Gilly is coming out

Pacific Beach, San Diego

Here it is. I cannot hide it anymore. I'm not really traveling alone. With me, a very small gorilla you can see on the picture. Gilly (I'm not the one who chose the name) decided to follow me in my adventures.

After getting out in Newark Airport, he went for a stroll on Pacific Beach, which has a view on the ocean of the same name.

Follow him! He could be anywhere, at any time.

On a more serious note

Like I wrote, my round-the-world trip has started. With the face I have, some will understand why the border patrol asked if I have a criminal record. And why, in the airport, in a "random" check, security chose to search my luggage. At least, this time, they closed it well afterwards.

On a short flight to Newark, I could appreciated New York's skyline and the Statue of Liberty. For a guy who is always eager to get somewhere, for once, I felt like I had time. I surfed on the wave.

Then, I left for San Diego, where rain took over the citizen's joy. It stopped right when I landed. I'm not making it up. From the sky, we could see the pouring rain on the city. In fact, getting in San Diego on a plane is very special because the airport is right in the city. When you go down, it's a little bit like you're gonna crash in some skyscrappers.

Once I got to the hostel, I got that normal doubt I was expecting. Living out of a suitcase for six months...  I got in a hostel room with a strange smell, where others had already marked their territory. Maybe I'm too old for that.

I slept on that. Asking myself if it was a good thing to start my trip in the States.

But after spending almost the whole day on a near empty beach, under the sun, not too warm but just enough, letting the Pacific Ocean calm me, I was zen. In the end, I needed an easy break from Quebec. Nothing too different or too disturbing. Just a break. Like a holiday before the adventure. In a country where I understand the language and where I can be understood too in spite of my accent.

One down. 180 to go...