WRITING AROUND AMERICA

Home in God's own

2009-06-14T11:16:00.001-07:00

Just a little note following up and finishing off.
We're home. Jet lagged a tad, in bed at 7pm for about 3 nights in a row so far.
The bags are unpacked, the tidy house, not tidy, and the laundry full of washing to be done. Yes reality has hit and life is kinda back to normal. The Beckenham adventure is at an end.

Thanks for joining us.

Jane and family.

THE LAST LEG..NEARLY

2009-06-08T21:15:00.000-07:00

Back on the coast.
We left Pomona this a.m. with a quick-ish stop at San Dimas. What a little gem this outlying LA suburb is. It’s very old world in, with wide streets, houses with gardens, and the shops are quaint. A little bit of car part shopping – which proved successful and then we found the freeway heading south and drove to Santa Monica, basically we completed our journey as we’d driven through Santa Monica six weeks earlier. This time however, we found a carpark we didn’t need to pay $7.00 for and Neil and Anzhela went and dipped their toes into the Pacific – at least this side of the Pacific Ocean. It was a tad chilly!
The sand was perfectly white, perfectly groomed, with no seaweed or bits of rubbish. There were two big sand moving machines doing their thing, making it perfect for the rich and famous that live in the area.
Instead of going back along the freeway, we headed through sidestreets along the coast and drove through Venice beach, and South Venice. The beach was shrouded by tatty apartments and only by going through really narrow alleys could we get to it. However, it was a also a bit seedy so we decided to keep going. The south part of the beach however, was very very upmarket with exclusive homes and fancy apartments, and a boat marina that housed thousands of boats that much cost at least a couple of hundred thousand each!
We could see planes coming in to land above and so knew we were close to our motel 6 where our journey started what seems to be a life time ago! A quick flick on the freeway and hey presto we were back in town.
We’ve repacked, and repacked, and yes we’re overloaded, but hey it was fun getting to this stage. We’ve done a bit more trawling, looking for gifts and now, we’re ready and rearing to go again.
Time to go home.
So what do we think of this land?
Some thoughts from me, and sorry if they’re repeated from our journey blog.
This land is HUGE. HUGE. HUGE. It is only as you travel it that you realise the size, you realise the mass of land and population. But when it comes down to it, people are people and pretty much the same, we live, we breathe, we work and play and no matter what land we live in, we usually want the same things. Whereever we go, we’ve been welcomed.
LA roads need a bit of resurfacing.
Drivers need to slow down , learn to indicate, and not be so impatient at intersections.
You can eat well, and cheaply here, you just have to look. Also food is cheap, gas is cheap, people don’t really know how lucky they are!
Impressions from my 17 year old teen- Anzhela – Food servings are huge – too big. Clothes are cheap
Neil’s impressions – What you can actually buy off the shelf is awesome. Life is big, and fast.
Yana – Disneyland was cool.

And so that brings us to the night before we fly out. I hope you’ve enjoyed our journey. We have. We’ve got several thousand photos, have travelled just on 7000 miles! We made it!
Happy days everyone, come check me out on my web site... http://www.janebeckenham.com/
Jane and family.

CARS, CARS AND MORE CARS...AGAIN

2009-06-07T19:36:00.000-07:00

One of the reasons for our big adventure is to see old cars! Weird I know, but we can’t help it, we’re addicted. Vintage, classic, rusty, or restored. And more particular, if it’s a Ford, well all the better.
Before dawn Neil drove a few miles up from our Motel 6 in Pomona, California to go to the Car Swap Meet at the LA showgrounds/Flexipark.
Firstly, there were more American classic and hot rods cars than you could count – and that was just in the carpark. They were for sale, some brought in on trailers – too lovely to drive – others too wrecked to drive. Some wanted totally unrealistic prices, others were okay when considering NZ versus US$ exchange rates. 2$:1$
Inside the grounds were what seemed like 10 miles of stalls, selling everything from old toys and skateboards to engine bits and bolts and panels.
Kiosks sold everything from hot dogs to beer, but the cost was OTT - $14.00 for a burger, fries and drink. Cheaper to starve.
It’s really hard to pinpoint one car that stood out, there were just sooo many, the size of the showgrounds big enough to hold a small plane landing strip in the middle.
The gages opened at 5a.m., Neil arrived at 5.30, and they shut again surprisingly early at mid-day. At the end he arrived back at the motel exhausted, feeling as if he had walked across the country.
One day to go! And then I can cuddle up with my dog....
Happy days
Jane and gang

GHOST TOWN

2009-06-05T17:47:00.000-07:00

IT NEVER RAINS IN CALIFORNIA... EXCEPT when we get there,...just a few spots, but the temperature has certainly dropped. Nothing like the high 90 deg F we were having a day ago.
Leaving Barstow, which was a surprising little town, we headed back up the Interstate 15 for a ghost town called Calico. This was a very rich silver mining town which although only boasts 9 residents now, was once a bustling town on the edge of the desert and hills. No water there, they even had to bring it in back in the olden days.
There was every store imaginable there, and though some were new/in an old fashioned way, there were original buildings, though the town did actually burn to the ground twice in it’s history. The shops like a candy store and a couple of restaurants are still active. Actually we had lunch there, it was so cool. Buckets of peanuts in their shell were on the table. We wondered where to put the shells, and the lady said just on the floor – adds to the saloon flavour! Fun! Then our drinks were served in preserving jars with lots of ice adding to the old town flavour. We took train ride around the township, took a stack of photos. The landscape as you can see again is so arid, the local Indians in days gone by came here to take the pigment from the soil which they used for dyes for their pottery.
By 1pm it was time to get moving and head back to L.A. Actually we’ve decided to only go as far as Pomona today – about 1 ½ hours away and will stay here for 3 nights...tomorrow Saturday the girls will go to a water park with neil and i’ll go SHOPPING on my own, then on Sunday Neil goes to the Ponoma car swap meet – for old cars.
Anzhela is happy she has bought her Guess brand bag at a Mall outlet we found quite by accident – or was that divine intervention? Neil brought a tool of some kind at Harbor Tools.
It’s Friday night rush hour in Southern California, and we’ve made it to the motel. Traffic heading out of town is thick and show, while we had a reasonably good run in, with only one report of an accident just near our freeway exit.
So... our time is nearly up...but not yet... still a few days to report.

Jane and gang
ps - even the local indian liked Pinkie!

FANTASY AT NIGHT

2009-06-04T20:11:00.000-07:00

Forgot to add this bit in. We trawled Las Vegas Boulevard last night as darkness fell. The street didn’t quieten down. IT was busy, loud...and did I mention busy.
Some of the things we saw
Coca Cola shop – 2 floors just selling Coca Cola products
M&M store – exactly as above... America certainly knows how to market and merchandise.
MGM casino – rainforest restaurant and a lion enclosure within the casino, but the lions were out to dinner!
A walkway across the main street, cops riding bicycles, a roller coaster that goes around the casino in and outside at the same time. The Imperial Palace Cassino with a car show at the back with cars costing in excess of US$2 million. Coca cola bottle lift – four stories high, a casino in the shape of a pyramid, dancing fountains, the Eifel tower, noise, lights, more noise. And more pimps with cards of their girls! Very blatant!
Back at the motel... an airconditioner that sounded like a plane taking off, but we couldn’t turn it off because it was just too hot to sleep otherwise.
Hectic, but worth seeing because it is SO different from real life.

Leaving fantasyland

2009-06-04T20:01:00.001-07:00

Did a bit of shopping in Vegas this a.m. – they’re experts at selling, believe me. However, things like t-shirts and extra suitcases were really cheap – does that tell you something!
Anyway, managed to get away about 9.30 with a bit of a false start as we kept missing turn off to get to the highway. However, we have become experts at following our noses and we finally got the right road heading towards Pahrump and the California border.
Vegas really is a town built out of nothing, rocks and desert. The surrounding landscape for miles is dry rugged rocky land. Our reason going to Pahrump was to visit the parents my good friend, author ND Hansen-Hill (who also writes as Melody Knight). We found our way there thanks to Google maps. What lovely people. We lunched with them at a casino in town which had a wonderful interior that reflected an old cowboy town. Beside the diners were the gamblers with their slot machines going ring ring. Every now and then an announce would come over stating that things like bingo was about to start, and special offers. A real eye opener for us greenhorns.
To get to Barstow where we have parked up for the night care of another Motel 6 – great places – clean, reliable and thoroughly recommended – we had to of course go via another car wreckers yard on the constant hunt for car parts. Plus we drove along the lower tip of Death Valley – certainly deserves its name. Nothing grows, the road goes for miles and miles and miles in a straight row. God help anyone who breaks down and has to walk!
But arriving at Barstow we were surprised it was so busy and in fact we go the only room left. Tomorrow we are back tracking about 5 miles to visit Calico Ghost town, then we head for pastures unknown at this time.
Do we go to San Diego and Sea World – where it’s $65 per person – say it quickly when you realise it is x2 for our NZ$ equivalent. Or do we got directly to Pomona, do not pass go, and do activities from there. We have to b e in Pomona on Sunday for a car swap meet – yes don’t laugh, cars, cars, cars, but while the hubby goes car part shopping the girls go....mall trawling! Or perhaps we’ll find an outlet mall!
So we’re nearing the end of our stay in the USA – only 5 nights to go. It’s been an amazing journey, this land is amazing, so vast, and i am in awe of the huge amount of energy it has taken to build this country up, the engineering involved. Well done America.
Happy days...and I wonder where we’ll end up tomorrow.

Jane and gang

HOT WOMEN AND A COLD POOL

2009-06-03T19:31:00.001-07:00

Gosh what a day of contrasts. We left Kingman this a.m. but first drove around the streets – Kingman is famous for being part of Route 66. Lots of antique shops, and an old Santa Fe steam train. Neil had taken an early morning walk and got to go into the Mohave museum wit h the cleaners!
We drove towards the Hover dam and realised we didn’t have much gas left, but still had time to stop and look at a car wreckers – read old cars – for sale! Petroled up, we arrived at the Damn. Oh my, what a huge example of the superb engineering we’ve seen in our travels. The temperature was in the mid 90s – read hot hot hot. We parked up and took a stack of photos. Cops had one car area roped off, a body in the dam! Apparently the temp here last July 4th was 130deg F.
They are building a new road/bridge which will basically go between mountains right beside the dam. Americans sure can do roads and bridges. I am in constant awe of this.
We arrived in Vegas, driving the freeway to the north and then had to back track along Las Vegas Boulevard to the hotel which is the south end of the strip. Although it was a bit of extra driving it was cool seeing all the casinos and the wedding chapels! Circus Circus, the Trump casino which is gold coated no less. The MGM Grand, the Eiffel Tower . I mean we’re just a couple of doors from there. We’re actually staying at the Travel lodge. Ok, but i think the Motel 6’s we’ve stayed at have been better quality, but this is nice and close.
We unpacked and started to roam the streets – along with the THOUSANDS of others. The strip is noisy, over crowded and it was mega hot! What shocked me was that part of it was the dirtiest street we have seen on our travels. Lots of litter – but i can also understand why. Along this part of the strip, hawkers were handing out cards – in fact these guys were basically pimping their women via these cards! It was quite shocking and was rather intimidating. We then went into the Planet Hollywood casino, but just to show the kids, it is next door to the Mile Mall – which it was. Lots of shops, some British stores which was a surprise too. Very touristy, some very expensive, but also some quite reasonable – they want you to keep your money for gambling.
We’d reached McDonalds and the sweat poured down my face. I’ve never drunk so much so fast! The pool at the hotel was a tad cold, but was oh so welcome. Neil went back to a casino which also housed a stack of old cars for sale – not our price range – they were in the hundreds of thousands of dollars, if not millions.
Once dinner has settled, we’re heading off to the New York New York casino which also has roller coaster going around it. Not for me, you understand, but the kids. I gave up on roller coasters after my close and intimate experience with Space Mountain at Disneyland.
And so that is it. We’ve experienced one of America’s wonders at the Hoover Dam and spent the rest of the day in another fantasyland.

Happy days
Jane and gang

THE GRAND DADDY OF CANYONS.

2009-06-03T12:50:00.003-07:00

Anzhela wanted to tittle this blog The bottomless pit...but the Canyon is not bottomless, but it is sure a LONG way down. Today was a bit of going down memory road for me. Thirty years of roads in fact. I first visited the Grand Canyon in November 1979. The road up from Flagstaff was pretty quick, lots of motor cycles on the road. The landscape close to the canyon was quite lush which surprised me, but as we arrived at the park – yes another $25 entry fee – we were all in awe at this wonder of the world. It is HUGE. And that is an understatement. At the first area there is a stone tower built in 1930 which is a viewing platform, plus the derigeur tourist gift shop. But really, all eyes are on the view. It goes straight down, and forever in each direction. I must admit, 30 years ago i was okay about sitting at the edge, but now, nope. No way. I didn’t really like being right beside the railings when it was about a mile or so to the bottom. The Colorado river winds through below but is dirty brown. At other view spots, it is more of the same.
But it is the colors that are awesome. Every autumn color you can think of, reds, browns, greys and everything in between. Some people were brave or perhaps stupid and had walked down several rocky outcrops away from the barriers. Absolutely b... nuts!
We ate up at the Canyon village, but wouldn’t recommend it again, food really just mediocre. If we had realised there were other options just outside the park, we would have waited.
Back onto highway 64 and then Interstate 40 heading west to Kingman. Interesting that the freeway signs give the miles to Los Angeles. This makes me realise our trip is nearly over... o nly 7 days to go. Time to go home. And yes, it is time, we’re all a bit tired and cranky.
But a surprising highlight came when we went off the freeway for a ‘restroom’ stop at Prescott. What a cute unexpected find. Cars... yes cars again... Old ones. We hadn’t realised we were also travelling along Route 66. Now for car nuts like us, this was a real treat. And the gas station we had stopped at had all this Route 66 memorabilia for sale. And yes, we indulged.
And now we’re at historical Kingman for the night. We’ve swum in the pool, relaxed.... until tomorrow at least.
Hoover dam and Las Vegas to come.

Happy days
Jane and gang

Do you want a hoodoo?

2009-06-03T12:37:00.000-07:00

A long long long day – 13 hours on the road, and travelling further than we expected, partly our own decision, and partly coz we’re too cheap to stay at an expensive place!
Arriving in canyon country is something so different. We’d been driving along plains and seeing towering pinnacles of rock known as Hoodoos dotted along the landscape, superb views. Lower Utah is the birthplace of Butch Cassidy, lots of writings about him and his adventures.
The first park was Red Canyon and it justly deserves its name, the rocky terrain almost plum in some instances. This canyon is the precursor to Bryce Canyon, but no less wonderful. Supporting towering pinnacles of rock which almost look as if man has placed them there, but no, they’re nature made. Though there were 3 arches we drove through which man has dug through.
National Park entrances here charge $25.00 entrance. The entrance to Bryce Canyon was far quieter than going into Yellowstone. Our first stop was the visitor bureau and i must say the American’s do this well. There was a 22 minute movie which we arrived just in time to see which highlighted the history of the canyon, and of course the usual calendars etc for sale – I succumbed. Then off we drove t the first of several look outs.
It was magnificient. Because of how nature affects the area – i.e. very high temps, and very cold temps – even snow – the rock formations are like looking down on something from a sci – fi movie, these pinnacles reaching up from below us. Twisted rock and crevases were everywhere. It really looked like something out of a movie, you could imagine Will Smith flying his space machine thingy through all the nooks and crannies of the rock formations.
There was a park ranger giving a talk on geology, but we only heard the last few minutes of it. She was talking about storms and right on cue, the bulbous purple clouds above did their thing and let forth a fork lightening along with a thunder straight after. She had just told us that if you can’t count to 30 after the lightening, then you’re too close to it. Right through the park we noticed burnt trees and from what we understand these trees had been hit by lightening.
Well you can imagine the race to the car after that, and not just by us, but most of those around us hightailed back to the carpark. The rain was pretty heavy and the lightening spectacular and scary.
We did however, carry on driving around the park, but when one particular thunder struck as we were to exit our car, that canned that expedition!
From Bryce we headed south, having lunch at Orderville and then drove through the Navajo Indian reservation. Their land is huge, but totally barren, just nothing. Homes were quite poor, lots of craft stalls along the road side. Each house had another structure beside it, usually with a round roof. From the distance these buildings appeared to be round, but i couldn’t figure out what they were for – wondered if they were a modern version of those sweat tents I believed the Indian’s used.
A spectacular bridge – Navajo Bridge at Marble Canyon – again amazing me with the engineering across this land. But what we have noticed is that along many of the laybys (places to stop and take a look at the view) there were Indian craft stalls taklng up the parking space.
We had hoped to stop at Cameron which has a lovely viewing area right beside the motel. It is an area run by the local tribe – the motel and the tourist store – but there were only suites left at $150 p/night and if you figure out the exchange rate, then that was a no no no from us. Gray Mountain up the road about 11 miles offered a motel, but it also offered 2 cops outside with a guy in handcuffs so that again was a no no no from us. No other option, we had to hike it up the road another hour to Flagstaff. I was here 30 years ago – greatly changed – much bigger.
But we were pooped after our 13 hours on the road, hence no blogging done yesterday....now i’m trying to catch up.... more coming shortly.

Jane and gang

13 TUNNELS, MOUNTAINS, VALLEYS AND PLAINS

2009-05-31T19:46:00.000-07:00

What a day of contrasts. This country certainly has it all and of course it’s all BIG.
Leaving Boulder, Colorado a bit later this time as we had family over at our small cabin at Chautauqua – bagels and strawberries – all very civilised from our regular plastic bowls of cereal and a tub of yogurt. Once out of Boulder the countryside quickly became very similar to the green rolling pastures of New Zealand, but then it quickly changed again as we drove through massive canyons, with towering rock walls very close either side of us. It was truely spectacular and again were amazed at the engineering it has taken to put roads through some of this countryside. This four lane highway was divided in 2 – 2 lanes each way, but it was a bit like the Scottish song... you take the high road and i’ll take the low road... because our road was about 40 feet higher than the traffic going in the other direction, so in fact the road builders have built 2 highways. When we could see ahead often we could see that these roads were held up by huge pillars that had been driven into the rocky terrain. Actually that is another thing. I now know why the Rocky Mountains are called this. Because they are – incredibly so. The ground surface is very very rocky, at times you wonder how the vast forestation can in fact inhabit the same terrain because there seems to be no dirt/soil for it to grow in. But they do.
We counted the number of tunnels we went through -13 in all today. Some short, but several were at least a mile long. Imagine digging a tunnel through a mountain this long!
Once through the mountains the landscape again changed. I know i mention this quite a bit in the blog, but it is one thing that has been quite amazing for us throughout this journey.
The scenery became incredibly arid, a bit like NZ’s desert road. Huge plains, circled by mountains.
But it was the scenery as we drove right to the tip of Colorado and into Utah, that was the most stark. Moutnains, turrets of rock that appears like sandstone, grey and completely stark of any plant life. There were plains with strange mounds dotted across it, then these towering edifices of rock in the distance, their tops completely flat, but the hillsides streaked with what appeared to be almost rivulets of rock.
I think i mentioned yesterday about the storm we had just before the wedding started. Well it seems that weather is quite typical of the area and as we left Grand Junction, the storm clouds brewed. Huge bulbous clouds, almost dark purple in color. Thankfully they blew the other way and we never had to drive in the forked lightening that we experienced yesterday.
And so that is our journey so far. We have arrived at Green River, Utah, a kind of blink and you miss it place, but it is surprisingly busy and has quite a few hotel/motels. I think this is because it is on the brink of an area with several national parks. Tomorrow we drive south to Bryce Canyon and beyond....only 10 days and we head home.

Happy days
Jane and gang

GET ME TO THE CHURCH ON TIME....AN AMERICAN WEDDING

2009-05-31T06:21:00.000-07:00

Well, here we are, the actual purpose of our trip in the first place. To attend the wedding of Shannon and David – Neil’s nephew. We arrived in Boulder on Thursday a.m. after a quick drive down from Cheyenne Wyoming. Boulder and the environs are more green and rolling – though there is always the presence of the mountains in the distance. It’s a lush city, quite flat. A university town. I have been told that the average age of the population is between 28-32. Thursday we caught up with the relies, (relatives). We are staying right beneath the mountains which if you need to figure out the directions, they are in the west. Friday brought some sightseeing and going to a local hardware store - huge. But it was the rehearsal dinner on Friday night which brought us really into contact with the locals, and getting to know Americans on their own turf. These pre-wedding dinners are new to kiwis, not something we do before a wedding. There were 60 guests at the bride’s family home in Castle Rock an outer suburb/township outside the southern end of Denver. Yep more driving. Actually about 50 plus miles and through Denver on Friday rush hour, so that was an experience!!! Denver i believe has 2 million people so twice as many in rush hour as we experience back in Auckland. What should have taken about one hour took closer to 2 hours. But the Delay whanau (family) made us very welcome and everyone was interested in life down under. They were congratulating others on some sporting prowess, band the bride to be gratefully translated which sport was which to the clueless visitors.
Driving back was another experience! Fast and frantic and more freeways with no night lighting for part of the way. Eeek. But we made it safely.
Wedding day dawned beautifully hot and sunny – 76deg F. Teens got their nails done while I met up with American Palmist Myrna Goldbaum who I’ve known cyberly for some years. She’s a great lady, very talented and a prolific writer living about 20 minutes from Boulder. Sceptic Neil even had his palm read!
We looked at having some of our ‘shopping’ shipped home only to balk at the price – about $400 US which would make our ‘bargains’ absolutely NOT bargains. So that didn’t happen. We’ll just have to buy more suitcases. But you can be proud that we have kept the American economy buoyant during our visit here.
Then it was time to gussy ourselves up and head back down the freeway to the wedding. A huge castle /ranch called Cherokee Ranch Castle built in 1920 by a divorcee as her folly. But it did in fact become a successful ranch which she ran as a single woman. Wandering antelope welcomed us as we drove up the 2 mile long driveway. The castle has a splendid view across the mountains and of particular interest to our car nut friends...a view of Pikes Peak, all 14000 plus feet of it which was duly photographed.
Inside the castle is like a grand room, with an overly large Juliet balcony. The wedding ceremony was due to be outside but by 5pm the electric storms with rather grand fork lightening was in full swing and so we were all shuffled inside – actually i ran as it was b....freezing, and where might you ask was the lovely brown fluffy coat that i had lovingly packed and hauled thousands of miles for this particular occasion... right back at our cottage 50 miles away, that’s where!
Neil and the girls and about a million others piled up stairs to watch the wedding procession/service. The bride was lovely- beaded, strapless, dress and the bridesmaids in deep plum. The service was fun and relaxed...all that is until Anzhela my 17yo decided to faint upstairs! No one else knew what was going on, but the it did create some extra excitement. Boulder is very high altitude and if you don’t keep drinking you can get a bit lightheaded, so guess what happens!
Niblbes, chatting, dining and laughing at the jokes during the reception were great. There were little boxes of candies on the tables for the guests, none of the Americans of course knowing what the red and chocolate candies were – Jafas all the way from NZ. So there were definitely a few kiwi influences here. So too with the wedding cake. Banana cake for the bottom layer - courtesy of the NZ Edmonds Cook Book, then a chocolate layer followed by a vanilla layer.
A safe drive back and all tucked up in bed by midnight. We were so welcomed by everyone, the Americans making their new kiwi relations feel part of the family. Thank you. It was definitely great to see how others live and to realise, that hey really, there may be thousands of miles that separate us, but we’re all really just the same.

Happy days...and we’re on the road again.
Jane and family.

BOLD OVER BY BOULDER

2009-05-28T15:19:00.001-07:00

Left Cheyenne Wyoming today and headed to Boulder, Colorado. But before we left, we chatted to a farmer and his wife from Nevada and he was able to clear up a few questions I had. All along the way we’ve noticed the lack of cows/sheep etc on the farmland. Where is it? They’ve been moved to higher ground so that the lower pastures have a chance to regrow. The farmer farms 750,000 acres (yep that much) which he rents off the government. On that land, because it is desert like, he only farms 500 cattle.
The drive to Boulder was quick – on the interstate. And the landscape again changed. We still have the mountains in the distance, but the land close by is lush. Industry seems to have changed too. Huge, huge IBM plant. It is like it’s own city, plus apparently Google has its office here in Boulder. The city is a university town and very green with tree line streets. We’ve met up with the relies and the couple about to tie the knot on Saturday. No nerves. All going to plan.
We’ve been to this HUGE – funny how everything in America is huge – hardware store. They sell everything.
We’re staying at a kind of cabin place called Chautauqua. There is a central building which is an historical landmark and then all these little cabins. They are set out in what is like a little village, with street names and numbers . The cabins are one bedroom, have a kitchen, bathroom, little lounge and a closed in porch and are well decorated and fitted out. Very cosy after cramped motel rooms for the last month.
Dinner with the family tonight, then our first experience at a wedding rehearsal dinner tomorrow and then the wedding on Saturday. It will be interesting to see how weddings differ from our NZ variety.
I’ll let you know.

Happy days
Jane and family

YEEHA! WE’VE HIT COWBOY TOWN

2009-05-27T18:01:00.000-07:00

Remember all those cowboy movies we watched as kids, and TV programmes like Bonanza and The Virginian. Well today’s journey really brought those memories back.
We left Rawlins and headed east, but not before stopping by a parked up Union Pacific steam train for a photo opportunity. Also, parked up at a gas station was a double ended car, someone had cut two Cadillacs in half and then welded the 2 fronts together, steering wheels and all.
Long winding roads, going up to 8500 feet at one level, until finally the landscape changed from the barren plain to slightly more lush – only slightly – plus more of the wind farms, and oil rigs dotting the landscape. Wyoming is rich in oil, though with the downturn in the economy (despite teenage shoppers!) they were talking on the news tonight about oil workers being laid off.
Actually before i go any further, must tell you... it sure is a small world.... Would you believe it!
We met our relation’s neighbour over breakfast! We were in hick town Rawlins, Wyoming population about 5000 and were having breakfast (free danish and coffee at the Super 8 motel) and anyway, she says you’re a kiwi? Yes I say, then she tells us her hubby saw the news item about the tiger attack...well we got talking. they are from Mt Albert. What road... your road... what house... the one right next door to my daughter’s sister -- What a small world.
Anyway back to travels.... We stopped at Laramie about 1 hour from Cheyenne. Also a cowboy town, with a lovely historical area to wander around. Found a great book shop that has books all on the history of the area, even how things were cooked by those on the wagon trains.
Cheyenne too is full of history. We found the Nelson museum – full of military and cowboy and Indian artefacts. Plus stuffed animals of all kinds. It was a real treasure trove find.
Note to tourist bureau’s though. Please don’t forget your road signs. They put signs on the freeways, then as soon as you pull off the freeway, the signs and directions disappear. This is something we have come across frequently in our travels.
But on the other hand good directions from a worker at The Home Depot had us find the Safeway supermarket easily and hence the teens won’t starve. In Cheyenne, they celebrate their heritage and art at the same time, and have put these giant cowboy boots – about 8ft tall – around the town and they are decorated by local artisans. There are some lovely brick buildings, while the houses we noted as we drove around are replicas of many of the houses on this continent, those chocolate box houses. Very cute.
So that was today...onto a family wedding this weekend being celebrated in Boulder, Colorado.

Happy days
Jane and gang

EASTWARD HO...

2009-05-26T19:30:00.000-07:00

This country is vast, the landscape offering us such a myriad of changes. Today as we left Ogden (quick apology here...Osmonds I realised were not from Ogden, but Provo Utah)..anyway we headed out on the freeway, winding through the hills to find ourselves in an enormous plain. You could see nothing for miles and miles except flat land. And some sort of ‘boxes’ and pipes that dotted the landscape the further east we drove. I think they were for either gas or military pipelines. There were long windbreaks along the sides of the motorways, i think to prevent erosion of the soil, which could possibly be verified as earlier when we stopped at Lyman I saw a pickup go past with a sign for Erosion Prevention. Lyman is a mining town of only 2000 people. The main employment is the mine where they mine for soda ash.
We had lunch there, and chatted to the local cop. He told us about the area and gave the girls both a police badge key ring.
We drove for hours on a long straight road. The number of trucks on the road is massive and constant We also these amazingly long trains. There were three, sometimes four engines and they hauled about 100 carriages, one we lost count at about 130 carriages. Each carriage had a container on it, and on top of that container, was a second container. Huge hauling.
We’ve stopped at Rawlins for the night after being on the move since 9a.m.
On the plains we had risen about 7000 feet high and at one stage so Neil tells me (i had snoozed for a moment) the road was at least 10 or more miles ahead and it simply disappeared into the horizon. There was also a wind farm. The rocky landscape had nature made turrets of red-brown rock and hillsides that just levelled off completely flat. So different from the towering snow-capped mountains of a few days ago.
Cheyenne tomorrow and then finally into Boulder where we stay for a few days attending Neil’s nephew’s wedding.
Happy days
Jane and family

PINKIE'S WILD ADVENTURES

2009-05-26T07:07:00.000-07:00

PINKIE’S WILD ADVENTURES
Pinkie reporting here....
Monday here was Memorial day (think Anzac day dear Kiwis). Anyway the family decided to take me out of the case and give me some true American adventures today. Firstly, we drove all the way to Salt Lake City. Not far, but on that fast freeway again. Gosh those car whizz by. The idea was to go down by the lakeside and view it. We could have gone to Antelope Island which is situated in the lake and joined by a causeway, it’s a nature park. There was meant to be a visitor centre just off the freeway. Note to Utah road authorities. When your tourist brochure says to follow the signs, please remember to actually put the signs there. We came off the freeway and yep, you guessed it. No signs. Not very helpful to dumb tourists like my owners. We drove...and drove...and drove and silence reigned in the car, and a few expletives.
We found the island...but no other area to simply park and gaze wonderingly at the lake. So, frustrated, we hightailed it back the route we came.
My next adventure involved a man in uniform...no reader, not a policeman. Neil’s driving is too perfect for any cop to haul us over. But we stopped at an aerospace museum. Lots of jet fighter and a model of the 1st plane flown by the Wright Brother, but what was interesting and scary at the same time were copies of atomic bombs dropped on Nagasaki and Hiroshima. The place was crowded with families on outings just like me for Memorial day.
We had a real American lunch at the museum, fresh hot dogs and Anzhela had her first sloppy joe, Ground beef all sloppy with sauce on a burger bun. And me... Pinkie...did they feed me? Oh no siree. Not even a crumb.
Dinosaurs were next on the agenda. The Eccles Dinosaur Park. Fossils over 350 million years old, and no that’s not Jane i’m talking about. Then out into the park with life size dinosaurs roaming in the bush, accompanied by real life sounds. And me... I had the photo shoot of a lifetime, posing with the dinosaurs.
Shopping came next – and yes it was another Wal-Mart. I think singlehandedly that these girls have reactivated the American economy. Good job!
Happy days
Pinkie.

SNOW...SALT...AND RAIN

2009-05-25T07:04:00.000-07:00

We are so pleased that we had fab weather going through Yellowstone National Park yesterday (Friday), because today we got all sorts. We decided on the spur of the moment to head south to Utah (Ogden north of Salt Lake City) instead of going across Wyoming.
Interesting thing about Wyoming. No one pays income tax! Wouldn’t that be cool. Can’t understand why all Americans haven’t moved then to Wyoming! Apparently the timber and oil industry is so rich in this state that the locals don’t need to pay tax. My kinda state.
The landscape was changing too today. We had enormous plains banked by more snow capped mountains. Though not as high as the one in Yellowstone. The lakes are huge. In NZ we think that Lake Taupo is huge – i mean it’ the biggest lake in the Southern Hemisphere. Well, readers, the USA has HUGE lakes, and not just one, but so far Montana and Wyoming have heaps of them. More snow, more plains, more mountains. But we also drove through tiny towns boasting their pioneer history in the way the buildings were designed to blend into the scenery and looking as if they have been there forever. Bear Lake, we stopped at for a moment because we spied a Ford Single Spinner (1949) in someone’s backyard. Neil went into to investigate and got chatting to the owner. He tells us he is going to restore it /or hot rod it one day. We’ve heard this from so many people. Their ‘one day’ dreams. But most cars are lying neglected along with several other. It seems like every ten year they buy a new one and just park up the old one in the paddock.
Bear Lake seemed to be a burgeoning resort town with clusters of modern day log cabins. This man pointed out the oldest house in the vicinity, it was made by hand in that the builder cut down the logs with an axe, shaped them all with the axe and cut all the tongue and groove timber with the axe. Truly a work of craftsmanship and still be standing today.
Torrential rain going through a gorge kept the speed limit down, i.e. 2 speed wipers couldn’t keep up. We have stopped at Ogden Utah, and yes I’m old enough to remember that this was the hometown of the Osmond (i.e. Donny Osmond), but not old enough to remember the dinosaur that we are going to see today – Eccles Dinosaur Park. Ogden is surprisingly quite big. Being in a Mormon state virtually nothing was open yesterday (Sunday) which is quite unusual for the USA.
Also heading into Salt Lake City to view the lake today too.
The sun is shining, hopefully the rain will stay away. The bottom of the state has been hit by a deluge of floods, so we will have to rethink our driving next week when we come back to Southern Utah after the wedding in Boulder.
Happy day everyone
Jane and family

Landed in Utah

2009-05-24T15:11:00.000-07:00

Just landede in Ogden Utah, totally unexpected. Hope everyone is enjoying the blog, would love to know it makes sense to you all?????

Jane

2009-05-24T08:03:00.000-07:00

Yesterday we drove from Butte Montana, through Yellowstone National Park, The Grand Teton National Park and came to rest at Jackson, Wyoming.
What a day
8600 feet above sea level, huge snow drifts either side of the car that in fact were higher than the car, frozen lakes, and towering mountains that at times were completely circling us. Not only that but we watched Old Faithful blow – this geyser blow for between 30 and 100 minutes, and about 120 feet high, using about 8-10,000 gallons of water each time. It was fascinating to watch. We arrived about an hour before it blew, the crowd was small. But by the time it did its thing, there were well over 1000 people sitting on the boardwalk waiting for the ‘show’. It was well worth the wait.
The temperature was hot, the snow at our feet. Such a strange combination. Before we entered the park at the western entrance, we stopped and had lunch, walked around the town with its old world look. The girls and Neil went tot he Grissly Bear and Wolf exhibition. The staff come out and hide food for the bears which they then had to hunt for. Wolves have become a bit of a problem in the park again. Apparently t hey were reintroduced some years ago, but have bred well and now are coming out to hunt a bit.
Leaving the town we entered the park through gates – There were four lanes going in – paying $25 entrance. Took ages as each car got a ‘lecture’ about rules etc. But once in, we hadn’t gone more than a few miles when we were surrounded by Bison. They wandered everywhere, it was wonderful. At one time we had bison within 2-3 feet of the side of the car. They seemed such placid gentle creatures. There were elk and bisen grazing through the park. For me this was the highlight of my day.
Before we entered the park, we found ‘another’ car place. Just driving through Montana we came upon the ‘Montana Classic sales.’ It was kind of like a wreckers yard for old cars. Heaven for Neil. You name it, it was there.
We were on the road for 12 hours yesterday. A record for us. It was exhausting, but fabulous and a real day to remember. We arrived in Jackson exactly 12 hours after we had left Butte.
We are going to discover Jackson today. But first impressions is that it has kept the old buildings so that the town holds onto its heritage.
Right, back to snooze for a bit!
Catch you all tomorrow.
Jane and family

PINKIE ARRESTED

2009-05-24T07:29:00.000-07:00

Pinkie has had an outing. Meant to tell you yesterday. Pinkie came with us to Deer Lodge when we visited the prison. She was arrested and put behind bars!

Jane and family

BEAUT IN BUTTE

2009-05-22T17:23:00.000-07:00

We’re staying put today in that we don’t have to load up the car with the increasing luggage (Anzhela’s shopping is to blame). By 9am we headed out to Deer Lodge (a small town about ½ hour away) This small town is home to the county’s old prison which dates back to the late 1800s and was actively used until about 1960s and closed down after a riot. At one time it would hold up to 700 prisoners and there was also a small women’s prison adjacent. The earliest female prisioner to arrive at its doors was in 18****. It also houses a huge collection of vintage cars! Suprise! There are approximately 120 cars dating back to the horseless carriage and the early Model As and other brands. Interestingly, I saw poster that said in the 80 year car industry in the USA there have been over 18,000 different styles of cars manufactured.
The other small museum – which is a pioneer/mining museum was closed, so we ended up lunching in the supermarket carpark – not very classy I know. But Safeways the supermarket chain was having a $5.00 sale for 6 pieces of cooked chic ken. Only after we had eaten did we find out that there was a picnic area about 20 metres away! Actually that is one thing we haven’t seen a lot of. Just areas to pull off and eat on the roadside.
Next we drove back passed our motel and headed into the township of Butte. It is a mining town, originally gold, then silver and finally copper. Dotted all around the township are the gallus*** which designate where a mine was once active. There is a huge mining pit at the south end of the town which is no longer active and nor are the vast – almost a whole mountainside – of dig outs** where the ground has been excavated for minerals.
The township was surprising. It’s on a hillside. Surprising because I didn’t expect it because most of the towns we’ve been into so far have been flat. In its heyday the town boasted a population of 115,000, now it’s about 43,000. It looks a bit neglected, but is full of grand brick buildings and once grand houses which denotes is historical past. In its day it was the biggest town between Philadelphia and Seattle.
We then found the Mineral Museum which was a great find – and free- It is set within the Butte Tech buildings and is the place where they monitor earthquakes – the area has in the past had several quakes. The room was full of display cases of minerals, mostly from the area, or the USA, but some from as far away as Namibia. Also was a mini video on the history of mining in the area. Very insightful.
The temperature today is hitting the high 60s and it is very noticeable. We’ve had such vast differences – lowest of 38deg F to today’s of about 68deg F. All in the space of a couple of days. Actually we were talking to a couple this a.m. who were trying last night to get into their holiday home but had to turn back about 50 yards from it as there was too much snow!
The sky is pure blue and cloudless. I don’t think I have ever seen such big skies...but I think i’ve heard them call the state Big Sky Montana or something like this.
Right now, Neil and Anzhela are doing the underground tour of the mine, while Yana and I chicken out and stay atop.
Neil and Anzhela’s report on going into the mine
Cold, dark and damp. Underground Butte is riddled with tunnels, though they only went through 3. Saw lots of drilling equipment that was used for mining for copper. They had to wear helmets with little lights on. A railway line is used for the buckets which remove the rubble. They saw one of the only 15 ever made snowmobiles that were made by Ford Motor Company. The mines shafts went down about two thousand feet though they went down only about 30 feet below ground.
So it’s been a great day, very interesting and the Mineral Museum where Anzhela had at first declared she didn’t want to go in because it would be boring, finally admitted she was wrong!!!!
Onto Yellowstone next

Jane and family

PIONEER TOWNS AND ICY LAKES

2009-05-21T17:37:00.000-07:00

What an exciting day of contrasts
We left Coeur D’alene at 9am after trying to book motels for this coming weekend with not much luck – It’s Memorial day here on Monday so a long weekend. Everything is booked up in Yellowstone, so we may have to divert somewhat.
However, we’ve had a fab day. We had a steep climb out of CdA through more snow-capped mountains, houses dotted through the area where you wouldn’t believe people lived. I mean i couldn’t see where they would work, or could survive. But sure enough there were lots of small communities with just houses and not much else. We stopped to get gas at Alberton which boasted a road side sign announcing it had a bookstore with over 100,000 books – and it’s true!
A tiny house turned into a bookshop with barely room to move, but all categorised. Shelf after shelf. A definitely writers/reader’s paradise! But in fact i only left with one book – hard to believe.
Next we tried to find the ghost town down the highway, but couldn’t find it – reckon that’s why it’s a ghost town! Ha ha ha. But we stopped at Philipsburg. It’s an old mining town which is set against a hillside and is really cute. Locals have restored the buildings and recreated the town as a bit of a tourist stop. One store has been turned into a candy store and sells over 920 varieties of candy, plus 87 flavors of jelly beans, including NZ licorice all sorts. Kid’s heaven! We had lunch there in an old fashioned diner and then headed south. A small town which once boasted 1500 people and now has only 1000 but has 3 churches! The area around it was farm country backed by mountains, but once again for this kiwi, very few farm animals.
Leaving Philipsburg, we realised a few miles later we had missed the 2nd ghost town! - see it's a ghost - u can't see it! ha ha ha. Then we found something so unique for us - it was wonderful. Georgetown Lake - actually 2 lakes and for kiwis u can figure out the size - this wud have been as big as or nearly as Lake Taupo. But the exciting thing was it was still frozen over - i mean right across, only the first few feet at the edges were watery. We saw a few frozen dead fish, but beneath a piece of ice we chipped off were fish still doing their fishy thing - despite the thick crust of ice.
The landscape once through this area – which i think was named Glacier National Park, has changed considerably. Brown rolling hills, backed by mountains, trees dotting the hillsides, but nothing like earlier.
Now were in Butte, munching on our candy. We’re staying here a couple of days doing trips around the area, so should have lots more to tell you then.

Happy reading
Jane and gang

One border, one province and a new country

2009-05-20T16:41:00.000-07:00

Yep, we’re back in the USA!
Left Osoyoos about 8.30 a.m. climbing high out of the town, through the mountain range to see more snow and a few flurries of snow. 5575 feet high. We crossed the border at Midway. More of a border outpost really. Just a bar across the road and a small cabin to one side. Neil was asked to provide the car rental papers which of course were stashed in the trunk (boot to those with kiwi-speak). While delving into the dungeon of the trunk, the guard asked if we had any weapons, narcotics, fresh food. Or anything more than $10,000. Neil replied – he wished, and the guard just laughed. I of course heard this and got out of the car saying we had grapes. But the moment i stepped out of the vehicle the guard said please stay inside the car (memories of all those cop programmes we’d watched sprang to mind and I sprang back into the vehicle tout suite) imagining the next moment the guard would produce a gun. Once re-seated I saw a second guard peering outside the window at me! Eeek...I shut the car door.
Apparently they get people taking stolen cars etc thru this border so hence the extra security. The landscape around Midway and just south was really pretty. Low lands, bordered by high hills, but beautiful trees, particularly poplars which were in new leaf bud. A river ran alongside us for at least 20 miles.
Sporadic housing, sometimes mobile homes, farm houses. But what was missing? Animals. No cows, no sheep, and again for this kiwi, the lack of seeing animals on the farms, kind of hit home. Seemed strange.
But what we did see lots of were cars just left to rot in the backyards, or on the farms. And of course the cars we saw were vintage cars for us. Pickups, trucks, a Lincoln here and there. Oh joy.
We lunched in a small town called Colevile...at Arbys. And yes we’re trying all the local junk food – well sometimes... i mean i’ve got to fit all the new clothes i’ve been buying!!!!!
Just out of Colville we saw a sign for an Auto museum... and free to go in This was a hidden treasure. At least 60 vintage cars, the oldest a 1909 Model T. There were De Soto’s, Willys’, T-birds, just everything. Even a 3 wheel Peel – cute, but to me impractically small!
As we drove out, we realised that it was right next door to a Casino. The casino car park was packed and this was only 1pm. We understand that the museum is connected to the casino as an added attraction.
We drove through Spokane. Quite a nice town, but very spread out... and then headed east to Coeur D’Alene. This is a tourist town which we are staying at tonight. It was named after the French traders who traded with the local Indian and found them to be sharp witted in wheeling and dealing. Coeur D’Alene means Heart of the Awl – which i understand the awl was the sharp tool used in leatherwork.
We’re back in a motel 6 – something we know, but which is reasonably priced when the exchange rate is not good for kiwi dollars.
Tomorrow is a bit of sightseeing around the waterfront, then heading east into Montana.
Catch everyone later
Jane and family.

SAYING GOODBYE AND ROCKY MOUNTAIN HIGH

2009-05-19T18:33:00.000-07:00

GOODBYE AND LET’S GET MOVING
Goodbyes are always hard, and today was just that. We left Kathleen and Glenn’s home in Vancouver. Over the last 30 years Kathleen and I have said goodbye nine times and each time we believed we probably wouldn’t see each other again. But that prediction has never come true and so today, though tinged with sadness, had us in fact planning another get together. In France maybe? Hawaii? Who knows were, but you certainly can’t put down a great thirty year friendship. So as I said goodbye, I also added that probably we’d be getting together when we’re both using zimmer frames!
But leave Vancouver we did, and earlier than expected. We left at 8 a.m. driving through busy rush-hour traffic, heading east along highway 1 as far as Hope. It was an easy drive, as some of it we had experienced the other day when driving to Langley.
Then came the drive through the mountains. Oh what a journey. The mountains soared hundreds if not thousands of feet skyward. They were not just snow capped, but the snow came down to ground level in places. It was so exciting. All along the roadside was a fast flowing river, with great white water rafting /rapids potential. Then we came to a road workers place where the snow had been piled high. We pulled in there and couldn’t resist a snow fight and of course Mumkey (i.e Monkey) had his photo taken with the snow. Unfortunately Pinkie missed the photo opportunity.
Back on the road we soared up and down the hills, and then it began to SNOW! Very exciting. It was only like that for a few minutes, but flurries definitely landed on our windscreen. Then came the rain.
Actually we have experienced temperatures of 39deg F to 59 deg F today.
We stopped at Princeton, which seemed to be mostly inhabited by retirees. A sad little town with a lot of closed shops, but a young man in the supermarket said that there were entrepreneurs coming to town trying to start up new businesses, so maybe there is life for Princeton yet.
Next we passed Hedley – unfortunately we didn’t stop – which was a shame as this old mining town is full of interesting exhibitions. But most interesting were the mining holes/caves that we could see still open half way up the mountainside.
And mountainsides...oh what mountains. Once over the snowy mountain range, the landscape changed. The land became arid and there didn’t seem to be much soil. What there was, was huge mountainsides of loose rock/rubble. Just everywhere. But still the ever present Fir trees still managed to grow in the stony surface.
In several places along the roadside, we saw piles and i mean piles of vintage wrecked cars parked . Made you want to cry.
We’ve arrived in Osoyoos, which is a lakeside tourist town at the bottom of the Okanagan (British Columbia).
We could either go over the border here...just a few minutes up the road, or drive further east and go over by either Lethbridge or Midway. So gotta do a bit of research on distances. Whatever we do, it’ll be mountains and more mountains. They’re truly beautiful.

Dinner is brought and we're in a motel with a kitchen this time, so it's nice to go for fresh for a change.

Happy days everyone

Jane and gang

Sad to say ...it's good bye to Vancouver

2009-05-18T22:36:00.000-07:00

OFF TO THE FARM AND SHOPPING FOR VALUE

Saturday dawned absolutely beautiful. One of the things I wanted to do on this trip was to take my friend of 30 years, Kathleen, off to lunch, for some ‘just us’ time.
So early afternoon we headed to the Richmond area of Vancouver to London Farm which is a restored old farmhouse and gardens run by volunteers. It has tea rooms set in what would have once been the drawing room and a small shop selling teas and hand made soaps etc. We had afternoon tea and then went out to the garden. Saturday was their annual plant sale day that they use to raise money for the restoration of the house. There was an old barn in the traditional red painted style and angled roof, plus a working Victorian garden. Richmond is very flat and in fact the land is below sea level and so the area is criss-crossed with dykes in case of floods. But it was a lovely area and with the chocolate box houses I’ve mentioned before it was very quaint and calm.
Family and friends came by Saturday night and it was great catching up. Wine and roast pork and lots of laughs. It was a real celebration of 30 years of friendship, and how that friendship has become a true family.
Sunday, another gorgeous day and we really didn’t want to do much. It was so nice just to sit rather than play tourist, so out came the wine and the visitors arrived and we did some more chatting. But we did hike it over to Value Village, a second hand shop that sells everything. Fun to browse. Even got myself a ‘leather’ style jacket for $10.00.
Monday was in fact Victoria Day and not BC’s Anniversary day as I thought earlier. Apparently this is due to Canada being part of the commonwealth, but I’m not sure if in fact Quebec celebrates this day.
All in all we have had a wonderful time in Vancouver, doing some touristy things, but generally just kicking back and relaxing after our long drive north. Now, tomorrow we head off east along the bottom of British Columbia and then into Alberta which will take us about 2 days to drive, and then down in to Montana.
Weather reports are at worst -3 and at best about 31, so it’ll be an interesting drive.

Happy days everyone.
Catch u tomorrow when we find our bed for the night.
Jane and gang

SEA TO SKY COAST

2009-05-16T11:26:00.000-07:00

My title today refers to the coast from North Vancouver and up to Whistler, the home of the coming Winter Olympics in February 2010. Friday was glorious and sunny, but accompanied by that slight chill you get from living close to mountains remain capped with snow despite it being late spring. We layered up, took extra clothes in case and set out on our journey to Whistler. It should take about 2 hours. But for us was just over three.
British Columbia is getting Whistler ready for the Olympics and this means the roads too. We had road works most of the way and so delays, plus this trying to be navigator had us off a freeway exit that infact took us down to Horseshoe Bay where the ferries leave for the Gulf Islands. Thankfully there was an extra lane that we were able to divert down and do a U turn, otherwise we would have been in a four lane cue which was considerably long and heading towards the ferries, with no way of turning around.
Back on the highway. The mountainsides come right down to the highway. The are densely covered in trees, with large portion of mountains crested with snow. Just beautiful. I’ve loaded some pictures so you get the idea.
Whistler was very compact, and very picturesque. Something like a Swiss village, or perhaps something out of Austria. There were four huge parking areas and a ten minute walk through a small park where young guys practiced their BMX biking and we came to the chair lift area. The gondola and the peak to peak gondola were not working! They said there were road signs about it on the road up but we never saw them. Anyway, the chair lift was working and even though it was beautiful and sunny and it’s late spring, lots of people were going up to ski! I mean hundreds!. Neil and the girls took the chair lift to the top. It’s actually 2 chair lifts – you change half way. I didn’t go. I’m not a fan of heights and certainly no fan of dangling my legs while sitting in a chair hundreds of feet in the air. So i stayed and sat in the sun.
At the top they were 2440 metres high and it was about minus 3 degrees. So chilly. Snow fights, lots of photos and back down they came. Anzhela really wanted to go skiing but had no ski gear and rental was pretty expensive.
The drive home took an hour less, road workers gone home. But the traffic driving north was constant. It’s a long w/end this weekend here in British Columbia.
One of the interesting things we’ve been doing is trying different eating places while away. We’ve done McDonalds – similar to home, and Wendy’s again, similar to home. Then there are the Taco type places. Also Vancouver has a huge Asian population and so Chinese food is everywhere. The real deal. Vancouver has a huge ethnic mix. As I mentioned, lots of Chinese, plus Indian, Iranian etc. It’s a real global city.
View from cable car on Blackcomb mountain at Whistler.And then you get sleeping kids on the way back too....

Happy days...

Jane

PS: We're 1/2 way through our journey. And i'm missing my dog Bingo. Boo hoo.

PPS: Just discovered. If you double click on the pictures, they will come up much bigger. That way u can get a great view of the mountains. ...Jane

CATCHING UP AFTER ALL THESE YEARS

2009-05-15T21:09:00.001-07:00

My friend Margaret and I... I'm on the right.

CATCHING UP ON THIRTY YEARS
Wednesday was a day for catching up with friends and making new ones.
Thirty years ago I was young and silly and backpacking around Europe as Kiwis do and while in a youth hostel in France I asked a young Canadian girl if she would mind swapping my top bunk for her bottom one. That is my friend Kathleen who I’m staying with now...all these years later. We’ve been buddies ever since, visiting each other and I was even her bridesmaid.
Another Canadian that day was Margaret, and yesterday we caught up again, having lunch at a lovely restaurant in Pt Grey – suburb of Vancouver. We chatted for hours, wondering where the years have gone, talking about the directions our lives have gone. It was a lovely few hours, one we do every few years, when the opportunity arises and we visit each other’s shores.
Then last night, Neil and I had the opportunity to make some new friends. As many of our Kiwi mates will know, Neil is a vintage car enthusiast. Well last night we drove about an hour eastwards to Surrey, over the Simon Fraser Bridge which is 2-3 times as high as the Auckland Harbour Bridge and rises to a peak then you descent very steeply – it is a kind of suspension bridge with large wires and although rather a grand and an architectural and engineering masterpiece, it did not inspire confidence in me. Give me the older concrete sturdy looking bridges any day. However, we made it to the Firemen’s Hall on 144th Street, Surrey and were warmly welcomed by the Fraser Valley Ford V8 Club for their monthly meeting. Lots of inspiring things going on. Planning runs months in advance, a huge picnic coming up in July, t-shirts and jackets with club insignia on them and not to forget the coffee and tea and muffins at the end of the evening. It was a lovely time and we were given lots of advice on different places to see and do on our proposed route southwards.
We got back home – and yes via the bridge, but were amazed at one part of the freeway that had no lights on it and it was another scary driving experience. But we made it home safely to bed...ready to start another day of playing tourist.
Another fun thing...Pinkie found an accomplice. A dress store called Pinky Clothing. Isn’t it nice she isn’t alone in the pink world!
Happy days
Jane and the whanau.

An interesting day

2009-05-13T20:06:00.001-07:00

Today we set out to do more tourist things. We wanted to go to the Police Museum, so headed downtown, very close to where we were yesterday. This is the beginnings of the east side of Vancouver. Yesterday it was a 'bit' scary. A few drunks/addicts etc, but today was sooo different. Sad to say, but for a few blocks we were quite scared. We were in the car, but there were cops everywhere, a road blocked and drunk/addicts trawling the street, lining up we think for a soup kitchen. Very appropriate that this was close to the Police Museum. However, we decided to by-pass the museum, too nervous to walk those few blocks.
So instead we headed to way out east of the city to Langley and looked at car parts - yes hubby was cruising for parts for his vintage cars! Then we made a few turns that looked like we'd head way out where no maps existed - at least not in our car, so we did a U turn and with our tourist tails between our legs, we headed back the way we'd come.
Tomorrow I catch up with another Vancouver friend i've known for 30 years. I met her and the friend I'm staying with 30 years ago in a youth hostel in France and we've been mates ever since.

Keep reading, more tourist stuff coming. Off to Whistler, home of the 2010 winter olympics is our destination for Friday - all going well and no snow on the roads.

Oh, by the way, Pinkie has made another appearance, at Stanley Park in downtown Vancouver, pic in yesterday's blog. But she actually is accompanying the tourists on a daily basis now, we hope her spring like colours will encourage the spring to spring forth and not leak too much more.

Jane and gang

IT'S ALL GROUSE

2009-05-13T20:00:00.000-07:00

Really did the tourist thing today, starting off by driving down to Granville Island Market. This is in downtown Vancouver and is situated under a bridge. It’s a foodie’s paradise, with inside stalls selling everything from bagels to fish, herbs and chocolates. There are an abundance of outside cafes and you can sit and watch the small water taxis dashing across the harbour. Then with a few detours – read that as going the wrong way – we made our way over Granville Bridge (so from the underside to the topside) and into the heart of the downtown. It’s hugely busy, traffic lights just at about every block, but the road leads down to Stanley Park – a seven mile circumference park that juts out on the city headland. Right beside the park is the Lion’s Gate Bridge which spans the harbour from the park/downtown to the north shore of Vancouver. Over the bridge, a couple of wrong turns and we headed up through the northern suburbs to Grouse Mountain. This is a ski area which is often used in winter for night skiing, because of it’s close location to the city dwellers. Although it had been sunny when we left downtown, by the time we got to Grouse the clouds had lowered and it wasn’t worthwhile going up the gondola (phew – i don’t like heights), because the clouds covered the top half.
A coffee, a quick drive back over the bridge – because we now knew our way. Driving through Stanley park was lovely, but one thing we did notice was that you had to pay everywhere for public parking, even just on the waterfront round the park.
The roads in Vancouver run east /west and north /south, so if you know your cross roads it gets quite easy – eventually. We managed to find our way down town to Gas Town. This was named after a pioneer who opened a bar and was known as Gassy – because of the tall stories he told. There is now on one of the corners a steam powered clock. The area is quite touristy, but leads to what was once the heart of the city, but that has moved closer to the water now. This old area is sadly a bit rough, with seedy types and so we didn’t stay long.
But we made our way home safe and sound, hungry because we’d never managed to stop for lunch.

RAIN. RAIN AND MORE RAIN.

2009-05-12T08:13:00.000-07:00

But it's only water, right? Spring has sprung a leak! We did try to do tourist things yesterday, standing at the bus stop to take the bus downtown and walk around Gas Town and China Town, but after waiting about 25 minutes in the rain, (no raincoats) we decided it was a bad idea and went back home. Then the sun came out!

We went to indoor activities - Oakridge mall. Everything very expensive which didn't seem to worry junior teen who bought some high heels the height of the Eifel tower, all glitzy and black. Very practical for walking in the rain! Then we found a supermarket. Prices in Vancouver are definitely dearer than in the USA and the tax is higher too. 12% added on top of indicated price.

Been watching DVDs of I Love Lucy - kids thought it funny and also DVD of Mr Bean. So a relaxing tourist day, albeit a tad soggy.

Grey outside today too, but hopefully only showers and NOT RAIN.

Jane and gang.

CROSSING BORDERS

2009-05-10T17:27:00.000-07:00

CROSSING BORDERS

Saturday we headed to another country LOL – But first we headed to the Mall! Macy’s department store we heard was having a one day sale and one teen decided she really REALLY needed those blue shoes she’d seen earlier. So father dutifully detoured slightly and we went to this big mall that had four department stores, plus all the other individual stores. Macy’s was a disappointment. Maybe the store was just too big for these hicks from downunder. But we did find some bargains at JC Penny’s. Really neat going into these stores we’ve only read about or seen in movies.
But then it was time to head north to ..not, not Alaska...just a bit before that. Canada. Trouble was, just as we were about to leave the Mall carpark, I realised i had left my reading glasses at the motel, so we had a side trip to get them. No glasses, this gal is blind as a bat reading the map and we’d never navigate ourselves outta here.
On the road again. An hour or so later Canada loomed. Border crossing, passports, then we had to get out of the car to get stamped! Easy peasy really! Not like my visit in 1994 when I had unknowningly left the USA without handing in a form and they had me down as an illegal alien and I got hauled aside!
But i think my proudest moment of the day was actually finding my friends house in Vancouver. This downunder readers is a city of 2 million people. Now I may have visited here often, but never driven, so it was a feat of great difficulty. But I succeeded.
Spring has come to Vancouver. The residential areas are lined with flowering plum, cherry and crabapple trees. With the soft breeze there is a carpet of pink blossoms littering the sidewalk. Really beautiful. Plus the Vancouver i remember is famous for its hanging baskets in summer and it hasn’t disappointed. They are everywhere. But so too is some snow on the tips of the mountains that line the northern regions of the city. They’re a great landmark for drivers. Face the mountains and you know you’re going north.
And that’s exactly what we’re doing tomorrow. Heading north for the day only. Going to Grouse Mountain to check out the cable car and snow. But apparently this cable car is glass bottomed, so this gal aint going near it. Space Mountain at Disneyland was enough scary stuff thank you very much.

Also beware, if u see this number plate on the road, beware. Approach with caution. It may turn left or right in the wrong place.

Catch u tomorrow.

Jane and the gang
www.janebeckenham.com

Pinkie is outed

2009-05-10T16:55:00.000-07:00

Pinkie is alive and well!
A very kind friend has declared that Pinkie must surface. He is concerned for her. So to make sure that no one is worried (he he he) we have Pinkie on active duty, carrying sunglasses (yes the sun is out albeit fleeting), plus Pinkie has to guard the wallet from overspending, take care of assorted papers, passports etc.

FROM THE SEASIDE TO TUMWATER

2009-05-08T16:50:00.000-07:00

Water, water everywhere.

Today we left the Pacific coast and headed inland, but first had a brief stop at Astoria, Oregon which is the oldest town on the west coast. It is very step and reminds me of the streets of San Francisco. We drove up to the back of the town where a column watches over the city. It is painted with pictures and words depicting the journey of the discoverers of this area. You can normally walk up the colum (inside), but the steps were closed off today. It was very windy and chilly there, with a temperature below 50deg F. Then it was down to the waterfront where we had to drive over the longest bridge in America (can’t verify this as google is down!) Have added some pics of it. It is about 4miles long and as Neil says it makes our Auckland harbour bridge look like a baby.
Then inland we went, surrounded by lakes and rivers and again more bridges. Finally we came to Tumwater which is just south of Olympia. We’re now in the state of Washington. I phoned an internet friend who lives nearby and she came round. Isn’t it wonderful how you can meet people online and then one day get the chance to meet. I suppose this is the modern day equivalent to a penfriend. Candy took us to the cascade of waterfalls which run through the centre of Tumwater, and really if you didn’t know they were there, you would miss them. The river was the site of a brewery which sadly was sold off a few years ago and the new owners closed it down. But there is still evidence of where the water wheels once churned. Candy was a mine of information, identifying all the trees, and specially beautiful was the Dogwood, with its abundance of white flowers. It’s the native plant I believe of the state.
A great day, and the rain has finally disappeared.

Look out for Pinkie...she's back on the road.

Jane

THE WATERY WORLD OF OREGON

2009-05-06T21:05:00.001-07:00

Today we travelled from Coos Bay to Seaside, both towns in Oregon. It’s been an interesting day, with wonderful scenery and contrary weather. We had hoped to visit the seal caves just north of Florence, but when we stopped there the rain was horizontal and the view – well white with fog. So sadly we passed on the seals. But the scenery, despite the rain, made up for it. The coast is wild, for kiwis – think west coast south island. Rocks, just like yesterday, rose from the water, towering next to the highway. Then it changed and we had sand dunes 2-3 stories high on the coastal side, with lakes on the other side of the freeway. Just beautiful. At times we could barely see because of the fog, then the sun would come out for a few moments. At one time there was sunshine on our left on the ocean about 30 yards away, and then we were in fog on the road.
One thing captured me today. The bridges. They are architecturally beautiful, with graceful arches and Grecian columns that stand sentinel on some. We managed to go beneath one bridge, and i’ve loaded a picture of this. These bridges and their isolation is another thing that strikes me about this country. The vastness of America, and the work that its forebears have had to do to make it what it is. The grandness of the scale of this is immense.
We drove through small villages where sadly it seems life is changing, small stores are closed, houses empty or abandoned, while along the coastline are groupings of large holiday homes.
Stopped at Lincoln City and discovered Outlet Mall Shopping! What fun. The variety of goods available constantly amazes us. Prices okay, but of course we have to work out the exchange rate for us and that is a pain! 2$ for 1US$ doesn’t make things good buys at time.
On we drove, through rain, sunshine, clouds/fog and have come to rest our weary heads at another motel 6 in Seaside, Oregon. Had an adventure at the Safeway –supermarket- where we self-check our own groceries.
Now it’s trying to work out our route from here, driving taking us a bit longer than expected because of weather and probably because i keep telling Neil to slow down – despite the fact that we’re slower than everyone else.
They predict sunshine tomorrow- long may it last
Happy days everyone
Jane Beckenham
http://www.janebeckenham.com/

2009-05-05T19:21:00.000-07:00

Traveling again today. Do you know that playing tourist is HARD WORK. But definitely fun. Today we hit the road early - about 7.40 am and headed towards Grants Pass, Oregon where Neil went to a vintage car place to buy parts. It's a cute town, very much what I thought old time America might be like. Then it was westward to Brookings and up the coast to Coos Bay, Oregon.

Some quirky things we've seen along the way since we've arrived.
Road signs. There are road signs that ask you to 'adopt' a road. And people and businesses do and they have signs up saying "MacDonald's adopted this piece of road. Then while we were driving down very steep roads through the mountains - read - nervous passenger here - signs saying "Runnaway trucks this way' I just hoped they wouldn't 'runaway' near me! There are hundreds of trucks on the freeway, huge double trailer jobs.
The other thing on the road we've seen lots of are RV - recreational vehicles. To me it seems like America is on the road. Most of these it seems are retired people and they often have cars towing behind, or a trailer attached to the RV. Also we've noticed so many RV parks - they're everywhere and they are full. So really people are moving.
We saw our first hint of snow atop a mountain which was exciting, but we do hope it stays there and doesn't come to the roadway. Another thing we've noticed, or in fact not seen is farm animals. Being from NZ we're so used to seeing land with huge numbers of cows or sheep, and here, there are just a few - really only about 20 at a time. The land is bare. So I guess cattle farming and sheep farming isn't happening in this neck of the woods. But each time we see a few cows we get excited. Sad really!
And here we are in Coos Bay, ORegon. So far we've done 1500 miles!

That's it for today. No pics to load as yet. Am pooped and hitting the bed and blobbing in front of the tv when the writer in me says I should be writing....but heck... don't tell my editor.

Happy days everyone
Jane Beckenham
www.janebeckenham.com

IT'S RAINING...IT'S POURING...

2009-05-04T19:03:00.000-07:00

Okay, so Auckland NZ isn’t the only place to get rain! We arrived in Sacramento – actually – Elk Grove - -on Friday to heavy rain which continued most of the weekend. Staying with a cousin who married here 27 years ago, but he still sounds pretty much like a Kiwi. It was great staying with an American family, getting to see how others live here, and really you know, we’re no different. We work hard, want the best for our kids etc.
You know this travelling is hard work and so Sunday with continual rain we found ourselves relaxing which was really nice. Another thing that was good was not having to do the driving or navigating for a day! My nerves got a rest!
But the girls did go shopping again. The economy is really telling. Sales everywhere with discounts up to 70 and 80% in some cases. So good for us Kiwi’s with our rotten exchange rate (US readers 1US$ costs us $2NZ and hit the pocket hard!) But heck what are holidays for?
We took the relations out to dinner at a family restaurant, great food, lots of it and cheap. So happy campers all around after dinner.
Then i had my first experience of hearing frogs in the neighbour’s pool. Very loud! Didn’t get to see my first frog though.
Today (Monday 4th) we drove from Sacramento north with the aim of ending up the night at Grant’s Pass, Oregon but rain set in just before the Shasta Trinity National Forrest. Great highway, but a winding road and terrible rain. The cars didn’t seem to mind and raced passed us, over the speed limit. Scared the heck out of me. What we did notice was the change in landscape again. The mountains of course were beautiful with redwoods towering skyward, and Shasta Lake where there is a dam also. We stopped to take pics, the soil quite red/coppery. It was also REALLY cold. When we got back in the car, the temp gauge said 39deg F which for this Kiwi is chilly!
After passing through the mountains the landscape was quite barren again (kiwi readers, think of the Desert Road/National Park area) and there were visible signs of forrest fires in the past/trees blackened etc.. But today no fire would stand a chance the rain so heavy. In fact we decided to stop earlier than planned and are holed up in a motel at Yreka (Pronounced Why Reeka) which is in northern California.
They tell us the rain is badly needed and should be falling all week – oh joy!
Anyway, all is well, we’re having fun, fed well, sleeping well, and the girls loving the shopping!

Happy days everyone
Jane Beckenham
http://www.janebeckenham.com/

When it rains...the girls hit the mall!

2009-05-02T20:11:00.000-07:00

CARS AND GIRLIE SHOPPING
The rain is still falling, so what do you do when it rains? The girls go shopping and the guys look at cars.
However, we first went to the Towe Museum today, a great place for vintage car fans – which we are. Neil was in ‘man’ heaven taking lots of photos of the cars, and of course wanting to bring them home. The interesting thing about these cars were that they were basically all (about 150) from the California region, and probably more than we’ve seen in NZ. Just another reminder how big this country is for us hicks from downunder. One car was originally owned by Henry Ford’s wife, and what they did was just fix her scratches/panels, etc. Henry never gave her a new car!
Then the guys and gals split up – the guys going to other car places while the gals – the girls and I and my cousin’s wife, hit the mall. The Roseville Galleria. This mall has 3 – yep three - you kiwi readers – department stores attached to it, plus loads of other shops. We actually didn’t get around it, but had fun trying. I reckon that American Malls are a bit like shopping Disney/fantasyland. So much fun, but we constantly had to double the price of everything just to see if it was a good buy for our NZ dollar. A lot was, but a lot also still dearer for this thrifty shopper. But we came home with sore feet and slightly emptier wallets and the teens satisfied that they’d shopped America!
One nice thing today was that I didn’t have to do any navigating, or worry about where we were driving as relations did all that. A relaxing change!
Tommorrow? Who knows. This is the fun of travelling, we’re going kinda just where the mood takes us.

Happy days everyone
Jane Beckenham
http://www.janebeckenham.com/

Monterey and it's watery world

2009-04-30T18:12:00.000-07:00

Santa Barbara to Monterey – and fishy paradise.

Had an interesting drive today. We left Santa Barbara early, the idea was to drive to Monterey up on the coast and go to the Aquarium. However, we had various people give us differing times for travel, and in the end it took us about 5-6 hours, with a couple of stops on the way. Partly because we were meant to leave the interstate – i.e the busy busy road – and head back to the Pacific Coast highway, however, I didn’t figure this out until after the turnoff, so we kept on driving
But what has been interesting today.
Firstly, the sky has been littered all day with the vapour from endless planes flying across. Another thing was is the dramatically changing landscape. By Santa Barbara the scenery was lush and flowering and then the further we headed north the mountains and landscape turned quite brown and dry. And yet this area, as we found out later was called the Salad Bowl. I can understand why. For thousands of acres full of lettuce, carrots, and literally 20 miles of grapes growing. IT was amazing as this was so lush and fertile and yet behind it the land was dry as a bone. The rivers that we passed over were dry for the most part. One wonders if the lack of water is because it’s been diverted for irrigation or because of the lack of rain. We read that the southern area only has 50 days of rain a year. Would they like some of Auckland’s rain!
Road surfaces at times were quite poor which surprised me. I didn’t expect that at all. Monterey is on the coast as was famous as a ‘sardine town’ for its canning of sardines back in the 1920s. The old cannery area in the waterfront has become a tourist attraction with shops and food things and of course the aquarium. A great educational spot regarding our planet’s oceans.
We’ve booked into a motel nearby which comes with a continental breakfast. Not sure what that means in the USA, but we think it’ll be coffee and Danish, which is kinda fun.
One funny thing happened today. On the freew ay, Neil was playing with the buttons that are attached to the rear view mirror – it has a compass thingy on it – which is very helpful – but then he pushed this button and it was a built in phone for emergencies and an operator answered. We just about died. Apologised and said we didn’t reaslie what it was, then she cut the call and we all cracked up. It was hilarious, but nice to know we can get contact if in need of help. What a great idea!

Catch everyone tomorrow.
Jane Beckenham
http://www.janebeckenham.com/

NORTH TO...WELL NOT QUITE ALASKA

2009-04-30T18:00:00.000-07:00

Today in day three.5 of our journey we ventured onto the freeways again and surprisingly it was a relative ely easy task, getting us north of Los Angeles in just over an hour. We were kinda free-driving, aiming for San Simeon, which as at four pm, we haven’t actually got there...but we hav e had a bit of an adventure. First we drove to Santa Monica, thinking we might stop and dabble our feet in the Pacific – at least this side of the Pacific, but you had to pay $6.00 for the priviledge of parking on the pure white ‘contoured’ sand. We tried to find a place to park to ‘rethink’ the strategy and then were promptly asked to ‘move on’. We had parked in a valet parking spot for a posh restaurant, and were made to back up. Oopsie. So around several blocks we drove, glad that our ‘sense of direction’ kinda worked. and then it was back on the Pacific Coast Highway, heading north. Next came the houses of Malibu, and the rich and famous. Gosh these houses are jammed packed together. But the sad thing is that the general public can barely get a view of the beach and the only state access i saw to the beach it certainly wasn’t the golden sands of Malibu. So i wonder if there is a beach for the rich and a beach for the rest of us plebs.
We again took a rather circuitous route, read that as took several wrong turns. But we stopped at Oxnard which was interesting in that my uncle’s sister lives there but i don’t have her address. Had our first experience of Wal-Mart – the girls ecstatic with the prices of clothes that they JUST HAD to buy something. Sadly one of our wrong turns came next, but it took us instead on the freeway onto some absolutely lovely country roads. The one interesting thing I’ve noticed today is the changing scenery. From LA to Malibu was the coastal wealthy, lovely gardens, homes, palm trees, the large gates securing properties. In north of Oxnard it changed to horticultural which was interesting in that the surrounding landscape seemed quite harsh and dry. Acres and acres and acres of crops. Then we ‘diverged’ and headed towards Ojai and lovely winding roads, really lush green and pretty. And now we’re ensconced again in our Motel 6 by a freeway! i.e. Noisy. But cheap, and we’re about 5 miles south of Santa Barbara. We’ve driven a lot longer today than expected but i think some of it although unplanned is really worth it. Pretty and easier driving that’s for sure.
No pictures today, but wud love to hear from readers if you’re ‘seeing’ what’ i’m seeing LOL

Catch u tomorrow
Jane

ANOTHER DAY OF FANTASY!

2009-04-29T08:29:00.000-07:00

Disneyland was on the agenda for today /Tuesday.
Well what can I say, pure fantasy. Lots and lots of people and i’ve never seen so many strollers (pushchairs for downunder readers) plus babies, in my life. Everyone leaves the strollers outside the event and they’re fine. But do remind me never ever to go on Space Mountain again, it was horrendous, kept my eyes closed tight the whole time, saw nothing, and my daughter’s leg was crushed beneath my fingers as the carriage rocketed around corners and I squeezed her leg. There was It’s A Small World, train rides, and of course the Tea Cups, they were more my style, a paddle steamer ride, buildings that look so realistic they could hurtle this writer back in time, which is kinda fun for a time traveller writer. Then there were the photo opportunities with the stars, Mickey and crew. Places everywhere to eat, but 3 bottles of soda at $3.00 a shot – which in exchange rate terms meant $18.00 NZ so an expensive drink!
There are constant shuttle busses taking tourists back to the hotels which are great, but again only adds to the ever moving traffic here.
Dinner, again we are wide eyed at the cheapness in the supermarkets. 8 pieces of cooked chicken only $4.00.
So fantasy of LA is about to end as we head north. We were watching the weather channel today, again a fascinating thing for this kid from down under where our weather report takes about 5 minutes max. This is a whole channel! And it really highlights how big this country is with such a broad range of temperatures all happening at once. For example snow storms in Montana – help we’re driving thru there in about 4 weeks and we have no winter clothes!. Then in Florida they’re in drought. There’s floods somewhere else and threat of tornados too. This I think highlights how BIG this actual land mass is.
Now, we’ve got to drive across it.

Catch u again after our drive to San Simeon – that’s after Freeway 101 and 5! Eeek!
Jane

We have joined the Universe! And Hollywood!

2009-04-27T21:28:00.000-07:00

Well our first full day in the good ‘ol USA was eventful. Not much sleep for us the first night, getting used to time zones. But today was a real – getting used to America day. First off was picking up our rental car then driving from the airport area to Hollywood where we went to Universal Studios and i must say that this writer just about had a nervous break down as we drove along freeways and the morning traffic scooted past. Every time a car passed us I kinda moved towards the other side of the car. This driving on the ‘wrong’ side of the road takes some getting used to. But we made it to Universal with only one wrong turn and a few heated words in the car.
What can you say about Hollywood. It was a fabulous day. The outside of the Studio was shops and displays, spaceships hanging out of buildings, live cartoon characters, i.e Spongebob, Frankenstein etc, which we had photo opportunities with. Even Spongebob and Neil had a handshake. Half way through the entrance area we were asked to do a questionnaire. What a worthwhile thing that was. We ended up getting a jump the queue ticket and so when we went to do the actual tour – a four carriage tram, we got priviledge entrance and went on first. Now if you had seen the queue you would understand how happy this made us as there was a 50 minute wait otherwise, and you know how men don’t like waiting!
So we’ve seen Jaws, and been through an earthquake, cars being shot up and bridges collapsing along with Moses parting the Red Sea and through back lots and buildings that have appeared on numerous movies. But the thing the girls liked the most was going down ‘Wisteria Lane’ from Desperate Housewives, the ladies had just finished filming and we didn’t see them!
Then it was on to Hollywood where the gold stars are on the streets. There were even a few stars with no names, and lots of names I didn’t recognise, so stars it seems can be unknown. But one cool thing was outside a theatre they were setting up for a premiere with the red carpet etc. This was going to happen tonight and already the press were lining up for their photo shoots.
Driving here is AN EXPERIENCE. Put it this way, i am really glad that i had my hair colored before we came here, otherwise I’d be grey again. We didn’t have a proper map, but had the names of the roads – interstate freeways to go and so had to guess. Traffic jams, following a truck that had Anaheim on it, hoping it was heading towards Disneyland was all part of the next hour. But WE MADE IT. Disney area is all hotels. We went out to find a place for dinner and the places are deserted for the most part. I wonder how much this recession is hurting the area. One guy at Universal said it was really quiet, yet to us it seemed busy. So busy must REALLY be busy..
So we’re here, Disneyland is tomorrow, while Neil heads out to look at vintage cars and parts. Looking forward to Disneyland tomorrow. This place really is fantasyland.

Jane Beckenham

www.janebeckenham.com

We've hit the USA - watch out!

2009-04-26T18:42:00.000-07:00

Well, we are here, we made it in one piece, though at zero hour, minus one, the new lap top decided not to work and so we (read Jane) had a rather heated discussion on the phone as to what to do. However, my hero arrived, our house sitter/computer fixer extraordinaire and the guy had it going within minutes.
We had a long, cramped flight, but the kids are movied out i.e. about 4 movies apiece, then had to come to grips with the US phone system and money. There was no shuttle available to the motel, but the motel people said grab a cab and they would reimburse – and they did! So GO MOTEL 6!
So now we are ensconced in our motel room, staring out at a dead flat landscape with tall powerlines and palm trees. It’s a nice warm day, just pleasant, and there is lots of car traffic. To the delight of the girls we’ve seen our first vintage car (yes, we’re on the look out. A 50s Pontiac according to Neil.
Neil and Anzhela waled up to the car rental place and came back all excited about the Mustangs - must be 10 a penny here,....we want to take one home!
Dinner early - 4.30 but we're pooped and out of cync with the time. But we've experienced our first Californian diner - a Mexican place where they must have thought us weird as we had to figure out what it all was. But hey...fries are fries in any language, and we can cope with that.
Onto Universal studios tomorrow, so hope we see someone famous.
And... yes while Neil was out at the car rental I even did some book editing....
Catch u all tomorrow.

Jane, Neil, Yana and Anzhela.... and we're all missing Bingo. Pinkie has yet to hit the streets of LA!

We have lift off!

2009-04-25T19:27:00.001-07:00

All packed and ready to go. Pinkie and crew. The Beckenhams are ready to hit the USA, but the question is, is the USA ready for us

Catch u all soon

Jane Beckenham

www.janebeckenham.com

ONE SLEEP TO GO

2009-04-24T12:21:00.001-07:00

Who would have thought that time could fly. Well it has, and we have one sleep to go until lift off. The bags are packed, still the glorious task of housework to get done, and my editor sent last minute edits of my coming release TO KISS AN ANGEL. So what do I do? I play on my new toy, my husband calls it my 'writing expense'. It's my lap top. Anyhow....one sleep and a 12 hour flight and we'll be enjoying the warmer weather of Los Angeles. So please California, heat it up a bit for us if you can.

Pinkie is taking a break from flying in that she is going baggage class = yes she has been considened to the hold INSIDE the suitcase - suitably PINK of course. And what do you think hubby gave me for my birthday last week? A PINK passport holder. Just to keep PINKIE company of course.

So stay with us and stay tuned, what was it that Batman said, same time, same bat channel, well, you get the idea. Hang around and join our travels

Happy reading
Jane Beckenham
www.janebeckenham.com

8 SLEEPS TO GO AND ...

2009-04-16T21:02:00.000-07:00

I'm going to miss my baby - my dog Bingo. He is my everything, yes i'm a sucker for doggie drool, but he's such a cutie pie and I wouldn't be without him. But it's a whirlwind getting organised. 8 sleeps to go! Do I sound like a kid?

Too bad. It's exciting, all the wonderful things and places we're going to see. Mind you gotta get this driving on the 'wrong' side of the road thing sorted, and the money that's all the same color - how the heck do you figure out which denomination is which and not make a mistake and give the wrong $? Plus then there's the subject of tipping.....well, it's not the done thing here in old kiwi land, so i had better figure that out too, then of course, don't get me started on the exchange rate ... not fair!!!! I' mean it's costing me $NZ 2.00 for every US$1.00. Oh well, who cares, it's only money, right?

So any way.... keep checking in... we'll update you on Pinkie's progress and of course now Pinkie has a mate... yes, a PINK suitcase to match. I mean a handbag has to have the fashionable accessories, right?

Happy reading and writing to all

Jane Beckenham

http://www.janebeckenham.com/

Pinkie comes along for the ride

2009-04-12T18:19:00.000-07:00

Okay, so i've bought the pink suitcase and i found this great pink bag to come along for the journey. But it seems i'm the only one who likes it! So just to make sure i know what i'm doing for a travelling blog, i thought I would introduce Pinkie to you, and you can vote if Pinkie should come for the trip or not!

So...what do you think?

Jane