---- karuna and marg - stress to surf side ---
so we've made it as far as SAN DIEGO - after a brain screaming moment this morning when eyes set on watch saaying 8 WHAT????? 8????WE'RE MEANT TO LEAVE AT 8!!! me cussing and bash gets one back at the two noisy piss head kids who're having a 3 day break from GIRL SCOUT CAMP duty - near death moment for them in the wee hours narrowly avoided...
so dash out the door and wake up Karuna with a fist punchging the door BANG BANG BANG IT'S 8 OCLOCK!~!! [the chic was meant to wake me up...]
no shower, no tea, just bag, checkout, cab, bart, airport, LA
Then LA to San Diego on a lovely seaside train
and literally 30 seconds too late for tourist office to help us get times for buses from tijuana to la paz... the bbitch shoved crappy leaflets through the door -didn't even open to say 'hi' so we found our way to TOP BANANA OCEAN BEACH HOSTEL. Have abandoned Karuna to some DRINKING GAME with irish boys and unbelievably stereotypically gorgeous norwegian gals - am venturing to the sea a block down.

--- distraction---
we've decided to stay here another night then head down baja on wednesday ... la paz is a 22 hour bus ride. nice.

--- rock! and ping pong ---

had a somewhat convaluted adventure last night that involved a scottish bird called JACK who is the MASCOT at a bar over the road, that has a DOORMAN called Edie who gave us his card - it said: ED - STAND UP COMEDIAN, and said we should show the card to GUIDO at the BOTTOM OF THE HILL [live music venue we were heading to] and say we knew him.
We were reckoning bottom of the hill was indie toons, and so when we arrive and see a sad queue of hopeless kids for sold out gig, we reckon, ok yeh, we'll ask for guido and show him Eddie's card and see what happens.
So we GET IN!
And discover that in fact we are surrounded by black clad hair hanging in face, serious business METAL HEADS and the band is hard grind misery...
but it's all good and we have a plan b and tootle up the road to a cracking indie rock bar afterwards with live acts and a PATIO with PING PONG! called THEE PARKSIDE.

--- tomorrow - baja ---
Am heading to Baja, mexico tomorrow - a little spot down south called La Paz.
May not get a lot of access to email for a while, not sure. Will be back in San Fran 18 Aug. Sweet smell of Corona and sea and chillis and sand and things
buenos noches

the hippie bus tour group shot in parking lot of Excalibar casino, las vegas

/san francisco - part 2/

--- sunday gig! ---
Fell out of that bus on Sunday afternoon, showered and headed out for dinner in Chinatown [2 minutes from hostel] with other leftover tour group kids. Midway wolfing down vege tofu stirfry delight, recalled that the RACONTEURS were meant to be playing that night.
Gig guide hastily consulted, money slapped on table, taxi hailed, ticket haggled from tout for KID YOU NOT $20! and into the sweetest little theatre - bit like mini-brixton academy or forum - tiny and well behaved just in time for the band walking on. ROCK!!!! In addition to all guitar grindingly good songs, they did a cover of Crazy, and Bang, bang.

--- Monday beach ---
Woke up to see a small Japanese face peering round the bedroom door. The guy blinks and says he's looking for a girl who said she wanted to go to the beach with him. A girl on the top bunk groans and says she's not up for it any more. My fog is clearing... BEACH? WHEN? HOW?
So next thing I'm up and heading to BAKER BEACH with Yuya, and his buddy Nej from turkey in their car which has no seats at the back, just a platform with cushions - they are gearing it out for a roadtrip, and stop to inspect turfed out carpets and mattresses en route. Up San Fran sunny steep hills and down dale, with 'Sunshine reggae' bopping on the cd player. The beach is the bomb, just 10 minutes drive away, next to the Golden Gate Bridge which is swamped in mist with only it's top tips showing. Sun and swim and snooze then genius idea of using a public beach BBQ for lunch - race to get charcol and stash of steak, chicken drumsticks, french loaf and blue cheese, avocado and watermelon. TOO GOOD

--- the long walk to Presidio, Golden Gate Bridge on to Saulsolito ---
It started off with the idea of going to see the national cemetery and PET CEMETERY [amazing] in the Presidio area, which is a picturesque distance going along the marina and past what seemed to me the Umhlanga Rocks of the city...
then continued on to cross the GOLDEN GATE BRIDGE with wind billowing, heavy with fog - cyclists tooting their bells and cars zooming by...
Then another mile or so and I had curved down around to the little quaint port town of Saulsolito and sat down on a deck of a restaurant on the bay, blue water stretching out towards the misty Alcatraz and San Fran in the distance. Got a DINKY OF BUBBLY and a too tasty grilled SALMON sandwhich and had happy thoughts cos I knew there was a FERRY to take me back.

--- jaeger bombs and slow day ---
So last night was out on the town with belguim burlesque dancer sindy and after vodkas with barely a whiff of cranberry I ended up back at the hostel getting out the JAEGER BOMB stash that I brought back from the bus trip. Have been feeling ROUGH AS SOCKS all day:- special treat of sharing dorms is getting woken up early by noisy korean chics packing and repacking their bags full of fresh as a daisy chipper chatter...so have been making up for it with lot of NAPPING - Took my towel to the Union Square park and watched the old chinese folk doing their tai chi stretches, and the deadwish pigeons swooping dogs and drunk park benchers chatting, guitar jangling in the background. zzzz.

--- furthur ---
Early night for me maybe. Booking flights to LA - the current fantasty: go to La Paz, BAJA for 2 week vacation.

on the bus

on the bus
Originally uploaded by youmook.

See top left - that's one of the upper sleeping bunks/baggage compartments.

zion - angel landing hike

zion - angel landing hike
Originally uploaded by youmook.

didn't quite make it to Angel Landing - got vertigo spun out after half an hour of squirrelling up bare rock face clutching at metal chains. Still - amazing views

the vegas family who got off the train

the vegas family who got off the train
Originally uploaded by youmook.

it was 11.30am and I sat down at this Grand Canyon hotel bar terrace to write a few postcards... not for long.
Got whisked up with this fantastic family that blew in on the canyon train [they had been oiling up in the bar carriage en route] and spent the afternoon laughing and making a racket over gins, tequila!, sex on the beach [their all-american recommendation].
Very nearly took them up on their offer of a free seat back on the train to Williams and a ride to Vegas for pool parties, but managed to stagger back my campsite and collapse eventually.
[go to flickr site for more pics]

hiking back up the grand canyon

hiking back up the canyon
Originally uploaded by youmook.

gooseneck sunrise

gooseneck sunrise
Originally uploaded by youmook.

/ 16 days hippie bus tour /

--- it begins ---
We set off at about 7pm from San Fran on the Friday, drive thru the night and arrive at sun-up in THE MIDDLE OF NOWHERE desert place for a breakfast stop.

Clearly NO TOILETS in site.

Jimi [the lead bus driver] instructs us with glee that there's a SPADE that needs christening - some poor bastards had to use it. People scatter to find a bit of scrub to squat behind all bleary eyed and beginning to grasp what this trip might hold.

Turns out we had stopped at this spot for a reason. There were two natural HOT SPRINGS fed into large tubs. And we discover two harley BIKERS camped out beside one of the tubs. [Apparently I missed the older bearded biker geezer taking his morning bath and shooting the breeze from the edge of the tub buck-naked with a fag.] Took a very satisfying morning bathe in the super hot water and then we fixed breakfast - which was the first of many TOO TASTY culinary affairs.


--- "sleeping" ---

I think I averaged about 3/4 HOURS a night on this trip. As Jimi kept reiterating, 'YOU CAN SLEEP WHEN YOU'RE DEAD', and it was ALL GOOD. I got in a lot of SUNRISES saw a lot of scenery rolling by and managed to take advantage of all the TRUCK TOILET STOPS in the wee hours.

On the drive thru' nights we slept ON THE BUS.
You can check out some of the pics on my flickr - but basically the bus is converted from benches facing each other into platform. The cushions come up, wooden panels flips out and cushions are replaced to make sleeping area. The process of making this happen was called THE MIRACLE - as it involved disappearing everyone's shoes, luggage, crap which folk were not keen on being parted from.
In addition, running down both sides of the bus above the benches are hanging bays which are beds that double up as luggage compartments during the day. I slept up there once, a cosey experience.

Sleeping on the bus was only possible while moving, with air con running. When stationery, the bus turned into a SAUNA, and was not desirable. Hence on many nights, in many beautiful places, we CAMPED OUT under the stars.
This was supposed to involve us lying on the bus mattresses spread on a tarp - but most times I ended up on the tarp SANS MATTRESS [when the group expanded in size to 34, it was first comes first served on the mattress front], on one occassion a metal picnic table was the only place. Very special.

The other VERY SPECIAL thing as far as not sleeping goes was the SNORING. I think my hardest times were few occassions that I lay awake in desparate AGONY surrounded by a chorus of snoring - the one guy had a MICROPHONE up his nose man, and a SICK BEAR in his throat.

--- some highlights ---
- HIKING the Tetons, Yellowstone, Zion, Bryce CAnyon, Arches National Park, Gooseneck and Grand Canyon - all very different and awe inspiring. The pictures don't even begin to do it justice.
- spotting a BLUEBIRD in Yellowstone first think in the morning, and watching elk wander around the sleeping-bagged bodies.
- ANIMAL SPOTTING elk, moose, bison, deer, chipmunks [sadly no bear]
- waking up in the car park on the edge of the great SALT LAKE and watching the sun come up with a purring marina cat on my lap. The sky all blushing pink, tangerine, and egg shell blue.
- Hiking halfway down the GRAND CANYON one evening and lying awake with mice and lizards and stars - then catching the sun and seeing the silver COLORADO RIVER in the morning before the steep hike back up.
- giant stainless steel bowls of freshly cut FRUIT SALAD every morning with hippie granola and GLOOPY cinnamon flavored yoghurt.
- SWIMMING!! all the time, pulling over at rivers, lakes, resevoirs. An evening at CHICO HOT SPRINGS - which was a swimming pool, but hot - and they served you slushy margaritas to be sipped in the pool. TUBING down one river, WHITE WATER RAFTING down another, etc etc.
- drinking Sarah from Scotland's concoction of SWEET CAVA WITH STRAWBERRIES and chewing the fat
- tinkering with ROULETTE and SLOTS in VEGAS
- SUN SUN SUN - i think the rain visited us once

--- hippie bus tour ---
Jimi brought with us the beatnik hippie spirit: recited ginsberg's SUNFLOWER SUTRA around the campfire, instructed us on the history of WAVY GRAVY and WOODSTOCK, including the all important invention of GRANOLA. And also wore a super pair of retro flare jeans.

'is it harshing your mellow dude?'

andrea in front of her painting

andrea - painter
Originally uploaded by youmook.

exhibition opening a the Shooting Gallery

marg on telegraph hill

marg on telegraph hill
Originally uploaded by youmook.

taking in the views of san fran

robert and magnus - the swedish massive

robert and magnus - the swedish massive
Originally uploaded by youmook.

at some hippie joint on haight street that never did manage to make the stuff we ordered

see their blog for pic of the up rock lesson

/ some back story... 2 weeks back in san fran /

--- the hostel ---
I had the special experience of being on the TOP BUNK in one of the 2xbunk bed girls' rooms. Every night was a MIRCALE that i got myself up in the dark and everymorning SHOCK AND PAIN when I bashed my head into the ceiling. Have requested lower bunk for subsequent bookings.

There's a massive common area referred to as the BALLROOM - where people congregate drink and smoke hooker pipes and yes, PLAY DRUMS AND GUITAR. The hippie tour goes from strength to strength.

For those of you wondering about/ wincing at the thought of communal WASHING AND TOILET situation - the hostel is easy like, with lots of separate shower + toilet rooms on each floor. [the hippie bus toiur on the other hand was another story - more on that later]

--- the swedish massive ---
I met BORAT AND MAGNUS from STOCKHOLM in the hostel 'ballroom' common area and spent much of the evening playing poker for coppers and quarters over WHISKEY AND LAGER.
Dragged them to GOLDEN GATE PARK, tripping over scag heads and glaze-eyed tramps to see the botanic gardens and De Young art museum (amazing building!!); played PING PONG in the Urban Outfitters downtown [wonderful discovery of a ping pong table]; left hand drank Coronas on Haight Street and listened to appalling 'blues' in the Saloon.
Borat attempted to teach me some 'up rock';
they both mocking my accent and particularly finding the pronunciation of 'banana' amusing.

--- friend on a train and galleries ---
I met ANDREA from VANCOUVER on the train coming down to SF - she's a painter and was travelling down for her exhbition opening at the SHOOTING GALLERY. I have some pics from the night, will try get them up.
Her dog is called Chi Chi - and for those who have / plan to watch XMen 3, she and her dog star as extras.

Saw the Mat Barney exhibition at the SoMOMA which was too good, will be going back for round two.

--- to be continued ---
will be back to jot a few words on the crazy good hippie bus tour, which I've just got back from) tomorrow maybe after i've finished luxuriating in the relative cool temperatures of SF [heatwave of 32degrees] and cleanliness of fresh shower and washed hair [it's been a while dude]

---- pit stop ---
am in vegas on line for a few seconds
midway through HIPPIE BUS TOUR
and 14 more people have just got on
it's going to be special
clothes are all DIRTY - bought some KIZZ (as in the band) UNDERWEAR from a pound shop in UTAH yesterday
off to ZION for hiking
crazy business

---- trainspace ---
so that 5pm train set off at 7.30
and the 7am arrival time in SF
was 15.00pm.
the most ridiculously SCENIC ride, might've been why it kept stopping all the time. [including snow-capped mountains, lakes, pink sunset, bay coastline, photos will follow sometime]
Drank CORONA into the wee hours in the sightseer coach with earphones plugged in, as sleep was unlikely.
Had the special pleasure of the geriatric beside me breaking into full throttle SNORE.
met a lovely tattooed artist from canadia whose show i'm going to check out on thursday night

--- and now ---
am stationed in hostel spot. Have been allocated the TOP BUNK of a two bunkbed room
all SHOWERED and fresh and going to find something to look at.
4 JULY FIREWORKS tonight
[oo yeh, happy birthday dave]

a round tuit

a round tuit
Originally uploaded by youmook.

Jim and Becky's house, Veneta, Oregon

houseoutside
Originally uploaded by youmook.

Where I've been staying much of the last two weeks. Many hours sat in the yard with book looking at bluejays.

jim & becky at the dixie diner

jim & becky at the dixie diner
Originally uploaded by youmook.

--- leaving town ---
Waved goodbye to my hosts in Veneta: Jim and Becky [see pic of us in Dixie DINER yesterday - I had PANCAKES AND SYRUP with my eggs for breakfast! and pic of their house] - and have been dropped at the UNIVERSITY OF OREGON to kill some time (am being an IMPOSTER in the library, scabbing free computer terminal). Heather is with Aaron at the hospital for surgery on his back. Both of them a ANGRY BEARS as the nicotine gum is not quite the same as a camel filter.


--- the dog ---
I was encouraged into taking PUFFY with me for a WALK the other morning. Puffy nearly exploded with asstailtongue wagging excitement. I was slightly less enthusiastic, but he turned out to be good company. Puffy has near godlike status in the household. I have seen his baby photos. He is the only DOG THAT HAS ITS OWN PETS. True. He raised the squiff-eyed imbred cat called THAI. He growlbarkstalks until Thai has been fed in the morning. Weird. They cuddle and stuff.

--- the spirit of oregon ---
I discovered a good example of TRUE OREGONIANISM in a myrtle wood shop the other day: round wooden coin one side says : 'tuit' the other says: 'do it when you get around to it' hence a round tuit if you have any trouble getting this, come to Oregon and see it in practice If i was DEAD i don't think i could relax enough.

--- next steps ---
Getting on the TRAIN this afternoon [or whenever it shows up] and chugging down to SF overnight.

--- wine tasting ---
Turns out the area outside of Eugene – VENETA - where I’m staying has a cluster of winefarms, so after late morning coffee and mooching on the lawn we set off up the road to find them.

Get distracted at a farm stall and get to taste Oregon’s famous deep fried WALLAWALLA ONION rings. Sweet as you like. Get the last punnet of strawberries and head down the winding road for wine.

First stop at Hinman Winery we get asked for our id and scowled at by a thin-lipped pourer. Leave off and over a series of stops I SWIG my way thru’ inches of fine Pinot Noir. Heather buys a small bottle of crazy sweet desert wine.

--- Oregon sun ---
Like everything in this state, the sun takes a LONG TIME to get going. Noontime sun is a warm and soothing and only vaguely aware it’s meant to be doing something. It catches on at around 4pm. That’s when we retreat into the shadows and get the mozzie spray out.