Bennett Travel Blog: 1973 AMERICA

USA

Citizen-of-the-World

There were NO "steamers" in Bankstown!

In early 1973 we decided to take advantage of the-then popular "Charter Flights" out of Europe and do a discovery tour of the USA. Loftleidir was offering flights via Reykavik in Iceland, an added attraction for us as it was mid-winter!

Heathrow gathering of Notables

Reykavik Brinsmanship

We found wintertime Iceland quite exotic and very different to Australia. There was a lot of historic stuff to see and to visit. A rewarding sidetrip. Their fish and whale blubber was fresh and tasty too!

Somewhere in America

New York had much kinder weather than Iceland. People were curious as to where we had learned to speak such good English. We got several compliments for its "British" sound. Many Americans we encountered were surprised to think that THEY had an accent that sounded quite "Irish" to our ears. I said that we thought that accents made places more interesting!

New York skyline from a ferry to a statue

You'd do anything for the view!

Famous Bridge as seen on TV

Jones Beach NY

Time to take the Greyhound to see America. You get to see a lot at ground level and you get to meet colourful travelling companions. Roadhouse food had generous servings too. And the bus was always impressively warm. A singlet usually proved appropriate wintertime warmth inside the bus.

American Vista

We were glad we had chosen to "Ride the Dog" on our travels across the US. It was a real eye-opener at times and the people we met always had a story to tell. I would have liked to have told them our story too but there wasn't enough time to do that. On a limited amount of backpacker* cash it's all you can afford! It turned out to be excellent. Made it to Chicago by 5.30am -had a look around (weather was a bit chilly) before going through Moline, Rock Island, Iowa City, Des Moines and Omaha. Next on the list came North Platte Nebraska then Cheyenne, Laramie, Rock Springs and stopping at Salt Lake City for to catch our breath. Reno was pumpin' at 4.30 in the morning and from there we were treated to Greyhound "ringside" when the driver sought to evict two brawlin' whisky-tramps from the back of the bus. Loads of excitement for boys and girls when the driver gained ascendancy and threw them into the inviting arms of the Nevada desert.California next with Sacramento (we didn't visit the excellent Rail Museum :-( ) Richmond, Oakland and then settling into the Odeon Hotel in downtown SF lookin' for the remnants of the "Summer of Love"
* There weren't any backpackers around that we could see. We looked like freaks carrying our A-Frame Rucksacks onto buses and into budget hotels.

San Francisco (just after the Summer of Love)

This vehicle impressed me!

You could almost smell eucalyptus leaves with San Francisco being so close to the Pacific shore !

San Francisco itself was chock-full of good stuff to see: The Ferry Building, Embarcadero, Fisherman's Wharf, the square-rigger Balclutha, Spanish mission Dolores, Chinatown for the good food, Nob Hill, the Cable barn, Presidio and the Golden Gate Bridge, Ghiradelli Square, Maritime Museum and Lombard Street's curves.

Los Angeles staying at the Hotel Cecil was next with trips to Anaheim and of course Disneyland (it delivered). Little Tokyo, and Alvera Street Mexican Markets before heading out on the "Dog" once more at 2.15am towards Flagstaff via Phoenix. Yep, next up was the inimitable Grand Canyon along its' south rim. More than spectacular!.................

The road back also took us through Albuquerque to interesting Santa Fe with its' Governor's Palace (1610), Cristo Rey then ever onwards to Pecos and San Antonio Texas. They had a Governor's palalce too, as well as the Alamo Museum and the rewarding San Jose Mission. They do good Mexican food hereabouts! On to Houston for the "Astrodome" before sassy New Orleans through interesting countryside. Visits to Canal Street and the French Quarter before travelling to Mobile, Montgomery,

Atlanta and beautiful, colonial Charleston in South Carolina. Changed busses in Richmond VA for colonial Williamsburg - a great place full of interest. Up to Boston for the "Freedom Trail" and the "USS Constitution". Washington came up next with its' White House, Washington Memorial, Lincoln Monument, Jefferson Monument and the Capitol. Not to pass over Union Station which had an uncanny resemblance to Diocletian's baths in Rome (that's Rome, Italy). Washington also had Ford's Theatre and the incomparable Smithsonian Institute full of technological treasure.

Looks like a restored Diocletion's (or was it Caracalla's ) Baths to me

Washington Malcontent

Before we knew it we were back in New York and travelling on the Long Island rail Road back to Glen Head. Sidetrips to Jones Beach, Long Beach and Queens, The Verrazano Narrows Bridge, Staten island, Central Park Zoo and Roosevelt Field.

After 4 weeks on the road on a month's Greyhound pass plus a short de-briefing out on Long Island with the friendly locals it was time to return to Merrie Olde England, London Town, warm Watney's Red Barrel and thrilling Wall's Hot Dogs and the Bakerloo Line.

Jaded Aussie Tourist

Back in the UK -after much shopping at Tesco's, queueing and feeding gas meters we decided we were tired of London Town and planned to return to the Antipodes.