So I got up at 5.30am! No kidding. And I am not a morning person!

I was ready & packed & waiting out front for my uber at 6.30am. I had a really nice driver and we chatted the whole half hour trip.

I met my group. It's a big group of 13. Let's see what I learned:

Laurie & Brock - Aussies! Both 25. Good mates for years although Brock now lives in Brisbane while Laurie is in Sydney, but he works in the mines and doesn't have a fixed address, he grew up in the Northern Beaches.

Jo, 29, a teacher from England is very friendly and bubbly, I like her already.

Gillian, a teacher from Ireland (?)

Christa, the vegetarian teacher from Switzerland who I haven't seen smile yet.

Heather, the quiet underage Korean who currently lives in Texas.

Dan from London. This is his 5th Trek America trip!

Arlene from North Ireland.

Claudia, the quiet German girl who said she just finished school, also underage.

Emma, the sweet girl from Ireland (?). Poor girl is stressed as her suitcase got lost from her flight from Heathrow yesterday.

Conor, 23 from Scotland who seems lovely. He wants to travel to Aus but is scared of all the spiders under toilet seats!

Jordan, the nerd & seemingly teacher's pet from England.

And the tour guide Libby. She seems nice but very tall and slight, I think she's going to need help loading the bags. She said she only started in May, so she's still a newbie and learning along the way. She has met JD (my previous tour guide) who helped her alot and gave her lots of tips (of course coz he's awesome!)

We left around 8.45am and drove about 4 1/2 hours. We stopped for lunch around 2-3.30pm in Finger Lakes at a special 4th July BBQ at a winery. It was ok, food stalls and a band etc.

Back on the road for another 2 1/2 hours to Buffalo where we stopped for Buffalo wings for dinner. I didn't have any as even 'mild' sounded too hot for me! I had a roast beef sanga which was nice.

We checked in at our hostel and we're all in one big room together. I wasn't quick enough to get a bottom bunk though, darn! Pain in the arse climbing up those things!

We had about half hour to freshen up then off to see the 4th July fireworks. We had to catch the train down about 8 blocks or so and it was absolutely packed! You could not move! We were only there maybe an hour then it all finished. We decided to stroll home instead of waiting with the masses to get squished on another train.

We got back around 11, and are all now tucked up quiet in bed!

So excited for Niagara Falls tomorrow!