Starts...<br><br>
    Green Tortoise - New York-San Francisco - 2 July 89-12 July 89<br><br>
  Excerpts from my diary entries covering this trip<br><br>
    Note: I could have written a descriptive narrative about my wonderful  journey on the GT.  But that's been done.  Instead I decided to copy  excerpts from my diary - which contains a far more impulsive account  of the events of the trip than I could ever hope to conjure up. <br><br>
     Sunday 2nd July<br><br>
      ...a friend of a new acquaintance offered me a lift from the Y in  W34St up to W178St - the Green Tortoise (GT) pick-up point.  Arrived  at the GT - what a sight.  A really old (1953) bus painted green and  with flowery cushions and window shades.  The friend who had driven me  to the pick-up point looked amazed and couldn't believe I was actually  going on it.  At first I tended to agree - it really did look like a  hippie dream-come-true.  Two English girls arrived for the trip in a  stretch limo!  The chauffeur mumbled something to me about the lack of  air conditioning.  I was very apprehensive, but I knew that I had no  choice now having paid for most of the trip already.  So I gritted my  teeth and walked over to the bus - everyone staring at eachother -  really unpleasant tentativeness.  At this stage having serious doubts  about the wisdom of the trip (12 days long).  Had expected virtually  all Americans but 3/4 Europeans.  Very slow to make conversation here.  <br><br>
  Boarded the coach - incredible inside:  The back half was just one  huge bed of mattresses and all the rest was foamy seats which could be  converted into beds.  A layer of top bunks also used for daypacks in  the day and bunks at night.  Stereo system fitted throughout.  Paid my  money (for food) and climbed over to the mattresses at the back.  Thought about how potentially difficult it could be to have 40 people  sleeping on the bus.  Two drivers in charge - Ray and BJ - both very  friendly and helpful but very keen to stress that the success of the  trip was largely up to us.  <br><br>
  We set off west - the start of the great journey.  Mixed feelings of  excitement and anticipation.  As soon as we crossed the Hudson river  everywhere was green and it all started to look really 'American'.  Gradually started to loosen up and talk to a couple of girls (ratio  boy:girl=8:30 approx - just how I like it).  Spoke first to German  girl (Katalina) then to English girl who heard my accent (Janet).  Both girls were au-pairs and were enjoying a break.  Later found that  most girls were European (France, Germany, Belgium, Britain, Denmark,  Sweden) also Australia and Japan.  Also about five American girls,  four of them very interesting with loads of jewellery and dark clothes  - very straightforward and with minimal scruples - just the best  types.  <br><br>
  Anyway, I digress.  At about 9:30pm we stopped at a river (Delaware  Water Gap) for a skinny (optional) dip.  Too cold to go right-in, just  up to waist.  Many others in properly and butt naked.  The only girls  not in were - guess - yep - British.  Chatted with a few girls - all  the same questions; What do you do?  How long have you been in  America? etc.  Had a talk about the trip and what it involves from Ray  - we were all sat around the front of the bus with the headlights on.  Then we piled back onto the bus ready for the first night.  <br><br>
  If before I thought I had lived in some rough surroundings my  standards were now lowered further:  We were packed in like sardines  in a can.  Two people opposite me (Margo & Don) both much older than  the average (which was about 21) - they must have been in their late  forties at least.  Both very friendly and interesting people.  Problem  was - their legs were so long and they just stretched-out how they  felt.  Janet on one side (from England) and Katalina on the other -  very uncomfortable despite having women on both sides.  Packed-in so  tight that movement (particularly turning over) was very difficult  because it meant kicking everyone around.  At this point having  serious doubts about the wisdom of going on the trip.  Fell asleep  eventually but only got 3 hours' sleep all night!  Welcome to the GT.  <br><br>
  Monday 3rd July  <br><br>
  Stopped at Lake Eerie (Crane Creek State Park) in Ohio for breakfast.  Beautiful surroundings - rural America has many beautiful sights.  The  village where we stopped was amazing - huge amounts of land for every  house - all different styles.  Swam in the lake - really pleasant.  Helped out at breakfast running french toasts between the pan and the  40 plates.  We drove for most of the day - very boring - just used the  time to catch-up on sleep.  Drove into Chicago in early evening - swam  on banks of Lake Michigan (as cold as the sea) - beautiful sight of  skyscrapers right up to the edge of the lake.  Celebrations for  Independence day already underway and hundreds of people lining the  streets.  Went to a pizza restaurant for some amazing deep-pan pizza  and a pitcher of Miller - Deee-licious.  Got talking to some English  girls (all au pairs) and hung-out with them.  Went into a couple of  clubs and had a few drinks.  Returned to the bus for overnight drive  across the Great Plains.  <br><br>
  Tuesday 4th July  <br><br>
  Arrived for breakfast in Wisconsin (near La Crosse) on the banks of  the Mississippi - much better climate here - less humid.  Had a  sing-song.  Again we drove for much of the day to Loon Lake in  Minnesota.  Excellent swimming spot - really refreshing.  Man-made  lake so never gets deeper than 6ft.  Tried to sunbathe but too many  insects.  Cooked tea - some type of stroganoff and played Frisbee.  Washed my hair for first time on trip under an ice-cold water pump -  literally painful.  Did a 'bus-toss'; this is where all the contents  of the bus are removed so that we could keep the bus clean and  habitable.  Drove overnight.  <br><br>
  Wednesday 5th July <br><br>
   Arrived to the sound of Jean Michel Jarre's Oxygene - opened my eyes  and looked outside:  I thought I was on another planet.  We had  arrived in the Badlands of South Dakota - what an amazing place.  We  witnessed the sun rise over some of the most breathtaking sights I  have ever seen.  Totally and amazingly and indescribably beautiful!  Made breakfast - ate a huge amount of water melon and a load of sugary  doughnuts that Don had bought me the day before - mmmmmmmmmmmmmm...   <br><br>
 Hiked through the Badlands - Star Wars-like scenery.  Saw a deer.  Arrived back at bus 2 hours later completely parched - how do people  live here?  It's so hot!  Visited Longhorn Saloon and trading post in  Scenic - amazing glimpse at the 'raw' lifestyle of the Badlanders  (many Indians).  Bar was fantastic - sawdust 2 inches thick on the  floor!  Got mildly drunk on 'slurpees' - a slush puppie with vodka in  it.  Played pool.  Shop next door was incredible and indescribable  (that's my way out of writing a whole page describing it) - many  crafted goods for sale. <br><br>
   Went to a remote caf - Cuny's Caf - where we had a sort of kebab  (Mexican style) - delicious.  Everyone not British went swimming in  mud bath lake - they were all coated in mud.  Drove to a remote spot -  Sheep Mountain Table - fantastic.  Never seen so many stars -  including shooting stars - slept outside the bus on the ground - quite  an experience - could even see the Milky Way!  <br><br>
    Thursday 6th July  <br><br>
  Had breakfast at grounds where we had slept (omelettes).  Visited a  boring museum containing Indian artefacts - everyone else seemed to  like it.  Swam at a fantastic lagoon-like spot on a river - what a  great-life feeling.  Bus drove about 2 miles on to the cookout point -  myself and some other girls decided to walk - time for a chat with  Eleanor - think she fancies me!  Delicious tea at a place with crystal  clear water and springs.  Drove overnight.   <br><br>
   Friday 7th July   <br><br>
 Arrived in Rocky Mountains for breakfast - almost alpine in appearance  - again, breathtaking.  We were very high-up and Laurence had a nose  bleed and was short of breath - quite worrying.  Drove to Glenwood  Springs in Colorado - a really picturesque drive - could happily live  around here.  Arrived at Colorado river (rapids and white-water  rafting).  We went rafting - 10 in a boat - fantastic fun - kept  having extensive water fights with the other boats and pushed  eachother overboard.  Stopped at a natural hot spring (sulphur) which  was over 100 degrees F - amazing - could have stayed all day; forever  in fact! <br><br>
   Returned to the bus for cookout tea.  John (New Yorker - very  friendly) and I bought some hot dogs because the bus is vegetarian and  everyone around where the bus was parked was having Barbecues!  Had  first shower since Sunday - luxury.  Drove overnight.  Stayed up  talking to Eleanor who was definitely 'coming-on' to me.  Talking  until we arrived at Arches National Park at 5am.  Tried to sleep  outside the bus there but very difficult because of noisy horse flies  and ants! <br><br>
     Saturday 8th July  <br><br>
  Welcome to Utah - home of the Mormons.  Had breakfast at Arches -  incredibly hot today.  Hiked for a while to see the Arches - fantastic  sight - constantly drinking because so hot and dry.  In the afternoon,  3/4 of the bus couldn't take the heat any longer and we asked to leave  the park early and find somewhere cooler.  Found a good spot on the  Colorado river - very strong currents - nearly got swept-off  downstream!  <br><br>
  Stopped for a cookout at a very nice place; but wind was very strong -  blowing dust everywhere - but we ate anyway.  Had a Chinese stir-fry -  delicious.  Made a camp fire and talked as a group about how the trip  was going - chance to air feelings.  Ate water melon which had been  soaked in a moonshine called 'Everclear' (90 something %) - yummy.  Drove overnight.    <br><br>
  Sunday 9th July  <br><br>
  Breakfast at Bryce Canyon - a more touristy place than most of the  others on the trip but still very beautiful.  Very brave chipmunks  eating muesli out of my hand - incredible.  Went to a water faucet for  a drink - one brave chipmunk climbed into the bowl and proceeded to  drink and splash around under the running water.  Later found that  these chipmunks carried rabies and other lovely diseases after posing  with them for photos!  After breakfast took a short walk around the  edge of the Canyon - found a touristy shop where I bought a  make-it-yourself hot dog - yummy (more sneaky carnivorous munchings).  Drove to Kodachrome Basin where we made camp for the night - I slept  on the bus because I wanted a good night's sleep.  <br><br>
    Monday 10th July <br><br>
   After breakfast went horse-riding through Kodachrome Basin - I'd  forgotten how good riding was.  My horse handled very well and even  jumped a gap which apparently it had previously shyed-away from.  After returning to the bus got a shower and prepared to leave.    Drove to some incredible hot springs - arrived about 10.30pm and made  dinner.  These springs almost too hot to sit in.  Other GT bus here  but people not terribly friendly?!  Slept on bus whilst others  camped-out.    <br><br>
  Tuesday 11th July  <br><br>
  Woke-up - went swimming and bathing in hot spring pools - colour of  the water amazing by daylight.  Breakfast.  Drove to Zion National  Park - again fairly touristy - but still very nice.  Went horse riding  again - but really shit because I had a mule - a waste of $9.  Cooked-out.  <br><br>
  Another GT bus there too - they got me to take a picture of all of  them as a group with each of their 25 odd cameras - great fun.  After  our dinner a lone traveler did the same for us.  <br><br>
  Starting to get that horrible 'end of term' feeling.  Drove to Las  Vegas where we arrived at about 2am.  Walked around - what an amazing  place - has to be seen to be believed.  Flashing lights everywhere -  only lost $6 gambling!  Drinks very cheap - 75c for anything and  popcorn free!  Wanted to get married in the church there but couldn't  get divorced there again so decided against it; I really fancied the  idea of getting married and divorced within one hour - what fun that  would be.  Back to bus and bed at 5am.   <br><br>
   Wednesday 12th July  <br><br>
  Mostly driving today.  Stopped-off around lunchtime at Bakersfield to  drop-off some of the people on the bus - amazing how emotional we all  were saying goodbye to people who we'd only known for 10 days!  Back  on the bus for the final run to San Francisco.  Passed loads of huge  wind-generator windmills - hundreds all neatly spaced apart on the  hills - quite an attractive sight I thought - no-one else did!  Later  arrived at SF where we all stayed at the house of one of the GT'ers.    <br><br>
    And so our journey ended, so suddenly, and so sadly.  What a contrast  to the apprehension I had felt 10 days before.  The rest of my holiday  (another month) was really an anti-climax after the GT.  I tried to  re-create the Jack Kerouac feeling whilst heading back east on the  Greyhound, but to no avail.  I later wrote in my journal that the GT  had been the best 10 days of my life.  Relationships apart, that holds  true to this day.  <br><br>
  If you haven't been - go!  But be warned; I tend to agree with an  article I once read about the GT which said that the experience could  never be repeated like the first time.....  <br><br>
    PS  If anyone out there was on this trip, please get in  touch............  <br><br>
  Simon Tompson <br>
 simon@surfsofa.demon.co.uk <br>
   ....ends <br>