Nathan's Insights

World Traveller: 7 Continents, 90 Countries, 871 Days Overseas

World Trip 1999-2000: Day 62 – Deadwood, USA

January 10, 2000

Monday 10 January 2000
Highlights: Wild West Gambling!

After 25.5 hours of travelling, five bus changes, three bus companies, two time zone changes and a cab ride we arrived at Deadwood and our hotel (no hostel stay this time).

South Dakota is basically very bare and dusty. Wind storms were very evident. However Deadwood itself was covered in snow and looked like the amazing small west town I had imagined.

I managed to call home for my birthday, a few days late but still the effort counts. Mum and Reagan sounded very busy and they had just experienced a blackout before I called.

After a very welcome hot shower Jon upped his Burger King gift to a streak dinner which I really enjoyed to celebrate my 26th birthday. I wonder how many times I’ll be travelling outside of Australia on my birthday in future years?

We then experienced Wild West gambling visiting the Gold Dust Casino, one of many casino allowed in this historic town but only with limited stakes, a maximum of a $5 bet. Jon won $25 while I generously donated $10 to the local economy.

Deadwood, USA
World Trip 1999-2000: Day 61 – Chicago to Deadwood, USA

January 9, 2000

Sunday 9 January 2000
Highlights: Birthday Present (LOL)

We left our terrible Hostel and killed time walking around the city. As it was my birthday Jon splashed out and got me a Burger King Meal!

We spent a while at the public library using the free internet before catching the first bus on what would be a 25 hour journey crossing another time zone as we head west.

Chicago, Deadwood, USA
World Trip 1999-2000: Day 60 – Chicago, USA

January 8, 2000

Saturday 8 January 2000
Highlights: Art Institute of Chicago, ‘Second City’ comedy club

After our extremely long day yesterday (little sleep on the bus) we slept in to about 1 pm, which due to the time zone change felt like noon.

There isn’t a great deal to do in Chicago during the day unless Museums appeal and we had recently seen a lot of them. We did however enjoy the excellent Art Institute of Chicago. In particular they had a brilliant 17th to 19th century French collection with many Master from our European countries.

We then visited the ‘Second City‘ comedy club for their production of Chicago 4.0 and afterwards a comedy improv performance. Both were enjoyable but after the excellent New York shows we had high standards. We got back to the hostel around 2 am.

Chicago, USA
World Trip 1999-2000: Day 59 – Buffalo to Chicago, USA

January 7, 2000

Friday 7 January 2000
Highlights: Jazz and Blues music, the view from the Sears Tower

Leaving last night from Buffalo we arrived in Chicago around 10.30 am. Today marks the half way point of the trip. We ended up staying at the Arlington House Hostel which turned out to be a real dump. It took a while to find a working hot shower (two floors above us).

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Chicago, USA
World Trip 1999-2000: Day 58 – Buffalo and Niagara Falls, USA and Canada

January 6, 2000

Thursday 6 January 2000
Highlights: The stunning Niagara Falls.

Today we set off for the beautiful and stunning Niagara Falls. The Falls actually divides Canada and the USA which meant my first ever visit to Canada happened today!

You can see the Falls from both sides but the Canadian side offers the most magnificent views while the USA side is more side on. Nature has. Related an awesome sight and even from the top you still get sprayed with water. Seeing frozen water around the Falls was hard to comprehend, I mean the water is moving so fast how can it freeze in the stream, I guess it just gets that cold. The ice added to the beauty of the place.

It was weird walking into another country. I had to wake up the Canadian guard in order to get my passport stamped. In Australian leaving and crossing into another country is such a big deal, but not at a USA – Canadian crossing obviously.

We caught a movie, the excellent ‘Being John Mavovich’ and caught the 11.30 pm overnight bus to Chicago.

Buffalo, Canada, Niagara Falls, USA
World Trip 1999-2000: Day 57 – Buffalo, USA

January 5, 2000

Wednesday 5 January 2000
Highlights: Free falling snow!!

The bus arrived at 7.15 am, surviving another overnight bus trip we found out we couldn’t check in to the hostel until 3 pm 😦 This gave us a chance to explore Buffalo. The major Mall bans anyone under 18 during the weekday, hard to imagine this anyway else, I guess they don’t want mallrats and are encouraging school attendance.

At 9 am we noticed people buying pizzas, quite unbelievable. We visited the local Library, not for learning but for the free internet to check emails and replies. It’s getting easier to connect with home with free internet.

We then bought $4.50 tickets to watch the ‘Green Mile’. Not a bad movie but it tries a little too much at times to play on your emotions.

We have revised our future schedule dropping Cheyenne and Salt Lake City and adding Santa Fe and probably Denver. We have also added an overnight stay in Deadwood switching from Rapid City in South Dakota.

It then snowed!!! The first time in my life I got to watch snow dropping from the sky. Something I so wanted to see on Christmas Day in New York had finally happened. In Australia you have extremely hot December and January but you watch movies with snow at the same time. I run outside like a little kid, watch snow flakes on my tongue, it was pure joy…… for about 10 minutes then I realise just how cold it has to be to snow :). Still what an experience!

Buffalo, USA
World Trip 1999-2000: Day 56 – Boston to Buffalo, USA

January 4, 2000

Tuesday 4 January 2000
Highlights: Cambridge University, Harvard Museum of Natural History.

Early in the morning we went up to Harvard and visited the world famous Cambridge University. The University is enormous and the buildings date back into the 1720s. The whole area is alive with young people returning to their studies after the Christmas break. The newsagent had newspapers from around the world reflecting that they hosted student similarly from this regions.

We then visited the Harvard Museum of Natural History. The displays are quite extensive and very informative. Jon left the Museum early to redo parts of the Freedom Trail and take photos of what he missed yesterday. I stayed for around 4 hours and then explored down town Boston.

Saying goodbye to Boston we caught the 8.15 pm bus to Buffalo which is USA city located right next to Niagara Falls.

Boston, Buffalo, USA
World Trip 1999-2000: Day 55 – Boston, USA

January 3, 2000

Monday 3 January 2000
Highlights: Boston Freedom Trail, Boston Common, State House, Granary Burial Ground, USS Constitution, NBA Game (Boston Celtics v Clevelands Cavaliers)

I had the best nights sleep in weeks, finally other guests with manners. Apparently Jon, in the mixed room, again struggled to sleep with all the noise, so much for his plans when jumping at the room 🙂

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Boston, NBA, USA
World Trip 1999-2000: Day 54 – New York City to Boston, USA

January 2, 2000

Sunday 2 January 2000
Highlights: Leaving the amazing New York City (sob)

We were moved into a private room for our last night in New York hoping for some rest from the larger comings and goings of the bunk rooms but unfortunately we were across from the TV room so that didn’t turn out as planned.

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Boston, New York City, USA
World Trip 1999-2000: Day 53 – New York City, USA

January 1, 2000

Saturday 1 January 2000
Highlights: New York Cinema, ‘Stand Up New York’ comedy

Despite no drinking the night before I still felt like I had a hangover with very little energy after a very long night and then waking in a new century 🙂 The major pain was having to change hostel rooms once again which meant having to check out and wait to check back in. As a result we visited Times Square again and watch the massive clean up job already underway.

To kill time and experience another typical New York event we paid $9.50 (expensive!) to watch ‘Galaxy Quest’ which was very funny and enjoyable. Cinemas in New York are expensive but also an event, the cinemas we visited had seats like business class on a good airline.

Later that night we attended the ‘Stand Up New York‘ comedy venue. We avoided the cover charge of $12.00 as hostel guest get in free but you still must buy two drinks (total $15). The five comedians were truly brilliant, bringing tears of laughter from Jon and me. Uncensored live New York comedy is a must for any visit. A great night out and a great start to the new century.

New York City, USA