Plans 2011
Depart Perth 23:50 on Sunday 27th March, 2011 – arrive Sydney 06:00 on Monday 28th March – Virgin DJ572
Depart Sydney 12:15 on Monday 28th March, 2011 – arrive LA 08:00 on Monday 28th March – V Australia V1
Depart LA 22:10 on Friday 29th April, 2011 – arrive Sydney 06:05 on Sunday 1st May – V Australia V2
Depart Sydney 11:30 on Sunday 1st May, 2011 – arrive Perth 14:35 on Sunday 1st May – Virgin DJ557
Departing Perth
Nicole, our trusty house and dog-sitter, arrived on Sunday afternoon. She’ll be looking after Hunter—and the house—while we’re away.
Packing went fine. As usual, Rayls handled 95% of it and did a great job. Despite having over 200 days to prepare, there’s always that last-minute flurry when you second-guess what you’ve packed and wonder what you’ve forgotten.
Freddry, my work colleague and friend, arrived around 8:15pm to take us to the airport. Ryan was working and Scott is already in the USA. One last farewell to Hunter, and we were off.
Freddry had backed into our driveway—something I usually do—so once again I missed out on the prime seat for the first part of the journey. Thanks, Freddry, for your chauffeur service and best wishes for your own upcoming trip.
We arrived at the airport about two hours early. I’d booked separate tickets—Perth to Sydney and Sydney to LA—to save $700. The downside? Normally, separate tickets mean we’d have to collect our bags in Sydney, switch terminals, and check in again at the international terminal. A hassle, but worth the saving.
However, when I asked the Virgin Blue staff member in Perth about the possibility of checking our bags all the way through, she simply said, “No worries.” And that was that. Bags tagged through to LA. No need for the double check-in or schlepping bags between terminals. Massive win.
First time flying Virgin Blue. Boarded at 22:31 and took off at 23:06. A smooth, uneventful flight—no in-flight service, but that’s Virgin for you. We landed in Sydney at 6:22am (3:22am Perth time), making it a 4-hour, 16-minute hop across the country.
The transfer from domestic to international was easy, and we settled in for breakfast at Hungry Jack’s. Now waiting for our V Australia flight to LA, which departs at 11:45am. Over four hours to fill.
Across the Pacific
Boarding the V Australia flight went smoothly. The 777 was quite roomy by economy standards, and we were seated right up the front of the cabin—a nice change.
The entertainment was good, the food was decent, and service was fine. That said, 13 hours on a plane is still 13 hours on a plane, no matter how smooth the flight—and this was probably the smoothest Pacific crossing we’ve ever had.
We landed in LA around 7:20am local time on Monday.
I had a brief panic when I thought I’d lost my wallet—only to find it was in the same pocket it’s always in. Typical.
Then the real drama began. As we were queueing at immigration, Rayls realised she didn’t have her passport. Big problem.
We flagged down a supervisor who, after checking with others, asked us to sit while they investigated. A few minutes later, Rayls was paged and told to head to Carousel 5 to meet a V Australia rep who had the passport. The catch? You can’t get to Carousel 5 without going through passport control—and you can’t go through passport control without a passport.
After some more explaining, the same supervisor simply escorted us through passport control. It felt off—and it turns out it was. The poor guy got into big trouble later for allowing two people through without proper clearance.
Eventually, we retrieved the passport and passed through immigration officially. Luckily, there was no real delay—our bags still hadn’t made it onto the carousel.
Next stop was the car rental shuttle. We picked up our Dodge Avenger—a good size for what we need. Could’ve had a VW Bug, but that would’ve been tight. The usual upselling attempts at the counter, of course.
We were hoping Scott might meet us at the airport, but he was sick with a cold. He’d sent a text, but my phone wouldn’t connect to any network, so we didn’t get the message until later.
By 9:30am we were in the car, heading off to find our hotel. A bit early, but we were keen to settle in.
Arrival in Los Angeles
The drive from LAX to the hotel was a bit of a trial. While I had no trouble slipping back into driving on the right—years of travel here will do that—the GPS refused to cooperate. We were basically flying blind.
I missed the turnoff to the 405 and had to pull over to get my bearings and coax the GPS to life. I think it might be time to retire it! While parked, a friendly guy from the business we had stopped outside came over to help. Thanks to his advice, we made a U-turn and found our way onto the southbound 405. A little further on, another wrong turn had us pausing again, but thankfully, we remembered the rental place had included a one-page map. With that and Rayls’ navigational prowess, we made it to Buena Park and checked into our familiar Days Inn around 10:30am. We’ve stayed here many times before—just a short stroll from Knott’s Berry Farm—and always feel comfortable in the area.
After a brief wait, we were given Room 115—basic but comfortable. We did some unpacking, but with jet lag setting in hard, we found ourselves wandering in circles with no aim.
Ryan helped troubleshoot my phone issues via video chat and even rang Telstra, but no luck.
By noon, we crashed—me for a “normal-length” nap till 5pm.
Later that evening, we took a short drive to the local mall where we hit our first Wal-Mart of the trip and browsed clearance racks at Sears for over an hour. Great start on the clothing front.
Dinner was at Denny’s, which hit the spot, and we returned to the hotel around 10:30pm.
Oh, and wouldn’t you know it—the GPS decided to start working in the mall car park. Go figure.
Celebrity Spotting
A fun aside—we forgot to mention that Sir Patrick Stewart was on our flight from Sydney! He sat just one row ahead of us, across the aisle. Yes, Captain Picard himself, flying economy on a budget airline. Very down-to-earth.
Only in America
We noticed a new dessert on the Denny’s menu—the Maple Bacon Sundae.
Yes, you read that right:
Vanilla ice cream, maple syrup, and a generous topping of hickory-smoked bacon. More syrup. More bacon.
Delicious or disturbing? You decide. We didn’t try it. Some things are just wrong.
Day Two – 29th March: Shopping and Wandering
Scott is still under the weather, so we didn’t get a chance to catch up. That left us with a day of exploring and shopping—no complaints there.
We started with breakfast at Carrows across from the hotel—recreating the same photo as last year to show off my (modest) weight loss. Jury’s out on whether it shows.
Then we headed to Fry’s Electronics, a geek’s paradise.
Next, a nearby mall with JC Penney, Sears, and—yes—another Wal-Mart. We’re slowly building up our wardrobe.
We stopped at Best Buy and bought a new holder for the GPS. Now I can actually see where I’m meant to go!
From there, it was back along the 91 to Cerritos… or so we thought. Somehow we ended up at a Wal-Mart in Norwalk, still trying to find the AT&T store. Blame the GPS again.
Eventually we got to the right area—but in our excitement, we mistakenly drove up a freeway on-ramp in the middle of the shopping complex. Had to go around and double back. Honestly, who puts a freeway entrance between shops?
We did finally get the SIM card from AT&T and now have a local US number. Still not sure why my home SIM isn’t working—but we’re at least contactable now. And yes, we visited the Cerritos Wal-Mart too. That’s four Wal-Marts in under 24 hours. Geoff would be impressed.
We headed back to base around 5pm and had dinner at iHop, then returned to the hotel. We were both asleep by 7pm—jet lag and old age, the terrible duo.
And here I am now at 1:00am, writing this up while Rayls is poring over maps for tomorrow’s planned trip to San Diego quilt shops.
30th March – San Diego
Our last visit to San Diego was back in 2003. It’s a lovely place—a sister city to Perth, and you can see why. It shares that relaxed coastal feel but with wide roads and far fewer roadworks than we’re used to!
We had breakfast in our room this morning—just cereal. Healthy, cheap, and easy. Would’ve been even better with a cuppa, but no such luck.
We hit the road mid-morning, heading south on the I-5, a 150km drive almost all the way to the Mexican border—San Diego sits just a few kilometres from Tijuana.
Once there, we spent a pleasant few hours wandering around the city centre. It’s a clean, attractive city with some lovely shops and friendly people. I had hoped to have lunch at Croce’s Restaurant, which was run by Ingrid Croce, wife of the late 70s singer Jim Croce. I’ve always been a fan and was looking forward to seeing the memorabilia. Unfortunately, the restaurant was closed. Maybe next trip.
We also took a stroll around the harbour precinct, which was very scenic and peaceful—San Diego does a good job of blending city and sea.
The afternoon was all about quilt shop adventures for Rayls. Our first two stops were busts—both stores had sadly closed. But we persevered and eventually found three shops still operating, and Rayls was in her element. One of the best stops was in a town called La Mesa, a charming, village-style place where I had a nice wander myself while Rayls explored fabrics and patterns.
For dinner, we returned to Hunter’s Steakhouse, a place we’d eaten at during our 2003 trip and remembered fondly. It wasn’t quite as good this time around (maybe nostalgia added flavour back then), but it was still a very good meal—even if the prices had crept up a bit.
We made our way back north along the I-5, catching some lovely sunset views on the way. Arrived back at the hotel by 8:00pm, both tired and happy after a good day out.
31st March – Bowling and a Catch-Up
Finally caught up with the long-lost Scott today. He went to the doctor last night and the meds have started to kick in—he’s feeling a little better.
We managed a bit of a sleep-in until after 9am. Still adjusting to the time zone and travel fatigue. Scott arrived around 11am, and after some catch-up chat, we headed out to do some shopping. At one point, we left Rayls at a Michaels craft store while Scott and I snuck off for a game of ten-pin bowling.
It’s been a while since I last bowled—and it showed. My first game was a humbling 67, complete with two consecutive gutter balls. Managed a bit of a recovery in game two with a 110.
Arby’s for lunch, iHop for dinner. Nothing too flashy, just a really pleasant day with Scott—good to see him out and about again.
1st April – Hollywood Hike and Hot in Cleveland
An early start today—Scott picked us up at 6:20am so we could beat the notorious LA traffic on our way downtown, around 55km away. Scott is doing better, and Rayls and I are holding up well. Today would be a bit of a test though.
We cruised along the I-5, bypassed downtown, and hopped onto the 101, winding our way up into the Hollywood Hills. Our destination: a hike behind the Hollywood sign.
We got as close as we could by car, then took off on a 6km uphill walk—gaining about 500 feet in elevation. It felt like more! Eventually, we arrived just behind the sign. Scott managed to hit the “H” with a stone, while I… well, I hit the fence in front of me. Let’s just call it a calibration error. Embarrassing!
On the way back down, we had an April Fools moment. A woman warned us about a rattlesnake ahead. Not sure if it was legit or a prank, but we saw no sign of a snake—or a mountain lion, which Scott and his friends have actually seen up there in the past. Either way, the return leg was quicker and easier.
Next, we tried to navigate to Scott McKenzie’s house without GPS—a real challenge. We wanted to drop off some goodies and say hello, but sadly he wasn’t home. Left the package and moved on.
By 11am, we felt like we’d already lived a full day. We returned to our side of town and had a hearty breakfast at Carrows before catching a quick nap.
Later in the afternoon, Rayls and I headed back into LA—another 55km—this time to CBS Studios in Studio City for a taping of Hot in Cleveland. We arrived around 3pm, queued up until just before 5pm, and chatted to a lovely couple from Kansas City, Missouri.
Once inside, the show started filming at 6pm. It was great fun to see how it all works behind the scenes. Michael Burger, a comedian, kept the audience entertained during scene changes. Watching the actors mess up their lines was almost as fun as watching the episode itself!
Betty White was the standout star of course—what a legend. Guest stars included Buck Henry and Huey Lewis.
The taping wrapped up shortly after 9pm, and we grabbed a late dinner at Burger King. Back at the hotel, I crashed quickly—but woke again around 4:30am, typing this up while it’s still fresh.
2nd April – Go Kings Go!
Scott picked us up around 10:30am for another trek into downtown LA, this time to the iconic Staples Center to see the LA Kings take on the Dallas Stars.
The place is impressive, and as always, the Americans know how to do sports. A great atmosphere, and even better—we got a win! The Kings played well, and we even made it onto the big screen during the game. The 14-year-old who sang the national anthem was incredible. And, true to tradition, they took a moment to honour a returned service member—always moving to witness.
After the game, Scott drove us back to the hotel and went off to catch up with friends.
Rayls and I did some laundry—not the most glamorous part of any trip, but very satisfying to get it done. A bit of shopping followed by dinner at Denny’s, and we were back in our room by 9pm.
Tomorrow we leave Los Angeles and head north toward Sacramento. No set plans for the next two weeks—just an open road, a map, and a sense of adventure. Seattle is the goal, but we’re open to suggestions.
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3rd April 2011 – On the Road to Sacramento (via Lodi)
Here I am, settled into a Quality Inn in Woodland, about 30 km north of Sacramento, catching the last few minutes of Independence Day on HBO. We’ve officially left Southern California behind and are now in the north of the state, making our way slowly toward Seattle over the next couple of weeks.
We left our Buena Park hotel just after 10am. Since we were still south of Los Angeles, we had to drive through the heart of LA on I-5 to begin heading north. Thankfully, the traffic gods smiled on us—the road was clear the whole way, a rarity in these parts.
For a bit of context, Interstate 5 starts right at the Mexican border just below San Diego and stretches all the way to the Canadian border north of Seattle. We’ll be seeing plenty of it on this leg of the trip.
After a quick fuel stop just out of LA, we hit the road again, cruising north through California’s central valley. A few hours later, just after passing through Stockton, we saw signs for Lodi and decided to make a stop.
Lodi! The town John Fogerty sang about in the Creedence Clearwater Revival classic Lodi. I always imagined it as a dusty one-horse town—probably because of the song’s line, “Oh Lord, stuck in Lodi again.” Turns out it’s actually a decent-sized town, very pleasant, and definitely worth more than the five-minute photo stop we had planned.
We ended up spending two hours there, strolling around, taking photos, and just soaking it all in. Funny how some places surprise you like that.
After Lodi, we jumped back on I-5 for the final 60 km stretch to Sacramento and then pushed a bit further north to Woodland, our stop for the night.
We covered just over 700 km today—a solid haul. Tomorrow, the plan is to head for Medford, Oregon, about 450 km away. Should be a more relaxed day on the road.
We really enjoyed our time in LA, especially spending time with Scott, and now we’re looking forward to this next chapter—two weeks of exploring and road-tripping through the Pacific Northwest. Let the adventure continue.
Let’s see where the road takes us.
4th April 2011 – Medford
Cold and wet here in Medford, Oregon—a welcome change, considering our friends back home are still sweating through the never-ending summer.
We left Woodland around 10:00am, back on the trusty I-5, and made it to Redding by noon. We spent the afternoon exploring Redding—pleasant town with a nice feel to it.
Around 4:00pm we continued north, and the scenery really began to shift. Farming country gave way to snow-capped mountains, and soon we were staring up at the majestic Mount Shasta—its 14,000 ft peak disappearing into the clouds. Just a spectacular drive.
Eventually we crossed into Oregon—such a beautiful state—and rolled into Medford, about 400 km south of Portland, where we’re headed tomorrow.
Dinner was at Black Bear Diner, a quirky and hearty spot, and we’re overnighting at the Rodeway Inn, Room 114.
Oh, and we passed through a town called Weed today. Yes, Weed. The T-shirts were… interesting.
5th April 2011 – Eugene
Despite our best intentions, we didn’t make it to Portland today—we’re overnighting in Eugene, about 150 km short.
The reason? We just couldn’t bring ourselves to leave Medford! That town and the surrounding area are stunning. We spent the morning exploring, including visits to the historic towns of Jacksonville and Ashland—so much character and charm.
Rayls also managed to track down two quilt shops, so she was thrilled. It turned out to be another great, easygoing day.
By 3:00pm we finally started heading north and cruised into Eugene later in the afternoon. It was only a 260 km drive, but who’s counting? We’re just enjoying the ride.
We’re staying at the Broadway Inn, Room 32—a great find through TripAdvisor. Cozy and clean. Maybe we’ll make Portland tomorrow… then again, maybe not. Who cares?
6th April 2011 – Portland (Clackamas)
We’ve made it to Portland—well, almost. We’re in Clackamas, a suburb just southeast of the city.
Started the day with a nice breakfast at our Eugene hotel (Broadway Inn), then hit the road north, stopping briefly in Salem, the state capital. From there it was onto Portland.
We ended up at a quilt shop (surprise!) right next to a Day’s Inn, so I popped over and booked a room at the senior rate—yes, I qualify, and yes, I’ll happily take the discount!
Lately we’ve been passing through towns with some entertaining names:
- Weed
- Talent
- Boring
- and now Clackamas
Imagine living in Boring… must be dull. I stopped in Talent, hoping some of it might rub off on my batting. Remains to be seen. I asked a local how to pronounce Clackamas, and he told me the name was changed to Happy Valley four years ago. The signs still say Clackamas, but Happy Valley has a nice ring to it!
The weather’s been wet and cold, even saw hail in Salem. Word is it’s raining back home too—makes me smile.
Dinner tonight was at Applebee’s, our first of the trip. Delicious!
Tomorrow we’re planning to visit a 600-foot waterfall just outside Portland and aim to be in Seattle by the evening.
Everything is going smoothly—we’re having a ball!
7th April 2011 – Multnomah Falls and Into Washington
We started the day with a 60 km drive east of Portland to the stunning Multnomah Falls—an absolute highlight of the trip so far.
This iconic two-tiered waterfall is nothing short of spectacular:
- Upper Falls: 542 feet
- Lower Falls: 69 feet
- Plus a gradual 9-foot drop in elevation between the two
- Total drop: 620 feet
There’s a charming footbridge spanning the gap between the two cascades, offering a great vantage point and plenty of photo ops. It’s one of those spots where nature really puts on a show. The mist from the falls ensured we got a little damp—but it was worth it!
We actually parked a little further away at Wahkeena Falls, and enjoyed a 1 km trail walk through mossy, fern-lined forest before arriving at the main attraction. A peaceful and very scenic stroll.
From Waterfalls to Quilt Shops
After our time at the falls, we doubled back westward for a detour to Yamhill, about 100 km away, for (you guessed it) a quilt shop. Rayls assured me it was well worth the trip. From there we continued to Hillsboro for another shop visit, taking in more country scenery along the way.
At one point, we quite literally found the “beaten track”—a rough, potholed road that tested the car’s suspension and my patience!
Goodbye Oregon, Hello Washington
From Hillsboro, we headed north, crossed the Lewis and Clark Bridge, and officially entered Washington State.
We stopped at:
- Longview for yet another quilt shop
- Castle Rock for another quick look-in
Finally, we made our way to the Seattle suburb of Des Moines, just south of the airport. We found a great value motel on TripAdvisor—Sea-Tac Valu Inn—just $39 a night and totally fine for our needs.
Dinner was at Shari’s, a classic roadside diner—nice food and a relaxing way to end the day.
Another day well spent, mixing natural beauty with Rayls’ patchwork passion. Tomorrow: we explore Seattle!
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8th April 2011 – Seattle Sights and a Presidential Plane
Another good day on the road—Day 12 of our trip and we still haven’t had a donut or a banana split, though we did tick off one of our regular travel traditions: visiting a gravesite.
A couple of nights ago, in a town I can’t quite remember, I caught sight of a public transport bus marked Route 72. Sent a chill down my spine—brought back memories of Sunday nights back home. Some associations never fade
Breakfast, Quilts, and Hendrix
No fridge in the hotel room meant no cereal this morning, so we started the day with breakfast at iHop—always a reliable start.
Next up was the customary quilt shop visit for Rayls.
Then we made a very special stop at Greenwood Memorial Park to visit the gravesite of Jimi Hendrix. This was our first memorial/gravesite visit of the trip—long overdue by our standards. For fans of music history, it was a poignant and respectful visit to one of the legends of the 1960s.
Seattle Museum of Flight – Presidential Planes and Supersonic Dreams
From there, we headed to the Seattle Museum of Flight, which turned out to be an absolute highlight of the day.
We spent nearly four hours exploring the exhibits. The standout experience for me: boarding the first jet-powered Air Force One, the very plane President John F. Kennedy flew to Dallas in November 1963. Being able to walk through the aircraft and see where the President and his staff sat was absolutely fascinating.
Also on display was a British Airways Concorde, and yes—you could walk through that as well. Very tight and narrow inside, but so cool to see up close.
To top things off, the Museum is located right next to Boeing Field, and just as we were leaving the car park, we saw a 787 Dreamliner land just a couple hundred metres from us. A real aviation geek moment. The 787 is still in flight testing, aiming for certification sometime mid-2011.
We made a couple of stops on the way back:
- A Wal-Mart (of course!)
- A garden nursery
Dinner was at Burger King, and then we headed back to the hotel for the night.
Olympic Peninsula Adventures – 9th April
Today we started our jaunt across to the Olympic Peninsula, which is sort of the destination of the trip. We started out by heading down to Tacoma where we picked up Evergreen Quilting and then along Highway 16, across the very impressive Tacoma Narrows Bridge, and made a short stop in Gig Harbor for some very impressive sightseeing and a visit to Harbor Quilts.
Oh yes, we did stop at a Krispy Kreme in Tacoma, so that’s the donuts taken care of.
The Tacoma Narrows Bridge has a history.
The Tacoma Narrows Bridge is a pair of twin suspension bridges that span the Tacoma Narrows strait of Puget Sound in Pierce County, Washington. The bridges connect the city of Tacoma with the Kitsap Peninsula and carry State Route 16 (known as Primary State Highway 14 until 1964) over the strait. Historically, the name “Tacoma Narrows Bridge” has applied to the original bridge, nicknamed “Galloping Gertie,” which opened in July 1940 but collapsed, possibly because of aeroelastic flutter, four months later, as well as to the successor of that bridge, which opened in 1950 and still stands today as the westbound lanes of the present-day two-bridge complex.
There is historic footage of the bridge twisting and buckling before collapsing. The bridge seemed solid as we crossed it. All OK.
We saw four aircraft carriers at dock in a town called Bremerton. Not in the best condition. There are three mothballed aircraft carriers at Bremerton: USS Independence (CVA-62), USS Constellation (CV-64), and USS Ranger (CV-61). The fourth carrier is the USS John C. Stennis (CVN-74).
We stopped in at Gig Harbor where we got some nice views and another quilt shop for Rayls.
Then it was on to the fantastic little town of Poulsbo. Poulsbo has a long history as a destination for immigrants from Scandinavia, particularly Norway and Finland. Downtown Poulsbo maintains a Scandinavian theme in its shops and restaurants, and is a popular regional tourist destination. We spent a couple of hours here.
Back onto the main road and a stop at Port Gamble. Great views of Puget Sound here, and we had a pleasant chat with a man walking his two dogs, both of which he rescued from a shelter.
Back onto Highway 104 and across the Hood Canal Bridge, which is a floating bridge that carries traffic across Hood Canal and connects the Olympic and Kitsap Peninsulas. At 7,869 feet long, it is the longest floating bridge in the world located in a saltwater tidal basin and the third-longest floating bridge overall. An interesting drive.
We finally made it to Port Angeles a few minutes before 6:00 pm. Checked out the downtown area and bought dinner at a Wal-Mart — nice barbeque chicken and some fruit.
199 kilometres today, 5 quilt shops for Rayls, and some wonderful scenery and people along the way.
Port Angeles – 10th April 2011
None of the people back in Perth would give us much sympathy when they hear we both got soaked today — especially me.
We were going to go to Hurricane Ridge but a storm up there caused the road to be closed. The ranger at the Visitor Centre was very helpful, and we headed up Highway 1 to Madison Falls. Just a short walk there and a nice waterfall. From there we drove up the hill to Elwha Campgrounds where we had a pleasant 1 K walk through the rainforest. It was drizzling a bit and we started to get a little damp. Rayls had a semi-waterproof jacket on with a hood and that helped. I just had a windcheater on. The trees are so high and the ground covering of ferns and moss — just amazing.
Then it was further out along 101 to the Storm King Ranger Station and a 3 K round-trip walk to Marymere Falls — more than drizzle by now and we were both a bit more than damp. Another amazing walk through the forest and then an amazing waterfall at the end. Hardly anyone around and just the most pleasant time.
By the time we got back to the car it was 3 pm and I was soaked and Rayls close to it. Heater on and a half-hour drive back to Port Angeles where we thawed out in the hotel room, and Rayls ended up doing the clothes washing. Sadly the hotel dryer was not up to the job, so we went in search of a laundromat. The one we found had more faulty machines than working ones, and the sign said “don’t wash horse blankets or greasy rags in machines.” Bit of a concern. Anyway, washing is clean and mostly dry, and with some luck we might make it to Cedar City before we need to do laundry again — as long as Amy doesn’t mind us turning up in smelly clothes we’ve been wearing for a couple of days.
Maccas for dinner — salad for me and a cheeseburger for Rayls. Now watching 50 First Dates on TV. Cold and wet outside. Cool!
Port Angeles – 11th April 2011
Today we went to Olympic Game Farm — bread-chomping bears and llama selfies included. Then off to Cape Flattery, the most northwesterly point in the continental USA. Breathtaking drive.
The game park is about 20 K’s from Port Angeles in a town called Sequim — which is pronounced with no “e.” Rhymes with “swim.” We got there at opening time and found it to be fantastic. It is a drive-through place where you buy loaves of bread and feed the animals as you drive along. Rayls especially loved the bears, which seemed to perform for us. The llamas were fun too, coming right up to the window looking for bread. There was a varied range of animals, and it took us just over an hour to drive through.
Afterwards, we went back to Port Angeles where we visited the harbour and booked our ferry trip to Victoria tomorrow.
In the afternoon we drove to Cape Flattery, named by Captain Cook, which is the most northwesterly point of the continental USA. This was a tough drive, 80 K’s of winding road — very tiring, and we were glad to get there and back.
Last night in Port Angeles. Victoria tomorrow for 2 nights — just a 60-minute ferry trip away, and the capital of British Columbia in Canada.
Victoria – 12th April 2011
We had an early start today, needing to be at the ferry terminal by 7:15 am for an 8:00 am departure. Rayls did a great job last night packing all the bags, leaving just a small bag for our two-day trip to Victoria. Everything else is in the boot of our rental car, parked opposite the ferry terminal in Port Angeles.
The ferry, M.V. Coho, carries both passengers and vehicles and makes the 90-minute crossing twice daily in both directions. It was very cold this morning — probably around 1°C — and even the locals thought it was chilly. The ferry trip went fine, much like the one we took last year with Jim and Bette.
Customs was a breeze in Canada, and we wandered over to our hotel — The Royal Scot on Quebec Street — just a block and a half away, although it ended up feeling a bit further because we got bamboozled with directions. It’s tricky when you don’t know which way is north, south, east, or west! We’re in room 431, a suite with a kitchen, a nice lounge, and a bedroom — very comfortable.
By the time we got ready to explore, half the day was gone. We decided to visit Butchart Gardens, about 20 km from the city. We took the hotel shuttle bus the 1 km into downtown Victoria, checked out a quilt shop called the Satin Moon, then caught the #30 bus to Royal Oak where we transferred to the #75 bus to Butchart Gardens. I had quite a chat with the #30 bus driver — he starts work at 11 am and finishes at 8 pm with no breaks at all — no meal break, nothing. Wow!
Butchart Gardens is a group of floral display gardens and quite famous, though I’d never heard of them until last week. It was well worth the visit, even if it was a tad expensive at $22 per person plus tax. We enjoyed our time there and took tons of photos and video.
We caught the #75 bus back to downtown Victoria. I noticed petrol here is $1.289 per litre. Given the Canadian and Australian dollars are about the same, petrol seems a bit cheaper here. In the US, it’s around $4 a gallon, which works out to about 85 cents per litre.
We walked the kilometre back to the hotel and had dinner in the hotel restaurant. The TV here is full of hockey news – the Stanley Cup Finals start tomorrow. There’s far more hockey news here than in the US. Vancouver plays the Chicago Blackhawks in game one tomorrow night. Scott will be in San Jose to watch his Kings play the Sharks. Go Kings, go Blackhawks!
Victoria – 13th April 2011
Here I am watching hockey on TV. Don’t call it ice hockey in Canada – it’s just HOCKEY! Vancouver is playing Chicago in game one of the Stanley Cup playoffs, and it’s like AFL Grand Final week back home in Melbourne. The news is full of hockey, and I think they might even be in the middle of a federal election here, but hockey definitely rules.
No photos for a day or so — I can’t get Finder on my stupid Mac to work, so I can’t download or review any pictures. I tried searching Google for a solution, but it was way too technical for me.
Anyway… today we took the hotel shuttle bus to Craigdarroch Castle, about 2 km away. It’s not really a castle but a mansion. The four-story building is impressive, with lavish furnishings from the 1890s, and is known for its stained glass and intricate woodwork. It’s currently owned by the Craigdarroch Castle Historical Museum Society. The exhibits are beautifully presented, and you really get a feel for the period. We spent around an hour and a half there before walking back to downtown Victoria.
Victoria is a really pretty city, with a population of about 300,000 — quite small and easy to walk around. We ended up visiting the Museum of British Columbia and also caught an IMAX movie.
Another good day — not as cold as yesterday, with just a little rain but overall pretty pleasant.
Tomorrow we head back to the USA to start our drive to Cedar City, Utah.
Victoria – Tacoma, 14th April 2011
A long day today — 460 km of driving, including about 40 km on a ferry.
We left Victoria on the ferry at 10:30 am. US Customs was done right in Victoria, which I thought was a bit unusual. The 90-minute trip to Port Angeles was uneventful, and it felt nice to be back in the USA.
Victoria is a lovely city, and the people are fine, but I definitely prefer the US. The Canadian and Australian dollars being roughly equal was a bonus, but while a dollar item costs a dollar in Australia, in Canada it costs you $1.12. I guess it’s similar in the US, but items are just so much cheaper here.
Our car was just as we left it, and a quick check of the boot confirmed all was okay. Just after noon, we headed out of Port Angeles along Highway 101, skirting the Olympic National Forest with its sensational scenery. It was pretty cold along the way, and there was some freshly fallen snow — so naturally, I took the opportunity to make a snowball.
We drove to Forks, famous for some of the Twilight movies being filmed there — neither of us has seen the movies, but we stopped for a photo at the local high school before moving on.
The coastal scenery was beautiful, and we paused for a while at Ruby Beach. It’s a rugged stretch of shore with some interesting islands very close to the coast.
Back on Highway 101, we continued to Aberdeen, the hometown of Kurt Cobain. We didn’t stop there, though, and headed on to Olympia via the I-5. We had dinner at an IHOP and then looked for somewhere to stay. We initially considered a Days Inn, but the poor attitude of the receptionist put us off.
Instead, we ended up in Tacoma, just a few miles outside Seattle, at a Quality Inn. The receptionist there, a lady of German origin, was 1000% better, and we had a good chat during check-in. We’re in room 300, now watching the LA Kings play San Jose in the Stanley Cup playoffs. Scott is at the game, and it’s tied 2-all in regulation.
Today’s drive was about 420 km — pleasant enough, though it rained for about 95% of the trip.
We’re around 900 miles from Cedar City and aiming to reach Kennewick tomorrow night. Not bad for a couple from Kenwick!
Kennewick, Washington – 15th April 2011
Here we are in Kennewick, Washington — 387 km today, with a top speed of 136 km/h… oops!
We left Tacoma around 9:00 am and had breakfast at Maccas. Then it was Highway 18 to Interstate 90 and eastbound from there. The drive across Snoqualmie Pass, part of the Cascades, was slow going due to fresh snow and backed-up traffic. It was a beautiful sight, though — the snow dusting the mountains made for some stunning views.
We stopped in Roslyn, a little town just off I-90, known for the exterior shots of the TV show Northern Exposure. It’s a cool historic coal-mining town. Rayls spent quite a while at Crazy Quilts, a great quilt shop with a man cave — a nice spot for the men to relax while the ladies shop. The man cave had four comfortable chairs, a warm fireplace, and some books to read. I picked up a book called Why Dogs Poop and learned that cutting a worm in half doesn’t make two worms — just one dead worm. Good to know!
Roslyn was a lovely place. Rayls loved the quilt shop, the people were friendly, and the man cave was a brilliant idea much appreciated by this man.
After Roslyn, it was back on I-90 and then east to I-82. We stopped for fuel at a Love’s service station, which happened to have a Dairy Queen next door. I treated myself to a healthy lunch of pineapple, strawberries, dairy products, and a split banana — very nice and surprisingly healthy!
Kennewick is part of an area called the Tri-Cities, which includes Richland and one other town I can’t recall. We made it to Richland around 4:00 pm, managed two quilt shops, and had dinner at Applebee’s before checking into the Quality Inn in Kennewick — room 422.
Tomorrow we aim for Boise, Idaho — nearly 500 km — and then Sunday another 500 km to Salt Lake City.
Boise, Idaho – 16th April 2011
Scott will be happy — the LA Kings are 4-0 up late in the game!
We covered 504 km today, averaging 95 km/h, with a top speed I won’t mention.
Just an average day on the road. We passed through some mountain ranges, but the scenery is flattening out — still interesting enough. We crossed the border from Washington back into Oregon, then eventually into Idaho.
We managed to visit three quilt shops, spotted numerous Walmart trucks, had a great dinner at Denny’s, and spent some money at Walmart. At Denny’s, we were served by a guy named Zach, a local university student working part-time as a server. He’s a nice young man who’d love to visit Australia someday — hopefully we’ll see him in Perth, as he made quite an impression on both Rayls and me.
We’re staying at a Comfort Inn near the airport — room 215.
Tomorrow we aim to reach Salt Lake City, Utah — getting closer, Amy!
Salt Lake City, Utah
We drove 537 km from Boise, Idaho, ending up in Salt Lake City, Utah.
It was a very easy day’s drive — smooth roads, little traffic. We saw our 100th Walmart truck today, bringing our total to 102! The route was pretty flat, with mountains on either side.
We checked into a Quality Inn near the airport — room 220 — by 3:00 pm.
Dinner was at Cracker Barrel — took half an hour for the food but an hour in the darn gift shop!
Tomorrow we should make Cedar City, Utah, where we plan to stay for a few days.
In the photos below — someone needs to show the picture of me sitting in the Crazy Quilt shop’s man cave to Rayl’s boss. All good quilt shops should have a man cave! Not sure if a fireplace is necessary at Carol’s though
Cedar City – 18th April 2011
So here we are in Cedar City, southern Utah, staying with friends Amy and Steve for a few days.
We feel so comfortable here and are looking forward to some quiet time, although I believe I’m playing pickleball tomorrow morning — never played before, know nothing about it, but what the heck, I’m up for some exercise and fun.
We left the Salt Lake City hotel a little after 9 am in steady rain. We had a list of seven quilt shops, none opening before 10 am. Shopping hours in the USA are interesting: many Walmarts are open 24 hours, and most major stores stay open until 9 pm daily. The downside is shops rarely open before 10 am. Quilt shops usually open at 10 am and close between 5 and 6 pm.
On a sad note, many bookshops are closing down. Borders stores have limited stock and are selling off what they can at clearance prices. Bookstores have always been a place I could spend hours browsing, but as a Kindle owner, I can’t complain too much.
We reached the first quilt shop 10 minutes early but waited five minutes past opening before giving up and heading to store two. I hadn’t eaten, so I was pleased when that store was next to a McDonald’s. While Rayls shopped, I had my usual Maccas breakfast — fruit and maple oatmeal, a yoghurt parfait, and hot chocolate.
The third shop had a dog, an elderly female called Macy — part Jack Russell, part something else, with the softest fur who loved to be held. I found myself wandering the store holding Macy. A store dog for Carol’s might not be a bad idea — Rayls could bring Hunter!
The fourth store was one Rayls had been to before; no Maccas or Macy, so I snoozed in the car. We were tight on time — after noon and still a four-hour drive to Cedar City — so we skipped the fifth and seventh shops and couldn’t find the sixth, then hit I-15 south towards Cedar City.
Interstate 15 is a long stretch starting at the Canadian border in Montana, running through Idaho and Utah, through Salt Lake City, dipping briefly into Arizona, then through Nevada (including Las Vegas), and down into California, ending near the Mexican border in San Diego. You can travel the entire length without hitting a traffic light — minimum two lanes, often more. Between Salt Lake City and Cedar City, the speed limit is 80 mph (128 kph) in places.
It rained almost all day, clearing about 50 km outside Cedar City. The road runs alongside a mountain range, presumably the Rockies. It’s a scenic but tough drive.
We arrived in Cedar City around 5:15 pm. Amy made us a nice dinner, and we chatted and watched TV.
Today’s drive: 436 km, averaging 95 kph, top speed 145 kph.
Cedar City – 19th April 2011
The sun was out today but a bit brisk — probably around 10°C.
After breakfast, we headed to Southern Utah University to play pickleball with three other ladies. Pickleball is like tennis but on a smaller court, using paddles instead of racquets. The ball is the same size as a tennis ball but plastic and full of holes. We played indoors; it was hard on my knee but I enjoyed it, and we all did okay.
Later, we went shopping — nothing bought, but Rayls found another quilt shop.
Lunch was at Market Grill: just a toasted cheese and ham sandwich and their famous banana cream pie for dessert — the best pie ever, yummo!
Quiet afternoon relaxing. We attempted an Aussie barbecue for dinner — went okay, but no prawns!
Watched Eagle Eye in the evening — a good movie.
Scott was at the Staples Center watching the LA Kings play the Sharks in game 3 of the playoffs; they were 4-1 up in the second period. Ryan’s Blackhawks were down in their series but had a great 7-2 win tonight.
Tomorrow, down to St. George (about 60 km south) to take the Mac to the Apple Store.
Cedar City – 20th April 2011
We spent most of today in St. George. Left Cedar City around 9 am and waited for the Apple Store to open at 10. The staff were very helpful. My Mac, bought at JB Hi-Fi back in December, was still under warranty. They confirmed online, and I paid $50 to get priority treatment. Turns out it’s a hard drive issue, which they’ll replace under warranty. Hopefully, I get it back tomorrow — another trip to St. George, maybe alone.
I noticed unmarked police cars today — a white Mustang and a charcoal Charger — something else to watch out for.
Did some shopping, lunch at Applebee’s, and were back home around 4 pm. Leftovers for dinner, and here I am on Amy’s Mac.
Tomorrow morning is pickleball again, and hopefully another trip to St. George for the laptop. Nice and quiet.
Cedar City – 21st April 2011
Here I am on my repaired Mac, which has been working for four hours straight — amazing! The Apple Store team in St. George was second to none: friendly, efficient, and they had my Mac back in just over 24 hours. I did pay a $50 express fee to jump the queue, but it was worth it.
I slept well last night, which is rare for me — maybe it’s the altitude here. I slept like an air traffic controller.
This morning was pickleball. It’s hard on the knees but fun.
At lunchtime, I got a call from the Apple Store. After Rayls and I had Arby’s for lunch, I drove the 80 km round trip to St. George — 75 mph speed limits all the way. Driving alone felt a bit daunting, but I’ve driven solo in New York and Philadelphia before, so CC to St. George was no big deal. Driving on the right side is no problem anymore; I’ve become ambidextrous at it!
The Mac now has a new hard drive, so I have to start from scratch. Meanwhile, Rayls and Amy went shopping without me.
Dinner was at Chili’s — I had the fajitas trio, which was nice enough; Rayls had the salmon.
Back home now, about to watch a movie.
All is well — we love Utah, even with its quirks that make people joke that UTAH stands for “U Turn Around Here!” This has been a great trip, one of the best. Just eight days to go before heading home.
Cedar City – 22nd April 2011
Good Friday doesn’t seem to be a big deal in the USA. Steve went off to work as usual, and all the shops were open.
Just a quiet day at home. We checked out Home Depot (like Bunnings back home) for ideas. Amy wanted some things from Walmart, I took a short walk in Cedar City’s main street and ended up at Pizza Factory for a small pizza lunch before meeting Amy and Rayls, who had been to Jo-Ann’s.
After lunch, we went to Ace Hardware — the only place I know where Rayls can buy quilting fabric just metres away from where they sell high-powered firearms! You can also buy camping gear, clothes, and even screwdrivers all under one roof.
A quiet afternoon, leftovers for dinner, and then we went to the movies to see Source Code, which we all enjoyed. $8 each for the movie and $4 for the largest drink, which included free refills.
Ryan told me about some incident near home, possibly involving a petrol tanker and fire.
Tomorrow is our last full day in Cedar City before heading to Las Vegas.
Cedar City – 23rd April 2011
Today was a really good day. Steve, Amy, Rayls, and I drove about 45 minutes from Cedar City to Springdale for an Earth Day celebration. Springdale sits right at the entrance to Zion National Park — one of the most scenic parks I’ve ever seen. I know I’ve raved about scenery on this trip, but wow!
We explored the Earth Day stalls, walked up Springdale’s main street, and had lunch at a place called the Flying Monkey. Mostly, we just enjoyed the sights and each other’s company — the four of us really get along well.
On the way back, we stopped at Grafton, basically a ghost town with loads of history. It’s famous for a scene from Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid where Paul Newman rides a bike with Katherine Ross, all set to the Oscar-winning song Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head.
We checked out the nearby cemetery, too — some sobering history there. In 1866 alone, 13 people died, a huge number for a small community. Seven deaths were from diphtheria, including three children from the same family (a 3- and 5-year-old died the same day), plus a mother and daughter on the same day, and another daughter a few days later. There was also a tragic accident where 13- and 14-year-old girls were killed when a swing broke. Later that year, a husband, wife, and the husband’s brother were killed by Native Americans, and there were deaths from scarlet fever. Tough times indeed.
We got home just before 5 pm and had a lovely dinner of salmon, rice, and fruit salad, then watched the movie The Killers. Scott’s Kings won game 5 and will play again in LA on Monday. Ryan’s Blackhawks play soon as well.
A great day — sadly, tomorrow we move on. We never seem to have enough time with Amy and Steve. Next stop: Las Vegas, three nights at the Venetian Hotel.
To Las Vegas – 24th April, 2011
Sadly, we have left Amy and Steve in Cedar City and are now in our hotel in Las Vegas. As usual, our stay in Cedar City was far too short — I could easily have stayed a few weeks longer.
Breakfast was our usual cereal, and I think for the first time Rayls and I had waffles — Amy made them and they were very nice. After that, the time just got away from me. We pottered around, packed, did computer stuff, and before I knew it, it was 1:30 pm already — wow, where did that time go?
We said our goodbyes to Amy, Steve, and Dan and hit the road. Refuelled at Flying J, then took I-15 through St. George and into Arizona for 40 km. The Arizona section of I-15 is notable for its scenic passage through Virgin River Gorge. I-15 heads southwest from the Utah border to Mesquite on the Nevada border. It’s quite a drive — hands tight on the steering wheel with towering mountains close on both sides.
At Mesquite — an hour and a half from Cedar City — we stopped at Lee’s Liquor Store and bought some booze for son Ryan. We had a quick bathroom stop at Walmart, then back on the road for the last hour and a bit into Las Vegas.
At the Arizona border, we got back the hour lost last week, so it was just 4 pm when we arrived in Vegas.
Had dinner at Denny’s and then arrived at our hotel — The Palazzo — around 5:30 pm. Self-parked the car, then went in search of the lobby to check in. That was an art in itself. Shops, casinos, and canals (with gondolas) to navigate, and after 20 minutes, we were able to check in.
The Palazzo is the new tower of the Venetian complex. It’s a 5-star hotel and one of the best in Vegas. We feel a bit “out of our league” here — rather be downstairs at Amy’s place — but we are on our way home, and this is part of the journey.
Our room is a suite with a bedroom and sunken lounge area. There are TVs in the bedroom, lounge, and bathroom. Cool place.
We went down to the strip for a bit but were back in our room by 9 pm. Watched Private Benjamin on TV and caught up with computer stuff.
Las Vegas – 25th April, 2011
Long day today. Very long day… but good fun.
Started by visiting the half-price show ticket stall — we couldn’t decide between two shows both playing at our hotel, so we went to both! Jersey Boys at 7 pm and Blue Man Group at 10 pm. Both shows were within a 3- or 4-minute stroll from our room. Got good prices on both, so it wasn’t quite the extravagance it seemed.
We also went to Madame Tussauds and spent a cool hour and a half among the rich and famous. Really fun place with some amazing likenesses.
We wandered around the hotel area, inside and out — quite a maze but interesting enough. Nice day in Vegas, around 25°C and clear blue skies.
Around 1 pm, we headed into the suburbs to have a look around. Had a nice banana lunch; Rayls had a chocolate sundae. Went to JCPenney to see about removing a security disk from a purchase in Tacoma — no problems. Checked out Walmart (socks and undies for me) and Kohl’s, then to Michaels for Rayls, and finally Arby’s for an early dinner.
Back to the hotel, then downstairs to the Jersey Boys theatre. It’s a great show — saw it last year and enjoyed it just as much this time. Show finished at 9:12 pm; after a short break, we headed down to the Blue Man Group theatre. Lots of music and humour; most music was drumming on PVC pipes of various sizes and shapes. Audience participation included one of the Blue Men crouching on the arms of Rayls’ seat and staring face to face just inches apart. Rayls handled it well and outstared him.
So, a long day, but fun — late finish. It’s 1:30 am as I write this.
Sorry to see Scott’s Kings lost game 6 and are out for the season. They’ll be back in October, so will Scott.
Las Vegas – 26th April, 2011
Last full day in Las Vegas; tomorrow we head the 420 km back to LA.
Today we walked the Strip and searched the suburbs — late lunch at Denny’s.
At 6:45 pm, we went to the Imperial Palace Hotel for the Human Nature show. Human Nature are four white Aussie blokes singing Motown music — only in Las Vegas! Really enjoyed the show and managed to get autographs afterward.
Going to meet up with Scott tomorrow afternoon — not sure what we will do after that.
Los Angeles – 27th April, 2011
So here we are back in LA just a couple of days before heading home.
We left Vegas around 8:20 am and drove without a break to the outer part of LA where we met up with Scott around 12:10 pm — 420 km in a little less than 4 hours. Good to see him again; he is looking very well.
Scott accompanied us to our hotel, the Crowne Plaza in Garden Grove, just a kilometre or so from Disneyland!!
Before unpacking the car, we crossed the road to Target, then headed off to a hockey shop so I could buy a hockey bag which could double as a cricket bag at home. We have so much stuff we need the extra luggage space — the usual problem we have at this time of the trip.
Finally back to the hotel, room 229, and lugged all the luggage and ‘stuff’ up to the room. Rayls got busy packing and repacking and we are close. Scott left about 4:30 pm, and we will see him again tomorrow. No lunch, so we had an early dinner at Outback, just a hundred metres from the hotel. Back at 6:00 pm, and we have been sorting out stuff. All OK here and looking forward to our last full day tomorrow and then being home. Not looking forward to the in-between.
Los Angeles – 28th April, 2011
Love to say we did some productive tourist things today but we didn’t. Too tired and just ready to go home and start planning the next trip.
We had Burger King for brekkie and did a couple of shops but were back in our room by 1 pm and veged out till Scott came over just before dinner. We went and had dinner together at Applebee’s and were back in our room by 8 pm.
Now… our bags are packed, we’re ready to go!
LA 29th April to Perth 1st May, 2011
Our last day in LA was pretty quiet and a little stressful at times. The only one to blame for the stress is me—trying to get the cheapest possible airfare. I’ve learned my lesson though; next time, I’ll pay a little more for less stress.
We tried to sleep in a bit on Friday morning but didn’t have much success. We had a late checkout at 1 pm, and since our flight wasn’t until 10:30 pm, there was no real rush.
There was the usual last-minute repacking and repacking again. We had brekkie at Maccas—I do like the oatmeal and parfait.
Back at the hotel by 9:30 am, we just lazed about. I wandered over the road to a couple of stores but bought nothing.
Scott arrived at our hotel room around 12:45 pm, and with some difficulty, we hauled all the baggage down to his car and got it into the trunk. Scott and Rayls then headed down the 22 and the 405 freeways to the airport with me in hot pursuit. It’s around 50 km to the airport, and we made it in good time, no traffic problems.
I returned the car to the folks at Alamo—we had that car for 33 days and did 4,500 km in it. The guy who checked the car in was impressed and even thrust a fist at me, which I assumed I was supposed to hit back—cool dude!
Then Scott, Rayls, and I headed the short distance to LAX. Scott drives like a veteran, like a native LA’er. He went over to the Qantas area to check some luggage issues with his flight back in two weeks, and then we headed over to the V Australia check-in area.
Check-in didn’t officially start until three hours before the flight (7:30 pm), but we knew V Australia staff would be there from around 3:30 pm. We showed up at 3:00 pm, and they happily checked us in.
This is where we had some problems—but Scott excelled. Because of booking the cheapest fare, we were going to have issues getting the extra bags from Sydney to Perth. It was important the bags be checked all the way to Perth.
After much discussion, the bags were checked to Perth, but Rayls and I were only checked through to Sydney. We’d have to recheck in at Sydney for Perth—I was happy with that, very pleased Scott was there to help and take much of the stress away. The main thing: the bags were going to Perth.
Probably close to 3:30 pm before we left the airport and headed to a nearby area where the LA Kings and LA Lakers train. Scott showed us around, then we went to a nearby Maccas for lunch—I had a salad, doing well!
Scott was going to Van Nuys, a suburb on the other side of LA, for some ‘stick time’ with his mates—basically messing about doing ice hockey drills at a place called IceCastle, in what seemed a pretty dodgy area.
Traffic was slow getting there, but we were still early, so the three of us wandered around a bit—there wasn’t much to see, though Scott and I were impressed by the bus lane with its own ‘level crossing.’
Scott was on the ice from 6:00 pm to 7:20 pm. We had fun watching him, although it was damn cold in there—probably because of the ice. Scott enjoyed hitting the puck into the glass near me, which kept scaring me. It was also great to watch the little kids doing ice hockey drills—they had a Russian Olympian as a coach, so it was pretty competitive stuff.
At 7:40 pm, we headed back to the airport area—much quicker this time. We had dinner at Carl’s Jr.; this time, I had a burger.
Around 9 pm, Scott dropped us off at the airport again. It was really nice to see him these past couple of days—he was more than helpful in sorting out the flight home issues.
As usual, when you get back to LAX ready to fly to Australia, you start to hear the Aussie accent again for the first time in five weeks—wow, bad!!!!
Security was a breeze, and there’s no real immigration to speak of, so we were in the waiting area. Gate 34, from memory.
After half an hour, we boarded and left on time, I think.
The flight was fine—long but fine. A few bumpy bits as there always are. Rayls slept a few hours; not sure how much I got, but some time slipped by, so I must have closed my eyes for a bit.
We landed in Sydney on time at 6 am, and this time my electronic passport accepted me (didn’t last year), and Rayls got through fine again. E-passports are awesome—avoid the line and through in less than a minute.
Although the bags were checked to Perth, we still had to collect them from the carousel, which seemed to be working intermittently—four bags—and then through customs, who just waved us through without a second look.
Next, we went to the Virgin transfer desk, where we thought difficult questions might start, but the girl behind the counter was very helpful. The bags were retagged to Perth.
We were very early for our Perth flight at 1:00 pm, and I asked about an earlier flight. She checked the system, and sure enough, we got a flight at 8:30 am—saving us a four-and-a-half-hour wait. Bloody awesome.
So here I am on our Virgin flight—probably somewhere over the Great Australian Bight. Bit bumpy and looking forward to being home in a few hours.
Later now, and here I am sitting in my lounge room having a nice cup of tea. Ryan picked us up at the airport and drove us home. Hunter was happy to see us and is now asleep on Rayls’ lap as she enjoys her cup of tea.
It was a fantastic trip—we had a great time and look forward to planning our next one
Home and a Debrief
Here I am on Thursday morning at 3:30 am, already at work, and it’s been nearly four days since we got home. Jet lag has been tough—night shifts probably don’t help much.
We’re already making early plans for a trip in 2012, maybe late October, to get Rayls to the quilt fair in Houston.
Reflecting on 2011, I need to remember not to save money by booking two separate tickets—luggage issues were a hassle. Also, I really need to pack less next time. It’s so hard when everything is so cheap! I basically replaced my entire wardrobe this trip, which won’t happen again, so that will help.
Overall, the 2011 trip was a big success—just the right balance of driving, downtime, time with friends, and a real bonus to spend quality time with our son Scott in LA.
That’s it!
Gaz
