Welcome to the USA

Hellow,

First of all, sorry I didn’t write in a while, but Internet wasn’t available. And pictures, yeah, same story. But here I am again! :D And if you are reading this, note that from Aruba, I didn’t always put new stories on my site, but sometimes made comments, adjustments or extensions. So you might have missed parts for you don’t get the autonotification.
But, I now have my own laptop (bought it in the States for $345,-, about €280,-). :D So pics and stories will follow more often.

*****

1) Aruba and America

The last week at Aruba was rainy. But I and Linda managed to go to the beach on the last day. For the rest Linda had very little time so I did some more chores for her and of course, we went to some parties. Last party was a pool party, were of course we went in the pool (with clothes on :S). On the last evening we also went to the beach in the evening to have some kind of pick nick. And here there was another beautiful sunset. And on the third we had the plane at 8.30 am to fly to the US, so we had to get up at 5 again.

America, land of dreams. But those dreams scattered quite quickly cause it was f*ck*ng freezing in DC!! About minus 6 but it felt like 5 Fahrenheit (I think it equals about minus 13 Celcius). So I had 3 to 4 T-shirts on and my sweater as jacket. Linda came totally unprepared and took my hat and gloves, a jacket from Mariska and luckily for her I bought her a sweater for her B-day.
On the arrival day (3rd of February) we had lunch in the food cord at Pentagon City when the airplane arrived and we waited for Mariska to pick us up. The rest of the day we did some shopping (my laptop, Linda bought mountain shoes etc) and we had dinner in a Libyan restaurant. Back home I really enjoyed a hot shower (cause hot water doesn’t exists in Aruba) but sleeping on the couch with Linda isn’t really fun (she turns, hits and kicks a lot in her sleep).
Next day we visited Washington DC (Mariska lives next to the Pentagon what actually lays in the state Virginia and DC is stateless, district of Colombia). First to the Library of Congress, you know, where Benjamin Gates (National Treasure II) found the book of secrets of the president. Next on the list were the National Archives were (among others) the Declaration of Independence and the constitution lay. From there on we went down The Mall, passing the Capital and several museums to the Washington Monument. We went up here as well and after that we decided that it was too cold to continue the Mall. So we visited the US Holocaust Memorial Museum which was inside and therefore hot. :) We stayed there for about 2 hours and I think it was impressive. When we came out I had seen enough death and misery and all three of us were totally quite. To cheer up we headed for Mariska’s hotel and the Star Bucks (hot chocolate milk) and the White House was on the route. Unfortunately Obama had an emergency meeting, so he cancelled our rendez vous for tea. :P We ended or day tour with sushi in China town (I never had that, but it was good!). In the evening I was glad to be in bed again
The last day in DC we visited the rest of the memorials: first the Jefferson, than the Roosevelt, followed by the Lincoln and finally the Vietnam memorial. After a walk of 2 hours we were so cold, that we went in a museum again (after a hamburger lunch cause we were also starving :P). We went to the Natural History Museum. Among others there were stuffed mammals, dinosaur bones, the cheek of a giant white shark (about 2 meters), a 11 meter squid and more. Unfortunately after we watched a 3D movie about the oceans, the museum was closed. So we headed back to Mariska’s apartment, but stopped at the Pentagon and 9/11 memorial. Here once again I went silent, for the youngest victim of this attack was only 6 years old! She and the rest of her family were killed and they all had their own space at the memorial.
I’m now sitting at the floor at the apartment, Linda and Mariska are planning New York and we just had dinner (home made spaghetti). Tomorrow we have the bus at 5.15 am (why I made Linda made a reservation this early?? Don’t ask, I don’t know :S). So I’m going to bed soon.

*****

2) The Route

This is my trip:
- 22/01/09 I flew to Aruba to visit and pick up Linda;
- 03/02/09 We take the flight to Washington DC and will visit Mariska;
- 06/02/09 We will take the bus on to New York and will sleep in our first hostel;
- 10/02/09 We'll have a flight to Orlando and will stay in Florida (Miami, Orlando, Disney?, Keys? and Everglades) some days. We will decide there what we'll do;
- 14/02/09 (or the 15th) we will then fly on to Bogota (Colombia);
- 15/02/09 We'll visit Cartagena and Medillin (Colombia) one or more days and then go back to Bogota;
- ??/02/09 After Colombia, we'll cross the border in the direction of Quito (Ecuador) and will also visit the Galapagos Islands;
- ??/03/09 South of Ecador is Peru, were we will visit the ancient Maja Temples in f.e. Macho Picchu and Iquitos and also capital Lima and sand boarding is on the list;
- ??/03/09 A short cross to Bolivia will bring us to La Paz and some salt desert;
- ??/04/09 We will continue to go south and about Santiago (Chili) we'll cross the boarder east to Argentinia;
- ??/04/09 Going up north again in Argentinia (direction Buenos Aires), we'll finally end up in Brazil were we will follow the east coast back north (cities like Rio de Janeiro and Salvador) and then turn west again direction capital Brasilia;
- ??/05/09 From Brasilia we will enter the Amazone for a while;
- ??/05/09 (or begin june) our journey together will end and I will continue west to Australia while Linda goes back to the first point of our journey: Aruba.

Roughly my trip after North and South America will look like this:
- 05/09 (or 06/09) Australia (working and traveling 1 year, maybe with Katie);
- 05/10 (or 06/10) Asia (Indonesia, Philipijnen, Maleisia, Thailand, Vietnam, India, China, Korea and Japan, maybe with Isabel for a while);
- 11/10 Trans-siberian Railway Peking Express through among others Peking (China), Mongolia, Jarkoetsk (Rusland), Onsk (Rusland), Moskou (Rusland) for 18 days (maybe with Robbert);
- 12/10 Home sweet home, Wingman back in the Netherlands.

*****

3) My to do list

In one of the first messages I wrote, I said that you could let me do certain things in exchange for money. Here is the stauts quo:

- Get naked on national tele in the USA: Working on the skincolor and good body ~ REWARD: € 100,- by Ruud and Youri;
- Find a famous place/square and be a street artist: I forgot my jiggling balls everytimne I went into Paris, but the USA has plenty of oppertunities. ~ REWARD: € 100,- by Ruud and Youri;
- Enjoy your trip: I will! ~ REWARD: € 25,- by Hans (Thank you Hans!!)
*** ACCOMPLISHED ***
- Shave your head bold: since my mum shaved me twice I'm almost hairless now. :S ~ REWARD: € 3,50 by Sarah H;
*** ACCOMPLISHED ***
- Come to the Luna-Tik Switch: since I'm in Maastricht now (and bored) and waiting till 10h, I think I'll manage. ~ REWARD: free entrance as per Erik;
*** ACCOMPLISHED ***
- Carry Mickey around the world and tkae pictures in famous places: I WILL! ~ REWARD: A cool photo collection, as per me!;
- Get married in Las Vegas in an Elvis Suite and stay married for at least 6 months: Linda s not interested ~ REWARD: € 450,- as per Erik;

Did I forget one, do you want to add one?? Let me know!!
Do you want to add some?? Let me know!!

*****

4) Games

A little game for all:

Each person that posts, must repeat the sentance 'I will go on holiday and take with me:', repeat the items of previous persons and add one item of his own.

This is were we left of:

*I'll go on holiday and take with me: my backpack (Inge, afblijven!), my hand cups, Inge's prom dress, Mickey Mouse, a snorcle, juggling balls, 1 underpens, a passport, mama's toothbrush and Linda! :P

*****

Well, that's it. I will try to put some pics online also (and I made some cool ones with Mickey) :D. See ya next time!
Kisses, great love and more from the one and only Wingman aka Ralf and a hug from Mickey!!!!