First day in Pittsburgh

To all you people who hate on Pittsburgh: don't.

This is like a hipster working class city; cool and down to earth. I met the most amazing people here, Adam and Rachel, who took me out to see the Strip District and made me eat the messiest sandwiches I ever had - saying that it was Pittsburgh tradition to eat them and I hadn't really bee here if I hadn't. The name of them escapes me at this time, but they involved coleslaw, french fries, kielbasa and tomatoes in one. And more than enough of it, too. It was amazing though. Amazing and messy.

Anyhow, you know that Andy Warhol is from here, right? And he hated Pittsburgh with a passion. Well, none of th guidebooks ever says where he actually lived for the first years of his life, but thankfully Adam knew and drove me there to take pictures and be generally excited about it. What can I say? It was just a house, but still so amazing (because he lived there once). Then we went to the South Side, had Margaritas (ignoring the 5pm rule) and then strolled up the street for the view of hipsters becoming sorority girls the further up we got.

Pittsburgh is great. I even consider staying for one more day already before I go to DC to catch up with my dad.

But as always I have to go now. Adam was talking about this old renovated church we had to go to (it is now a bar - I love it!) and then I want to see the city skyline at night.

Pittsburgh

Yesterday was a rough day. I went hiking in Shenandoah National Park to see a waterfall (saw three... wow!) and today my body is completely wrecked. But it was beautiful and the trees in Virginia are something different than any other I've ever seen.

Well, I am now a healthier person and am in Pittsburgh, the city where Andy Warhol grew up and that they have a museum called the Mattress Factory. Oh, I can't wait to explore this city and I am so happy that they have tall buildings here. After a long stint in small town in the South I've really missed them.

That's all for now. Sorry it's so brief, but I have to watch Team America.

Charlottesville, Virginia

Went on the most demanding hike I've ever been on today. But now not only have I lost many pounds, but I've always seen incredible waterfalls and I've said it before and I'll say it again: Virginia is one beautful state.

So I was at Monticello yesterday and it wasn't actually the house that was interesting, but the nature surrounding it. The colors here are so strong, and they dominate everything around them. It is absolutely stunning. Then the trip went to the university and I have to say that even though that might sound boring, it was not. Seriously, that university is incredible - not just because of Thomas Jefferson's architecture, but because a) it has an art gallery, b) it has thirteen libraries, c) okay, so the architecture is fantastic, d) there are about 20 lawns where you can just be and they are very pretty (very!), e) it's huge, f) it has a university town of its own outside it and g) it even has an amphitheatre. I want to study there. I don't even care what it'd be.

Afterwards I got tipsy at a winetasting which is a pretty good trick apparently and went out for some good old mac'n'cheese; something I've fallen guiltily (is that a word even?) in love with here.

Drunk on Greyhound

Hey everyone,

I'm back and here in Charlottesville I have the feeling my Internet access might be consistent.

So one of the most interesting things that has happened to me since we last spoke was actually on a Greyhound bus. Normally interesting things happen there, but this time I got the "pleasure" of being seated right in front of a severe drunk. Well, I had to get from Wilmington (that lovely, lovely place where they filmed Dawson's Creek) to Charlottesville and in order to get there I had a five hour wait in Richmond, VA. As the house had almost passed and we all stood in line, a man kept going back and forth, crossing the line of suitcases, bags and people. He stopped right between me and two younger boys and says "Maybe you want to MAKE A FUCKING PASS HERE!" and starts making all these gestures. Everyone is shocked, but no one does anything, because this guy was less than polite about it. One of the boys, the older one, says "hey, watch your language" and the man stops. "Watch my language" he says in a mocking tone and then goes on to kicking the trash cans around him.

Well, time passes and we go on the bus. I see that the line is extremely long and I just hope that man won't sit next to me. Well, we get on the bus and I sit behind the youngest of the boys, but with a bag on the seat next to me. Just in case. The drunk man comes on. He's about fifty or sixty years old and he looks rough. He stops next to a man who's sitting on the seat close to the isle. "Move over, Rover!" the drunk says. Nothing happens. "Move over, Rover" he tries once more. Again nothing happens. The man does not move. The drunk precedes down the hall and sees the seat next to me. "Well, I'll just sit next to this young lady!" he says and that's when I have eye contact with the boy in the seat in front of me, and say "well, I'll just sit next to you". I get up and so does the boy, letting me have the window seat. We all know that no one wants to sit next to this guy.

So begins the trip where I get to talk to the two young boys, Lonny and Lance as their names were, and the drunk keeps acting like a Bukowski without the talent. First thing he does is to tell jokes with no punchlines and get upset when no one laughs. Lance, the oldest of the boys, can't help but to make fun of this guy, so he says "hey, old man, didn't you hear? They said you can wear hats on the bus" and he points to the cap on the guy, who immediately takes it off. When the dunk starts singing old sailor tunes, the driver gets into the pictures as she starts getting sick of the loud behavior from the drunk guy. Over the intercom she tells him she'll stop the bus to take him off. But nothing happens. He asks Lance if he can't borrow his phone to call his wife, but Lance says he'll do it for him. And that's when a three-way conversation begins with Lance trying to explain to the wife that her husband is drunk on a Greyhound bus, and she tells him to tell her husband not to come home. Oh my. It was all very entertaining, but was I glad when the bus pulled over in Charlottesville.

And that's where I am now. The last Southern State. And now I will leave you to go to Monticello. Catch you later...

Empire Records! empirerecordsempirerecordsempirerecords!!! in Wilmington...

I'm in Wilmington, not Raleigh. Changed my mind last minute. Though that's not the important part.

The important part is that ever since I could watch movies I have had three films that I know by heart (okay, one of them is from 2003, so it doesn't really count... wait, that's not the point either) and one of them is Empire Records. I love everything about it from Mark/c not knowing how is own name is spelled to A.J. not having to explain his art to Warren. I love that movie with a deep-rooted passion. So today I went on a so-called Hollywood walk and suddenly the guide stops us all in front of a building and he only gets to say that there is only one film made here in Wilmington that took place in (almost) one set. I just blurted out "EMPIRE RECORDS!" and held my hand to my chest. It was a beautiful moment. A true fangirl-moment.

Otherwise I've been taking a lot of pictures of Dawson's Creek locations. Yeah, I used to be really into that show. Don't judge me.

Wilmington is everything I thought North Carolina would be like. It's just like a Whiskeytown-song, a band that I made myself listen to on my bus ride here. Everyone is so nice here and make one feel right at home. And I've noticed that the students of the community college in town all seem to work, but never do. This means that they sit in cafes with papers and computers, etc., in front of them while they talk on their phones or suddenly get into conversations with co-students. I love it.

Chris from Charleston

So after I wrote that thing about the Southern cuisine, I went out to dinner and had the best (THE BEST) fried chicken I ever had in my whole life. So I take it all back. The breakfast is still not on my awesome list though...

Today I met the funniest guy. I was sitting in a cafe called City Lights, when suddenly a blatant homosexual turned around around said "girl,you will wear that keyboard out!" My name was Chris and in a matter of five minutes we were friends. He lived in Los Angeles, he told me, but went back to his childhood town Charleston once in a while.I have a feeling that he was actually the ownr of City Lights because he knew everyone in there and occasionally stepped behind the counter to make himself more coffee. He was incredibly entertaining.He wore strange, old-fashioned Southern clothes and said it was something he only did when he came back "to mock the good folks of the town". He is a character in my book for sure and before I left, I wrote him a poem about Charleston and the cafe. Hey, if I become a famous writer, they can put it on the wall...

I could write much more, but the keyboard here is still driving me crazy. Sorry about that.

Charleston

Hey guys,

I'm now in Charleston, and it's such a cozy town. My last night in Athens was dominated by a house show that really bummed me out. However, I've never experienced that kind of an artistic organic event, and it gave me some ideas for when I once come back.

I wish I could tell you guys more, but the keyboard I'm sitting at is driving me halfway crazy. Just know that I am here, I'm feeling good and that South Carolina sure does have some disgusting food - but it's the South, so that's just part of the experience...

Athens

Yesterday was amazing! I met Lauren and Anna in the morning (well, it was relatively morning) and we decided to go for something to eat the The Grit, a place in Athens co-owned by Michael Stipe. It was so good. The only intruding thing was the meth-junkie who kept coming up to our table, but when he was kicked away by some of the people who worked there it was fine (!).

After that I thought we were going to that island, but we decided to go to the Botanical Gardens instead. Now, you might think - like I did - that the Botanical Gardens would be the most boring thing you could possibly do with your time. But the Botanical Gardens in Athens are crazy! The begin as an ordinary gardens and then turns into a forest with hills, huge rocks, a long river and many strange things, like abandoned cars from the seventies and what else you can find. By this time our new friend Jesse was with us as well, and the four of us spent five hours in there climbing, walking and generally hiking all over the place. Finally we found a spot below some rocks (it was quite a mission to get down there) where we could sit right by the river. It was so incredibly relaxing and if it wasn't because we realized that the "garden" could close at any time, I suspect we'd sit there all evening.

The evening was a lot more disappointing. The drag show I was telling you about earlier sucked, and we left after half an hour of lesbians running all over a stage dressed like dudes and telling jokes that just weren't funny. Well, you can't win them all. Instead Lauren, Anna and I walked around Athens until we realized that things just aren't happening on a Wednesday night.

Tonight will hopefully be different. There's a party at Jesse's house where bands will be playing, and everyone will bring food. Sounds like a pretty good deal to me.

Savannah, now Athens

Once again, I didn't have the Internet. Damn, damn, damn! I've been in Savannah, and heard all these incredible stories of ghosts and hauntings in the city. Did you know that it was actually build on its dead? Incredible. I always encountered a Greyhound bus that was actually filled to the brim with former prisoners of the state and one that had a redneck and his redneck girlfriend spraying perfume all over the place. But since I didn't have the Internet, I couldn't share those stories with you in full.

Savannah is beautiful though, but so filled with people triple my age. I went to the Telfair Museum, the oldest museum in the south, and I went to one of the graveyards that seemed to have only peope who died in the 1820's... And if you ever read the book (or seen the movie) Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, it's a twice as interesting place to be. Oh, and I saw the place where Forrest Gump once talked about chocolates. And so much more. If one I could tell you all about it, so I'm so over it now (don't worry, the stories will be out when I get back).

I'm kind of glad I'm in Athens now though. There are people my age here. Yesterday I met some people at this quiz thing and they took me to a forest in Athens. Here there was a huge rock that we all climbed on the top of and beneath it was the roaring water. Keep in mind that this was past midnight, but the moon was full so you could still see everything. It was so beautiful and as I sat there, I really did feel at peace with everything. There was a girl in the group from Alaska, and I have never met anyone who loved nature like her. She climbed up everything and by the end of the night she and a girl named Anna decided that I had to go with them tomorrow (which is today) to this lake where there is an island they want to go to. First things first though, so we're going to have breakfast first at this place called The Grit. Perfect timing, since I've wanted to go to that place for a long time - yes, before I came here.

Well, guess that's it for now. Here in Athens I have Internet and I love it. I've come to appreciate that a lot more.

Speaking the old language once again

Just came back from a dinner with a Danish family in Gainesville. Lars took me over to his parents for dinner tonight and suddenly I was speaking my mother tongue. It did seem strange for the first couple of minutes and I really had to struggle to find the words, but hey, after a while it wasn't a problem at all. And can you believe it, Lars' dad spoke Danish so well that I thought he was for a long time. That's extremely impressive (everyone of you foreigners who have ever tried speaking it knows just how much).

Anyway, that's all I wanted to say. It's raining in Florida, but tomorrow Georgia will hopefully show for some better weather...

Gainesville

Gainesville is a really cozy place. It's filled with students and student-conversations. Today I've heard a bunch of them, some of them were completely idiotic, most of them made me want to be friends wit the people having them. But, you know, it's a small college town, so you'd expect that. There's this liberal small town-feel to this place, and I love it.

Last night Lars, the guy I'm staying with while I'm here (thanks to Amanda whom I will call tonight and I am so looking forward to it) drew me the best map ever and repeatedly apologized in advance for Gainesville not being as cool as Copenhagen. As someone half Danish who has been to Copenhagen many, many times, he should know this. But there was no need to apologize for anything at all, because this place is great.

So, sorry, I guess I didn't see any landmarks, but the entire day I just felt so happpy I was here. I seem to have that feeling a lot these days; traveling just makes me feel that way, I guess.

Plus, I rode a bike around town, making me realize how much I miss Olfert, my bike back home.

Miami

Yes, I'm aware that I've not been around for a while and I'm sorry. I didn't have Internet in Miami.

What a crazy place by the way. It was so incredibly hot the night I arrived and everyone was in their MTV-style swimming suit. I've never seen so many blonde girls and beach boys before in my life. It was downright mad! And the beach... wow! The ocean is so freakily bright blue that I would've sworn it was photoshopped if I hadn't seen it myself.

Anyway, on the first day I spent it all in South Beach where I took some pictures of Versace's old mansion, checked out Lincoln Road Mall, got a rose made of leaves from some guy, heard a lot of really bad pick-up lines, thanked Sam a million times in my head for my new haircut that spared me for a lot of torturous heat, walked along the stunning beach, walked along the ridiculous Miami-ish Ocean Drive and got a feel for the craziness. If American cities were a type of music, Miami would be a constant dance beat. Oh, wait a second, it was. Every single store had it blasted through their doors.

The second day I followed a lot of the advice Sam had written down for me. I went downtown and went to the Art Museum for free because I cheated my way in (don't tell anyone) and then sat by the Bayfront to eat the lunch that I had bought at an Indian place called Raja's (another suggestion from the girl from Tallahassee). It was so peaceful.

But you can't spend all day downtown where everyone seemed so hectic, so I went back to South Beach and wrote and wrote and wrote some more on Freckles that I had painfully neglected the day before.

And now I'm in Gainesville after a ten hour stretch in the Greyhound. I even got myself a very specific, handwritten map that I'll try and follow tomorrow. And then I'll write you guys again. I hope not to stay away from a computer for this long again. It sucks.

Tampa

Went to the Aquarium today, but it wasn't what I expected. I guess I wanted there to be these huge crocodiles all over the place and piranhas everywhere you looked, but there was nothing like that. Well, there was a single crocodile hiding from the public and from my touristy perspective (which I must admit I had right then) it was such a shame. And there were lots of kids. Lots and lots of kids!

But then I went to Ybor City which was positively awesome. Many middle-aged tourists seeing what the youth is up to, but also many hipsters who just hung out there. Oh, and I suddenly felt the urge to get a nose piercing, so I did (sorry, mom). On my way back I met a guy that I encountered yesterday called John and he was more than happy about the piercing, so that made me happy too.

Just thought of something funny: I witnessed a fight today between two men who were both selling black market tickets for this big sports event that's supposed to happen tonight. I've never seen such a heated debate about who's working what corner. I think the argument got to its highest level of intensity when one of the men said "yeah, so then we can both go to jail!" while waving his illegal tickets around. I bet they sold a lot standing there screaming at each other.

But, well, despite of everything Tampa is actually pretty cool. So is my new haircut that I'm growing fonder and fonder of. But I do still think of all these things people have told me about the politics of living here, and it's part of me finding this country really worth discussing these days. I've already gotten a much greater insight than I ever had before.

Tampa and politics

I've arrived in Tampa after a rather strange Greyhound trip (are there any other?) where the driver at one point got out of her seat and decided to step into the middle of the isle to yell at some people who were apparently talking about her... and a woman in fron of me feed her pierced one-year old with McNuggets and Pepsi. What is going on here?!

My departure from Tallahasse was absolutely fantastic. I had breakfast with Sam and Sarah and last night Sam decided to cut my hair, so now I have rather short hair. Very anarchistic and very good not to deal with all that hair anymore.On our way to having breakfast Sarah said "this one is for you, Nadia!" and blasted Bright Eyes' First Day of My Life from the speakers. It was decidedly a movie-moment. I hope I see those girls again.

I also heard a story yesterday from Sammie, another girl I met in Tallahassee, that was absolutely tragic and should be heard by everyone who can't decide whether healtcare should or should not be free in tis country. I really am beginning to get this unique insight that I just never got before in all these things. Like this story:

In Tampa a guy breaks into a house. Or rather; he stands on a roof to break into it, falls through some glass, falls on a table, sues the couple living there, wins, gets all their money. Again: what is going on?!

So, after a rather ranting post, I should be going again. Tomorrow I'll hit the aquarium to look at some crocodiles and then Ybor City. Should be good times all around.

Tallahassee

Hi again,

I got slightly tipsy last night in the celebration of St. Patrick's Day together with a girl called Sam and her boyfriend Jeff. First they wanted to go to this place called WarmDaddy's but it was a gigantic frat-fest there and, of course, no one wants to be with the frat-kids. Every sensible person knows that. So finally we ended up in a dive called St. Michael with a lot better crowd. Everyone sort of knew everyone, and embraced people they didn't know. We stayed up talking about Kimya Dawson and Olympia, Washington where the Kimya has a pretty cool thing going on. A real good night. And then I got to celebrate St. Patrick's Day twice. Oh yeah.

But it also resulted in my late awakening this morning, but it's okay. Tallahassee isn't really a happening place. It consist mainly of fashionable adults walking around in fashionable clothes, but I must say there are some nice trees here. Now you all say "yeah, yeah, whatever" but the trees here are to die for, I'm telling you! It doesn't really look like Florida yet (except for the Tallahassee courthouse), but it will, Sam says. She's from Miami and has given me a list of things that I have to see there. I'll keep that.

There's a dinner at her house tonight. Actually that's where I am right now. I've been writing a lot in Freckles, too, and will soon already reach 200 pages. I'll catch you guys later when I'll be in Tampa. Tallahassee would be pretty dull is I hadn't met some cool people here. These cool kids seem to be everywhere!

St. Patrick's Day in Tallahassee

Don't have much time today, but I can just tell you guys that I am now in Tallahassee and am going out for St. Patrick's Day, even though I thought I already did that in New Orleans...

There was a woman in the Greyhound who kept complaining to the driver that people was talking. Strange.

And Florida looks so beautiful when you drive through it. Hope it stays that way...

I'm sorry that I'm not writing more. I have to get out my green dress!

Mobile, Alabama

Yesterday I went to dinner at this seafood place where the people who worked there seemed to have an awful time. I was so happy I wasn't one of them. Anyway, it was recommended to me by an elderly lady who worked at the Mardi Gras museum and so I went. But then again, she also told me to go to tis historic museum, which I did, and it bored me to tears (actually it almost did since I was yawning the entire time). I supposed it would be a riot if I was really into 1980's arcitecture, but I'm really not.

What is interesting to me, however, is Mobile itself. It's a small town that quickly goes from being delightfully cozy to depressingly poor. On the cozy side there are little shops and folks with that southern, distinctive accent that I love, but on the porr side there are no people, only occasional sidewalks and a lot of shattered glasses and run-down houses. That being said, this is the most "typical" southern place I've been so far. I've never been to the south before, so I don't know what typical actually indicates, but Mobile seems to parallel everything I always thought the south would be. And I love it a little bit. As long as I don't get into those places where there are no sidewalks...

Leaving New Orleans and arriving in Mobile

I left New Orleans today. What a sad experience. Yesterday I thought I was doing nothing until Matt decided that that wasn't the case. So instead of reading and sleeping or whatever I was going to do, I had dinner at his place (crab salad is better than good, I can tell you that) after which we plastered a lot of things of his wall. Weird, but fun and I never wanted to leave a place less than NOLA. On the bus I was so incredibly sad, yet really happy that not only had I gotten to know New Orleans, but Matt as well - he is definitely worth knowing. He lived above a bookstore and when they closed he could just go downstairs and read. That was incredible. Anyway, I fell asleep on his couch and suddenly it was 8am and we both had to head out the door.

So now I'm in Mobile, Alabama - the place who invented the Mardi Gras (it wasn't New Orleans as you might think). In the taxi on my way here the cab driver hurried to tell me the story of the event. Did you know it all started out with some drunk guys making noise with cow bells? That's truly Mardi Gras. Anyway, I went to this museum about it and the lady in there got o excited when she heard I was visiting from Denmark. She hurried to get a map of Mobile and suggested places for me to eat. But most of all she warned me about the crime. "It's a good things it's getting dark so late" she said. "Cause you don't want to wander out here after dark". Well, I don't intend to. The last days I've had about 5-6 hours of sleep every nights so I'm pretty bombed (even though I can't feel it right now... it'll come).

But Mobile seems like a pretty cozy place in the daytime, and I'm glad I'm here instead of Birmingham. Good choice.

Last day in New Orleans

I've been eating beignets all day but it's all part of my way of saying goodbye to New Orleans. I can't believe it's been a week. It feels like just one, long day. But I am exhausted. I am so tired and look forward to Alabama where things are less, well, alive. New Orleans certainly is. It breathes. It has a life of its own.

I went out last night on Frenchmen Street and got home a lot later than I anticipated. It was Saint Patrick's Day and I had been talked into going out by a friend of a friend by the name of Matt and his friends Adrian and Bethany. I'm glad I went. We had the best time and it's been a while since I laughed so much as I did last night. Especially when we encountered a man who immediately ran over to us and said, in a thick German accent, "I am on KETAMINE!" He was. Most certainly. Besides I got to talk about the book I'm reading right now which gave me such relief. My point is that last night had a little bit of everything and I said goodbye with a certain bravado.

Tonight it'll be different. After all, I have to get up early tomorrow (yes, I can sometimes appear to be an old lady) so I can catch the bus. It's time for me to go.

Carrousel Gardens

First of all there was something I forgot to tell you yesterday. It's really just a minor thing, but a good example of how my travels are; that I am not only sightseeing, but truly experiencing the land as well (if that makes any sense at all). As you might have heard (I can't remember if I ever wrote it here) Rachel has a jukebox where she's written down the songs that she's willing to perform to the crowd. This is not a tiny jukebox. It is a monster of carton, tape and just plain weird things. And it's heavy. Well, yesterday began with her getting the idea that she wanted to carry it down to the Mississippi River and she couldn't carry it alone. I don't want to carry that ever again. New Orleans is outrageously hot in the sun these days and it was hell. But when we got there I realized that I was standing right by the Mississippi River and that just brightened everything right up.

Well, today I also walked. Actually I walked so much today that I'm not sure I'll be up to much good tomorrow. My feet are begging me for a break. I started the day by going to a voodoo shop. A real one. There was none of that touristy stuff in there. In other words: everything in there was the real deal. It was a lot more inspiring to be in there than any of these other places, I'll tell you that. Afterwards I went to lunch at a place called Willie Mae's Scotch House. It's so loved by the locals that they all worked to get it back together after Katrina struck. The atmosphere was pure Louisiana, but the food was mediocre.

The most fascinating part of the day, though, was Carrousel Gardens that seems to never be open to the public. Everything inside is intact which makes it both eerie and dazzling to look at through the gate. You remember the amusement park in Zombieland? It was exactly like that one minus the living dead who wanted to feed on brains all the time. I just wished I could've walked around inside instead af having to look at it from outside the gate.

Oh wait, yesterday I also saw a car halfway inside a souvenir shop. A real life car crash right on Decatur. Things so certainly happen here.

Quiet day in NOLA

Today was a pretty quiet day in Louisiana. Yesterday I went to see a brass band late at night at something called Candlelight Lounge, and I'm telling you, it was crazy. It was just like you'd expect New Orleans to be; wild dancing and loud jazz. An absolute riot and thrill. I always thought that everyone exaggerated the NOLA spirit, but let me be the first one to tell you: they don't!

So... this morning I was a little tired from the events of the night, and spent the morning doing laundry while I read the last pages of Marc Acito's Attack of the Theatre People. Pretty good, but then I needed another book. So I went down St. Charles Avenue and got a book on Columbine, which - as most of you know - something that I'm way too interested in. Afterwards I wrote a gazillion pages of Freckles in a cafe on Royal Street and all of a sudden it was 9pm!

So it was pretty quiet and an amazing day. I loved just walking around in New Orleans and hanging around. I really needed that after three days of intense sightseeing.

Voodoo and live performance at Frenchmen

I woke up way too late this morning (I blame it all on New Orleans where staying up the whole night is practised by most) and took the streetcar to Uptown where I walked down Magazine Street. Just like everyone else I heard that New Orleans was a scary place. Everyone disappears there, people told me. You will get mugged, someone else said and so on. I just don't see where all this is taking place.

However, there is something eerie in the NOLA air. It's like every book Anne Rice ever wrote; something is in atmosphere here and it's hard to describe it. It might be the hundreds of beads that people have thrown all over the trees or it might be the churches that announce that there will be a voodoo service this Saturday. It could be the fact that everyone here seems to have a tremendous respect for priestess Miriam, or that people visit the grave of Marie Leveau and ask her to fulfill their wishes. Something is definitely here.

Yesterday I went to Frenchmen St late at night with a French girl named Rachel who has made a jukebox where people can choose the songs shown (she wrote them al down on a cardboard box) and she will perform them. The reason why is this: Rachel wants to go to Mexico, but she doesn't have enough money for the trip and this is the best way she knows how. It was pretty cool though and taxis even stopped to give her money. She made ten bucks in less than an hour. Not bad. However, that was the exact amount she just spent having dinner with me some hours earlier, so I guess it kind of evened out that way.

Take care until next time!

New Orleans, I love you

I feel like writing a love poem to New Orleans. I feel like dancing in the streets here, and I feel like being a vampire by the sore pleasure of being here. New Orleans is nothing like the rest of the US. It's like the Caribbean or the southern version of some gothic fairytale. It's the reason I feel slightly more poetic than usual and I have such a long time here. Thank goodness for that.

Went through the French Quarter today. The day began awfully as the rain felt down in strides and the thunder just went on and on, but it ended (tomorrow it will not end, however, says the smart guys) and out I went. And everywhere I went it was amazing - except for Bourbon Street where it's just strip joints, bad food and t-shirts. And drunk fratboys every second of the day.

Tonight I'll be going out to Frenchmen Street with a very flamboyant gay guy, his gay (but not flamboyant) friend and a French 18-year old girl who doesn't have enough money to get to Mexico (so she's "stuck" here... there are worse places to be stuck).

And now I am hungry, so I think I'll have some food. What will it be... Gumbo? Po'Boys? Muffaletta? Jambalaya? Or maybe some of the other delicious food they have here in NOLA?

NOLA

Back in Denmark I have a friend who's going through some hard times, and she was on my mind as I went through the Mississippi landscape and Louisiana swamps getting to New Orleans. I was listening to Scout Niblett's album, This Fool Can Die Now and somehow felt some sort of relief for my friend; as if the intensity of the music and the savage beauty of the swamps helped her through me. That's what the road can do to you.

I went on the Amtrak rather than Greyhound getting there. What a difference! It'll be so difficult getting back on that bus now! Not only was it a LOT more comfortable, but the best part was that it wasn't necessarily a sketchfest like Greyhound can sometimes be.

So now I'm here in New Orleans, and it's just the best place so far. Hands down the best place. I got to go to an apartment where the resident used to live in Denmark (and spoke it too, so rare!), ate amazing (AMAZING!) gumbo this evening, saw Anne Rice's old house (that place is more than beautiful), saw a voodoo temple where no one is supposed to go and, yes, saw Bourbon Street. Tomorrow I'll be hanging around the French Quarter, and today there has just been so many things happening. All of the above had a great impact on my day, but going through them all would just take so much time. Maybe tomorrow.

Until then,

be nice!

Bellhaven

Today I went to the neighborhood of Bellhaven in Jackson, MS, and it was incredibly lovely. I was driven there by a cab (let me just say I didn't hail it, it basically hailed me and I couldn't resist). Ashley had told me that there would be lot of shops around and when I didn't see any (but plenty of beautiful Southern houses) I asked the only people I saw: two women out for their weekly walk. One was a little older than the other, and when I told them that I wasn't from around here, they decided to change their walking pattern, and walk me to the more exciting street instead. We introduced ourselves and I found out that the younger one was named Sarah, while the older woman was Val. We talked and suddenly Val said "Nadia, what do you think of God?" Oh no. This is the conversation I don't want to have, but somehow it gives a better insight of the mentality of the South and it was interesting to hear the opinions of the two women. I might not be a Christian or religious at all (and I'm sure that I will never be), but somehow all these people that I've met so far make me a more tolerant person. It's like this: as long as people respect that I have no belief, I respect them. As long as they don't try to convert me. Thankfully, Sara and Val didn't try, and instead I experienced some of that Southern hospitality that is so famous.

Well, I walked around the neighborhood for a while, and I am so in love with the houses of the south. When I got back to downtown Jackson I understood why Ashley had wanted me to see Bellhaven. Downtown was a ghost town. There was no one. But it was hot. Mississippi is one warm state, and finally I'm able to get out my sandals and pack those Converse away.

On a final note, Amanda, the cool Vegas-lady, got me a place to stay in Gainesville! Hooray!

Jackson

Arrived in Jackson and wow, it was so NICE to be transported. Ashley and I had such a good time driving from Memphis to Jackson and I got a good picture of the sunset. Or well, maybe it was a picture of the window of the car instead, but it appeared to be good. On the way we stopped in Winona, MS, and there was some real rednecks around. Interesting...

Before that I went to Sun Studio and did stand where Elvis once stood. I didn't feel the sensation, but a bunch of other people did, so good for them. Otherwise it was actually quite interesting, and Sam Phillips sure was a cool dude and he did have a great taste in music. Some of the people in the studio (paid visitors such as myself) did the jitterbug every time they had a chance, and that's exactly how good music can inspire.

So now I'm in Jackson. I'm not sure what to here, but I'm sure I'll think of something. Maybe I'll go to the coolest place here which is something called Bellefont (?). Ashley told me it was the shizz, so when I venture out that's where I'll go.

Until then... have fun in the cold (that's one for you people in Denmark). It's nice and warm here.

Last day in Memphis

Wanted to go to Mud Island yesterday, but it was closed. Bummer. Instead I went to all the must-sees downtown like Beale Street, the Peabody Hotel, Sun Studio etc. I will visit the latter again today for an actual tour and Ashley says that I can even stand where Elvis once did. Wow (that's supposed to be slightly ironic by the way). She's taking me to Jackson today, but I can just make the tour.

She also took me to a thrift store yesterday where I spent ten bucks and got a t-shirt, a blouse, a dress and a skirt. Ten bucks! That's so crazy. While we were there I told her about my church experience in Oklahoma, and she told me that once she was one of the stout believers. I know you haven't met this girl, but you would definitely not be able to tell. Today she can't stand any of that stuff, and I think it made her feel good to hear that I couldn't either.

In the evening we both went to the Hi-Tone and saw this lady called Scout Niblett. I'm so happy I went. That music was so amazing. It's been a long time since I had such a good live music experience. Scout Niblett rocks all the way, and I'm definitely a new fan. Besides the Hi-Tone was everything I thought it would be and I'm just glad I went.

I'll talk to you guys later. Jackson calls and if I want to get anything done, I better get going. Don't want to miss that car ride...

Good things happen when you're in Memphis

Change of plans. Yesterday I went to another dive bar with Will and Ashley (they have a ton here in Mmephis and I love it!), where she mentioned that she was going to Jackson to visit her mom who lives there. After a while she stopped speaking and asked if I weren't going there? Yes, I was. Well, didn't I want a ride? Absolutely! So tomorrow I'll be going to Jackson and then hit off to New Orleans for two extra days than I thought. Score!

Also, earlier I talked about my jeans which are about to fall completely apart. Turns out that Ashley had three jeans she was going to hand over to goodwill anyway, and didn't I want them? Absolutely! Double-score! Today she's taking me shopping to what she says is the best thrift store in Memphis, so that's super awesome.

So I guess I'll speak to you guys later. I'm heading off for some downtown Memphis, some blues history at Sun Studios and some music at the Hi-Tone tonight.

Graceland

Graceland was so much fun, bot boy, am I tired of Elvis now! That dude had no class whatsoever, but I guess he seemed like a pretty decent dude. I've always been more of a Lisa Marie fan, so every time there was picures of her I became the fangirl, everyone around me was all the time (except for the guys, who were obviously not girls). Well, Graceland was not as big as I imagined, but definitel as tacky. And all over they played Elvis tunes. I don't know, I don't think I could ever get into that. And then that's all I have to say abut that. Everything else has been said already, and let's face it: Graceland isn't the real Tennessee or the real America either. It's just an entertaining abstract.

However, they did have a pretty fifties diner there, and for one who loves (loves!) diners that was pretty awesome.

The scary part was when I came back though. For some reason there were no people on the street. Maybe Memphis is a night town, but to see lights and shops for no one kind of freaked me out. Hopefully there'll be people tomorrow when I'll actually walk around those streets.

And then I realized this morning that Memphis is one of the top five crime capitals of the States. Will told me that I should stay away from Poplar, so I'll never ever go there. Ever. Just the fact that crime is high here is enough to frighten a European like me.

Danish= Dutch

I found myself with a litle time this morning, so I gues I should put it to good use. I'm catching the free shuttle to Graceland in a couple of hours, because if I don't I'm going to have such trouble with a friend when I get back home...

So I went out to dinner last night and if Memphis is like this place this will be a good experience. It was like a dive just a lot bigger than those tend to be. And you know how I love a place like that. But actually Memphis already seems way cool. And I gotta tell you, after Little Rock it's nice to be in a bigger city. However, if you ever do get to the capital of Arkansas, you should def go to the River Market. Or the main street of North Little Rock. I really liked it there.

So when I was leaving Arkansas to go here, there were no more seats on the bus and I had to wait four hours for the next one. I went into a cafe where one of the employees were Dutch. Of course I had to ask him if people ever thought he was Danish. You see, people can seem to grasp the idea of Denmark as a country around here and always believe I'm Dutch. Funnily, he said that people always thought he was from Denmark. We both thought that was pretty funny, and so the time went quickly before I got on the next bus where I sat next to someone who felt it necessary to sing aloud to the rap on his ipod. Oh, Greyhound.

Little Rock and a little bit of Memphis in there

Sorry everyone, but I've been so busy having American fun that I haven't had time to write here...

Okay, so I was in Little Rock where i met this awesome lady, Julie, who took me around to see the cool places. I had diner with her and some friends in the evening where we ended up talking about horror movies and high school - mainly because I was going to Central High the very next day to see a high school for myself. 

So you guys might not think that it's a big deal to see a school, but for me that's like the most awesome thing. I mean: lockers! Lockers are cool, right? No? Okay, I think so and I took so many pictures of them while I was there. And the posters. Wow. There are a lot of American teenagers who are just dying to be president for whatever, and a lot of them are blue-eyed blonde girls. My favourite though, was the one that had a picture of a girls embracing some guy (read= smothering) and above the picture it said: vote for (his name) 'cause he's my boyfriend! Ha-ha, great. Don't worry, there's a picture of it. It's so bad it's awesome. 

Anyway, I also met a guy called Jake and somehow he thought it would be a good idea if we hitched a ride with some crackheads. They ended up asking us for money (because of the ride) which was disturbing. But once we got out the door it was very entertaining and a good story to tell Jake's friends when we went to dinner with them in the evening. But anyway, that's a really long story and I'm in Memphis right now, so I don't have the time. But I'll totally tell you about it when I get back!

So Little Rock was cool, but it was mainly because of the people I met. The played country music all over the place and everyone seemed to be a Lucero fan (especially Julie, yeah!)

I promise to keep you guys more posted. I just went to dinner with a guy called Will and a girl called Ashley and they are also super-duper rad. Good times. 

Praise the Lord Oklahoma-style

As you guys might remember I was going to a Christian church today for a 9am service just before my bus out of town. This was to experience some of the religion in the Bible Belt, and it was a lot livelier than I'd imagined - but just as naive. First of all, the church wasn't even a church. It was an abandoned room taken over by Christians. The benches were replaced with normal chairs and instead of a podium there was a stage with instruments and a microphone. This made me a little suspicious and rightfully so: for the first thirty minutes I had to endure the worst Christian pop-rock about how the savior came down to earth and how He was going to save us and bla bla bla. And get this: there was a screen above them so the Church-goers could sing along, karaoke-style. When I even saw that one of the dudes has a shirt that said "Satan is a liar!" and that the crowd actually did sing along, it was difficult for me not to roll my eyes and pray that this would be over soon (pun totally intended). Unfortunately we had to go through an hour-long sermon after that by a preacher who wanted us to shake hands a lot and explained the story of David and Goliath using many weird pop-cultural references. At 10:20am it was over (praise the lord!) leaving me to say goodbye to Penelope and Loren who'd taken me to the service, and get on the bus to Little Rock.

So now I'm here in Little Rock that seems to be a pretty cozy little town right off the bat. I took a short look at the high school that I'm going to tomorrow and it's huge. Like HUGE! But at least now I can find it...

Roller Derby

Just got home from Roller Derby and can positively say that it might be the only sport that has ever interested me - I even know the (very simple) rules by now! Hell, for a second I even felt like a native Oklahoman (is that what they're called) as the local team fought against the (much better) L.A. girls. Ok, this might not make a whole lot of sense to you, but basically I went to see a bunch of girls rollerskate tonight and it rocked my whole world. Oklahoma City is hereby cool. "A sport of contrasts" what was Loren called it and he's right. Roller Derby is definitely a sport of contrasts. Honestly it's just as much about the personality of the skaters as it is about the sport. I mean, the rules are so simple that there needs to be something else to it.

As you probably guessed I went there with Penelope and Loren, who took me to see the bombing site afterward. I'm so glad I got to go there at night, because it was so beautiful with all the lights on. It was definitely a lot more impressive than the rather bland memorial to Kennedy in Dallas. That is for sure.

Now I'm back after having finally been to an Irish bar with my two comrades to stuff our faces with French fries. So good! But I should probably go to sleep now. I have to get up early in the morning: Little Rock awaits!

Oklahoma City

I'm in Oklahoma City and it's better than what everyone says. And here's why: you got to know where the things are around here. Luckily, I've stumbled upon some people who do know and yesterday I had such a good evening because of them. There are four people: Christine and Jacob, Penelope and Loren. Yesterday we went out for dinner first at a place called Iguana - this place even had a party bus that went to all the parties in Oklahoma City. Something I didn't completely understand since it was a normal restaurant. Ok, so it was on the hip side, but having a party bus attached to it is a bit much. After this we went to this place called Cuppies and Jo's which was a normal house that was turned into a cupcake place. According to Christine there were a lot of cupcake places all over town, so they must really like their cakes here in Oklahoma. Finally, we ended the night in a bar inside a dome, where the drinks were terribly expensive but also terribly good, so it all evened out.

So in the morning I had the best French toast in the history of Oklahoma (and maybe even man) and then went on to Bricktown to see what that was all about. Well, it's not about much, let me tell you that. Thankfully, I had learned from my four local friends the night before that I only had to go down Western and then make a right at 30th street to get to the Art District of the city. Pretty good decision right there. Even though the art district isn't huge, it was still cozy and on a summer's day (which it is today, weather-wise) it was a good day for that.

Further down Western is the "cool" part of Oklahoma City and it was actually the best part I've seen so far. Again, not huge, but trendy enough to have some good coffee houses and shops and so on. I must say I've enjoyed myself so far.

And tomorrow I might go to a church before hitting the bus. I kind of want to see this Christianity for myself.

Oklahoma City

Last time I wrote here, I was still in Austin, but that's no longer the case. I hit Dallas for one night and now I'm here in Oklahoma City to have a blast and spark some happenings! Or something like that... Unfortunately I also wrote you a long, long entry that I can now not get on any computer than my own, so in short I will tell you that because of some freedom-loving Greenpeace boys (one of which was the spitting image of Julian Casablancas - something that really fascinated me) I am now a member of that organization as well. It made sense at the time. It still does actually, especially since the weather in this country is really freaking me out!

I also did eat at that place, Guero's at the end, but it wasn't the experience I thought it'd be. Just wasn't divey enough, I guess.

But when I left Austin I was sad. That place really did get to me.

But now I'm in Oklahoma, and it really is a state of cattle. When I was sitting on the bus here I saw a bunch of, you guessed it, cattle being transported and I really felt like I was, wait, you guessed it again, Oklahoma. Let's see what this place has to offer now...

Nadia

Austin # 2

It’s been a while since we’ve spoken (or written), and I have many things to tell you. Last time I had just been to the University of Austin, and now I’m soon to leave. This fills me with great anguish.

Let me first tell you of the stores they have in this city. The best ones are on “my” street, and there are especially two that have gotten my interest. The first one is a candy store. This might not be of any interest to you, but wait till you see this one. It’s old-fashioned and it feels like the fifties have come back with a vengeance when you’re there. It really is a fascinating place. I even got to take a picture in there, because it is indescribable. So is the second store, but that’s not because it’s cool, but because it is so very, very creepy. Consider the Leatherhead family from Texas Chainsaw getting their own store. Then you can imagine this one. It’s got cut-off animal heads on the walls and dirty bottles for sale. In this store, named “Uncommon Objects” (damn right they’re uncommon), there are dolls with no heads and old, old furniture that could use some dusting. It really is a scary place!

The women here, it seems, are also having some troubles with their men. Monday night I didn’t sleep until late because I just had to listen in on a conversation in the other room (that walls are very thin here). Two female friends were talking about the man to one of them. They said things like “huge fight” and “such an idiot” and “you know what he said?” and so on. But this is nothing like the next morning, when I was awakened by an angry woman’s voice in the other room screaming “you just don’t understand!” Of course I had to figure out what that was all about, but it wasn’t difficult because this conversation was LOUD. This girl was obviously on the phone with her boyfriend. Apparently this is the story: Late last night she drove Sybill home. The boyfriend doesn’t approve of Sybill, but the girlfriend thinks she is “so full of life”. However, Sybill is no longer full of life and is now an overweight alcoholic. I don’t exactly know how, but somehow the boyfriend got quite upset about this whole driving-home business and sent the girlfriend some angry texts. The same texts they were now discussing. She called him a jerk a lot and cried. Those women sure don’t have it easy here.

It was snowing all Tuesday. Actually the weather was so awful which is unexplainable, since it was downright summer when I got here. Not very satisfying. This resulted in me writing a lot of Freckles in a coffee shop downtown. I was determined to see the Texas State Capitol Building though, and hurried over there to see the pink-granite building that is a sight for sore eyes, as they say. And it is. The coolest thing about it though, is all the photographers that seem to be around it taking their pictures. When I came home I saw that my neighbour had a do-not-disturb-sign on her door, and I felt a little bad for her.

In the evening I ate at a place called Woodland that played great country music and had the whole diner/restaurant thing going on. I’m still too afraid to go into the local eating dive, Güero’s, but I think today will be the day where I finally get myself together and just go! After this I again walked downtown. Now the weather had become much better, and it was no longer snowing. Good. I walked to the legendary 6th Street and into the Alamo Drafthouse where they had a showing of the old Craven horror-flick The Hills Have Eyes; a totally sold-out showing and I’m just happy that I bought my ticket on the first day here. It was a pretty awesome showing with people who’d seen the film as many times as me. It was like the delta sorority in Animal House, and it was just plain great. Actually the Alamo itself might be one of the coolest cinemas around in the entire US. They have a single showing of a premiere film and everything else is just kitsch, camp, cult and so on. But not only is it a cinema, but it’s also a drafthouse (hence the name) and a restaurant of the more suspicious kind. I loved it from the first time I saw it. And since it was placed directly on E 6th St it was even be an experience to walk down to it. Let me tell you guys about E 6th St. It’s a good place. It’s not the best that Austin has to offer, but it’s a concept within itself. The entire street is based in dives, bars, and downright sleazy stores. Oh, and then the visitor centre is there, too. Every night that place is a party filled with beer and country music. And then if you walk back up to Congress Ave it’s like it was never there. I think that’s amazing. So basically: if you want to get drunk in Austin, head for the 6th. And still, it’s nowhere near scary. It’s nothing like walking down Gothersgade in Copenhagen is starting to be; no, here it is all cozy and somewhat safe. And actually Austin is pretty much like that. Cool and safe. There are no threats in the air here, not even after midnight. It’s all good.

Anyway, when I got back to the motel I wasn’t tired, so I sat for an hour or so in a diner, drinking a cup of coffee, writing Freckles, until I finally went to bed at 1:30am. Pretty good evening and night, if you ask me.

And now it’s Wednesday. Tomorrow I have to get back to Dallas as a stop on the way to Oklahoma. Blows. I really wish I could stay here. I am beginning to really love Austin, and I wish I could just go here whenever. But enough of that now; I just went on a hike near the lake that divides the SoCo area and downtown. They have a hiking trail there and it’s a beautiful walk down the river where you can look up on both sides of the city. For half a mile or so I was even followed by a squirrel.

That’s all for now. Take care, all.

University in Austin

Hey everyone,

Just want to let you all know that I won't be posting here for the next couple of days... I gotta pay for the Internet here, you know! But I already have new things to tell you like;

I got into an American university today and it was incredible. It was the University of Texas, Austin or something like that and outside it looked like any university. Just bigger and with their own huge football field. Inside though it was deeply fascinating. There were posters of sororities you just had to join (all called something like Alpha Kappa Phi etc.) and there were dudes with signs saying that everyone should vote for them as the president for something at the next university election. Nobody paid much attention to them though. I almost asked one if I could take apicture, but decided not to in the end. He was standing next to a lot of competitors for the presidential title, and my request might have made him somewhat unpopular. Can't have that.

And then there were every kind of food chain in there as well. I mean, you apparently can't have an American university without a Wendy's and a Starbucks. But I did love it a little bit, and I did shallow all shame and took many pictures. It was just too good not to.

But anyway, I won't be here for a little while. Until then,

bye

Austin

I'm in Austin and not only is it 24 degrees in celcius here, but it's also the coolest place in the state of Texas. It's gotta be! Seriously, you are so missing out if you don't get here once in your life.

So I already love Austin and I also love being out of Dallas - for now. When I had to get a ticket at the Greyhound station, I was "serviced" by the fattest woman I've seen so far. And she was grumpy, too. When she saw me, she only looked and said "yeah?" with a heavy sigh following. I told her I was going to Austin, and she typed something into her computer. This took about forever, but I was patient and waited the five minutes or so. In that time she managed to sigh heavily every time she took a breath and when I looked at her she was doing all these strange grimaces, like she wanted me to know how much she hated her job. Anyway, suddenly she got up from her chair and decided to leave me and the line that was forming behind. No explanation, nothing. Just her leaving the post. So we waited. And waited. And waited. Until she came back. She looked at me and said "C.V." I didn't get this and said something stupidly polite, like "excuse me?" and she said, louder: "C.V.!" I was starting to panic, and started to guess: "you mean the bag?" and asked her and she decided to yell "C.V.!" Finally I understood that she meant my I.D., but dude, what a woman. When I had that ticket in hand, I was happy to get out of there.

And now I'm more than happy to be here. I live in the SoCo area, where the hippies roam through the various coffee shops and seconds hand stores. There's music everywhere. People are sitting on the streets strumming their guitars, and I can positively say that I love this place.

Yesterday before I went to bed I tood my computer and decided to write some of my novel by a coffee place called Jo's right next to where I live. From there you can see all the lights from the boutiques and you can feel the life that is the SoCo area. Lovely.

Nadia

Dallas... not so awesome

It’s my second day in Dallas and I have to tell you guys; it’s just a city. It’s just a bunch of tall buildings and a whole lot of ghetto. Let’s take an example: Commerce Street. If you walk from Houston down Commerce it seems to be going okay. You walk and you see businessmen, people walking their dogs, and the inevitable tall buildings. Then you walk further down, you pass Akard and suddenly the houses are all worn out, a lot of people sit on benches or sidewalks, asking for money and roads are all leading to the freeway. If you only want to see the fancy parts of Dallas, you don’t have many places to go. If you feel like seeing the cozier parts, though, you should go to Uptown. But there’s not much of that either. No, Dallas is a politician’s and businessman’s city. If you’re neither, you should probably head for Fort Worth or Austin.

I did get to go to the Farmer’s Market today, though, where I tasted some of the best oranges I’ve ever had. Experience tells me that if one ever finds good oranges one should buy them, so that’s what I did. Eight for four bucks, and twelve bananas for three. That’s a bargain, and will last me a couple of days. When you’re just a poor traveler that’s good news.

So it’s Saturday and people are walking their dogs all over town. That’s how you can tell you’re in a good neighborhood. The sun isn’t shining, but it’s warm and it’s just getting warmer the further I get into the south. I do enjoy the weather, especially since I know that at home it’s freezing as hell and snowing and everywhere it’s just plain cold. Wish you were here, people!

In the late afternoon I stopped by the Dallas Convention Centre by accident and saw a gazillion 12-year old girls standing outside and inside in weird make-up and way too little clothes. Outside they were standing in their costumes, primarily made out of one or two colors and inside they were doing all kinds of acrobatic stuff. What surprises me is that they all looked like dolls. They were here at an acrobat convention or whatever, and were still forced to look like that. Very strange indeed.

Catch you after the cowboy rodeo thing tonight. Next time I’ll be in Austin, a city I have very high hopes for…

Nadia

Dallas

Hey folks,

Arrived in Dallas. Been to Dallas. Agrees with everyone on Dallas. It’s not that it’s boring here, it’s just that this place doesn’t really have a lot of personality. It seems to be all business and cell phones and tall, shiny buildings.

So I heard that my dad is now coming to DC to visit! To me that’s pretty good news and DC seems to be a good "dad"-town. Filled with political sightseeing and after being so much on the road, it’s good to see one of the parents…

But I’ll have to stick to the point, I know. I started my dad here in the city with making a lot of phone calls to people I couldn’t reach. Friends of friends live in Dallas and I’d gotten phone numbers to them, so I had a free place to stay. Well, that didn’t exactly work out. Furthermore, I had to do all of this at the Greyhound station, where there seemed to be a certain audience. Finally I gave up and went back to the hotel where I spent the first night. The woman behind the counter thought it was pretty funny that I came back and I was just relieved to get rid of my bag again and be able to sleep somewhere tonight. Even though it’ll break the bank. Or maybe it won’t. Oh well. And I need to not think about that kind of stuff after two days of intense travelling on a bus and not doing what I’m supposed to – which is hanging around in American towns and cities.

Then I visited the Sixth Floor Museum, where I learned all about the Kennedy assassination and found myself getting very moved. I can definitely recommend it if any of you are ever Dallas-bound. I mean, you have to have a Kennedy day of you’re here. In the midst of all the tall buildings and all the men who have suited up, Kennedy stuff is definitely some of the most interesting things about this place. And it is interesting. I got to tell you, I was pretty psyched when I found that X on the road where he was shot. I mean, not like happy psyched but more like I’ve-been-here-psyched. There’s a difference. And don’t worry, I took pictures. Many pictures.

Here in the city there’s not so much God-stuff. You see that on the road a lot more, and that’s why even the bus rides here are interesting. But I’m glad there aren’t preachers anywhere, and that I haven’t been asked to any Bible readings just yet.

In the evening there is one thing really interesting and somewhat charming about Dallas though: the birds. In the downtown area you can hear the shrieks of birds all over, sometimes louder, sometimes not so much, but they’re always there. And you can see them, too. They hang out in tress and they’re so many that you can hardly see the tree for all them birds. But it’s only at night apparently and that’s what makes it so interesting.

The cowboys come out at night, too. With their hats and their dialects and their horses (okay, maybe not the horses, but they would if they could, I bet) they stroll around Market Street which is where all the barbecue restaurants and cowboy stuff is at. Tomorrow I’ll go check out the so-called Gilley’s Dallas in the evening where I’m sure I’ll run into a lot of them. Yee-haw!

Nadia

Finally in Dallas

Hey everyone,

What a long busride! But I've arrived in Dallas efter nine hours where only the last one was slightly bad - got hit on by a high school jock. Why, oh why?!

Anyway, Texas is a fascinating place. Just driving through it is amazing. And guess what? I've finally entered the Bible belt. On the interstate there are Jesus signs everywhere, telling me I should get saved (thanks, but no thanks) and that Church of Christ is open and just down the road, or sometimes there are even these huge billboards saying stuff like "what would Jesus do?" and whatnot. The best part though? A truck with the words JESUS CHRIST IS LORD written with big letters across it. Seriously, what is that?

I went through Happy, Texas on the bus remember (remember that movie?) and Stephenville where Jewel Kilcher lives - on that particular occasion I felt like I just had to play some Jewel on my MP3. Nothing else would be right.

But Now I'm here in Dallas. I had a little trouble finding a place to sleep, but then a homeless guy asked me if I was looking for something. I told him the name of the hotel I was looking for (saw it mentioned in Lonely Planet of course) and he followed me to the door. I thought it was the sweetest thing, and of course gave him some money so he could eat. After having blessed me many times he left and I am now no longer in need of a bed. Good.

Tomorrow it will be all about Dallas and Kennedy. You know it.

And finally... my new friend Owen told me last night that there are so many churches in America that they all need to have a theme now. Like the Cowboy church where you get a sermon first and a ride on the rodeo afterwards. That's hilarious!

Nadia

From Albuquerque to Amarillo: the Greyhound Experience

So yesterday I had a bus going from Albuquerque to Amarillo. Easy as cake, right? No. Halfway there the bus kept driving to the side of the road. Something was wrong went the ventilator, or fan or whatever, and we couldn't go any further. A fellow passenger tried to help him out, got the thing solved at everyone was clapping because we were so happy to beback on some sort of schedule. Wrong. Again we had to stop every ten minutes, windows had to be opened until - finally - we had to stop at small town Santa Rosa, New Mexico, to for three hours until another bus came. The only thing nearby was a so-called food mart, which isn't filled with food at all, let me tell you that. A new bus came, and we were on our way again.
The good thing, though, is that everyone kept being happy the whole time. This was mainly because of the joyous driver and a Trevor Morgan-looking guy who kept cracking jokes that made everyone laugh. So really not that bad an experience even though I arrived at Amarillo at 9pm and DIDN'T get to see the Cadillac Ranch. So sad.

However, I did get to meet these two guys, Owen and Josh, who told me one of the scariest stories I've ever heard in my entire life. This is basically the reason I will not tell you guys about it. Hell, I had some trouble sleeping because of that thing. Scary. But if you want to you can ask me when I get back, then maybe I'l tell you... maybe.

Now I'm just waiting to go to Dallas. People tell me it's a dead city with a certain lack of personality, but I'll just have to see for myself. At least they have the place where Kennedy died and that's cool in its own way. Hopefully nothing will happen on the bus today. I don't want to be there any later than 9:30pm, he official time of arrival, which is still pretty late when you arrive somewhere.

Catch you guys later,

Nadia

Uneventful, yet satisfying day

Things that is true about America:

1) They have curfews. They actually have curfews if you’re under some age, depending on the state. I know! It’s crazy!
2) Everyone sues everyone. They talk about suing on the street, they have billboards that encourages people to sue, and lawyers have way too many ads on TV (always with a catchy jingle to remember who to call)
3) And their commercials in themselves are awesome. They’re so corny, cheesy and downright embarrassing that I wish I could tape them. Again music is key.

There are probably plenty more, but those are what come to mind. However, I do love this country so far. Just like I’ve always done.

Today has been uneventful, but satisfying. I drank coffee in the morning while working on my budget – something that I love somehow; I guess I’m like my mother that way. Anyway, I was waiting for the Rail Runner which is the best transportation in the world! You want to know why? Because it’s actually funny. Every time it leaves the station it makes the sound of the Road Runner, and that’s brilliant. I had no idea transportation would be funny. Anyway, I got back to Albuquerque, went to the House of Hippies (which it is now called), and read the Charles Bukowski I got from Sarah, one of the earlier mentioned skater girls, before she left for Phoenix in the middle of the night. I finished Margaret Atwood’s Cat’s Eye yesterday and it was freaking amazing. Anyway, Marielle entered the house, we talked a while and then I went to Satellite, a coffeehouse nearby, to work on Freckles, my new novel. I stayed there until 10pm, then left, and now I’m here, again in front of the computer.

Oh, and so many Americans don't even believe that I'm from Denmark when I tell them. They actually believe me to be American. Awesome!

That’s pretty much what has happened. And it’s kind of cool to know a city so well that you can choose not to be in it, and yet know where to go when you’re about to write some more on your novel. Tomorrow it’ll be all about Amarillo and if I get the chance I’ll go to see the crazy Cadillac Ranch, where some rich dude has decided to spend his money in an all too weird way. Maybe more about that later; maybe more about something else.

Pop Art

Valentine's Day is gone and so are most of the Santa Fe tourists. There have been surprisingly many these last days, but now everything is quiet and very strange. After so much action downtown it was weird that there were no kids, and parents, and noise.

Today I went pretty much gallery hopping on the main streets downtown and took some pictures of Loretto Chapel while I was at it. This place is magical. It's like a giant museum filled with various great canteens and museum stores. That's what it's like. And then it was President's Day today which meant that the post office was closed. Bummer. I had some things I wanted to send out.

So sorry guys, but there's not much to tell. I've been looking at pop art all day walking every sidewalk of the centre, exploring the city so I can really say I've been here. You should be here too once.

Nadia

Art in Santa Fe

I've had such a good day today. First I went to the Georgia O'Keefe museum for some famous culture and a short lecture on O'Keefe and her life. It was really interesting and a good way on what would become a day filled with art and conversations in one of the most beautiful places I've been in the US so far.
After this I went to Canyon Road, one of the most famous art roads in Santa Fe. There were so many galleries and it's easy to make pass here. Anyway, I went into this one gallery and was greeted by the cutest dog ever. "That's Gracy" a woman said. I hugged down and scratched Gracy behind her ears so that we could become friends. "Where are you from?" the woman asked. I stood up and told her. And then she told me of all the places she had lived in her life. Originally from Nebraska, she moved to Knoxville where she lived in her car until she moved to Albuquerque. She then got married to a Danish man and together they moved to Santa Fe. She told me about her son who had died ten years ago and the conservatism in the Midwest. It was so incredible to talk to her and hear about what she had experienced. Every time there would be people in the gallery she'd say hello to them, and then return to me with naming me Sweetheart or Sweetie. Like this: "so, Sweetheart, where are you going next" or "so tell me, Sweetie, where have you been so far?" I could've talked to her for hours on end, but when I had to leave she hugged me goodbye and told me to be safe. So if you EVER get to Santa Fe; go to Meyer East Galleries. A pretty rad woman works there.
But art dealers are pretty talkative in general, asking where you're from and stuff like that. However, some of them gave some really good tips. Like this one guy who wrote me down directions to get to San Diego from Los Angeles - which is something I certainly must convince Ivar and my mom to drive to when they get there in July. It's only a 1 hour drive!

Anyway, in the late afternoon I came back to downtown and bought the coolest hat ever (EVER!) that looked like a dog, and then went to see a play that was showing in one of the local bookstores. It was called Love Letters and had me in tears at the end. But that's the kind of stuff that happens in Santa Fe: art just happens here.

So come here at least once in your lifetime. Seriously, you won't regret it. I mean, I kind of want to move here.

Nadia

Santa Fe is the best!

If you are in any way into art, you should come to Santa Fe. This is my kind of town.

I left Albuquerque this morning via the Rail Runner which cost me something like 4 bucks, and that's nothing next to the 36 I had to pay if I chose Amtrak. And I have to admot to you guys; I like Santa Fe a whole lot better than Albuquerque where I liked Central Avenue and then found it difficult to see if there was anything else there.
But Santa Fe is cultural! There are art galleries everywhere here, and they are good. When I got here I went for a stroll downtown, and went to a bookstore where there was also live music going on. That's what the town is all about: art. I love how I'm about to spend two whole days here. I have a feeling that Santa Fe is a pretty unerestimated place to Europeans, and I intend to straighten that out.

For it to be even better I'm staying at the cheapest and best place ever called the Sage Inn. It's pretty close to everything, the rooms are great, the breakfast is supposedly pretty rad, there's free everything (including Internet, thank you very much) and the people are so nice. And did I mention it was cheap?

Well, I'm off. Catch you guys later.

Nadia

Albuquerque

First of all I need to tell you guys about the seriously amazing food that's going on in Albuquerque. Today I went to this cafe called the Gold Street Cafe and I had the best sandwich one can ever have. So good. Apparently this is one of the perks of New Mexico and I believe that's true. And apparently the food of Santa Fe is even better, so I can't way to eat my heart out there.

Other than that I went to the downtown area today and I can conclude this: Central Avenue is fantastic. It has local art all over the place and good art at that. There are colours everywhere, and it looks like a mix between the States and Mexico. But if you move away from Central you'll be bored and nothing will happen. It's a town that lives on a single street, and even though Central goes right down Old Town, downtown and Nob Hill, it's still not enough.

I went to this Museum of Intolerance where there was no admission and it was so sad and informative at the same time. Unfortunately there was a guy who worked there, who kept talking to me, and it took away a little of the positive experience. He also said that Santa Fe was boring and that "social workers aren't exactly rocket scientists", which kind of amused me when I came to think of the fact that he worked in the Intolerance Museum. Oh well.

Then it's cool that I met Sarah and Claire, two skater girls from Chicago. They came here only because Repo Man was filmed here and that's something I can understand. I told them that I really looked forward to Omaha, and Sarah asked why. I said "the music there is fantastic" and she looked at Claire and said "Saddle Creek". And anyone who responds like that are fucking cool in my mind.

At the end of the day I went to see The Wolfman at the downtown cinema and was surprised of how many trailers they showed. Eight! Wow. And now we are at numbers. How many people have asked me for money since I got here? Six. That's more than all the other places combined. Yeah, I'm not too big on Albuquerque, but don't get me wrong: Central is great.

Certificate of Bravery

Went to the Rattlesnake Museum today and was frightened. Actually I was so scared that I could hardly breathe at one point and I just stood there looking down on the ground. No, this was NOT because of the snakes. I love snakes! It was something else: Today I was forced to face my intense fear of huge, giant, hairy, scary, absolutely terrifying spiders. See, no one (no one!) told me ANYTHING about spiders, so I was happy looking through all the pretty snakes until suddenly I couldn't see it. I looked, I scouted, but there was nothing. And then suddenly I realized I was about 10 centimeters away from one, no way, the worst fear I have: tarantulas. I didn't scream. I've learned not to. Instead I kept my breathe (or rather, I stopped breathing) moved away quickly, and escaped to the corners where I realized that this was not the only eight-legged creature in here. Thankfully, they were all gone in the next room and once I told this to one of my (very) hippie-ish companions, MaryBelle, she embraced me and said "aaww". What a sweetheart.

Well, at least now I can say that I've been in the same room as those evil things, right? When we got out of there I got a Certificate of Bravery from the dude who owned the place and I still don't know if I should feel ashamed or proud of that fact. Hm.

Anyway, I'm staying at the craziest place. It's like a hostel even though it's not, and it full of vegan hippies. I kind of like it, and still I'm not aware of what's going on. But it definitely is interesting and very New Mexico.

Also, I went to the University part of town today. It's called Nob Hill just like the district in San Francisco. It was such a university place and all the kids there were indie and super chic. It made for some interesting cafes and boutiques, and even one where I could sell my earrings and get a sweater in return. Hey, that was a pretty good trade right there.

Tomorrow I'll hit downtown. For now I'll just go to sleep real soon.

Nadia

The First Ignorant American on My Trip

So yesterday I met my first ignorant American. It was on the Greyhound of course. She was from Arkansas, and had a thick southern accent. She was the one who started talking to me, so to be nice I asked her about her home state, what she did, those kind of things. Well, she didn't know much about Arkansas except for the small town she was from, and she didn't work. She'd tried that, she said, but she didn't like it. So now she lived at home and did nothing. I told her I was from Europe, travelling through the States, and she looked at me like I was crazy. But I guess then she remembered that I was going from Europe to America and she told me that she never found a reason to go anywhere else. I don't know, something about her just made me angry. Finally I decided I'd rather listen to what John Mayer had to say than her, so I put my headphones on. But I guess it was time for me to meet someone ignorant after having meet so many wonderful people already.

I'm in Albuquerque now and I have to say that I have a very good feeling about this place. I met a girl called MaryBelle, who told me that the people in Santa Fe and Albuquerque residents have a fight going on, so that'll be interesting seeing that my next destination will be Santa Fe.

Anyway, I should go get breakfast before I venture out to see some rattlesnakes and churches.

Nadia

Flagstaff, Arizona

So this morning I woke up in Flagstaff and went downstairs to have breakfast at the hotel. I ate and was about to go outside, when a woman from the hotel kitchen asked me if I was visiting Flagstaff for business or vacation. I told her my story: that I was from Denmark and traveling all over the US. She looked scared and after telling me how brave I was, she said "I bet you call your mother every night". I told her I had no phone and she started to look so bewildered that I felt I had to calm her down by saying that I got to talk to my mom in New York, where I did have a phone for a week. "Your mother must be so worried about you" the lady said and I replied by saying that she probably was. And then she said "every girl should be able to call their mother" and found the manager of the hotel. Turned out they only made domestic calls which I think bummed the woman out, and the last words she said to me was "don't you trust no one, and take care now. And call your mother when you get the chance!" I thanked her and went on my way.

And that's the way people are here in Flagstaff. They are the sweetest kindest people. Another example: Later I sat in a cafe when suddenly I sneezed. Normally that would be ignored, but here the people around me all said "bless you".

Besides the folks here in the town, everything else is pretty awesome as well. This is the perfection of small-town America and I'm so glad I came here. The downtown is colorful and so charming. Today there's snow everywhere, but still it's warm. And the whole town has this cool vibe that I haven't found many other places. What can I say? I love this place. Albuquerque has a lot to live up to now.

Superbowl

So I arrived in Flagstaff and it's snowing here. Crazy.

However, first I need to tell you about a unique experience I had yesterday. Because of my new and tattooed friend Amanda I got to celebrate Sunday Superbowl at a private home. and not any private home either. Amanda took me to spend it with some friends of hers that used to be useless, but now live on the outskirts of Vegas. Visiting them was worth this whole trip. They were such warm people and by the time I left we had all become friends and the woman of the house, katrina, even gave me a shirt and a Saints scarf, so I could always remember. I also got a lot of great questions about Denmark like if it was the capital of Belgium and if it wasn't right next to Spain? My favourite one, however, was if we have cats and dogs in Denmark, too? To this I replied that, yes, we do, which established that it was just like America then. I loved those people, and I love Amanda who I will absolutely miss on my way further into this land.

But I am now in Flagstaff and in an actual hotel even (sitting in the lobby right now). I've been looking around for a little while and I think I like it here. One thing is for sure: the people are so nice. I got the warmest welcome when I arrived here and walking down the street i must've looked cold because suddenly a man stopped me to give me his gloves. It looked like I needed them more, he said.

Catch you later guys. I'm off.

Chicken Dinner

Yesterday I actually heard the words "winner winner, chicken dinner" at the Bellagio. And that's Vegas for you.

Raining in the desert. What are the odds?

It's raining in Vegas today. I walked all the way to the Fremont Street Experience to feel what the locals call the real Vegas and eat deep fried Twinkies at Mermaids Casino. People who, like me I admit, watch My Life on the D-List will understand (this is NOT something I'm proud to have watched, but I do love it).

Getting to Fremont Street Experience was a mission. I had to walk the bad part of the Strip forever until FINALLY I saw a man on a horse in neon lights - not a real man, mind. But it was so worth it. You haven't been to Vegas if you haven't been there as well, that's what I say.

Anyway, that was pretty sure, I just wanted to let everyone know that I'm still here. Tomorrow it's all about the Strip with its gambling and debauchery.

Nadia

Vegas morning

It's late morning in Vegas and I've woken up late. Last night I went to a strip club with a girl named Amanda, and it was awesome. I mean, I know what goes on in strip clubs, but seeing it is just crazy. And the dudes there are all superiour and Vegas-like. You gotta love it.

Anyway, Vegas is the place for waking up late. When I arrived yesterday the city consisted of a bunch of tall and impressive buildings, but when the lights came on after dark it fucking blew my mind away. Suddenly it was crazy impressive, and even though I'm not a gambler I can appreciate lights.

So today I'm going to check out the casinos on the Fremont Street Experience because I love it there already after having quickly walked down there once yesterday. It's like the poor man's Vegas. And then I should go get once of those fried Twinkies, cause they seem DISGUSTING. And that's as good a reason as any.

Vegas!

Hey guys,

Sorry I haven't been keeping in touch, but I haven't been around the wonders of the Internet for a while. Now, however, I am in Vegas and things are a bit different around here. Since you and I last spoke I've been watching the skater kids of Venice beach do their thing (and god, how the spirit of the Z-boys is still alive) and I've been spedning way too much time in Barstow, the shittiest place in the world. Okay, maybe not (they do have a Starbucks after all), but that city does come close. What a dump. It almost looked like something the Europeans had come up with to make fun of Americans. Everywhere was a fast food sign or some motel that tried to sell its room by sporting how it had HBO (just a sign of how LAME Barstow is), and being there for more than 24 hours have only made me appreciate Vegas so much more.

Because, despite of everything, there is life here. And lights. Lots and lots of lights. Flashing and bright and real Vegas-like. It looks kind of like exactly how it does in the movies, but real. Because I'm actually looking at it with my own eyes, and I can't believe what I'm looking at. You know they even have slotmachines in supermarkets here? That's just crazy.

Later dudes, gotta go to a strip club.

Nadia

Day One: Los Angeles

The first thing I heard when I was boarding the flight to L.A. was an American girl talking to a friend on the phone. "I'm not really sure I understand what's going on yet", she said. "It's like I'm not really on my way". That's just how I felt, and it's like I'm still not sure I'm really here. As I am writing these words I am sitting in the living room of my friend Jesse's house, still wondering if this is really happening. I'm sure it'll hit me soon enough, and that it's just because I'm exhausted from sleep deprivation and bad air ventilation that I can't really get it.

With that in mind, I still don't know what the city has to offer. A million things, I'm sure, but I was so excited about an actual school bus to notice. The school buses are real. They really do exist as other than Hollywood props. And California license plates do actually put the name of the state in cursive letters like they came right out of an Elmore Leonard novel or something. To me, that's crazy. And I might end up taking one silly picture after another just to prove my point.

And did I mention the weather? At four this morning I feared I couldn't get to the airport because of all the snow and here some lady complained because it was 17 degrees! It's warm enough to wear my spring coat - which is lucky, because that bad boy is all I brought. And by the way, immigration isn't so bad. Just so you know.

But I might want to unpack instead of scribbling senseless nonsense which is primarily dominated by my current state of not knowing what's going on and a headache from the aircraft oxygen.

And guys: I'm in an apartment in L.A. How cool is that*?

Nadia

*Answer: very

nadia

What One Does the Day Before Leaving

To answer that question, one does not do many things. Mainly all activities suddenly have something to do with packing and fincing ones passport over and over again in the fear of having lost it. As for me, I got up to the terrible idea that the snow outside my house has increased and might leave me without a plane tomorrow. This idea was quickly given a permanent notice as I realized that flights were still on schedule and planes were still taking off into the air. Then I packed my bag, packed another bag, lied on the couch, ate some lunch and did little else. Now I have seven hours before I have to get up and I'm considering going to bed already because a) I'm tired and b) it would be the sensible thing to do. However, previous incidents have proven early sleep to leave me restless and unable to sleep, so I might also just stay up and watch Josie and the Pussycats. Right now I have no idea, but I do know this; in twenty-four hours things might look very different than they do right now.

Musical inspiration

Everything was almost settled. Almost. Because there was just one little thing I needed to do. Thankfully - after an entire day - that's done now. Of course I'm talking about music. I mean, who can go to Omaha without having warmed up with some old Bright Eyes. I would suggest Lifted, or Fevers and Mirrors. Or The Faint who has always been part of the Omaha label, Saddle Creek, who is an almost religious experience for indie music fans such as myself. And I'm sure people in the know-how would agree that New York just wouldn't be the same without a little bit of Sonic Youth or Lydia Lunch. They made the alternative music scene that is part of the musical diversity that has become a New York-sound. And would you really want to enter Texas without hearing The Bluest Eyes in Texas or San Francisco without hearing... San Francisco? And come on, you might think that grunge is just so nineties, but Seattle wouldn't be the same without a little bit of Nirvana and totally underrated Mudhoney. Finally, America wouldn't be the same without a little bit of Songs for the Deaf by Queens of the Stone Age or anything Lucero or Blind Willie McTell. That's just the sound of America right there. If you don't count America by Simon and Garfunkel of course.

So I had a pretty busy day fixing my lovely music, so I can go for it in style. So when I sit in the Greyhound bus I can surround myself with some of the reasons that I have adored America for so long. So that day went by pretty quickly if I must say so, and in the meantime I even got to make a couple of CD's for my German friend, Anne, who really needs to listen to some new music.

Speaking of friends, I met up with my friend, Victoria, today who once lived in Portland, Oregon, and offers an inspirational source of conversation that has only made me want to get there a little more. So, wow, in a couple of days I'll be on a plane and watch September Issue or read my Margaret Atwood book or sleep or listen to that Graham Coxon album I can't seem to get enough of (it's British, I know, but i can't help it). Or maybe I'll just think about the future six months and how they will change me. I already feel a little changed as we speak.

Nadia

High school madness!

Just as I thought everything was set to go, I realized everything was - as a matter of fact - set to go. This morning as I wearily opened my computer to check the hotmail (yes, I'm one of the dinosaurs who still use hotmail instead of the ever-so-modern gmail) I realized that, wow, I was granted an opportunity to visit Topeka High School. I am so happy, and if you're American you may not know know, and if you're not you might not know why either. But my obsession with America does not stop by the Hollywood movies and the pop songs, but ismixed with a love for the culture. I am dying to see what the teenagers are like. Is the hierachy really as insane as I was once told by a very informative Danish/American girl called Christa? Are things really as bad as they seem? Is the underdog dying in the midwest or do people actually get along. Is there such a thing as jocks, and what are the band geeks really like? Are cheerleaders stupid or is it just a fabricated lie to make the drama crowd feel better? What's it all about? I want to know it! And now I will, or at least, I'll get a peak into the real-life soap opera that is high school.

Prologue thoughts before the actual event

Moved back to the Mom and Dad Hotel (as previously said by a friend of mine... sorry for stealing it), and that can only mean one thing: in less than a week I'll be cruising through the States. My apartment is empty; everything is gone from it, packed in boxes that are now scattered around in my parent's house and forgotten for a whle. Yesterday I went into the apartment and felt an utter sadness about it. I really did love that place. I looked outside the window, thinking how it's probably much warmer in L.A. and that's a very good thing; after all, it's fucking freezing in this northern country. We have minus degrees all over the place and riding my bike seems colder than ever before.

So now everything is a waiting room, but a cozy one. I find myself talking to my stepdad a lot about all the various places I'll be going. For some reasons I also talk about monkeys a lot these days, but that's nothing I can really explain. It's just that they're so cute! But I guess that's pretty irrelevant information. What is relevant is that a week from now I'll be sitting in Heathrow Airport, being slightly scared of what's about to happen. But also so excited that I won't be able to sit still at all. I'm so in love with America and I can't wait to see her.

And I'm sorry for being so boring, but you'd be too, and you know it.

Nadia

Homeboys and Homegirls

There's something you should all be aware of. It's called Homeboy Industries and it's the best concept I heard of in a while. Placed in L.A. there's a bakery who takes in only former gang members, and invites the public to take part of the project. This is a way for these people to disconnect with their former lives and connect with a new one. Next door is a cafe by the name of Homegirl Industries and, well, it's the same concept except with girls obviously. People should support this! This is the website and I endorse you to check it out:
www.homeboy-industries.org.

It's just another reason to go to L.A. and next time I write about it, I might be there. Because this is a place I need to go and support the good cause. And if you're ever in the neighborhood, the address is 130 W Bruno Street, around Sunset Boulevard.

Nadia

Insomnia

You ever have that thing where you can't sleep even though you're way too tired to stay awake? Welcome to my world. This is so incredibly annoying. Last night I stumbled out of bed, knowing that I couldn't really do anything because I was too tired to, and checked my e-mail where only two messaged had sneaked into the mailbox. And they really weren't that interesting. Damn! I wanted to read, but couldn't focus, because I was so tired, and you know what it is? It's the restlessness having a peak into my system and fucking everything up. Okay, so I have to get up at 4am at the day (=night) of my departure, and I just know I won't have any sleep that night at all. You should all feel sorry for me if it wasn't because everything will be so awesome for me when I'm gone.

Yes, I'm thinking about this too much, or am I? I've been waiting for this for more than a year and I deserve to get going at this point. Besides, my book wants to be written as well. It begs for it. It begs for it so much that this morning when I was riding my bike to work, I was so lost in thought about it that I almost hit head first into a metal pole. That would've hurt.

But don't worry, that's nothing I'll bother you with. That's someone my various notes have to deal with. But I will tell you this much: think Kerouac with a Broken Social Scene soundtrack, mixed with the casuality of Bret Easton Ellis and the feel of Carson McCullers. So... that's what I hope for anyway.