My American Summer

I'm Danielle, i'm twenty-two years old and this is a blog i kept in summer 2011 when i visited America, whilst working at Camp Harlam in Pennsylvania + then visited NY, LA, Vegas, the Grand Canyon, and San Francisco before flying home to Birmingham on September 8th. Enjoy!

[myamericansummerr]

day 76 - 2/9/2011

This morning we got up pretty early and had our free hotel breakfast, bagels and cream cheese, yum! Then we set off into the city with no real plan, came across a bike rental place and ended up cycling 11 miles across the golden gate bridge, through the city (which is beautiful!) up and down all the hugeee hills, the bridge was SO foggy though we could barely see it, but it gradually cleared up, we reached the other side, got a bit lost down a mountain next to a harbour, walked back up and found a little island called sausalito which was so pretty, we had lunch – grilled cheese, in a cute little café and got some amazing chocolate ice cream for desert and sat on the wall by the harbour, went for a ride in a speedboat! Then got back onto the ferry with our bikes and set back off to the city, it was a lovelyyy day, we got off the ferry and cycled another few miles back to the bike place and walked down some HUGE hills back to our hotel, were gonna get ready in a minute and go for another walk to find a nice restaurant :) I LOVE THIS CITY! :)

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day 75 - Last bit of Vegas + flying to San Fran!

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day 75 - 1/9/2011

That brings us to yesterday! We got up and got the bus to the strip again, went to the town square shops and we bought some new underwear and I got some really comfy trousers/jeggings from Abercrombie for only $25! Then got the bus to the MGM grand, had some pizza and yet another starbucks haha, then went and stroked the lions in the MGM hotel and had a photo with a lion cub :)! Then rushed back to the hotel, got the shuttle, and checked in and waited to board the plane to San Francisco, landed and somehow made our way to the hotel after following directions from locals! Was amazed at how cute the city was, then this random limo owner gave us a lift to our hotel for $15 and we got freebies in the back, he told us to give him a call if we wanted lifts anywhere, no idea how we got that lucky! But anyway we checked into the hotel, kinda looks like a hostel but a bit nicer, rooms are very basic but it’s fine really :) Then we attempted to unpack and walked out into the town and found this absolutely gorgeous restaurant which was all dark inside with log fires, like an English pub! We came back pretty early and had a well needed 10 hours sleep.

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day 74 - trip to the grand canyon! :)

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day 74 - 31/8/2011

So, this was one of my favourite days ever, got up at 5am and waited for our bus to take us to the grand canyon tour centre, had some free breakfast there, then boarded the luxury coach to the Canyon, had a mcdonalds breakfast on the way and slept a lot, we had a stop at the Hoover Dam which was pretty amazing, then we pulled up at the helicopter airport and me and Cat got SO excited. We were strapped in and put on our headphones and the helicopter lifted up, it was SO loud so we had to communicate through hand signals! Turbulence was pretty bad but the pilot kept reassuring us we were safe, anyway before we knew it we were swooping down into the grand canyon, it was so overwhelming, I never imagined it to be so enormous, we took SO many photos and eventually landed back at the helipad, boarded a bus and met the others at Mather Point at the edge of the canyon, climbed down into the canyon which was so scary, took more photos and then fed some celery to some friendly little squirrels and got back on the bus to Angel Lodge, had some lovely ice cream and cherry coke and sat on the wall with our feet dangling into the canyon, fed more squirrels and took our last few photos before getting back on the bus, slept pretty much the whole way back, all 280 miles! Had yet another mcdonalds and then collapsed in our hotel beds!

[myamericansummerr]

day 73 - exploring Vegas!

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day 73 - 30/8/2011

We got up pretty early and headed down to our hotel pool, it hit 110 degree’s, the heat was pretty unbearable but the pool was nice and cold! After a few hours we got a hotdog and headed to the other hotels, we went inside treasure island and snuck into their hotel pool which was amazing, everyone was drinking though, it was so annoying we’re too young to drink! :( Then we walked to the venetian and it was the most incredible place ever, it was so beautiful, we did a bit of shopping and saw caesers palace etc then went to get ready back at the hotel. We got the bus back to the strip and had a gorgeous meal at this Italian inside caesers palace, it was the nicest pizza ive probably ever had! And of course we had chocolate cake for dessert :)

Then we walked up the strip and saw the treasure island pirate show and the bellagio fountains and made out way back to the hotel, pretty exhausted! 

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Day 72 - Meeting more celebs and getting to Vegas!

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day 72 - 29/8/2011

We went to this incredible outdoor shopping centre where we randomly met Dustin milligan (ethan from 90210!) and Sara Paxton from CSI/aquamarine/a few other films, then realised it was about 20 mins before our airport shuttle was due to pick us up, grabbed a starbucks and got back to the hotel just in time to pack our cases and get on the shuttle. We pulled up outside LA airport and the taxi driver spotted Gordon Ramsay, so I started screaming at him to pull over (I LOVE GORDON!) and I pretty much dived head first out of the taxi and into Gordon ramsay haha, I had a photo with him and he told me he was heading to texas (after having to confirm with his chauffer!)

It was literally the quickest flight I’ve ever been on, we got up in the air and then the pilot started to descend straight away, before I knew it we’d landed in Vegas (after being annoyed the whole way by some stuck up british guy who thought he was god gift). The airport was full of slot machines and we got so excited, got a cab to the hotel and unpacked. Then we realised we were right next to the stratosphere and decided to walk over and go up the tower, we booked tickets for one of the rides, it was SO scary but amazing, it lifted us over the top of the building and dangled us over the las Vegas strip, the view was unbelievable! Anyway, once again we got a subway and took advantage of the free wifi and went to bed!

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Day 71, Six flags + VMA celeb stalking!

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day 71 - 28/8/2011

We got up about 8.30am after sleeping through our alarms, ordered some Six flags waterpark tickets online and then rushed downstairs, grabbed a mcdonalds breakfast and somehow made it to a place called Vermont after boarding 2 trains and 3 buses in the 42 degree heat, it was not pleasant! But anyway, we got there and got some sunbeds, put everything in lockers and went on some crazily fun slides in rubber rings, did more sunbathing, had some overpriced chicken and chips for lunch and some niiice pink lemonade, I think im addicted to the stuff, shame the UK doesn't sell it :(

At about 6, we got the buses back, as we were waiting for the first bus a phone came flying out of someones pocket on a ride and smashed right next to us on the floor, then we met a cute little squirrel and that was about it!

We quickly got ready back at the hotel and we’d heard the VMA awards were in town so we got into a taxi and stood outside the ritz afterparty with the papparazi and managed to see the jersey shore cast, I was like SNOOOOKIIII ITS ME! YOUR TWIN! Hahaha, then we saw katy perry which made me entire trip! Then met a band and jumped in another taxi with these random USC students to another afterparty in Hollywood which lady gaga and britney were at, saw britneys manager and the guy who invented bluetooth and people from ‘dancing with the stars’ then met some guys from an American TV show called Teen wolf! Then got a subway and came back to the hotel.

[myamericansummerr]

hollywood!

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day 70 :) - santa monica

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day 69 - 26/8/2011

So camp finished on the 26th Aug and we all boarded the coach to NYC and went our separate ways :( From then I found cat and we went on a hunt for a camera and had some pizza :) got a shuttle to the airport, we were super early cause we were so excited! Bought some wifi and chilled there for a while. Finally boarded the plane and slept most of the way, watched the hurricane on the news and we were SO glad we’d got out of the east coast just in time, we were SO lucky! Anyway, we got to the hotel pretty late, it was AMAZING, had a starbucks in the lobby and beautiful fountains etc.

day 70 - 27/8/2011 We got up about 8am, unpacked and walked along Wilshire boulevard, had breakfast at subway and jumped on a bus to santa monica beach and pier, it was such a beautiful place, full of bodybuilders and gym freaks! We sunbathed for ages and bought some bodyboards off this guy on the beach and had so much fun attempting to surf the 6ft waves! It was pretty scary but fun :) Anyway then we went for some lunch on the pier, and Cat convinced me to hire some rollerblades, so we got into our blades and skated for about a mile or two up the beach and saw some amazing beaches and stopped to watch some pro frisbee players :)

Then on the night after we’d showered etc after getting very lost in a not so nice part of LA, we jumped in a cab to Hollywood which was so overrated, but anyway we met Michelle Erin and Beth who were staying in a motel in Hollywood, they took us round to see the avenue of the stars and the famous handprints in the concrete at the Chinese theatre which was amazing. We had dinner in this little café and then got a cab back to our hotel for an earlyish night.

[myamericansummerr]

I'm back!

Wow, so the last 7 days have been absolute non-stop craziness. But it’s safe to say they have been some of the best I’ll ever have. I think last time I wrote camp was about to end or had ended, I’m not sure, but the end of camp was very emotional and I never thought I’d end up missing people as much as I do right now. Right, let’s see what I can remember over the last week…

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day 71 - 28/8/2011

So tonight was HECTIC, saw katy perry and jersey shore cast at the VMAs afterparty, ended up in hollywood outside an afterparty where lady gaga, britney spears and adele etc were, met a few famous people, and now we're back at the hotel room. I'll do a big update tomorrow about the last week at camp and my last 3 days since i started my travels in LA. So exhausted right now, flying to Vegas tomorrow, goodnight! xxx

[myamericansummerr]

A few recent photos :)