So I have left America… Dammit. I saw a lot, I did a lot, I enjoyed myself a hell of a lot. It was great to be able to feel so unreservedly free in company, it was great to be with and meet such nice people, from random encounters on overnight coaches, meeting over 20+ couchsurfers and being offered so many places to sleep, being welcomed into a families lives with such openness and honesty I don’t know how I’ll ever find a way to thank them and rushing around Vegas getting excellent seats at half price to see the Beatles LOVE show.
Of course that’s not all that happened, much more than I could ever write happened, this trip was in many ways an emotional roller coaster as much as a busy one. But as with all things one weathers, you come out of it being stronger than before. I’ll have to return to America that’s a given, it’s now on the list with Japan as to places I’d love to live for a time. It’s also taught me not to live with regrets I can see now that not travelling over there would have been a tragic error, I’m so happy I did, I doubt I’d have even considered it after my bike ride. Now I see it as a place I’d love immerse myself in for a time, perhaps an English theme bar in San Francisco 
Now of course I have my bike trip to finalise and leave, thankfully I missed the -5 to -10 degrees centigrade at the beginning of the year that would have been one hell of an opening gambit if I had started on January 1st. Instead I enjoyed the beautiful sun and 17-30 degrees of CA. I have painfully little left to sort, so I’ll be planning my route first off (my trip to Newbury, Croydon (for a bike tune up from the people who made it) and Canterbury. To meet my friends just before I disappear.
I wont say I’m not apprehensive, because that would be a bold faced lie. I’m extremely nervous about this trip, although I’ve proven I can do it (if you can bike 160 miles then you just have to repeat that feat over and over again). I guess the language barrier, the distances involved and the unknown are always pretty scary. That’s why things like this are character changing.
Things are nearly starting after all these months of thinking, planning and preparation, and I realise somewhere inside that this is just the end of the beginning from now on I’ll be free of restraint and under my own steam will be crossing Europe. Better start looking for Couchsurfing places 
.
Oh as a final thought, some definite thanks and hellos are in order, sorry if the names are somewhat blurred, I met a loooot of people, I’m more of a face person than a name person :-/!
Judy gets the ultimate thanks for inviting me to the US in the first place, she made the whole trip a fantastic experience by introducing me to all the best people, family and places that I could have hoped for , everyone should have someone as friendly, gregarious and compassionate in their lives. I feel privileged to be her friend, and hopefully will continue to pester her into my later years 
xx.
Nina, for giving me the inspiration, music and the most random overnight coach I have ever taken. It was great meeting you, proving that once again the world sometime arranges random encounters just to make your life better. Hope that Santa Barbara and LA treat you well, we’ll have to discuss our NZ cinema / English Bar plans later x
Ken, for creasing up with and commiserating with me at the Underground meet up in San Francisco and for giving me a lift all the way to the hostel. He’s a fantastic man with a big heart. Wish I could have spent more time with him.
Josh, Tracy, Dan and every other couch surfer I met for making San Francisco making it a place that I have to visit again!
Gus and Kevin, how can one say thanks enough for instant friendship… all this despite the groping greeting Kev gave me as a welcoming barrage, it’s rare to meet two people you click with so quickly (at least for me). Despite their dubious altercations with the law (I’m looking at you and your ‘gun’ Kev) and the possible dead hooker problem (Looking at you Gus). We got on great and they made me feel so welcome . If time provides and if things work out, I’d love to return the favour and host them over in Europe, who knows, stranger things have happened .
Veronica, how do you thank someone who enjoys killing you with blow darts or shanking you when you aren’t looking? Well just do the same back 
, Awesome person. Hope you enjoy “2012” as much as “The Unborn”.
Dennett, we owned Vegas and LA for the times we were there my friend, no doubt we will meet again, good luck with studying in film I’m sure you’ll fly in such a course. Keep me posted on your shenanigans.
Jenny, spoke only briefly but good luck with the speech therapy, I think it’s great what you’re doing, best wishes for the future.
Pontra, I wouldn’t have had half the time I had in LA without you, I’ll make sure I actually chat to you more next time we meet.
Leslie, tall, blonde and an occasional British accent . Thanks for getting us into LAX, thanks for being such a laugh and taking so many great pictures, we never did get to dip in that hooters pool I realised. Good excuse for us all to return trip later on lol. You treated me like a good friend from the moment we met and never stopped, thanks for making Vegas so special.
Vivian, ahhh viv, you are unique (and I mean that in a good way) I think the words ‘boundless energy’ suit you well. You were always smiling and bouncing around, thanks for driving and guiding us around Vegas. You were really good to put up with that detour to drop me off at the airport. Next time I promise to listen to your advice and take it in x
Jeff, thanks for all the positive thoughts about my trip, I’ll let you know about the ghost writing thing. Add me as a friend on FB already!!
Jerremy You made me laugh out loud, always a good sign, hope your teaching bass playing gets better and better. Would be great to chat again some day.
Right I’m sure there’s more but that’s enough for now, stay well everyone, next post will hopefully me having everything sorted for the bike ride! Wish me luck.
Update: OH MY GOD!
so I really screwed this post up and somehow missed off 3 people from the list, I now feel just about as low as a person can feel. I feel like pond scum infact. so huge apologies to the 3 people I missed, I can’t quite believe I didn’t re-read this post. I had it all written in various txt files when I had no internet and threw (nearly all of them together) so without further ado here’s the people who I’m going to thank but they must hate me by now I think.
Kelsey, A really great person who I met early on, we had a right laugh watching the spirit! “This is for muffin” and she came out and drove me to Vegas, a fantastic thing to do. Scared me silly when we we’re pulled over and had me in fits listening to Eddie Izzard. We were out in Vegas, LA and aside Judy I think I spent more time with her than anyone 
. Which is why I feel such a massive dick for missing the fact I hadn’t copied over the shout out. I understand you must be pretty damn pissed at me right now. I really do think of you as a friend. I can’t apologise enough…
Rachel, who’m also went to Vegas, we only met for a few nights and had a great time and some great chats, you made me laugh out loud more than once and I’d like to meet up for another road trip some other time. I feel I didn’t chat to you enough, hopefully next time.
Helen, we met in the vine bar, I felt bad for not chatting more, you seemed like a great person, it was great to meet someone with such a deal of compassion in their lives. Hopefully we’ll meet in LA again some sunny day.
