Charleston

Well that’s another week gone and I’ve been a bit lazy, haven’t posted in about two weeks, can’t really blame it on work as I haven’t had a lot to do although I did work last Saturday.
Did go out last Friday though to a few bars, went out with Fred who’s here on site and going to Japan with me. The bars over here are mostly restaurants with a bar in them, there are bars that just serve beer but don’t know where they are and I’m am told I probably shouldn’t go in them by myself. Every thing was fine bar wise down in Mississippi though so am sure it is here and I’m not likely to going into anything that looks dodgy.
Like I say haven’t really done much all week and not been out much other than to go to work. Did go back to iHOP to get some more pancakes the other day got the take out this time, all the restaurants here do take out and also do what they call carry out which is when you eat inside and have food left because the portions are so big most people have food left anyway they all the restaurants are prepared for this and have a box’s for you to take the remaining food home with you if you want.. Guess this has been the highlight of my week that’s sad isn’t it going to iHOP or any restaurant for that matter and to be the highlight of the week, but honestly when your working there really isn’t a lot to do here.
Am getting a little list of places I like keep going back to, Applebee’s, Boston Market, iHOP, Popeye’s, Waffle House, TGIF etc, boring I know but you got to eat.

Photo on the left shows the pancakes, can assure you they were better than they look.

Did find a bar the other night Friday called the Flying Saucer, nearest thing I’ve seen over here to an English bar, not a traditional one but something like you would find in the center of town.
Went in and ordered a Miller Lite that was before I realized they had beer on draft, over seventy five of them to be precise from all over the world., Boddingtons, Old Speckled Hen and Fullers to name a few from our neck of the woods and I ordered a Miller Lite imagine that.
Had planned on going on a bit of a trip this Saturday, woke up fairly early but did not really get up until pretty late so just had a lazy day and went around the local area and shops.
Today though got up and got moving decided to go the Charleston in South Carolina, its about 220 miles form here and on the coast about a 3 and a half hour drive.
South Caroline is the state below where I am now, before there was just Carolina but now it’s North and South Carolina.
Arrived in Charleston early afternoon, Charleston was a big player in the Confederacy so there’s plenty of history here in the way of museums and with it being on the coast it also has a lot of naval history as well. Think one of the forts here never actually fell to the North and was only taken after the surrender. Photo on the right is going over a bridge to part of Charleston the view below is looking back at the bridge.

City is really quite nice and reminded me of New Orleans and a European city, lots of small streets in the center with everything close together so you could park and walk around downtown pretty easily, this is probably the way with these old southern city’s
The ones below are of what awaits when you get over the bridge.

Some views of the city below, had to do a double take when i was reading some of these signs and am not sure what Electric American Cuisine is though, guess it must have been a bit shocking and that's why they went out of business.

Now for a little moan, been doing a lot of driving today and get really frustrated with the way people drive over here, they just seem to sit in a lane and drive no one ever pulls over for faster traffic.

You get good three and four lane road with people in each lane going about 1mph faster than each other and all abreast, could be just a Southern thing.
I blame it on cruse control, am sure the cars are just put into cruise and let it go even if they’re only going 1mph faster then the one in front. It seems as if they just get in the other lane point and forget and seem oblivious to what’s behind them either that or just don’t care about holding up other cars.
Like I say this is just a little pet bitch of mine but it seems to be the same no matter when I’ve been and it’s real frustrating.

Pancakes N Guns

Have not been at work this weekend and had planned to do a bit of exploring around the area, so much for plans.
Didn’t go out until after it got dark yesterday and not until about 3pm today, consequentially have not done a lot, I did manage to do a bit of shopping and have a bit of a look round close to where I’m staying.
I’d noticed a IHOP close to where I’m staying (International House of Pancakes) the other day have heard good things about these so though I would go and cheek it out. IHOP have all sorts of food but tried what their signature dish, pancakes.
Had Blueberry pancakes with cream and syrup, very nice four pancakes covered in blueberry and cream far too much for one person, especially someone from the UK. Would have taken a photo of it but when you’re buy yourself you feel a bit self-conscious, it’d just not the same being in some of these place by yourself especially if it’s the first time.
Anyway finished half the pancakes then went for a look round the shops. Check out some of the guns in the photos below it’s all a bit unreal when you see them they almost look like toys behind the glass of the case but are a lot more expensive than I thought.
Anyway some photos below of where I’m staying, can recommend it, the Candlewood Suites, they have place all over the states are pretty comfortable and at a reasonable price. There’s a photo of my new car, changed it a couple of days ago from the on I had when I first got here, what I have now is a lot nicer, typical American car though it’s got a 3.5ltr engine in it and only does about 20 to the gallon, good job I’m not paying.

Photo on the left is of ihop, not a bad place to eat, the photos below are of the guns in the Bass Pro Shop i mentiond before.

Check out the size of some of the hand guns, think some of them are bigger than the one Clint Eastwood had in Dirty Harry

February the 7th and Bored

Well it's Thursday the 7th Feb at around 3pm in the afternoon here, 8pm UK time.
Sitting in my new office or should i say different office and there are two other people in it and I’m new so it’s not really my office but it’s an even older trailer than the one i had down in Mississippi.
I'm pretty board right now, I’m the only one here, we’ve hit some problems which are stopping us from running the fan and doing much so i just have to sit here while the insulators finish and go home.
Julie one of the others here as actually just left site today she is on her way down to Mississippi, to Stennis where I was not to the project that I was on but to another one tomorrow. So it’s just me and Fred now who I know from my days in Korea, looks like I will be going over to Japan next and the guy I will be going with is Fred so that’s good news as I get on well with him.
It was Fred’s apartment that I was staying in while he was in Japan, I’ve moved out now he’s back and I’m back in the long stay rooms I was in before, they are pretty good there’s a little fitness room, free laundry you just have to buy the powder, and they have a DVD library.
Have been trying to get to the gym I joined as often as possible to work off some of the meals you get here, no one in America has heard of medium portions, there all pretty good though so it’s hard to say no, am about done with the fries and coke though. Have actually ordered a few salads but they come dripping in all sorts of dressings so don’t think they’re any better for you then a Big Mac.
One place I quite like though and it’s probably one of the least healthy is Waffle House, only been a couple of times but for some reason it reminds me of Pulp Fiction and just seems to be what I expect an American diner to be from the films I’ve seen.
Haven’t really got a lot to say but shouldn’t be working this weekend so my try to get out and do some exploring, should have a bit more in the next blog, may even get to a Waffle House and get some photos.
Not sure what the weather is like back in the UK at the moment but just to cheer everyone up It’s the low 60s here and bright blue skies, ta tar for now.

The photo above on the left is looking out of our cabin we are next to a small airport, if you look closely you can just see a plane about to take off. The one above on on the right is in the office, the one to the left is a looking out from the balcony of Fred’s apartment out on to the shopping Mall

Sunday Off

Like I say or thought I said before I’m in Concord North Carolina now, been here for about 10 days. Had another bit of a screw up when I got here couldn't get a hire car they were all sold out, Travelled up by plane a day early and my reservation was for the following day, had not changed it, though picking a car up would be no problem. As my luck has been going at the moment there was a couple of conferences in town and all the cars were out, had to spend the night in a hotel near the airport and get the car the next day.
Finally got to the new job site around lunch time Wednesday the 16th, it’s for a company called Windshear but if anyone follows Nass car in the states it’s actually for a company called Haas Racing.
Since I have been here I’ve been in an extended stay apartment, which is basically a hotel but it has a little kitchen in it, couple of electric hot plates fridge, sink, dish washer, microwave, pots and pans etc so you cans cook if you want. Stayed in these kind of places before and they’re pretty good, bit like living in a bed sit only better, especially the ones i remember.
One of the guys here I know has just gone to Japan for 10 days so now I’m living in his apartment while he’s away.
That’s the back ground to where I am, it’s Sunday now and I’m not at work so have just phoned round everyone for a chat and to see what’s going on back in the UK.
Where I’m staying right now is just opposite a big shopping Mall so have just been out for a look around.
Before I went to the Mall though found a gym that i joined, went in as I've not been since I left Stennis, the gym at Stenis was on site so it was real easy to use, not sure how I’ll get on with the new one as I have to drive about 10 miles to get to it, not sure how that will go down after work.
Gym was pretty good though, after coming out when into the local Wal-Mart Supercenter, these are one of my favourite stores you can get pretty much anything in them from guns to bananas to an oil change for the car all at real good prices.
Don’t think the staff like them very much as they don’t pay great wages and probably the conditions are not great but form a customer point of view they’re hard to beat.
After that went into the Mall found an new favourite shop, Bass Pro Shop’s, all about the outdoors hunting, fishing, boats, ATV’s they had it all, never been into a shop before were they had boats inside and I don’t just mean one, also never seen so many guns. After that it was on to get something to eat, was going to go to Applebee’s, went in but walked out as no one seemed to be serving at the bar, ended up in a place called Yazoos Cajun Bar and Grill, pretty nice.
Some photos above of the apartment I’m in, took some looking out over the Mall but they didn’t turn out, view of the outside of the gym, Wal-Mart and Bass Pro Shop.

Chapter Two - Back in the US

Well it's been about two months since i last posted, since then i have been back to the UK back to the states down to Mississippi and am now in North Carolina, flew into Charlotte last week and am now in Concord.
Getting home for Christmas was a bit of a nightmare, supposed to leave on the 19th Dec from Nashville but missed my flight. My fault as i was in auto-drive going to the airport, you know that place you go to sometimes when you're driving, you don't really pay that much attention to where you are and when i did it was too late, 35 miles in the wrong direction and not enough time to catch my plane, I'd cut it pretty tight anyway.

Couldn't get another flight with KLM for two days when i did finally manage to catch the flight got to Amsterdam and everything to the UK was canceled because of fog, at least that's what they said. It didn't look foggy to me when we arrived, reminded me of the exscuse British Rail used to make like leaves on the track or the wrong type of snow when the trains were late, not that it's any better now or so i'm told, finally got back on the 23rd December.

Oh forgot to mention had to que up for about three hours at the airport in Amsterdam to be told i couldn't get a flight till the next day, which made it a bit more frustrating, so from thinking everyone in Europe is more organised then us Brits, went to thinking no one knows what they are doing except us and get me back to England.

That delusion has now gone away, sent a package from the US on the 12th December to the UK it left the US on the 16th Dec for the UK and got to my mums around a month later. Took it about 4 days to travel 4,ooo miles and over three weeks to travel about 150miles work that out if you can, good old Royal Mail.

Cutting a long story short had to spend the night in Amsterdam, guess there could have been worse places to have to spend a night, so it was off to a hotel and out into the night, luckily met some one on the plane in the same predicament as me so we stayed at the same hotel and went out for something to eat and a look round.

Amsterdam looks a real nice place but when we were there it was freezing cold so only saw the inside of bars and the hotel, think you need to go in the good weather so you can get around.

Like is say am now back in the states until probably the end of February, getting in this time was much easier than last time. It didn't seem to be to much hassle but there again i did fly into a different airport, photo, fingerprints a few questions then have a nice trip sir all very civilised i thought.

Am going to try and do a few more blogs but when you are working all the time it's hard to find anything to say or the time to say it, as i say will try and do a few more.

The photos to the left are of my office, seems a bit empty right now but that's because I've basically closed it up, spent the last 5 months in here though. I was surprised when it first came bigger than the porta-cabins you get in the UK, 56foot by 12foot it had air conditioning which is a must in the south. The one on the right below is of my new car, which i don't have now just put it in as it's better than the one i do have.

Photos below are of what I've been working on for the last few month, a last view of site as i go out of the gate and the road out, check out how blue the Sky is, was about 75deg's the day i took these.

Bill The Butcher

Well that’s another weeks gone, seems like a long time ago but only got back from Mexico last Sunday. Had to pick up another car at the airport again as I’d had problems locking the other one at the car park, so that’s five different cars I’ve had up to now since being here, a nice new shiny black one, a Chrysler Sebring
Anyway got back into New Orleans about 3pm last Sunday, flight was not direct came through Huston which Is where I had to go through custom and immigration, had my photo and finger prints taken again but it was a lot easier this time not so many questions and did not feel so much like a criminal.
Got to work on Monday as normal, not a lot has happened this week, did nearly get into a bit of a car crash though. Went to the canteen for dinner or lunch as the say here, pulling into the car park and was just about to pull into a space when some guy in a truck decides to back out of one. He didn’t look just backed out, thought he had hit me in fact with hitting the breaks and skidding couldn’t tell with all the noise, was only when I got out that I realised he had just missed me. Haven’t been impressed with the drivers over here since getting here and that was just the icing on the cake, give me the drivers in Mexico any day they seemed a lot more aware of what's going on around them.
The only other thing to happen this week really is that I went to get my hair cut by Bill the Barber here at Stennis, think his nick name is Bill the Butcher, but didn’t know that until after I’d been.
Never been to a barbers before who never uses scissors, he only used the clippers and never had my hair cut so short for a long time, getting closer and closer to shaving it all off.
Bill didn’t do a bad job though even if it only seemed to take him about 30 seconds, wondered why there was no hair going on the floor, he had these sort of funky clipper things which had there own little suction hose on them, everything go sucked up just like a Hoover, guess it beat’s sweeping up all the time, here’s a photo of me with the new hair cut not a pretty site, took it myself as if you couldn’t guess.
Not much else has happened this week did go over to the Outlet Mall in Gulfport this afternoon though, bought some more clothes which I really don’t need but what the heck things were cheap, at least that’s my excuse. Not sure how I’m going to get everything back to the UK though, may cases were jam packed as it was, may have to FedEx some back or throw them away.
It’s Thanksgiving here this week think it’s on Thursday the 22nd a big holiday here Turkey and all the trimmings, almost as big as Christmas from the way everyone’s going on. Listening to the news the roads and all the airlines will be jam packed making it hard to get anywhere, starting to think of “Trains Planes and Automobiles” with Steve Martin and John Candy, one of my favourite comedy’s.
Work wise this week will probably be a bit of a loss as people wind down for the holiday and get ready to travel; in fact a lot of people have the week off.
Having lots of trouble with the computer at the moment so can't publish any photos, will try again to morrow

Mayan Ruins

Saturday, decided to try and go down to the ruins at Tulem again, so off i go in my little Fiat, had to fill up with petrol first though as i had used 3/4 of a tank nearly yesterday.

Every one thinks Mexico is cheap and it probably is when you're not in the Tourist areas, but I've been surprised at the prices since i got here, its more expensive here that it is where I'm staying in Mississippi. Petrol's not so bad but food and drinks are pricey, costing as much here as the states for food and beer is more expensive $4-5 a bottle.

Back on track again, got my petrol and of i go, straight down to Tulem, i know where it is now so i get there straight away just an hour and a half or so later. First thing i notice when i drive in the car park is a guy sitting under a tree who when he see me comes across and wants 40pesos for parking, I'm sure he was probably official but you just get the impression that everyone is on the make and it could be some guy sat under a tree ripping off tourists, there were no signs or nothing to say it was official or that there was a parking fee.

Checked the other cars when i got in the car park and they all had the same type of ticket i got so who knows, but it just seem like this everywhere, some random person wanting money. Finally got to the ruins and first you had to buy a ticket to get in, fair enough but you also have to buy a separate ticket if you wanted to take in a video camera in, copywrite or something like that apparently, just another way to make money more like.

Got in there and was a bit disappointed, not much in the way of telling you about things, a bit of a free for all really. Did see a real live big Lizard eating a plant though.

Think this is a Iguana, lots of them around but this was the biggest one i saw, it even posed on the wall for me.

All in all if you seen one Mayan ruin and you've seen them all, am sure they're not all like this but it was bit disappointing.

The photo on the left is just up the road from the hotel. One thing you notice walking around the streets is that everyone is on the make, it's hard to get away from it, bet i got asked ten times every night if i wanted drugs among other things.

Even parking the car as soon as you got out there was someone there, when you got back in to drive out there was someone there stopping the traffic waving you out just wanted a tip. On the odd occasion if i did take a picture someone was there wanting to know if i wanted them to take one of you, it's all about the tip.

As i said earlier think this is as bad as Thailand, mainly because they're more persistent, you just have to ignore it or you are lost. I'm sure this is not all of Mexico just the tourist areas because it wasn't like this in Saltillo but if you can get over that it's not a bad place to be, the regular people are friendly, even the others are friendly enough it just gets on your nerves.