The Accidental Round the World Trip

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When you named the station trainman it all came back. North Hollywood station is at the terminus of the express bus too. Get off bus, walk about 100 yards and you are at the Metro station, that's a proper joined up transport system. Thanks for bringing that back, how did you know where it was?
I live here. :) I've been to that station many times.

There's another photo from that station too, it's a mural inside the station of what looks a lot like somewhere in California, or it does to a European. I'll try post it later.
That mural is a collage of images related to North Hollywood: an aerial view of the Valley at night, a car and a tract house, a palm tree, a land deed from the original developer (the Lankershim Ranch Land & Water Company -- you may note that the North Hollywood station is located on Lankershim Boulevard).
 
Day 29 - Monday 27 March ~ New Orleans ~ first visit day 1

Our hostel in the Garden District was, well sort of different, yes funky would describe it. Good humoured and helpful staff, mainly but not only early twenties people, would book again.

We are two days in New Orleans, heard a lot about it but never visited before. Surprisingly warm but not too humid. Decided we wanted to cross the Mississippi on a real boat so took the ferry. Once we were in Algiers Point we were sucked into the network of roads lined with old south types properties. Stopped to talk with 2 ladies sitting on their porch, they said it was the very best place to live as it is so laid back, only drawback they could see was the humidity which arrives later in the year. They said it didn't affect them as they were born there, but it does affect incomers.

We re-crossed the Mississippi as we wanted to visit the in-town Katrina museum, it's at the Louisiana State Museum in the Presbytere. There are 2 separate exhibitions, we wanted the 'Living with Hurricanes: Katrina and Beyond'. A short walk into the French Quarter and we are there, we'd be back to the French Quarter the next day too.

The Hurricane exhibition is fabulous, it's story of great human suffering and how most overcame their enormous loss. The exhibition is also honest enough to point out the incompetence along with the wonderful, I'll leave my comments there.

Part way round the exhibition I realise I have lost our phone. As most other people we now have our life and our business in it. Double, treble and quadruple check it's not with me and remember putting on to the table at 'Toute de suite', that is now 3 hours ago so what are the chances it are still there? Rosie is nowhere to be seen so go to the entrance and speak with the security person there, explain where I hope/think the phone is, what it is and at what table we were sitting at. He offers to call the café and does so immediately. He explains and they go to look, not on the table, customers who have been in the café all afternoon haven't seen it and it's not been handed in. They ask for another number so if it turns up they can call, but we only have one phone with us in the US. They take the name of the hostel, everybody is doing all they can. I thank the security profusely and go to find Rosie, this is bad. Rosie gives me little jobs in life, one of mine is to always know where the phone is. Can't duck it, it's my fault 101%. Tell Rosie we have a bit of a disaster, I've lost the phone as I left it on the table in the café. I'm thinking how much effort it will be to get all the information back." She says "no you haven't it's in my handbag, look here it is!". Me, "why have you got it? " I'm stunned as it's not lost and stunned to know how Rosie for the first time ever has our phone. "You left it on the table in the café, so I picked it up". Phewww.

Back to the security man, explain again and he grins, "don't worry man, I'll phone the café right back" which he does and they say they are pleased for me. After saying sorry 79 times he says "it's not a big deal for me to phone for you, my wife does this to me all the time. I know where I put my pen down, but when I put my hand out for it it's gone, she's tidied up again" and he laughs. There is this big burley man who totes a big gun trying to make me feel not so bad, how sweet.

So another misadventure over, back to the museum. This whole Hurricane and reasons for flooding gives Rosie and I lots to talk about. This really is a great museum.

The boarding pier for the Canal Street to Algiers Point ferry ~ is there anything you can do?

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The village of Algiers Point have homes with great porches, they looked oh-so comfortable and some were quite vivid

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Small café in the heart of town, the name 'Tout de Suite' attracted us. Good drinks, good food, good atmoshphere and sassy with a smile staff. We could recommend this welcoming café and it features later in the day too.

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Vivid... possibly need shades to sit here

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What a tree, the photo doesn't do it justice or it's actual size

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It really exists, we found it!

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Fascinated by the water coming off the paddle wheel of the Natchez, it's almost art to me

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Great post, brought back memories of my own visits to New Orleans. Like yourselves, I took the ferry across to Algiers. I loved being able to trail my hand in the Mississippi water, and enjoyed the different vibe on that side of the river. Beignets was the only Big Easy disappointment, much prefer doughnuts!

Was there still much sign of the Katrina damage in town, Canal Street was still rather battered on my visits?

I would be interested to know the name of the hostel you used while there?

Thanks again, love your pics too,

Ed.
 
Day 30 - Monday 28 March ~ New Orleans ~ first visit day 2

Getting near to the end of our journey, another day in New Orleans, 2 days on the Amtrak Crescent up to New York and a plane the same evening back to London via Lisbon. We're feeling a little tired so decide to have an easy day. Stroll down to Wal-Mart to buy two fleece blankets for the tomorrow evening in coach, some fruit and trail mix, a couple of bottles of water, we're all set there.

Bus directly outside the hostel down to Canal Street and we walk the river front, it's a lovely day. We do like the Mississippi river, have seen it in 3 or 4 different States and it always impresses. It helps we both enjoy reading Mark Twain and lived on a canal boat for 5 years, even barges can be beautiful if you squint a little.

Eventually we find ourselves near to the Presbytere where there are street artists, music and small groups of people standing, sitting and listening. It's a nice atmosphere and we enjoy an hour or so watching mainly some very good musicians. Pretty fascinated too the way each band is fluid with members coming and going. It's interesting to watch someone arrive on a bicycle with a small trailer, take out an instrument, maybe give another instrument to someone who is already playing something different, then just join in mid way through a tune. Sometimes a band would be 5 people, 10 minutes later it's 10 people, then back down to 8.

Were not musical so don't know how it works but it does, all sounded really good to us. Stroll some more, down this road and up that, to us New Orleans has a charm that is undeniable. I was prepared for a completely over the top, tacky tourist hell hole, and it is probably all of these things but it carries it off with panache somehow, almost defying gravity in the same way Las Vegas does.

We catch another bus back to the Garden District and now it's evening so will eat out there somewhere, we find a Gem of a Vietnamese restaurant, maybe a 1/3 full. Immaculate service, fast and very correct but again friendly (this is New Orleans). Great meal and great service from the family running this place. Ask the owner if she is always this busy (it was filling up fast), she said this is the slack time, 8pm, often people queue outside and round the corner but that doesn't start for another hour.

We have to re-pack (yet again) for our flight in 2 days time, we wont have the chance once we arrive in NYC. Next morning we have to be up at 4:00 am so we can breakfast, shower and finish packing, so a late early night for us.

New Orleans

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Now here's a story. The cat is alive, not attached to the backpack or the young man and just sits there when he and his girlfriend are on the move. Saw them walking along, they'd stop and look, we'd stop in other places and look until the girlfriend and Rosie disappeared into the same shop. I walk over and ask is the cat real, of course it is. They found this abandoned kitten maybe 6? months before and looked after him a little, but they were just about to leave Seattle where they live and were headed for the warmth of southern California for the winter. They hitch hike everywhere, so does the cat. If they are moving he takes his position and sits right where he is in the photo. Has never jumped off unless they stop, even they are amazed. They are headed back up to Seattle in the morning, I ask why they don't take a Greyhound as it's not so much money "Greyhound wont allow him so we hike". I mention Amtrak do allow small dogs so that may be an idea for the future, at which girlfriend and then Rosie appear. They and we are off and we wish them luck, off they go on their travels... with of course 'Charlie'

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Love the first photo of the musician guys, it is so full of their energetic musical Oomph!

Nice to see the Mardi Gras beads hanging, and the wrought iron balconies too.

Ed.
 
It's been about 6 weeks since we returned to Europe, want to complete this round the world journey just to make it whole. We have worked our socks off since we came back and will have to for another couple of weeks yet, but it's a price worth paying for being able to travel. It didn't help after leaving the UK for the second time since returning that we decided to turn left at Calais and not our usual turn right to drive back to our 'Maison secondaire' in France. We have some very dear long time friends living in northern Holland, the lovely Wineke and the magnificent Hans and decided that a little detour would be just perfect, so we did.

But first a few responses.

Jennifer, if we stay still long enough you are always welcome. Didn't realise that you have such extensive connections with France. The place you stayed in 2015 looks a whole lot posher than our French cottage so be prepared to lower your expectations.

I'm honestly loving your trip so much I'm trying to convince some of my friends to do a version of it with md
Seabord92 you're right, do your own version as that's what you will get the most out of. Rosie and I are very different people but each of us doesn't pretend to be anything other than what we are. We suit some people and not others but that's life.

I'm sure if you have the imagination and the will you can have all the adventures you need. Look at caravanman, he's quite happy to travel alone as I used to, alone or with others there's adventures out there just waiting for you.

Thanks a lot for your kind words, Bonne chance!

trainman74, your description is spot on. It felt very much of the area and we thought it showed imagination from whoever commissioned the decoration of the station. Thank you.

Hello Ed. Downtown didn't show any damage at all and Algiers Point looked very well-to-do with most buildings in good decorative condition. We did hear that some areas are not a lot better than just after Katrina which if that is the case then shame on whoever is responsible.

The hostel is 'The Garden District House' at 1660 Annunciation Street, New Orleans, LA 70130. There's a bus stop right outside, it's in a quiet residential street, is only a 5 minute walk from the great Vietnamese restaurant and a 10 minute walk from a Wal-Mart Super Center and the river.

I'm including another New Orleans street photo for you, this drummer girl really did have all the moves, she was mesmeric

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Day 31 - Wednesday 29 March - New Orleans to New York City riding coach

We deliberately chose to travel coach on this 30 hour journey for a couple of reasons. We had travelled coach around the US on 4 or 5 occasions but no journey was longer than about 12 hours, this was an overnight journey and we were curious.

We also enjoy longer Greyhound journeys, 24 hours+ up to a couple of days but couldn't fit a Greyhound into our schedule this time. Amtrak coach on the 20 Crescent was as close as we could get.

Because the seats size is generous, and because seat spacing is so much more roomy than a Greyhound, somehow an Amtrak coach car lost some of the intimacy of a Greyhound bus.

We know that sometimes intimacy on a Greyhound isn't always a good thing, in particular at the back of the bus, but it gets people talking which didn't happen so much on this particular trip.

Up at 4am, taxi arrived on the dot at 5. No traffic and it only took about 10 minutes to New Orleans Union Station. The driver was a very pleasant and efficient Indian man, we were to meet another Indian cab driver a few days later but not quite as efficient.

On arrival the building was open but there were only 2 other rail passengers waiting, no Amtrak staff although there were a few security people

About 5:30am NOLA station. Most of the folk in the photo are homeless, well behaved and just looked grateful of somewhere secure to sleep. By 6:15am they were all gone, security had quietly suggested that it was time to leave and they did, seemed like a good arrangement to us, full use of the facility.

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Soon as the Amtrak ticket staff arrive we check a couple of cases and after not too long are allowed to board our car, by the time the 7:00am departure arrived the car wasn't half full, maybe a little up the line it will fill up?

About 30 minutes out of NOLA we start to cross Lake Pontchartrain at a sedate pace, this isn't a lake it's more like an inland sea. It certainly grabbed our attention as it appeared as though we were sort of floating above the water with no obvious support but with train noises coupled with clackerty clacks. This part of the journey will stay with us a long while.

Water to the left of us and water to the right

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Soon after we slept for 2 or 3 hours, a 4:00am start was a little too early for us. Still tired we decide on a hot tea and coffee to get us going, met Susan the café car boss. Placed our order but she said nothing, just turned around and started to prepare our drinks. When asked if she had English breakfast tea she replied in a strong strange accent, and sounded a bit put out too. Ah well, can't please everyone.

When she turned around she was grinning and started to talk again. She was from Rochdale, England and they do have a very broad northern English accent, Susan had emphasised it a little too. We are still a little startled as we are sleepy and crossing Alabama on an Amtrak train it's the last accent we expected to hear. It was her party piece when she recognised passengers from England were on board and we got the joke eventually.

This lady who over the next 24 hours turned out to be completely charming, had met and married an American oil man and moved to the USA over 40 years earlier, they live in Louisiana. She spent a month every year back in Rochdale with her mum and had never lost her accent. When talking to Americans she sounded completely American too, good linguist probably.

The Crescent has good wifi and we learned that Article 50 had been enacted that day by the British Government, that's the document that formally starts Brexit, the separation of the UK from the rest of Europe. It felt a little strange reading about this in the online Guardian British newspaper while riding through southern states in the USA. It had been an odd day so far and another surprise a little further on.

We pulled slowly into Birmingham, AL, a large railway yard and station. It looked as though something serious had happened here as it looked desolate and abandoned. Enormous amounts of littler were everywhere and as though the station complex hadn't seen maintenance for 50 years, everything just looked broken.

We've not seen anything like this anywhere in the US, is there a reason it stands out as being so unloved? would really like to know.

Plenty of new passengers board here, this is how we expected coach to be as we are headed to the North East with it's major cities. We are around 1 1/2 hours behind schedule now, freight is the reason.

Passed through Anniston, AL and can't help be notice the Anniston Army Depot with all it's military vehicles and equipment. It's an enormous place and takes quite a while to pass. Anniston is and has been heavily connected into US military for quite a while with different branches of the military based here. It's a pretty impressive sight seen from a train window.

At the end of the day the Conductor came into the car to personally apologise for today's delays, nice touch.

Sleeping on the big comfy seats isn't too difficult, the foot rests help and the seats lay pretty flat if you want them too. It wasn't warm in coach but wasn't cool either, so a reasonable night's sleep was had.

to be continued...

Day 32- Thursday 30 March - New Orleans to NYC and onwards - day 2

A little tired as we wake up in Virginia. It's not due to the coach seats, just from time to time we would stop and start, people get off and on etc, but not too bad. travelling through Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, the Carolinas, Virginia and into the big metropolises is very interesting for us, we don't live there and it's all different.

Apart from Susan in the café car there has not been any real conversation. There is a mid thirties man behind us trying so hard to impress the pretty girl across the way, but not sure that explaining he had had two spells in prison was the way to do it. We also learnt that the latest illegal drug could be had from the Empire State area of Manhattan. Apart from that we were happy enough chatting together and watching America go by the window.

At the end of this train journey we had our friends in NYC to look forward to, we'd planned on spending 5 hours with them before heading off to JFK for our evening flight, but we were now over 2 hours late. This was our second time at New York Penn Station, but the first time we had arrived there. It did all feel familiar as we exited the platform area, and we knew which exit to wait outside of for Juanita and Bradley. We quite liked waiting outside of Penn facing the huge US Post Office, there's a lot of life going past those doors.

The mid 30's man from our coach came out of the station while we were waiting, saw us and asked if we needed help, how kind is that? He also said he lived in the city and if we were hungry there was a good eatery just across the road, and at that he disappeared back inside the station. Can't judge a book by it's cover can you.

Bradley had to finish some work before they collected us, so they arrived an hour after we did. We did intend to visit the Chrysler Building as we love Art Deco and work with it too, so it was a pilgrimage for us. Bradley dropped the 3 of us at the door of the CB and said he'd be back about an hour or so later, we had to phone him when we were done.

Juanita used to work next door? at the old Pan Am building (for Pan Am) and didn't know the interior was so highly decorated, so it was a first for us all. The Chrysler Building owners only allow casual visitors into the ground floor, all the rest is active businesses that don't need a stream of tourists walking through their offices. Our view was, pure class and completely stunning to think that this was put together on such a scale. That it was important to spend so much effort and obviously money to impress staff and visitors as you walk through the doors. As mentioned elsewhere, we don't do tourists sites very often now, but this was for us just magic. The photos with our by now badly working camera do not do this building justice, but here they are anyway...

Interior is in immaculate condition, imagine if you have to work in an office being greeted by this every day

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And one from the outside. Don't remember any other skyscraper with Gargoyles, they looked as though they were stainless steel an exciting new metal at the time. At a distance the Gargoyles did look similar in form to European cathedrals built around 1000 years ago and equally impressive.

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After we had swooned enough Juanita took us into the old Pan Am building so we could see her former place of work. Huge staircase is what I remember and what did it look like full of people leaving work?

Another treat was Grand Central Station was close by. Had we been there? "No" was the answer. Would we like to take a look around? "Yes please" and so off we go. We were duly impressed have to say, it is a Grand building in any sense and with that amount of people moving around it reminded us of some famous Lowry paintings of Matchstick people who were always moving.

So here are our last photos before flying home, Grand Central Station in all it's glory, filled with travellers

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The clocks on the main floor, these are our favourite from all the clocks we have seen from around the world

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Day 32- Thursday 30 March - Part 2 ...... going home

Bradley meets us and mentions there are serious traffic problems getting from Manhattan to JFK airport, so we must hurry, our time in NYC is too short and we can't enjoy a meal with them both. Even though we have our plans catch the train to the airport they insist that they drive us, so they do. Bradley sort of mentions he just may visit Europe with Juanita, he rarely leaves the US so that is a big move forward and we hope they come to visit.

Airports are, well airports, not my favourite places but a necessary place to pass through. TAP Portugal our airline for this flight is tucked away in the corner, but they have plenty of staff and are very pleasant too.

Stupidly I asked a smart question while going through security, "why do we have to take our shoes off but the flight crew in front of us don't?" Big mistake, I was searched 3 times including inside the waistband etc etc by a young man who appeared to have a problem with life, my bad!

We board and find we have an all male crew, they look like male models to Rosie or an older boy band to me, but again very pleasant indeed.

Rosie said it was a very enjoyable flight, have to say I didn't have any complaints either. We noticed steel cutlery and food with a little taste too, the aircrew were very amenable and helped and cajoled with a smile and a little humour, they were always friendly.

This made us think back to the IT wizard Rosie had met waiting for bags at New Orleans Union station, he had told her that he was off to a new life in Portugal as his research had shown that is where he would feel most comfortable, hmmm. If Brexit goes very wrong between the UK and France should we move there?

We are flying from JFK to Lisbon, an hour layover and a second flight from there to London. Taking this one stop route saved us over 500 dollars so we are not complaining. Lisbon airport is friendly too, what are these people on?
 
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"Lisbon airport is friendly too, what are these people on?" Port would be my guess... :D

Thanks for the final piece in your "round the world" jigsaw. I was aware that there was a little bit missing, but decided not to badger you to finish it just yet!

On Wednesday I booked my flight to Boston, and 6 days later, this Tuesday, I fly off again for my own Amtrak adventure. Nothing like forward planning. Pleased I will be away for the election mudslinging, although I do have my proxy vote sorted.

I very much enjoyed your whole trip report, and wish you both a peaceful if busy time ahead.

Ed.
 
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There is 1 short post still to come! can't stop writing now.

Thanks Ed and Bon voyage on your journey into the Amtrak unknown.
 
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Day 33 - Friday 31 March ...... back to where we started

The 3 hour flight from Lisbon to London Heathrow, another good experience with at least 90% of the passengers being Portuguese or Brazilian. Our fellow passenger was from Brazil but married to a British politician, very nice thoughtful lady who was interested in many aspects of the world.

London Heathrow is just another big airport, but now it's becoming fully automated in the arrivals area (in the UK citizens section anyway), a sort of DIY immigration with obviously officers watching from afar?

We have to cross from one side of London to the other and then a 30 - 45 minute journey out eastwards into Essex. We have refined the route for travel with bags and catch 2 separate tube trains to get from Heathrow to Liverpool Street. First the Piccadilly line to Hammersmith, up the elevator to street level, cross the road to the other part of the station and usually a Hammersmith & City line train to Liverpool Street. Remembering much of London's tube system is Victorian, when you have bags you will find there are many stations where you have to take flights of stairs up and then back down, sometimes twice. This route only gives one flight of stairs of note which is on arriving by tube at Liverpool Street.

Next year a massive new rail system - Crossrail - will be completed, a completely new rail system to travel from outside London to the east to outside London to the west. Maybe, just maybe we'll find a way to have another major adventure and we can use what will be a modern wonder of transportation?

We find the next train out to Essex and suddenly the realisation of the extent of our round the world by land odyssey hits us, we feel like celebrating but of course we are British and just sit grinning at each other. Arrive at the station we started from and go outside and stand in the exact same spot as the first photo of this blog, we two very ordinary people from working class backgrounds that have just travelled around the world by land in our own unique way, here's a good time to introduce the word Wow!

Walk up to the next taxi out, our second Indian taxi driver in just a few days. He's smiling and helpful as we load our bags and sit in the car, "where to?" he asks and we tell him, a landmark area in the town is across the road. He asks where it is as he doesn't know the area well as he hasn't been a taxi driver for long. The irony of it hits us as this is the first time in the whole trip that somebody working in the many types of transport didn't know where he was going...
 
As always, another enjoyable chapter of the never ending journey!

Thanks for sharing, especially enjoyed the pics from the Apple, one of the Great Places in tbe World to visit but I wouldnt want to Live there!

Hopefully now that y'all are home, you will will Vote Early and Often as they say in Chicago and the current "Let them Eat Cake" Government will fall!
 
What a wonderful journey, as I am sure you and Rosie were saying to yourselves while smiling at each other.

Don't hold your breath, as the saying goes, about any visits. It takes a mighty powerful reason to get me across the pond. But if I ever get to meet you (and I hope I do), you will find I am not at all afraid to get my hands dirty and tote my share of the load. Invites go both ways, and if you should ever consider coming to the wilds of eastern Oregon, please do contact me in advance and we'll work something out (you as well, JimH and Edwin).

It's been wonderful traveling along with you from my armchair! Many thanks for the great report and photos.
 
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Just a note to say thank you for all the help and encouragement here, not sure the journal would have been completed without you all.

Jennifer, who knows what's in the future, but if we're intending to be within striking distance of you how could we not stop by and say hello

Bob, your version of Chicago voting practices made me chuckle all day, what a good idea. Kim Jong-May our Great Leader has started to malfunction, maybe her programming hasn't been set quite enough into human mode as she doesn't cope with speaking to people face to face.
 
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