Hello

To state the obvious, yes I know I have used the Alcatraz picture but I have ran out of the supplied Seattle pictures. One thing I didn't mention last night was the difference between the Greyhound pictures on the Net and what they are in actual reality. In reality, they aren't much better than our old school buses, with just a toilet as an addition. Speaking of the toilet, imagine a bowl of swirling water, your along the right lines.

Monday 7th June - the rather vulgar start, I shall do my blog for today. Again, I awoke gone 0930, yet again missing the free breakfast; although, to be honest, it's nothing special. I did some reading in bed of my recently purchased book, Absolute Power (the film starring Clint Eastwood is based on this book) and had another long shower. The trouble with the bathrooms here is there is no fresh air or an open window to allow the steam out - you still feel damp after drying yourself. I popped to the Greyhound Station again and asked about buses to LA. I shall catch the 1310 bus departing Seattle (9th June) and arriving in LA at 1745 (10th June). I was told that the journey will take just over 24 hours so I assume than that to San Diego, there were some waiting periods for transfers or I am on an express bus or the attendant got the details wrong. I caught the Monorail from Westlake Centre to the end of the line (only two stops) - very exciting, over too quickly and rather scary as the carriage leaned into the corner. The EMP (Experience Music Project) was in a very interesting building (pictures taken). After purchasing my ticket at the hostel for a discounted price, I had a look around the Project and took few pictures as it was mostly dark in there and flash photography was prohibited. They mentioned little about Jimi Hendrix going to London and it was only the books that shed more light on this fact. Jimi seemed to be such a figure that he had an entire exhibition dedicated to him alone with his life detailed on a wall, pictures, guitars (& pieces), equipment and handwritten lyrics. There was a scrapbook which allowed you to answer a question along the lines of how has Jimi influenced music, people etc. I wrote "He has broadened the possibilities of how a guitar can be played and in some way, he has influenced those picking up the guitar for the first time to those more professional whom look at what he achieved through his use of a guitar". I also saw the guitar that Kurt Cobain used in the music video of Smells Like Teen Spirit, as well as the beginnings of the guitar. Small mention on Sir Paul McCartney (Played for the Obamas the other day) and George Harrison. I wanted to have a go a the try-the-instrument section but noisy excited school children were present. I purchased an Appetite For Destruction Cloth Poster for my room as well as Slash's self titled album (I think I heard one song in the van whilst on the tour - it definitely had that Slash sound. I saw an Inside-Out book on Pink Floyd but after seeing the size and feeling the weight decided against it as a Fathers Day present. After a nice lunch inside the museum, I gained free entry to the Science Fiction Museum which although not my favorite genre was okay. Star Wars by George Lucas was at the forefront of being mentioned. H.G. Wells famous book, The Time Machine, had a small mention. They also mentioned Iron Maiden's Brave New World album as it is the name of a book or film also, suggesting that a band member is a fan of the science fiction genre. I caught the monorail back and came back to the hostel for a quick breather and decided to have a dinner out tonight (free dinner given tomorrow night I think) so went to an indian restaurant and Chicken Tikka Massala which was good. Currently 2245, I shall be going to bed shortly.

I am going to shoot a few things off now so apologies for the randomness, I noted them down whilst they entered my train of thoughts. I have just realized that my only swim was all those weeks ago back in Houston. Still of all the towns visited, Sante Fe is my favorite as it had so much character, second to that is DC followed by New Orleans as it was so different. The majority of my days in the US have been t-shirt weather days with the occasional milder day with the rare rainy day. As the days have passed, Seattle has grown on me; I am becoming more aware of sight-seeing opportunities. Starbucks are on most corners. I still can't get over how big the US is and the fact that I have come across America. This time next week (1800), I shall be back home. I have seen hundreds and hundreds of Ford Mustangs and 4-Dr Dodge Challengers. In Memphis, the Police had Challengers! Just realized that I need to see the Olympic Sculpture Park tomorrow, so I have a busy day tomorrow - laundry, packing, printing off both my hotel details and new flight details and to get an early night. I have to be checked out of the hostel by 1100 although I plan to leave well before that.