Miami Vice

And other assorted cities and tools.

So yes, hello to those beautiful few who are still bothering to read this. We are still funcioning withing normal parameters (for the most part) and are cooking in our own juices in the Miami sunshine. Too graphic? Yikes. My apologies.

Anyway, we got here two days ago - but I suppose I should say a little something about our previous location - Orlando! Yes, the land of the evil mouse-led corporation of doom. No, we didn't go to Disneyland. I would have ended up kidneypunching the mouse and getting deported. Instead we went to Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure for our rollercoaster-based kicks. For the record, Duelling Dragons is (are?) badass. Even more so when you aren't wearing any shoes.

Our biggest mistake of the day was riding the river rapids so late - we got absolutely drenched, as you might expect, and were still damp when we got a taxi. I can't say I feel bad about that though, as the silly bastard took us in completely the wrong direction and we ended up paying about $25 more than we should have.

We also went to Wet and Wild, a huge waterpark - lots of epic rides again, and one terrifying one: a single lane slide almost as steep as a dropslide. In and of itself this would be fine - except for the way it starts: you begin by getting into a coffin-sized box with Perspex windows, and cross your arms. When the attendant has left you crapping yourself long enough she hits a button and the floor drops away. Needless to say I screamed, and experienced the worst wedgie of my life. (tmi again? Bah, deal with it, you big wuss.)

The only downside to all this water-based tomfoolery is that my left ear has been blocked for a week. On the plus side, this is a great excuse to ignore Jason.

So yes, now we're in Miami: once again, about a block from the beach. No prizes for guessing where we'll be spending most of our time. Photos, as always, are on facebook. Much love to you all!

Dan

Past the halfway mark

So yes, as the title states we have reached and passed the halfway stage of our trip around north America. For those of you who weren't paying attention (yet are still reading), here's a quick recap:

Stop one: New York City.

Two hostels, ten days, our first taste of culture shock. Rock band in Times Square, sunburn in central park, impromptu Spanish lessons from the shopkeeper opposite the hostel. Also, mnm world. I don't know why either.

2: Toronto

Overnight Greyhounds are the devil, and Canadian customs are a lot friendlier than those at JFK. Toronto is a fantastic city, and the people we met there made us feel very welcome indeed!

3: San Francisco

Another flight. No chance we were going to take a coach, we would actually die. Our first Hostelling International hostel - very cool indeed. Highlights included a funky tram ride, fisherman's wharf and the golden gate bridge. Oh, and buying my Gir shirt. Yay!

4: Santa Monica, Los Angeles

Road trip! The six hour drive turned into a nine hour one thanks to road closures. Damned fires. Santa Monica was probably the best located hostel we've had - literally one block from the beach. Also a reasonable bus ride from Hollywood, but Santa Monica itself was the highlight for me. It's also where I picked up my iPod. My god, I love free wifi.

5: Las Vegas

What can be said about Vegas that hasn't been said a thousand times before? The place is mindblowing. Usual rules do not apply. Met more cool people, some of whom we'd met in San Fran. Talk about small world! I gambled a little and profited, Hodges gambled more and lost. There's a lesson there, people. Also, I bloody love buffets.

6: New Orleans

Internal flights > Greyhound. Totally.

The weather in NOLA, as you'd expect, is crazy. We got drenched immediately, but thankfully the Hostel was awesome - full of character. A word to the wise: if you go to New Orleans, get a decent insect repellant. My legs look like War and Peace in Braille.

Also, you can try, but you won't get a tour guide as awesome as ours. <3

So, after another Greyhound that got us here at 4am - no, apparently we didn't learn from Toronto - we're in Talahassee for a little recuperation before Orlando. Ash is coming out to meet us next week! Woo!

So yes, that's it thus far. I'd add more detail but my thumbs hurt already. Hope y'all are doing well.

Coming To You Live From Sin City

We've had five nights here in Las Vegas. If you've never been I seriously suggest you give it a try- I've never been anywhere like it.

I didn't do much gambling as I'm just not that good at it, but I did win $28.50 on a 25 cent machine, so I call that a win. The hostel has been very cool, met all sorts of cool people. We also went along on their limo tour of the strip: the 'limo' turned out to be this big van with plasma screens and a couple of dance poles - Jas and Hodges took full advantage of the free champagne. The trip also included free entry to the Coyote Ugly club. Now I don't know what it's like in other clubs, but if that's the standard you're doing it wrong, America! The dance floor was full of people not dancing, staring at the chose few women who were allowed to dance on the stage. Now I don't go clubbing a lot, but to me it's about everybody dancing, making an arse of themselves and having a good time. Instead all the focus was on these random women - lots of lecherous creepy dudes just staring and getting in our way, because we bucked the trend and danced our little socks off. Managed to get a few others dancing too, but it didn't feel like a club so much as a bad gig. Still, I had fun so it's all good.

Oh, and know what else is funny? Seeing some guy with a big sign saying "GOD HATES SINNERS" in massive letters. In VEGAS. There's a man with his work cut out.

Also also: Dark Knight = WIN.

Next stop New Orleans!

Santa Monica

Howdy from sunny Santa Monica, California.

We are, as you have probably guessed, still alive and well. You may even have seen the photos on Facebook. I won't put any here this time around 'cause it's a bit of a kerfuffle trying to get them hosted and embedding them and all of that, but I'm sure you have the facility to check them there.

Weather is beautiful here! We've done the stuff you'd expect - went to LA, walked down Hollywood Boulevard, looked at all the stars on the sidewalk, took a star tour through Hollwood, Bel Air and Beverly Hills. Very cool! Spent yesterday on Santa Monica beach while the guys took a swim, and probably doing a little shopping today. Vegas on Thursday, which means we'll be broke by next week, no doubt!

This Hostel is incredible. It's all the regular stuff, clean and friendly and well equipped - but it's situated one block from Santa Monica beach. Amazing location!

Anyway, I'll leave it at that for now. Hope you're all well.

<3

Viva viagra

Hello,
We live still.

In san fran, last night, driving to LA tomoz.

We were in toronto with all DC's geeky mates that was suprisingly amazing, have now been spending all our internet time on the webstie redvsblue.com.


have bought many t-shirts including a power rangers one for me and a Grr one for DC (what a shop)

Still eating plenty but not too healthily, i had a crab the other night which was fun and i had a special bib.

We had to skip chicago as there was suddenly no space available there and we had better calculated things realiasing we didn't have the time, got La and las vegas then new orleans or a quick dash to Florida to catch Wiley the old sod.

San fran is full of homeless folk, one dude by the trams had a banjo and played some righteous shiz! The tram was sooo fun btw, jas got a cheeky hi 5 with a girl on a tram gonin the other way.

Things are moving on a pace and we have been here for a quarter of our whole time boo.

ciao darlings xx xox

No Killer, All Filler

Just to let you know, we are still alive and in Toronto! Canada is awesome, and very friendly. The immigration dude started chatting to us about some book he was reading - all very random.

Lessons learned:

>Don't take overnight Greyhounds. You WILL NOT SLEEP and your sleep patterns will be fucked up for days.

>It's very difficult to buy booze in regular shops in Ontario. Hodges and Jas found this out to their chagrin.

>Hodges is anal about peanut butter.

Much love.

Dan

Hypothesis: Alphabetti spaghetti increases literacy in urban New York

WELL, we're now in a new hostel with much a mulitcultural feel, a fair bit different to the last, although a smidge more expensive. passed a few monments in central park today, wathced some baseball got told by the porter bloke how he clearly should have been a baseball star, went back to billiabaong and the girl Jase fancies looked sad and didn't pay him any attention, having some beer tonight watchin just friends nice!... or not!
Dempsey has left us!
Cheer or boo... YOU DECIDE!
So glad to be away from BB although i bet my parents are well into it.
I miss everybody back home...... not at all you swines! suck on my smug teet!!!!!!
Got our tickets to toronto today, all is a go.
Have taken much video footage which i shall rub in peoples faces a plenty later.

gonna go buy another beer now
ciao darlings

Working Photo Link

Goddamned photobucket/facebook/internet.

Anyway, those should work. Much love,

Dan

First Stop.

*EDIT*

Photos on Facebook. Look here, for starters: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=29665&l=34a0f&id=265500160

- Dan

*/EDIT*

hey, Jason here. so if you hadnt already guessed New York is funking amazing. as dan said unfortunatly we cant upload any photos on the computers at this hostel which is a bit of a pain. been here three days and have taken about 200 already! have to hang tight for them.

so far we have been to the top of empire state building which was incredible, started off with quite low visibility because of low cloud after a thunder and lightning storm but the sun soon burnt all of that off and the view was unreal. yesterday we did about 12 hours walking around central manhaton which was a bit of a killer but well worth it! saw a tonne of cool stuff like the NBC studios, Rockerfella center and countless more insane stuff.

the weather was much better today, we got up pretty early to skip the que for the statue of liberty but it was already around the block when we got there about 10:30 am. however in true british fashion we joined the end of the line and once again it was well worth it. the ferry took us all around ellis island and dropped us off to have a walk around. it was surpisingly small though, i always imagined to be a lot larger. next we caught the tube to SoHo or South of Houston Street. we got off on the wrong stop to begin with and were wondering around some dodgy area, but we soon found our bearings and found all the trendy shops. bought a new hoody. love it. (thanks maz :P).

then the rain came down and we ran back to the hostel.(via more tubes).

stay tuned!

Jase x x

Still Alive

As I write, I'm sat in our hostel in New York, just off Broadway and 103rd (I think). Managed to make it through customs (scary) and ourt first night in Queens Village (scarier) where I had to share a bed with my fellow travellers (terrifying).

Thought I'd post to let you know we're all still alive, that Dempsey found us ok and that we're slowly getting to grips with everything. I've bought a new phone because my previous hunk-of-crap mobile couldn't cope! Let me know if you want the number. I don't think we'll be able to upload photos here, so you'll have to wait I'm afraid! Lots of good shots from around Manhattan, as well as the Empire State Building, and - most importantly - the first Team Pancake Breakfast.

Much Love.

It's The Final Countdown

.. Doo doo doo doooo... doo doo do-do-doo....

..Er, yes. So it's Thursday. That means in two days we'll be in London. And in three days, we'll be on a plane to New York. Crazy stuff!

Our extra day's accommodation has been booked, and boy, is that going to be cosy. I've just packed my bag, and it's within the baggage weight allowance, which is always a good start. Changed some extra pennies into cents, warned the bank I'm going stateside, and even (*gasp*) got a haircut for the first time in about three years. Scary stuff.

Tonight is the Team Pancake Breakfast leaving do, so it's curry o'clock in IvyTown. Can't believe it's so close! Only one or two final arrangements to make, and we're good to go. I'm assuming the others are, at least. The bastards have gone to the beach today, so they'd better be sorted.
Oh, and this week we filmed a zombie movie of epic proportions. Stay tuned. There's ketchup.

Much love, as always.

Dan.

PS: My hair smells gorgeous.

Ten Days To Go

Our flight, for some reason, got cancelled. When Hodges told me this I nearly had a freakin' coronary. Why he couldn't have said "our flight has been moved" I don't know. Instead, the conversation ran thusly:

"Alright DC? Zoom called, they've cancelled our flight."

"Urk!" *dramatic pause, palpitations*

"But they've put us on a new one on the 15th instead."

"BASTARD!"

... I may be paraphrasing slightly, my memory is a little hazy. There may or may not have been a slowmotion swordfight later that day. With elephants.

Aaaaaanyway, ten days. WOO! Crazy shizzle. Flights booked. Insurance sorted. Accommodation booked. Passport, still valid. I think I'm good. So why do I keep thinking I'm forgetting something important?

My last shift at work is on Monday. After that comes a frantic week of packing and last-minute purchasing. Oh, and fighting the rampaging hordes of the undead, but that's a completely different story.

Much love.

Dan

Last day of work!

so i have no official plans until the 14th of june so if anyone wants to do anything at all then im free.

as the title of this blog suggests i have now finished work at HMV, to everyone that i worked with thankyou so much. met some wonderful friends. dont worry i should be back to rock your worlds over christmas! at least for a little bit anyways.

any whoo its late and i am going to sign off now!!

Jase x x

Yay figured it out!

So i just realised actually how to work this thing. 17 days 'til we fly!!!

anyways. pointless post but wanted to see how this works!

Jase

T-minus Two and a bit weeks

...and counting. I've just set up the blog in time for us to go away. Flights, insurance, first lots of accommodation are all booked, so we're pretty much good to go.

Excitement levels bordering on the ridiculous now, I can tell you.

Bookmark this Blog, you know you want to! More updates to follow. Much love.

Dan