The Under 20s World Cup 2007, Toronto, Canada!

In the first week of my 2007 World Tour, I was in Toronto, Canada. I had booked to stay there for six days, but was totally unaware at the time that Toronto was hosting the Under 20s World Cup! What a pleasant surprise then when I disembarked at Toronto Pearson Airport to see an advert Read more about The Under 20s World Cup 2007, Toronto, Canada![…]

david beckham's first la galaxy training session

Watching The First David Beckham Training Session: LA Galaxy, California, USA🇺🇸

  When I booked my world tour in 2007, I knew I would not be missing too much of the UK football season, as I would be away for July, August and September. However as part of the tour, I found myself in Los Angeles, my first time in California. I had always been a Read more about Watching The First David Beckham Training Session: LA Galaxy, California, USA🇺🇸[…]

Toronto Blue Jays🇨🇦 Versus Cleveland Indians🇺🇸: A Night At The Baseball⚾

I had visited Toronto in 2001 and even stepped foot inside The Rogers Centre, home of the Toronto Blue Jays Baseball Team (who won the North American title loads of times in the 1990s), but didn’t on that visit see a match. On my second visit to Canada, and Toronto, I decided to get a Read more about Toronto Blue Jays🇨🇦 Versus Cleveland Indians🇺🇸: A Night At The Baseball⚾[…]

Empire State Building: A moon is in my head

It was pretty inevitable really. At some point or other in my life I was going to go to the top of it. And it finally does deserve a blog entry of its own on top of the mention in my New York condensed blog post. What it is is the Empire State Building! It Read more about Empire State Building: A moon is in my head[…]

Backpacking in the USA: The White Stripes Trip to Staten Island, New York

While staying at Hostelling International at New York City (incidently the largest hostel in the USA), I had put my name down for a few of the hostel’s organised tours. One of these was a weekly Wednesday night free trip and tour of Staten Island. The ferry across was free after 6 pm I think. Read more about Backpacking in the USA: The White Stripes Trip to Staten Island, New York[…]

What the hell am I doing drinking in LA at 27?

I arrived in Los Angeles, California, having changed planes and had a pint briefly at Dallas Fort Worth Airport. I also recall meeting an English guy who kindly let me sit down beside him. We discussed football, I said I was a Bournemouth fan, he was more of an England fan rather than a club Read more about What the hell am I doing drinking in LA at 27?[…]

Statue of Liberty, New York City (2007)

New York: Empire State Halo

“All free souls beware; a moon is in my head”, sings Echo and the Bunnymen’s Ian McCullough back in 1997. I never had any ambition to visit New York. As a kid I had often admired the Empire State Building, as an adult I had always resented the whole “America [sic] is the best” thing, Read more about New York: Empire State Halo[…]

Stepping Stones to Canada: Toronto

“You might not believe me. But I know I walked; on stepping stones, to Canada.” – Jonny Blair (2001) I first visited Canada in 2001, checking out Toronto, Niagara and Winnipeg. I was there with family, mainly for my cousin Alison’s wedding, but we decided to see the sights as well. I promised when I Read more about Stepping Stones to Canada: Toronto[…]