23/02/2003 - 17:07 (22:07 GMT)
22/02/2003 Here we go! Half an hour late! Hitting 100mph down the M4 (If you're a cop, only kidding, it was definitely under 70). The butterflies are slowly flapping in my stomach, but I'm more worried about getting run over by a tank at the airport. Unfortunately, or maybe fortunately, there wasn't any military presence. It's my brother's birthday and I'm giving him the best present I could muster by leaving the country! It isn't my fault that Scotland Yard are after me! We reached Purple Parking, a park and ride scheme to Heathrow, dumped the car and caught a minibus to the airport. The airport was really busy and it took ages to check in. So long that we only had 5mins in the departure lounge before having to go to the gate. I still managed to take back The Eminem Show to HMV, which I had recently burned... Because I was classed as travelling alone due to returning on a different date to my parents, I was asked if I'd like to swap seats. This was because a family of four, with 2 kids, had been split up and they wanted to be together. So, out of the goodness of my heart, I said yes. But the stewardess changed her mind for some reason. We boarded the plane and the pilot introduced himself, the flight attendants demonstrated safety procedures, etc and I listened to DJ Hype - The Dogs. The flight was to take 6 hours 50 minutes. I watched Die Another Day and The Bourne Identity. Both of which were good, although The Bourne Identity was slow in parts. Also, Matt Damon is a pretty pants actor. Anyways, we had a nice in-flight meal of chicken casserole, accompanied by a can of Stella and some red wine. We landed at about 21:20 (2:20 GMT). It took ages to get through customs but eventually we were out into the rain. It was that annoying, drizzly, light rain. There was loads of snow piled up at the side of the roads. Logan Airport was quite nice, although there was some building work going on. We got the Alamo Rent-A-Car Bus to the hire company and rented a nice motor. We then drove to the Holiday Inn at Logan Airport and checked into our room. It took until 23:00 (4:00 GMT) to get to bed and I slept till 7:00 (12:00 GMT). 23/02/2003 Breakfast was nice, and they had a brilliant make-your-own waffle machine. It was all you can eat, which was handy. We checked out and started to drive to Malden which is where Killer Kowalskis is. There was a sign outside the Holiday Inn, which read Herb Chambers - New England's Biggest Dealer Which was quite surreal, but it had BMW and Mercedes badges next to it, so I guessed it was talking about cars. We parked up outside Malden YMCA and went inside to check out about 3 month accomodation. I got a good deal, but I need to wait till someone moves out, because it's full. We walked around trying to find Killer Kowalskis and eventually had to ask a fireman! When we found it, we could see the YMCA about 50m away. It was just a door entrance. We also checked out a gym behind it, called Super Fitness. I've never seen so many weight machines under one roof. We next took a trip into Boston on the which cost $2 return. The YMCA in Boston was crap and we came back, got in the car and went to the International House Of Pancakes for lunch. On the way, we drove past Battista Insurance (he's a wrestler) and I know his name is spelt BaTista, not BaTTista, but it's close. I had a chicken sandwich, which was pretty damn good. American's have really crap mobiles. The best one I've seen so far was one of those old, huge, flip-down Motorolas, which the guy seemed to be posing and shouting Trigger Happy TV style. The car's are so much bigger over here. Outside IHOP, I saw a Ford Expedition. It was about twice as big as the car next to it. I have a photo, which I will post when it's developed and I find a scanner. We drove on to Salem t try and find a hotel, but eventually ended up in the Hampton Inn in Peabody. Which is where I am now. But I gotta go. It's been a long Diary entry, but I hoped you enjoyed it!