Cardiff

In Cardiff, Wales now. As I couldn't book into the hostel until after 3pm, I went to St Fagans, the Museum of Welsh Life. I went there in 2004 and only touched on part of the museum so another day was essential. I love this place and the best thing is that there is no entrance fee (but 3.50GBP parking costs).

It is set up in the grounds of a wonderful manor home (which is open for viewing as well) and features a collection of furnished old Welsh houses across the periods which have been dismantled and relocated here. It gives a good overview of Welsh life for the last 500 or more years. A modern museum and gift shop is also on the grounds.

I have now spent two days here (2004 and today) and have only whizzed through and touched lightly on the vast array on display. Today I only had time to whip through the different houses, and last time I focussed on the manor home and museum. Still lots more to see, so I guess I have to come back again.

Tomorrow I am heading into downtown Cardiff as I only got to see the castle on my last visit.

I'm back at the same youth hostel and it is a bargain price of 14.40GBP per night. Glad it is quiet tonight though as the dorm actually fits 14 people! I think there are just three of us in the room.

Anyhoo, time to go. I'm on the wifi at the pub up the road and just had a yummy pork, chips, and salad dinner with a glass of wine. I want to go back to the dorm now and sneak in a glass of wine or two before bed, without paying pub prices.

Forget Glastonbury

I think Glastonbury is very overrated - much like Salem, Massachusetts, USA particularly after overhearing a conversation (not hard as it was so loud I couldn't avoid it) at a pub where I was having lunch. Some leading Glastonbury shop/event dude was talking to a couple who wanted to participate as vendors in some upcoming Glastonbury mystic/art event.

The gist of the convo was him recommending them to make up some meaning or story for anything they sell as the idiots who buy the stuff are gullible and just want to believe every thing has a deep and meaningful or cosmic explanation ... well, I'm glad I no longer need to walk around with a "sucker" label on my forehead when it is so obvious that is how the average tourist is viewed.

A much better place to visit is Wells, 20 minutes north of Glastonbury. Gorgeous village, beautiful old buildings, less hype and crap, and a wide variety of interesting places to have a quality cheap meal.

My only regret is that I went to Glastonbury first, then Wells on my way back to Portishead (where I am staying) and just missed the markets which are set up in the village square each week.

And a tip if you go there, park in the Tesco (supermarket) carpark for free, rather than the carpark across the road where you have to pay. I realised that just after I paid for for parking. You can morally justify parking at Tesco by nipping in afterwards to pay 17 pence for a two litre bottle of soda water, or a couple of bucks for a bottle of wine.

Can't help but feel my travels are coming to a close. Tomorrow is 31 July and I will then be into August, just 30 days away from leaving here. And to be honest, I have to admit I miss my babies (cats) madly and can't wait to see them again.

BEST piccie ever

Well, what can I say? I love this photo! But not just the photo, the sunset that was going on at this time has to be undoubtably the best sunset I have ever seen.

I was on top of a hill at 8pm, checking out the ancient and mysterious Chun Castle (the remains of an iron age hill fort) and nearby Chun Quoit, under a lovely blue sky with a scattering of high cloud, when a mushroom cap of mist and fog rolled over the hill, but didn't descend upon it. The sun was heading into the ocean, but the fog hid the sun while allowing the rippled reflection to be seen on the water. And all around me was an eerie light.

And without the benefit of alcohol or drugs, the reflected sunset shimmered in colour for a good 30 minutes. Couldn't take my eyes off it. I was totally mesmerised. Sheets of green, pink, purple, blue, and yellow washed through the reflection - like an iridescent metallic sheen on the surface of the water.

I wasn't alone to witness this magical experience. I had taken another Australian girl who was also staying at the hostel to check out some sites with me, and we were both totally awestruck. It was such an incredible experience that we had to check that it wasn't our eyes playing up and that the other was also seeing the colours. We only headed reluctantly back to my car when it became apparent we might be descending the eastern (shadowed) side of the hill in darkness. Even then, we had to stop and turn every few steps until the hill blocked out the view.

Pure magic and the best sunset (and ancient site experience) in my life.

The only problem was that my camera couldn't catch all of the colours. But what it did capture were these orbs of light (including a spot of pure light) that definitely weren't spots on my lens as they were in a different position in the next photo and didn't appear on any other photos - in direct sunlight or otherwise.

Website link for more info about this site is available at Historic Cornwall

Enjoy, and make of it what you will.

Misty Cornwall

Having a quiet day today as the mist and fog has hung around all day. I find the narrow little roads are risky enough without the added problem of everything being foggy. And I have to admit it is nice just to chill and nap for the day.

Earlier, I had to do a bit of laudry before I chilled and now I think I should do some research and planning so I can get out amongst it first thing tomorrow.

Getting about

Had a great afternoon out today as the weather was perfect. Blue skies, warm weather, simply gorgeous.

Headed to Penzance, Mousehole, and St Just and had a good look around all of these villages.

Sad about Penzance, as many shops have closed, even the tourist info place is shut. But what was really dumb was there was a sign on the door directing people to a pub on a particular street for tourist brochures etc, but didn't provide a diagram to show where the street was in order to find it. I was looking hard and couldn't find the pub ... and I knew the name of the street.

Anyhoo, ended up having dinner at a St Just pub, excellent rump steak, chips, salad, and onion rings for less than 10 pounds.

Just watching a show about Australian history - grrr, makes me cranky all this politically correct propaganda that others are hearing across the world.

Cornwall sites

Here I am in Cornwell now and I have been taken to see some excellent ancient sites.

Surprisingly, during my last visit here I hadn't visited any of the sites I've been taken to in the last day or so. Always good to see new places.

Unlike a few places I went to up north before getting to Cornwall. You should have heard me swearing and cursing, trudging around a moor in the rain, looking for some ancient site that didn't have a name. When I finally found it, I cursed and swore even more that I had gone through all that to get to it and there was really nothing left to look at. And by then I was far too cranky to just take in whatever little remained.

So my motto now is: If it doesn't have a name, I'm not searching for it.

Anyhoo, the weather here in Cornwall is a bit rainy in the morning but tends to clear up by lunch and is marvellous in the arvie and evening. Still very cool to cold out in the wind, but with enough layers of clothing on, that is quite enjoyable.

Gotta go now, just a quick update for now.

Hello Cornwall

Have been in Ashburton in Dartmoor and now Holsworthy for two nights each. Both lovely places and lovely people.

I covered a fair bit of Dartmoor in the car, with exceedingly narrow and windy roads - complete with viewings of wild Dartmoor ponies. And heaps of rain...

Today, from Holsworthy I ventured into Cornwall a little to go to Bude, Boscastle, and Tintagel. Can't believe I got lost finding my way back to the host's house. Drove around and around and around the town of Holsworthy and went along one street at least six times ...

Tomorrow morning I'm heading back to Tintagel to check out the castle and the town a little bit more, then a bit of Bodmin Moor before landing in St Just, Cornwall.

I really wish cars were fitted with cameras so I could just press a button on the steering wheel to take piccies while driving. The roads I like to drive on are sometimes not even the width of the car as the growth on the sides whip the car as I drive through, which means there is nowhere to pull over and take a photo whenever I want. Trees overhang and are trimmed back to vehicle height and width, and often it is like driving through a tunnel of green. Bit scary at times, especially when a car, or bigger vehicle, comes along in the other direction. One of us has to reverse way back to a slight leeway in the undergrowth to allow the other car to get through.

And that is why I reckon people belt along at 60 mph on these narrow roads. The trick is to get through as many miles as you can before you encounter another vehicle.

No photos for now, have to hunt and gather some more.

Elusive internet

... I think my posts will be few and far between while in the UK. The hostels seem to not have wifi included in the cost, so have to lurk at MacDonalds etc or find a cafe with wifi. Not really a fan of Maccas, so my internet time is being greatly reduced. Also my plan has been to use the internet in the evenings after being out and about during the day, and I now don't want to spend most of my days looking for internet access and then being locked at the laptop.

Today while travelling from Salisbury to Exeter I stopped at a few places and not a Maccas or cafe with wifi to be found.

I might be able to do a brief update when staying with Servas hosts who have internet, but I can't guarantee that as I will be using that internet time to hunt and gather for the next stage.

Bottom line is don't panic if I don't post regularly or frequently from now on.

Just briefly, I can't believe some grocery prices here. Check out these prices I've converted to Aussie dollars:
2lt soda water = 25c
16 ibuprofen = 42c
Bandaid strip = 42c
700mls Amaretto liquor = $15
10 Rewritable DVDs = $5.99

Have to go now, heading to Ashbury for two nights.

Leaving London

Well, what a time to get a mild flu. I've been either sleeping or forcing myself to get out and about. Haven't even been on the internet much (either asleep or out) but had to start planning the rest of my UK travels as my time is up here in London on the morrow.

So last night - and a lot of today - has been spent poring over maps, books, accommodation lists, and sending a lot of emails. I've booked in to a hostel in Salisbury for tomorrow night and hope in the meantime to get some emails from Servas hosts agreeing to have me. I have a kind of itinerary now, but that will be quite rubbery depending on accommodation options. I think I might be sleeping in the car a few times given the difficulty I've had already trying to secure a Servas host or hostel. One Servas host replied to say she has travellers booked in with her every weekend in July and until mid-August ... may have missed my boat, eh?

Speaking of transport - he he - I did get a good deal on the train fare to Garwick Airport where I pick up the hire car. The express train cost nearly 18GBP ($27 Aus), the ordinary train about 12GBP ($18 Aus), but by booking online and a few days before I had to go, it cost only 5.55GBP ($8 Aus).

Looking forward to having a car and not needing to lug my bags around or hunt for schedules and fares again, until the day I hand in that car and get a train from Gatwick Airport to Heathrow Airport on 31 August. YAY!

Anyhoo, I have to get off the internet shortly and start packing up as I have to leave here quite early (for me!) and pick up the hire car. And it is already 10pm.

I'm feeling quite knackered as I barely slept last night and when I did eventually nod off after 4am I had to make myself wake up at 5am from a terrible nightmare. Think it was the worst nightmare I have ever had and it was soooooooo real. Didn't really want to sleep again after that in case I had another one, but I did nod off again for about another hour. It was horrible enough to make one want to stay safely at home in bed, forever and ever, and with a blankie pulled up over one's head ...

Going now and will update more info when I can.

Nearly headed home ...

Another quick posting. Nearly headed home early after reading the fine print on my car booking info. Said I needed to provide a boarding pass from a Ryanair flight that has taken place one hour within my car pick up time. What the F*ck! Nothing like that was in anything I read before booking and paying.

Anyhoo, after hitting six or seven public phone booths, only to be driven out by the stink of f*cking males using them as private urinals, I held my breath (and made no physical contact with any surfaces) and called the car hire company.

Got through to one chickababe who said that unless I produced a Ryanair boarding pass, my contract would either be void (without refund) or I would have to pay current rates!!! Ey curumba! That wasn't going to happen. My only choice would be to go home early with my tail between my legs.

So, I'm on hold while she "talks to the Gatwick office" where I am picking up the car, and after a while some other chickababe comes online. I explain the situation again to her as she has no idea about the previous convo, and she says there is no problem and doesn't know what the f*ck I am talking about. I am actually talking to the Gatwick office evidently and they have NEVER asked for a boarding pass.

I think the initial chickababe gets her jollies for working on a beautiful Saturday afternoon by scaring the bejesus out of gullible customers like me. Honestly, I was already considering what I was going to do and thinking about getting the hell out of Dodge as I couldn't afford to stay here and get around otherwise.

Bottom line is that I didn't know I could hold my breath that long and still conduct a conversation. People on the street must have thought I was a weirdo when I finally emerged from the phone booth as I took huge gasps of air inbetween 'ackkkking' and 'ergggghhhhing' in order to get the embedded smell of urine from my throat and nasal passages.

And, visiting any city one year before they hold the Olympics is a bad idea. A lot of things are in a state of chaos or actually closed while they get things ready for next year. A much better plan would be to come the year AFTER the games when everything is stupendous.

London calling

In London now after a battle getting internet connection here and wasting a lot of time. Have to get out and about in London now. More later.

Bye Bye New York

Just found out there is one bonus to staying as far north as I am in New York. The bus to the airport is just one block away and doesn't go anywhere near downtown so I would have had to commute a fair bit more to connect with it.

I'm hoping to grab some free wifi at Times Square or Bryant Park tomorrow before I leave and write a bit more about NY and post some more piccies. It all depends on a number of factors whether or not I do.

If I don't get online, then it may be quite a few days before I post (in a pommy accent), so don't panic.

Going to bed now as I was up until after 4.30am this morning with the natives letting off fireworks all night. Alright, so there is a down side to being able to legally purchase fireworks ...

Grrrrrrr - it's a few days later now and I spent nearly an hour writing more at a cafe the day after this post and was about to post it when my stupid f*cking laptop died again. Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr Just got it going again and am wondering whether I can travel without a heavy laptop ...

So, allow me to backtrack and tell you about my last full day in New York.

STATEN ISLAND FERRY

What glorious weather! I head to the Staten Island ferry (after checking out the Trump Tower) in order to see the Statue of Liberty for free. One can pay for a ferry tour - but why do that when the city provides free ferries that go directly past the statue?

But, again I hear you ask, are there drawbacks to grabbing a ferry freebie? You bet your booties there are. Every man and their dog is wanting a piece of the action and there doesn't seem to be any order or queuing protocol. Tip of the day is to not stress about being at the head of the pack as it will only lead to heartbreak. Yep, you may score a seat on the upper deck facing out for a magnificent view - but the tail-enders just come along and line the railing and block the view. A much better choice is to be one of these offensive view blockers which is what I do on the way back.

And don't think about standing on your seat to rise above these plebs as the muddling bureaucrat boat dude will tell YOU to sit down but do nothing about the view blockers. I can't help myself: I tell him that maybe all the people (not just militant me) wouldn't need to stand on the seats if the people in charge thought about putting signs on the railings directing people to not loiter there and block the view of others ... only to be told: Lady, you can't stand on the seat because if you fall you will sue the city. Sigh ... I wonder what they would do if someone sued them for damages because they weren't warned a cranky tourist might punch them in the nose for blocking the view!

Right, so now I'm thinking about changing my name from A Savage Wildeheart to A Savage and Vocal Wildeheart.

Anyhoo, once I get to Staten Island I am torn about whether to loiter and check it out or head straight back to the main land as my time there is running out. I dither, grab a coffee, and then join the masses waiting for the next ferry - they run every 30 minutes - skulking in the background this time, enjoying my coffee. As I am disembarking I catch sight of this mini-Darwin size tinnie of Fosters Lager being quaffed on the ferry.

WORLD TRADE CENTRE

Back in Manhattan and after a very enjoyable amble through Battery Park, I head to the World Trade Centre to check the lay of the land. I can't believe the progress being made there as I press my face against the viewing windows from the human rat/hampster tubes connecting people to streets around the worksite.

Time flies and now I'm thinking about dinner as I only had a MacDonald burger and coffee for breakfast ages ago (when my computer died).

I happen upon a flash marina (Manhattan Island is ringed by marinas etc as it is an island) outdoor dining area near the World Trade Centre and check out the prices and am pleasantly surprised. I have a gorgeous view of the marina in the heart of the money district, and with a million buck setting-sun vista I order slow baked pork with plantains, black beans, and rice (and a beer!). Ah, life is tough some days.

BEYOND
But I can't loiter for long, still lots more of NY to see. I love walking, as I can divert, linger, take piccies etc whenever I want, so I avoid the subway and walk another long walk through Soho and Greenwich Village towards Times Square again.

Along the way I go through Madison Square Garden with delightful fireflies sparkling madly through the garden beds. Pure magic - but can't capture them with the camera. Damn! So I sit for a while and enjoy this oasis of delight in a jostling city. But perhaps the Empire State Building as a backdrop is a good substitute?

But the best bit is happening at Bryant Square. Man - what a concept. An inner city park massively floodlight from high upon an adjacent building. Cafes and restaurants are here, but there is a local law saying that you don't need to purchase anything here in order to enjoy the facilities. Tables and chairs are scattered around the perimeter garden areas. There is free wifi in each corner of the large park. Chess boards and table tennis are set up in clearly marked areas.

BUT the best bit - for me anyway - is the Reading Room area. Love it! A park that has a section dedicated to being a mini-library with books and daily newspapers available for everyone to enjoy through the day. And, there is a public author talk or workshop program etc happening nearly every day throughout summer. A writer's paradise. And all for free in a magnificent setting.

After stumbling into this perimeter of delight, I slowly make my way home to my bed as tomorrow is another day. I leave New York in the afternoon for the UK, BUT plan on making sure I take in an author talk at 12.30pm tomorrow in Bryant Park as my last New York experience.

PS I told you NY was a pussy cat - here's proof. The poor guy wanted a buck for me to take a photo, but I had spent my last US bucks and only had enough to get to the airport the next day and buy a coffee and a danish at the airport for lunch/dinner before heading to the UK. So he took pity on me and let me take a photo for nix. But the bloody cat wasn't impressed with this freebie and looked away.

New York is a pussy cat

Well, just as I thought. New York people are ordinary people and not deranged killers and drug lords. Strangers say hello to me in the street, most are polite, and all behave in a very orderly and polite fashion at a mass event like 4 July fireworks.

And while walking a zillion miles from one end of Manhattan Island to the other after the fireworks, and arriving back at my hotel at 1am, I only encounter friendly faces.

And here is my friendly face soaking up the high energy and enormous crowds in Times Square after the fireworks. It's 11.30pm and a very mild 78 degrees. Can you see me? Where's Mandy? I'm wearing a red, sleeveless top and am holding a camera with both hands to take this piccie of a big screen in Times Square.

This is a much larger format piccie if you want to zoom in better to look for me. Hint: I am in the bottom left quarter of the piccie.

Anyhoo, why did I walk nearly 70 blocks at that hour of the night, I hear you ask?

Well, I was already hesitant about using public transport after the 4 July celebrations in case some extremists thought it was a golden opportunity to do some pay back after Osama bin Laden's killing.

About 11.45pm, I finally went to enter the underground to get the subway back to the hotel - when about six fire trucks and police vans come screaming up to the entrance, sirens blaring and they stop people entering. A few go down in full emergency kit, and well, that is enough for me and I start walking ...

Then, about half way back, I thought about trying again - only to see two police cars and about six cops loitering around the next entrance I come to. So on I walk.

BUT, I have to say, this city really does never sleep. On the way I see florists and grocers filling and arranging their street front displays ready for the morning. People are still eating in heaps of restaurants - not lingering with a drink after a meal - but eating at 1am. I'm not talking fast food outlets, but proper restaurants.

Earlier in the day I walk through Central Park for hours and hours the park really is alive with people soaking up the glorious weather and being very patriotic.

I can't believe how many families are having a BBQ (for 4 July, of course) with smoky clouds of tempting aromas enveloping me.

Many are actually bringing in sports equipment like portable goal posts for soccer etc. Everyone is laughing and ready to greet anyone walking past.

The main road through the park is filled with people on bicycles, but they are not allowed on the walking paths, so it is easy to just amble through without being on alert.

At a pond where you can hire model boats, I stop for a wine.

But right now, it is another day and I have to get away from this computer and check out Downtown NY, Fifth Ave, the Empire State Building, and the Staten Island ferry is calling.

New York, New York

On the bus to New York at the moment. Hopefully this is the last time on the bus! YAY!

I'll be staying at a cheap hotel just a few blocks west of Central Park for three nights now and then fly out to the UK on 6 July.

That time went very quickly and it means that I must be coming up to nearly the half way mark of my travels. This is my last destination in the USA.

Tomorrow is going to be huge in New York for 4 July. Can't wait - even though just a tad worried about retribution over the killing of Osama bin laden ... might stay away from public transport for the day ...

Actually, this is my second time in New York. Had a 30 minute stop over on the way to Philadelphia two nights ago and saw a good overall view driving in from the north of New York as the Port Authority Station is right down in the southern part of NY. We drove past quite a bit of Central Park along the way. But I didn't see the Statue of Liberty or the Empire State Building. They must have been hidden by the multitude of high rises. Mostly I had a good look at the inside of the enormous bus transit centre where I bought a salad and coffee for dinner. I arrived at gate 17 (or similar) and had to go up a floor and around the corner way up there to depart at gate 68, so you get an idea of how big it must be.

Just been on the internet checking out the metro system and google maps to work out how to get from the bus terminal to the hotel. Think I have it sussed now.

Will write more in a day or so after I have had a bit of a look around.