Drew has gone to the States for a week with his host family - he almost didn't make it into the country. I hope they let him out again.
Hello,
Finally I have found 5 minutes to myself.
G'DAY from the United States of America. Has a nice ring to it doesn't it?
I have quite alot to tell you all so sit yourself down in a nice spot. Jim, Lianne, Bryn, Byrn's friend and I left Ottawa on Saturday morning to head to Jiminy Peak, Massachusetts for a one-week vacation. We were driving through the French countryside of Canada on our way to the American border.
It's like something out of a movie, your driving along the country, then over a hill and there it is in massive writing "The United States of America". Below the sign is hundreds of men and women in uniform running back and forth, directing people to go on in to the States or forcing them into a what I call 'Detention Centre'. Every single person had the look on their face like they were ready to shoot at any moment.
We waited in line as each car drove up to the booth and awaited questioning. Our turn was up and as we pulled up the man immediately commanded me to open my door. I opened the door and he checked inside. Then he asked for all our passports. He went through every passport checking to make sure it was real - ready every line carefully. He then asked if I was the Australian, in my mind I was like "duh, look at the picture Einstein" instead I said "YES SIR" Haha, he was rather intimidating. He had no interest in the rest of the family but me! He then asked me like 6 questions in a row, asking my current address, why I was here, who I was staying with, where I was going to in America, what I intended to do in America, did I have any weapons or drugs on me. He opened my passport back up and read it again - reading the visa section.
After an agonising 3 minutes he said "right well I'm not going to let you in straight away, go over to that building and await further instruction.. I'll be keeping your passports".
My first reaction was like "Shit, I'm going to be deported for something" haha. Then we drove over to the main building and went inside. In there I watched the man bring in my passport and he passed it around to what I expect were his superiors. Then I was called up to the desk and asked a bunch of questions, similar to the first ones. I had to fill our a double sided sheet of information again. I tell you what, the Americans know more about me then anyone does now.
Then I had to go get my left and right hand scanned and finger printed to go into their data base, so that if my prints show up at a crime scene they'll know exactly who it is.
Then I had to pay $6 American and they released me. After all that I didn't even WANT to go into America haha. Also, and this made me sad, while I was at the booth there was this Canadian son and dad next to me who were denied entry into the States and I heard that they had a hotel booking but they couldn't do anything about it. Bloody Americans. Oh oh oh also, we drove like 2 minutes and sure enough we saw the golden arches.. MCDONALDS - the birth place of America.
So then we drove for 5 hours through up state New York, which was SO beautiful! Then into the state of Massachusetts and then to our hotel. It is a ski resort that is also open in the summer where you can enjoy the ariel park, luge, hiking etc. It must be SO nice during the winter. When we got there we just hung out and relaxed.
The next day we decided to go to a place called Stockbridge because they were having their annual Arts and Crafts Festival. Now Stockbridge has quite alot of history to it so it was rather interesting. Famous artist Norman Rockwell grew up here and painted most of his artworks here. We actually went to the official museum of his and it was amazing. The attention to detail to his art was incredible.
The houses that are there now are the original houses from the 1800's and when I saw these houses are old and HUGE I mean it - It was what I imagined all American houses to look like, big with porches out the front with a rocking chair. Every house had the American flag waving outside gallantly. They are a proud people.
The Arts and Crafts Festival was a lot of fun to walk around and have a look at, but then it started to rain really heavily and I found myself taking cover in a Photography tent with the owner and his wife. We talked photography for 5 minutes and he gave me his card and said if I ever wanted my photos to be printed on canvas to give him an email! Woo.
Finally the rain stopped and I continued on, I made my way into the main street and into a run down bits and pieces store. It sold old tapes and different things you mightn't expect to find. and I made a really good purchase. I bought an original, and the only one in the store, 1961 "The Evening Post" magazine for 10.25. I found in the back room under a bunch of crap and the guy said he forgot he had it. YAY ME. Then we went back to the hotel and relaxed.
Today we woke up around 10 and decided to drive to an outlet factory. I thought it would be like DFO where there’s lots urban surroundings right? No. Haha. We're driving through the mountains. No cities or small towns nearby, and BAM! There it is, like 50 outlet stores in the middle of the mountains. I got three designer pants, all valued over 30 $ for 8 $ each - the sales here are so good! Converse shoes priced at 85 for 45. BOO YAH. Had a great day. Then I went to the gym to work out and now I'm writing this eating Ice cream. Treating myself for working out HAHA.
On Thursday, if there’s enough people for the bus trip, the hotel provides day trips to New York! Visiting every single tourist attraction there. Times Square, Empire State, Liberty Statue, Ground Zero, Waterway cruise, Brooklyn Bridge, Chrysler Building, St Pauls Chapel and Rockefeller Centre. AND OF COURSE SHOPPING. Best thing is that it only costs $125!!!
EVEN BETTER is that I'm going back to New York for a week in December to do all these things in more detail. I'M SO HAPPY :)
Was good to email you all finally! Sending my love
Drew
XOXO
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