Well hellow. I mean hello. I almost always append that double-u by mistake when typing that word, so figured I'd leave it in for a change - mainly with a view to gaining your sympathy from the outset. I think I’ll need it. This is probably going to be the worst maintained blog ever, but thought I'd set it up now so there'll be less excuse to ignore it once I hit the road. My Improvised Fortnight In North America begins March 11th with a flight from London to New York and ends the evening of March 26th with my return to the UK from San Francisco. Where I'll be on those fourteen nights in between is anyone’s guess. Readers of my other blog, Improvised German to English Writings will probably know my reasons for travelling this way already, but as that has a readership countable on fingers - depressingly human hand-based, not Cadbury’s chocolate - chances are you’re not clued up.
The idea came about from a trip I took back in September 2008 to several European cities. My itinerary was planned quite precisely, with accommodation and flights booked well in advance. I ended up changing plans and being a bit frustrated that I had to make a choice between losing money in bookings or sacrificing the great time I was having where I was, in Tallinn. I chose the former and changed things around significantly. I’ve bitched before about organised tours and coach trips on my other blog, but thinking about it, that holiday - originally planned as stringently as it was - doesn’t seem that far removed. Given all destinations, accommodations and methods of travel were decided completely by me, but the less flexibility you have, to use a poor food-based metaphor, the more processed and less organic the adventure becomes. You’re just getting what it says on the packet. Travel for me, wanky as it sounds, is an adventure, and anything to heighten that sense could never be a bad thing. The notion of leaving it completely open gives me absolute freedom. I could end up getting out of The Big Apple the very next day, spending a single night in fourteen different cities, or stay there the entire time, jetting across to San Francisco a day before my departure. North-west through Canada, due west through Iowa, Nebraska and Colorado, or south through Georgia, Louisiana, Texas, dipping into Mexico. Half the excitement is not knowing where I’ll be, but whatever happens I’m certain it will be a trip to remember!
Aren’t I going with anyone? Won’t I get lonely? No and maybe. When travelling alone you can do whatever you want. There’s no debate besides that internal head-based one - the constant Is this a good idea? question which ultimately doesn’t matter because there‘s bound to be an experience either way, positive or negative. For me, that’s something to write about, learn from, or just another story to tell. Loneliness is possible, but I expect to meet a ton of people wherever I go. I’ll be actively disobeying my mother’s advice of never speaking to strangers - especially if they’ve got sweets or a puppy in the back of a white van. Besides, you’re never that lonely when you have phone and can send a barrage of offensive texts, even if they do cost 40p a pop!
So, I have my recently acquired Blackberry that I intend to finger-jab most of my electronic musings onto, so any entries to this blog I do manage to post are likely to be brief and poorly worded. Also probably not that funny. But lame disclaimers aside, I’ll try my best!
Andrew.
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