| A fan travels Greyhound to see a continent, with the
excuse of following a major sporting event. Venue --
The United States.
A sporting event can often provide the spark that lights up paper
plans to travel; especially if it is played out across the map, in a selection of venues,
over something like 30 days.
The Planning -- When
To Go Where.
The opening game is in
Chicago, and the next day you have to be in Detroit..... It means an eight-hour night bus,
to get there for a morning kick-off.
Greyhound
-- Getting The Most Out Of It.
A Greyhound
Pass also allows free passage between Toronto and Detroit, and Seattle and Vancouver, so a
taste of Canada is included in the grand tour of US 94.
Montreal
-- French Canada.
The
cosmopolitan town of French-speaking Quebec is a mix of voice, split by a thin line. It is
in the town, but comes across as wider than the Channel itself.
The Kick-Off
-- US 94 Gets Underway.
You are in
an air-conditioned bar, in Downtown Detroit when Germany opens up against Bolivia. There
is a jug of ice cold beer in front of you, as you prepare to see how the American media
will treat the biggest sporting event on Earth.
Pontiac
Silverdrome -- Indoor Football.
The game is
played early to avoid the afternoon heat; Michigan is in a heatwave, and the humidity is
unbearable. The first World Cup soccer match to be played indoors is between the hosts,
and Switzerland.
Washington
-- D.C.
Washington
has something of a reputation as a murder capital, but that should not affect those who
are not part of a street gang, or dealing in crack cocaine.
Daytona Beach
-- Car Culture Gone Crazy.
For $10 you
can drive right on to the sand, and many do; preferring to cruise along the beach rather
than expose out of condition bodies that might appreciate the exercise.
Orlando
-- Party Street.
The two
largest contingents of travelling fans party side by side until the early hours, under the
moustaches of some bewildered police officers. There are some women officers with guns
too, although they have less hair on their upper lip.
Second Round
-- Team USA Qualify.
Once the
qualifying teams have been confirmed, who plays who, and where, can be taken into account,
together with who might play who in the quarter-finals.
More to Come.
Travel Notes:
North American Travel Guides. |
