Quintessential of couchsurfing - in NY with Rob

Rob was not my first choice to couchsurf with. Someone I have already met in Kuala Lumpur, was, but he was not able to host us. In Rob profile, he said, he run in marathons, and that he baked his own sourdough bread. OK - that would be very interesting. Still, requesting a couch in NY is really a case of touch and go. The case of too many surfers and too few hosts. The same as London, Paris and Tokyo. Rob answered, "Yes, I've a couch for you two." Actually it was better than a couch, he had a sofa bed for us. Right in his living room. He wrote us that he would be late coming back from work on the day of our arrival and directed us to a nearby cafe, should we needed something to eat while waiting for him. I had a salad and a huge mug of coffee while Digi had hot chocolate with cookies at the cafe Rob recommended. It was raining in New York, then.

It rained everyday in New York
(at Wall Street)

Later we walked to the Rubin Museum of Art, which was not too far from Rob's apartment. Rob lived in a walk-up one bedroom apartment on the 4th floor. His kitchen in his living room. We felt at home right away. He later took us to a grocery a couple of blocks away from his place. I loved it. Yup, another grocery with everything. I was then beginning to feel the significance of being in New York. If you can think of something you want (to eat) - NY has it. What struck me most about NY was how it felt like a small walkable village, instead of a mega world city. Or maybe having a host made all the difference?

It was no brainer to make us chicken curry for dinner. I was able to get all the ingredients needed, including kafir leaves and lemon grass. We spent our first night with Rob talking about little things, and including how to train for a marathon. "You gotta train well, six months at least, and better still a year." I will have to check on him, if he is running this year, and wish him the best, and may he be in good hands.

We stayed with Rob for three nights. On the last night we went to bed early because our bus to Columbus was to depart in early morning. Rob went out (being Friday night) to have some fun time. Before he left he told us to open the door for two more couchsurfers - from Spain. Rob's new couchsurfers guests arrived, two girls who had just finished their tour of USA and on their way home. They both soon went out again, though, looking for Rob. Digi and I went to sleep. While asleep I heard low voices, Rob and his Spanish guests were coming back from their night out. Rob whispered, "Go back to sleep S, we are fine." I just mumbled something and went right back to sleep. When I woke up in the morning I found Rob sleeping on the floor, by our feet, in a blanket on another blanket. He had given his bed to his other two guests. I woke Digi. We tip toed around sleeping Rob, showered, brushed our teeth, got dressed, drank some milk and eat Rob's sourdough bread. Maybe not in that order. Then gently, I woke Rob to say thank you and goodbye. Ooh I almost forgot, I got him to pack for us his sourdough starter, made in NY, the evening before. Thank you, Rob, you are an angel in disguise.

Alternative Foodie

Play by ear trip of Washington D.C.

The fact is, our entire six months trip had a play by ear approach for the day today activities, even the week to week. We had the Kuala Lumpur - Paris, London - Columbus - London, then Paris - Kuala Lumpur itinerary fixed prior to our departure from Kuala Lumpur, but the rest of our trip was planned on the go. More so of Washington D.C. It was planned for three full days, but we end up with only two full days, one rest day and one traveling day (to New York). I count traveling day for it can be the most happening of being on the road.

Fresh from watching Mr Smith Goes to Washington, we arrived at the Nation Capital a day late. Everything was fine except we traveled at night on the bus instead of getting our sleep in bed.  After a rest and a nap at the hotel, we went back to the city to begin our day one exploration. Mainly getting ourselves familiar with the train routes, as well planning our coming days. We then returned to the hotel for our luggage and went to look for our couchsurfer host house, Mr & Mrs G. Digi was thrilled to be walking on the street of Washington D.C. and actually going to be staying with two of its residents.  "Technically, we are to be neighbors with the President, mum." Alright, I guess it is clear that the White House was our 1st destination.

The President lives here , and we were then his new nosy neighbors.

Next was the case of having too many museums to see and having too little time at hand. Best method was probably by tossing a coin, in deciding the left or the right monument or museum to see. Digi had one museum he did not want to miss, the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum. And I wanted him to see the Smithsonian National Museums of Natural History. So that was how we spent our next two full days in the Nation Capital, circling the White House and checking what time permitted between the Lincoln Memorial and the Capitol Hill. Still I've a feeling, we could had been here for a week or a month, and still have more to see.

At Lincoln's Feet

National Gallery of Art

Digi's way of looking at artifacts or art works of his choice is from every direction, and read its every description. Better still if he could touch, use or wear them. Constraint by time or by my tired legs I tend to give everything a glance here and there and move on, or sit down and just observe from my corner. Digi had no tired legs until bedtime. So to overcome our differences in observation methods and legs capacity, we followed a simple plan, he would take me to a wing (of a particular museum) and left me resting at the entrance (which usually has a seat or two), maybe reading a map or the museum's information pamphlets while he toured the wing by himself. Once that particular wing was done he picked me up like a parcel and dropped me at the next wing's entrance. Sometimes I followed him all the way, sometimes half way then returned to my designated entrance. Someday he is going to reminiscence on this as, "how I took my mum museum hopping."

Breakfast at Mr & Mrs G

Washington D.C is definitely on our list to visit again. I'm attracted to the people, felt like every nation on earth  has a representative in the city. The grocery not too far from our host's house sells everything, including whole coconut. And everyone are taking public transports. This is almost opposite of Columbus, that those who are taking public transports are the ones without their own. But in Washington D.C. our host Mr. G chose to cycle to work. I really like that.

Alternative Foodie

Out of Ohio

It is probably more apt to call this posting "Bound to Ohio" as it took us almost a day and a night to leave Ohio. Our first attempt failed big, as digital called it. It was already end of Spring and into May. We had gone to the Chocolate Factory, had a fun Easter, peeked into a couple of Museums, frequented the library, walked Columbus street, watched Scioto River flooded its bank as well visited COSI. It was time to go to another city - the Washington D.C.

The Chocolate Factory

Children playing while waiting to enter the Chocolate Factory
(and the mirrored wall)

Easter eggs of Wooster

Digital and big bird at Mike's parents'

Digital with Pat & MrP (Mike's parents)

Park by the Scioto River

Having fun at COSI

Columbus street

Scioto River (emptied into Ohio River,
that emptied into Mississippi River)

Santa Maria replica by the Scioto River

Columbus in Spring

Nice art on the street of Columbus

On the way to the Library

Kids corner

Right at home!

Our mode of transportation was to be the economically priced Mega Bus. Two seats were booked and paid for with good saving made. On the day of departure Mike drove us to Columbus downtown, heading to Nationwide and North High Street junction where the Mega Bus was to pick us up. That never happen.  All roads to High Street and Nationwide were blocked. A traffic officer directed us to a road paralleled to High Street, and as close to where the bus was going to pick us up. But he also told us no way a bus could enter Nationwide, not until the event of the day, which was a Cancer Walk concluded. Mike managed to drop us a block away from  the pick up place, and we walked to Nationwide - High Street junction. Not a single vehicle, just walkers, in the thousands and music. Wow, we had missed this event announcement from our Columbus calendar.

It was fun to watch the proceedings but also it was a very confusing time for us. We badly needed to get to our bus, that would take us to Pittsburgh for a connecting bus to Washington D.C. Another traffic officer managed to get us in contact with the Mega Bus costumer service. Mega Bus costumer service said they would call us back to let us know where we should go for the bus. Still in the noise and all the chaos the bus left without us. When I called Mega Bus again, they told me I did not answer their call that was supposed to tell us where to get the bus. I did not hear my phone rang, we must  had been right in the middle of all the people making their way on High street. I was heart broken. It took so much to arrange our trip to Washington DC and then New York. We had hosts waiting for us in both cities. Later I found out that another pick up place was at the Ohio Sate University, further North of the Columbus City. If I had known I would had gone there right away. On the street with no internet access - that was the hard reality we faced of being unwired in a wired world. For me that was Murphy Law at its best.

Merry walkers

Digi trying to shut out loud sound and music

Pink team

The crowd coming from North on High Street,
right at the Nationwide Junction

We finally called Mike (who had to leave to meet a friend in another part of the city) to tell him what happened. I just wanted to fly to DC. But Mike thought the Greyhound was probably a much cheaper option. We managed to get two greyhound bus seats that cost us USD 180,  that probably was just slightly cheaper than flight tickets. The original Mega Bus seats from Columbus to Washington DC was only USD 24 for both Digital and I. But instead of departing at 9.00 in the morning, we departed at 10 at night, and only arrived in Washington D.C. early morning, the next day.

Digi eating his breakfast out of Ziploc bag

We headed to our hotel for a short rest and to clean up after a night of bus ride. The hotel was booked because our Washington D.C host could only host us from the 2nd night onward. Funny how we planned life, and how life turned out.

Alternative Foodie.

News

I woke up to the Boston Marathon bomb blast news. It is still unfolding. News that cannot be ignored ... I'll be looking for all the Ws and H. And so with a heavy heart, I shall sign off. AF

Music and Nature shows at the Franklin Park Conservatory, Columbus Ohio.

After some false starts, spring finally came to Columbus. By this time Easter was long gone too. With flowers in full bloom, it was time to head to the Franklin Conservatory. Words can never be enough to describe what music and nature gives us. So here are the photos. Alas I was not able to make any audio recording. So, can we see music being played?

Happy Spring Days!
Alternative Foodie