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Its all the fault of Roger Moore...
Seeing him in a safari suit when I was a lad dangling from the Sugarloaf in Rio or strolling around the temples of India in the days when the Bond films were served with a large helping of ham and cheese fired my imagination.
I'm lucky enough to live in London. A city that never appears in my top ten top cities because I think it is in a special league of its own. When I moved here in 1994 I made friends with Spanish, Argentinean, Indian, Brazilian and Italians and talking with them made me want to see the world. I am also a devout history and culture obcessive (another reason why I love London) and I read up on a destination before I go. I then appreciate the architecture of the Moghul Emporers, the art deco skyscrapers of New York and the tombs and chapels of the Medicis when I gaze in wonder around Florence.
Travel is one of the things that makes life worthwhile. Exploration of the world is good for the soul and breaks down barriers.
I can never see me giving up roaming the world.
| actonsteve's Travel Blogs and Reviews | ||
| Travel Blogs and Reviews | ||
| Title and Date | Location | |
 | Australia | |
 24 hours on an aeroplane - touchdown in the city of Sydney Sep 05 '05 "sydney" | Sydney, Australia | |
| India | |
India is a blur - arrival in the bustling city of Delhi May 26 '00 "Images jump out at you - moustached old men in stuffy shirts, fruits spread out on a pavement, cries of birds overhead, donkeys weaving their way around people, emaciated cows chewing leaves from rubbish bins," | New Delhi, India | |
A tough day in Connaught Place - where this traveller falls for not one but two scams.. May 27 '00 "A nut brown boy of about ten was following me. My shoes arent dirty. I looked down and there was a glistening brown piece of excreta on my new boots. I groaned I had fallen for the oldest scam in the book." | Delhi Paharganj, New Delhi | |
Shahjanabad - ancient Delhi and its most historical Mosque - the Jamii Masjid May 28 '00 "The great courtyard was colossal - it was about the size of a cricket pitch. The sun was so hot it was covered in cloth so the faithful wouldnt burn their feet on the hot marble." | New Delhi, India | |
 The symbolic heart of India - the epic Red Fort "Babur was not impressed by India, to quote "their women are not pretty, their food vegetarian and the air not cool like the Persian hills" | New Delhi, India | |
Rajasthan - 'Land of Kings' - a hair-raising drive to Pushkar May 29 '00 "and then the 48 miles to Ajmer and Suresh playing a nerveshredding game of dare with oncoming trucks. The road was only two lanes wide and Suresh always wanted to overtake. This went on for hour after hour and with me regretting sitting in the front and him chuckling at my discomfort." | Pushkar, India | |
Being blessed on the holy ghats of Pushkar May 30 '00 "But one memorable thing has to be the sheer number of cows wandering the streets - huge great bulls the size of small cars and it is no laughing matter bumping into them late at night in the cowpat encrusted lanes." | Pushkar, India | |
Jaipur - Pink City of Maharajahs and Elephants May 31 '00 "The last stop was Jaipurs most famous attraction - the Hawa Mahal - the Palace of the winds. It stretches 100ft high into the air so you are forced back to the opposite pavement where stallholders try to get your attention. But as you look up - it is undeniably beautiful." | Jaipur, India | |
Watching the Desert skies - the Jantar Mantar Observatory "It happens outside each attraction and can range from "Sir! You want to buy this postcard!" to strongarm tactics where they nearly get you in a headlock to get you to buy their wares." | Jaipur, India | |
The Amber Fort - the kingdom of the Warrior Rajputs Jun 01 '00 "I stepped inside the cool marble interior. The focus was many armed goddess - an aspect of the goddess Kali. I thought the Amber Fort looked like something out of Indiana Jones and the temple of Doom. This just confirms it." | Amber, Rajasthan | |
Birdsong amongst the marshes - Keoladeo-Ghana NP Jun 02 '00 "The grey heron amused me as the Schwammi loudly proclaimed "all the way from England" and it stood guard over drying pools bubbling with trapped fish. There were numerous cranes, spoonbills and egrets trying to muscle in on the action" | Bharatpur, Rajasthan | |
The Taj Mahal - the most beautiful building in the world? Jun 03 '00 "The gardens around the watercourses were green and verdant and Indian tourists took our picture at Dianas famous bench. You can climb up the plinth to the first platform and enter the mausaleum barefoot. That marble platform has been basking in the hot sun a day and is hot to the bare foot" | Agra, India | |
Ghost city of Emporer Akbar - the ruins of Fatehpur Sikri "So before we hit Agra we stopped off at Fatehpur Sikri which isnt that far from Bharatpur. Once again there was a piranha feeding frenzy as I emerged from the car for my custom. Postcards, knives and souvenirs were aggressively shoved under my nose and each was vying to be my guide" | Agra, India | |
A close second to the Taj - the spectacular Agra Fort Jun 04 '00 "My favourite was Musamman Burj with an octagonal tower extending from the ramparts and the pavilions were supported by curved columns and latticed walls. Its an enchanting place where you can see in you minds eye nautch dancers and an emporer reclining on cushions laden with jewells." | Agra, India | |
Dinner with the Kashmiri brothers - a day of relaxation in Delhi Jun 05 '00 "But this is the way to do Delhi. Sitting in a sweaty hotel room being hassled by touts every day is the hard way of doing it. But you are constantly learning with India. You may be OK slumming it in other countries but India its nice to have abti of cosseting to soothe those frayed nerves." | New Delhi, India | |
High in the Himalayas - the hill station of Nainital Jun 06 '00 "I also had a very British moment - sitting drinking sweet milky tea dunking my biscuits with the rian splattering down outside? How British is that?" | Nainital, Uttaranchal | |
Waiting for a break in the monsoon - the grimy truckstop of Ramnager Jun 07 '00 "An Indian professor and his family were there and engaged me in conversation. He had taught in London, I asked him what he thought about it? Just like here - crowded and full of Indians was his answer. I rather liked that." | Ramnagar, Uttar Pradesh | |
Looking for tigers in the rain - the Corbett NP Jun 08 '00 "built on a concrete tower in the middle of the stream is a Schwammi temple. Its marooned on a rock forty feet high with a set of steps leading up to it with a Krishna temple at its peak." | Corbett National Park, Uttaranchal | |
The monsoon ordeal continues - tough drive from Ramnager to Rishikesh Jun 09 '00 "But we did find someone to pull us across. Suresh took off his trousers and turned off the engine. I took off my shoes and socks and brought up my feet onto the seat. As we progressed the water came up over the windows" | Haridwar, India | |
The sun comes out - the holy Meditation centre on the Ganges Jun 10 '00 "Mango orchards roll down to the river and on one brick wall was a monkey of advanced age. He was absolutely colossal and was a favourite of a number of wiry bearded pungent sadhus" | Rishikesh, Uttaranchal | |
Back down to Delhi and a return to Sundar Nagar Jun 11 '00 "Someone said to me in Ramnager - "you have an academic mind Steve, not a spiritual one..". This is true I am more impressed by the views of the Ganges then the idol of Vishnu at the temple" | Meerut, Uttar Pradesh | |
Viva Espanya! From Castile to Catalunya..... Sep 06 '99 | Spain | |
Move over Almodovar - my arrival in Madrid Sep 06 '99 "I could throw open my shuttered window to reveal a balcony looking on to the street. Below me were excitable madrileno youth, bustiling old women, gays and old men who have lived in Cheuca for generations" | Madrid, Spain | |
Madrid del los Austrias - or how the other Royal half live... Sep 07 '99 "Its not every day you get to see a real live 'Throne Room' and it was a real explosion of baroque - glittering chandaliers, brown and gold decor, ornate tapestries.." | Madrid, Madrid | |
the Thyssen Bornemiszas museum "The pink palace of world art - the Thyssen Bornemiszas museum" | Madrid, Madrid | |
El Escorial - the dark palace of devout Catholic Spain Sep 08 '99 "But somehow, despite all this light, the darkness still seems to be there. There is a chill in the dark corners where the sunshine doesnt reach." | Madrid, Spain | |
The hedonism of Madrids gay quarter "The decadence of La Movida - the 24hr nightlife of Cheuca and Malasana.." | Madrid, Spain | |
The world of Velasquez and Goya - The Prado - Madrids premier tourist attraction Sep 09 '99 "skeletal horse is riden at full pelt by a skeleton wielding a scythe and a dog is chewing a baby. Gruesome, macabre and fascinating in equal measure." | Madrid, Spain | |
The heart of Castile - the winding medieval city of Toledo Sep 10 '99 "Toledo holds the very essence of Spain. The Castilean atmosphere is so strong I can hear Rodrigos "Concerto do Arunjuez" floating over the red tiled rooftops." | Toledo, Spain | |
The Alcazar - ferocious battleground of the civil war "The museum still has a pro-Franco slant but is absolutely fascinating telling the story of what must have been a harrowing ordeal." | Toledo, Spain | |
Let the train take the strain...RENFE down to Barcelona.. Sep 11 '99 "and got my first look at Barcelona. Very impressive - a rectangular grid of streets overlooked by cream coloured apartment blocks and dotted with palms" | Barcelona, Spain | |
Strolling La Ramblas - the most famous street in Spain Sep 12 '99 "Once in a while you visit a city and curse you were not born one of its inhabitants. Barcelona is one such city." | Barcelona, Spain | |
The enchanting musical fountains of 'Font Magica' "The sound and light show at Montjuic - a concert set to a fountain.." | Barcelona, Spain | |
Letting it all hang out on the decadent beaches of Sitges... Sep 13 '99 "its full of white washed villas, hidden courtyards, hidden courtyards and streetsigns in the guise of colourful tiles. And of course it is gay - ye gods, is it gay?" | Sitges, Spain | |
Gaudi goes bonkers! - La Sagrada Familia "The towers here are more complete - more ornate with splashes of colour and an ornate rocklike texture." | Sitges, Spain | |
Montjuic - Hill of the jews - where the Olympics float over Barcelona.. Sep 14 '99 "That is what makes Barcelona so great it has a real tradition of modern art. It combines it in architecture and urban planning. The only place I have seen do this as success is Paris." | Barcelona, Spain | |
How can one city pick the wrong side so many times? The Museu de Catalunya "Homage to Catalonia - the Museu de Catalunya" | Barcelona, Spain | |
A mugging in the morning - the other side to sunny Barcelona.. Sep 15 '99 "Tourists amble along the medieval lanes while old gnarled long-term inhabitants go about their business - the two inhabit in an uneasy truce." | Barcelona, Spain | |
Farewell to Catalonia - my last day in the city of Barcelona Sep 16 '99 "And the Spanish themselves - exuberant and noisy on the Puerto del Sol on a Saturday night but also rather introverted, refined and polite." | Barcelona, Spain | |
| Thailand | |
Flying to Thailand - the adventures in Bangkok start here Sep 27 '98 "I got a look at the city - boys riding tandem on motorbikes, microsoft showrooms and yellow saffron robed monks waited at bus stops." | Bangkok, Thailand | |
"The King and I" the gaudy colourful Grand Palace and Wat Phrao Keow Temple Sep 28 '98 "Ahead was a mountain of gold - at its summit is a greenstone impish looking statue of the Buddha. The Buddha is so holy only the king can change his clothes in a ceremony once a year" | Bangkok Metropolis, Krung Thep | |
The Khao San Road - Bangkoks backpackerland - where are the Thais? "South east Asias mini ghetto for backpackers.." | Bangkok Metropolis, Krung Thep | |
Wat Pho - The temple of the Reclining Buddha and the sublime Wat Arun Sep 29 '98 "The actual monks can be seen all over the compound - heads shaven, barefoot and dressed in bright orange robes" | Bangkok, Thailand | |
Searching for Scaramanga - a longtail tour of the canals of Thonburi "A longtail tour of the canals of Thonburi" | Bangkok, Thailand | |
Steamy Katchanaburi - 'The Bridge over the River Kwai' Sep 30 '98 "Spanning the 50ft of the Kwai river is a metal bridge held up by decaying concrete columns" | Kanchanaburi, Thailand | |
The Garden of Eden - Waterfalls and jungle at the Erawan NP Oct 01 '98 "The third waterfall was framed by jungle vegetation - tree roots, branches and creeping lianas" | Kanchanaburi, Thailand | |
Taking the backroads of Central Thailand - the bus to Suphanburi Oct 02 '98 "The road was full of feral mangy dogs and several followed and growled at me." | Suphanburi, Thailand | |
Ayutthaya - the spectacular ruins of a long vanished empire Oct 03 '98 "entire city (about three miles square) is one great archaeological site." | Ayutthaya, Thailand | |
Chiang Mai - the Shangri-La of the exotic Thai north Oct 04 '98 "Some city walls are still standing such as the Thae Pae gate and the old town is full of clean small roads designed almost for wandering. I" | Chiang Mai, Thailand | |
Mad dogs and Englishmen go out in the midday sun - and the delights of Thai massage.. Oct 05 '98 "Thai girl cover my feet in sweet smelling oil. Every time I moaned or groaned she giggled (?)" | Chiang Mai, Thailand | |
Hill tribe trek day #1 - climbing up and elephant riding.. Oct 06 '98 "We were staying with a Karen family with father, baby and mother who was working on her loom and their extended family of dogs, cockerells, hens and tethered pigs" | Chiang Mai Province, Thailand | |
Elephant riding outside Chiang Mai "The view of the creatures great leathery head was in front of us and there was a trick keeping your feet away from the flapping ears." | Chiang Mai Province, Thailand | |
Hill tribe trek #2 - the way down and bamboo rafting Oct 07 '98 "It was ten miles of trail over very difficult terrain. Most of it solid jungle with 100% humidity" | Chiang Mai Province, Thailand | |
Punting with a difference - navigating the river on a bamboo raft "The exhilaration of a narrow raft whooshing down the rapids is terrific. The" | Chiang Mai Province, Thailand | |
Putting my feet up - catching my breath in lovely Chiang Mai Oct 08 '98 "I did have an excursion today and treated myself to a superb Thai meal before heading off to the DK bookstore to replenish my holiday reading" | Chiang Mai, Thailand | |
Leaving the north - Thai railways south to Bangkok Oct 09 '98 "By 1.15pm I noticed to my horror we had arrived at the town of Uttaradit which is a tiny city at the edge of the north" | Bangkok, Thailand | |
The island of Phuket - Pearl of the Andaman sea... Oct 10 '98 "The landscape was peppered with them making it look like a Chinese watercolour" | Phuket, Thailand | |
That tropical sun beats down - a day on Kata Yai Beach Oct 11 '98 "Its been a very tiring couple of days and a beach and a book are perfect together" | Phuket, Thailand | |
The city of sin in the daylight - Patong Beach Oct 12 '98 "I wanted a look at the nightlife to see if it is as awful as rumoured and poked my nose into the go-go bars and nightclubs" | Phuket, Thailand | |
Returning to Bangkok - nightbus from Surat Thani Oct 13 '98 "An incredible sight was occuring in the opposite lane. A raging torrent of yellow water 2ft deep tore downhill hitting cars and trucks alike. It" | Surat Thani, Surat Thani Province | |
The final day - the excitement of the capital Oct 14 '98 "The treasure on display were excellent but I still felt like the incredible melting man due to the lack of aircondtioning" | Bangkok, Thailand | |
| Europe | |
Hovercraft to Calais and then on to 'The City of Light' May 07 '96 "There was the Seine and Ile de la Cite lit up in the darkness. Before I knew it I was across the bridge and staring up at the facade of Notre Dame Cathedral." | Paris, France | |
A gargoyles view of Paris from Notre Dame then Monsieur Eiffels famous creation.. May 08 '97 "His conquests are carved into the walls (I noticed Waterloo and Trafalgar were absent) and the whole thing came across as a massive monument to ego." | Paris, France | |
The Tour Eiffel - the biggest tourist cliche of them all.. "This is urban planning on an epic scale. Everything lined up and beautiful like a work of art." | Paris, France | |
Realm of the superich - The Louvre, the Passages and the stylish shops of Paris May 09 '97 "Off this is another famous street Rue Faubourg St Honore which drips with designer shops - Hermes, Lagerfeld, Gautier and Yves St Laurent" | Paris, France | |
The Louvre - the best art gallery in the world.. "My tastes tended towards the dark paintings such as the 'Raft of the Medusa' or an oversize portrait of people trying to escape the deluge" | Paris, France | |
From the heights of Montmatre to the buzz of the Champs Elysee May 10 '97 "Montmatre descends is a charming area. Rue de Saules took me down cobbled streets, past white overhanging houses, brassieres" | Paris, France | |
Napoleons monstrous monument to power - the Arc de Triomphe and Bois de Bologne "but I strayed into a section inhabited by wild haired women in leggings. These were the famous Brazilian transvestite prostitutes I'd read about" | Paris, France | |
The palace of the Sun King - the glory that is Versailles May 11 '97 "his bedroom was decked with gold and white material. It was here that the regimented court protocol took place with courtiers vying for a place to wait attendance on the king" | Versailles, France | |
Nights out in the medieval quarter - the gay nightlife of Le Marais. "Most are not exactly Edith Piaf but that it part of the fun and most enter into the spirit." | Versailles, France | |
Artists and Interllectuals - how does the Latin Quartier really measure up? May 12 '97 "aware for the last twenty minutes in the build up of unshaven slovenly acne covered youngsters carrying packs and smoking gauloises in packs at every cafe I passed" | Paris, France | |
Flying to Austria - the beginning of exploring Middle Europe May 13 '97 "Heaven probably looks like this city on the Danube - great sprawling palaces, topiared gardens, baroque statues and a population polite, wealthy and respectable." | Vienna, Austria | |
Vienna - City of Imperial Nostalgia - the centre of Empire May 14 '97 "A city the size of Manchester, with the elegance of Paris with the inhabitants of Royal Tunbridge Wells." | Vienna, Austria | |
The Hofburg - Palace of the Austrian Emporers and the whiff of the Spanish Riding School "a man who reigned Austria- Hungary for 68 years and for everyone of those 68 years he had boiled beef for lunch every day." | Vienna, Austria | |
Schonbrunn Palace - Baroque retreat of Empress Maria Theresa May 15 '97 "a great sweep of mustard coloured rococco wings overlooking a gurgling statue and fountain" | Vienna, Austria | |
The Living Daylights - The Prater Amusement Park and Ferris Wheel "I needed a fix of a different Vienna. A Vienna that lets its hair down and shows its roots" | Vienna, Austria | |
In and around Schwarzenbergerplatz -the Belvedere Palace and Linke Weizelle May 16 '97 "have found Vienna a very dificult city to crack. its wonderfully refined and clean, but maybe thats the problem." | Vienna, Austria | |
The 2.15pm train from Westbahnhof to Budapests Keleti-Pu May 17 '97 "Igen!" she cried "Forty years under the communists! I never want to see another statue!" The memories must still be fresh for her generation" | Budapest, Hungary | |
Fishermans Bastion, Lion statues and wine gushing fountains on Castle Hill May 18 '97 "Communist leader, king/Emporer, Ottoman Vizier or Fascist Admiral have all made their headquarters here." | Buda, Budapest | |
The Budapest History museum - the rough and tumble times of the city on the Danube "I get the feeling Budapest is shaking its head after a long groggy sleep and rengaging with itself to rebuild its confidence." | Buda, Budapest | |
Across the river in Pest - Opera House, Danube and a tragic Synagogue May 19 '97 "Theres also a black stone monument nearby to the 1956 uprising in Budapest which the Russians crushed with tanks." | Pest, Budapest | |
The final day in Budpest and the 9.15pm from Keleti-Pu May 20 '97 "This one had a statue of a set of mounted wicked looking magyar tribesmen. Keeping with the Transylvannian feel is Vajadunjad Castle" | Buda, Budapest | |
Arrival in Prague - an explosian of baroque on the Vlatava May 21 '97 "The colours of the city are astonishing - yellow, white, red, light mauve and the emerald green of vegetation all mixing together" | Prague, Czech Republic | |
Hradcany Castle - the heart and soul of Prague May 22 '97 "The sky above me was like a medieval vision of hell - all boiling clouds and rumbling thunder." | Prague, Czech Republic | |
'Our Lady of Loreto' - the loveliest church in Prague "stepped through and it was like entering another world. The trail descended a colossal green vale through the centre of Prague" | Prague, Czech Republic | |
Prague at its most glittering - Staromanske Namesti and the jewish cemetery May 23 '97 "The southern side is made up of houses painted yellow, pink and light blue containing restaurants and cafes" | Prague, Czech Republic | |
The darker side to Prague - the Old Jewish cemetery "the whole place had an eerie air. The feeling was perpetuated by the cawing of rooks in the trees overhead." | Prague, Czech Republic | |
Praha Hladi Nadrazi - the 1.15pm train back to Sudbahnof Wien May 24 '97 "When I was growing up in the eighties images of Eastern Europe were on the whole negative" | Vienna, Austria | |
| North America | |
The starting gun goes off! Across the border from Mexico and into El Paso Nov 04 '92 "The visa clerk eventually whispered my name and gave me back my passport. I got another three months and now had to sprint for the border crossing!" | El Paso, Texas | |
Going Underground - Whites City and the Carlsbad Caverns NP Nov 05 '92 "where summer audiences gape at bats spilling out of the caves in their thousands for their night feed" | Whites City, New Mexico | |
Through the deserts of New Mexico to the charming adobe city of Albuqurque Nov 06 '92 "the two on the bus pointed out the Mescalero Apache reservation not far away. Apaches eh? Thats impressive" | Albuquerque, New Mexico | |
Encounters with Red Indians - the Bandalier NM and San Ildefonso Pueblo Nov 07 '92 "while a pickup truck drove slowly to intercept us. Out stepped a tribal police office who was none too pleased with us. We had trespassed on the San Ildefonso pueblo and taken pictures of sacred land without permission" | Santa Fe, New Mexico | |
Anasazi Indian country - the atmospheric and historic city of Santa Fe Nov 08 '92 "Mystics, new age acolytes and just plain hippies come here to be near the spirituality of the native americans" | Santa Fe, New Mexico | |
High up in the Sangre de Cristos - the exotic Taos Pueblo Nov 09 '92 "More interesting were the pueblo dogs. Stray dogs in America are a very rare thing - almost unheard of in the regimented cities - but in this pueblo they ran free" | Taos, New Mexico | |
The Palace of the Governors - the oldest building in the United States Nov 10 '92 "And the plaza in the 1870s had native americans sitting on its fringes just as it does today." | Santa Fe, New Mexico | |
Returning to Albuquerque - TN&O bus down from the mountains Nov 11 '92 "Santa Fe looked stunning in the snow. It hangs on the contours and niches of the adobe buildings making them look absolutely enchanting and covers the parked cars in a blanket" | Albuquerque, New Mexico | |
San Felipe de Neri and hanging Chillies - Albuquerque Old Town Nov 12 '92 "Also was the 'rattlesnake museum' which was a giftshop with a couple of lethargic serpents in glass tanks" | Albuquerque, New Mexico | |
The 'Hell Bus' to Flagstaff - crossing into Arizona Nov 13 '92 "Seven hours of kids running up and down and people being rude to one another. I vowed never to travel Greyhound again" | Flagstaff, Arizona | |
The most stunning sight in North America - the mighty GRAND CANYON Nov 14 '92 "Bright Angel canyon is more prominent and visible from this point. You can even see the Colorado river snake its way through the maze tens of miles away." | Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona | |
Descending into the Grand Canyon - the vertiginous Bright Angel Trail Nov 15 '92 "But I was getting tired and the last hour had me gasping and sweating as I put one tired foot in front of another. Imagine what it is like in summer" | Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona | |
A day in Flagstaff - cycling to Walnut Canyon Nov 16 '92 "We dismounted and had a look and it was dozens of tiny tarantulas crossing the track on mass." | Flagstaff, Arizona | |
Crossing the California/Nevada Desert - Amtrak to Las Vegas Nov 17 '92 "The train approached on a great curve and the whole of Las Vegas was lit up - pulsating and glittering as the train glides in." | Las Vegas, Nevada | |
Spin that wheel! Roll 'em dice! High living in Las Vegas! Nov 18 '92 "Even at ten in the morning there were gangs of old ladies clutching buckets of quarters shovelling them into the machines" | Las Vegas, Nevada | |
Caesars Palace and Excalibur - Las Vegas gets more and more ostentatious Nov 19 '92 "So, limping and heavy bellied I made my way up the other end of the 'Strip' to Fremont Street - the neon wonderland that is 'Old Las Vegas'." | Las Vegas, Nevada | |
9.30am 'The Desert Wind' Amtrak to Los Angeles Nov 20 '92 "he had been going to Vegas for years and knew the city when proper gangsters ran it" | Los Angeles, California | |
Reaching for that little piece of stardust - the tour of Los Angeles Nov 21 '92 "Georgios of Beverley Hills which was very upmarket boutique containing dresses not less then $1000. The owner was a friend of Ronald Reagan and Madonna" | Hollywood, California | |
Skateboarders, surfers and crazies - an afternoon on the Venice Beach boardwalk Nov 22 '92 "One act was particularly memorable. He juggled live chainsaws" | Venice, California | |
Leaving reality for the day - Mickey Mouse and Cinderellas Castle Nov 23 '92 "Disneyland deserted? How rare is that?" | Anaheim, California | |
"I'm ready for my close-up now Mr DeMille.." - Universal Studios Nov 24 '92 "I wanted to see more of the process ie the writers, directors, actors etc. But that is all done behind close doors. D" | Universal City, California | |
The 12.05pm Amtrak to San Diego Nov 25 '92 "It almost encapsulates America in one city. I can think of no other country on earth that would create a Los Angeles." | San Diego, California | |
Ah, that Californian lifestyle - a day at sunny Mission Beach Nov 26 '92 "There was a bohemian air with Indian mantra music wafting over the sound of the sea and the caw of gulls." | Mission Beach, California | |
The US Fleet is in... San Diego harbour and downtown Nov 27 '92 "looked at the trainers in the window with envy. I've had the ones I have on for seven months and they are beginning to whiff." | San Diego, California | |
Thanksgiving with Grizzly bears and Meercats - the San Diego zoo Nov 28 '92 "The kitchen is enormous with a counter that stretched for 15ft and electric frying pans - I've never seen such things before" | San Diego, California | |
How the other half live - mixing with the millionaires in chi-chi La Jolla Nov 29 '92 "I was impressed not to say a little intimidated. La Jolla is chic;" | La Jolla, California | |
Climbing into the high Sierras - the spectacular Yosemite NP Nov 30 '92 "To get to the falls you have to clamber over car-sized boulders which are as slippery as ice. But once you are under the falls your neck strains up to spot the water pour down 1,500ft with a thunderous roar" | Fresno, California | |
Hiking to Vernal Falls - America at its most awesome at Yosemite Dec 01 '92 "On the way out of the park we stopped to view awesome Bridalveil Falls which gushed off the opposite valley and the mighty El Capitan which rises 3000ft above the valley floor" | Yosemite National Park, California | |
City on the edge of the Western Hemisphere - romantic San Francisco Dec 02 '92 "I liked Nob Hill, I even like the name Nob Hill - it reeks of resentment of 'old money' where those with dollars lived on the heights and looked down on those down on the Barbary Coast or North Beach" | San Francisco, California | |
The backpackers of Alcatraz and lively Fishermans Wharf Dec 03 '92 "At one point they ask you to go into a cell and shut the door and remain there for a minute. With just the sound effect of a coin being flicked against a wall again and again" | San Francisco, California | |
A View to a Kill - the Golden Gate Bridge Dec 04 '92 "Those red cables soar 300ft feet above you and the red/orange colour saturates everything. They must have a little factory in the Sierra Nevadas turning out continuous paint for this bridge." | San Francisco, California | |
Attack of the Clones - the North Beach and the famous Castro Dec 05 '92 "Castro Street is south of Harvey Milk Plaza and is lined with restaurants, bars, grocery stores, a police station, lawyers, bookshops, and funeral parlours" | San Francisco, California | |
My first steps of going home - the end of the travels in the 'American West' Dec 06 '92 "The things I have seen have been out of this world - Yosemite, the Golden Gate, the Taos Pueblo, the Grand Canyon and the madness of Las Vegas. The" | Oakland, California | |
