an american dream

“If you’re going to San Francisco…”

notquitecornish — Sat, 29 Nov 2008 02:12:07 +0000

“…and you’re buying drinks, we’ll be there!”

That might not be how the classic song from the 1950s really reads (and it’s not even all that witty) but hell, I’ll gladly take a free pint any day of the week. Especially if I’m up at 2am trying to make sense of visas again!

We’ve decided after another one of our exciting, can’t-it-be-June-already-style chats to attempt to make this incredible city our home for the bulk of our summer! That’s our first destination pencilled in, then. Woop. Our next step: to apply through CCUSA or whoever and get ourselves visas, work and accommodation!

Now, time for the complicated stuff to begin…

A street in San Francisco, somewhere

Grow me a pair o’ wings…

notquitecornish — Thu, 27 Nov 2008 19:36:58 +0000

Fares from London to San Francisco - first glance

Thought I’d get the ball rolling a few inches by taking a look at economy-class prices with Virgin Atlantic, flying from London to San Francisco and back (dates sorta mid June and early September). Doesn’t look too pricey, I’d imagined somewhere closer to £600 tbh!

Credit Crunch

notquitecornish — Thu, 27 Nov 2008 12:12:13 +0000

Well, one of my plans was to try and do some sort of ‘placement’ or ‘internship’ somewhere like Wood’s Hole or Scripps and to keep a bit of a link going to my degree, thinking of the old CV and all that.

Doubt I could make that work, though. Can’t find many schemes and the ones I’ve found don’t seem to fit the dates we’re off, or come under the J1 visa! Nightmaaarishly complicated tbh!

So…thinking now, probably best to stick with the CCUSA ‘work experience’ scheme. Work our balls off, save a packet and enjoy the proceeds for up to 30 days travelling around the USA!

Love how plans can evolve (when it’s for the better, like). This could be one incredible trip!

Mission Objective #2

mcbrenjaw — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 15:56:46 +0000

Seems to be a ‘city at night’ based theme to these as my particular goal is to see Times Square in all its glory. Looks phenomenal i think!

Times Square a la night

I also plan two side missions on my way to NY which will be to catch a game at Fenway and to find Kirsten Dunst and make her realise I’m the man she really wants……..I fancy my odds

Mission Objective #1!

notquitecornish — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 00:40:29 +0000

See that gorgeous panorama at the top o’ the blog? Shamelessly stolen off Google Images, I know! Anyway, that’s San Francisco at sunset sometime in July/August.

The first challenge we’re setting ourselves – other than working out how the hell to get to the USA and find work, of course – is to see that spectacular sight for our own eyes. Then bring back photographic evidence.

Game on!

Making the call…

mcbrenjaw — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 01:14:39 +0000

So this is where the groundwork must begin, doing our research now will inevitably pay off in the long run. Tomorrow i will go on the pursuit of my lecturer Dr Jose Antonio Constantine, a environmental geomorphologist from Santa Barbara, California. This guy is a big cheese over at UCSB and following a brief chat and email I’m told he can help us with places and contacts if we wish to use them. Might turn out he’s just chattin schist but you never know..(I’m sorry, couldn’t resist)

As all scientists would say everything can be made into an equation, the above is no exception…

This Guy

A Bit Of This

Wahey!

Well….maybe not quite this easy but hey would be gneiss (must stop the terrible puns!)

Ciao for now!

Inspiration…

notquitecornish — Sun, 23 Nov 2008 18:20:52 +0000

I’ll be ridiculously chuffed if we make it to the ‘Big Sur’ coastline of California at some stage. Look at that for a view – amazing!

Big Sur coast, California

What’s the big idea?

notquitecornish — Sun, 23 Nov 2008 17:19:26 +0000

Well, quite simple really. Me and my good chum Ben Osborne have wanted to travel across the US of A for many a year but money was always short. Since the heady days of Truro College we’ve drifted apart geographically, and we’re now second years at Uni in Wales – but at opposite ends of the country!

We decided that after a ridiculously wank summer (2008) earning little and gaining nothing, we ought to make 2009 the complete opposite. Would it be possible to earn, learn and spend a month travelling this summer, in America?

The answer, simply enough, seems to be a resounding “Yes!”

So here we are, the beginning of what promises to be an incredible adventure…