Having been critisised (and probably quite rightly too) for visitng a lighthouse yesterday, I wanted to have something more interesting to tell you about today.
Driving the 6h journey from Atlantic City to Virginia Beach wasn't particularly interesting though. The trip consisted for the most part of driving South through Delaware, a lesser known US state, and taking the Chesapeake Bay Bridge / Tunnel to Virginia Beach. The Bridge Tunnel structure was impressive (sorry this will sound quite boring) as its about 20 miles long, spanning a huge stretch of the Atlantic Ocean. It starts off at a toll booth ($12 for cars), and heads over to a small naturally formed island. It then continues from the island out into the Atlantic. Looking all around from the bridge, all that can be viewed is ocean - apart from the road ahead. Its quite disconcerting. The road then dives into a man-made island and goes underground for a while, before popping out into the middle of the ocean again, and continues as a bridge. It completes a few miles, then dives into another man-made island and pops out of the other side and continues to the shore.
Although that doesn't sound particularly interesting, the feat of engineering is simply amazing. You had to be there.
This evening spent walking around Virginia Beach was ok, left the bad weather behind! 82F approximately 10 degrees warmer than Atlantic City. However, looks like I have spoken too soon, as the clouds seem to be building up and it looks like the rain is on its way...
The place itself is ok, bit seedy in parts with cheap Blackpool style T-shirt and souvenir shops.
Speaking of seedy, I don't like to spend a lot on hotel rooms, but this takes the biscuit! $110 a night doesn't buy you very much - believe me. I picked this one because its a Ramada; you'd think that they would be mediocre, but this one is particularly bad. Locks that don't work properly on the door, a safe you have to pay extra for, and quality which leaves a lot to be desired... oh well, its only for one night...
I also got chatting to a few locals. Stephanie, Jennifer, and Amy. All 19, blonde, and super fit. They were all wearing bikinis, and just loved my English accent. They couldn't get enough. So much so, in fact, that we spent the evening in a spa bath, drinking bud light, and getting wrecked among other things.
Ok so that last part is not true. But it was interesting to read though eh?!
5 comments:
That last bit sounds like a Hollywood film... oh yes, it's from Love Actually. Pity life does NOT imitate art, eh?
That bridge sounds amazing. I have seen it on the telly I think and I thought it was a bit unbelievable that you couldn't see any land while you were driving. But now you have proved it's all true! What a bizarre country America is.
Hope tonight's hotel is better.
Re: the bridge, yes that's right - you set off on the main span, and you can't actually see any land! There's just ocean! And road! Its an amazing structure. Whats even more amazing is that although the bridge spans are two lanes in either direction, the tunnel sections are just one lane in each direction (as the bridge spans were doubled up after the main structure was built, but they couldn't dig more tunnels). The single lane tunnels are still 55mph and there is literally no room for error driving through there at 55 in a big truck! There's no safety lanes, just solid wall on the right side, traffic speeding past on the left, and as everywhere else in the world, a white van right up your chuff behind.
Dammit only just saw the comments link:P
Sounding good so far matey can you tag pics?
Would love to see the ol US of A again.....
Over and Out
Cheers for the link mate.
Atlantic City.... Vegas-on-Sea!
Only 1 picture of the Tahoe though :(
Mr Rutter Don't know how to 'tag' pics or whatever... I'm nearly 30, getting too old for this technology stuff, but I'll send you a link!
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