Nathan's Insights

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

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Flight Reviews | Lounge Reviews | Destinations | Short Breaks | World Trip 1986 | World Trip 1998 | World Trip 1999-2000 | World Trip 2006 | World Trip 2009 | World Trip 2009-10 | World Trip 2010 | World Trip 2011 | World Trip 2012-13 | World Trip 2015 | World Trip 2016 | World Trip 2017 | World Trip 2017-18 | World Trip 2018 | World Trip 2019 | Australia 2022 | World Trip 2023 | World Trip 2024 | World Trip 2024-25 | World Trip 2026-27

  • World Trip 1999-2000: Day 31 –Nashville, USA

    Friday 10 December 1999
    Highlights: Purchasing warmer clothes

    Jon and I spent most of the today exploring the city.  I purchased a Nashville jumper and thermal under-shirt as it is getting a lot colder now.  We visited the local city library for their free internet access to check out Greyhound bus schedules and answer e-mails.  A nice bonus for tourists.

    We caught the 4.15 pm bus to Savannah which we were not originally going to visit but we are saving a lot of time catching overnight buses so we can add in additional activities and places instead of losing time travelling from place to place.

  • World Trip 1999-2000: Day 30 –Nashville, USA

    Thursday 9 December 1999
    Highlights: National Football League match, Country and Western Music

    I attended my first ever American sports game today, the National Football League match between the Tennessee Titans and Oakland Raiders.  The home team won 21-14 after a slow first half which had no scores.

    We bought the tickets from a scalper for below cost by waiting until the match had actually just started.  He wasn’t happy but at least he got something for the tickets.  It felt like going to a big AFL match with 65,000 people in attendance.  The TV timeouts for commercials and the cheerleaders however told me I was in a foreign land 🙂

    The next stop was to visit some bars for live country and western music.  Nashville is much more alive with people, energy and activities compared to Memphis.  It is easy to see why people who like country and western love this place.

  • World Trip 1999-2000: Day 29 – Memphis to Nashville, USA

    Wednesday 8 December 1999
    Highlights: Elvis Presley Graceland visit

    Luckily today we got to visit Graceland and visit the home of the King.  The tour was different to what I expected in that you only heard of all the good things in Elvis’ life, his records, awards, movies and army career.  However despite not getting the full picture I’d still recommend a visit to Graceland even if you aren’t a fan of the King.

    The bus ride to get to Graceland went through and even more depressing area.  I now understand why there isn’t a backpacker’s hostel in this area.

    We caught a later afternoon bus to Nashville which again didn’t have a hostel so we set off to find a cheap motel only for a local to stop us and warn against walking into the dangerous area ahead!  With our Memphis experience still in mind we set off for the far more expensive, and nicer, Quality Inn.  At $49.95 plus tax it costs more to stay here but safety is more important.  The USA is a worry sometimes especially around poorer areas.

  • World Trip 1999-2000: Day 28 – Memphis, USA

    Tuesday 7 December 1999
    Highlights: Economic despair of the area 😦

    The overnight Greyhound bus got in around 7 am and we had to walk to the cheapest motel we could find in the area since there are no hostels in Memphis for some reason.  We ended up staying at the Admiral Benbow Inn which charged $29.95 which is way too much for such a terrible place.

    Walking around the CBD you could see and feel the economic despair as it seemed everything was closed down including a MacDonald’s!  Venturing down to the Mississippi River we found that the riverboat wasn’t operating.  Next stop was Mud Island which was shut for development.

    Unfortunately we couldn’t visit Graceland today as it too is shut on Tuesdays.  Walking down the famous Beale Street, the home of blues music, and again there was almost no activity.  We had at least seven people beg us for money.  Totally depressing area which felt unsafe and somewhere you would not bring a family to.

  • World Trip 1999-2000: Day 27 – New Orleans to Memphis, USA

    Monday 6 December 1999
    Highlights: Voodoo and New Orleans Crypts

    A late start to the day getting up around 9.30 am.  Today we went on the Voodoo / Cemetery walking tour.  Our guide explained how voodoo developed in New Orleans and how it has partially merged with Christian briefs to ensure local acceptance or at least some tolerance.

    Voodoo is based on the belief that everything has a spirit or force and how you can pull good things to you and keep bad things at bay.  It is rarely about voodoo dolls and curses.

    The New Orleans Cemetery is unlike any that I’ve experienced before.  Because the nearby Mississippi River used to regularly flood the locals could not bury the dead underground as they would be washed away.  As a result they had to ‘bury’ people above ground in crypts.

    Today marked the quarter stage of this world trip and the start of another overnight bus ride to Memphis.