Top of the World (AKA Top of our Roof)

Twenty One

1. Landlord couldn't return bond money when requested

2. New Landlord thus couldn't receive bond when requested

3. Stress

4. Got to new apartment

5. Go to put bags in new room

6. Room mate has decided she wants the big room

7. STress

8. Horrible conversation regarding the fact that we would not fit in the small room

9. All sorted very quickly - Got the bigger room (for a little extra mullah)

10. Ikea

11. Ikea is confusing, and one can easily get lost

12. Had too much stuff and not enough money

13. STRess

14. Put back lots of things

15. Waiting in line calls for Cinnamon Bun

16. Waiting in the wrong line

17. STREss

18. Bed cannot be delivered till next day

19. STRESs

18. Employ Sham's muscles to get all the Ikea crap up to the 6th floor of our building

19. Brain storm ideas for sleeping as comfortably as one can on an empty hard wood floor = two sheets, a doona, and a coat...

20. Worst 'sleep' ever, longest night ever, most severe back, hip, leg and neck pain EVER

21. STRESS

The Adventures of Gary and Nana

Today we went to one of our favourite places to go in New York, that being the dog park in Washington Square. Usually we go a couple of times a week and sit and watch all the dogs slobber over balls and sticks and do usual doggy things, and imagine what our doggy family would/will be like (at the moment we want a Great Dane, a Whippet and a Cocker Spaniel - and we'll call them the three Garys - Gary Sweet, Gary Sinise, and Sham is changing his name to gary for unknown reasons) . I know I speak for both of us when I say that we miss my dog Chester a lot, so this seems to be a good substitute at the moment.

A beautiful Sunday afternoon, Washington Square park was full of people and the occasional amazing jazz band.... We walked through the gates and made our way towards a little bench in the corner of the park where we were met by Nana, a beautiful black labrador cross who decided we should sit next to her and her owner, Gary.

Gary explained to us that Nana was no ordinary dog, she could spell, she cleaned up her toys by herself, she helped sick and scared children in hospital, she had a genetic mistake that meant she had the smelling abilities of a bear (40 times that of a normal dog), AND she found 7 bodies and one trapped person after hurricane Katrina as a search and rescue dog! I don't know about you, but I was impressed. Nana was amazing, she new exactly where all her treats were kept and often demanded them by placing her paw on gary's pant pocket...of course Gary made her work for it. "Where is my H.A.T. Nana?" he said to her, she jumped up on his lap, grabbed the rim of his hat and ran off with it playfully. This deserved a treat. Nana was also ok with being bought in terms of affection.. "Nana, i want 5 kisses.." - Nana's head reached up to Gary and kissed him 5 times (and not the yucky toungue licking kisses, but the cute mouth shut nudge kiss). She is Gary's companion and their relationship is beautiful. He talks to her like a person and funnily enough she seems to understand...as for the cleaning up of her toys, Gary assured me that they didn't leave the house that afternoon until Nana had put all her toys back in her toy box.

Basically an absolutely amazing creature, if she were a person she would be hailed as both a hero and a saint....

Ashleigh xoxo

Brooklyn!

I was back in Brooklyn today and got to have a good look around the Williamsburg/Greenpoint area. The last couple of photos were taken from the over near pier 59 and the Highline again. Shamus

Brooklyn and the Highline Gardens

It was our first day in Brooklyn, brunch followed by a rainy walk back to the Bedford L Train.

Today we went to the Highline gardens in the meatpacking district. They have built a garden/walkway on the old raised train lines, pretty amazing. The Hotel Standard sits atop the gardens also, looking out to the Hudson river.

424 Broadway

Our home for the next month, in Soho. Well our room anyway.

We're here

Well, we have arrived in New York. The impression so far is definitely good, so so different to anywhere we have been but we love it. I'm only going to write a little in this post, I will let the photos tell the story.

San Francisco

Downtown San Francisco

Haight-Ashbury

From the park in Haight-Ashbury

Yosemite NP

A beautiful place, everyone should visit here

El Capitan and Yosemite Valley

Desert Travelling to L.A.

The deserts in California and south-western USA are amazingly empty places, yet I couldn't keep my eyes and my camera off them. Hundreds of wind turbines in the mountains outside San Fran and L.A.

Mojave Desert

Outside Mojave town

Los Angeles

A big, hot, dirty place. some interesting spots but overall we weren't very impressed. Everyone drives 4WDs because the roads are in such poor condition.

Venice Beach skaters. One of our favourite places

The Farmer's market

L.A. from the bus

Travelling to El Paso

More amazing desert.

New Mexico

El Paso

A big desert city on the border of Texas and Mexico where Almost everyone is black or Mexican. It was the first place that really felt very different to Australia.

Ash meets a seal at El Paso Zoo

On our way to the Cayman Islands

In a straight line, it would take about 80 minutes to fly from El Paso to Grand Cayman, however we decided to go via Chicago and Miami. About 10 hours all up.

A cold and rainy Chicago airport transfer

Sunset over Cuba

The Cayman Islands

Burgers, Jerk Chicken, Moet et Chandon and pina coladas. Quite a wealthy place for a tiny island nation. It gave us a week to really relax. Definitely a place people should visit. I wont forget having friendly stingrays jumping on me at stingray city.

On the boat out to see stingrays

Tax haven anyone?

A one girl beach party

Some lucky person's beachside hut

New York

Finally here. Its big, busy and very different but we love it so far. We even caught the subway yesterday!

The view from room 718 at the Chelsea Hotel, night time long exposure

Thats all for now.