Mark
Hey Rory, at least hope this is Rory and not some automatic response thing. Though you did give your email out at the end of the book so I’m guessing you might have to reply to some of the 100 of emails you get. Just finished your book discovering beautiful. Really liked most of it, well the first three quaters of it. The spiritual part lost me a wee bit. It’s not that I have anything particularly against that kinda thing, I just got the impression you were trying to convert the reader. Anyway I’m sure my opinion is of no relevance to you, bottom line it was a good read because it felt as if far a large part of it I was with you in the discovery which i guess is what your aim was.
Anyway look I’m a singersongwritter and I’m in the last year of my degree, which I can’t wait to finish. I’m hitting the road myself but unlike you I will be doing it with a lifelong companion. The type of guy that greats a story everywhere he ventures. the reason I’m contacting you is that while I know it was such a long time ago, i was wondering if you’d recommend any spots in particular you think are worth visiting. We have a very loose plan that relies heavily on the generosity of people and my skills as a performer. Were the types of guys that if we were down to our last tenner wed defiantly spend it on a pint or whatever were able to get our hands on. I also was gona document it, but as I’m guessing most of the journey I’ll be playing catch op with consciousness I don’t really now whether I’ll be up to the task. As a man with experience in the subject was wondering if you have any tips..
Ano the world has changed since you travelled, and customs may be a wee bit stricter on two 21 year old Irish men, do you think you could still do it with no real visa. Or preparation? I’m hoping. Hoping you’ll say, that’s the beauty of it. But who knows. Anyway if you couldn’t be arsed replying no worries, don’t blame you. To be honest I’m sending this email to avoid the inevitable uni work.
Good read anyway, hope you return to the road again someday.
Me
Hi Mark, glad to hear you dug the book - well, three quarters of it! :-) - where is it you're thinking of heading to? Are you meaning places in America or the world in general?
Mark
Well were starting of in the states, mainly because they dig the irish accent, and because have of them believe there from there. Then we plan to head to S.America, Austrialia and up into Asia. Although this trip is supposed to be a year out, we have absolutelty no boundries as to how long it will last and no immediate desire to return. Our only fear is that either one of us fall in love and become afraid of continuing on.
Me
Maybe things in the States have changed a bit since I was last there (2000) though I couldn't really say. Canada's a cool country that I've spent a lot of time in since and entering the US overland used to be easier. Plus you can get great one-way flights to Canada with canadianaffair.com. Depends when you go I suppose: the winter's not so much fun. But the rockies are awesome and it's very chill out west - Vancouver, Vancouver Island, Nelson, BC - which is also true of the States: seems to me that all the good stuff was west of the rockies in California, Utah, Arizona, Oregon, New Mexico, Colorado, etc, etc. That's where I'd go if I was going back - perhaps especially Colorado and California (San Fran and north). Great people, great country. Though I do still have a soft spot for Charlottesville.
I was back in Mexico in 2009, hitched across from near Cancun right back to the Baja. Nothing much changed there. And my current girlfriend just got back from going overland from Mexico City to Venezuela. It's all groovy, really: the whole wide world. Only thing I'd be cautious about would be entering the US with guitars, as they might think you're wanting to work there. Maybe find out about that from others who have done it - not the naysayers that haven't - and see if you'd be better off buying them when you're out there. And don't enter the US without a ticket out of the country, they don't like that. Though maybe somewhere like Niagara it'd be okay. If you show you've got a ton of money in the bank before you get there that helps. Print out a statement or something. And if you haven't got a ton of money try and find a way to make it look like you have (eg, fake the statement) and take a credit card too.
Really all I've got to say is be open to stuff and go wherever you feel like. Depends what you're after really. But it's a world of possibilities. Don't worry too much when you get down to your last five dollars and you've nowhere to sleep - it always works out. Be good to people and let them demonstrate their generosity if that's what they want to do. A tent and a sleeping bag are good things to have, and then you've got ultimate freedom. And travel light: in fact, take almost nothing. These days I travel with a small daypack and I've been away for six months+ with one of those: never lacked for anything and always ending up with things I didn't need. Earlier this year I went to Israel for two weeks with just the clothes on my back and zero plans and it worked out fine.
I can't think of nothing else. Main thing is just to do it: whatever you can imagine you can probably do. But too many people just follow the narrow lines and don't really experience what's possible.
Have a blast!
Rory
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