s h ! n d ! d

I’m finally here. After all that stressing about cash, the immigration people didn’t even bother to check my bank balance. Phew!It’s cold in Canada. I’m all nice warm and dry in the hostel for the time being. Currently in Quebec City in the province of Quebec! I walked this evening judging how much longer I could stand a soggy left foot, when I looked up and there was a beautifully lit citadel towering above me! Very Disney… but better and real.

It’s so cold here, as I walked to the city centre I saw snow on the footpath! I think it was a plowed pile, cos that was all there was of it. It’s been raining - trickles of rain the whole time I’ve been here. Need new shoes and coat. I’m getting wet. I also need a haircut.

Whilst walking the main street of Kingston a woman stopped me and handed her salon’s business card with an offer of a discount. Do I look that bad and poor? I am very inspired to get my hair done in trendy ole Canada.

Canada is a very intelligent, cultured, cosmopolitan and a very liberal country so far. People in this part speak French, and English with a French-Canadian accent. People communicate a lot, love gourmet food, care about their hair a lot, wear smart glasses and big warm coats. Unlike most of the USA there are interracial couples and same-sex couples everywhere everyday. It’s amazing how different things are here to the US. It’s also unbelievably natural, beautiful, old and European!

I stayed low key watching films and going to exhibitions in Montreal - saw the Museum of Contemporary Art and chuckled with artistic jealousy at the work of Vik Muniz. Watched Into the Wild, the true story of adventurously spirited Chris McCandle aka Alexander Supertramp as he lived in the wild in Alaska. I was very inspired to do the same as I fear I have so many of the same beliefs, but none of his aptitude or will - especially when it comes to hunting, skinning and gutting your own food… egh. Also, Brand upon the Brain a new super 8 silent film narrated by Isabella Rosellini. Quirky!

On a spur of the moment with no accom or tickets, I decided to see Tegan and Sara in nearby Kingston. Tickets sold out, but I lucked out at the door with strangers. Cheap too! Got real close. Sara looks too skinny. Got pics. They’re better with a home audience.
Seemed like a Tegan fueled night - as I suspected the new album was. Kicked off withCall it Off and lots of new stuff followed by Under Feet Like Ours stuff by an emo 18 year old Tegan. Then a mix of stuff (all my faves were played!). Then they did a crazy New Order-esque keyboardy version of Rhiannon’s Umbrella! It was actually really good! I hope there’s a good bootleg somewhere. I wished they had recorded it!

Giggled to their silly sibling bickering and useless everyday anecdotes about getting haircuts and going to illegal parties in your twenties. I like musicians who share stupid regular stories on stage… like John Mayer. They played at the Sydenham United Church which turned out to be a pride church… I didn’t know they existed! Crazy Canadians! It was very bizarre seeing pride colours in a church, let alone a band!

Kingston is a small town - mostly uni students (there are two unis). Lots of nature and old buildings. I walked with a frog at night. Scared I might run into a bear soon… What does one do in that situation?

 

In New York saw the Guggenheim, the Museum of Natural History, For the Bible Tells Me So, Romance and Cigarettes, Bloc Party at Madison Square Gardens, Arcade Fire, Les Savy Fav, LCD Soundsystem and Blonde Redhead (check them out!) - to add to the already long list of things I did culturally.

The End.

  

On the road a few names keep popping up in conversations and what not. These are:

• Andy Warhol (just picked up a new copy of his book at this hostel in Quebec).
• Bob Dylan.
• Hunter S. Thompson (finally finished Fear and Loathing today).
• Johnny Depp.
• The Beatles.
• Heath Ledger.

One reoccurring song is “Umbrella” by Rhiannon.

I dunno… *shrugs*

  

Where to begin, with only 5 minutes to spare?

We’ve stayed at the Hilton by the old World Trade Centre (thanks to Jess working for them in Melbourne); we’re in Chelsea until this afternoon; but really Brooklyn is where it’s at (and we’re heading there this afternoon).

New York is such an amazing and huge city. But y’all knew that already.

Two things that surprised me about New york:
1. It’s a lot like Cairo. So many people everywhere, unruly at times and crazy traffic… With minor differences, of course. Like, if a citizen were given a speeding ticket, chances are the crazy individual who drives in the traffic congested ticket has the money to pay the ticket. That brings me to…

2. Individuals. Everyone blends in here, but still whilst being an “individual”. As complex as that term can be; people in New York are sooooo different from one another, but no one fits into a pigeon hole for long. They all hang out together. You can blend in so easily here. Everyone just belongs and disappears. You’re left alone to your own devices. I love that. In several parts of the States we were approached to have our souls saved or some such. Here, you can be who you want to be and no one questions it. I love that.

I saw some great NYC slam poetry last night at The Nuyorican Poets Cafe and was terribly inspired and loving it. Now I’m off to a Korean Festival for some kim-chee and dok-buk-gee. And then a music festival later to see Arcade Fire and LCD Soundsystem!

I want to live here, or not live too far from here. It would be so easy to stay lost here forever.

  

Attempt 72 ounce Texan Steak

Coast to coast US roadtrip

See New York City

Guggenheim NYC

Guggenheim Spain

Go to Hershey, Pennsylvania

Travel World at least once

See Californian Coast

Get tattoo in obscure foreign country

Tattoo by reputable tattoo ARTIST

Niagra Falls

Ride a Mechanical Bull

Go to Rodeo

See a Frank Ghery

See the Crossroads

Travel down Route 66 and Route 61

See Amish Land

Do New Orleans, Memphis and Nashville

Diner Experience

Diner experience with rollerskate waitresses

See Broadway ON Broadway!

Be a part of a talk show audience

See Slam Poetry hosted by Marc Smith at the Green Mill in Chicago

Go to Johnny Depp’s ViperRoom

Walk up St. Katherine’s Steps of Repentance in Egypt

Climb a mountain

Learn to Scuba Dive

Skydive

Catch a Greyhound in the States

Go to Manchester, UK - home of Take That and Man U

Go to Old Trafford

See Prague and the Church of Bones

Go to Vatican City

See real castles

See the Pyramids

See London

See Paris and/or Nicole Ritchie

Go to CBGBs

See Jazz/Blues in New Orleans

Go to a Juke Joint

Drag Race in Detroit

See the Chelsea Hotel

Balsamic Art it up in NYC

See the old Andy Warhol Factory in NYC

Learn the harmonica from an old Black man in the Mississippi region

New Additions to Life “to do” Checklist:
Learn to Surf

Learn to Snowboard

Learn to Skateboard well enough to do at least one trick

Dive at the Great Barrier Reef

Return to the Red Sea with Advance Diver’s Licence

See John Waters live/lecture

Eat on a culinary trip of South East Asia

Australian Outback Roadtrip

Rewatch Cremaster Cycle films

  

Why are so many of my fave bands going to Europe and Australia just as I am in the USA to see them? I’ll be missing Bloc Party by a few days, already going to miss Ben Lee, Tegan and Sara, Ben Kweller, John Mayer, Daft Punk, etc etc etc…

Will find some new musos to find and like in NYC! Cannot wait! Getting so terribly poor - will be in NYC up to a month, haven’t a clue how or where I will live. Just live the dream!

  

Ugh, finding the internet in the USA has been a time consuming and costly exercise. Wi-Fi is free and EVERYWHERE, but none of us have laptops. We are seriously considering buying a cheapo one just to get us through. We’d probably be saving money in the long run, too. Thus backing up photos and publishing them on FaceBook has also taken more time and effort.

It’s been ages (well, feels like weeks) since my last entry. Jess, Em and I have been driving everyday - we’re in New Orleans now and staying put for a good five days or so. It’s good to base yourself in one place for a few days. And I am glad we’re in New Orleans for that, as well as the Labor Day long weekend. Bad, tacky American sitcoms are running in the background of the Drury Hotel and breaking my concentration whilst I do this.

Things we saw and did:

• Left San Diego in a nice swish convertible (wasn’t a 50s Chevy in the end…), dressed up in our tackiest gear in salute to Hunter S Thompson and all things Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas.
• I’ve been binge eatin, trying as many chain foods as possible. Started with the burgers, now I’m on to the chicken, want to try Buffalo Wings. Gain three kilos since leaving Sydney and eating lots of Asian food to make me feel better about it.
• Won $40 or so at the craps, blackjack and lost a bit on the pokies. Blackjack is my game. Went to Circus-Circus ala Thompson style, saw lions at the MGM. Vegas is an absurd city. Everything is soooo dam huge and bright. Extremely hot and cooled down watching the Bellagio water fountain show - water is cool! Got extremely drunk on cheap Mexican tequila-methol stuff. Had the worst hang over of my life the next day.
• Spent a day in Albuquerque, saw actual gay cowboys with the hats and accents! Very Brokeback Mountain.
• Have seen amazing landscapes - even lava beds!
• Went to Amarillo, Texas where I attempted the 72 ounce steak. That’s about 2kgs of pure Texan steak. Ate about half. Had to sit up on a stage and everything. If you can finish it in an hour the meal is free. Had randoms take photos with me - I was a superstar and a tourist attraction in one for an hour.
• Went to a place called Elephant Butte and then across the road to Truth or Consequences.
• Drove through Lincoln a tiny little roadside town still well preserved - it’s where Billy the Kid had his final showdown.
• Satisfied a childhood desire to go to Roswell. Pretty cool, the town revolves around alien themes. Quirky. Smelly town though.
• Trying as much free salsa and chili everywhere we go.
• Getting drunk and disorderly against our better judgment and physical capabilities.
• Going nutty in each others constant company… we went a wee bit crazy in Texas. It doesn’t help that every motel or hotel we go to is the same in interior design and architecture. It’s tripping us out.
• Watching MTV and VH1 television shows whilst in the tiny stop over motels. Currently addicted to The Real World, Sydney (I get to see Sydney again) and Rock of Love with Bret Michaels.
• New Orleans - we got here yesterday. So far the city is like a mysterious dark haired… city. We have no guidebooks on the place post Katrina, so learning what we can. It’s a beautiful place, best since San Fran. Very Red Light District. Lots of drinking and vices to be had. We are looking into plantation tours and voodoo. There’s a gay men’s festival on this week, so should be interesting. Everywhere is dangerous at night. Got Angelina and Brad’s supposed address here… So much exploring still to be done. More later.