I’m seriously considering doing something crazy, and by crazy I mean saving up until Christmas is over, then quitting my job and spending my savings on travel. I want to fly to New York (and I am terrified of planes, as you must know by now, but I think I can do it if I want it bad enough) and go coast-to-coast on the sleeper train…end up in San Francisco, maybe go to LA, visit a few of the lovely people I’m met in the US via the internet. 
I want to make real plans, put thought into it, and DO IT.
What do you think? I can’t stick around doing nothing for much longer. In theory it would do wonders for my writing…I am just rotting away here. I want to do something mad and dangerous and FUN. Why else are we alive, if not to enjoy ourselves?
I have no idea how much money I would need to do this. Uncle Alan spent three months travelling across the USA a few years back, and I suppose he spent thousands. I wouldn’t have quite so many destinations on my list as he did, but I’d still want to see as much as I possibly could. Where to start my research…Seat61?
Evilshed
/ 31 August, 2010Do you have any friends / family that you can bunk up with. That can seriously reduce cost for some parts. You can also try getting combo train/plane tickets. Not sure if they do them for US but I got a similar thing for Japan. Saved a bundle compared to buying them singular.
Also try http://www.hostelworld.com for some cheaper alternate places to stay. The advice from that site can lead to some real gems that aren’t on some of the more visited hotel sites.
Simon
/ 1 September, 2010Sounds like an exciting plan indeed!
If you’re planning on taking the sleeper train though, you’ll need a pistol and some Miss Marple-esque sleuthing skills; sleeper trains are pretty much guaranteed to be home to at least one overly elaborate murder mystery.
xox
Sinead
/ 1 September, 2010@evilshed: Thanks for the link! I’ll definitely have a look at that, and I’ll look into the plane/train combos too.
@Simon: Haha, you’re not the first to mention murder mysteries! Hopefully I would not be the first to get killed, though. I’d want to at least make it to second on the list!
xoxx
Richaaarrrdddd
/ 3 September, 2010I really wanna do something like that too. I’ve got two or three people I know Stateside who it’d be awesome to hang with but that’s a far away dream at present given all monetary circumstances
But I say “Do it, woman! DO IT NOW!” because you’ll only sit about wasting away in Wolverhampton otherwise. And no-one wants that.
On one condition though, you smuggle me along in your luggage – you can drop me off in Massachusetts and be on your merry way to the West coast from there.
Sinead
/ 3 September, 2010Yeah, I’m definitely going to do it. I think. I hope. I MUST! I’ve bought a USA Lonely Planet guide book now, so I’m committed.
It’s a deal!
Tom
/ 5 September, 2010Sounds like an excellent Idea to me
. You should definately do it. I’m working on similar plans of my own. Travelling across America is something I really want to do at some point but I’m thinking of going n teaching in China or something. I want to be out of this country! If you go, I want postcards 
xxx
Sinead
/ 6 September, 2010@Tom: I will send you postcards…and a stick of rock! xox
Tom
/ 6 September, 2010Swweet! Knowing the Americans their stick of rock will turn out to be dynamite but ah well, what’s a few less fingers and teeth
!
xxx