We left New York City on the Amtrak. We made our way to Boston. About 2/3rds of the way there we realised we were running behind time by half an hour and so approached the conductor. He said he’d see what he could do and, unbelievably for us, the train accelerated to 155 Miles an hour which was 250 kilometres an hour to us and we ended up being only 10 minutes late. Neat service.
I don’t know what date it is nor what day it is. This is just an interim email from a ship in the middle of the pacific, just in case we don’t make it.
We have just left Sitka heading for Katchacan, Alaska. The announcement from the Captain about the weather was a bit ominous. He explained how the ship was supposed to creak and groan in a bad weather and how the ‘enormous energies of the storm’ are diverted by the ship. ??? WTF, what am I in for?
It works out I am in for 130 kilometre per hour winds coming in off the North Pacific. It works out I am in for 10 METRE seas coming from the same place. T.E.N .. METRE SEAS. My cabin (okay … StateRoom) is only 20 meters from sea level. Hang on … 130 kilometres an hour winds, and we are travelling directly into the wind at 22.5 knots, which is 45 kilometres a hours or thereabouts which makes it .. let me see .. er .. twelve .. and carry the one … A HUNDRED AND SEVENTY FIVE FRICKEN KILOMETER AN HOUR WINDS …
To while away the hours before we died, we went and listened to the string quartet near the piano lounge. They asked for requests, but nothing from Titanic “it’s like yelling ‘BOMB’ in the airport lounge” they told me. So I discovered I liked Canadian Rye.
Comfortably numb, I faced the brutal easterly smashing into the fragile hull of the USS Enterprise Westerdam with fortitude and decorum.
I await our fate.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xnk-cHskI-4
We arrived in the beautiful city of Vancouver in one piece, actually two pieces but one piece individually. You get what I mean ‘eh? We were met by our youngest son who has moved over to Canadia in search of the answer to the question of the meaning of life. We were both very happy to see him.
I completely forgot.
I was standing in line at Newark Airport security listening to this woman behind me going off in a clear and offended voice, about how airport security were “just Nazis” and how much of an impost is was for her to take off her shoes etc, so when it came my turn to go through I’d only taken some of the crap out of my pockets and hadn’t slipped off the other shoe.
I fumbled a farted about and eventually went through the scanner once, twice and a third time before the thing stopped beeping at me. This resulted in the airport security slipping on a pair of blue rubber party gloves and giving me a quick pat down.
The guy smirked about it as did I we both knew the drill, and his female colleague figuring that even said that she thinks he likes me and I should ask forhis phone number, quite funny and tension breaking.
Unfortunately poor Mrs Savo copped the same.
But the nasty and loud lady with the Nazi comments, well she was stopped for a spot check, arced up about letting them open her brief case and was led away quietly mumbling protests into a side room.
I didn’t see her get on the plane but I wasn’t really looking.
Moral to this story:
Mrs Savo should be more careful about who she travels with.
Trains and boats and planes ·
Are passing by, ·
Could mean a trip ·
To Paris or Rome…
Thank you Mr Bacharach I didn’t know the words were so er, … moving.
So far we have been on a Boeing 747-300, an Airbus A320, Boeing 757, Boeing 737. A 42 seat bus, a cable car, a truck fitted out as a cable car, a limosine, a dirty filthy cab, a very clean and well kept cab, a trolly bus, a horse and cart, an SUV, an SUV cab, a helicopter, a high speed train, a not so high speed train, a subway train, an above ground suburban train, a double decker bus, a single decker bus, a cusom made duck both on and off the water, a sloop, a 4 wheel-drive-open-back-truck-with-seats-and-no-suspension, a national park train/trolly/carridge-thingy, a ferry, the Staten Island Ferry, a high speed Jet Cat, I missed out on a golf cart (too much lightening), an inflatable float boat, a Wine train, a mono rail and miles and miles and miles on a comfy pair of Brooks.
Soon we’ll be on another train but with a clear roof, a gondola, a cruise liner, a monster wheeled 6×6 glacier climbing ice bus, a float plane and an inflatable boat.
Paris or Rome – no – Kamloops and Juno – yes – but that doesn’t rhyme as well.
Independant travel. Back Packing. The lot.
We’dbeen in the big apple for two day and then went to Rockland in Maine. Head spinning dramatically from all the travel.
The Senator and his good lady wife dropped us at the airport and we made our way to through security. At last I got it right, take out the computer, put with camera and phone and stick the shoes in a seperate container. I was suicidal enough to crack jokes last time (she already had on a pair of party gloves) and I got the hang of it this time. Had a laugh with a lady from Death Valley about security and the arseholes the give the staff a hard time.
The flight to NYC was long but comfortable no TV to annoy me so I listened to a book on my phone. I fell asleep too often to keep track of it.
The taxi from Newark to NYC was $70 fricken dollars. Next time the $5 train. $70 dollars!
NYC was big, busy, exciting, full, marvellous, dirty, flash, fast, greedy, great and did I say big. Yes the Apple is very Big. Had a feed at Maxie’s deli. Nearly chocked on the mass of food they brought out. Just too much no one could eat all of that. Caught the topless double decker bus around to get an overview of every thing then got stuck in the Met for evah! What a great place to be lost in. Was it the busty Indian art, the enormously old Persian art, the still wet modern american, the sculptures or the view of the city and central park from the roof top? I dunno, loved it all.
We caught the train from Penn on the second day to Boston. The train was doing 150 mph and still ended up being 30minutes late so there was a mad rush around to the bus terminal for the journey to Portland. It was a boring trip with only four land highway to look at. We got Portland and had to catch a cab to Brunswick. I knew it would be dear 65 or so but the 80 dollars on the meter came as a bit of a shock. The Somali cabbie assured me in his broken cabbie English than he knew where he was going, liar. Only a couple of K’s out, on foot. But it was a very nice day to be out and about.
The train to Rockland arrived … late and then chugged its merry way to Rockland. I knew the travel times and sunset and we should have had heaps of viewing time of the Maine forrests, lakes and townships we were to go past. No, we were running later and later and most of the time was in the dark but the company was nice and entertaining.
We arrived at out backpacking destination and were being shown the trappings by the evening hostess when the lights went out.
Some asshole hit a bunch of power poles and blacked out half the town until 6am, so we didn’t see where we were staying until the morning. Quite a nice little spot.
We had the day wandering around town looking at knick knack and then went on a ketch around the harbour for a couple of hours. Very nice. Back to the lodging for a bit before going to dinner.
Sue had her first lobstah (as they call them around these parts). Unfortunately she saw it taken from its nice comfortable lobstah pool and into the fuggy hot kitchen … It and it’s brother came out a few minutes later with a steaming lobstah tan. I broke it up for her and she ate it … quickly. Give her her dues, she kept it down which was more than I thought she would have, but I don’t think lobstah will be on the menu again.
There is a tropical hurricane Denny (Crane) moving in from the south, a storm line from the west and a massive cold from from the north. All due to meet above Rockland mid morning tomorrow. Should be fun.
Day 1 – 4 San Francisco or as the locals HATE to hear it called: Frisco We spent quite a bit of time wandering about the city on our own and ended up at Golden Gate park. It is an enormous park in the heart of the city and faces the Pacific Ocean. They do not do the Pacific Ocean at all well. It is always windy and cold and the water is full of rips and not at all pleasant, this is coming from a local so it’s not me having a go at them. The only good thing the beach area is for is bar-b-ques and fires. We caught cable cars and ferries went across the bridge a couple of times. We went to Castro and Haigh but only saw a few rainbow flags. We went to Sosolito sounds so exotic to me but is in reality just a sea side tourist trap fronting a very large urban area. Another fantasy gone.
Day 5 Napa Valley has a wine train. Potentially one of the most sophisticated and delightful tourist traps ever developed for use against visiting aliens (that’s what we are called over here aliens- sounds like I’m from District 9). The train shunts along 20-30 miles of tract at a slow slow speed making sure you don’t spill you delightful Zinfandel or drop really scrummyCheddar (equivalent). We gorged for a bit on free wine and canapes then had a gourmet lunch. I beef filet with veggies and skipped dessert. I was rolled off the train and onto the bus before an afternoon at a winery. That was a bit of an error, the tour team organised for an outdoor event … it was 107 F and even the hardiest of imbibers (me included but not necessarily leading the way) wilted under the blazing sun. We finished the day in Sonomaa delightful town pretty much in the middle of no where with a fantastic town square. A return visit is required.
Day 6 Yosemite. humbled.
Day 7 Long long long journy to Monterey via Carmel (see Concorse d’Elegance) Great meal at a private dining room at the Monterey Aquarium. No fish on the menu but I guess that would just have been perverse.
Day 8 Long long long trip to LA viaSanta Monica, saw the pier (seen better) had a great coffe at a little Italian style cafe followed by a truely crap one from the same place. The barista was a bit like me, can make two decent coffees in a row
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Day 9-10 LA is a great big freeway, put a hundred down and buy a car in a week or two they’ll make you a star. I’m still waiting. Loved the Getty Museum and Griffith Observatory. Went to Universal and replaced my wallet and sunglasses. Didn’t I tell you about my $300 Bolle’s? had them hanging off my shirt and leaned up against a wall to take in a magnificent view and scraped the snag out of them
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Day 11 Scottsdale. So so hot another 107 day (I’m starting to believe in global warming) Walked around for 1/2 an hour found a local bar and bathed in a couple of stiff G&T’s.
Day 12 Grand Canyon, named after the Spanish explorer Giovanni Grand who fell down it in 1673. An amazingly large natural edifice. It is simply too big to take in. Had the prime seats in the helicopter ride lady wife and I in front next to pilot. ‘Mazing.
Day 13 Monument valley. We were in the back of a converted pick up with a Navajo lady driving. I tipped her extra because she went out of her way to hit every bump. I saw the Marlboro man and took his photo, tho I think he’d been sitting on a horse in the sun for just a little too long and then on to Area 7, and a hellishly scary tall bridge I had to walk over.
Day14 Floating down the river on my dug out canoe, we floated for 3 hours down the Colarado River, the first two hours were fantastic but the last one got a wee bit boring and bloody hot. then on to Bryce Canyon named after the Indian tribe living in the area, the Bryce tribe, weird rock formations, as the discover said “A hell of a place to loose a cow” Really really nice rustic hotel.
Day 15 Zion Canyon, my favourite canyon, named after the Mormon discoverer John Canyon. Just huge cliffs and a river but magical.
Day 16 Viva Las Vegas. After big drive we arrived to the bright lights and big city. 29th floor of the Planet Hollywood hotel. saw a light show and not much else. Anticipating being deep in the heart of Texas. Best breakfast of the trip so far but couldn’t hang around as we had to be at the airport early.
Day 17. At last meet up with the good Senator and his wife. We over nighted in their Huston residence, were wined and dined and treated marvellously.
Day 18 I never did see Austin. It is so big I only perceived a vague hintof it in the distance even though I was in it. When they say everything is bigger in Texas, they are not bragging, they are simply telling the truth. Springwoodis a lovely enclave in The Hills. It’s been hit pretty hard by a drought but it’s still very nice. We to our first BBQ joint and had pork ‘n sausage. More food more wine. Such hospitality
Day 19. A Sunday drive through the hill country, lunched at Frederickburgh, and had my first Texas wine. Apparently the look on my face said all that needed to be said. I viewed the Charles Nimitz display at the War in the Pacific museum. Very cluey man the ol’ Chuck Nimitz. More cute little shops and a wine tasting shop followed by a blitzing dinner at another winery. Full of food and drink time for ni nis.
Kevin
On the road again just down from Willie’s Ranch.
Words, almost, escape me.
We were in Carmel, Ca on the 12th August, in time to see the opening of the Pebble Beach Concours D’ Elegance. What a lovely collection of Automobiles.
We’ve been on a surveillance mission for Matthew Reilly for the last couple of days to the secret Area 7. So far I have scaled the treacherous 700 feet high Glen Canyon bridge, forged the Antelope Canyon by watercraft and sent agents high into the sky over most of Area 7 including the secluded Rainbow Bridge and Colorado Rivers. Tomorrow we raft down the Glen Canyon chasm.
We took a side trip to Monument Valley, the scene of many a western adventure along with, more famously, the Marlboro Man commercials. It was a g o o d day. The trip there and back was 2 1/2 hrs each way, lunch was perhaps the worst BLT sandwich I have ever had, but it was all made up for by the reception afterward with several complementary drinks and a bunch of others I paid for. Nice. I noticed in the bar the only single malt they had as a 15 y.o. Larfroig. Very Unusual.
As I said, we’ve been at Lake PowellArea 7 for the past couple of days, before that we had a day at the Grand Canyon, including a helicopter flight. You wouldn’t believe it but my camera died just as we were going over the canyon rim. It really is a B I G hole in the ground. We had front passenger seats on the flight and it was an unforgettable experience.
The night before that we stayed at Scottsdale a suburb kind of, of Phoenix. Daytime temp 107 F. Apparently we were there the same time as Pres. Obama (it is not true that we met with him for a high level conference). When we arrived we headed out to the souvenir shops but got weigh laid at a Loco Patron or similar meaning the local pub. It had 7 deferent sports channels on including the tennis so the good lady wife was happy to sit there in the shade a while. A couple of G&T’s later and we staggered through the remaining heat of the day back to our abode.
