Archive for the 'Further Afield' Category
This morning a different rooster woke us at a far more civilized time. I wonder what happened to our own rooster?
For breakfast today we had Potato Frittata. There has been a turn round of guests so there were six new people at breakfast.
Today we have to get the car business sorted out. First of all Tom called our insurance company and was on the phone for at least half an hour. After breakfast we made our way to the airport. We did make one stop on the way though at Kainaliu. We have driven through here several times and there was one sign that really intrigued us. It said ‘Donkey Balls’. I consulted our trusty guidebook to discover that they were chocolate covered Macadamia nuts. A good idea, I thought, to buy some and take back to work with me.
Well Donkey Balls are really big. They have 25 layers of chocolate and they come in a variety of flavors. There are Flaky Balls (coconut), Half Ass Balls (dark and milk chocolate), Balls of Fire (cayenne pepper) and Dirty Balls (coated with cocoa) to name but a few. We tried a few samples and they were good. A bit expensive to buy enough for everyone at work to have one each but they can be cut into fours. While we were there, Tom visited the restroom and said it was certainly different.
Note from Tom: The bathroom walls were covered with drawings of donkeys and cute, funny and/or gross references to the product they sell. I’m sure you can think of several little ditties that are appropriate. I didn’t have to “use” the bathroom, I just wanted to see the walls. In fact while I was there a woman walked in to admire the walls too. We both just stood there taking it all in.
On to the airport. What a way to spend part of your vacation. It’s amazing the amount of hassle we have had so far but there’s bound to be much more and we are the innocent party!! After filling out a claim form and picking up a new car, we were on our way but it was already 11.30. One more chore to do before we can forget about the incident for this week and that is to fax a copy of our old rental agreement to the insurance company. Just have to find a Kinkos or similar for that or I guess we can ask at the farm.
Leaving the airport we turned left onto Highway 19. The scenery here is so different from the lush jungele scene of the South Kona coast. Here it is rough lava and scrub grass. All along the side of the road are messages spelt out with white rocks on the dark lava. Modern graffiti if you like but at least it doesn’t leave a permanent mark or disfigure the surroundings. It also does not need to be removed or painted over.
Along the coast there are a lot of good beaches and resorts but we want to do something different today. We stayed on Highway 19 as it took a sharp turn inland. In the distance we could see cars upon the mountain road – that’s where we are headed. At Waimea we turned left onto Highway 250 and headed uphill. There are two towns named Waimea on this road (very confusing). The other is closer to Hilo and is sometimes called Kamuela. Once again the scenery is changing. Below we can see the flat lava beds and can even see the route the lava took from the Mauna Loa volcano to the ocean. Up here there is green grass to our right. We are still on the leeward side of the island which is dryer than the eastern side. In fact, looking at the map, we can see that on the other side of the mountain are lots of rivers.
According to the guidebook, there is a good view across to Maui when the road starts to ascend but not today. We see a huge cloud cover in the distance and guess that Maui is underneath it.
At the junction of Highways 250 and 270 stands Hawi (pronounced Ha-vi), the most northerly town on the Big Island. Originally it was a sugar town but when that business closed down the town refused to die. It is now the haunt of many artists. We parked and walked around It is a really nice little town with interesting shops, restaurants and galleries.
As we were hungry, we stepped in for lunch at the Bamboo Restaurant. What a funky place and a great find. It was lunchtime and the place was bustling and lively. The service was superb. We had passion fruit ice tea and both of us loved it. To eat we had pulled BBQ pork sandwiches served with waffle fries and coleslaw with bits of pineapple inside. The sandwich was sloppy to eat so the server brought extra napkins. Man, it was good.
A trip to the restroom was interesting. There were lace curtains at the window and a live orchid in a plant pot. On the wall were several Hawaiian pictures plus a brightly painted wooden fish and a bamboo mirror. The floor was wooden planks and the sink was old fashioned. It only had one tap and no hot water. I could hear the noise from the kitchen outside – music, talking, singing and chatting. What amused me the most was the sign above the toilet:
Please put down the seat so we can all enjoy the fun toilet seat!!! Mahalo!
And it was a fun toilet seat with a brightly painted picture on it.
After lunch we walked around a bit and drank in the charm of the place. One place particularly fascinated us and that was L Zeidman Gallery. An array of Hawaiian wood bowls of all shapes and sizes made from all manner of local woods. The artist was originally from the Bay Area. Last year on our road trip we bought a Maynard Dixon print. This year we decided to buy a bowl. We picked a smallish China Berry bowl with a natural edge. Getting it home was a problem as we haven’t much space in our suitcase. The young girl in the gallery was marvelous and told us there was free shipping. She said they would also enclose some special beeswax polish so we could keep it looking good. As we were leaving she gave us a small box of handmade Hawaiian chocolate made by the Kailua Candy Co. They didn’t last too long I can assure you. Delicious.
To round off our wonderful experience in Hawi, we bought two single cake cone Tropical Dreams ice creams from the Kona Coffee Mill just across the road from the Bamboo Restaurant and sat outside to eat them.
Then we drove east to the end of Highway 270 through Kapa’au – a town very much like Hawi but not so
busy. The road deadends at the Pololu Valley Lookout. From there is a marvelous view looking south east in the direction of Waipi’o Valley though we could not see it. There is a muddy trail to the Pololu Beach. It takes 15-20 minutes to walk to the bottom but, as it is very steep, I’m sure it takes much longer to walk up. We did go down a little way but only to take some photos.
To drive back to the farm we returned through Hawi and stayed on Highway 270 all the way round the coast to Kawaihae. When Tom was last here they were filming ‘Waterworld’ and offshore was the floating atoll. There is no sign of it now and, in fact, there is nothing much to be seen here at all.
We did make one more stop and that was in Kailua-Kona. Our purpose was to find somewhere to send a fax. At first we drove around a bit but that was frustrating due to the rush hour traffic so we found a shopping mall and parked the car. We asked around and somebody told us to go to UPS. Fortunately there was one within walking distance. Mission accomplished. As we left Kailua-Kona and turned onto Highway 11, we saw a group of four black wild piglets at the side of the road. Was tempted to stop and load one into the trunk but resisted because we didn’t want to leave a mess in the rental car.
It started to rain as we neared the farm and by the time we reached our room it was a downpour. The heavy rain continued for the next couple of hours so we decided to call it a day and fell asleep to the rain hitting the tin roof.
October 19 2008 | Further Afield | No Comments »
The rooster had the grace to wait until 5 this morning before he started his calling. It sounds as if he is saying, ‘This is myyyyyyyy yard’.
We met the third couple who are staying her at the moment. Their names are Bert and Sumi and they are from New York, so there are eight for breakfast. Today’s hot item was called Praline Macadamia French Toast, It was bread soaked in milk and eggs, spiced with nutmeg and cinnamon and covered in brown sugar and Mac nuts. Scrummy,
Our first task today is to buy a hat for Tom. Yesterday the top of his head got burnt. As John said at the breakfast table – ‘Your scalp is blushing’. We drove into Kailua Kona. Johnsie said Longs Drugstore was the best place for Hawaiian gear so we tried there first. We were very disappointed with the choice there and were told that they have cut back on that clothes because, I guess, the season is coming to an end. Fortunately there was a Hilo Hatty nearby so we trotted of to find it. Lots of choice there of course and we ended up buying more than just a hat for tom. I also bought a hat and T-shirt. We also bought a pair of rubber sandals each and also outfits for Tom’s grandson Brady and my granddaughter Lissie.
We drove south again through the town center of Kailua Kona along Alii Drive, past lots of good restaurants. I thought we could go all the way back to Captain cook on the cost road but near the Kona Country Club Golf Course it became a private road. We turned around and found our way back to Highway 11, stopping at a lookout for a scenic view of the cost. We noticed this strange green fruit on a tree. One of the fruits with the skin peeled off had been laid out on a leaf. It looked like white jelly and had big seeds in the middle and smelt awful. I later found out that it was a Noni or affectionately called cheese or vomit fruit. Apparently the plant matures in 18 months and yields 4-8 kg of fruit a month throughout the year. It can be eaten even though it smells awful and tastes bitter. Another name for it is starvation fruit. It’s uses though are mainly medicinal, helping with a whole range of complaints from eye, skin, gum and throat problems to relieving psoriasis.
On the way back to the farm we stopped at the Captain Cook Bakery Co because we heard they do fantastic banana bread. We bought some sandwiches and drinks plus, of course, banana bread. We bought half of a straight banana bread and half of a macadamia and banana bread. Back at the farm we picked up a cool box and frozen water bottles, towels, fins and a snorkel mask before heading out again.
This time we turned south. After a couple of miles we turned right on Highway 160 to Puʻuhonua O 
Hōnaunau National Historical Park, formerly known as the City of Refuge. Tom had visited here before but it was my first visit. There was a $5 entrance fee to the park but with the ticket we can come again and again as it lasts for a week. The City of Refuge is so called because in ancient times if a someone had been sentenced to death he could attempt to make the long and difficult journey to this place to seek asylum. He would then have to perform certain rituals, be absolved by the priest and he could make his way home again fully absolved of any sins.
The City of Refuge was a very sacred place and it still is to this day. There is an ambiance about the place which makes it very special. It felt very serene, with palm trees gently swaying in the breeze. We followed the map we were given at the entrance on the self guided tour around the park. There are two distinct areas – the royal palace and the commoners section – separated by a big wall. The park has been restored to show what it would have been like in ancient times. There are houses, canoes, storage areas, stone carvings and fish ponds faithfully reconstructed. A small bay had been roped off to protect the green turtles which pull themselves onto the beach to bask. Two were enjoying the sunshine while we were there. Where the lava beds meet the ocean there were lots of tide pools and for some time we hopped from rock to rock and discovered small blue crabs and various sizes and shapes of fish.
After our tour we collected the cool box, towels, snorkel and fins from the car and took a short, five minute, walk to the adjoining beech, which is completely separate from the park. While we were at the park we saw a lot of snorkelers out in the bay but when we arrived there were very few in the water. Somebody who was leaving told us that the current had changed and it was now dangerous to snorkel off the rocks.
We found a place to sit on a small sandy beach and Tom set off to do some snorkeling in the sheltered bay. I sat and watched him and also kept an eye on what was going on around me. There were a few snorkelers out with Tom. It wasn’t very deep and Tom never went out of his depth. Maybe I could manage to do that. I don’t like going out of my depth as I’m quite frightened of water. I did go snorkeling on Maui but I wore a flotation belt so felt safe. Here we have just have the equipment borrowed from the farm.
The tide was slowly coming in an eventually we will have to move. I noticed a small hole in front of me. Suddenly a tiny, sand colored crab popped up out of the hole and stood on the edge watching me. It sidled off to the side but the incoming water made it dash back into its hole.
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October 17 2008 | Further Afield | No Comments »
We were woken at 1 a.m. by the sound of heavy rain falling on the tin roof. It felt really cozy being inside listening to the rain outside. Then again at 2.30 a.m. we were roused by the sound of a rooster calling and he was right outside our window! Several times during the night he announced his presence but we accepted it as part of the charm of the place. The worst disturbance was the road, especially after 6 a.m., as the occasional car or motor cycle traveling at, what seemed like, 90 miles an hour screamed by.
(Click on the images for a larger version)
Tom got up at 6.15 a.m. and wandered down the farm to take photos. At 7.30 a.m. we presented ourselves for breakfast. Our neighbors Berchart and Karina from Frankfurt in Germany joined us. Johnsie and her father also sat down with us as well. In the center of the table was a fruit plate with slices of banana, halved passion fruit and quartered papaya – all fresh from the farm. We were served Egg and Cheese Strata, which was delicious. We also had toasted English muffins and a whole array of jams and preserves, most of them made by Johnsie with fruits from the farm. Tom had lychee jam, which was white, and I had jaboticaba preserve. Jaboticaba is a strange fruit as it looks like grapes and it grows on the trunk of the tree. The taste was yummy.
The coffee, of course, was Kona and grown on the farm. They don’t farm commercially as they only have four acres but in reality it is more, due to the steep hillside. During breakfast Johnsie and her Dad explained that they hire a team of people to pick the coffee – the harvest starts soon – and a local coffee farmer processes it. Johnsie does sell the coffee by the pound for $20, which is very reasonable as it is 100% Kona. Kona coffee is less bitter than other coffee. Tom prefers the darker roasts, which paradoxically contain less caffeine. I don’t really like coffee and have never had Kona coffee but I did enjoy it very much indeed.
Today we have decided to visit the Kilauea Volcano. This may well be the highlight of our trip because it is
an active volcano and recently started emitting toxic sulphur dioxide gases from the Halema’uma’u Crater in the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park on March 19 this year. For years lava has been flowing underground from the Pu’u O’o Crater to the ocean and we hope to see that as well.
We set out at 8.20 a.m. for the two hour drive to the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park and the Halema’uma’u Crater. The first part of our drive was through the lush South Kona district with elevated views to the ocean. We passed quite a few small, independent, coffee farms. Soon though the scenery changed and were driving on the slopes of Mauna Loa and across lava flows. On the map I noticed an unusual hatched area, just after Highway 11 turns east, so I consulted our recently bought guidebook – ‘Big Island Revealed’ by Andrew Doughty to find out if an explanation was given. And indeed it was. It seems it was a failed enterprise to sell plots of land. The hatched area is actually the roads that were built. Not too many of the plots were sold because there were no supporting services like schools and shops. A few houses have been built though.
Just past that area is a lookout where we stopped. The landscape is just lava beds with very little vegetation but there is a good view of the ocean. There was a local selling homemade jewelry and small carvings. I bought a few as gifts. I know it is tacky but that’s what you do on vacation don’t you?
Johnsie told us of a good place to stop en route to the volcano and that was the black sand beach of Punalulu. We took a short diversion off the highway to Punalulu and were rewarded not only with the black sand on the beach but with the sight of green turtles so close to land. I clambered over rocks to get a closer look and stood taking photos for ages. When I turned to make my way back to the beach I discovered that the tide had risen whilst I had been there and was standing in two inches of water.
Johnsie also told us of the ‘southernmost bakery in the US’ which was worth a visit. I thought she said is 
was in Punalulu but we could not find it. We found out afterward that the bakery was actually in Na’olehu.
Almost exactly two hours after leaving the farm we arrived at the Hawaii Volcano National Park. The entrance fee is normally $10 but today there is no charge in honor of new citizens. Very appropriate for me as I became a citizen last month.
We went straight to the Visitors Center where we wandered around for half an hour. I was fascinated to read about the Nene geese, which is the state bird of Hawaii. They used to be prolific but have now almost died out. There is a campaign to increase their numbers. I did notice road signs depicting a goose inside the park. The geese are rarely seen now. Tom did see them when he was here last.
We set off from the Visitors Center to Volcano House. This is not only a hotel but also a restaurant which overlooks the Halema’uma’u Crater. We walked through the building and out the other side for our first look at an active volcano. In front of us was a huge, lava covered, flat crater with trails cris-crossing the whole area. In the middle is a round hole with a huge plume of smoke coming out on one side. This is the where the noxious gases are venting. Around the rim of the crater is a trail and just on the other side a road which goes all around the crater. Both are accessible for some of the way but due to the eruption and continued release of gases they have been partially closed.
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October 12 2008 | Further Afield | No Comments »
Today we are off on a week’s vacation to the Big Island of Hawaii. Last night we stayed at the Good Nite Inn just north of San Francisco Airport. We have found that it is cheaper to stay one night in a hotel and leave the car parked there while we are away than to park in the long term car park. Besides, we get to start our vacation a day earlier.
(Click on the images for larger versions)
Our flight is at 9.04 so we are up early and catch the 6.30 shuttle to the airport. The bus was full. Lots of people are off on vacation.
Everything goes smoothly at the airport. We checked in last night so all we had to do was to check in our bag. Even that was almost painless. The bigger hassle is always getting through security but even that was not too bad today.
Our flight took off on time – how often does that happen? For most of the journey we were above the clouds (or was it fog?) and could not see the ocean below us at all. Just as we approached the Big Island, the sky clears and we can not only see water but also land and two of the volcanoes. Coming into land At Kona was interesting. As we descended, we came closer and closer to the ocean and then over lava beds. Just as I thought we were going to land on the lava, I saw the edge of the runway and breathed a sigh of relief.
Kona Airport was charming. No sky ramps to exit the plane but the good old fashioned steps pushed up to the airplane and a walk across the tarmac. The hot, balmy air hit us. We entered the departure area but this was the most unusual one I’ve seen as there are no walls, just a roof to give some shade. Once through the departure lounge we came to a large open air square with a bas relief statue of lei makers and shops all around.
Tom was last here a good few years ago and he said that nothing much as changed. One big difference though was the luggage carousel. Back then the luggage was spread out on the ground.
Next stop, the hire car. This time we chose Hertz because we got air miles. Finding the car was a challenge but a friendly Hertz guy helped us out.
By the time we had driven five miles we were completely unimpressed with our rental car – a Chevy Malibu. To say it was clunky is an understatement and it had no acceleration at all. I guess we will just have to get used to it.
We stopped in the town of Kailua Kona to take a wander round and to grab a bite to eat. We chose the Fish Hopper near the King Kamehameha Hotel on the waterfront and sat at a window seat only there was no glass in the window. The view over Kailua Bay was fantastic. Time to kick back and chill out. Hey guys, we are on vacation.
It was wonderful to sit in the restaurant eating our Hawaiian burgers and drinking our ice tea and watching the world go by. Out on the bay were small boasts, jet skies, swimmers and surf paddlers. Holidaymakers sauntering up and down the promenade. Sparrows were hopping around on the floor and window sills, searching for crumbs. Tom put down a piece of bacon but they were more interested in bread crumbs. They came amazingly close to us to grab the crumbs.
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October 11 2008 | Further Afield | No Comments »
We got back from a week in Hawaii so it’s been an adjustment getting back in the swing of things. There’s a lot to see and do on the Big Island and we’ll have a show and tell over the next several posts. Stay tuned.
October 08 2008 | Further Afield | No Comments »
Last week was a momentous week for me as I become an American citizen on Thursday.
The journey has taken me nearly seven years. I first arrived in this country on November 5, 2001 clutching my fiance visa. Tom and I married at the end of November and in the following February I was given my first Green Card. It was only for two years and before I received my ten year Green Card, Tom and I had to prove that we were still married and living together.
Last year I decided it was time to become a fully fledged citizen and started the process by filling in the necessary paperwork at the end of July. In December I had my fingerprints and biometrics done and my interview and test were on June 23 this year.
(Click on the images for larger versions)
Six weeks after my interview I received the letter giving the date, place and time for the Naturalization Ceremony. It was to be held at the Santa Clara Fairgrounds on Tully Road at 10 am on Thursday, August 14. The letter contained very little information apart from the above and I had many questions – What is the parking like? Can I bring guests? If so, how many? Can I take a camera? I went on line to find out what I could and eventually gleaned some answers. Parking was no problem. Guests could attend and there was no limit but it was first come first served. Cameras were allowed. I also discovered that there were gong to be three ceremonies at the Santa Clara Fairgrounds in August, one on the 7th and two on the 14th; one at 10 a.m. and the second at 1 p.m.
The day after the first ceremony I read a newspaper report that 3,000 people had become American Citizens. The ceremony had been delayed by one and half hours due to traffic chaos on Tully Road. As there were estimated to be another 3,000 at both ceremonies on the 14th, the same was likely to happen again so we made plans to arrive early.
Don and Arlene, Tom’s parents, wanted to attend so they arrived the day before. Thursday dawned and we were up bright eyed and busy tailed and the four of us were the very first to arrive at 6.50 a.m, so no chance of my guests not getting a seat. We were able to walk into the hall because there was nobody else around. It was an enormous space. In the middle, 3,000 white folding chairs all with letters, brochures and a small American flag; 500 brown folding seats at the side for guests; a small stage and large screen at the front. The first officials arrived soon after and said we had to wait outside but I persuaded them to let Don and Arlene stay inside because 3 hours would have a long time for them to stand in line.
Tom had to go to the other side of the building to line up and I was at the front of the line of new citizens.
Soon there was a long line behind me and I could see the traffic getting snarled up on the road outside as more and more people arrived. At 8.15 we were allowed into the hall and we all had to go to our allotted section. I was about half way down in Section 2. I had to hand in my letter and Green Card and was directed to the chair I was to sit in. Somehow Don, Arlene, Tom, plus three of my friends from work, all managed to sit together but not within speaking distance of me.
It was a slow process to get everyone seated. I had a grandstand seat, front row of my section and next to 
the central aisle. One of the envelopes contained my voters’ registration card so I immediately filled it out. The brochures made interesting reading, information about the Declaration of Independence and the writing of the Constitution but I spent most of my time observing what was going on around me. Patriotic songs were playing and videos of scenes from all over America were displayed on the screen. The official in charge of our section made an effort to keep us amused by asking questions about the Constitution and Amendments. Every time somebody gave the right answer they were told their prize was ‘Fame and Glory’.
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August 18 2008 | Further Afield | 2 Comments »
Sorry there have been no posts for a couple of weeks but we have been busy doing other things.
Two weeks ago we went to San Francisco where we saw ‘Tuna Does Vegas’ at the Curran Theater. We have seen a couple of the Tuna plays here locally at The Stage but were disappointed in this latest production,
Before the play we wandered around Union Square and had a look in Macy’s and Bloomingdales. After the play we visited a couple of photography galleries on Geary and then had a wonderful dinner at the Farallon Restaurant on Post.
Last weekend we visited friends who live on a winery up in the Santa Cruz mountains. Normally they have wonderful views overlooking Monterey Bay and Loch Lomand but not at the moment. There are so many wildfires burning all around that the quality of the air has been affected and it is very hazy. The worst fire is at Big Sur, which is just to the south of Monterey. 12 miles of Highway 1 have been closed for quite a few days. We heard that the fire came very close to Nepenthe but it was reprieved, at least for the time being.
Last Friday was the 4th of July and we drove to Fresno to visit Tom’s Dad for the weekend. We left home after breakfast on Friday, which is a bit later than normal. In so doing, we encountered more traffic than usual. On Interstate 5 we were right behind a truck which blew a tire. What with the smell, bits of rubber flying everywhere and having to avoid a large piece of tire deposited on the road right in front of us, it was a hairy few seconds.
It was a relief to turn onto Nees Avenue and enjoy the relative calm of driving past cotton fields and orchards towards Firebaugh.
For lunch, the three of us took a drive south to Harris Ranch. Our intended route was via Routes 41 and 198. The Central Valley is a vast, complex area of agricultural activity. On the surface it may appear boring – long straight roads with views for miles over huge fields. But, for me, there is always something interesting to look at. Well I was so busy writing instead of navigating that instead of turning right on Route 198 we found ourselves many miles south of Lemoore. We drove on to Kettleman City where we turned right onto Interstate 5 for the 25 mile drive north to Harris Ranch. Some detour we took, all 50 miles of it!
Harris Ranch is a huge cattle ranch with between 70 and 100 thousand head of cows at any one time. Approaching from the south though we did not see any cattle, the hotel and hotel complex was the first thing we saw.
There are three restaurants, all in the same building – the Bar Restaurant, the Kitchen Restaurant and the Steakhouse. The last one is the most expensive but it is only during the evenings. We plumped for the Kitchen Restaurant. Although they were busy, the pace was not rushed at all. Tom and I had burgers and Don had a sandwich. On the way home we turned on our GPS (should have done that on the way down) and drove up a few exits on I5. After exiting on to Hwy 145 we immediately saw not just a few cows but thousands of head of cattle. They were in pens. Each fair sized pen held about a dozen cows but they were not crowded. There were an awful lot of pens though and not one blade of grass to be seen. We then passed some buildings and saw a mountain of grain. Poor cows were heading to the slaughter house. We yelled for them to escape but they’re pretty stupid.
Before long we were back in Fresno. The rest of the afternoon we relaxed and I took a dip in the pool. As the temperature was well over 90, it was a real pleasure to jump into the cool water.
On the Saturday we were up early and the three of us drove to Yosemite to visit Glacier Point (see next blog) and in the evening we went to watch the Fresno Grizzlies play the Sacramento River Cats at the Chukchansi Park in downtown Fresno. It was a lovely, warm Fresno night and we all enjoyed the ballgame.
This coming Thursday I am off to the UK for 12 days on a business trip. I will be at the Farnborough Air Show but, of course, I will take time to visit the family. Tom hopes to be out and about over the next couple of weekends so watch out for his posts.
We should be back to normal by the end of July.
July 07 2008 | Further Afield | 1 Comment »
We were hoping to write several blogs during our stay but we had no access to the internet. In
fact, we had no access to a phone either so we were more or less cut off from civilization as we know it. It was kind of nice.
The main purpose for the trip was the wedding of my youngest daughter, Lizzie, to Ric on April 26th. The ceremony took place in Arundel, which is a wonderful town in West Sussex just five miles from the coast. Right in the middle of the town is Arundel Castle, which is the home of the Dukes of Norfolk, and it is everybody’s ideal castle. The River Arun flows through the town and a walk along the banks is beautiful at this time of the year, especially with all the little ducklings.
It rained the day before and the day after the wedding but on the Saturday it was warm and sunny. Lizzie was a radiant bride and it was a wonderful day. Lizzie and Ric are now on their honeymoon in Orlando, Florida.
We managed to get a lot done in the week we were away. On the Monday we drove to Taunton to visit my mother, brothers and sister (plus their spouses/partners) and stayed overnight. Wednesday we drove to France with my son Rob. How can you drive to France, I hear you say. Well you drive to Folkstone in Kent and then drive the car onto the train, which then transports you through the Eurotunnel to Calais. On Thursday we visited the Weald and Downland Open Air Museum in West Sussex which was amazing and on the Friday we drove to Guildford to have an evening pub get together with our friends. Early Saturday we were on our way home.
May 21 2008 | Further Afield | 1 Comment »
Just a quick note to say we’re off to England on Thursday. Margaret’s daughter, Lizzy, is getting married in a beautiful town called Arundel.
We’re also going to see Margaret’s Mum and head over to France for a day taking the shuttle under the Channel.
We hope to post a little but we’re not sure how much internet access we’ll have.
Anyway we’ll be back May 3rd.
April 22 2008 | Further Afield | No Comments »
It’s been over a week since we returned from our mammoth road trip and it’s time to review what we liked, disliked and what we would do different.
We were on the road for 16 days and traveled just under 4,000 miles. That is an average of about 250 miles a day, which is some going. We drive a three year old Toyota Prius and it performed brilliantly. It suffered a couple of dings and a small chip in the windshield along the way but apart from that it is as good as ever. Plus of course we got very good gas miles. One thing to note though is the lack of Prius sightings outside of California and Oregon.
Hard to pinpoint our best moment. The appreciation of the sheer size of the Grand Canyon must be near the top of the list but if I had to pick the best it would have to be when we were down among the hoodoos in Bryce Canyon.
We stayed in ten different hotels, mainly Best Westerns. There was one Holiday Inn Express and one Holiday Inn and two independents (Panamint Springs, Death Valley and Safari Motor Inn, Boise). Most of them have blurred into one in my mind but several are worth a second mention. The best one by far was the Best Western Coral Hills in St George, Utah. Not only was it the cheapest one but it had the best facilities, especially the balcony. Second best was the Safari Motor Inn in Boise. Idaho. It was nearly as cheap but it had no balcony. The friendly staff on reception and the closeness to Boise downtown were definite pluses. Panamint Springs Resort in death Valley will be remembered for it’s bamboo four poster bed and it’s amazing location. The worst hotel was the Best Western High Country Inn in Ogden, Utah because we had to change rooms due to the heating not working and the disturbed night due to noisy trains and the loud knocking on the door to the next room after we had fallen asleep.
The best meal we had was at the Rocking V Cafe in Kanab, Utah. We enjoyed the varied menu, the wine, the tasty food and the friendly service. The art gallery upstairs was the icing on the cake. Our second best meal was at Pair in Boise, Idaho. Here the food and wines were delicious and the service was good but the ambiance was just not as good as the Rocking V Cafe. Hard to say which was the worst meal but we had quite a few bland and unexciting combinations.
Each state was different and memorable for a variety of reasons. The most striking impression of Nevada was its bullet riddled road signs. Arizona will be remembered for the vast Navajo lands and the Grand Canyon. Utah was the most spectacular, with its wonderful red mesas but, looking at the state from another angle, it was almost impossible to get any decent coffee here. What we did have was very weak. Idaho was the biggest surprise. We were expecting to see the marvelous sights in Utah and Arizona and we were not disappointed. In Idaho we were not expecting much at all but what we did see was fine and Boise was an unexpected pleasure. Oregon we have been to before but only the western side. We were surprised to find the eastern side was barren and uninteresting. Then of course there is California. Most of the places in California I visited on this trip I had been to before, apart from Death Valley. There is no other place like Death Valley and it was a unique experience. I would love to visit in the spring time when the wild flowers are blooming, especially after a wet winter.
What would we do differently? Over to you Tom…..
Oh boy, what would we do different? Hmmmm, we saw a lot of rock. Now it was all different and all beautiful and in the southwest that’s pretty much what you’re going to get but I wonder if we could have somehow broken it up with other scenery. We could have skipped Arches but that wouldn’t have added any time really. Maybe more time? We took two weeks but three would have been nice, especially if we could have planted ourselves in a nice location with great accommodations for a few days to recharge. Yellowstone would have been nice and it was in our original plans but when we realized how much there was to see we scratched it.
I agree with Margaret, Bryce Canyon was magical. Walking down among the Hoodoos was real special. The flash flood situation at Canyon de Chelly was exciting (I can say that now). I wish we could have seen all of the canyon. Oh well next time.
October 17 2007 | Further Afield | 2 Comments »
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Along the coast there are a lot of good beaches and resorts but we want to do something different today. We stayed on Highway 19 as it took a sharp turn inland. In the distance we could see cars upon the mountain road – that’s where we are headed. At Waimea we turned left onto Highway 250 and headed uphill. There are two towns named Waimea on this road (very confusing). The other is closer to Hilo and is sometimes called Kamuela. Once again the scenery is changing. Below we can see the flat lava beds and can even see the route the lava took from the Mauna Loa volcano to the ocean. Up here there is green grass to our right. We are still on the leeward side of the island which is dryer than the eastern side. In fact, looking at the map, we can see that on the other side of the mountain are lots of rivers.
As we were hungry, we stepped in for lunch at the Bamboo Restaurant. What a funky place and a great find. It was lunchtime and the place was bustling and lively. The service was superb. We had passion fruit ice tea and both of us loved it. To eat we had pulled BBQ pork sandwiches served with waffle fries and coleslaw with bits of pineapple inside. The sandwich was sloppy to eat so the server brought extra napkins. Man, it was good.
busy. The road deadends at the Pololu Valley Lookout. From there is a marvelous view looking south east in the direction of Waipi’o Valley though we could not see it. There is a muddy trail to the Pololu Beach. It takes 15-20 minutes to walk to the bottom but, as it is very steep, I’m sure it takes much longer to walk up. We did go down a little way but only to take some photos.
