and discovered one cannot book a train ticket in advance. The American boys handed us some cash and we agreed to buy the tickets the next morning.

In the morning, we discovered you needed a passport to book your tickets, so we booked ours and gave the American’s their cash back. We hopped on the train that afternoon and settled into our crowded alley-way bunks. The Trans-Siberian train was not as impressive as one would think. The bunks were tiny, crowded and the luggage compartments were overflowing. You have to pay for sheets, and the entire train smelled of mold and dust. Despite this, it was great to be back on a locomotive and chugging along at a slow, relaxed pace. I didn’t even miss having the Saxo!

The train reached the small border town the following morning and we jumped off with our luggage and easily caught a bus across the border for a few dollars. Customs and immigration were a bit of a joke on the Mongolian side. The woman barely looked up when she stamped me out of the country along with several other people who had stuffed their passports threw her glass window at the same time. The Chinese customs and immigration were a bit trickier. I was held for a few minutes because the guards said I looked nothing like the photo in the passport. I told them all white people look alike, but they did’t laugh. Apparently I look different now than I did in 2002, and after living in a tiny car for 40 days, its no wonder I didn’t match my image. Eventually they let me through, but our bus had not waited and we were left stranded at the border crossing with our luggage, a mile or two from town.

We set off walking into town thinking it wasn’t a great start to possibly staying in China. But, just as I was grumbling about being left by our Mongolian bus driver, a Chinese driver in a van pulled over and picked us up and drove us to the train station for free. They were friendly and chatted with us the whole way. It was such a good feeling to be able to communicate again, having been useless in Mongolia on the communication front. They were so incredably friendly that they even invited us to their homes, which we declined in favor of catching the night bus to Beijing… but not before we had a breakfast beer at a Chinese chain restaurant we have always enjoyed in the past. Mike’s first epic Breakfast Beer picture in China!

Sleeper buses seem to be specific to Asia. Essentially, everyone gets a bunk-bed sleeper compartment and the top-heavy bus rolls down the street swaying from side to side. It seems dangerous and unsteady, but if you want to sleep over the 12 hour drive it is worth the small upgrade. Our sleeper bus deposited us in the middle of Beijing at 3:00am on a Friday. We walked sleepily to a 24 hour McDonald’s to talk about our options. Where should we go from here?

Tune in next time to find out what we decided…. or if we decided!

Nothing can compare with the Cunard line when it comes to luxury cruising. We found this out in vivid detail over the course of a seven day, transatlantic cruise from New York to Southampton, UK. The cruise departed on the 6th of July. The first night was an elegant casual affair with beautiful cuisine in an even more luxurious dining hall. Since we had booked so last minute we received no prior cruise package outlining what to expect, etc. We did not, therefore, book a seating. When we arrived at the late sating for dinner there were limited seats available, so he put us at a beautiful, 6-person table by the window in the corner. Arguably, this was the single best table in the room because we had a beautiful view of the ocean not a foot from our chairs, and the corner was quiet enough to hear our other table guests. Meanwhile, it was a preferred location for waiters so we ended up with one of the best servers on board! But the real jackpot came with the company!

We met, at our table, the most amazing, adventurous and memorable couple you’d ever hope to come across. Born in India during colonialism, the lady had deep insight into the region, and considered it home. Her love of Indian culture and cuisine ran deep, and she regaled us with stories that were so enthralling it was literally the best entertainment on board. Her husband was a Brit from Rhodesia, and together they lived wonderfully in that country experiencing so many marvelous things that the stories seemed to weave together in a cloud of awe. Mike and I sat enraptured in the life experiences of this couple night after night, and looked forward to dinner time throughout the day. By the end of the cruise we felt we knew them very well, in the way one comes to know a character in a good book. We asked them if they would be writing a book about their amazing adventures, and they seemed to favor the idea. As humble as they were, though, it’s hard to tell if they will do it or not. If they did, it would be an instant hit. Aside from their many adventures in Africa, they also lived in Europe, the UK, Ireland and America, and traveled around Asia to boot. When it comes to lotteries, Mike and I really hit the jackpot with this couple at our table.

The other entertainment on board came in the form of the Royal Cunard dancers, who were absolutely amazing, and the Royal Cunard Singers, who had someone in their midst who had the aggravating problem of being entirely off key 90% of the time. There were piano players, a harp player, a comic singer, a violinist, trivia crew, game staff and much more. One big band on board played for the gala balls and there was such talent on the dance floor that the 80 year old women could give Dancing with the Stars a run for their money.

One of the most amazing things happened while on board as well. Mike and I are traveling to Europe to embark on the Mongol Rally, as many of you know. So, we had with us our backpacks filled with outdoor clothing. We did not have a tuxedo. Mike and I found out the first evening on board that you would not be permitted into the dining hall, or really anywhere on board after 6pm, if you did not meet the nightly dress code. This was a bit shocking. I had packed an evening gown for the cruise that was wrinkle-free and fit in a sandwich bag when rolled up. Mike had nothing. He ran down to the pursers office (a lovely group of folks) who directed him to tux rentals at Hermes, the luxury designer clothing shop. A tux rental was something we didn’t really budget for, but Mike talked with the sales clerk who listened patiently about the rally, Mercy Corps, the adventure, and why we were on the QM2. She nodded politely and at the end she handed him a suit on the condition he dry clean it before the last day. We were astounded! She was such a lovely lady and did us such a huge favor. Without her, we might have missed every dinner on board because it turned out every single night until the last was formal. While all this was going on I was at the on-board movie theatre watching Invictus. Suddenly, Mike came into the theatre in a tuxedo and a million-dollar smile. I was amazed! I jumped up and we ran to the room where I quickly got ready and we dashed to the champagne captain’s gala and then a lovely dinner with our adventurous couple. It was an amazing evening, a truly epic and memorable day made possible by a very friendly lady.

We met several very interesting people on board, including a US Navy veteran of WWII who showed us his original military ID card. We met a man who was in charge of the horse racing commission in the UK, and a man who headed up the UK football league. There were very few people our age (read- none) and yet we had the best time talking with interesting folks who had already experienced a great deal. Two thumbs up for Cunard, and two more for attracting such interesting folks to their cruises.

It’s official! We’ve finally ironed out our route details to the finest detail. We have decided to head from London to Paris, and from Paris to Luxembourg. After a break, we’ll head to Nuremberg and the Prague for the 2010 Czech Out Party, which we’re all very excited about. From there we head south to Bratislava and Budapest before entering Romania for a few castle tours and vampire stalking. We then head to Chisinau and then into Ukraine to the famous port city of Odessa. From this point on the trip gets really interesting. We head due east through Russia, hugging the Black Sea coast until we enter Kazakhstan. We’ll cut inland and aim directly for the Aral Sea inside the Uzbek border. We’ll cut across Uzbekistan and then re-enter Kazakhstan heading north into the mountains. Back into Russia for a moment before entering Mongolia and racing across the open Steppe to Ulaanbataar. Yup, that’s what we’ll be doing this summer, driving across 1/3rd of the distance around the trodden earth. If none of this made sense, check out the nifty map we made (yeah, I should have led with that!):

View Central Asia Route Map created by ATC for the 2010 Mongol Rally

This map is awesome, and really shows the distance and scale of the land we’ll be covering. Some 8-10,000km through 13 countries in a car that even Mickey Mouse would say is too small– a 1.5l engine auto. Below is a picture of a rally car from 2009, ours will be very similar.

If you are more interested in the car, aka- how to buy, register and insure one in Europe, or even cooler (if that is possible) a post on all our awesome media coverage, or possibly the list of woe-is-me updates we made when we were feeling down, then check out these other posts or head to the Mongol Rally and Sponsorship pages, which explain it all.

For the 2010 Mongol Rally, we’ll be buying our car in the UK and then licensing and registering it to leave the country almost immediately. We’ll also have to accumulate a bunch of documentation to appease the sundry border guards along the 12 border crossings, and import documentation for bringing the car into Mongolia. For an American, these tasks are not without their challenges. Since we’ve done a bit of research and have a clear idea of what the steps to accomplish this are, we’ve decided to outline it here in the hopes of saving someone else a massive, British-accented headache.

Buying the Car. There are several locally recommended car dealerships in the UK that seem pretty legitimate, trusted and versatile. Check out Gumtree, and  Autotrader to get you started. London’s Craigslist is another interesting option, as is the London eBay.

Registering the Car. The first step is to make sure your seller fills out and gives you the V5 form. You then give this form to the DVLA (the British DMV). Like the American DMV, this one promises long lines, frequent delays, and excessive and seemingly redundant amounts of paperwork. Then the car is in your name. Yay!

You’ll also need something called a MOT certificate (Ministry of Transport) that shows your car meets the minimum standards for safety and environmental protection. The seller should ensure the car already has this, and it is passed on to you. Better to buy a car that already has it then deal with the hassle of getting your car tested yourself.

Insuring the Car. Apparently every country on the planet has different rules about what needs to be in your car, what shape your car needs to be, and how to insure it. For example, cars in France have to have high-viz gear and an emergency triangle in the car. One way to deal with this is to get a carnet for the car, but that costs money. Or, you can find out each country’s laws individually and attempt to meet them all. Regardless, you’ll be buying random crap to stuff in your trunk to appease border guards.

You’ll also have to have the car insured. Coverage for the EU rarely extends into Russia and the ‘sSans. Rumor has it that you have to buy insurance at the border for these countries anyway, whether insured by a UK or EU provider. Our plan is to get insurance that covers us in Europe, and buy insurance at the borders everywhere else. If anyone has a brighter plan, we’d literally love to hear it!

Exporting the Car. As a foreigner buying a used car in the UK intending to export it, you’ll need to fill out a form (big surprise) called the VAT410, which gives you tax exemption. You might need to check with HM Revenue and Custom’s to ensure you have the right form for what you want to do.

Importing the Car. Luckily for us and other Mongol Rally teams, the rally admin are dealing with this. If you are going solo, keep in mind that it takes about a month to get the required paperwork for importing a car into most countries. If you have any info on how to do this, let us know so we can share with the whole class!

Finally, the car is yours and you are legally covered to ride. Only problem is that your car now has the driver’s seat and wheel on the right-hand side.

And now the age old question of how to get from A to B. We’re headed from the USA to Europe, and one would think with our strong historical and economic ties that finding a way over the pond would not be such a hassle. Nevertheless, we’re finding it a bit of a pain to get from the East Coast of America to the West Coast of Europe without stepping foot in an airplane.

Booking Websites: There are literally hundreds of websites dedicated to helping you find amazing cruise deals, but they would not be in business if they were not making money off of the bookings. In general, we found the services to be almost useless. You could use your generic expedia or orbitz, but they rarely return any real deals, and pretty much just summarize what you’d find by doing the looking yourself.

It is amazing how the internet, which simply has not been around that long, has replaced an entire occupation– travel agents. I would adore calling someone on the phone and giving them my desired departure dates and a budget and seeing what they come up with. Essentially, websites like travelocity make their occupation futile and redundant and I find that sad because travel agents were such amazing people with their own personal experiences backing up their advice and bookings. I guess travel blogging and booking online are somewhat similar.

Cruises: Usually repositioning cruises take place in the spring or fall, when ships need to move between warm water in winter and active tourism ports in summer. That means taking a transatlantic in the middle of the summer will not leave a whole lot of options. For cruise companies, the money is in the Bahamas and Mediterranean. You can find more info on this amazing blog post about the top ten cruise blogs. You can also find some help on My Cruise News.

Airlines: So, if cruises cost too much, should we fly? Flying across the Atlantic isn’t exactly affordable either! Flights are running a mere $100 to $200 less than a 7 night, all inclusive cruise. That seems like a no brainer to me, considering the available R&R on the ship versus the tedium and stress of flying. Airlines are quickly making themselves an unaffordable product, lets hope alternatives like ship travel are increased to take up the slack! A quick tip- you can often find cheaper flights if you book through a European website rather than an American one.

Freighters: One of the innovative areas in travel that has taken up some of the slack is freighter travel. We’ve looked into this pretty extensively. You can go through several sites like the following: www.freighter-travel.com; www.freighterworld.com; and www.freighter-travel-review.com or try to find a freighter leaving by contacting your departure port. Most freighters can only take between 2-12 passengers and have age and health restrictions. The average cost is about $100 a day, and transatlantic crossings take a minimum of 9 days in most cases (making the cost nearly equivalent to cruising).  However, if you have the money and lots of time, you can see some exotic ports and have a relaxing and casual cruising experience.

So, thats the skinny on our options of getting from America to Europe. I’m still hoping Cunard will call me and offer me a free cruise for saying how wonderful they are. They are so wonderful, utterly delightful and fantastic. . . . . I’ll be waiting by the phone.

We get a lot of questions about how we manage different aspects of full-time travel. To answer them, we’ve put together a special Resources page on the website that will hopefully help people find out if they can Abandon their Cubicles, how to do it, where to get the things they need to do it successfully, and just some general information on traveling. We’re not claiming to be any authority on the topic, we’re just hoping to help! here’s what the new page covers:

Is It Feasible. The ‘should you?’ the ‘could you?’ and the ‘how to do’ of abandoning your cubicle. Whether you are thinking of a leave of absence to travel for a few weeks or months, or a full out Jerry Maguire storm out,t hen this will help you assess if now is the best time, and some of the things to consider before you flick off your boss.

Insurance. Lots of people need this to travel. Although we don’t personally have any travel insurance (yet) we’ve checked out some of the options and we have a few links posted that could maybe provide you with what you are looking for. Coverage for a short-term trip shouldn’t run you more than $250, so be wary of people who charge by the month or who promise you year-long coverage for less.

Visas. These little stamps can cost you big bucks, and be a royal pain. But thankfully there are some easy ways to tackle visas like nifty visa services. For some countries (Russia) you’ll have to use a service if you want it done right, fast and without hassle. For others you’re better off doing it alone. We give you some tips on the resources page, as well as at the bottom of every destination page.

Guides. Seasoned travelers always have their favorite guide books, and hardly ever deviate from those. We use a mix of our favorite guide book (which we won’t give a free promo here) and online sites like travel blogs for the area, or wikitravel. We have more info to be found about guides on the resources page!

Languages. The number one thing people ask us about is how we get around without speaking native languages. The answer is that we try really, really hard to learn. We do that with language guide books, i-touch programs, online sites and a lot more. Its important to us to try to talk to people in their native tongue, and we use a lot of different resources to try to achieve that aim.

Equipment. People get really excited about the equipment we use. We’ll meet someone on a camping trail and spend the first fifteen minutes talking supplies before we even get around to introductions. A good tent can make or break the whole trip, and everyone who travels full time has very strong, very serious views about cook stoves.

Expat and Teaching. Many people go overseas for a change of pace to look for an expat-style job or to teach English while they enjoy the local culture. We have some resources for you to do both, including how you can get your teaching certificate (which we did last year, just in case!).

Social Media & Staying Connected. We also listed some nifty travel websites, travel tools online, and ways to stay connected with your loved ones while on the road.

So, to see all that info and more, check out the new Resources page!

Not many people make backtracks like we do! To make my point, our trips inside America in the last several months

Route map?

have been hectic, repetitive and somewhat ridiculous. Just look at that map! We landed on the east coast, managed to make it to Illinois, only to jump to New Hampshire and Washington, back to Illinois, then to Texas, back to Illinois, then to Washington again. make any sense to you? Yeah, us neither. And we did it ALL by land only, no air travel. If you ever want to hear our opinion of Amtrak or the Great American Road System, pleas ask. We’d be happy to monologue for you, and since Mike plays the guitar, he can even do it to song, if that’s your preference.

I have to confess, a huge portion of America has been neglected in our ridiculous travels, and that area is boring– which is why we didn’t go there (California, Oregon and parts of Nevada exempted). I’d love to see the Grand Canyon, but they located it in the middle of nowhere, so until they get some interesting side attractions out there we’ll be sticking to the more densely populated areas.

One of the amazing things about ground travel in the USA is the gas prices. It can be high in, say, Seattle and low in DC. Explain this to me, someone please? Why do the people along the coasts, where oil is delivered, often pay more?  Isn’t Canada our biggest oil supplier? Why do northern states pay more than southern ones? Check out this map of gas prices in the USA– see a trend?

Another thing that surprised me was the tax rates in various states we traveled through. Texas, for example, had an 8% sales tax rate while Arkansas was 9% and Missouri was 7%.  Property taxes is not taxed, but everything else is. Washington has a $9.00 minimum wage while Wyoming gets a mere $5.15 an hour. Some states don’t even have minimum wage standards. Emma Goldman would be sad.

Nevertheless, the trip was amazing. I’ve never seen so many MAC trucks! Ya know, America, a railway system might solve the over-congestion of the roads. I’ve also never seen so many fast food restaurants. You see a lot of interesting folks in sweat pants at the McDonald’s, or rummaging in the trash at various rest stops. We even saw one man get out of the driver’s seat of his RAM truck and finish his beer then toss it in the trash before peeing in the grass NEXT TO the bathrooms. Also, at any given interstate gas station you’ll find a plethora of items for sale that no one would, or has ever bought. Like neon pink mud flaps with a naked woman outline on them. And the gas station check-out guy is always eating or spitting sunflower seeds while you try to check out.

So, the cross-country ridiculousness went well, and we’re in Washington now. believe it or not we’ll be heading back to the Midwest soon enough– enhancing the backtrack.

Recently, I’ve taken the Empire Builder from start to finish a total of three times, that’s around 6,600 miles!

Traveling by train is an activity that requires great patience, but if you are looking in the right direction you’ll see much of what America is renowned for without getting out of your seat. The major cities of Chicago, Minneapolis and Seattle lie along the route, as do the amber waves of grain. Purple mountains of majesty sit majestically in the background while the fruited plains of Washington pass by. Rocky rivers, waterfalls and lakes all flash past the Amtrak window. As I sit on the train I have full visibility of the sky above, the massive expanse of land out my window, and the knowledge that those flying overhead above me are sorely missing out. It takes roughly 48 hours to cross the Empire Builder, and in the time you’ll witness a sunrise and a sunset (probably both in Montana) with snowy grasslands spotted in geese, or farmers plowing their fields and pausing to pet their trusty Labrador. If you are not in a hurry, and you can appreciate the little things in life, than you’ll appreciate a trip through the heartland by rail.

When I tell people I take the train across America, I’m usually met with laughter or a Bill-Clinton-like sad smile and a sympathetic, “I’m Sorry!” This rubbed off on me a bit, I’ll admit, and I was not looking forward to my third, 48-hour journey in as many months on Amtrak. After boarding my car, however, it took no time at all for me to be refreshed with the excitement of travel and the amazing views of the Mid- and Northwest. Between Milwaukee and nowhere-town North Dakota I sat next to a US Air Force officer who had been stationed in Korea for the past several years. He had driven his car to St. Louis to be shipped to his next duty station and was returning to his family in North Dakota to pack up his modest home and move to Alaska. This gentleman regaled me with stories of life in Korea, and even flipped open his laptop and gave me a military-style briefing on the DMZ (demilitarized zone along the 38th parallel). Two months ago on a previous Empire Builder experience I sat next to a woman from the Dakotas whose husband has recently passed away. She was visiting her daughter in Seattle after the funeral and talked to me about what a wonderful man her postal-service husband had been, and what she would do now that she was alone (teach Opera appreciation at her local college). Even further back, I met a girl who had been in prison for assault, only recently released and heading home—I can’t say that was a meaningful experience for me, but it was a part of America I had not seen before. Encounters with people on Amtrak are not always easy, but they are always memorable and for the most part these movable parades are a cross section of society that few get to really appreciate.

As we pulled into Seattle, where the tracks follow the sound so you have a mist-covered view of the water with mountains in the background, a bald eagle emerged from the mist and flew alongside the train. You’ll not find anything as mystical and beautiful as that from a tiny airline window.

Although still listed as the 14th most undesirable place to live because of the crime and unemployment, I’ve been lucky enough to come home for a couple weeks and catch up with friends and family. That has really been the best part about it. There are really some good people here and that is hard to come by in all the places we’ve been. Even though the weather is beautiful today, most activities and venues in Rockford are shut down for Winter. However, I want to take this opportunity to go through some of the awesome things to do in Rockford and a couple of interesting facts…or at least ones that I find interesting.

Making CiderEdward's Apple Orchard

Edward’s Apple Orchard

This place is just simply the best and has been for as long as I can remember. Crowds flock in from Chicago and all over the region to see Edwards Apple Orchard in Fall. I surprising could not find their website, however this is a must do in the Fall. Technically in Poplar Grove, every year thousands of people drive out of the city down country roads to visit this once quaint orchard farm. Over the years it has grown into a huge barn converted into a store with great Mid-West and country style goods that you can’t find anywhere else, tons of apples in baskets to choose from, and phenomenal apple cider. And the kicker – Edward’s Apple Orchard donuts! These sugar coated donuts are home-made right in front of you at the orchard and melt in your mouth. These are such a phenomenon here, I have even seen Orchard donut wedding cakes.  It is a great place to take your kids, as they have a free petting zoo, and another building full of country antiques. If that’s not enough, you can go downstairs and order cider by the cup, a single donuts, or anything else the place has to offer.

Midway Village Water Wheel

Midway Village

The forgotten museum of Rockford, I grew up about a mile away from this place.  As dorky as it may be, I used to volunteer out there during all of their events.  It started out as a ministry required volunteer program I had to do for school and then I just never quit.  I got all dressed up in some mid 1800’s gear and went down to the printing press and made people their name while showing them how movable type works, which was a great experience because my Great Grandfather owned the local newspaper in Comfrey, Minnesota.  I would also give them a tour of the hardware store where I memorized every detail about each item in the store.  This place was amazing during the Civil War Reenactments and Wild West Days.  These are of my fondest childhood memories and it is sad to see it not in use or busy on the weekends.  It seems as though they don’t have enough volunteers working there to have any of buildings open.  I think it is quite an experience walking through what appears to be a small pioneer town of the good ol’ days.

On The Waterfront

Crowd at Davis Park

The music festival of my youth.  We couldn’t go through a Summer without trying to spend almost every night down by the river for this monumental event for Rockford.  Tons of people come out for this several-day-long music festival.  I saw my first concert here, although I am too embarrassed to tell you who it was.  Regardless, Rockford brings in a lot of great bands for this event and everyone comes downtown to check it out.  Summer is the time to be in Rockford as there are just tons of things going on.  They have over 5 stages set up, probably more now, to suit everyone’s’ musical tastes.  From Steve Miller Band, to Cold or Powerman 5000, to Bobby Vee from my parents generation, they have all genres.

Historic Auto Attractions

I just heard about this recently from some friends and although I have not been here yet, it looks amazing.  This is actually in Roscoe, just outside of Rockford, Illinois.  Going through their website is pretty amazing.  It simply must be one of the best private car collections in the United States.  I am not going to load an image because you simply just need to see their website (click above on ‘Historic Auto Attractions’).  They have wax representations of tons of historic figures, most wearing authentic garb, a superman (wearing the actual costume from Superman 1), Bonnie & Clyde’s death hats, John Dillinger’s 1932 Studebaker… the list goes on and on.  Absolutely amazing.

Japanese Gardens

Anderson Gardens

From what I have been told, Anderson Gardens has been rated the best Japanese garden in all of North America, a pretty amazing accomplishment.  I drove by the gardens literally every day on my way to high school.  This is pretty typical for people of their home town, but I have never been here.  I’m planning on it this Spring though.  I am trying to view my trip home as part of our extended journey and am trying to see all the tourist stuff you miss out on in your own town.  They also have a pretty nice restaurant located on the grounds from what I understand but the menu does not have any prices … yes it’s one of those.  Probably something for the budget traveler to avoid (the restaurant only I mean) as I’ve fallen victim to that scam all over Central Asia.  I don’t want to be that guy who asks how much everything on the menu is…it is simply habit for me now after traveling for too long.

Rock Cut State Park

Rock Cut State Park

I try to drive or hike through the park in the Fall because it really is beautiful.  During the Summer I used to go down to the water, just slightly off of the right of this picture, and go fishing.  My buddy Matt, who met us in Ankara, Turkey earlier this year, and I caught a ton of small bass and blue gill just off the shore.  We would bring some food to grill out as well.  It always made for a perfect Summer day when I was younger and I highly recommend a trip out for the whole family.  Your bound to catch something, albeit not very big, if you throw a line in.  Rarely did I ever go home not having caught something.  There is even a bait shop and a place to pick up some equipment in the middle of the park.  Moreover, a great camp ground for tents and RVs is on the other side of the lake.

There are a lot of things I am leaving out, please feel free to add them in the comments and keep the list going – for all of you Rockfordians who want to prove that Rockford really isn’t as bad as the magazines state.  First one I left out that comes to mind already is Magic Waters!  The name says it all.

Texan Rose

Texas! The only state in the union that considers becoming its own country on a daily basis and was an independent nation from 1836 to 1845. Texas! Known for the highest number of executions per year. A place so exciting and fast paced it took the armadillo as its state animal. Texas! The lone star state, a word that means “friendship” but a people at odds with both the north and the south. Ah, Texas. There is no other place in the union where history is so alive, so fierce that ‘death by cowboy’ is still considered a legitimate fear. The politics are ripe and raw, the people are hardy and tough, and the sun beats down upon more people in Houston and San Antonio than in 31 other states. So, what did we northerners think of our 6 week stay in the Lone Star State? — I’m glad you asked:

Texans are a tough breed. The ones we met were rough and ready to deliver their political, religious and musical opinions without instigation, and we’re about as willing to listed to the northern view as a child is willing to listen to the news. But, despite their hotheadedness, they were a friendly and approachable people- despite the truck bed gun racks and camouflage clothing. Although we have games like “Big Buck Hunter” in the bars up north, there was nothing of that sort down in Texas. Instead, bar goes serenade each other with karaoke or play a charming game of shuffle board. No, they are not big hunters, they raise cattle instead, proving that brains outdo brawn any day. While the northerner is off hunting in the snow, the southerner is playing shuffle board at the bar while his steers make him millions. And if cattle isn’t the occupation of choice, then oil is. More readily available than water, in places, oil is the Lone Star’s liquid of choice.

Color!

What about the wildlife, the countryside, the great outdoors? Glad you asked. There is more than enough land in Texas to go around. Don’t ever worry that America will become to congested– it wont. There is land in Texas even the Texans don’t know what to do with.  Things are so spread out, that without a car (or horse) it is nearly impossible to get around. Even in the cities there is a certain amount of space between structures that says, “hey, this here is my land, buddy. Get your own!” And, if you wanted your own land, it is available for sale in Texas and teaming with wildlife like hawks, lizards, strange pig-gazelle looking creatures and more. None of which us northerners have seen in the wild before and consider strangely comical when seen from a car window.

Having visited much of the USA, it is fair to say that Texas does indeed have something special. For the independent hermit or outspoken don Quixote, this is the place to be. Austin has great live music and cosmopolitan flare, Houston has NASA (and Billy Bob Thorton) and San Antonio has the Alamo- possibly America’s most famous underdog story.

Good news for travel buffs, Lonely Planet now has a program that features great travel blogs. This program has exploded in the travel community and you can now see select posts from ATC on related Lonely Planet destination pages. If you have not heard of Lonely Planet, it is a company well known to most travelers for their comprehensive guides that cover nearly 100% of the world (even Antarctica!).  For the international traveler there really is not another guide company that comes close to LP in terms of information at the country and major city level. We use LP guides when traveling abroad, and have quite a collection of their books, including some of their compilation books composed by travelers who have interesting stories to share.

Sunset

Now Abandon the Cube is part of this great endeavor to make travel information more accessible. On each Lonely Planet destination page you’ll find info on each country, including links to our blog, where applicable. There are not alot of people, for example, who have spent significant amounts of time in Turkmenistan, but we have. Thus, our blog adds new information and insight to the Lonely Planet reader. That’s how we help make Lonely Planet better.

If you found our site from Lonely Planet, welcome to ATC! Subscribe to the RSS feed for weekly blogs sent to your email, or you can follow us on facebook and twitter. Alternatively, check out the photo album, our guides, newsletters and info on the 2010 Mongol Rally.

A god? Yes!

Bear Gryllls’ show, Man vs. Wild (Born Survivor in the UK) – Man vs. Wild – Season 1 – is a rare TV hit. What I like most about this show, despite the fact that some of his stunts are staged, is that he demonstrates how to survive in life-threatening situations across all types of terrain. This week has been productive for me in that sense, I learned how to make rope out of roots, how to wrestle an alligator, how to make a water purifier out of natural elements, how to skin a sheep then use the skin as a boat, etc. He is like a real life Macgyver!

Having spent time outdoors and traveling in places where you are literally always in danger of being stranded from civilization, this show has been a real breath of fresh, information-filled air, and he reaffirmed some of my thoughts while on the road last year.

Anyone who spends any amount of time outdoors knows that what kind of travel gear and clothing you have is essential. I had to buy two *&#*!%$ cheap bags before I finally spent the money on a nice REI backpack that will withstand rough use, varied terrain and temperatures, and 70+ pounds of rip and tear 24 hours a day. Lesson learned: don’t skimp on essential equipment! In that vain, its easy to see how Bear carefully chooses his clothing and equipment before heading into the wild. He has all quick-dry clothing and a multiple temperature jacket of gore tex. I had no jacket on the last trip (big mistake) and what was worse, I had flimsy shoes I bought at a market in China before leaving. I did have a few other items, but was missing a great deal, including a water purifier, on this last adventure. Lesson learned again: don’t skimp on essential clothing! Before the next trip (Mongol Rally 2010) I’ll be buying expedition-level shoes that breathe and can stand rough wear and tear, a multi-season jacket and more quick-dry clothing. Ah, a girl’s wish list has no end!

Final thought: on the show Bear has a special knife he had built for himself which retails at $700+ dollars. While I think it is an essential element for life on the road, I’m not about to drop close to a grand on a knife! I’ll stick with my little Cold Steel Voyager, which was a gift from my Kuk Sol Wan coach in 2006. I have only sharpened it twice and it is in amazing condition, plus the 2″ blade means its legal to cross borders with. You could literally back a truck over it and it would be fine! Also, Bear goes out into the wild without a flashlight, I keep my Smith & Wesson LED Flashlight on me at all times (no joke, its in my purse). Paranoid- no. Prepared- hopefully.

So its 2010 and to celebrate we’re looking for the top ten amateur travel sites on the internet. Help us find them!

We’re looking for competitive, comprehensive, totally awesome amateur travel sites that are more than mere narratives of people’s personal adventures overseas. We’re looking for sites with country information, maps, and relevant info and pictures on the places they have been. If your travel site matches this criteria let us know, we want to find the best, non-corporate travel sites out there!

We also support some other cube abandoning travelers on our Links page, check these guys out, they have a lot to offer.

Check back to see a top ten list once we find the best amateur travel sites on the web for you!

Dear President Obama,

In response to your recent town hall meeting, I have a question I’d like to pose to you as a concerned citizen. Why is Amtrak such a mess?

I am an avid traveler. I have traveled extensively in countries across Asia and Europe. Our blog and route maps act as a testament to how far we have gone. We travel only by land, thus we experience the transportation networks of Asia and Europe, and the waterways of the Atlantic. While we have had some amazing adventures (and some misadventures) on international rail, I’m here to report, Mr. President, that the American rail network is one of the most pathetic, antiquated, and embarrassing systems I have ever encountered. Since I travel for a living, this is no small statement.

To solve the problem of why Amtrak is in such horrible disarray, we must take a step back form the problem at hand to assess the environment around it. America is so spread out that its citizens almost require a car to get from home to school or work. Since the citizens of the country live so far apart, and so far from necessities, having one’s own mode of transportation became imperative. Add to that the American sense of independence and you have a nation of people who ignored the rail network after the “west was won.” But ignoring the rail can no longer be afforded. Now is the time to fix it, and, as you have mentioned at tedium, your social programs are aiming to surpass your hero’s, President Roosevelt.

Inner city communities are being reclaimed across America and real-estate prices downtown are now surpassing the suburbs. Could it be that middle-class Americans actually want to dwell in America’s cities again? This would be a huge feat that owed thanks to many people. To complete the picture, however, these people need a way to get around inside the city without their cars. A way that is more convenient, not less so, than driving. We have bus networks in most major cities in America that at the least attempt to run hourly routes. Let me assure you, Mr. President, that buses in Shanghai, China run ever ten minutes making it the most convenient and least expensive way to get from home to work, or anywhere for that matter. Should that example displease you, consider the tram network in Sarajevo where anyone can get from anywhere in the city to another place simply using the city’s extensive tram and bus networks (and all for a VERY affordable price and with timely, rotating schedules). Do you consider those destinations third world? In terms of transportation they surpass us.

As an American hoping to get from Seattle, WA to Austin, TX I was left with few options. I could take an Amtrak train from Washington to Chicago, and then transfer to a southerly train or rent a car. The trip would take roughly a week. That same distance could be traveled in Russia in 2-3 days on the ground without renting a car. Where does that country fall on your “progress” scale?

As we lead the world in carbon emissions (no small feat since China seems to want to beat us on that score) your government could help by expanding the Amtrak network, making it more efficient and prioritizing it over the cargo trains that dominate the US tracks. Amtrak trains are the last priority on America’s rail network, and often spend hours waiting for cargo trains to leave the tracks before they can chug along lamely behind. And never mind that the Amtrak cars were designed to move cargo themselves, not humans. Having spent several days on Amtrak trains, I can testify that it is a trial no human should endure. The car in which I was seated to cross from Seattle to Milwaukee (a 40+ hour journey) had no heat in the middle of January, no functioning toilet, no electrical outlets, and a flickering light overhead. Does that remind anyone else of a cattle car? Trains in Mongolia have bunks stacked three high that are comfortable and clean, have hot running water, heat, electrical outlets and even food services passing through the cars. Riding Amtrak, I felt like a convicted felon (and indeed I was traveling with several recently released felons it turned out, since Amtrak attracts so little attention by our government it is often used to transport illegal items and questionable folks on questionable missions). The train in Mongolia, on comparison, was a Hyatt next to a Howard Johnson.

It was only after several accidents that the American trains were equipped with safety measures to protect the human cargo. Finally, why does the amazing experience of riding the rails cost nearly as much as a flight? Where is the money going? It certainly isn’t going into prioritizing passenger transport over cargo, or in the upkeep of the trains. The trains I rode in Uzbekistan were cleaner, more equipped and better staffed, and that country certainly isn’t on first world status in the US government’s opinion. So, where is the money going? Mr. President, your government wants accountability- account for why our transportation network is in such shambles that the only real option for a working adult to get across the nation is to fly- thus increasing carbon emissions, using precious fuel, bankrupting our citizens, and making holidays a nightmare? Why do third world nations have better transportation systems? Buying a car in America (and thus putting yourself further in debt) should not have to be a requirement to have a job, but in most cases there are no other options. This makes recent college graduates start off in debt, rather than ahead, and sets them up for financial failure; especially in this market. You have already bailed out the auto industry, how about helping out an industry that could actually revitalize transportation, help citizens who cant afford or don’t want to be burdened by a car? How about helping out the American rail network instead of the car companies that continue to squander government funding and then overcharge for poorly constructed machines? How about giving Amtrak a fighting chance?

Any responses you might have to my sincere questions, or any movement you could make in revamping the American rail system, would be greatly appreciated.

Sincerely,
ATC

Recently, I have been surprised by how difficult traveling is in America if you don’t want to fly. And reasonable people are prone not to want to sit in a metal tube as its flung across the nation with potential terrorists to hinder its flight, or birds to ruin its motors, or a drunken pilot- which is known to have occurred. True that flying is quicker, but its often not worth the hassle and this intrepid writer isn’t planning on boarding and flying vessels without a parachute. So, as I ponder how to get from Washington State on the West coast, to Texas, on the southern boarder, I’m struck by how few reasonably priced options there are.

As this isn’t Europe or Asia, and the argument for a larger and more comprehensive (and not inept) rail system in America has already been made and ignored, I’ll suffice to say that Amtrak leaves so much to be desired that most travelers rule it out as an option. To get from WA to TX would require a traveler to transfer to several different trains, and throw in a few bus rides to boot! That is out of the question for the hassle, the complications with transferring baggage personally, and the cost—which would be staggeringly close to $350 USD.

Let’s think about renting a car next. Since most US rental agencies shy from one-way rentals, there are not many options out there for finding a car to drive the distance without breaking your piggy bank. And trust me, my money really is in a giant piggy bank not worth running for a lousy car rental deal. A one-way rental plus gas would run me in the neighborhood of $500 USD.

Lets consider the bus network of America. Now, if one enjoys being watched over the back of the seat in front of you by a deranged cocaine addict who says your eyes look like food, then this is the way to go! However, if you are mentally stable then the Greyhound just might refuse you a seat. The cost of a bus to TX from WA is around $400 USD, and one would have to change buses several times before reaching the end destination—and reaching that same destination with all of one’s luggage and sanity is a real maybe.

So what is the American budget traveler to do?

Snow

From the Beijing Train Station to the corrupt police on the far Eastern route of the Russian Trans-Siberian Railroad, the 2008 movie Transsiberian was enjoyable to watch having dealt with many of the same problems…ok minus the kidnapping part.  Not so much for the plot as for the accuracy the movie portrayed when depicting a couples ride on a Chinese train and problems with Russian police.  Although we did not go on the Trans-Siberian…yet, the movie was thrilling to watch as an American couple from Iowa, Woody Harrelson and Emily Mortimer, left the Beijing Zhan (station) headed for Moscow via a 6 day journey on the Trans-Siberian Railway.  The train-station, gray colored everything, sleeper cars, and food carriages, were right on and I would believe it was filmed on location.

Emily Mortimer’s character was always planning a new route or travel adventure and walked around with a Cannon Digital camera around her neck throughout the whole film – which reminded me a lot of Lauren.  The broken sleeper-car knobs that wouldn’t turn off terrible Russian music, the shared cars with strangers, the rude and short tempered train attendants, drug smugglers, and corrupt cops were a direct parallel to our experiences en route from China through Kazakhstan to Uzbekistan.  Although the plot got extremely more creepy in comparison to the things that happened to Lauren and I, if you have traveled throughout the former Soviet Union, Russia, China by train, or are interested to see what it looks like, I think people would find certain aspects of this couple’s travel accurate.

Going through Kazakhstan we were hiding from the police as their boarded our train trying to avoid paying bribes, watching all the drug smugglers hide taped packages to their stomachs or under their beds, and arguing with the grumpy train attendants. Our train travel in China was pretty easy going and we had no problems, but the movie gave a good atmosphere to some of the fears you develop as you go into less safe areas ruled by corrupt cops and officials.

For a more detailed clip go to:  Transsiberian Part I – watch from 4:10 to about 9:00 to see a little bit of what it was like.

Driving from North Carolina to the Mid-West

When it was time to depart the East Coast and North Carolina the issue of how to move forward was pressing.  We wanted to continue our trip as close as possible to the ways and methods we had used while abroad and treat our time in the United States like we were simply traveling through another country.  Not having the population as other countries of comparable size (China) and with a developed culture and auto industry focused on the American family owning automobiles, we have found getting from A to B more difficult.

Taking the train from Florida to South Carolina, we already had found it to be comparative to a flight price-wise.  However, it was much more enjoyable.  Traveling by public transportation in the United States is difficult in the sense that there are fewer schedules, they are more expensive, and although you can get around by these means, you are stuck at your destination unless you have a car or someone picking you up.  When you arrive in town you can’t simply take a bus or walk as you can in other countries.  This was confirmed as we walked for hours in the rain in Columbia, SC.  Luckily we found a bus driver who explained we could not walk that far, switched buses twice, waited for about an hour, and found a bus driver nice enough to drop us off in front of the hotel we were looking for – which was actually way off her route.

Naturally, we would have loved to take the train from North Carolina.  We even got excited when we learned we would have to take the Northbound train to Washington D.C., where I have family we could have visited, and then take the East / West bound and travel to Chicago.  However, the price for doing this per person was $240 USD.  Direct buses to Chicago were slightly over $100 USD per person, but would have left us in downtown Chicago.  We would have then had to take a $18 USD p.p. bus ticket to Rockford.  I then searched for hours and discovered that we could rent a car and pay for gas to transport the two of use from Winston – Salem directly to Rockford for a fraction of the price.  I was surprised to discover this and was at first really disappointed that this method was cheaper, but then I appreciated the American importance on independence and easy of the highway network system…although it would sure be nice if public transportation was a little bit more affordable.

I must have looked pretty pathetic the morning we arrived at the Avis agency in Winston-Salem because I pretty much begged the guy for the cheapest possible option, and a hybrid if possible to save on gas.  Unfortunately, that was not an option, but he took pity on us, set us up with a 15% discount, and a $20 discount for taking a car that “had not been cleaned.”  We ended up renting a car for $150 and only spent about $50 in gas.  Therefore, we got from A to B for exactly $100 a person and it was much faster and thrifty than the bus or train.  If you are interested in traveling through the U.S. make sure you ask or search for these discounts or coupons when making your arrangements.  If you are not from the U.S., I highly recommend using couch surfing or similar websites to find a place to stay once you arrive in your destinations, as we have heard that many a times, these people are willing to come pick you up at the train or bus station once you arrive.  Although making these travel arrangements in the U.S. is more difficult, once you decide and arrive on a particular method, it is pretty much headache and hassle free, which is something I can not say about most other places we have been.

Slightly cleaner than average Chinese train sleeper car

After reading through some of our polls people have participated in throughout the site, I thought it would be a good idea to share some of the information.  A while back we found that right after food, getting around in a foreign country was one of ATC readers biggest fears.  Here is a short list of, in my opinion, the easiest countries to travel through and get around.

Keep in mind we have been through China, Mongolia, Japan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Azerbaijan, The Republic of Georgia, Turkey, Bulgaria, Serbia, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Croatia, Italy, Spain, Tunisia, and Puerto Rico – leaving out some countries and islands that shouldn’t qualify for either their size or the length of time we spent in them.

• Turkey – Turkey was, by far without a doubt, the easiest place to get around.  If you wanted to fly you usually could and ticket prices were reasonable.  However, what we loved the most was the bus system and local public transportation.  There were usually about 8 or 10 different companies at each station and they were all competing and therefore, keeping the prices reasonable and allowing for a variety of schedules.  Moreover, they served tea, coffee, juice, pop, and snakes throughout the drive.  Local transportation in cities was also pretty reasonable and easy to navigate.  English was usually spoken at most terminals we went through.

• China – Unfortunately, although China will always be my favorite country to travel through via public transportation I had to give them #2 because of the absolute chaos that usually ensues during every planning process, ticket purchase, and multiple bus transfers you are usually forced to take.  Most ticketing experiences were all conducted in Chinese as no one ever used English.  Also, since train and large bus transportation was state run, no one would help us so we had to push to the front of lines and speak beyond beginners Chinese to get anything done.  However, China’s has awesome sleeper trains, buses, as well as their huge network of schedules for all types of transportation as well as subway systems in the very large cities and dirt cheap taxi rides.
  

  Lauren and a Monk

• Bulgaria – Our train from Istanbul to Bulgaria  easily was the nicest, cleanest, and comfortable cabin we have ever been.  It was right on time and had really friendly attendants as well as immaculate bathrooms.  Intercity trains were easy to come by and the networked bus system was relatively straight forward and reasonably priced.

Stay tuned for – The Most Difficult Countries / Places to Get Around

Our ship docked in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, USA and we hightailed it to the closest Amtrak station. From there we bought tickets on the next north-bound train and then waited at the station for five hours until it left. What we thought might be a scary experience turned out to be a good time, people came up simply to chat with us and ask where we were from.

Amtrak is a special kind of transportation. It takes great patience to navigate the isles of any Amtrak train; you’ll saunter past drunks, felons, children, people so large their bodies cascade over the arm rests, and hill-billies. We encountered all of these on our 15 hour ride to South Carolina. The most noteworthy incident being the act of purchasing two $6 dollar sandwiches with rotten salad and fermented cheese and then listening to a group of hill-rods discuss politics as they stuffed handfuls of chips into their mouths.

We arrived in Columbia, South Carolina at 4am. Now, for people not from America, 4am is not the best time to be walking around near train tracks. Nevertheless, we forewent the ridiculous cab costs and decided to walk to a hotel. Little did we know, Hurricane Ida was swooping towards Columbia in full fury. We were about a mile from the train station, loaded down with our backpacks (which, funny enough, we had weighed in at over 60 lbs each) and additional bags for our carry-on luggage. In short, we were carrying about 80lbs each. It started to drizzle, so we got out our umbrellas and thought nothing of it. Then the rain came in harder. Then the rain came in sideways. Then the rain came up from the ground, and circled around us, whipping our hair into our eyes (well, mine, not Mike’s!) and drenching us. We ducked into a bus stop to wait it out. It was 4:30am.

We sat in the bus stop, frustrated, soaking wet, and shivering. I had just finished reading a Bill Bryson book that detailed how people die from hypothermia. This wasn’t looking good, and to top it off we were waiting in a bus stop in the middle of town with no hotels in sight.

At 5:00am a lone bus rushed past us and then slammed on its breaks and backed up to the bus stop. Two drowning rats looked back at him with saucer-like eyes. He urged us quickly in the bus and then navigated to a place in town where we could wait before jumping on a connecting bus at 5:30 to reach the hotel area. He was so friendly and chatty that we warmed up simply from being around him. The connecting stop came all too soon and we were back out in the rain (which was coming now, it seemed, from all directions as if targeting only us).

One umbrella was totaled, having been turned inside-out by a gust of wind. The other was being peeled from the frame by the sideways rain. As ridiculous as it was, it became funny. We waited under the overhang of a Exxon gas station until a rather unfriendly lady told us to leave, “we have a no loitering policy.”

The bus was late, but once it finally arrived we were so happy we didn’t care. We jumped on board only to discover we were the only people of European decent riding that early. The driver, a friendly and talkative lady, began to sing religious hymns, and the bus was her congregation, they followed along until the whole bus was singing. Each time the driver came to a new stop she said goodbye to everyone by name, and picking up new people she tried to learn as much about them as possible. I wont say she was an angel, but as ridiculous and drenched as we were she swooped in on her bus and saved the day, then cheered us up with a sing-along to boot.

She dropped us off at the front door of our hotel and even pointed out a few places we might want to shop or eat along the way. At the hotel, a friendly receptionist allowed us to check into our room, which we had reserved for later that day, at no charge. Not ONE other place we have traveled would have allowed us to do that!

So, what do you need to survive the East Coast alone, over burdened and drenched at 4:00am? Columbia City bus drivers and hotel staff so friendly and caring they bend the rules to help people in need. It is so good to be back in America, by far it is the best place we have traveled thanks to how much locals help out.

Doughnuts

Transportation — Nothing says welcome home like finding yourself stranded at the port with no public transportation option and a long line of cab drivers rubbing their hands together in a very Scrooge McDuck fashion. While public transportation has been our norm, America is the one place this hasn’t been possible. For a 5 mile cab ride we spent $20 USD, which is also the most expensive cab ride of the trip (despite having taken a 45 min cab in China).

Health – The average American walks less than one mile a week and eats an average of 3000 calories a day, as a result, Americans are fat. This was shocking to see after having lived in China and traveled through so many third world countries where someone that fat would obviously have to be royalty. I was shocked to find no sidewalks along most streets, rendering walking impossible even if people had wanted to. Meanwhile, elevators and escalators appeared near every set of stairs so that no one has to exert themselves – ever.

Convenience – Wal Mart is convenient, we’ll give it that. But it is also a shame that all over America you can walk into any chain store or restaurant and never get the experience of trying something new or having to search for anything. Things are too easy, too cut and dry. We spent weeks searching for sunscreen in Central Asia, it became a fun challenge and when we finally did find it the feeling was euphoric. The same goes on a daily basis for find food, lodging and clothing—which could be achieved with ease in the States, but without much adventure or risk.

….and a few things I did miss:

America is such an interesting and vast country. If you wanted to walk from south to north, it would take you the better part of a year over mountains, across plains, through woods, swamps, deserts and streams. The vastness and openness of the country is something I will forever be amazed with.

Traveling in the Republic of Georgia we found people can be as friendly and polite as hotel staff on a daily basis. Most countries cannot boast this. Americans are lucky to be able to say that unless you are in a big city, most people will be chatty, friendly and pleasing. I missed how friendly and talkative Americans can be.

San Juan

Having spent several days crossing the Ocean and the previous day exploring Saint Thomas, we were excited for our day in Puerto Rico. We disembarked from the ship and spent the first several hours simply walking around old San Juan, snapping pictures and enjoying the feeling of firm ground under our feet.

Mike had been to San Juan several years previous, and remembered a cigar shop he had visited previously. We spent a while walking around looking for Don Collins Cigar shop, where we found Don Collins himself and his assistant, a delightful musician making his way with live music on the coast. Mike bought cigars and we chatted with noel, the assistant.

We visited both castles on the island, which were at one point responsible for defending and protecting the island from invaders. These fortresses were a stark and sobering reminder of wars long past, though today children fly kites over the area in glee.

In the evening, live music played loudly along the coast while shoppers carried their treasures back to the ships. We sampled locally produced beer in a brewery down town before returning to the ship and watching San Juan fade in the distance as our ship sailed off to sea. Only two more days until we reached America.

Saint Thomas

Saint Thomas, of the US Virgin Islands, must have been a beautiful island….once. Or perhaps we were unfortunate in that the area we explored looked like it had once been a military base because all of the buildings are low to the ground, painted an ugly color of yellow, and reproduced at tedium in long rows along yellow-edged sidewalks. The entire area was under construction, and dotted with establishments like Hooters, Wendy’s and “Bubba’s Last Bushwacker Shack.”

The cruise docked at the port terminal, which was conveniently converted into one long strip mall of cheesy tropical merchandise and an excess of overpriced rum. We bypassed this quickly only to discover most of the cruise passengers never left the mall.

We walked as far as we could in one direction before the construction kept us from going forward, and then we walked back because winter in Saint Thomas means frequent and oddly placed rain storms intermixed with scorching heat and humidity. We were always drenched, either in rain or in sweat. It was a nice sensation, having come from Eastern Europe, where one is just always freezing, wet and desperate looking.

Island Flavor

Our cruise ship stopped in Funchal Island, owned by Portugal, which is a small island filled with wealth people, everything has to be imported, and nothing but bananas is produced there. The ship stops at this particular island because it has extensive upper-scale shopping and long tours around the island’s natural beauty. For the not-so-wealth (aka: us) the island offers surprisingly little. You can stroll up and down the streets window shopping at stores you’ll never be able to afford, or you can waltz into the magnificent churches to gawk at the gold-plated everything.

We chose to head to the local fish and flower market, where we watched elderly men gut and skin fish before chopping them into bits for waiting customers. Eels, shark and various other strange under-water critters materialized from under tables to be dissected

like bizarre outer-space science experiments. We watched until bile began to rise from the smell and sight of gutted mystery critters, and then moved on to the flower market, which had a much better smell. Some of the tropical flowers were more beautiful and colorful than anything I imagined existed on this planet.

Our stay on the island was brief, but it is a place we highly recommend if you have: A) money; B) time, and; C) a love of shopping.