God Bless America

I am writing this post from an apartment in Brooklyn, New York. As I look out the bedroom window I'm reminded why America is the land of opportunity, why so many flock here for a chance at the American dream, to quote Francis Scott Keys; “The land of the free and home of the brave."

There are men and women walking to work, the NYC transit whistles past and if I listen hard enough I can hear Spanish music playing in the distance. America was founded by those who were not free. The country began with ordinary citizens who became brave enough to fight for their freedom. It was founded by people like you and me, the people working at the grocery store or service station. Briefly looking at American history, the path from colony to republic is a dramatic story and is one that has shaped America as we know it.

After a flight from Tokyo I arrived in San Francisco on September 14th greeted by my Uncle James and his family. My inception to SF suburban culture was swift. I was whisked away to a party that night hosted by my Uncles neighbour. I walked into beer on ice and Mexican’s serving an array of culinary dishes. This was a sign of things to come in California. 

I was fortunate enough to meet Mum, Dad and Connor in San Francisco. We spent much of our time shopping on Market Street, catching cable cars and wandering between Pier 1 and Pier 39. SF is a beautiful city, with the Bay and the Golden Gate Bridge as its backdrop. Other points of note in SF include Haight Ashbury; this district is known for its history of hippie subculture. The streets are lined with record stores, vintage clothing outlets and organic cafes. The Mission District is also well worth a visit. It manifests a melting pot of cultures and cuisines. It was here I caught up with a friend from Perth; James and his girlfriend, who took me to try some of the Mission Districts best Mexican food.

Connor and I spent our last night in San Francisco at the famous Fillmore Auditorium. We bought tickets to see Krewella; an EDM group. We finished partying at roughly 2am and assumed we would get the BART (SF transit) home. We were unaware that the trains didn't start running until 6am so we spent the rest of the night sleeping downtown, mixing it with San Francisco’s finest; the homeless and drunk. The next morning Connor and I jumped in our Chevrolet bound for Lake Tahoe, California. Our road trip had begun.

Kendrick Lamar sums up California nicely in a tribute to his home state; The Recipe.

They come for
Women, weed and weather
For the women, weed and weather
From all around the world for the
Women, weed and weather

He couldn't be more accurate (unless the lyrics read; they also come for In-N-Out Burger). Connor and I were lucky enough to sample the three W's while in Cali, not to mention countless meals from In-N Out.

California is located on the West Coast of America and is the most populous state in the USA. It is also where we spent the majority of our road trip. California has long been a subject of public interest and a part of pop culture. Many people including Connor and myself see California as the ‘Golden State’ with its sunny and dry conditions all year round and access to landscapes ranging from beaches to mountains.

What should have been a 3 hour drive turned into a 6 hour journey after Connor and I drove an hour and a half in the wrong direction. We hadn’t started our road trip in the best fashion; we put this down to a hangover and the out of season snow fall we encountered. None the less we were met in South Lake Tahoe by Mum, Dad and our Uncle James who had booked a cabin for us to stay in. Lake Tahoe is the largest alpine lake in North America and is known for its clarity of water. We spent the next few days visiting the Lake and its surrounding mountains.

We soon bid farewell to James. Mum, Dad, Connor and I climbed into the Chevy and were en route for Yosemite National Park. The National Park is located in the central/eastern portion of California and covers over 3,000 square kilometres. Again we stayed in a cabin and got a real ‘rustic’ experience. We hiked through the national park which boasted spectacular granite cliffs, clear streams, giant sequoia groves and biological diversity. I highly recommend Yosemite if in California. It was just Connor and myself from here on out.

It was a warm Monday afternoon; the sun was setting over the Spring Valley Mountain Ranges when Connor and I rolled into Las Vegas. Night fell just as we arrived, the city was alive. We drove along Las Vegas Boulevard amid the haze of lights and colour before checking into our hostel in Downtown Vegas.

Sin city is devilishly bold and confident. For a city that runs on gambling, sex, drugs, and rock and roll it functions flawlessly. Risqué nightlife and glamorous casinos draw crowds from around the world but not just to gamble. Las Vegas is full of world class chefs, boutique hotels, high end fashion outlets and art galleries. It attracts even the gambling greenhorns who can’t tell a full house from a flush (i.e. Connor and I). There certainly was more partying than gambling for us. One such night involved piling into the hostel van, which resembled something a kiddy-fiddler would drive, with 30 other heavily intoxicated patrons and practically falling out in front of The Venetian. Talk about doing Vegas in style.

Some of our highlights in Vegas included Calvin Harris at MGM Grand, a bar by the name of Drink and Drag in which you pay for entry by removing your clothes, 25c pints, the Bellagio Fountains and casino buffets.

We ended our Vegas experience at an Irish bar. Now I’m not normally one to bother with Irish bars unless Im in Ireland but it was the last Saturday in September and as an Australian that can only mean one thing; the AFL Grand Final. McMullan's Irish Pub was airing the showdown between Fremantle and Hawthorne. In a pub packed full of Aussie’s and over a couple of Budweiser’s Connor and I watched the Dockers choke their way to an embarrassing loss in typical Fremantle fashion. We left the pub ashamed to be West Australian at about 11pm and got back into the Chevy, gearing up for an overnight drive to the colossal Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona.

I managed to keep my eyes open over the 7 hour drive. I don’t know how I feel about dubstep but with Connor blazing it over the car stereo I certainly stayed awake. We arrived at the Grand Canyon National park just as the sun was about to rise. We fought our way through the Japanese tour groups to see the sun rise over the east side of the canyon. Despite being half asleep there is only one way to describe that experience; epic. The rest of the day we explored the south rim of the canyon via bus, marveling at the views.

The Grand Canyon car park

From the Grand Canyon Connor and I drove to the modest Phoenix. Phoenix is the capital and largest city in Arizona. We were here one night as a brief stopover. We recharged our batteries at a famously cheap and tacky Motel 6 and were soon on the road again headed for San Diego.

Discovered by the Germans in 1904; they named it San Diego, which of course in German means a whale’s vagina.  San Diego, California is home to 1.4 million people and is one of the fastest growing cities in the USA.

By now it was Sunday September 29th, a very important date in American TV history; AMC was airing the Breaking Bad finale at 9pm. We were cutting the 6 hour drive a little fine leaving Phoenix at 3.30pm but took comfort in the fact that speeding laws in the USA are not strongly enforced, opposed to the nanny state Perth is currently in. We arrived in SD just before 9pm. After a huge debacle with the hostel TV we almost gave up hope when we found a bar that was screening Breaking Bad. Somehow we managed to smuggle a 20 year old Connor in, and again over some Budweiser’s we witnessed Walter Whites journey come to an end.

San Diego is the Perth of California with its great weather all year round, a work and fitness orientated culture, new bars popping up every other week and a coastal lifestyle. This may be why it was my favourite city in California. I’m sure it also had something to do with the delectable Mexican food. SD is heavily influenced by Mexican culture due to its close proximity to the boarder and a large Hispanic population. If you don’t make it to Mexico, San Diego is the next best thing.

From San Diego the memories that spring to mind are visiting the San Diego Zoo, eating copious amounts of Mexican food, nights out in the Gaslamp Quarter and hanging out with my friend Lauren, whom I met in India. Connor and I also took a day trip to Coronado. Coronado Island is an affluent resort city located in San Diego County, a short drive across San Diego Bay. It offers pristine sand, gentle surf and a charming community with a small town feel, as well as world class restaurant’s and a great view of the San Diego skyline.

San Diego Zoo

It wouldn’t be long before Connor and I were in Los Angeles. A two hour drive took us to LA, and our hostel in Hollywood. We didn’t know what to expect from the ‘city of Angels’, having heard mixed reactions from fellow travellers. In a nutshell LA is the perfect amount of tacky and the pros heavily outweigh the cons. An article taken from Complex Magazine written in January of this year; Depressing facts about LA that will make you want to move tomorrow (click for link) , states the cons of living in Los Angeles. It goes on to explain the rising rent costs, the large amounts of smog and high stress lifestyle. But for all the terrible public transportation, gangs and stoners there is disgustingly good weather, lively beaches, exclusive clubs, boutique shopping and art galleries, not to mention In-N-Out Burger. LA is a must do in my opinion.

Connor and I stayed in Hollywood, between Hollywood Boulevard and Sunset Strip. Of course there are some downsides to Hollywood; we had to fork out $20.00 a day for parking, and you can’t escape the fact that in LA you need a car. Apart from that we found the area to be full of character and very central. Over the next week Connor and I soaked up the perfect weather, dug through vintage shop bins and record store crates, ran into celebrities and sampled some real American food.  I was taken to one such place by my friend and LA local; Andre. Pink’s Hot Dogs has been a Hollywood staple since 1939. We visited during lunch to find the line stretching down the street. It’s popular for a reason with specialty dogs such as the ‘Three Dog Night’ (three hot dogs wrapped in a giant tortilla, three slices of cheese, and three slices of bacon, chili and onions).

One afternoon Connor and I took a drive up to Lake Hollywood Park. This is where you’ll find the best views of LA and the Hollywood Sign. The park is a little out of the way but well worth a visit. It had a great vibe and was full of locals, which is always a good sign. We spent our last day in LA beachside. Connor and I drove west and parked at Santa Monica Pier. It was a perfect day for ‘women, weed and weather’. We basked in the sun before skating along the boardwalk from Santa Monica to Venice beach. Venice is grungy and certainly doesn’t lack character. Here you’ll find stoners, bums, crack heads, skaters, buskers and tourists. For a few hours we trialed the skate park then made our way back to Santa Monica. We ended the day sampling some Californian green as we watched the sun set over Santa Monica Pier.

Santa Monica Pier

Connor and I thoroughly enjoyed our time in LA. It often gets a bad wrap, with people saying everything and everyone is ‘fake’, but if you can take Los Angeles with a grain of salt you’ll find what you’re looking for.

Venice Beach

The next day we left LA and started the costal route back to San Francisco. Perhaps the best known stretch of highway in America, California's Highway 1 or the Pacific Coast Highway between Los Angeles and San Francisco is 600km of coastal beauty. This highway hugs the coastline from northern California to its southern border and sports some of most spectacular views in America. 500km later we arrived at our next stop; Monterey. Monterey is located on the southern edge of California’s Pacific Coast. Connor and I spent one night here wandering through the town centre and admiring the coastal views. Monterey’s most notable attractions include the Monterey Bay Aquarium and Fisherman’s Wharf.

Connor and I covered 3200km on our road trip

For my next stop I would have to say goodbye to the beloved Chevy, not to mention my family. I boarded a plane slated for New Orleans, Louisiana on October 9th. I stayed at a hostel in the elegant Garden District.

On Bourbon Street the good times are perpetually rolling. Bourbon Street was close to the biggest party I’d ever seen (the obvious exception being the Full Moon Party, Thailand). It’s legal to street drink in New Orleans, and what’s more you can buy drinks at a bar, leave the bar, drink them on the street and take them into another bar. This makes for one big street party. Thanks to the famous Bourbon Street and the city’s annual Mardi Gras Celebration New Orleans has quite the party animal reputation. When Bourbon Street became too hectic we would visit Frenchmen Street for a drink. Frenchmen Street has become the ‘cool kids’ alternative to Bourbon Street with its array of bars, shops, food and entertainment and of course its vibrant music scene. The live music here would make me want to dance (terribly) and send me into a daze at the same time.

If you go to New Orleans for no other reason, go for the food. A trip to New Orleans wouldn’t be complete without trying Gumbo and a Po Boy. Treat yourself to a pot of Gumbo, created from a mix of African, Caribbean and native Indian influences. A classic gumbo recipes is stock made as rich as possible using a variety of meats, onions, celery and bell peppers, served with rice. Variations can include shrimp, oyster, crabmeat or chicken. There are many different interpretations of the New Orleans sandwich; the Po Boy. Basically it’s a French bread sandwich at an affordable price. Po Boys are piled high with meat such as roast beef, turkey or smoked sausage topped with gravy. They can also be filled with fried seafood, for example shrimp or oysters.

In New Orleans I also had time to visit City Park which was hosting a seafood and music festival (I know right!) and hang out with some local students I met on Frenchmen Street. My final highlight in New Orleans was watching a game of NFL at a local bar in the Garden District. Myself and some friends from the hostel witnessed Tom Brady, of the New England Patriots crush the New Orleans Saints with a 70 yard drive in the last 10 seconds to win the match. The atmosphere in the bar after that was almost non existent. If we weren’t tanked on $1 Pabst Blue Ribbons and hot wings it would have been a souring experience.  

Cable cars; the best form of transport in NO

With the exception of New York, that wraps up my time in the United States of America. The USA was everything I hoped for and more; the meals were bigger, cheesier and greasier, the people were louder, ruder and cruder and the cars were faster. America is full of character and cultural diversity.

Like a lot of countries the USA has had their ups and downs in recent years, including the ‘Great Recession’ as Americans like to dub it, and their fair share of natural disasters. Obama, the 44th President of the United States stands for hope, and this is evident in the American people. America has pushed forward as they have always done, leaving the weak behind (which some might not agree with). The country is more culturally diverse than ever and new bills are being passed such as the legalisation of Marijuana in Colorado. This is a sign of change, America remains optimistic in a world where nothing is certain. The future is bright for The United States of America.

Keep an eye out for my next blog post on New York City.

*All film photos taken by Connor Devlin

Japan

Though my time in Japan was brief it was memorable. I was fortunate enough to meet three solo travellers at a hostel in Tokyo; Fabien, Annabel Le and Andre. We decided to tackle what Japan had to offer together.

Tokyo ate me alive. Much like Shanghai the city was overwhelming. I spent more time gazing aimlessly at signs and maps rather than being where I wanted to be. If you like peace and quiet and your own space steer clear of Tokyo. The metro's were like cans of over packed sardines, I was constantly stepping on toes at bars, and walking the streets was like joining a school of fish; don't go against the current or risk losing yourself in a sea of sandal wearing goldfish tenders. (Thank you Mr Burns) 

Tokyo, view from the Sky Tower

From Tokyo the four of us ventured to Hakone. The town is part of the Fuji Hakone Izu National Park; less then 100km from Tokyo. Hakone is known for its natural hot springs or Onsens. We were informed that it was customary to bathe naked and that tattoos were forbidden due to their affiliation with the Yakuza Mafia. Fabien and myself both have tattoos but thought we would take our chances. It wasn't to be; the sharp eye of the Japanese caught us, we were pulled out of the water stark naked and escorted out in nothing but a towel.

Our next stop was Fuji, with the intent of climbing the 3,800m Mt Fuji. It was nice to be away from the bells and whistles of Tokyo. Fuji is a peaceful and serene town; more of what I was hoping for from Japan. Unfortunately we weren't able to get a snap of the mountain due to the thick cloud cover. I was told by a local that Mt Fuji is like a shy woman; you need to keep working at her until she reveals herself, but knowing my luck with women I didn't catch a glimpse. We did manage to climb part of Mt Fuji until rough weather forced us to turn back. 

Dogs can climb Mt Fuji too

Kyoto was my final stop in Japan. It lies 400 km south of Fuji but with the bullet train reaching speeds of over 300km/ph the journey was seamless. I didn't spend enough time in Kyoto to comment on the city, but I found it similar to Tokyo, just on a smaller scale. 

There are three more topics I want to discuss re Japan; karaoke, fashion and the fact that a lot of Japan seems to be living in the not too distant future; its scary. The karaoke machine was invented by a Japanese musician; Daisuke in 1971. After becoming popular in Japan, karaoke spread to South East Asia during the 1980's and subsequently to other parts of the world. Throughout Japan karaoke establishments are often fronts for gentlemen's clubs, where men pay to have females serve drinks and dance/sing with them. You can't go far in Japan without coming across a karaoke bar. I swore I would never karaoke again after a terrible performance in Barcelona two years ago, but 'when in Rome'. I had countless nights on the mic; my best performance was a duet to Single Ladies. Beyonce; my guilty pleasure, don't judge me.  

Moving on, I knew that Asian's were into technology, but Japan takes the cake. Science and technology in Japan is focused on consumer electronics. Japan's research and development budget currently sits at $130 billion US dollars a year. On the metro system I struggled to find someone that wasn't glued to their phone or device. Much of the western world seems to be moving in this direction, however Japan is one step ahead. 

Finally, Japan began to emulate Western Fashion in the 19th Century. By the 21st Century this emulation formed Japanese Street Fashion. At present there are many styles of dress in Japan created from a mix of local and foreign labels. Many of these styles are extreme and avant-garde, similar to the haute couture seen on European and American catwalks. One afternoon I took a stroll through Harajuku; Tokyo's high fashion district and felt like I was on a different planet. I recommend checking it out if in Tokyo, a great place to shop as well. 

我不說英語

I didn't know what to expect when I landed in Beijing, but it was clear I wouldn't be hearing much of the English language. 

Luckily these things called 'smart phones' exist and thankfully they're smarter than me. Free WiFi and Google were my only source of navigation in China. God help me if I had to use a map (I don't know how I passed geography).

Somehow I found my way to a hostel. I was staying in the Quaimen area, which I highly recommend if in Beijing for a few days. It's close to Tiananmen square and other major attractions in Beijing, and like a lot of hostels, close to bars and nightlife. China was off to a good start; I met a great bunch of people at the hostel and upon my arrival a local gave me 5 yen when he noticed I didn't have enough money on me for a train ticket. 

After my visit to Tiananmen square however, things took a slight turn for the worse. I jumped in a rickshaw headed for the closest metro. After what felt like an odd route we arrived in an alley way. Long story short, the driver tried to mug me; he asked for all the money in my wallet, but luckily I only had 20 yen on me; equivalent to about 4 Australian Dollars (sometimes it pays to be a stingy bastard). The mugger left disappointed and in the end I had the last laugh. If you count the 5 yen the bloke lent me for a train ticket China's still 15 yen up. Ill get them back one day.

The Great Wall was just that. I cant say much other than don't miss it if your in China. This coupled with a few big nights and a colossal amount of dumplings pretty much wraps up my time in Beijing.

From Beijing I managed to navigate my way south to Hangzhou. Hangzhou is the capital and largest city of the Zhejiang Province in Eastern China. The city's main attraction is West Lake. I spent a day riding through the parks which surround the Lake. Hangzhou is also littered with great bars and restaurants; I got the impression that Hangzhou is frequently visited by the wealthy from Shanghai and neighbouring cities.

A local ritual at Ling Yin Temple

 










My final stop in China was Shanghai. To be honest the place was a little overwhelming. Shanghai is very westernised, especially when you compare it to Beijing. The sheer amount of people coupled with the lack of English certainly put me out of my element. I embraced the culture as best I could and after six nights I'd certainly warmed to the city for two main reasons; the shopping and the food.
Shanghai cuisine focuses on light seasoning and is known for its mild and tasty dishes. The Shanghaniese describe their food as fresh, intricate and refreshing. As a result their sauces are often very thin. Sauces in Beijing on the other hand are usually more of a paste; it tends to be thicker and sweeter. 

The Chinese love their shopping and Shanghai is no exception; it boasts some of the biggest malls in Asia. I spent some time strolling through the main shopping district; Nanjing Road but at times this experience was soured by countless people asking me if I wanted a 'massagey' or 'sucky sucky', I was in Asia after all. Lastly if your in Shanghai make sure to walk along the Bund at night and witness the spectacular view of the city's business district.

Tips for China

• Learn Mandarin: I know that's asking a lot, so at the least take a Mandarin handbook.
• Don't get in a rickshaw: For reasons stated above.
• Eat as many dumplings as you can, both meat and vegetable: They are delicious, also lurk for dumpling houses after a big night, most open at 4am.
• Try hot pot in Beijing: These dishes are unique to Beijing and normally consist of raw meats and vegetables which you cook yourself in a pot of water presented at the table.
• Guided tours where possible: Unless of course you can read signs and plaques in Mandarin

Get it India

Forget about seat belts, hot showers, wifi, beef, power or personal hygiene, this is a post about India.

My plane arrived in New Delhi just before midnight on the 26th of July where I was greeted by a familiar face amongst the sea of black hair and dark skin; Mr Jordan Cutts.

*Note we stuck out like dogs balls.

From the airport a taxi dropped us at our hostel; The Smyle Inn in the suburb of Paharganj, although we didn't have too much to 'smyle' about after we were informed we were staying in one of the most dangerous areas of the city.

That aside we jumped in a rickshaw the next day and took off to see the sights in New Delhi; namely India Gate and Humayun's Tomb. The day wasn't complete without the occasional beggar and our driver insisting we visit his 'friends' shops. These were common themes throughout India.

The next few days we embraced the crowds, noise and smells and survived the streets of Delhi.

One highlight in India's capitol was our cooking class. We took a taxi to the outskirts of Delhi and arrived at a run-down apartment block. We walked up a few flights of stairs and found our intended address. It certainly wasn't what we expected; we envisioned a big kitchen with a cooking class full of tourists. What we got was a small apartment with no one but ourselves, our instructor and her family. It was awkward at first with Jordan and I wondering if they were going to rob us however once we got going we really started to enjoy ourselves.

We prepared masala chai; a traditional sweet Indian tea, potato pakora with a coriander chutney, followed by mutton rogan josh with pulao rice. No Indian meal is complete without bread, so of course we also learnt how to make roti and paratha. The cooking class was a great experience; it showed us what goes on in a real North Indian kitchen, and we enjoyed our meal with some new found friends.

I can safely say that Jordan and I loved the food India had to offer, and we didn't tire of eating curry. We ate at some of India's best restaurants, to stalls on the side of dirt roads. We learnt that mutton in India is goat, and that the majority of meat dishes are based around chicken, which suited us just fine. A typical meal for Jordan and myself would consist of two chicken dishes, one rice, two Kingfishers, and of course a double helping of nann.

The weekend had arrived in Delhi so we thought we'd do the usual and get our binge on. Again it wasn't to be, the only 'club' we found was one where men in turbans sung to Linkin Park and failed to skull even half a beer. We found out that New Delhi doesn't have a club scene. We did however meet one local who decided he'd take us on a tour of New Delhi's most exclusive clubs. He'd brag about the millions of dollars he had, but failed to get us on a single dance floor. We later dubbed him the Delhi douche, and rightly so.

After 3 nights in Delhi we made our way to Agra with the help of our driver Asok; at the time we were unaware of the comedy that would ensue at his expense. His stutter, repetitive questions, and lack of communication skills provided Jordan and I with hours of entertainment/frustration on our long journeys. Unfortunately he failed to get us hashish which ruined his chances of a decent tip.

Agra served us up some memorable sights including the epic Taj Mahal and Agra Fort. Even though we made it to the Taj at 6am, when its supposedly cooler we still looked like drowned rats in our photos.

We then made our way to Jaipur. Some points of note in the Pink City were Amber Fort, The City Palace and Raj Mindir Cinema where Jordan and I sat through a four and a half hour Bollywood film; Bhag Milka Bhag. Despite our lack of Hindi we thoroughly enjoyed the movie. I highly recommend watching a Bollywood film if ever in India.

Jodhpur was next on the Golden Triangle route; a four hour drive west. The spice markets and Merangarh Fort kept us entertained before our final stop; Pushkar. This was one of my favourite places in India for a few reasons. Pushkar is surrounded by mountains and has a beautiful lake in the middle of town. It also boasts the 'Rainbow Restaurant' which provided us with energy we needed to climb the 500 steps up to Savirti Temple in the form of space cakes.

After 7 days on the road dodging cows and conversing about cricket we returned to Delhi. I bid farewell to Jordan as he prepared to ease back into western civilisation with a night at a 5 star hotel; The La Lit. I jumped on a 14 hour bus headed north to Dharamasala.

India is something else. It is the least westernised country I have ever been to. India has managed to keep it's own identity even after so many years of British rule. Jordan and I often found ourselves saying "thats so India" because there are so many aspects that are uniquely Indian, and thats why I'll always have fond memories of this country.

India is well worth the cold showers, the gut wrenching smells, the sweat, the dioreeha and hecklers. It is a country full of colour, smiles and surprises.

Europe Photo Dump #6

The last in a series of 6 photo dumps.

Europe Photo Dump #5

Europe Photo Dump #4