Marc and Mates - On the Road - 1999

 The story here comes from from Marc Middelmann, written 27 January 2000, looking back on a year of travel and work in USA and UK. Pictures follow below the story, so they can load while you are reading.

At the end of 1998, having just graduated from the University of Cape Town, I headed off with three friends, Miles Biggs, James Cullis and Stephen Miller, to Breckenridge Colorado where we had all organised work in the front office of the Beaver Run Resort, a monstrous eye sore of a resort at the foot of the ski slopes.

I worked as night auditor, a shift from about 10pm to 7am, conveniently leaving the days open for snowboarding. I also had another part time job selling ski school tickets for Vail Resorts, one of the perks of which was a free season pass to the nearest 5 resorts.

All in all, we had a massive amount of fun. Work was great, we made friends for life and could ski and snowboard for free on some of Americas best and most beautiful slopes. And after 4 months it was time to empty the bank account and hit the road...

We bought a 1990 Ford Clubwagon, the most monstrous beast of a van I have ever seen, for $3500 in Denver. Our end of season bonuses covered it, we insured it, dumped our worldly belonging in its cavernous stomach and aimed west, intending to make up the plan as we went along.

Our trip took us through Mesa Verde, Moab, Grand Canyon, Vegas, to Los Angeles. Then up the west coast through San Francisco, Yosemite, Seattle and into Vancouver. We then traversed Canada across to Quebec, and finally back down to uncle Carlo in New York almost 2 months after leaving Breckenridge. There, we sadly sold the van, 11 000 miles later without an oilchange.

Those 6 months were the best of my life and I only wish they could have lasted longer. We all travelled really well together so big thankyous to James, Steve and Milo. And we saw some of the best that North America has to offer.

After a week in Florida I flew to the UK in June 1999 and spent 5 months trying to carve a living out of London. I started out as a labourer, silver service waiter and finally landed an office job with a recruitment agency. I lived in Stepney, about 10 mins walk from the Tower of London, with SA friends. We had a great time together, even during the odd crisis, and again it was sad when our lease ended and we all went our separate ways.

London life sweeps you away. Your quality of life is determined by the city's vibrant and cosmopolitan atmosphere, which takes you mind off the Cape Town lifestyle which one certainly does long for now and then. But there was never a dull moment and tomorrow I fly from Sydney back into the the thick of it...
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[Right] On top of Peak 8, Breckenridge, holding the flag proud.
[Left] Yours truly at the Grand Canyon.
[Right] Lunch out of the back of the van, Monument Valley.
[Left] Mirror Lake, Yosemite National Park.
[Right] Another lunch stop in the Kicking Horse River Valley, Canadian Rockies.
[Left] Home in London, 125 Cannon Street Road, above Quality Foods.




Other pages about Marc's travels include Marc's visit to Cairns and news and pics from Sydney.

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