Cowboys in Albuquerque

How about here. No. This one. No. I realised that trying to find a vegan restaurant in downtown Alburquerque is quite a mission. Finally, we drove past a Chinese, they always have vegan alternatives. Katie parked. We wandered down, happy we'd found somewhere to eat. It looked rather busy. It was fully booked. Our tummies rumbled in protest as we continued to wander down the street. Katie suggested we ask for directions in Starbucks. Sceptical, we wandered in. She ordered a coffee, and asked politely. The guy behind the counter picked up a phone and walked out back. He returned, having called ahead to a pizza parlour across the street to check if they offer vegan food. Oh Starbucks, the fountain of knowledge.

We returned to the hotel, pizza in tow, and grabbed a beer from the overstocked fridge. We partied hard, playing 'I Have Never' and 'Kings'. Our next mission was to find a bar that wouldn't card. The legal age to drink in America is 21. Jason was only 20. We debated whilst he grumbled nervously, "I'll just walk back if I don't get in. It'll be fine." A sure translation for, "I really hope I get in!" We cruised along Central, past the pizza parlour, and on to O'niels bar. We wandered in. Sat down, and held our breath as Jason was carded...

I awoke the next morning. Hungover. Reminiscing over memories of a good night out. Jason got in, and although he could only drink coke all night, we had had fun. We stocked up on sugary pastries and cereal before heading out. The wide streets of Albuquerque offered many interesting sights. People in strange clothing and blinging retro cars. An amazing shop appeared before us. The Man's Hat Shop. I had to go in. Thousands of cowboy hats in various shapes and sizes lined the shelves. The store owner helped me pick out a hat, which was only $175! I felt unsure on which to buy, so waited for a superior opinion from Katie, a Texan. I whittled it down to two choices, and was sold by the warm ear flaps of the brown hat. I shook the store owners hand as he called out, "The next time you fellas are in town, make sure you come down and say hi." As I wandered down the street, admiring my new shadow, I felt like the real deal. I was now a cowboy.

Our trip to Albuquerque was a success! It was a two and a half hour drive after work to go for a night out, but what an experience it was. I was amazed at the multitude of real ale on offer at the bar, but decided that this trip was about being authentic, and sipped Sierra Nevada all night. Being in a hotel with friends is amazing fun! We got through lots of beer and had many interesting conversations. But the best bit by far, was hat shopping. I'm so happy to have a real cowboy hat, not just a souvenir. I even bought a cowboy shirt form Target to complete the look. It was tiring though. When we finally got back, I was too tired to drink tea, which for an Englishman, is quite a crime!

Gaining the perspective of the city has helped me to enjoy being at the sanctuary even more so. As much as I enjoyed the multitude of shops and places to eat, I was glad to be back to my humble home. Here, the simple pleasures of life are made so much better. Being warm is a privilege. Reaching the outhouse is a privilege. Eating with friends is a privilege. Saying hi to my animals is also great fun! I am now trained on Oscar and Gia, meaning I can go in any time. Me and Jason are scheduled to learn how to take them for walks tomorrow. I can't wait to leash a wolf and go for a wander!!