Steve Gore changed my life.
I went to University with Steve (Staffordshire University 1992-1995), we were on the same course (BA Geography) and lived together for 2 years. Steve was 4 years older than the rest of us so had done a few other things with his life. One of those things was that he had done a little bit of travelling.
Every now and again as a bunch of house mates we'd chat about the world and where we would like to visit and Steve would tell us stories about some of the things he had done. The stories were exciting and they inspired me.
Steve had a photo of himself with Sydney Opera House in the background. It wasn't a particularly spectacular photo but to me it became the photo that I wanted to own, only I would be in it instead. It wasn't an obsession with Sydney or Opera it was just a statement - 'here I am in Oz'.
In December 1998, three and a half years after leaving University, I got that photo.
I was telling a group of Year 11 students in a school in London - 'it's not what you know, it's who you know'. My life has been a testament to that. Before my last final exam at University I had secured a job at Carlton Television in London selling airtime. My cousin worked there and helped me get the interview, I had to do the rest though. I spent nearly three years there even though I knew that my passion was to be a teacher but the main aim was to save enough money to GO TRAVELLING. Thankfully they did all my saving for me, every February we would receive a sales bonus, in 1998 my bonus was 55% of my annual salary. I earned approx £15000 per year so I received just shy of £8000 in one payment on a Friday at the end of February.
On the Monday I resigned. I had my plan. Two months travelling across USA, back to Blighty and if I had enjoyed the travelling experience I would buy a round the world ticket to take in the Southern Hemisphere later that year.
At the beginning of April 1998 I flew to the States. I had not yet entered the realm of new technology (internet and e-mail) so the only booking I had done was on the telephone with a YHA Youth Hostel in New York City. I had a flight out to New York and a flight back from San Francisco at the end of May. That was it.
New York City customs were difficult (no surprises there) particularly in getting their heads around the idea that someone would come to the USA without an address to stay at.
"I'm trav-ell-ing" I said in a tone that suggested they didn't understand my language. I learned my first rule about travelling - have an address and be polite. I got through though. I got to the YHA at 103rd St to find there was no booking for me but plenty of beds so no problem. Went straight out with some guys from the room and I was there -
Day 1 of my travelling life - New York City. Over the course of the few days I was there I did the tourist thing, Statten Island Ferry, Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island, Central Park (inc. John Lennon Memorial), Greenwich Village and went to the tops of The Empire State Building and the World Trade Centre Twin Towers.
While in NYC I investigated train or coach travel for my expedition but there really was no comparison. For cost and flexibility it had to be the Greyhound Bus. After NYC I went to Washington DC then up to Boston and then Chicago. I stayed with old friends from UK in Chicago. I went back on myself for Niagara Falls (a total anti-climax) before I headed to Memphis where there was a Blues Festival on (and where I met some very scary hairy farmers from Arkanas who tried to start on me) and then onto New Orleans.
From there up to St Louis, across to Denver (possibly the most boring city ever although the Red Rocks Rockies trip was enjoyable) and then to Flagstaff for the Grand Canyon. On the way I decided to do the flight over the Canyon which was only $125.
From Flagstaff I travelled to San Francisco where I had arranged to meet my mate Ricki plus a colleague from Carlton and her brother. I arrived in San Francisco on May 15th 1998. I remember arriving with no accommodation and it was already 10pm. I hate getting into places late. I found a grotty hostel and next job was to find a place that would show the F.A. Cup Final Arsenal v Newcastle. I found out about the 'Mad Dog in the Fog' bar and got there at 6am. There was already a queue. Unfortunately Arsenal won so I consoled myself with a bit of breakfast and started chatting to a local guy and his nephew. They were heading to a 'double header' of football later on in San Jose, a San Jose Earthquakes home game plus USA v Macedonia international game after! I asked to go along and they kindly agreed. It was a great experience.
Next day the UK guys came over, we hired a car and during two weeks drove down route 101 to San Diego (I popped into Mexico for a day trip) and then headed to Nevada and Las Vegas taking in Death Valley.
San Diego was a particular highlight as we found a great backpacker hostel which had frequent parties and met some great people, some like football author Steve Phelps who we are still in touch with today. I returned home at the end of May 1998 just in time for the World Cup in France.
I learned an enormous amount during those two months.
1. The Greyhound is a tough way to travel. It is full of some dangerous characters. Advice for single female travellers is to sit at the front near the driver. I also thought it was sound advice so took it myself. Bus stations were a bit hairy too.
2. It took me a while to get used to travelling. For the first couple of weeks I could not decide if I was enjoying it or not. Booking accommodation was quite stressful with only the telephone to do it by. Today it would be much easier by using the internet.
3. At the time I found the USA to be quite backpacker unfriendly and a tough place to start. Many hostels are not anywhere near the standards of those in more backpacker friendly places like New Zealand and Oz and some are not really for 'backpackers' - you will find many different types of people in them, not always so savoury either.
4. I learned that I loved the excitement and 'buzz' of new places and new people. I would say I'm quite a 'landmark' traveller, that is I see it in pictures or television and I want to go there. I am also quite outgoing so I love meeting new people.
5. HIGHLIGHTS
a) all of NYC
b) Looking over Lake Michigan from Sears Tower in Chicago and realising it was a fresh water lake
c) Visiting Graceland
d) Watching Ben Folds 5 on the banks of the Mississippi in New Orleans
e) Playing drums with a band in St Louis. We played Sweet Home Chicago.
d) The Grand Canyon
e) Driving down the California Coast
f) Toga party at hostel in San Diego
g) The madness that is Las Vegas, and doing the ride on top of the Stratosphere
Upon returning to the UK I went back to Carlton and worked for another four months while I also secured my place at University of Leeds to do the PGCE and buying my round the world ticket. On November 5th 1998 I flew to Fiji.
next up -
http://travelhappinesslife.blogspot.co.uk/2011/12/how-travelling-changes-you-my-love-of.html
I went to University with Steve (Staffordshire University 1992-1995), we were on the same course (BA Geography) and lived together for 2 years. Steve was 4 years older than the rest of us so had done a few other things with his life. One of those things was that he had done a little bit of travelling.
Every now and again as a bunch of house mates we'd chat about the world and where we would like to visit and Steve would tell us stories about some of the things he had done. The stories were exciting and they inspired me.
Steve had a photo of himself with Sydney Opera House in the background. It wasn't a particularly spectacular photo but to me it became the photo that I wanted to own, only I would be in it instead. It wasn't an obsession with Sydney or Opera it was just a statement - 'here I am in Oz'.
In December 1998, three and a half years after leaving University, I got that photo.
I was telling a group of Year 11 students in a school in London - 'it's not what you know, it's who you know'. My life has been a testament to that. Before my last final exam at University I had secured a job at Carlton Television in London selling airtime. My cousin worked there and helped me get the interview, I had to do the rest though. I spent nearly three years there even though I knew that my passion was to be a teacher but the main aim was to save enough money to GO TRAVELLING. Thankfully they did all my saving for me, every February we would receive a sales bonus, in 1998 my bonus was 55% of my annual salary. I earned approx £15000 per year so I received just shy of £8000 in one payment on a Friday at the end of February.
On the Monday I resigned. I had my plan. Two months travelling across USA, back to Blighty and if I had enjoyed the travelling experience I would buy a round the world ticket to take in the Southern Hemisphere later that year.
At the beginning of April 1998 I flew to the States. I had not yet entered the realm of new technology (internet and e-mail) so the only booking I had done was on the telephone with a YHA Youth Hostel in New York City. I had a flight out to New York and a flight back from San Francisco at the end of May. That was it.
 |
| My Route Across USA on a Greyhound Bus |
"I'm trav-ell-ing" I said in a tone that suggested they didn't understand my language. I learned my first rule about travelling - have an address and be polite. I got through though. I got to the YHA at 103rd St to find there was no booking for me but plenty of beds so no problem. Went straight out with some guys from the room and I was there -
Day 1 of my travelling life - New York City. Over the course of the few days I was there I did the tourist thing, Statten Island Ferry, Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island, Central Park (inc. John Lennon Memorial), Greenwich Village and went to the tops of The Empire State Building and the World Trade Centre Twin Towers.
While in NYC I investigated train or coach travel for my expedition but there really was no comparison. For cost and flexibility it had to be the Greyhound Bus. After NYC I went to Washington DC then up to Boston and then Chicago. I stayed with old friends from UK in Chicago. I went back on myself for Niagara Falls (a total anti-climax) before I headed to Memphis where there was a Blues Festival on (and where I met some very scary hairy farmers from Arkanas who tried to start on me) and then onto New Orleans.
 |
| Capitol Building - Washington D.C. |
 |
| View from Sears Tower - Chicago |
 |
| Niagara Falls |
 |
| Graceland |
 |
| St Louis |
 |
| St Louis Arch |
From Flagstaff I travelled to San Francisco where I had arranged to meet my mate Ricki plus a colleague from Carlton and her brother. I arrived in San Francisco on May 15th 1998. I remember arriving with no accommodation and it was already 10pm. I hate getting into places late. I found a grotty hostel and next job was to find a place that would show the F.A. Cup Final Arsenal v Newcastle. I found out about the 'Mad Dog in the Fog' bar and got there at 6am. There was already a queue. Unfortunately Arsenal won so I consoled myself with a bit of breakfast and started chatting to a local guy and his nephew. They were heading to a 'double header' of football later on in San Jose, a San Jose Earthquakes home game plus USA v Macedonia international game after! I asked to go along and they kindly agreed. It was a great experience.
Next day the UK guys came over, we hired a car and during two weeks drove down route 101 to San Diego (I popped into Mexico for a day trip) and then headed to Nevada and Las Vegas taking in Death Valley.
 |
| Alcatraz - San Francisco |
 |
| Dumming in L.A. |
 |
| Toga Party - San Diego |
 |
| Ricki & Me - Death Valley |
 |
| Vegas '98 |
San Diego was a particular highlight as we found a great backpacker hostel which had frequent parties and met some great people, some like football author Steve Phelps who we are still in touch with today. I returned home at the end of May 1998 just in time for the World Cup in France.
I learned an enormous amount during those two months.
1. The Greyhound is a tough way to travel. It is full of some dangerous characters. Advice for single female travellers is to sit at the front near the driver. I also thought it was sound advice so took it myself. Bus stations were a bit hairy too.
2. It took me a while to get used to travelling. For the first couple of weeks I could not decide if I was enjoying it or not. Booking accommodation was quite stressful with only the telephone to do it by. Today it would be much easier by using the internet.
3. At the time I found the USA to be quite backpacker unfriendly and a tough place to start. Many hostels are not anywhere near the standards of those in more backpacker friendly places like New Zealand and Oz and some are not really for 'backpackers' - you will find many different types of people in them, not always so savoury either.
4. I learned that I loved the excitement and 'buzz' of new places and new people. I would say I'm quite a 'landmark' traveller, that is I see it in pictures or television and I want to go there. I am also quite outgoing so I love meeting new people.
5. HIGHLIGHTS
a) all of NYC
b) Looking over Lake Michigan from Sears Tower in Chicago and realising it was a fresh water lake
c) Visiting Graceland
d) Watching Ben Folds 5 on the banks of the Mississippi in New Orleans
e) Playing drums with a band in St Louis. We played Sweet Home Chicago.
d) The Grand Canyon
e) Driving down the California Coast
f) Toga party at hostel in San Diego
g) The madness that is Las Vegas, and doing the ride on top of the Stratosphere
Upon returning to the UK I went back to Carlton and worked for another four months while I also secured my place at University of Leeds to do the PGCE and buying my round the world ticket. On November 5th 1998 I flew to Fiji.
next up -
http://travelhappinesslife.blogspot.co.uk/2011/12/how-travelling-changes-you-my-love-of.html
Great story :)
ReplyDeleteMalcolm M
Thanks Malcolm!
ReplyDeleteExpect a cameo when I get to Iceland!