crowingoutloud

[crowingoutloud]

Time Out

For the first time in more than a week I’m finally able to wear normal shoes again and as I look back on what has without doubt been the worst trip of my life thus far, I can truly say I’ve been on a voyage of discovery.

We all look forward to escaping the daily grind from time to time, I’m no exception. My husband and I had been counting down the days to our Florida trip, time with friends, sunshine and of course, good food; it was going to be idyllic.

What I didn’t realise was just how much I needed it. I’m not talking about just wanting to get away, I was on the verge of total meltdown and worse still I had no idea!

For the past year I’ve been working regular 12-14 hour days, 6 (often 7) days a week, skipping lunch and snacking on crisps and chocolate to get me through. I’ve been so tired and irritable and yet I kept going, rationalising this lifestyle by way of its temporary nature. My job, you see, is a limited time position ending in December, I guess I never stopped long enough to see the impact it was having on my life.

I’m very lucky to have a patient, understanding husband who’s not only put up with my every waking hour being consumed by work but has so gracefully picked up the pieces and put me back together again this trip.

The warnings were of course there long before we set foot on US soil if only I’d been paying attention. I am by nature a well organised traveller. I like to know exactly where I’m going, when, with whom and at what time months ahead. I have spreadsheets of all pertinent details as well as a travel wallet with print outs of everything. I usually plan all transfers and activities ahead of time and have a clearly defined itinerary for every trip. This time however, I only booked our US transfer a few days before flying out and still hadn’t packed on the afternoon we were travelling to the airport, something I usually do at least a week before. As we were about to leave I couldn’t recall the name of the hotel we were due to stay at that night and I had no clue where the passports were, I couldn’t understand how it had happened.

Fast forward 24 hours. After a frantic search the passports turned up (in the bag I’d just packed), we located the airport hotel and took off from Manchester, England on time. I was relieved to say the least, finally we were on our way and everything was going to be ok. Boy do I wish that last thought had not crossed my mind!

We had a bit of turbulence mid-way across the Atlantic but nothing too serious yet upon arrival in Ft.Lauderdale I was very confused. My mind seemed foggy and I was unable to form a sentence, I just assumed I’d be fine after a good night’s rest so I retired early. The next day was a little better but I simply felt like I was looking down on myself and once again conversation was difficult, not great when you’ve travelled half way across the world for a meet and greet with one singer. That day, having met up with our friends, we spent a couple of hours on the beach and I suffered the worst sunburn I’ve ever encountered. Both feet blistered multiple times leaving me unable to walk and in excruciating pain. I couldn’t understand how or why this would happen.

Over the next few days, while resting on medical advice, I think I had an epiphany. I was so miserable, I wanted to be out enjoying the sun and Florida parks but I physically couldn’t face it. It was at this point I began to see this was my body’s way of telling me to slow down. I’d been too preoccuppied to see the warning signs but now I had to take heed. As soon as I accepted my fate (and a little help) the stresses started to melt away. I turned all work notifications off and by the time we reached Miami 6 days later I was back on my feet (physically and mentally). The fog in my mind had cleared, I was much calmer and so much happier.

I love my job but I hadn’t realised just how much of me it was consuming. Now as I sit in the airport waiting for the plane home the challenge will be how to stop this happening again. I cannot promise to change overnight but this trip has made me realise that I must do all I can to try to avoid it. Nothing is more important tgan your loved ones and your iwn health.

[crowingoutloud]

Wheelie Great Job Disney

Before I start I’d like to say that ordinarily my mobility is in no way impaired so I am not an authority on this but I speak as I find.

I am a bit of a Disney World veteran having visited the Orlando attractions some 10 or so times over the last 12 years. One of my favourite experiences (even now) is strolling around Epcot eating my body weight in delicious treats from around the world. This year however I found my Disney dreams in tatters after a serious and unexplained case of sunburn left me unable to even stand unaided let alone enjoy the magic of the parks.

Having struggled around the Universal universe under my own steam, in immense pain resulting in me breaking down in tears and paying a visit to the walk in centre, I was forced to admit that I needed help.

I don’t mind admitting that the thought of using a wheelchair filled me with dread. I envisaged scenes of needing to prove, and worse still, explain my predicament. Plus, I imagined whole areas of the park would be rendered inaccessible by the wheelchair and thus ruin the trip for my husband, I couldn’t have been more wrong.

A huge Avatar fan all my husband had talked about for months was seeing Pandora, how could I let him down?! So we set off for Animal Kingdom.

On arrival in the parking lot there was a plentiful supply of wheelchairs to ease my passage through the front gate and inside we were able to hire a smaller, more mobile chair for use around the park all day. There were no awkward questions, no judgments, the assistant even helped me transfer.

First hurdle cleared it was on to the rides. There’s no way we’d be able to ride together right? Wrong!

We queued together, saw the same things as everyone else, shared the same experience (except my husband’s arms ached) and rode the attractions together. Every cast member spoke to me and asked me if I could transfer, was ok etc. In other parks I’ve witnessed wheelchair users being talked over but not in Disney. I was having a particularly rough day when we visited, I was in constant pain, feeling very sorry for myself and incredibly emotional yet for a short while I was made to forget all that and embrace the Disney magic.

I hope I never have a need to hire a wheelchair again in Disney, but if I do I know I won’t be treated as a second class citizen or judged on my needs. Well done Disney, great job.

One suggestion though, if you are unfortunate enough to need a wheelchair you might want to take a cushion, they’re a bit tough on.the rear!

[crowingoutloud]

After flying 4,350 miles to see David Cook perform live and completely losing all ability to speak during my meet and greet, I thought I’d write down all the things I’d intended to say. Who knows perhaps one day he might get to see it…

Dear David,

I can’t believe a year has passed since my husband and I met you in Houston on our epic Texan adventure. We had such a great night at your concert we just had to see you again.

I am an avid concert goer whether for business or pleasure and have to admit that your fans are some of the nicest I’ve ever met (and I’ve met a few!). On this, the final night of the current tour, I’m reminded of the kindness of a total stranger who helped make a crazy Brit girl’s idea reality.

Remember the Thank You signs in Nashville at the end of your Digital Vein tour?

That was me. My idea and my design. But I was back in the UK then with just a handful of fellow David Cook friends. Step forward Dawn, a kind-hearted generous lady who’s seen you countless times, liked the idea and offered to help. Dawn printed the notes and organised everyone at the venue that night to hold them up at a specific point. Back home I created the David Cook UK Fan Initiative (with logo design by Taylor, who we met at your gig in Houston) and rounded up some of the British fans to host an online wrap party. While we waited for news and videos from Nashville we had quizzes and youtube playlists and plenty of online chatter. Being six hours ahead of Nashville it was the early hours of the morning as your concert drew to a close but we stayed up to flood Twitter with the same image, our own way of saying “we might be thousands of miles away but we still care”.

The images and the videos that have been shared with me since then are amazing and I’ve made so many DC friends as a result. Proof that music really does transcend boundaries. It’s this experience that has inspired me to start my own social project. Not a charity, just a notion of social consciousness called #makeamemory. Put simply we just want to encourage others to be kinder to one another and to embrace each moment as it comes. We’ve had a bracelet especially engraved for you, which you’d have had in Ft. Lauderdale if I hadn’t forgotten to pack it (that’s a whole other story!) and I hope that one day I’m able to give it to you and you’ll wear it with pride knowing your ethos has inspired its creation.

I can’t promise we’ll be able to make the transatlantic journey again next year, we had to move our entire vacation to make the Ft. Lauderdale date this, but we’ll continue to make some noise on your behalf back in the UK and as work starts to calm down, focus on increasing your fanbase in Europe.

Have a fantastic final show tonight, sorry we can’t be there with you we’ll hopefully catch a glimpse on a facebook/periscope link at some point.

Until we meet again my friend, safe travels and continue to #makeamemory.

Love

Rachel

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Who Cares Wins

I come from a country where healthcare is free at the point of service and after my recent experience in Florida, I’ve never been more grateful.

I’ve been holidaying (vacationing) in Florida for a number of years now, in fact my husband and I have visited around 12 times over the past 13 years (sometimes more than once a year). I’m not unfamiliar with the climate and always have an array of potions, lotions and tablets to treat most ailments. However, I was totally unprepared for what would happen on this trip.

Having flown into Miami from the UK especially for the David Cook gig, we made our way over to Ft. Lauderdale to meet up with some friends who had travelled down from Orlando to join us for their first DC experience. It was dark and very rainy when we arrived so after a spot of dinner we all retired for the night. The following morning (gig day) was gorgeous, the sun was out, it was a beautiful clear sky so we all slathered on the factor 30 and made for the beach.

That night as I stepped out of the shower my legs, and in particular my feet, were neon. I’ve never seen sunburn like it. I couldn’t understand it. I’d reapplied several times during our beach session, with my arms and chest, that had been subjected to the same meticulous routine, being a little pink but of no real concern.

Fast forward 48 hours we are sat in the waiting room of a walk in clinic in Orlando waiting to see a doctor. We’d travelled back up north to spend a few days with our friends, but on the way my right foot had started to swell and blister, then my left and soon I could barely walk.

Concert and Orlando leg of our trip totally ruined I had no choice but to seek medical help so a friend drove me to a nearby walk in centre (I won’t say exactly which one, but I will say it’s near a popular tourist attraction!).

I have to admit I didn’t feel like I was sitting in the waiting room for too long and the front desk staff were polite enough, though perhaps lacking in empathy. It was when I stepped through the doors to the consultation area my issues started. I was ushered into a corner cubicle with no further instructions other than to lie on the bed, not unsurprising given my ailment, and the curtain was drawn.

In the cubicle to my right was a little boy and his mum both suffering with an ear infection and to my left another woman from the UK suffering from Hives, I could hear every word of their consultations.

I waited about 30 minutes for the doctor to come in, take one look at my feet from the other side of the cubicle, tell me what I already knew (I had second degree burns) and lecture me about “my kind” not understanding the power of the sun. (Don’t worry I set him straight on that one!)

It must have been another 20 minutes or so before the nurse arrived with my prescription, in the interim period a number of other nurses, popped their heads around the curtain to pass judgment on me, some offering sympathy most shaking their heads and saying “should’ve worn sunscreen”. This of course resulted in me telling my final visitor, a second doctor, who’d been sent by the first not for another opinion but just to look, that I was “not a freak show!”

About 90 minutes after arriving, and with no sign of any forthcoming information, I hobbled off the gurney to the nurses station with my prescription to ask if I could go, aware my poor friend had to work in the morning, only to be greeted with a look of disdain for daring to ask. Thankfully I only had to sign for my drugs and pay. Oh yes pay. It cost $336 for a doctor to stand across a room from me, prescribe me anti-inflammatory drugs and tell me to pop the blisters after three days!

I left the centre feeling humiliated and while I’m not against paying for healthcare I do think you should get what you pay for. Back in the UK if I’d presented with the same symptoms a doctor would have put some gloves on, had a look and, if he thought the blisters needed popping would more than likely have done it there and then and dressed the wound appropriately. What’s more it would be free! I love the US but somebody needs to look at the healthcare and reversing Obamacare? Big mistake!

As for me, well 36 hours after my visit to the clinic my feet are still blistered and swollen, I’m still struggling to walk and feeling very sorry for myself. But I’m desperately trying to salvage something from the trip as we head down to Miami tomorrow to close out our vacation.

It’s been an experience but one I hope I never have to repeat. Factor 50+ sunblock all the way for my tootsies from now on.

[crowingoutloud]

Anything but Idol

We’ve been on US soil for less than 24 hours.

Having endured a gruelling 19 hour journey across some 4350 miles to get to Ft. Lauderdale we spend the day relaxing on the beach and eating ice cream. Little wonder then that we resemble broiled lobster by the time we head over to the Broward Centre for Performing Arts to catch David Cook.

For the uninitiated David Cook was the run away winner of season 7 of American Idol. A genuinely talented musician with bags of charm who, surprisingly, has never quite enjoyed the same global success as Kelly Clarkson and Adam Lambert.

My husband first discovered David Cook on a business trip to Orlando in 2009. Returning home to the UK, he persuaded me to give this new music a listen and I was an instant convert.

I never imagined back then, or in the seven years thereafter, I’d ever see him live. Back home in the UK I’m a prolific concert goer, but travelling to the other side of the world for a gig is just crazy right? Wrong!

In 2016 my husband and I headed to Texas, a state we’d never been and knew little about, as we could only get one week’s vacation together and discovered David was playing in Houston that week, it was fate!

Fast forward a year and having had such an amazing time in Texas we’re back on US soil, this time in Ft. Lauderdale. In fact, this year we moved our entire vacation to accommodate this one gig which, at the time of booking, was the last on the tour.

Unlike Houston, I’m on edge before we even cross the Atlantic. A troublesome booking experience, unanswered emails and general lack of customer service mean I’m less than impressed with the venue before we’ve even set foot through the door. Still, I try to be open minded and pray they’ll prove me wrong.

The support act Kathryn Dean, another American singer-songwriter, is great. She’s sassy and sexy and commands the stage with the confidence of a woman twice her age, I’m in awe. What’s more her voice is simply gorgeous and her banter effortless, though at times it’s a little difficult to understand some of the lyrics.

After a short interval it’s time for the main man. I’m still reeling from the fact my meet and greet earlier in the day was a disaster, I left my personal gift to David back home in the UK and jet leg prevented any articulate chit chat. However, I’m in the second row with a great view of the stage and I remind myself how lucky I am to be here.

The opening number, Kiss & Tell, has really grown on me in the last 12 months and is a great way to get the party started. There are two new band members with David this tour, Mike and Sam, though both are without doubt highly accomplished musicians I do miss the rapport with Josh and Adam. I know others prefer older line-ups, I guess that’s just the nature of the beast.

Thankfully Jeffrey is still around and his rendition of Journey’s Don’t Stop Believing is met with rapturous applause even if it does end somewhat prematurely.

David is on top form tonight, a long ramble encouraging the audience to go home and watch Robin Hood Men in Tights, which precedes the breathtaking ballad I’m Gonna Love You, leaves us all howling with laughter, while a heartfelt tribute to the amazing Chris Cornell, which segues into Light On, moves me to tears.

It’s an interesting set list classics like Come Back To Me, one of my personal favourites, rest effortlessly next to newer offerings such as Gimme Heartbreak and Lucky Ones. The latter is an instant hit with both my husband and I, though the former still has some work to do to win me over entirely.

David Cook is at home on stage whether casually chatting or belting out a mammoth rock anthem, he was born to perform and vocally puts on an incredible show. If I have one critisism (and it is only minor) I wish he’d move about the stage a little more, I spent much of the evening staring at the side of his head.

There is no doubt that at some point we’ll be back to see our Idol again one day, but I guarantee it won’t be at the Broward Centre, it just felt at odds with David’s classic rock vibe.

[crowingoutloud]

Today is the start of a new me (hopefully!)

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An American Idol Adventure - Epilogue

A week has passed already since I finally got to meet 2008 American Idol winner David Cook.

I can’t believe how nervous I was. Over the years, as a result of work or happy accidents, I’ve met a number of “celebrities” far more famous than David Cook (no offence intended) and yet with him I was physically shaking. Looking back it’s obvious, let me explain…

…usually my husband and I discuss our holiday destination and research it for around six months before we actually get around to booking. This year I took a new job that meant we had to compromise on our annual leave, that we could only take one week together and that we only had 14 weeks to organise everything.

I’ve been keeping an eye on David Cook’s tour dates for a while now, we’ve spent a lot of time in Orlando over the years and always missed him by a few days. I guess I thought if we ever did get to see him live it’d be at Epcot, it never really occurred to me look elsewhere. So, I think it was a bit of a shock to my husband when I suggested Texas. I emailed him at work and had contacted the venue before he even got home, completing the transaction just 24 hours later. I didn’t even know if we could fly to Houston, let alone what we’d do there.

So, there we were with tickets for a gig on the other side of the world, in a city we knew nothing about, with no master plan. So I started to do some research.

We’ve been to the States many times in the last 12 years and have a number of friends dotted around the country but Texas still seemed like a pretty daunting place. Then, a couple of friends with family in Dallas suggested meeting us there at the start of our trip and suddenly a plan started to take shape.

So much could’ve gone wrong on this trip and when you consider that we arrived 30 hours before our luggage it got off to a pretty rocky start.

But this trip wasn’t just about meeting David Cook it was about pushing boundaries, building trust and making memories.

As we were getting ready to meet David in Houston my husband and I reminisced about the trip to date and it was then that he revealed he never really had a desire to visit Texas. This man, who rarely attends live gigs back home unless he has a seat, had travelled 4758 miles to share this experience with me. Generally we tolerate one another’s music but David is the only artist we agree on 100% even down to our favourite track (and believe me that’s pretty impressive for us!). Somehow, I had managed to convince him to put his total faith in me, to take him way out of his comfort zone and to challenge his own preconceptions. Now if that’s not love I don’t know what is!

From that moment on my nerves went into overdrive. I suddenly realised the enormity of what we’d achieved to that point and what we were about to achieve. We’d had a brilliant time up to that point and suddenly I realised David had the ability to make or break our trip. If he’d been a dick or the gig had been rubbish it would have overshadowed everything that had gone before. Thankfully he was the coolest, sweetest guy and the gig was one of the most enjoyable I’ve attended of any artist. Best of all we came away with incredible memories, new friends and a new found respect for one another.

It really is true, sometimes you just have to throw caution to the wind.

[crowingoutloud]

An American Idol Adventure - The End?

A week ago my husband and I arrived into Dallas with no luggage at the start of an epic adventure that would finally allow me to see David Cook live. We had no idea what lay ahead, at that point we didn't even know if we'd ever see our luggage again. It's been a hectic week we've visited three cities, taken in two gigs and 10 tourist attractions. I've been eaten alive by mosquitoes and hurt my feet through too much walking but I've loved every second of it. We've been to the USA many times before but this time we've been made to feel more welcome than ever before. We've met some amazing people and stayed in some incredible places and now as I sit writing my final post looking at the stormy skies above George Bush International Airport I am genuinely sorry to be leaving. Thank you to everyone we've met along the way and those who've followed this blog. I've had a truly unforgettable time. I hope I'll get the chance to come back some day but if not Houston will always have a special place in my heart, as will David Cook. So long old friend until we meet again...

[crowingoutloud]

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An American Idol Adventure - Day 7

9 Sep 2016 - part 2 When we arrived in Houston on Wednesday night we discovered Garbage were playing the Revention Centre just across from our hotel tonight and decided to book. Now the only Garbage song I am familiar with is Stupid Girl so have to confess I didn't have high hopes as we were searched and scanned into the venue. We managed to get a good spot on the second row behind the barrier as the support act took to the stage and it was my husband's turn to get excited. Sadly for me the support act were a little lacklustre. While I really enjoyed the music I couldn't understand any of their lyrics or hear any of the banter between tracks. Perhaps I'm just getting a little too old! Thankfully the main act were much better received. Garbage burst onto the scene with an explosion of sound that almost forced your heart out of your chest. Although I didn't know many of the songs I was still able to rock out with the die hard fans, my experience vastly improved by being invited to move to the barrier by a woman leaving the gig early. Despite an epic two hour set, and a trek to find pizza after the gig that was almost as long (well it felt that way anyway!) I still found myself singing David Cook's Come Back To Me. Proof if ever it were needed that it's not about volume but thd quality of the work.

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An American Idol Adventure - Day 7

9 Sep 2016 - part 1 Wow! I'm still pinching myself that last night actually happened. Despite all the chaos of late flights, delayed luggage and unbelievably hungry mosquitoes we somehow made the David Cook gig. Not only that, he was sweeter than I could ever have imagined and the experience far exceeded my expectations. I think it will be a while before I wipe the stupid grin off my face. Today feels strange, although the whole focus of our trip was last night's gig we still have a day and a half to enjoy this beautiful city. With that in mind we decided to book for tonight's Garbage gig at the Revention Centre and have spent most of the day at the Houston Space Center. Being obsessed with space travel the Space Center was a must for my husband, though I had no idea it would be so easy to get to. We got up early and caught the 249 bus from the corner of Milom and Texas and in just 90 minutes, and for $2 each, we were in the heart of mission control. Our journey was smooth and uneventful and the discussion about the impact of Brexit and the current state of US politics between the driver, a well read teen from Chicago and a Scot was endlessly entertaining. The center itself was rammed with fascinating information and artefacts relating to space exploration. The tram tour is a definite must, though take a disposable waterproof poncho just in case, the tour is outdoors and the Texas weather can be a little stormy. We found out the hard way. My other top tip for the day is to take a lightweight sweater. The air con in the building is cranked up so high that after a good soaking it felt more like the Arctic than Texas. I'd also suggest allowing a whole day to see the facility. As we were on such a tight schedule we only had 4 hours, which seems like a lot but the tram tour alone is 90 minutes and of it rains it can totally disrupt your schedule. Make sure you don't miss the arcades. You might think games are for kids but trust me when I say there's an enormous amount of fun to be had in trying to dock with the hubble telescope or navigating a Mars Rover. We're all young at heart after all, right?

[crowingoutloud]

The one and only David Cook at Warehouse Live in Houston, TX. 8 September 2016

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An American Idol Adventure - Day 6

The main event

Well, today was the day. The reason we flew 4758 miles. Today I finally met my American Idol and I’m British!

We arrived at the venue at 5.15pm to collect our tickets and headed across the road for a beer and some dutch courage as we Brits say.

Perhaps it was the heat or maybe the beer but by the time we joined the meet and greet queue I was very chilled - at least for a little while! We got chatting to a few ‘regulars’ and met a lady by the name of T.C. (a Texas native) who’d come on her own and was also experiencing her first David Cook meeting.

I’ve made some amazing friends at gigs over the years, there’s something about sharing that experience and appreciation of a particular artist/group that makes it easier to strike up a conversation with total strangers. Music simply transcends boundaries.

Inside the venue my nerves return. David stands at the end of a room as an orderly queue forms in front of him. It’s a very surreal experience. I’ve waited 7 years for the opportunity to see this guy live, I never in a million years thought I’d actually meet him.

Suddenly it’s my turn. My hands are visibly shaking, the butterflies in my stomach are doing the 1812 overture, my mouth is dry and I feel like a star struck teenager, then it’s all over in a heartbeat.

I can’t remember exactly what I said, I pray to God I didn’t make a complete fool of myself. I did remember the two most important things to tell him there was a bottle of Yorkshire beer in his gift bag and to ask him if he’d wear a pin badge for an arts project back home. David being David went one further and pinned it to his guitar strap and wore it all night.

For those of you who noticed the small blue, square badge David was sporting in Houston it was for Hull UK City of Culture 2017 (hull2017.co.uk). The UK City of Culture takes place every 4 years - like the Olympics but without medals! In 2017 it will take place in Hull, East Yorkshire. It exists to encourage engagement in the arts and to develop a lasting legacy in the area so that future generations can enjoy, and create, art on their own doorsteps. As you can imagine I was thrilled therefore to hear David speak of the value of supporting live arts.

Anyway I digress, back to the meet and greet. I can’t have been talking too much jibberish as David knew exactly who I was as soon as I mentioned Yorkshire and said he’d seen my tweets. I’m still digesting that piece of information, if that is indeed true he may also have read the blog about lost luggage and my Target underwear experience. While the idea of a confused Brit staring at a wall of underwear trying to find a pair of knickers to cover the essentials that don’t look like a small army could use them for a tent may be mildly amusing it is not really the impression I had intended to make and I can only apologise!

As for the gig itself? Well, obviously we got there early enough to bag a spot on the front row with T.C right there beside us to share the whole thing. David and the band were on top form and the set list was superb pretty much covering all my faves including Come Back To Me, Heroes, an impromptu rendition of Time Of My Life, Criminals and the incredible Firing Squad. I really couldn’t have chosen a more perfect line up if I’d done it myself, though I know my husband would’ve loved to hear Barba-sol.

There were so many funny moments as David reacted to his fans, posing with a travelling gnome, texting a stranger on someone’s phone who called out for a selfie but one of the most touching moments was David talking to a lady on her sick bed who should’ve been at the gig. The magic of technology still allowing her to experience a little of the gig and proving once again that this American Idol winner is all heart.

Aside from the meet and greet of course my other favourite memory was David approaching my husband as he left the stage and thanking him for coming. I may never know what he thought of our Yorkshire beer or if he tried our strange tradition of hot tea but nonetheless it was a great gig and I will always have fond memories of my time in Houston. Can I do it all again now please?

[crowingoutloud]

Even the animals were feeling the heat at Houston Zoo.

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An American Idol Adventure - Day 6

8 Sep 2016 - Part 1   It's today! Miraculously I managed to get some sleep last night. I'm not sure how. I firmly expected to be far too excited but the Greyhound trip from Austin must've taken more out of me than I realised. I woke this morning feeling incredibly refreshed and very excited. Describing me as a kid on Christmas morning my husband decided we should spend the day exploring the city so, after a hearty breakfast we took advantage of the hotel's free shuttle bus (within a three mile radius) to look at the Museum of Fine Art. Split across two sites with an adjoining underground tunnel this is a mosaic of national and international pieces covering a huge period of time. Housed in an impressive bright and airy building it's incredible to think it was only opened in 2000. With so much to see at the HMFA it's easy to lose track of time but being on a very limited schedule in the city we set ourselves a time limit of just two hours and then made the short (approx 20 minute walk) to Houston Zoo. Now, if you're planning to do Houston Zoo I have two recommendations the first is to allow plenty of time - it's not like many European zoos, it's huge! My second recommendation would be to avoid the heat between about 12pm and 2pm. We didn't and nearly melted. We thought it was cloudy and overcast so it would be cooler,  we wrong. We also didn't notice the sun slowly frying our skin, the shade and light breeze lulling us into a false sense of security. The zoo itself is lovely. Well thought out, immaculately kept and with plenty of information on hand to satisfy even the most curious wildlife enthusiast. Sadly though there was no room in the primate enclosure for my husband so I guess I'll have to look after him a while longer! On our return journey to the hotel we decided to walk across Hermann Park to catch the tram back. A gorgeous park with a reflecting pool it is rather reminiscent of Washington but perhaps a bit more accessible. It was quiet when we were there which made for a nice relaxing stroll back to the Metro but be warned good shoes are essential. Once back at the hotel it was time to get ready for the gig. My feet ached, my back ached and my shoulders were several shades of pink but I wasn't going to let any of that ruin my evening with David Cook...

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Texas State Capitol Building, Austin, by night.