lizzy's mom just gave us a personal driving tour of D.C. we saw everything from the tiny white house to the lincoln memorial and vietnam memorial. lizzy's mom was like it's 9.13, i'll give you girls until 9.30 to see the memorial. she dropped us off at the light and we ran towards the memorial. i was running so fast that i did not see the chain and ran right into it and almost flipped over.

lizzy and i found ourselves underground along the memorial following of vietnam vets. it was dark and we lingered behind their group to listen to their old stories of their lost families.

one woman: "he was just 24, he was the only one in the plane"
another man: "he was just 30, wife and three kids. our younger brother died too though, but in an accident on our own grounds."

new mexico last night, and all night drive to austin. we're here now and its amazing and beautiful. amrit is eating a grilled cheese with apple and looks really hot. she lives in the most beautiful apartment on the most beautiful street (of many) in austin.

amazing peach town through fredericksburg, TX!!!


terrible rumors in albuquerque, nm also: gang initiation at walmart. gangs seeking three women to kidnap and/or shoot!

GRAND CANYON = SO UNREAL = AMAZING

so many weird tourists and mule theories. walked along the rim of the grand canyon, a 116 mile view!

mojave desert/arizona

Jasmine Joins Us

Pictured: Jasmine in our first CouchSurf home - CUTE!

We picked lizzy up from the airport (she missed her flight by a single hair!) and we just drove 5 hours to bakersfield, ca. we passed old river town and pumpkin center. i was here once before and i remember distinctly human-sized tumble weeds that scattered the burger king parking lot. they actually hired a man to relocate the tumbleweed else where! i watched him for half an hour chasing tumbleweeds to move them just to the next lot over and they would just blow back over.

they are so nice here, our first couchsurf host. there are netherland boys sleeping in the living room, very nice of course, smiley all the time and with unpronouncable names. we brushed our teeth all at the same time, and then peed one by one. this trip rules!

Directive:

Navigate the nether perimeter (or "underbelly") of the United States in 7 days, avoiding Mexico, alligators.

HELLO

Canyon Sleepers: Estelle & Elizabeth Sunburned in America, a Russian tale about alcohol, love, and a train ride. Translated into English.

Destinations & Hinterlands:
San Francisco, CA
Salinas, CA
Grand Canyon, AZ
Santa Fe, NM
Albuquerque, NM
Austin, TX
New Orleans, LA
Savannah, GA
Charleston, SC
Virgnia Beach
New York City


More to Come...