Step Four - Shipping Out

Last Wednesday's start to our little adventure had to be cancelled. A death in Chappers' family, which he decided he'd like to hang around for in order to pay his respects. The funeral is in the morning, and he'll be back at the house on Wednesday morning. The plan now is to fly on Friday.
The hotel cancellation was a pain in the arse. I've had to do most of the reorganising for him, and simple things like phone security become a moment of nervous tension while I give his details and yet I'm convinced somehow they're just know it's not him really. Still, all sorted and given the circumstances the lovely lady in LA waived the cancellation fee, and bizarrely upgraded us from two standard singles to a luxury twin. I'm sure we can cope with one anothers snoring for a bit of extra opulence.

I've not had a lot to do, and have been spending my time buying stuff I'll probably not need, and end up giving away. Had to wait in for several of Chappers' new credit cards to arrive by recorded post too. He's a bit twitchy with all the banks collapsing, so has decided to spread his money around a few places with different parent companies to mitigate the losses should the whole thing go tits-up, and taking advantage of their new customer offers on plastic while he's at it. A few quid has gone off-shore as well, and he's a lot more relaxed now about it all.
Also spent far much time playing computer games to pass the time. Call of Duty 4 has become a little world to disappear into and forget the mundane realities of clock-watching on a 10-day-long scale. I quite like running around killing people from all around the world, although I tend to die far more often than I should if I were to claim I'm any good. Getting enough kills to have a gold uzi has become a little bit of an obsession though, and I doubt I'll do it before we fly out. It's like I'm a kid again, playing Sonic on the Mega Drive, and needing to get the end-of-level boss, and defeat it.

Other than that, it's been guide books and big fold-out maps spread across the tables at McDonalds, annoying the staff by taking three hours to work through a big mac meal and a few coca colas. Free wi-fi is worth it though, as it gets me out of the house after the postlady has been.

I'm like a kid waiting for Christmas now, though I'm keeping it under wraps while Chapman and family go through these tough days. Last thing they need while having a quiet cry on the phone to each other is one end having a grinning northern buffoon leering at them, excitedly waving a passport around.

No doubt I'll post up some travel tips and such when I arrive Stateside, and I intend to post to my blog every 2 or 3 days while out there, rather than every 2 or 3 weeks.

Cheerio for now!

Step Three - Shaping Up!

Nearly two weeks have passed since last I typed an entry. Things are moving steadily along, and the fog is clearing as to how I'm going to spend the next few months.

Chapman has made it clear he wants to escape London life for a while too, and we're getting along like a house on fire. It's like the old days as students, but without the pot noodles and awful hair. And so he's placed the only properties he still holds on the market. A couple of flats in Enfield, and a house near Heathrow. He reckons he won't make much on them but 'not much' probably means more than I make in a couple of years. I need to scrat around the back of his sofa and see if he's lost a spare grand out of his back pocket.

And so to the plan. We've decided to head to the "Land of the free, and the home of the brave". Seeing as autumn is on its way (sorry, 'fall'), and we'll be there through winter, we're going to go to the west coast and make our way east. Start where it's still warm and gradually head to the colder bits just as it gets colder. A bit arse-about-face but there's a method to the madness. Instead of getting bland weather all the way we should get the tail end of the good stuff at one side, and get the picture-book winter weather toward the end.
It just so happens Chapman has the luxury of dual nationality, which is something I never knew about him. His mother was born in Cleveland to American parents, and was 'at home' for the last 4 months of her pregnancy and the first 18 months of his childhood. So the jammy bugger gets to visit as long as he likes, while I'm only going to get 3 months. Still, we should pack a bit of fun in before I fly home.

I actually feel quite guilty since he's covering much of the costs of getting out there, but he'll not have it any other way. We're flying out to LAX on Wednesday week, and the swanky git has booked us 3 nights at some joint in Beverley Hills while he sorts us out with some wheels. So long as we don't end up dressed like Thelma and Louise in some ancient convertible, I'll be happy. Head scarves are soooo not me!
He even said he was worried he was taking over from my ideas and dreams but to be fair, I had no real set idea of what I wanted to do, or where to go. I just wanted to do SOMETHING. I did really fancy a big jolly around Europe but we're heading into the snowy season and lots of things are shut down, or skiing orientated so I'm not that fussed. I don't fancy waiting until April to set off somewhere, so America it is! If I'm really honest, hanging onto his shirt tails is obviously in my advantage financially as he joins me in escaping reality for a while, but it's quite an equal arrangement in an odd way. He's getting to break loose and get loose, and enjoy it with a friend and that's all he's bothered about. The same goes for me.

So, I'm off to bed early tonight. I'm going to Peterborough in the morning for a passport, and to get some bits and pieces for the trip. A new phone that works in the US is a priority, and a decent compact camera (unless the phone has something decent built in). Chappers says he's going to buy a few things too, which probably means a special utility belt he can put all his personal grooming potions and tools into, so he'll never be without the ability to straighten up his perfectly coiffeured bonce, whatever the situation!

Night!

Step Two - From Tiny Acorns

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Well hello!

I apologise for the length of time between entries. I packed away my computer and it's still in a box. I'm on a friend's laptop for now, and it's taken me until now to get round to popping back.

I'm in a chirpy mood today. A weight is off my shoulders, now that the world of corporate subservience is behind me. I'm also free of my Bombay Bad Boy landlord. I don't think he's been east of Dulwich in his life, but he likes to come across as 'connected' in the sub-continent underworld. As expected he griped about notice, and kept the deposit. No great loss, though it would be handy to have an extra grand-and-a-bit right now but I'd sooner lose sleep because Steps might reform than a few quid from the kitty. Shame he's such a tit, his wife is drop-dead gorgeous and popping round for a leaky tap or jamming door was a brilliant excuse to check her out. Way too lovely for him. She wears the most lovely saris and other traditional outfits made from incredible looking materials that must cost a fortune, and that's just for kicking round the office bringing tea and snacks to her husband. I could wax lyrical about how they swish when she sways, but I'd only set my own pulse racing. There must be a 25 year age gap between them, so I'm sure she'll enjoy the financial rewards when he pops a vein in his head some time (probably) soon. Maybe I'll chat her up at the wake when that happens.

Ringing around my friends bore fruit in the most unexpected of ways. I'd given up hope with my main social buddies and the people I am still in regular contact with from uni, so I gave my old flat-mate Andrew Walker-Fowldes - AKA 'Chapman' (due to his remarkable likeness to Graham Chapman) a call to see if he could think of anyone. We had adjacent rooms in halls at uni, then took a flat together with two girls from China for our 2nd and 3rd years. His little black book was the biggest in the western world back then so I reckoned he'd be bound to know someone somewhere who might help or point me the right way.
Turns out he's just taken on a house he inherited in Twickenham, deciding to move in while the market is on a downturn - let it pick back up before cashing in its potential. He's spent the last 7 years wasting his degree in fine art, boosting his portion of the family coffers on the property market. I can't say I blame him to be honest. Every time we've met up over the last few years Chapman has been wearing suits that could each buy a house in Newcastle. Anyhow, he was considering taking on a tenant for a spot of company, and to help with the hoovering rather than any income concerns. So, he's offered me a place to stay as long as I need it, and won't take a penny! Quite a turn-up for the books. I'm sure I'll feel guilty and like I'm taking advantage of his generosity in a few weeks or so, but until then... RESULT!
Anyway, the old house has no broadband, and it's taken me until now to sort out an old fashioned modem to use until that's all sorted. Hence the gap.

So, what next?

I've had a few brochures to see the nice pictures of various places around the world, as well as intrepid explorer and backpacker type publications to see what the risk of mutilation by rebels or pimps are in some of the more exotic locations. I quite fancy hitting the hippy trail, except there'll be hippies there. I'm also thinking about flying out to India, picking up an Enfield motorbike and seeing how many countries I can see on a wedge of US dollars before I need to beg a British Consulate to help me home. South America is looking mighty fine too. You never know, I might get lucky and catch a nazi or two in Argentina. I hear the bounties are quite good for one of them! Best of all options though seems to be buying a tent and a bicycle, and making my way from somewhere near Barcelona around to Istanbul. I'm sure the hilly bits will sort out my fledgling love handles and stave off the threat of man-boobs.
I'll try and decide before next week. I don't want to be spending winter somewhere snowy, in a tent with a kidnapped goat my only source of heat, so I need to do some research.

Any suggestions would be appreciated, if by some bizarre chance someone reads this!

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