United States – The Adventures of Elle Coco

It’s Always Raining Chocolate in Seattle

It’s seven years today since I was sat at Sea Tac airport, returning from what had been an awesome 4 day adventure in Seattle; catching up with old friends, making new ones, immersing myself in the North West Chocolate Festival, exploring Seattle’s amazing food scene – in all its forms – and getting in some pretty cool hikes.

Seven years since I started this blog post…

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Arriving at Heathrow and through security (after a bit of a faff with a re-useable water bottle) I tuck into sushi for breakfast, which I successfully spill all over myself after just one mouthful. Covered in soy sauce, and too frustrated to properly clear up my sea food decorations now adorning Heathrow Airports’ freshly cleaned floors, I flounce off to the departures gate; embarrassed, hungry and too annoyed to look back. In Departures I hangrily eat what is left of my edamame beans, so aggressively that beans frequently shoot in all directions and I only eat about half of them, much to the amusement (or possible annoyance) of the man sat next to me.

Let’s Hit The Road

THE TIME HAD COME:

The time for goodbyes as classes were over and I had a few more weeks until I would hop back over the pond.

Many a red cup had been drunk from, many a crazy party had been had (with many a stumble back home along Route 66 from Burt’s Tiki Lounge, Downtown Albuquerque). I’d said goodbyes and now it was time to hit the road and soak up as much New Mexico sun as possible before heading back to the Wet Country (England).

Burt’s at night

Burt’s inside

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California, Here We Come

Sourdough sculptures, groaning sea lions, the most amazing clam chowder – San Francisco really is one for the bucket list! I stayed with family friends in their stunning house, up the road from the beach with the most amazing view over Half Moon Bay! I quickly discovered, even tho it was May it was still pretty nippy, we are definitely still in coat-wearing season over here.

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Navajo Frybread

This is just a generic recipe I found in my Native American Harvest and Food book I bought in a thrift store in ABQ.

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From the Diné

Kelly is my course buddy, this awesome, bubbly Navajo girl in Native Language and Community class held by lecturer Christine Simms, a member of the Acoma tribe and resident of Acoma Pueblo (Sky City).

She told me of a smaller, less commercial pow wow (compared tot he Gathering of Nations) – Nizhoni Days at UNM, right on the field outside my apartment.

Eagle feathers are held in extremely high regard in Native American culture

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Red, Green or Christmas?

If you’ve got a delicate palette, or stomach…or both, then this festival is not for you! Pretty much all the BBQ sauces and salsa have some degree of heat. For those of you who are after an unusual stamina (or stupidity) challenge, then get yourselves down to the New Mexico Fiery Food and BBQ Festival and try some of the hottest chilies on earth!

New Mexico Fiery Foods Festival — What’s your (fiery) poison?

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Trying to Find ‘Lost’

That’s right, after a tip off from a cameraman of the TV series “Lost” who was staying in our hostel, we had plans for the final adventure of our trip. He lent us his car for two days and drew us a map on a napkin. That was all we needed, apparently, as it was ‘dead easy, you can’t miss it, just look for the padlocked gate’.

We were off to find ‘Lost’, after posing with a tin man in downtown Honolulu, obviously!

Posing in Honolulu before the adventure- the jellyfish sting had subsided enough for me to walk properly

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Surviving a Box Jellyfish Sting

Last nights episode did teach me even more respect for the sea than I already had. I had learnt my lesson, but it wasn’t going to stop me from making the most of my trip – despite the fact even the ambulance crew were surprised I wasn’t rushed to A&E.

After a quick morning surf (once the jellyfish warning had been lifted and everyone hopped on their boards) we were then evacuated due to a shark scare. We took the hint and figured it was time to do some land-based sight seeing before we hit up another beach.

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A Night with a Box Jellyfish

This was all because I didn’t check the ‘Jellyfish Timetable‘- Box Jellyfish arrive in Waikiki and other parts of the Hawaiian Islands based on the lunar cycle- they come to shore 8 to 10 days after each full moon and are particularly abundant in the early hours. There was also a noticeable lack of warning signs. I guess this was why the flights were so cheap!

Lesson learnt - don't go in the sea at night in Hawai'i — Lesson learnt – don’t go in the sea at night in Hawai’i

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I’ve Just Bought a Flight to Hawai’i

I could have gone somewhere local, yes, but I wasn’t thinking straight, and a $250 round trip to Hawai’i via Vegas was too much of a good opportunity to miss! I guess this is what happens when you come up with ‘good ideas’ without thinking them through first or checking various reports like ‘Jellyfish Reports’…jellyfish reports, seriously? Yes, and yes you should check them, as I learnt the hard way!