The day a dream came true and i didn't even realise.

Ive tried to write this many times and each time it just hasn’t seemed to read right. So I apologise to those who have already heard this story from me but I am going to tell it just as I have been to those I have recently spoken too.

A few days before I was to get on the plane back to Australia, Becka came home from work with a surprise for me. Jewel was in town, I couldn’t believe it I had been checking her schedule up till the day l left for the US and the closest she was going to be was Colorado, which really wasn’t that close.

But no she was going to be in DC, now Becka had always said to me she would never go see her. So I asked when and where and how we were going to work it.

Luckily she was coming for the National Book Fair which I had seen setting up in the Mall for the last couple of days.  She was going to be giving a talk in the Children’s tent. It turns out she had recently written a children’s book. Being a new mum all her latest stuff has been children orientated.

Now this was perfect as I know how good a story teller she is from the one and only time I had seen her at Day on the Green back in 2004 and Becka has nothing against her just isn’t into her music and being a book fair we were both very excited!

It fitted into the itinerary Becka had planned for me on my last day very well, the only problem was we had to cut our bottomless Mimosa brunch short. Probably a good thing or our whole day could have been spent in the pub!

Turned out to be bottomless bloody mary's or screwdrivers. We werent that upset!

We got to the book fair 15 minutes before she was to start the fair started off very well with free bags and posters. We love our free stuff.

I was on a high, and not just from the mimosas, I was going to see Jewel now those who know me well know how much this meant to me.

We thought we would head to the book sale tent first to see if we could get me her book incase there was a chance the line for the book signing wasn’t too much.  There was a line for the book sales tent! This did not bode well.

So we headed to the Children’s Tent. The guy who was on before her was still talking so I was content to stand at the back until everyone left when he finished.  Becka didn’t agree, saying that people were probably camped out for the day. So when people were getting up to leave near the front but to the side she rushed us to get those seats. There was a speaker in my way I was not happy. But it turns out these weren’t the seats we were after. This was just a point to be able to launch off for front and centre seats.  Becka was on a mission to get me the best seats possible!

I had no idea what was going on.  When everyone left we stood up to get better seats. Becka told me to stay where I was and disappeared. I stood there like a lost child in everyone’s way until I spotted her grabbing 2 seats 3 rows from the front right in front of the microphone. I rushed over to join her and when I got there the lady we were sitting next to was laughing at something. Apparently Becka had asked her if the seats were available and had said it was Guerrilla warfare. She was getting the best seats for me at any cost.

We sat talking to the lady for a little while, she was one of the ones who were there for the whole day, and then Jewel arrived.  She hasn’t changed still looks the same as when she first released an album.

She was amazing and that not just my star struck self talking. She is a natural born story teller and fame has not made her stuck up in anyway she was laid back and just talked about her journey to get to where she is today as though it had been a normal life. Too her I guess because she had been there and got through it she can now talk about it so casually but we were sitting there in awe.

I didn’t know she had been homeless and lived on the streets before her first song finally got accepted and I thought I was a die-hard fan! (then again I still haven’t finished her autobiography, I was reading it before I left for England and its still in storage!)

Then it was question and answer time, Becks was at me to ask a question but I had none, I was content just to listen. Plus it was the children’s tent, let the kids ask.  It was a mixture of people and luckily not too many gushy fans asking questions. The kids who asked questions really made the day.

me totally and utterly captivated

Someone asked her to sing and so we heard her sing the lullaby her book is based on, then someone else reminded her she had promised to yodel, her grandma had taught her to yodel when she was a young girl. She had hoped we had forgotten this promise! It made Becka’s day.

Then it was over. She was to be signing books at the book-signing tent in 15 minutes.  With all the fans in the tent, I knew there was no point heading down there but we thought we would go see what the queue was like and if we had a chance to see her, hope she would sign my free poster seeing as I hadn’t been able to get her book.

We hurried down there and the queue was already pretty crazy, there was heaps of little marquees set up for the authors with chain link fences depicting the queues.  It was about 38 degrees and we really didn’t have time to line up, we had known this and I was ok with it, I had seen her talk it was better than a signature.

She arrived while we were standing there and Becka told me I should get a photo with her. I was like a little girl, I went up as she was getting out of her golf cart but I couldn’t get near her I then followed her to her seat, standing on the correct side of the fence. I felt like I looked like I had problems.  I may have said excuse me but I was too quiet if I did, she was about to call up the first person in line, when Becka said excuse me Jewel but can my friend have a quick photo with you she has to go catch a plane to Australia.  We didn’t exactly lie…

It was the quickest photo ever taken, both Becka and I were very embarrassed as we were queue jumping. Those poor people in the line had been waiting to meet her in the heat for a long time.  It was like a photo at a party I leaned over the rail Becka quickly snapped the photo and then we ran. I thanked Jewel trying to convey how much it meant to me only later to realise I still had my sunglasses on and she couldn’t see what I was trying to say anyway! How rude.

Becka said she had wished me a safe flight but I hadn’t heard a thing, way too star struck and flustered!

Unable to sleep the night before I had gone through everything I would say if I had a chance to meet her.  I didn’t get to say anything it was over like that! I was on a bit of a downer after but not for long we had the International Spy museum to attend!

But not before we did a little more clothes shopping, and then donned our real personalities and entered the Spy Museum. Now this museum is amazing, it is sooo full of information and a lot of it im not sure should be on display! How to make bugs, cameras, how operations were pulled off. It would have been even better if it hadn’t been a Saturday and filled with people. But we got our cover, assignment and destination and made our way through the different areas. So much to read I couldn’t take it all in. Got a bit freaked out when it started telling us about Internet spying and the new age of terrorism.

We completed our assignments only to realise that we completed them easily as the questions were multiple choice, I couldn’t believe the lady in front of me managed to get the whole thing wrong!

If the officer on duty had grilled me I’m sure my cover would have come unstuck but we had left that adventure to the kids.

We headed home after that, way too much of an information overload. It wasn’t until I was telling Becka's housemate about meeting Jewel that I realised a dream had come true. If I had been asked who I wanted to meet it had always been her.  But unfortunately it wasn’t quiet the circumstances I was hoping for, im not sure It can actually count as a meeting, Still it took another couple of days for it all to sink it.

We had one last night at the pub (which included a game of the 'game of life' without the rules and half the pieces, so who knows what we played, before getting up extremely early and heading for the airport for my flight home. I couldn’t believe it was time to go. 

Thats right i was officially a citizen

Becka trying to work out how she is going to pay for 4 kids to go to college!

Maybe this is the reason i won...

Washington Mall

An Arcadia Sunrise

I finally managed to get up in time for sunrise, in fact I woke up before my alarm. Stars were still out, but I knew I had to drive and then walk before sunrise.

I wasn’t really awake as I kept finding myself just standing there staring into space.  So I took a little longer to get ready that I had planned.

I climbed into my car,  wound down the windows so I can see and drove down the main street. I hadn’t been able to find the map the barman drew for me of the secret carpark but I was pretty sure I could remember the directions.

Driving out of town, into Acadia National Park, I had someone sitting on my tail.  I wasn’t sure of the speed limit and it felt like they were pushing me.   They must have been running late for the sunrise too.

Next thing I know there is a deer in my headlights just standing there in the middle of the road. I slam on the brakes and swerve to the edge of the road. It stands there stunned looking at me for a second or two and then runs luckily in the other direction to me as I go past it.  Im still not sure if I dreamed it or not. I really wanted to see one, but one with enough time to get my camera out not to just miss him with a car. 

Obviously the fellow behind wasn’t as close as I thought.  He dropped off a little after that too.  Then he disappeared at about the same time I realised I had missed my turn.  Pretty sure he was heading where I needed to be.  After I turn onto this road I realised I had forgotten all about high beam. That might have saved me the incident with the deer. Its been so long since ive driven in the dark.

I see a carpark off to the side, just as the road tells me no unauthorised cars past this point.  Good thing about being late for sunrise is its starting to get a little light. As I have no idea where my torch is. I can just see the wooden sign posts but not that it really helps as this one is telling me that Great Head is both ways. I take the one that is heading towards where im pretty sure the sea is and stumble along.  

I come out onto a beach, sky is starting to turn orange and its really peaceful here. I think about staying but I decide the point I can see from here would be much better. I start to really hurry, which is hard with rocks in the path and a shoe lace undone. As im stumbling along its as though someone just turned on the lights.  Im almost trying to run here and then im out on the headland. Its perfect a 180 degree view of the sunrise. A cruise ship coming in and Lobster Boats heading out. As with all places in America, I cant say its peaceful as those lobster boats are noisy little things.

I sit down and watch. It wasn’t spectacular but there is always something about watching a sunrise and even better there was no one else there. No idea where the fellow from the road ended up as his or a car was in the car park.  This place was a hint given to me by my Kayak  Guide yesterday. Everyone heads up Cadillac Mountain for sunrise but if I didn’t want to be surrounded by little children crying and many people this was the place to be.

I had plenty of time before the sun rose, didn’t need to try and break my neck. After the sun had risen, the owners of the car appeared, seemed they had headed to a beach on the other side. They were very jealous of my spot.

I wander along the path towards the Great Ocean Walk. I path that I walked a little of yesterday which is packed with people during the day, Im hoping ot get to the end and back before everyone arrives.  Are you sensing a theme here?  I dislike people, which is hard with all the cruise ships coming into town this week.

Well apart from a few runners and one or two other early risers at the must see beach there is no one its amazing. I take just as long as I did yesterday to do the stretch between Sandy Beach and Thunder Head as im retaking all my shots without people in them.

Sandy Beach - Acadia National Park - Maine USA

Sandy Beach - Acadia National Park - Maine USA

Acadia National Park - Maine USA

Then I spot some Cormorants on the rock, drying themselves in the sun. I figure if I wait long enough they will hold their wings out to dry.  So I climb down a little bit closer and sit to wait.

After a while I get the courage up to get closer, and then closer. Me who is scared of falling, give me a camera and im fearless. I was clambering down rocks knowing I was going to take a while to work out how to get back up and then its on the flat rocks I slip. Somehow saved my camera and wrist from damage, but not my jeans.

This only scares off one bird and not the one that has been watching me the whole time.  After stalking them for at least 20 min I finally scare him enough that he moves a further away and at no point has he trusted me enough to dry his wings. Time to get moving I haven’t even reached anywhere I haven’t seen yet. But I don’t mind, im pretty sure I got the shot of the day and I loved every minute of it.

I continued on a little way, thinking of the fact I still had to walk all the way back and I was starving hungry. Was just about to turn back when I saw a Cormorant, in the distance, im sure it was the same one, drying its wings. I told it to stay and raced around the cove to the headland. It was still drying its wings I took a few snaps then decided to try and get closer.  He wasn’t keen on this at all and a stand off ensured.

I finally gave up and wandered back to the car. On the way I met a few red squirrels.  Yesterday my Guide had said the noise I thought was a cricket was a chipmunk turns out he was wrong and its red squirrels and they are vicious little things.  He was throwing acorns out of the tree and making a real racket. He must have thought I was going to steal them cause he came running down the tree chattering at me and started to come towards me. You should have seen me telling him to stay back probably exactly what he was saying to me! I was convinced he was going to come running at me and bite my ankles or climb up my legs.  I backed off pretty quickly but not before I got a few good shots in. He ran circles around me to make sure I left.

The next one I ran into I liked much more it was too interested in eating its acorn to worry about me.

I returned home for a much earned Lobster Benedict. I felt after being up for 5 hours I was allowed this treat.

Here i go.. on my own again...

And yes that title was meant to remind you of the song by white snake it was the one i had going through my head when i drove off on my own.....

So today I started the part of the trip where I drive around by myself. Its 8.30pm and im in bed already, not because im bored but because I am sooo tired, and also because this town stops at 7pm!

Last night I stayed in a hostel, it must have looked very funny I walked out of the marriot and down the street into the boston hostel.  I spent the whole evening trying to work out where I was going, not for the whole trip but just for today! I was trying to find some accommodation not wanting to leave it to chance, I could hear mum and dad saying make sure you have accommodation organised so you;ll be safe. Well I didn’t find anything, I finally had to give up having got so caught up in it id forgotten my washing, luckily someone had put it into the dryer and not in a heap on the floor!

Being by myself was odd, I didn’t know what to do, so used to having Cathy around. I made friends with an Italian girl in my dorm and we went out for dinner. Reminiscing about Italy and discussing the strange creatures of Australia.  I then went back and tried to plan. I did not succeed. All I had was a rough plan of where I was to go and where I wanted to stay.

Bed at 12 when I wanted to be up at 6.45 before a day of driving was probably not a good idea.  I didn’t sleep all that well, its been awhile since I slept in a hostel.

Breakfast was one of the best I had seen in a hostel, toasted bagels, coffee, yoghurt, fruit and cereal. I could only stomache a little bit of fruit and a coffee. I think I was nervous about getting to the car and how I was going to go driving on my own. I hadn’t done too well in the driving department with Cathy. She preferred to drive than put up with my driving! It was a huge boat of a car, horrible thing.

Got my car, I never thought I would be happy to see a ford, but a ford fiesta is a nice little car, the guy tried to make me upgrade, they had a deal on apparently he was surprised when I vemently said no I want the small one!

No problems on the driving part, I think the driving of the big car made this seem so much easier. At least I  feel like I fit in the lane!

 My first stop was easy to get too and in 40 minutes I was there. Timing was going good, it was only 10.15. lots of the day to go and the polace opened at 10.

Louisa M Alcotts house in Concord (Massachusetts)  that was my first destination. I couldnt believe I was standing in front of the house that she had written and based Little Women in.  It is in a tiny little leafy town and as I opened the side door to enter I had to duck to get through the door.  I was greeted by a lovely little lady who informed me a group of elderly women had  started the tour and were in watching the introductory video. She was sure they wouldn’t mind me joining them and I hadn’t missed anything yet.  As I walked in I was conscious of my cargo shorts, hoodie and boots. I felt disrespectful but after the video when the lady started to tell us the stories of the place and family as we toured the rooms. I started to remember the type of young girl Louisa or Jo as she is known in the book was and I felt more comfortable in my attire. One of Jo’s quotes from Little Women is; “It's bad enough to be a girl anyway, when I like boys' games and work and manners! I can't get over my disappointment in not being a boy; and it's worse than ever now, for I'm dying to go and fight with Papa, and I can only stay at home and knit, like a poky old woman.”

It was quiet emotional to be standing in front of the desk her father had built her (against all custom of the time), where she later wrote Little Women.  In the room where she had passed away not too many years later.

Her sister May who was Amy in the book, did become a very well known artist in her own right and actually mentored a young boy who went on to later sculpt the Abraham Lincoln memorial in Washignton DC.

At the end of the tour after we had all examined the gift shop and after I had finally escaped the clutches of the elderly women. The lady let me out the front door of the house as though I had been a guest. (I had helped her carry the couple of chairs she provided for the women to have a seat while she was talking, to each of the rooms we had visited.)  She thanked me for coming and said she thought Louisa would be very proud of me for what I was doing and also very jealous that I lived in a time where I could do the sort of things I was.  I felt that Louisa was there saying goodbye as well.

My next stop was the aptly named Sleepy Hollow Cemetery to see Authors Ridge where the Alcotts and their literacy friends are buried. Concord attracted many of the authors of the time and many of them are buried on Authors Ridge.

By this stage it had decided to start raining so I thought I would give it a miss but then I thought rain is an appropriate setting for a visit to a grave.  By the time I entered the Cemetery, by car (as per America everywhere is drivable),  and found the path to Authors ridge . The Heavens opened. I have never been so wet In my life. I found Louisa and her familys graves and paid my respects as well as their family friend Henry David Thoreau an Author in his own right.  I couldn’t find Ralph Emerson the family’s closest friend and reason for them settling in Concord though and it was too wet to hunt any longer.

I then decided to leave town to go to Fruitlands, the property about 16 miles out of town that Louisa’s father moved them to, to try and set up his own sustainable Utopia. They almost starved to death there till their Mother put her foot down and moved them back to town.  It was still raining cats and dogs and I was thinking to myself I should just wander the little main street and have something there, see the town instead of heading out to Fruitlands in this weather when I took a wrong turn and ended up heading back into town. Decision made for me.

I was soaked again by the time I found a nice little café. There I overheard the ladies next to me complaining about the fact that no-one understands they just want to walk sometimes. One of them said she tried to walk home one night and got asked about 15 times if she wanted a lift. Finally she said yes because she couldn’t be bothered anymore!

I got talking to them, when one of them said she knew the secret to knowing which side your petrol cap is on. Something I needed to know!

They recommended a few places I should see in Vermont and told me Fruitlands was difinately worth a visit. By this time the rain had stopped and so off I headed. I made it out of town ok and Fruitlands was  just alittle way off the highway in the direction I was going. I found it ok. Closed on Tuedays., glad I had lunch before.

I was conscious of how much time I had lost in Concord. It was now 2.30. I wanted to make it to Shelbourne by about 4, to make sure I could find accommodation. The drive was uneventful, some awesome fog along the way.  

When I finally made it I drove through town, one street of lovely looking little shops and out the other side. No b&b’s or any signs for b&b’s. Id seen signs for the visitors centre, so I parked up and went looking. I found it. It was closed.  Hmmm… coffee shop, they always know whats going on..nope, the girl serving was an out of towner.. but n she asked another girl and they knew of one along a side street. Serves me right for going to the funky looking coffee shop.

So I wandered up to the b&b and they weren’t answering. I stood on the porch wondering what to do. With Dad’s voice in my dead saying “find accommodation… I told you to find accommodation.” It was going to cost me a fortune to ring them, I had never got around to getting that US cell phone.  As I was standing there a lady drove by who I recognised from also looking at the visitors centre. I waited for her, and she called them for us. No answer. We left a message and called a few others outside of town off a map she had managed to find somewhere outside the centre. Then we decided to wander and wait to see if anyone called back.

I always had the holiday inn 20miles back up at a bigger town as a back up.  But I really wanted to stay here so I could photograph the bridge of Flowers in the morning light.

As we were wandering down the main street we met a lady outside her gift store who was surprised the b&b was not answering so she rang them for us on their personal number and booked us a couple of rooms.  

So we wandered the town or should I say village and the bridge of flowers,  as they prepared our rooms.

We agreed to meet for dinner at about 7… wrong move, there are 5 places to eat in town and 2 are closed due to being the day after the labour day weekend.  And 2 others closed at 7.  All business’s in New England use this time as the break between summer and Fall Foliage season for renovations or their holidays.

We ended up at the diner outside of town.. I was very dubious of this place, It didn’t ooze a sense of good food. Wrong. I we both ordered the egg plant parmesan and it came on a bed of spaghetti with marinara sauce. Delicious one of the best sauces ive tasted.. but we should have ordered one between us! Giant Oval plates filled with spaghetti and sauce, with a bowl of salad on the side. I didnt even know it came with spaghetti!

It started raining as soon as I got back, still hopeful though I have the alarm set for 6am to take photos of the bridge in proper photo light.

Home in bed by 8.30, so tired from driving and sleeping in the hostel. Not sleep though, I needed to tell you about my day!