Spilly in the USA's Blog

Concord, Rocky and good bye car

spillyusa — Sat, 26 Sep 2009 15:27:09 +0000

The final curtain! Hello, it’s been a good last 24 hours, we went to tge huge air and space museum outside wasington and saw concord! We also saw a space shuttle and a Blackbird, the fasted plane ever. The musuem was really well done. We then did some shopping at the fifth largest mall in America, it was huge! In the evening we then drove to Philedelphia. This morning we went to the museum of art where they film the rocky training scene where he runs up the steps. So we ran up there and did the Rocky stance! It was good fun! We have just dropped the car off in new york – She has done us proud! X

The White House!

spillyusa — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 14:30:38 +0000

Hello!

Yesterday was a good day, the weather is Washington DC was sweltering, like a summers day, so we had a good day walking round the sites. Saw the Lincoln Memorial, (its a lot bigger than you think), saw the war memorials, walked along the lake to the big Washington obelisk.

Then I just looked left and there was the White House, complete with snipers on the roof!

We had some lunch and then had a bit of Culture. We went to the American History museum. And looked round the War of Independace and Civil war stuff. The war of Independence was interesting, (except we lost obviously).

We saw the original Flag or “Star Spangled banner” that was flown above Baltimore to show the British Seige had failed. It is what they sing about in their anthem….

Oh, say! can you see by the dawn’s early light
What so proudly we hailed at the twilight’s last gleaming;
Whose broad stripes and bright stars, through the perilous fight,
O’er the ramparts we watched were so gallantly streaming?
And the rocket’s red glare, the bombs bursting in air,
Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there:
Oh, say! does that star-spangled banner yet wave
O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave?

Now you know! I also found out we raized the White House to the ground before we left in 1812 so AL and I high 5′d that!

The World War 2 exhibition was good, although was obviously from an American perspective so the war started in 1943!

We then went to the air and space museum, which was also good. There was a Spitfire in there!

Today is our last full day, I think we are going to do some shopping and work are way up to Philadelphia, before New York tomorrow and home. We fly at 11pm sat night UK time.

Washington DC

spillyusa — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 13:42:31 +0000

HELLO FROM WASHINGTON DC! YESTERDAY WE GOT UP REASONABLY EARLY AND DROVE NORTH TO VIRGINIA WERE WE MEET UP WITH THE BLUE RIDGE PARKWAY AGAIN. WE STOPPED AND DID ANOTHER 3.5 MILE HIKE, THIS ONE WAS STEEP THOUGH! GOOD EXERCISE I GUESS. WE MANAGE TO SEE A DEER, LUCKILY NOT A BEAR! WE THEN DROVE TO WASHINGTON AND STAYED THE NIGHT THERE. SO TODAY WE ARE GOING TO SEE THE WHITE HOUSE AND THE LINCON MEMORIAL ETC. I AM TAKING LOTS OF PHOTOS! OWEN X

The Blue Ridge Parkway

spillyusa — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 14:11:48 +0000

Hello from Wilksboro, North Carolina!
Yesterday we spent the morning is Asheville, which is a really nice city. The we drove along the blue ridge parkway, which is a road that goes throgh the great smokey mountains. It was so beautiful, with amazing views! We did stopped to do some hiking. Again Glen would have loved it as we walked to a 60 ft waterfall. We then drove another 30 miles or so and did another 1 hr or so walk. We then drove for an hour or so to a really small town called Wlksboro in North Carolina and had a quiet night. Today we ate going to drive north and do some walking again and head towards Wasington DC. Till tomorrow! x

North Carolina!

spillyusa — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 14:29:54 +0000

HELLO FROM NORTH CAROLINA!! I AM ON MY PHONE AGAIN SO SORRY FOR CAPITALS! YESTERDAY WE DROVE ACROSS TENNESSEE TO ASHEVILLE, IN NORT CAROLINA, IT WAS A LONG DRIVE BUT WE KEPT SWAPPING SO WAS OK. THE ROAD KEPT GOING UP AND UP AND ASHEVILLE IS IN THE SMOKEY MOUNTAINS. THE SENERY WAS SPECTATCULAR. TODAY WE ARE GOING TO START DRIVING ALONG THE PARKWAY AND DO SOME HIKING, HOPEFULLY WITHOUT GETTING LOST AGAIN! OWEN X

Thank You, Thank you very much……..

spillyusa — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 14:53:07 +0000

Hello from Memphis, Tennessee!

Yesterday was a really good day, we stayed in Memphis and went to Elvis’s House! Graceland was really good, we did the tour, saw the jungle room and went on his private jet.

We then saw his grave which was a bit surreal.

We then went to the National Civil Rights Museum which is based in the motel that Martin Luther King got shot in. The museum was very good, read all about the civil rights movement, the sit ins, the marches and the push to get mixed schools. Crazy to think this was not that long ago, on ly in the 1960′s. At the end of the museum you get to stand in the motel room where he got shot – it was another surreal moment.

Then last night we went on Beale Street again, had some ribs and listened to some Blues – it was good.

Today we going to start heading back East towards New York and so will be driving back across Tennessee. So I better go and star driving!

Till Tomorrow!

Owen xx

I was walking in Memphis…..

spillyusa — Sun, 20 Sep 2009 15:54:29 +0000

HELLO FROM MEMPHIS, TENNESSE! WE DROVE FROM NASVILLE YESTERDAY. LAST NIGHT WE WENT TO AN AMERICAN FOOTBALL GAME AT MEMPHIS UNI, THERE WERE 21,000 PEOPLE THERE! THEN WENT WENT OUT WITH ALONG BEALE STREET WERE THERE WAS LOADS OF LIVE MUSIC! TODAY WE ARE GOING TO ELVIS HOUSE!! SORRY BUT THIS IS ANOTHER SHORT POST, ON MY PHONE! OWEN XX

Those boots were made for walking……….

spillyusa — Sat, 19 Sep 2009 16:33:48 +0000

Hello from Nashville!

A v short post today as we are about to drive to Memphis. Hashville has been brilliant, such good fun. Have made loads of friends in the hostel.

Yesterday we didn’t do any driving, we looked round Nashville and bought some cowboy boots! They look good, I will post some pictures tomorrow.

All the bars in Nashville have live country music, so have been dancicng to that!

Must go now, Memphis and Elvis are calling

Owen xx

The South………

spillyusa — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 16:59:46 +0000

Hello from Nashville, Tennessee!

I am finally writing this on a computer so there will be no capitals today!! Plus you will get some photos!

Yesterday we made the long drive from Columbus, Ohio, through Kentucky to Nashville Tennessee. The drive was fine though, we had the top down, the sun was shining and the scenery was changing so it was really interesting.

I will give you a proper reap on my week.

Monday 14th September

I woke up about 6.30am becasue my body clock was on UK time so I thought there was no point lying in bed for hours, so at 7.30am I got up and when for a run round Central Park, in New York. There wasn’t a cloud in the sky and the park was full of other joggers and people walking to work, it was really nice. The park has a big lake in the middle with a running path round it and at the North Side there was a brilliant view of Manhattan. The sun was reflecting off the Crysler building, it was really beautiful.

I ran for about 5 miles, so I rewarded myself with a big breakfast, waffles, bacon and maple syrup!

So after our breakfast we got a taxi to Newak Airport and picked up the car! The car is amazing, it is automatic with cruise control . The roads are some empty so you can accelerate up to about 75 mph, click the cruise control button and the car drives it self! You don’t need to press any pedals, just steer and take in the senery!

We drove three hours on the motorway and then got to a place called Lock Haven, Pennsyvania. Which was a typical small town, but the people were friendly. We then drove on a country road, it was beautiful, it was v hot, the sun was shining and we just took the senery in.

We then ended up statying the night in Warren, Pennsyvania.

Tuesday 15th September

We went of a trek in the Allghenny National Forest, it was really beautiful and we were meant to walk 6.5 miles but ended up walking for 5 1/2 hours!

Again, the senery was amazing.

We than spent the night in Titusville! Another quite strange small town!

Wednesday 16th September

The next day we drove to Ohio, to the Lake Erie. THe lake was amazing, so big like the see, but fresh water, I tasted it and it wasn’t salty. If you didn’t know it was a lake you would have never have guessed. What is strage to think is that its the smallest of the great lakes!

Thursday 17th September

Yesterday we made the long drive to Nashville Tennessee. It took about 5 hours, but we spilt the driving so it was fine. We stopped off in Louisville, Kentucy for a few hours for lunch and to strech our legs. It was the birth place of Kentucky Fried Chicken!

We got to the hostel about 8pm and the hostel is really socialable, some Australians, cooked us dinner then we all went out. The bars all had live country music on, it was brillant fun.

Right, we now off to explore Nashville, till tomorrow!

Owen xx

The Great Lakes….

spillyusa — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 13:32:36 +0000

HELLO FROM OHIO!! AGAIN I’M ON MY PHONE SO SORRY FOR CSPITALS AND NO PICTURES (PLUS ANY GRAMMER!)

YESTERDAY WAS GOOD, WE SAID GOODBYE PENNSYVANIA AS WE DROVE TO OHIO! WE FIRST DROVE TO CLEVLAND IN THE MORNING AND HAD A WALK ROUND AND HAD SOME LUNCH. WE THEN WENT TO THE CLEVLAND BROWNS AMERICAN FOOTBALL STADIUM, IT WAS HUGE! THE SECURITY GUARD IN THERE INSISTED ON TELLING US THE CLUBS HISTORY! SHE WAS FRIENDLY THOUGH! WE THEN WENT TO THE SHORES OF LAKE ERIE, THE LAKE LOOK JUST LIKE THE SEA, IT WENT TO THE HORIZON. WE STOOD ON THE BEACH AND THERE WERE PEOPLE SWIMMING AND SURFING IN THE WAVES. THE DIFFERENCE WAS THE WATER WASN’T SALTY! I TASTED A BIT AND IT WAS FRESH (AND CLEAN) V BIZZARE! AT ABOUT 4 PM WE DID THE TWO HOUR DRIVE SOUTH TO COLUMBUS WERE WE SPENT THE NIGHT.

HOPEFULLY I’LL BE ABLE TO UPLOAD SOME PICTURES TONIGHT. HOPE EVERYONE IS GOOD, OWEN X