Politics 101

Well, with the help of my friend Jioni, and his friends who work on the hill, I managed to get into seee the Senate discussions when they were filibustering (which was kind of dull because the whole point is to make the discussion last as long as possible) and then the next day I got to see the House debate and vote on federal funding for Stem Cell Research.. which was absolutley fascinating!! Also got a tour of the house from Alison, one of the staffers of Peter King, who's a congressman from Long Island.

The political debate was fascinating because there was some bipartisanship on the issue. Everyone was very polite - a huge change from the "mangy mongrel" comments we're used to. Everyone was "gentleman" or "gentlewoman". I was really lucky to see a role call vote too - where everyone has to come to the chamber to vote...

Also saw the air and space museum, the American history museum (where I saw Kermit the frog, oscar the grouch, fonzie's jacket). But the really interesting thing was the exhibit on school segregation and the fights to overcome it - Brown versus the school board (I think it's actually something a little different, but I don't have the brochure here)

It made me wonder about my Dad's school, because I know he went to school with Diana Ross, and yet the dates he would have been going to school were right around the time of the segregation debates.. Mind you he was in the north, so Detroit may not have had segregated schools, and he also lived in downtown Detroit.. Dad when you read this, make a comment and let me know, yeah?

Also caught up with my cousin Michael, his wife Carmen and his sister Tammy, who I'd never met before. They were all very nice, and we made our own pizzas and drunk Australian wine.

Michael also lent me a cell phone to replace the one I bought so I could take it back and get my money back, but it's a Sony Erikkson and so it's really frustrating to work out how to use it.. I'll see how I go.. So, yes - I have a cell phone for anyone wanting to call the number is +1 202 341 7796

I'll have it in the states and after that will probably just be on email.

Also went on a tour of National Public Radio today (some of their programs are broadcast on 2SER) - so all in all a very pc, environmentally sound DC experience ;^)

I may go to NY early, but we'll see. I'm going to catch up with a very old friend, Natasha, and her husband Dan, and their 2 kids on the weekend, so that should be great..

Once I get to my brother's, I'll work out how to post some pictures..

Crazy things you do when travelling #1

I'm in Long Island in New York...

yes.. I know it's not DC.. yes, I know that I have round the world ticket in which long island isn't included..

So, my friend Jioni, who I'm visiting in DC, came up to for the weekend to visit his girlfriend, and he asked if I wanted to come too, as they were going to a big horse-racing party.

So we flew up here on Friday night, and went to the party yesterday. It was fun, although there was perhaps a little too much Johnny Cash music for my taste at one point in the party...

I did race into Manhattan and catch up with Dave & Rach for a really brief time - which is like going to the Blue Mountains for coffee, turning around and coming back..

But it's been good here - Jioni & Tina have 2 gorgeous cats, and there was some dancing at the party, which I enjoy, as you all would know.

Anyway, Jioni's been kind enough to lend me his laptop to check email and so on, but I'm going for a walk now, so I'll post again once I've been to the 1,000 smithsonian museums in DC..

yes, Dave, my liddle bro, I'll take a picture of Magnum's cap for you ;^)

Ness xxx

Hanging out with George..

...or standing outside his very grand house as the case may be... yep folks I'm in Washington DC. My friend got tickets to the first midnight session of Star Wars last night for him, his friend and I, which was really great and very nice of him, but has meant I've wandered around today a little bit tired, but I have to say the film is much better than the last 2.

So today I saw the Whitehouse, Lincoln Memorial, various war memorials, the Washington monument (well from the outside).

I also saw police blocking off about 4 blocks due to a "police incident" - apparently a guy tried to ram his car into the barricades at the whitehouse... not sure if that was really what it was or not..

my feet ache from all the walking, but the Lincon Memorial was really fascinating.. especially seeing where Dr Martin Luther King made his I Have A Dream speech

Anyway - have to run, but more next time..

Ness xxx

I'm on a Mission..

Have had a great time in SF - I really like it.. Went to the Haight today. Jo & Dave you were so right - Aemoba records is massive!! I spent about $100 and could have spent a ton more, except lack of space in my pack is a major issue (thanks to my inability to travel light, and dress and shoes for wedding - see previous posts).

As a last minute attempt to see more of the city I went on my own to Mission for dinner, and walked 7 blocks from one station to the other afterwards - got hassled by a dodgy geezer on a bike who thought I was a prostitute.. great!! I was wearing jeans, sneakers, a buttoned up jacket.. I mean c'mon!!

I also met a hip hop dancer / dj today at the Yerba Buena arts centre - he was working there, and we started talking.. we were going to hook up tonight and check out some local hip hop action, but it didn't end up happening - not sure if he made it back into the city from Oakland afterall..

Also met some Mexican tourists on the way to Mission - my spanish isn't as rusty as I thought - we had a great conversation and I went on my way to eat the biggest enchillada you've ever seen... food is so big here..

So - early flight tomorrow - well 9:30 -that's early for me people!! Also, my previously female only dorm is now 3 guys and me.. ah well I leave tomorrow so I can handle it for now - even managed to repack so things fit better, which is good..

Cha Cha Cha..

Just had dinner with some of my bro's friends at the legendary Cha Cha Cha's on Upper Haight. It was really good, and Dave's friends are excellent.. Dave if you're out there, thanks for hooking us up!!

So - took myself around to Tales of the City haunts today. Saw the lane that inspired Barbary lane, the deli where Anna shopped, the park where Anna & Edgar first met, the building Mary Anne & Brian lived in in later books.. and so on and so forth..

Had a great time wandering around Russian Hill and North Beach - bought a great sandwich in a deli and ate it in Washington Square Park - where Anna & Edgar first met. Walked up to Coit tower - then went to Alcatraz - I so wouldn't want to have been locked up there...

So things are better than the first couple of days - feeling ok about being here on my own now - especially when I have cool people to hook up with...

Really wanted to do a black panther tour, but it seems like they aren't answering their phones..

All my room mates in the dorm left today, and when I got back tonight there was a guy in there - thought I was in a female only dorm.... ah well guess i'll just deal..

And for those of you who think like that - no he isn't all that cute...

Ness xxx

well well well...

Well I'm here...

Flight #1 Syd - SF
The plane was packed full - not a spare seat anywhere... and the kid behind me cried all night and kicked the seat.. not a good start..

SF has been good so far, except for a few minor hassles.. the wedding I was going to which i dragged a dress and shoes half way across the world for didn't end up happening.. well it happened, but me going didn't.

Then in a jet-lagged haze, someone swiped my visa card while I got money out of my wallet... still so far no unknown charges so fingers crossed.

I'm catching up with some of my bro's friends tonight.. so i',m off more tales from the city tomorrow...

Ness xxx

3 more sleeps..

Yep - it's that time.. last day at work
trying to finalise everything.. drinks tonight, packing tomorrow and Friday.

I have a new pack - my very dear 10 year old pack had a broken zipper tag and couldn't be locked, so they exchanged it for a newer "seconds" model. Let's just hope that the reason it's a second isn't that the base falls out when you pack it!

Was sad to say goodbye to the pack I slept on for 7 hours in Jakarta airport, that was my seat numerous times on floors in airports all over South America, that i wore running after the bus in Buenos Aires, that I saw disappearing on the back of the dodgy brothers 4 wheel drive in Flores while they went off to
not get the spare tyre fixed (leaving us stranded in the middle of mosquito country at dusk surrounded by killer bees [a true story, but I digress])

Hopefully my new pack will bring me just as many memories - and not get stolen, damaged, mauled by rampaging hyena... (fingers crossed and touch wood)...