Party Time!!

I love it when a plan comes together! Here I was in Portland, I'd caught my timing perfectly as I descended upon my friend Tiff's house for a few nights to coincide with our friends graduation party. It seems bizarre to call people I have met just once or twice or in some cases never before, friends, but it all clicks so effortlessly that you'd think we'd all known each other for years. As it is, the wonderful world of Bootsnall has a lot to answer for.

Its here in Portland that the website calls home - and what a home Portland is! A pleasant City of meandering streets and rivers, a relaxed (almost horizontal) vibe, cool bars and eateries and one of the best book shops in the world (thankyou Powells for overloading me!) and all set to the backdrop of Mt Hood. It may not have the allure of a New York or a Boston but Portland offers something special of its own that kept me here far longer than originally itended!

It was refreshing to almost have a break here for a while. Staying at Tiffs I had soeme genuine time away from hostel dorms and an almost normal life for a while. I caught up on jobs, got my hair cut and took a break from being on the road. I umwound and relaxed and discovered Portland in a very different way than I would have had I bunked up in a dorm again.



I was already falling in love with this part of the world before being taken out to the Oregon coast. Suffice to say that any doubts I ever had about this area were put to rest on a journey through small towns, winding roads, great forrests and finally at the ocean. WOW!

We found ourselves in a tiny spot called Pacific City, a place so off the beaten track that you'd need a damn good map of the area just to find it! I'm glad we did though!! A breathtaking vista broke through as we made our way towards the sand. Waves cashed against an endless coastline, sand dunes rose on one side of us and a rock out to see gave it all some perspective. This was not your turquoise seas of the Caribbean or Thailand, this was rugged coastline with an overwhelming beauty. Oh and if that wasn't enough, a microbrewery sits proudly at the back of the sand, ready to serve you local delights as you enjoy the stunning surrounds. You would think a place so utterly charming as this would attract hoards of visitors, the fact is beyond the locals no one would even know this place exists. I'll be back again one day of that I'm sure, whether I can find the place again is another matter altogether!






Pictures tell the best story of the Party. Good times were had, too much beer was drunk (I cant belive I ended up on PBR!!) and friendships cemented. Thankyou everyone for truly memorable time.






And thanks to Tiff for putting up with me for well over a week!!

I'll be back PDX.

Friends - Old and New

It happened as I stood outside my hostel in Seattle. A voice, carrying, I could hear what was being said yet it didn't register for several seconds. My name. I was hearing my name! But from where? There was no one around, not close anyway, it still continued. I had my doubts that it was actually me they were after. I mean, who the hell would know me here? Then from behind me, a young lady appears, blond hair cascading down, a knowing look on her face.

"I thought it was you! How are you??"

I looked at her. Nothing. Again, this time trying to get my brain to function at full speed. Nothing. She recognised me, that much was certain. As those moments tick by, it becomes increasingly uncomfortable. You know it, she knows it, heck anyone within ogling distance knows it. I just don't recognise her and that fact is biting through her with every passing moment.

She braces the subject. "Dave, its Anna, from the hostel in New York!". As the words spilled from her mouth I was already wondering how the hell I could have forgotten. The memories came flooding back, the nights out, the beers in the hostel, heck, we even went to the Yankees game together!!

Maybe it was seeing her out of context or without the hat that donned her head, hiding her beautiful blond hair from view, maybe I'm just forgetful! Whatever it was I sure as hell recognised her now!

I'd been told this sort of thing could happen while I was away. You meet people at one point in your trip and because you're following a similar route you wind up bumping into people again. Despite being told, its still a strange feeling when it does actually happen. Funnily enough she wasn't so much travelling and visiting here, she was actually working here.

I didnt see her again after that, we exchanged numbers but I was leaving in a day or 2 and we were both pretty busy. It was nice to bump into what was, in travelling terms I guess, an old friend.

I also seized upon an opportunity to meet a couple more Booties. Joe was also in from out of town and staying at the Green Tortoise whilst Travis was the local. The three of us arranged a get together for a few hours over lunch. Once again I wasn't to be disappointed by the awesome people that frequent Bootsnall.

A lovely meal around Pike Place Market and a few beers were capped off, stylishly with a few photos by the Seattle Wall of Gum, and yes, its absolutely as disgusting as you may think, still, it makes for a funky photo!


I'd undoubtedly met a great bunch of people while here in the Emerald City. From Joe and Travis, bumping into Anna, the crew from the HI hostel and, of course, Sandy who I'd arranged to meet again to watch the the biggest game of football in 4 years, the World Cup Final!

The Bootie, The Beer and The Bouncer

Tracy arrived at the hostel around 7.45pm and we sped off into town taking a few scenic routes along the way. Some of the views of Boston were pretty impressive but unfortunately it wasn't possible to just stop in the middle of the road to take a photo! Still, I had my little guided tour before we pulled up (struggling to find somewhere to park) and walked to the bar she'd chosen.

Normally making a beer drinking decision is pretty easy, however this was not the case here. Sat at the bar, to my right I noticed a wall full of beer taps giving you the option of some 60 plus beers on tap and a further 100 or so by the bottle. I didn't even know where to begin. At home its normally a choice or 2 or 3 lagers or a selection of 2-3 ales and that's it. I honestly didn't have a clue so turned to Tracy and the barman for a little pointer.

I wound up with a pint of blueberry beer which I think sounds far worse than it actually tasted. Bot so much blueberry coloured or particularly strong in the fruity flavour department it was a lager with blueberries floating up and down inside it. Quite bizarre but actually pretty tasty.

Blueberry beer drinking experienced and food now eaten it was time to liven things up a bit. Tracy had a friend DJing at a club across the street so we agreed to go spend the rest of the night in there. Our plans however we scuppered by an annoying bouncer and some ludicrous Mass. State laws. I was denied entry to the club for not having correct ID. Now here in Massachusetts they will only accept an instate drivers licence or passport. Now, I'm not a lo9cal so that means its passport or nothing and be blowed if I'm carrying the single most important document I have around with me on a drunken night out!! I had many other forms of ID including my picture drivers licence but the bouncer who could clearly see I wasn't under 21 denied me entry even though he knew Tracy. Not saying its the bouncers fault but it was one of those moments that makes me think how idiotic some of the laws are in the US. They're so self centred its untrue! LIFE DOES EXIST OUTSIDE OF YOUR COUNTRY YOU KNOW!!

I could sense Tracy wasn't too happy but maybe that was half due to the amount of alcohol that she'd consumed through the night. I wont say how much, just that I thought it was somewhat excessive for someone who was driving! It seems the drink drive thing isn't played up in any where near the same manner as it home. Somehow here it seems accepted and part of life whereas back in the UK its something that is driven into you from a young age.

We decided to try our luck at another place out in Cambridge where Tracy new the bouncer and gave him a quick call to see if he would let us in. Unfortunately it wasn't him on the door when we got there and I fully expected to be rejected, at 28, from a bar for the 2nd time that night. However things went our way and my drivers licence was enough to secure ourselves a spot inside.

The club was typically cheesy with some songs you wouldn't even dare play at home now but the crowd here seemed to lap it up and Tracy not wanting to be outdone by Kathryn and Rachel and the babies bottle in New York had me up dancing on the tables! Brilliant fun!

Maybe in the end it worked out for the best. I was comfortable in a club like this, not too big, bit of cheesy music, some good indie tunes as well, good company, some nice beer and a whole lot of singing and dancing! Tracy dropped me back at the hostel which must have been a bit out of her way but was hugely appreciated and I knew the morning wouldn't exactly bring the earliest of starts!

The Famous Incident of The Three Scots

The evening had been spent meeting my first Booties of the trip in a place called the Peculiar Pub down in Greenwich Village. Kathryn and Rachel, both of whom call New York City home, were absolutely lovely. Typical Booties in every way, full of conversation and very welcoming.

Between us we sampled several of the 100+ beers on the menu at the Peculiar. Initially being issued with a list of countries. Under each country, a selection of their finest! Who could resist a round the world beer night! I forget some of the beers I tried that night, although I know I sampled Dos Equis, a Mexican favourite here in the US, for the first time.

We agreed to meet again before I headed off to Boston and with them both having work in the morning we departed at a decent hour. I wound up back at the hostel and joined a bunch back there for a few more beers and in doing so wound up agreeing to go catch the Yankees game tomorrow! I was positively buzzing when I went to bed!

My satisfying sleep was broken however by the return to my dorm of the 3 Scottish guys staying there. Now, its a hostel, a dorm room in the heart of Manhattan, you EXPECT there to be some noise. That kinda comes with the territory. What you DON'T expect is to witness Chelsea International Hostel's first ever Pukeathon.

Around 4am the three lads returned, unknown to me at the time was that they were celebrating a birthday, so a few minutes later there's a fair bit of crashing going on, someone walking into a wall, crashing on the floor and then someone letting loose the nights beer in the bathroom. Within a couple of minutes I can hear the oh so pleasant sound of yakking coming from just outside our front door. 2 of them, in tandem now.

Moments later and there's a third puking noise joining the other 2. But, hold on, so this one isn't coming from outside, it isn't coming from the bathroom but it IS coming from nearby. Yep, Scotsmen number 3 is giving the bedsheets a beautiful coating of carrots and peas. In unison then the 3 set about their pukathon leaving me trying not to join them as I'm struggling to push away the stench that's now circulating!

I did fall to sleep in the end of course, the puking did stop and the boys were busy cleaning when I awoke. The story though would NOT die. That would live on, already doing the rounds in the hostel before I had even surfaced. I hope one day I'll go back and someone will tell me about the famous incident of the three Scots!