Friday, August 13, 2010

North Carolina and All Those Trees

Since I've been making my way around the world, I thought it was time to make my way around the States!

I'm now officially in the boondocks of the South. Though I should say the north part of the South is the geographically correct location: North Carolina. And our mascot should be none other than the... Tar Heels? *shrug* Don't ask me.

I've found that there are farms dotted with big houses and rusted barns a mile south of me and a forest somewhere to the north of me. They say that North Carolina was once covered in trees until John Smith "discovered" America and decided to chop down the trees and create some Anglo-saxon villages. The trees are so beautiful that they make me feel like I'm living in a cabin lodge somewhere in the forest. Almost reminds me of Tahoe minus the lake. Or Yosemite minus the Half Dome.

Anyway, one of the most notable things about North Carolina upon arriving is its humidity. 90 degrees plus wetness equals misery. I sat for an hour and a half outside and felt like the heat was going to suck me in. Another girl next to me from Illinois wanted to cry. However I concede that once inside, the AC makes it all just a little bit more bearable!

I have yet to consume all that hype about North Carolina BBQ, the pulled pork sandwich wasn't too bad. It wasn't as wet and sloppy as I thought BBQ should be, but... still not bad. I heard Dicky's is the place to go so my next destination will be Dicky's! (Wonder if Janie will be there too.)

Though Chapel Hill Transit boasts of its free buses, I've learned the hard way that public transportation is not my greatest friend on the weekend. I waited an hour and a half for a bus to come on Saturday and was told that buses don't run on Sundays. So unless I get a car, I can plan on being on house arrest during the weekends. Man, I sure miss the AC Transits in Berkeley! What AC Transit couldn't make up for, BART or Muni could! So, I guess the question now is ship my Honda Civic or buy a used Vespa or Mini-Cooper? Hmm....

Anyway, I'll take some pictures soon and post them when I get a chance! (Sorry I'm still working on the Nicaragua pictures too!)