Why am I awake

"tsar" (tsar) 11/17/2014 at 06:40 • Filed to: None

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Some of you might remember me from my introductory post a few weeks ago asking for advice on my US trip.

Well it's 3:35am here in Los Angeles right now so about 19 hours since I arrived in the US and it's been amazing. I think Seattle is the most beautiful city in the world (in my limited, 17 year old experience) and I find it generally amazing how the suburbs here in the west coast at least are so close to nature. Our place in Seattle was basically in the middle of a forest (Sammamish) and here I can see Big Bear from my bedroom window. All in all great and cold weather's pretty nice too.

My uncle got a 2014 Accord V6 with 6000 miles from Carmax. It's loaded to the gills and drives really smooth. Still getting used to the long distances though- took an 80 mile drive to Irvine and I'm pretty done with the freeways.

While I'm here I've been thinking of learning driving. There's a 90s Infiniti with a V6 lying around, the I30 I think. It's got 320k on it and apparently runs terribly but I thought I'd give it a try anyway. Hope it goes well. Happy Monday everyone!

thebigbossyboss > tsar 11/17/2014 at 06:49

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SR 20 dat car when you get it!

Welcome to America!

I am from Canada. Our distances are also kinda big.

I can drive for 26 hours...and be in the same province.

I am awake because I am at work.

Leon711 > tsar 11/17/2014 at 06:53

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I am awake for it is nearly noon in the UK, and I am at work.

I went to the US for the first time a few weeks back, so much space!

tsar > Leon711 11/17/2014 at 07:02

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my sentiments exactly! Where I'm from drive any longer than 20 miles in any direction and you'll hit the sea. I hope to visit Europe after high school next year, hear a lot of great stuff about the place.

tsar > thebigbossyboss 11/17/2014 at 07:07

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whoa where do you work at this hour! I've always wanted to visit Canada but I don't think I'll have the time this year because I've had to bring my work along. The place is great, I'm digging the lifestyle and how inexpensive things here are in general- especially when compared to back home. Doing an engine swap on that isn't exactly my call (yet) but I've expressed interest on taking it when I come here for higher education in about 3 years from now, haha.

Leon711 > tsar 11/17/2014 at 07:09

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everything is more compact in Europe, and there is a lot more in the line of historic buildings etc. for example I drive past a Norman era castle ruin (c.1075) every day going to work.

thebigbossyboss > tsar 11/17/2014 at 07:13

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Well of course I am out in Ontario so I start work at 3:30am your time, or 6:30am my time (Eastern Standard). I work at the Parliament of Canada.

I am glad you are enjoying the US, it is a really great country that I also love to visit.

Are you from England?

tsar > thebigbossyboss 11/17/2014 at 07:27

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Singapore, actually. 6:30 sounds pretty early but that line of work sounds incredibly interesting and something I'm actually considering myself as a more humanities inclined person.

tsar > Leon711 11/17/2014 at 07:28

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sounds amazing! I have yet to visit a country other than India with architecture that old so it's definitely something I'm looking forward to, and especially so as a photographer.

Leon711 > tsar 11/17/2014 at 07:40

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where are you originally from, and where in europe would you like to visit? it's big old place and most of it is pretty nice.

thebigbossyboss > tsar 11/17/2014 at 07:42

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It's good work. It is early though, especially when it snows and you have to dig out the car, scrape it off, and so on and so forth.

tsar > thebigbossyboss 11/17/2014 at 08:14

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I take it you live near Ottawa? I haven't got much opportunity to play with snow before but can't imagine dealing with it on a daily basis.

tsar > Leon711 11/17/2014 at 08:16

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from India, live in Singapore. Probably start with the west? Subject to a lot of things and as of now nothing's confirmed but I think covering Europe in its entirety will definitely take multiple trips.

thebigbossyboss > tsar 11/17/2014 at 08:33

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Yes that's right, I actually live right in Ottawa. The snow is kind of fun for November and December...then when you get to the cold weather in January & February you get really sick of it. By March you hate it with a passion and wonder if there will ever be warm weather.

And then by 2nd week of April, it all melts. And everything is really muddy for a while, and all the grass is quite dead. But by May things are green and summer is here!!!

Leon711 > tsar 11/17/2014 at 08:48

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It most certainly will unless you got a few months. More expensive places will be UK, France, Switzerland and Germany but going east will get cheaper. There is just too much to see, I couldn't possibly recommend a place to start. Though if you are into the middle ages and World War 2 history, London and Southeast England are good places to go (maybe biased as I live there) and Goodwood is also situated down near Arundel Castle which is a restored medieval castle both within an hour or so from London Gatwick airport.

Dusty Ventures > tsar 11/17/2014 at 09:03

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If you think 80 miles is a long distance then you've got some serious learning ahead of you :)

tsar > Dusty Ventures 11/17/2014 at 14:08

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eventually!! I'll be here for another month anyway

tsar > thebigbossyboss 11/17/2014 at 14:21

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sounds great. I have a thing for fall colors so I'm hoping to visit an orchard in nearby San Bernardino soon. Went in 2009 and it was gorgeous. Take care on the slippery roads! Given that back in Singapore nobody really drives properly I wonder sometimes what would happen if it started snowing.

tsar > Leon711 11/17/2014 at 14:21

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depends on where the parents want to go, haha. Will keep this in mind thanks!

ranwhenparked > thebigbossyboss 11/17/2014 at 18:46

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Wow, sounds like an interesting job. I have to say Ottawa is a wonderfully under-appreciated city, really like it there.

thebigbossyboss > ranwhenparked 11/17/2014 at 18:47

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Good in the summer and fall. Can go to hell in the winter.

ranwhenparked > thebigbossyboss 11/17/2014 at 20:48

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Don't doubt it. Then, it seems more than half of this continent becomes pretty near unbearable in winter. 19 degrees tomorrow night, hooray.

Leon711 > tsar 11/18/2014 at 09:12

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don't forget the UK has a mix of imperial and metric measurements, all you need to be concerned with is speeds being MPH and distance being miles.