On day five of the road trip, Nicola departed back to Cleveland for other plans. I got to drive the 11 hours to St. George, Utah on my own. Before we get to my solo driving day...
We first had breakfast in downtown Denver with some friends. I got to see my friend, Nicole, who if you are a regular reader, will recall our trips to Italy and Amsterdam . She did a one year masters in London during my first year at LSE. Nicola and I also got to be reunited by a fellow former intern friend from London. We all had brunch at a place that was themed around the disco.
Nothing like a disco ball going on a Sunday morning at 9am!
Anyone surprised?
Nicole and me
London Reunion
Best Road Trip Co-Pilot!
After breakfast and goodbyes, I snapped a few photos of downtown Denver before heading off into the Rockies!
Leaving Denver around 10am, I hit Utah a bit before 2pm. There was quite a few zones of construction in the Rocky Mountains. Plus, I was not used to the windy roads and the elevation! My ears popped enough for an entire year!
Perfect Music
Such amusement
Rockies
Rockies
For lunch, I stopped in Grand Junction to check out the Colorado National Monument. I had 30 minutes to spare, so I went in through an entrance and drove around for literally 30 minutes. The roads were nerve wracking, but the views were well worth that brush with death!
Colorado National Monument
Colorado National Monument
Colorado National Monument
The longest stretch of my solo drive was in Utah.
Everyone had told me to fill up my gas tank as much as possible once I got into the state until I hit the larger cities. They weren't kidding. The state doesn't kid either. I passed a sign that said, "No Service Area for 100 Miles." I stopped and filled up my tank even with 3/4 left.
To make my trip more enjoyable getting through Utah, I took time to get off at the scenic outlook spots as I was coming through the canyons and desert.
Utah
Utah
Utah
Ghost Rock, Utah
I was puttering out as I got out of the canyons. Thank goodness for coffee! And, when Las Vegas started to show up on the signs, I got a lot more energy!
I stayed in St. George, Utah, that night. Unfortunately, I didn't have time to spend exploring the city. Thankfully, it's only two hours away from Las Vegas!
On day four, we had rested up from our big drive into South Dakota, we headed downtown Rapid City.
Rapid City has statues of 43 presidents on each of the street corners that covers the main part of downtown. It is a fairly cool to turn a corner and come across a president. We grabbed a map, so that we could spot some of our favorites.
FDR
JFK and John Jr.
Jackson
LBJ
Downtown Rapid City
Grabbing Starbucks, we soon headed up into the Black Hills to see Mount Rushmore. When we finally turned the corner, and it came into view, it was real sight to see!
We parked and then walked around for about an hour. You can't get super close, but there are plenty of viewing opportunities to stare up at the four presidents. There is also a small exhibit about how they carved each of the presidents.
Mount Rushmore
As we left Mount Rushmore and ultimately South Dakota, we took the drive through the Black Hills rather than immediately jumping back on the Interstate. I highly recommend this to anyone. Sure, you go slower, drive through villages, and get stuck behind a logging truck (true story), but how many times do you get to hang out in the Black Hills?
Once we entered Wyoming, we headed to Devil's Tower.
Viewpoint from Devil's Tower
Devil's Tower
Devil's Tower
I first heard of Devil's Tower when I was a little kid playing the Oregon Trail game. From there, being a history lover, I read numerous accounts of those traveling West coming across the rock structure.
It was truly an incredible sight to view. We walked around the base of it via the trail. Each side has a different appearance due to nature's elements.
As Mount Rushmore and Devil's Tower took up quite some time, we didn't stop again until Cheyenne except for gas and Lost Springs. Lost Springs is considered a city in Wyoming. It is one of the smallest in the USA, had a population of one in 2000, and has one bar! What a true obscene roadside attraction. We had other stops planned, but it was better that we pushed on to make it to Denver this day.
Population of 4
Wyoming
Wyoming State Capitol
We got into Denver around 10pm this day. We were staying at a Doubletree, so we were very excited about those cookies waiting for us after another long day of driving!
Not only is this the start of the next chapter of my life, but I can also finally cross something off my bucket list. Forever, I have dreamed of road-tripping across the United States. I've been to quite a few states, but there are the gems hidden around the US that most rarely get to see.
Rather than speeding through to Las Vegas, I'm taking my time to see those hidden gems across this great country.
Today, I pick up my friend, Nicola, in Cleveland, Ohio before we reach the suburbs of Chicago for our evening pit-stop. This evening, I get to be reunited with two sorority sisters at dinner as well!
Tomorrow, Nicola and I start to add in tourist activities to our driving adventures. We will be stopping to see Holt House, where Pi Beta Phi, was founded. We also get to see the Iowa State Capitol, several railroad monuments, and the Lewis and Clark Monument before reaching Omaha, Nebraska for the pit-stop.
On July 11th, we head to Lincoln, Nebraska passing by Chimney Rock, Ash Hollow, Fort Kearney, and the Gothenburg Pony Express Station before reaching Rapid City, South Dakota for the evening.
On July 12th, we see Mount Rushmore in the morning before heading to Devil's Tower in Wyoming. Cutting down through Wyoming, we see Fort Laramie, Register Cliff Monument, and the Wyoming State Capitol. We pit-stop in Denver for the evening where we get to have dinner with a few mutual friends.
Nicola leaves me on the 13th to head back to Cleveland. I continue on through the Rocky Mountains into Utah on the 13th. I'll stop and see Grand Junction, the Colorado National Monument, and the Arches National Park before getting to St. George, Utah for the evening.
And, on July 14th, I'll leave fairly early and arrive in my new home, Las Vegas!!
It's going to be a whirlwind of a drive, but I wanted to make sure I got to see as many things as possible! I'll be posting on Instagram throughout the entire road-trip!
As some of you know, I was a history major at Syracuse. Part of the history major requirements was to take a senior seminar course in a subject area and produce an original thesis. My subject area was Britain during the War, and I chose to write on the use of the Underground (tube) during the Blitz. I specifically looked at how sheltering in the tube did not break down social classes, but rather reinforced them. It was an interesting subject area, and one that I continue to read about.
At the same time, when I studied abroad in 2010, I became very interested in the tube. I spent tons of time reading about closed tube stations, the history of the tube, and interesting facts. For example, at Sloane Square, there is a tunnel that runs above the tracks that houses a small river that feeds into the Thames. There are also two disused platforms at Holborn Station. I could go on and on... I've done the London Transport Museum several times, and I've even read the ghost stories about the tube!
So, what does this all have to do with a blog post?
A few weeks ago, I got to tour the disused Aldwych Tube Station with a few friends! Aldwych Station closed to the public in 1994, and it is rarely open for tours. We grabbed tickets as soon as we saw it was announced. I had been trying to get a tour of a disused station for years!
Old Ticket Hall
Aldwych initially opened in 1907 named the Strand. It was later renamed Aldwych once Charing Cross received the name Strand as well. For the most part, the Station served as a shuttle train to Holborn station. Even during construction, there were parts of the station never completed due to the fact that the initial passenger numbers were so low. Eventually, the shuttle service was only used during peak-hours. Aldwych closed in 1994 due to the expensive repairs the station required.
The first part of the tour led us down the spiral staircase to where the lift shafts were. We were able to see that one entire lift shaft was never completed during construction.
Elevator Shaft
From there, we were taken to the only operational station platform. If need be, it could still run today after a few minor repairs.
Platform
Next Train Sign
The platform was holding an old Northern Line train for us to peak into. As for this platform, it is the one commonly used for filming. The posters on this platform were used for old films. Some famous films that have been shot in Aldwych include Atonement and Mr. Selfridge.
We were then quickly ushered to the other platform. This platform had been out of use for longer than when the station used in 1994. Some parts of the track still remain due to the quality of wood used.
Time Standing Still
Much of this platform is used for testing by Transport for London, now. There were a variety of tile patterns visible as well as paint schemes.
This platform was heavily used during the Blitz. This platform could shelter between 3000-6000 people on any given night.
This platform also allowed us to see some posters from days gone by as well as how Aldwych was initially known as the Strand.
We completed the tour by climbing the stairs back up to the street level to see the elevators (lifts) that were once used in the station.
This was one of the biggest things on my London Bucket List, and I was so glad to cross it off before I left!
Last Sunday through Tuesday, I my last solo trip for a bit to Bulgaria. Not a country on most people's bucket list, but for me...it was. Having been a history major in college, I've been wanting to see Sofia for years, and I knew I needed to make it happen before departing in June.
I took an early flight out of Heathrow airport.
Can I just say how thankful I am to Starbucks for being open that early?
Although, I could do without getting my name misspelled, for once.
I stayed at the Hilton in Sofia which ended up being fairly close to everything including being across the street from the National Palace of Culture. Around the building of the National Palace of Culture were numerous monuments and memorials remembering the time the country was under Communist rule.
National Palace of Culture
Old Guard Post from the Communist Period
Gas Masks
The majority of my first day in Bulgaria was spent exploring the city. I did get lost at one point.
Streets of Bulgaria
Taste of America
I eventually stumbled upon the government area and got to see where the Prime Minister resides, the National Bank, and many government buildings that were built during the Communist period.
Apart from the government corridor, I was also able to view the famous Russian Church as well as the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral. I wondered inside the Cathedral, and as it was built during the Ottoman Empire period, it reminded me of the Hagia Sophia (Turkey) in many ways. I could have looked at the frescos all day.
The Russian Church
Alexander Nevsky Cathedral
Finally, through my exploration and getting a tad lost, I discovered the old Roman ruins as well as what was an old public bath house.
Old Roman Ruins
Public Bath House
Stay tuned for the blog post recapping my day trip to the Bulgarian countryside!
