I wanna be a Harvard girl!!

Our "mini-me" Barbies getting cosy in Harvard's Admissions Office (Bex, Kerry, Whitney and Cathy)

After a third summer at camp, it was time to hit the road again and visit another big dog on the east coast. Boston is the capital of the state of Massachusetts and located only four hours drive away from New York City. It’s well known as the home to Fenway Park and Harvard University.

Megabus drivers must have wondered what was happening when fifty hungover and exhausted camp counsellors arrived at the bus depot, eager to clamber on board. After three days of non-stop New York action everyone had dark rings circling their eyes and a pasty complexion plastered on their face.

Once in Boston, many people did the usual and booked a single hotel room only to cram an extra 8 people into it. There are however, a variety of hostels in Boston, averaging at around $25 per night, so if you don’t feel like sharing half a pillow with a sweaty “I washed last week” kind of guy then there are other options.

Good Will Hunting, Legally Blonde and The Social Network are just some of the movies filmed in Boston and, more importantly, in Harvard. I was right there, sunglasses on, camera in one hand ready to snap away and Barbie in the other. Yes, you heard right. Before we left NYC, myself and my travel gals made a trip to Toys R Us and bought "mini-me" Barbies as mascots for our trip. At 21 we may have looked a little immature but Barbie Bex is a little reminder I'll always have of the Boston banter. 

Harvard is over 375 years old and is known for its Ivy League schooling that has educated the likes of Barack Obama, Matt Damon and Natalie Portman.

A little too keen, myself and the girls roamed around the big white buildings and pretty parks until we had to admit we were lost. Harvard does offer student-led, free tours-definitely the better option. After an hour of aimlessly wandering and finding ourselves in some second year canteen, we were reduced to inconspicuously tagging onto the back of a tour. The tour offers all the historical information on Harvard, highlighting key moments in its history and the people who made Harvard what it is.

The campus itself was regal, pretty and pristine. Every intricate archway and stone step possessed years of American history. As a typical geek, Harvard fascinated me with its traditions, rituals and stories. 

During the tour I came across an abandoned Harvard tie, and by came across I mean stole. I thought this might make me look more like a smart Harvard intellect and with my glasses on I almost blended in. The tie now hangs above my bed as a piece of Boston memorabilia.

The Red Sox stadium (Fenway Park) is another Boston highlight and, even if you don’t get to watch a game, the stadium is worth a visit to see where one of the best baseball teams is based. 

Boston Common was my favourite place in the city. Seeking some quiet and relaxation, it was the perfect place to chill out with a picnic and observe a a slice of Boston life. The 50 acre park is a hub for tourists, workers and students, and unfortunately the random crazies too. 

BEX FYI: People watching is a great way to get a feel for a place but be careful you don’t attract the wayward men that like to share their life stories.

Night time in Boston was a bit more lively. With so many of us in the one city, all the Round Lakers would meet for dinner, head to a Boston bar and the banter would begin. This involved creating a fake birthday in order to get some free cake, getting lost for hours while trying to find “the best club in Boston’ and busking with an Adele wannabe. Unfortunately, I don't think the girl whose performance we hijacked made any money off of our guest appearance but we definitely gave a crowd.

It’s often random moments like these that make for the best travel memories.

"Obama, I'm On My Way..."

Reflecting Pool and Lincoln Memorial

Exploring the east coast, it was finally time to head to the capital of the United States of America, Washington DC- home of the White house, the Lincoln Memorial and Washington Monument.

I was excited to begin Obama spotting, start my quest to find Air Force One and sit on Lincoln’s knee. 

After touring for a few days with the guys, I ditched all but one and boarded back on the cheap and cheery Megabus. The journey from Philly to D.C cost around $14 and took two and a half hours.

Once again we lucked out on accommodation and ended up in a small motel in the heart of the suburbs. We had booked a standard hotel, as there are very few hostels, but unbeknown to us there were two of these hotels. One was located in the city centre and one on the outskirts. Typically, we ended up in the dodgy outskirts confined to the hotel each night for yet more safety precautions. Washington D.C’s nightlife would just have to wait.  

Getting into the city centre was easy enough. We took the local bus but, in a predominantly African- American area, we got more than a few stares, and with Robb’s bouncy blonde curls there was no way we were blending in. Although we felt like we were in a zoo, people were friendly and seemed mostly confused as to why two young tourists had ventured so far out of the city. 

In late August the weather was scorchingly hot, so going earlier on in the year is advisable so you can wander around without the guy standing next to you honking of B.O. 

First on the agenda, the White House. As an Obama fan I jumped up and down trying to get a glimpse of the president, but no luck. This did not stop me however, from telling my12 year old brother back home that I had had tea with the president. Used to my cheeky tricks, he asked for photographic evidence and luckily my picture in front of the white house with Obama’s head superimposed sufficed. I now await the day he turns and asks me about the time I met Barack- obviously we are on first name terms- and I’m forced to tell him the truth, that dining with B-dog is merely a dream.

Next was the Washington Monument leading up to the Lincoln Memorial. Just walking from site to site was a great experience. Washington is filled with gorgeous, green parks that are surrounded by perfect, white buildings. With the sunglasses on and ice lolly in hand it was bliss. 

The monument is the world’s tallest stone structure and was built in honour of George Washington in 1884. It is a great symbol of American history and situated perfectly between the Reflecting Pool and Memorial. The three create that iconic image we see on movies and this made me more than snap happy.

Moving on to Lincoln Memorial, here is a piece of info no one ever told me, there are lots of stairs!! In the sweltering heat climbing up to the Memorial makes you feel like your crawling in the desert with a monkey on your back. BEX FYI: water, water and more water; drink it, but make sure it’s bottled!

The deadly steps are worth the climb though. Inside the pillared building there is a cool breeze and an array of history to behold. Lincoln’s two most famous speeches are inscribed on the walls that encase the statue of Lincoln himself. This statue is huge and I was disappointed to learn that there was no way I’d be sitting on that knee. Aside from honoring Abraham Lincoln, the memorial also held host to a number of important speeches including Martin Luther King’s “I have a dream.”

I stood in the same spot thinking about my dream...“Obama, Obama...”

Get your Scrant-ON!

Round Lake Specialists hitting a local bar

So Mexico ended my US tour for 2009 but obviously I hadn’t had enough because in 2010 I went back. Returning to Round Lake Camp, I spent another summer as dance specialist in the Pennsylvania sticks and was able to rack up a hold other host of american cities on my “been there” list.

Scranton, known as the electric city, may not be as well-known as other US destinations but it is more than deserving of a post. It was the closest city to camp, about an hour away, and located in the Lackawanna Valley- I just love that name. It became known as the electric city after the streetcar system was established there in 1886- a bit of historical info for you.

For camp counsellors Scranton really was electric. It was like Disneyland for us because it meant real food, great shops and being back in civilization. 

The city has numerous hotels, including big names like the Radisson and the Hilton, and for the life of me I don’t know why every year we all opted for a run-down motel called the Red Carpet Inn. This was a wholesome, american motel just like the ones you see in the movies. It provided all the bare necessities and at a reasonable price. More importantly it “allowed” us to pack 7 people into a 2 person room, take midnight skinny dips and boogie on the balconies. Well I say “allow,” I’m sure technically it wasn’t allowed but there were never any complaints...well almost never.

Trips to this fine city have provided me with many a memorable day, mostly because the food was epic and the two malls were a godsend. 

The first time I visited Scranton it was my first day off. About twenty of Round Lake’s specialists rocked up excited to sample our first piece of American culture. 

Arriving fairly late we piled into one of the rooms to chill out and plan the following day. However, it came to a halt when one of my camp besties, the drama specialist, took a funny turn that meant we had to call 911. When paramedics arrived they scooted the patient and myself to the ER. At the time I was pent up with worry but looking back I think it’s super cool I actually got to visit a real ER- no sign of George Clooney though and not at all like Grey’s Anatomy. 

Fearing it was something more serious we waited for hours on test results but eventually doctors confirmed it was just a panic attack. We were free to go but with no shoes or money (apparently I wasn’t good at this going to hospital and being prepared thing) hitching a ride back to the hotel proved rather interesting. We finally flagged a taxi who agreed to take us but by the time we got back to the motel the party was over. Nothing like a bit of hospital drama.

My next visit saw us visit a local bar where Scranton residents treated us like exotic creatures. Everyone was eager to find out who this crazy bunch of Brits were. BEX FYI: partying with the locals is definitely a cultural experience worth having.

Later that night we headed back to the motel but our large group had picked up a certain Scranton resident who was not keen to say goodbye. We hinted and hinted that this was the end of the night but Majestic was not getting it. He was dressed in what looked like pajamas and covered in cake mixture. Apparently he worked in a cake factory and hadn’t felt the need to change after his shift. 

Much of the night was spent trying to get rid of this guy so that we could head to bed...after some hefty heave ho from the guys we bid farewell to crazy cake man. Meanwhile Scranton police had arrived to investigate the noise. Fearing the worst the girls lined up in a row and tried to sweetly apologise to the officers. They accepted our apologies and agreed to having us take a series of posy pics with them whilst we insisted on calling them Office Dimples. A bit cringe but jail averted.

So, so far Scranton has provided me with a run in with two of its emergency departments. One more to go?

These are just a few occasions that stick out in my mind but lord knows there were a good few more fun experiences to be had in Scranton...

Scranton has played host to a whole load of crazy camp antics that I couldn’t even begin to write about but I can surely say that it holds a place in every Round Lake counsellor’s heart.

“Get your Scrant-ON!”

LA here we come...

LA 2009

Los Angeles. The place where money, glamour, a miniature dog and an abundance of Botox is essential in order to survive the cut throat societies that lay deep in the LA valleys- well at least that’s how they make it seem in The OC. 

I had waited a long time to visit the LA and couldn’t wait to roam around Beverly Hills and skate along Venice Beach. I had always pictured myself staying in a 5 star hotel tottering around in hot-pants and heels just living the dream. However, the reality of backpacking at 18 is somewhat different. On a student budget once again a hillbilly hostel was all we could afford.

Arriving at Backpackers Paradise Hostel my dreams were quickly shattered- almost every shop and restaurant in the area was protected with a sheet of bulletproof glass. Local residents quickly warned us against leaving the hostel after 6pm, and advised locking our doors at all times- you know just in case we got shot. Backpackers Paradise was in fact in a ghetto town called Inglewood, nowhere near the glam beaches and bars I had pictured. 

So a piece of Bex FYI: whilst I applaud spontaneity, in America it’s almost essential to book accommodation in advance. It's also advised to do a quick google map check to see exactly where it is and how close it is to where you want to be. If you do not follow this advice you may end up in some bad ass neighborhood where fears for safety are rocket high. No no, if you do this expect an adventure that certainly will have your folks back home biting their nails to the quick.

To console ourselves from the mistake we'd made, myself and the girls ravaged the free popcorn and Mountain Dew in the hostel. We then lapped up the sun by the poolside whilst trying to ignore the floating (and used) condoms in the pool. 

But it wasn’t all bad; BPH did offer free rides to the beach (meaning they squeezed 20 of us into the back of an old rickety van) and offered bus tours of LA. 

On day one we decided to chill by the beach after our death ride drop off and soaked up some sun. 

Day two we wanted to get out there and see all the sites. We embarked on a bus tour which, although $75, took us to all the hotspots. Red Rooster Ryan, our extremely enthusiastic tour guide, gave us snippets of info in between performances of his own songs. We picked up earplugs around about the third stop.

The tour took us right up to the luxurious Beverly Hills where marbled mansions and tree-lined paths held the homes of the rich and famous. Cue a big sigh here for the realisation that I’m probably never gonna own a five storey, 2000 acre, barn converted, forest covered, gold plated pad.

Next onto Hollywood for some essential pics of the Hollywood sign and the Walk of Fame. The Dolby Theatre, Rodeo Drive and Venice Beach are all other must-see locations on the tour. I felt like one of the Olsen twins just cruising around in a blacked out mini bus wearing my over-sized specs. 

Now everyone knows that I'm a big advocate for a good bus tour and whilst I acknowledge that some places are better off explored on foot, LA is not one of those places. 

A tour bus is 100% advised and is worth the extra cash, even with the annoying guide. I’d recommended staying in LA at least a week if you want to get to know it well, 3 days certainly wasn't enough for me. Being over 21 is probably pretty vital as well if you want to experience some of the nightlife. 

LA is an amazing place and is everything you think it will be but there’s a hundred things I’d love to go back and do so I can't quite cross it off my list yet. 

When I next go I've decided I will be a bit more prepared though. I will A) wait till I’m a successful professional so I can afford to live it up B) book a nice hotel in advance that is pretty central and C) pre-print Channing Tatum’s address so I know exactly where to find him.