Archive for August, 2009
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22.08.1999
They day I would finally meet my heroes.
I was SO excited and it was greater than I’ve ever imagined. Just like a dream
Welcome To Disney World!
I got autographs of Dale and Minnie Mouse, Tanja took photos of me and Donald, Pluto and Goofy. Well, I was a bit disappointed in Donald. Until that day he was my favourite and he was also cute there, but also a bit boring at “our” meeting, whereas Pluto and Goofy made such a lot of fun – Pluto was soooo cuddly and I was tickled and kissed by Goofy, that sweet charming dog! *sighs*
Guess, who’s my favourite now
What we both hated a bit was the hype about Mickey – disgusting! But we also got a photo with him for our family albums ….As we luckily had organized fastpasses for the Space Mountain and Splash Mountain before we didn’t have to wait in line for those two roller coasters. Usually I don’t trust them but here on Disney World I was brave! And it was worth it! Especially the Space Mountain was unbelievable – a roller coaster in a bowl, it was dark and from time to time you saw different coloured lights at your right and left. Crazy! I felt like in Matrix
Unfortunately we couldn’t see the world famous parade in the evening because we had to catch our bus back to the hostel.
Me And My Goofy
Normally I -
21.08.1999
As we had decided we took the morning Greyhound bus from Melbourne to Kissimmee. Well yes, it is a funny name for a town and our bus driver had to make the joke “do you want to Kissimmee” – yes, very very funny *yawn*. But however he was our first non-boring Greyhound bus driver.
In Kissimmee we walked to our youth hostel and on our way there we met a German girl named Katrin, with whom I’m still in contact. She had missed the bus and so she went back to the hostel with us.
The next day we wanted to visit my heroes – Mickey and Co at Disney World
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20.08.2009
As Christoph, a former fellow student, told me before our trip that he has stayed at a phantastic youth hostel in Melbourne, Florida, when he has been there in 1998, and that the beach was so great we had to see it by ourselves.
Well, the hostel was closed and we slept in a motel. The room was amazing – a big big bed and finally an own room where nobody else slept, but we were a bit disappointed, because nothing seemed to work out in Melbourne.
We tried to use the day by finding a way to come to the Kennedy Space Center, but there was no possibility. So we decided to take the next Greyhound bus to Kissimmee which we did the next morning. -
19.08.2009
The day of my first Donut. And it was damn good
Since that day I’m a bit addicted ….
And it should also become the day I tried alligator meat for the first time. Well, I’m not addicted to that …. The guy who gave us that piece of alligator Bifi (we where at a mall, I think it was called “Aquarium Mall”, but I’m not sure, and you could buy that kind of sausage there) admired my hair, yeah, but in the same breath he told Tanja that she should take care of me – what did he mean?!
After that culinary excursion we continued our sightseeing tour and saw the Shipwreck Museum and the Little White House (very cute). Our next stop was the beach, where we spent nearly all the time collecting shells. I still have them in a box, looking at them from time to time and dreaming of Key West
As the sun was about to go down we went to see the sunset celebration. If you want to get an impression of that crazy scenery just follow that Link. “The participants of this Key West attraction consist of arts and crafts exhibitors, street performers, food carts, psychics and of course the thousands of tourists from around the world who visit this Key West art show. Each night around two hours before sunset masses of people, both locals and tourists alike, flock to the water’s edge to experience a multicultural happening and to watch the sun sink into the Gulf of Mexico.” OH YES! But unfortunately “our” sunset wasn’t as amazing as it used to be. Obviously is was the weather’s fault because a thunderstorm was approaching. We flew into the next Burger King and as it was raining less we went back to the hostel, showered, I put some after sun lotion on my (new) sunburn and changed clothes for the evening. On our first day we saw a pub named “Bogart’s” and as a big fan of Humphrey Bogart we had to go there – especially as we read that he has been there from time to time while he was shooting “Key Largo”. The pub was very nice, I enjoyed a sparkling water (I know it sounds boring, but I missed it soooo much!) and after that adventurous day I went back to the hostel, because my sunburn hurt enormously. On our way we met Courtney and her Mom and the girls decided to enjoy some more nightlife. So Courtney’s Mom and I went back to the hostel without them.
…. and we bought Key West tank top and I still wear it sometimes – and right! – dreaming of Key West - Sunset Celebration
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18.08.1999
The day on which we would see the Southernmost Point of the Continental USA started with our first Greyhound ride at Miami Bayside. The first miles we could admire the beautiful nature of the Everglades, but soon it started raining and we had the feeling like coming into a Monsoon. We didn’t, of course, but we were disappointed that we couldn’t enjoy the famous view during our ride over the 42 bridges of the Overseas Highway.
After some hours we arrived at Key West, got two beds at the local youth hostel and started our first sightseeing tour on the island. First we had to see the Southernmost Point, went to the Hemingway House (that man knew how and where to live!) and back to the Point to take some pictures with less people standing in front of it. As I had read in my USA guidebook of an interesting restaurant we searched and found it. And it was great! The “Blue Heaven” has a big garden where you can sit and have your dinner, a veranda and a huge balcony where we sat. As there was a very big tree in the middle of the garden we felt like dining in a treehouse
…. Our next stop was the famous Duval Street, where there are a lot of bars, pubs and many crazy people making party After a drink at Fat Tuesday we walked back to the hostel into our beds …. -
17.08.1999
I think you can imagine what can happen if two girls from the country explore their US American megacity.
First of all we had to come to the 87th street. After a while we realized that it couldn’t be between the 7th and 8th street. Don’t ask me why we searched it there ….
As it’s a long long way from the 8th to the 87th street we decided to take the bus, woohoo! Our first ride with the American public transportation went well and we jumped off the bus at the correct bus station. Such a lot of success made us suspicious. Rightly: We found the travel agency where we should receive our Greyhound bus ticket for the next 45 days, but the very friendly lady at the office told us that we will get it at the Greyhound station downtown.
OK, next stop Miami downtown.Also our 2nd ride with the bus was fine and after some conversation problems we finally got our longinglskyy expected Greyhound tickets.
We decided to take a short walk, but we weren’t much impressed by downtown Miami and so we took the next bus “home” to Miami Beach. As there was rainy season during our stay it rained when we arrived there and so we couldn’t go to the beach as planned. But there were many more opportunities to come – and the next day we would take our first Greyhound ride to Key West. So exciting!
Good bye, Miami Beach!
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16.08.1999
After our first night in Miami we had to see the famous beach. It really looked like in the movies, but the water was soooo warm! We hoped to get a bit of a cooling cause it was still very hot, but no. We felt like swimming in a big bath tub.
In spite of suncream with a very high SPF I looked like a cancer after just about 20 minutes at the beach – welcome to Sunburn State!
welcome to sunburn state
In the evening our skates had their first use. We were exploring a small part of Miami Beach on eight rolls – partly along the sandy beach, amazing! – and went back to bed after our three hour evening workout.
As we forgot to make a reservation for that night at the Tropics we had to change our accomodation and slept at the Clay Hotel. It’s presumed that a part of Al Capones syndicate had been in that house in the 1920s.
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15.08.1999
10 years ago the big trip startet at 10:40 a.m.
Our first flight was from Frankfurt to Chicago O’Hare and although I was terribly excited it was quite OK. I was a bit disappointed because the planes I knew from the movies looked so much bigger and I never heard any noise. But reality was obviously different ….
At Chicago we had to change the plane – and had just 1,5 hours to do so. Well, we succeeded and were very proud of it
After a short delay (problems with the plane’s engine, yeah!) we could finally fly to the city where our America trip should start: Miami.At about 7 p.m. we arrived at the airport – without any idea where we should spend the night. Yeah, we were very organized
But we found a place to sleep: The Tropics Hotel/Hostel at Miami Beach.So much for our first day, it was exciting, I had my first two flights and Miami was HOT! About 30°C in the evening ….
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10 years ago ….
…. I was excited like never before. It was the night before my first flight and my first visit of Northern America.
Tanja (the friend I traveled with) and I had the crazy idea to take our inline skates with us. So I tried to combine skating and carrying my 28kg backpack. It didn’t work, of course. I fell over and landed on my butt. But somehow it had to work and so about a quarter of my backpack was filled by the skates.
It was a good decision to take them around with us, but more on that later ….It was a very short night as I – as always – started packing just the night before my departure. But so I didn’t have to think about the upcoming first flight into a continent so far away from home.
But in spite of all those fears I had 10 years ago I’m thankful for having had the courage to that adventure
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Me and my clumsiness
Back from the doc after my toe decided yesterday to fight against the armchair-leg – and lost, of course …. have no idea what it thought by doing it …
Well, it’s blue, hurts, but there’s no fracture, thx!Now I’m wearing a funny bandage and the doc said that with a bit of luck it will be better next week – and that I shall take care of my toes, thx! – couldn’t he have told me yesterday?!
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