My Home Town ...

So this is photos of my home town Christchurch, New Zealand at the moment after two Earthquakes hit us. The first Earthquake was a magnitude of 7.1 one on 4 September 2010 at 4:30am.Luckily it was early in the morning so everyone was safe in bed and we had no lose of lives. The second one was 6.3 on 22nd February 2011 at 12:51pm when everyone was out and about for lunch in the city center. It however it was centered very close to our central city and many buildings that was weaken by the first earthquake collapsed trapping and killing close to 200 people. Its really sad to look at these pictures of a city I love when I'm so far away.

City Centre Photos
(The building labelled Civic Theater was my office building but we were luckily evicted out of it thanks to the Sept Earthquake and wasn't there for the Feb one)

Christchurch Churches
(St Johns the Baptist Anglican Church is my parents Church)

Made it to Seattle and Caaaaaanada ...

Soooooo I was meant to have done this the other day but I was way to tired to do so and have only just had the mental ability to use my words. Well what can I say about my last leg of the road trip besides sweet lord it was long, it was about 13 hours worth of driving. I got into Seattle around 12am I would have gotten in earlier if I managed to leave early then 10am from Salt Lake City.

The last 3 hours of the drive was painfully slow and wasn't helped that my back was killing me. I also spend about the last 1 1/2 hours driving through a mountain pass. It was great that it had 3 lanes pity that you couldn't use them all the time tanks to road words. I was so tired by the time I hit the mountain pass that I just wanted to pull over and go to sleep by thanks to all the road works none of the rest areas was open. It was also pitch black dark so I didn't really want to park in the middle of nowhere to sleep. I personally hate driving at night on unfamiliar roads as I cant see what the road is doing up ahead. It wasnt helped by the fact people where speeding pass me at 80+ mph and tailgating me. Needless to say I was very happy when I got to my hotel.

In the morning I booked myself a ticket on the Clipper Ferry to Victoria and headed down to Pier 69. While waiting inline I was chatting with a lady who it turns out has a sister in-law thats from good old little Christchurch, small world aye. Cant tell you how excited I was to cross the border and seeing the Maple Leaf flag even customs was nicer. well he asked me like 400 questions but did it with a smile.

I can actually see myself living here in Victoria, even though the downtown area has bigger buildings then Christchurch. It really reminds me alot of Christchurch well minus when you look at their Government building and 'The Empress Hotel'.

(Government Building)

(The Empress Hotel)

But yeah so far I love Canada its a pity I cant go on my kayak trip due to the fact that it isn't really Orca season but hey there is always next year.

So In a week I went from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean crossing 15 States, 2 Indian Homelands, 6 State Capitals, 4 Time Zones, One International Border, entered 1 Province and Provincial Capital. Not bad work for a week.

States I have been in so in the USA now.

Florida
Georgia
Tennessee
Kentucky
Illinois
Missouri
Kansas
Iowa
Nebraska
Colorado
Wyoming
Utah
Idaho
Oregan
Washington
and by plane California

and British Columbia in Canada.

Made it to Salt Lake City ...

So today I crossed most of Wyoming to get to Salt Lake City. Firstly I must say that little old Laramie is actually a cool little town or city or what ever it might be. The people there seems very friendly and I met some cool people that stayed at the same motel as me too. But anyways I went on my merry way heading for Salt Lake City. Now I will take this opportunity to say I wasn't looking forward to SLC as the idea of visiting a City run by Mormons didn't sound too appealing. Do they even believe in Jesus or is it Santa Claus no wait I'm pretty sure its the Eater Bunny yup that sounds right and on that topic have you ever wondered what Jesus laugh was like. Was it a belly laugh or one with a snort at the end or even one that sounds like a machine gun going off hmmmm . Anyways as usual I'm getting sidetracked.

Getting back to the point, as it was a shorter drive to SLC I decided to do as much stopping as possible. One of the things I saw that made me stop was these really red cliff thingies so I thought hey I'll do the tourist thing and take some piccies.

So as I was walking over to take this picture of the pretty red rocks a lesbian (because adding the fact that she is a lesbot is important for the over all flow of this story) said "They will come right up to you to get their photo takin" I was like ummm ok pretty sure the mountains will not move. Turns out she was talking about Prairie Dogs. Now when some one says dog I think Lassie or something that walks on for legs and barks not something that looks like a Squirrel with a pipe cleaner for a tail. Well guess what they look like a Squirrel with a pipe cleaner for a tail. As I was sitting on the grass waiting for them to come closer some truck driving lady came over with the thickest southern accent I have ever heard, apparently she is from Georgia. She told me oh they will come to you if you give them crackers and off she went to get me some crackers. Well it was worth it because because I got some really awesome shots.


One of the little buggers bit me too but as I was sitting there feeding them crackers that was the most unnatural colour of orange and I thought to myself ... did I leave the stove on ... no just kidding I thought I have seen these little buggers somewhere before. This is where you can cue the dream wipe that shows a scene of me and Emma sitting in the office watching the following Youtube Clip ...

On second thoughts maybe it isn't the same animal but meh I still love that clip.

So as I have mentioned before I wasn't that excited to be going to Salt Lake City. With it being the Mormons equivalent of the Vatican. But I thought hey its on the way and it looks like it has some truly amazing old buildings. Which it turns out they do have and wow are there some stunners. As I have done on this trip before and will do again I had the completely wrong idea about SLC it is actually a really awesome wee City it forefills my requirements of my fantasy city build in a valley surrounded by snow capped mountains. I can actually see myself living here to be honest and cant wait to come back here to spend some quality time exploring what looks like a truly amazing city.

So after I spend some time wondering around the Temple of the Easter Bunny I set off to find the Council building which pretty much looks like a palace. Rumour has it that they made it look bloody awesome to out shine the Mormon temple.

Anyways as I went wondering down the road to find this palace I walked pass some youths getting of the bus. One of the turned to his mate and said "great the fag fest is still going they make me sick" I thought to myself fag fest I should go investigate this. I was going to ask them to direct me to this "Fag Fest" but thought I would have more luck running head first into a wall, there is some really nice walls in this city. It turned out it wasn't a "Fag Fest" but a Pride Festival, the lesbots don't like being called Faggots. But anyways they where occupying the block that this palace looking council building is on so I thought hey when in Rome (have pizza?) and I went to take part in the festival mostly because there was massive temporary fences up and to truly appreciate this building I had to be on the other side where the "Fag Fest" was in full swing.

I had another moment of excitement when I saw people with signs outside the entrance and I thought yes and got my camera out. It turns out it wasn't God hate Fags signs but I like boys and girls signs held up by the bi community (make up your bloody minds).

So after sitting and watching uncoordinated people trying to dry hump very unsuccessfully to a Lady Gaga song and having my one Vodka and Redbull I thought it was time for me to call it a night. I did see one thing that made me laugh it was a homeless person sitting and begging ....

Made it to Laramie ...

So today I went on a bit of an interesting trip thanks to Gertrude who had a spaze and took me in the wrong direction. Went to Cairo thought not the one in Egypt thought but I guess one holiday at a time.

So I headed to Laramie, Wyoming today crossing all of Nebraska and doing a quick dip into Colorado just so I could say I have been in that state. I was ment to stay in Cheyenne but could find any cheap accommodation so I'm staying in a city/town further up the road 50min to be exact.

I cant believe how cold it is here in Wyoming but I suppose having been in Florida with temps around the 35 degrees didn't help either. There is still snow lying about the place, it was kinda nice smelling the cold in the air and its good training to get me ready for my return to NZ. Today when I got out of the car at some monument of Abe was the first time since I have gotten to the US of Aye that I have actually felt that I'm in America. Wyoming is pretty much what I imagined America would be.

I do like little Wyoming. Well tomorrow I'm of to discover my inner Mormon in Salt Lake City or just point and stare.

So the States I can ad to my list to day is ...

* Colorado
* Wyoming

Thought this was fitting ....

I thought this was fitting for my journey across America. This song was my life song for 2010 and I think it has more meaning to me today then ever before in my life.

Still cant believe I'm actually doing this trip.

Enjoy ...

Made it to Lincoln ...

So today I drove from St Louis to Lincoln going through 4 states as it turned out. Iowa snug up on me and before I knew it I was driving through it. St Louis reminds me a lot of the city in Grand Theft Auto for some reason. It looks like a rather poor city but has some awesome buildings. I like the old Government building it looks so tiny amongst the skyscrapers.

Also went and saw the Arch thingy ...

On my way through to Lincoln I stopped in Kansas City both of them. The one on Missouri is a rather beautiful city it reminds me a lot of Dunedin well if Dunedin was warm and massive. I guess its because its a hilly city. But yeah Kansas City, Missouri is about 400 times better then Kansas City, Kansas and all that separates them is a river.

Kansas City, Missouri

Lincoln seems to be an awesome little city reminds me a bit of Christchurch the roads are even the same all cracked and broken. But I will leave my verdict on the city till the morning when I will be going to explore it. Oh before I forget right across the road from my motel well across the road and about 1 min down the road is Nebraska State Penitentiary not sure who has better accommodation.

So states I can add to my list today is ...

* Missouri
* Kansas
* Iowa (sneaky wee devil it is)
* Nebraska

Till Laters

Made it to St Louis ...

So today I crossed a further 4 states and somewhere along the line I gained an hour. I set of at about 9am from Atlanta an head towards Nashville. So far on this trip Tennessee and Northern Georgia is my favorite places in America well the bits I saw. I was very surprised by Tennessee I thought it would be more farmland and flat being the home of country music. But it was mountains not at all what I pictured it to be at all. Illinois is pretty much just like Canterbury except a whole lot greener. Cant say much about Missouri yet as I have only just seen St Louis but just driving thru the city I felt dirty it reminded me of Jo'burg.


But my highlight today must have been going to Nashville and visiting the Parthenon. As I said in an earlier post I have been to the real one but seeing what it might have looked like in its glory days was a awesome treat. However I was disappointed as it was different inside to what I saw on the movie 'Percy Jackson & the Olympians' but still the same it was awesome.

Tomorrow I will be heading to Lincoln, Nebraska stopping over at Kansas City both of them because the loved the name that much they named two cities that. Which are across from each in two different states go figure.

So States I can add to the list today is ...

* Tennessee
* Kentucky
* Illinois
* Missouri