A Not So Great Start.

 

Wednesday morning and we are due to start the first day of our trek north with Rick and Karen (Texas), Jim and Jan and Steve and Nancy (both couples from Minnesota). It has been raining cats and dogs for the last couple of days and nights and the park has turned into a bit of a muddy quagmire so it seems like a good time to move.

We are up and ready by 8.00 although Norm was pretty soaked from doing all the ’outside stuff’ in the rain and I am just a tad wet.

And we are off.

Our first overnight stop was at Sikanni (pronounced Sickenee) Chief River RV. Not a long drive although Norm and I did have to stop after about 50 miles to get the new tyres tightened and when we finally caught up with the rest of the group they were just sitting down to coffee and cinnamon rolls at The Shepherd’s Inn. Now I love cinnamon rolls but knowing how big the ones are at home Norm and I decided to go halves. Good idea that one. The rolls were straight from the pan and piping hot and oh so yummy but there is no way that I could have eaten one on my own. They were HUGE!!!! Next time we might even suggest we share and go quarters!!!!!! Apparently the cinnamon rolls at this end of the world are quite the thing with every stop trying to outdo everyone else and having the title of The Best Cinnamon Rolls in the North”. I think I will enjoy being one of the judges for that competition.

One thing that has struck me on this drive and I may have mentioned this before in a previous post but it is the destructive presence of the pine beetle.

                                          A very fuzzy picture of the reddish brown trees
                                          some healthy green ones.

This beetle is making such a mess of the forests up here (we saw it in Yellowstone and in the Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado). The beetle destroys the pine trees and in the initial stages, the trees turn a reddish brown colour before dying completely and turning black. Apparently the only way to stop them is with extremely cold (like freezing!!!!) temperatures for a period of time. Bit like the DieBack situation in our Jarrah forests in West Australia except for the freezing temperatures!!!!!!

                                          Coming down the hill into Sikanni - very slowly!!!

We pulled into the rv park and had places right next to the river. In fact Jim’s rig was about 10m from the banks. Then Rick and Karen, us and the Steve and Nancy. It was still raining and the owner of the park was explaining the ‘white ties’. There was a steel pole with an eagle carving on the top - the Watcher of the River. It was placed on the edge of the river although the bottom of it was now in the river. The pole had white marker ties up it and the river was lapping at the bottom tie. The owner explained that if the water reached the third marker then we would need to consider moving the rv’s. It was still raining and the river was flowing at quite a quick pace.

Anyway we decided we would be fine and all had lunch then had a bit of a get together to decide on future stops and parks. After that we all checked out the river - yep up a bit - and retired for the night.


    If you look very closely you can see the first plastic tie just above the water level!

The owner did suggest to Jim that he might like to move but Jim decided to tough it out - it was only for one night!

Well at 4.00am we are awakened by a knock on the door. The river is still rising. Rick was up and had decided that retreat was the better part of valour and was going to move his rig. He had spoken with Jim who also decided to move. Norm woke Steve and Nancy and told them our plans and left them to make their decision. They were on the highest ground so decided to stay put although Nancy told me that they didn’t get back to sleep so a really interrupted night for all.

The three rigs were prepared - slides in, power disconnected etc - and then moved to higher ground a bit away from the still rising river.

    The three rigs first thing in the morning.

We woke up the next morning to find the river lapping at the third tie and Jim would have had to drive through a bit of the overflowing river to get out of his site. We would have been fine and so would Rick and Karen but given the rapid rise of the water it was a wise decision. We didn’t know how much water had been dumped up river.

                                                    As you can see the only tie showing now is the top one!!!

Just as we were preparing to leave we were visited by a young man in a truck who had been instructed to come down (some sort of government agency) and check to see that we were all okay. I was most impressed by that gesture and also by the owners of the park who were so accommodating and helpful and such lovely people.

I must add that by the time we left the park at about 8.30am the water had risen above the third tie. No-one is going to be parking in those sites tonight!!!!

As I write this we are driving down the highway, in convoy, to our next stop. The scenery is pretty bland at the moment with the road wending its way through pine forests to the right and to the left and in front. Oh how quickly we get blasé!!! 

I hope I will be able to put this and some photos up this evening when we arrive at our next stop so love and hugs to family and friends, stay safe and be happy!!!!!

And just after I finished this and put the camera away - guess what!!!  Oh well you will have to wait for the next post!!!  Suspenders!!!!
Ooroo!!

Oops and arriving in Dawson Creek.

We are now in Dawson Creek, British Columbia, Canada and tomorrow we start our journey north.  The other three couples are all here and as I type this it is raining cats and dogs!

Before I get into the last couple of days I must tell you about the drama as we drove from Phoenix to Bullhead City in Arizona. 

We were driving along Interstate 40 and turning north through Kingman when we had to stop for a short stop for Karen.  We pulled into a parking area and Norm got out to check things out (it was our first day on the road).  He jiggled the spare on the fiver and decided to tighten it as it was a bit loose.

A guy had driven up in his truck and told Norm that he was glad he was changing it!  Surprised Norm, who wasn't changing anything and explained that to him.  This bloke went on to explain that he had been behind us and had noticed a problem with one of the tyres on the fiver.  He pointed it out to Norm and explained that we had some 'tyre separation'.  He asked Norm if he wanted a hand to change the tyre and then said that if we drove a little way up the road we could use his tyre business facility.


To cut a very long story short, half an hour later we drove out of his business with four new 10 ply tyres to replace the 8 ply ones that were standard on the fiver!!!!  We are still not sure if he was trolling the interstate drumming up business or if we were just extremely lucky that he saw the problem.  When we inspected the suspect tyre it did look damaged and being the optimists that we are, we will choose to believe that we just got very lucky.
The reason for this story is that last night we were advised to get the truck tyres checked as our good Samaritan thought they may be a bit low for the long haul to Alaska and back.  And no, we don't think this Samaritan doesn't own shares in a tyre business - do you Jim??????


     Lac La Hache

My last blog came to you from Lac La Hache, BC.  From there we moved on to Prince George where we were going to stay at Mama Yeh RV Park - closed!!!!!  So we moved on to Bee Lazee RV Park which was fine for an overnight stay.  Norm and I drove into PG to organise a new pre paid phone card so now I have one for Canada, one for the USA and of course one for Australia.  Certainly heaps cheaper than roaming from Australia and the USA.  Coverage up here is a bit like that of West Aust.  - very patchy in rural areas - or which there are a lot up here!

From Prince George we have now moved to Dawson Creek.  The drive up was absolutely spectacular.  We drove through snow covered mountains and high valleys, grazing and farming country, along river courses, and just stunning scenery. 

  


We also passed a moose on the side of the road.  I was driving and Norm was snoozing so no photos of course.  I must admit I scared the proverbial out of Norm!  He was snoozing and I start yelling 'Moose, moose, moose!'.  He jumps up yelling 'Beep the horn, beep the horn!'  Of course I did and the moose took off into the bush.

A bit later a bald eagle flew in front of the truck but even I wasn't quick enough with the camera to get a photo.  Hopefully we will see more wildlife as we go along and the camera will be ready.

Dawson Creek is the start of the Alaska Highway and yesterday we went off to watch a video of the construction of the Highway during WW2.  What an amazing engineering feat and such a short time frame in which to get it done?!!!!  After watching the video we went to the Mile 0 Marker and took some photos and yes I will post them - soon!  And here it is!!



We really have been taking it easy since we arrived in Dawson Creek.  Norm has gone off to have the tyres checked and I am trying to get this up to date and do some more chores.  For such a small home there sure is plenty to keep busy.  Mind you I think I create 'stuff' to do.  I keep rearranging cupboards in an effort to be more efficient and safer.  We had had an accident when we arrived in Prince George in that one of the cupboards had popped open with all the bumps on the road, and Norm's cereal box had burst open on impact with the floor.  I cleaned up but needed to find a way to keep it from happening again.

The rest of our traveling companions are now all here in Dawson Creek so last night we all had dinner together and had such a lovely time.

Tomorrow we head out early in the morning to go on the first leg of our trip to Alaska. So until my next post I wish everyone a safe and happy time.  Our love to our family and friends and we think of you all often.

Ooroo!!!!

Seattle at last!!!

I had composed these three blog entries as one but decided to split them up to make it easier to read!!!  Yeah right!!  Maybe I should have posted them on different days to make it easier or at least posted them on the days I wrote them.  Oh well I make the same promise I always do - I will try to do better next time!  Now now don't be so sceptical!!!!

We had two more stops before Seattle and stayed in two lovely parks. The first was Joe Creek Waterfall which was beautiful and did actually have its own waterfall and gorgeous water hole that would be fabulous for swimming in the heat of summer (does it get hot enough for that this far north???). The second park was out of Silverton, OR. and was lovely and although it would have been nice to stay longer however we are on a pretty tight schedule so no tarrying I am afraid.

It was a park in Silverton that Karen and Rick did us a huge favour! The amount of alcohol that we could take into Canada was a lot less than we had in the rv so they very kindly helped us significantly reduce our reserves. We will need some more help before we cross the border though, so they will need to help us a bit more. We appreciate their ongoing support!!!!!!!

We have driven through the most gorgeous country from North California up to Salem. Amazing mountains covered with fir trees, huge lakes, waterfalls, farming country and around Silverton there were numerous nurseries with the most stunning plants ready for planting.

I have been just blown away by the rhododendrons! When we were driving the Blue Ridge Parkway last year we were too early for them but this year and where we have been driving they are just stunning. I have taken quite a few photos of them but I really don’t think they do the flowers justice. I would love to be able to grow them, and the dogwoods from the east coast, at home but not cold enough or enough rain.

Finally! We arrived in Seattle and settled in to our usual park on Lake Sawyer. It was Memorial Day weekend so the park was packed but we lucked out and managed to get a ‘pull thru’. Norm and I are not that good with ‘back ins’. It is okay if we can back straight in but when we have to get the rv around a corner - well you could say it poses some difficulties!

We settled in and on Saturday night we joined Rick and Karen at Rick’s sister and brother in law’s home for dinner. We had an awesome dinner - Joanne is a great cook - and the company was wonderful. After a long day on the road we headed back to the rv and hit the hay very quickly. Another busy day coming up!

An early start to the day took us to Home Depot to buy Norm’s new toys. A generator (so we can boondock in Canada and Alaska), a new compressor (the other one wasn’t big enough) and a new tool box for the back of the truck to put it all in! Then off of Jo Ann’s to buy the foam for the bedroom skylight - don’t ask - long story!!! (Which we didn’t get but did get other essential (sewing) ‘stuff’!

We then headed over to see Don and Kelli and stay with them for the night. The plan was to stay with them some of Monday and then head back to the rv so we would have Monday afternoon and Tuesday to get all the jobs done before we crossed the border into Canada on Wednesday. Well!!!! That plan lasted about 5 minutes after our arrival. To say that Norm and Kelli ganged up on me is putting it mildly and then they brought in the heavy guns and Don joined in!! What chance did I have????? So the new plan was that we would stay two nights and I would get the washing done at Kelli’s.

If you are ever in Seattle I recommend having fish and chips at ‘Spuds’. It is THE best fish and chips I have had for a very long time. The restaurant is a Seattle institution and sits overlooking the water.

Back to Kelli and Don’s and a leisurely afternoon (or what was left of it) chatting, reacquainting ourselves with the gorgeous Greta and Faith and thinking about dinner. Don and I went done to the supermarket and bought some steaks for Norm to cook on the Barbie and we sat out on the deck having dinner. A gorgeous way to spend an evening.

Monday saw a leisurely start to the day with Norm and I taking off to get the washing and Kelli and Don going off to pick up Kane the guide pup they are currently training. Another gorgeous Labrador.

We visited the Chateau Ste Michelle and took a wine tour and tasting which was very interesting and tasty. Some of the wines were really lovely but patriotism means that I have to say they aren’t as good as Aussie wines!!!!

Home to a wonderful slow cooker dinner and visitors afterwards. Kelli is the most amazing cook. She thinks about something and then before you know what is happening it is done. We the friends coming over Kelli whipped up two raspberry and rhubarb pies. Just like that (click of the fingers)!!! Talk about yum!! What a wonderful evening just sitting around chatting and eating Kelli’s wonderful pies!!! Life doesn’t get much better!!!

Reluctantly saying farewell to Kelli and Don (we love you guys), the next morning we headed back to the rv and all the jobs to be done. Norm had to install the tool box and figure out where to put all his new toys and I had a huge shop to do, stocking up on goodies for the trip and a few other chores around the rv.

DRAMA!!! Norm opens the box with the new compressor and finds it has been used and is a mess. So off he goes with Rick, back to Home Depot where the lady is so concerned she gives him $30.00 off the price. Now it was $129 and discounted to $99 which now means that it was going to cost $69 however because they had already given Norm a $65.17 refund on the previous compressor that he returned it was now going to cost us $3.83 - sort of! You win some!!!

While Rick and Norm dealt with all the ‘men’ toys, Karen and I took off to the supermarket to do some shopping. I was stocking up on lots of bits that apparently cost an arm and a leg once you get into Canada and Alaska so all we will need to buy while up there will be the fresh produce. Well that is the plan anyway,

After once again helping us reduce the amount of alcohol we were carrying we all headed to bed in preparation for the drive tomorrow and crossing the border. While we have done everything we can think of to meet the Canadian requirements we are still hoping that we cross the border without having to go through the hassle of a search. Experience of other rv’ers is that if you are searched the officers remove everything from every cupboard and storage compartment and then you have to put it all back. We would prefer for that not to happen.

We set off early after deciding not to take Interstate 5 as it had lots of roadwork’s and was extremely heavy with traffic. We got a reasonably easy drive up to the crossing at Sumas, Washington and would you believe it the officer asked us where we lived, did we have anything that we wanted to declare or get rid of, did we own the rig or rent it, how long we were going to be in Canada and were we traveling with the folks in front? Oops forgot to mention he also asked us if we were carrying any firearms! Apparently anyone with Texas plates their vehicles is a bit suspect in that regard! We answered all his questions as he checked our passports and then he wished us a good trip and sent us on our way. Easy and painless.

Our first stay in Canada was in the most beautiful spot in Hope, British Columbia. The drive to Hope was just stunning. Mountains everywhere and the town is surrounded on all sides by mountains. Our rv was backed up against the Fraser River under fir trees and was just gorgeous.

Our next day is spent driving to the 100 Mile House Campground. We pulled in and pulled straight out again. Not a place to stay. Some young people told us that the camp hosts hadn’t been there for 6-8 months so many people just pulled in, boon docked for nothing and then left. We wanted something a little more up market so we headed for an rv park at Lac La Hache.

It looked a bit rough as we headed down a dirt road and as we approached however we had really easy pull throughs we a beautiful view of the lake behind us. The lady host also sold me a loaf of beautiful home made bread which would have been lovely for dinner however it was a bit late in coming so it made lovely toast the next morning and sandwiches for lunch.

When in Canada you say bye or au revoir. So au revoir for now and more to come in the next couple of days as we finally arrive in Dawson Creek to meet up with Jim and Jan, who have done all the planning for this amazing adventure, and the rest of our traveling companions.

Or as we say in Australia (sometimes) - Ooroo!

Magnificent Mammoth Lake - what a stunning place!!

Another riveting and enthralling episode in the adventures of us!

Our friends Mike and Mo are working at Crystal Crag Lodge up on Mammoth Lakes and we are looking forward to catching up with them. I have been following Mike’s blog and have had quite a few laughs at some of the predicaments that they have found themselves in.  We caught up with them for dinner on our first night and laughed the whole evening.

The next day, Rick, Karen, Norm and I took off for a day of sightseeing. We went up to the lodge to see where Mike and Mo are working and were absolutely blown away by the most amazing scenery! Talk about a slice of heaven here on earth. The waterfalls, crystal clear lakes, snow capped mountains and pine covered slopes were unbelievable.

I find I take a photo and then look away at something else and then look back and am so moved I need to take another photo. Needless to say, I take way too many, so thank goodness for digital cameras! It is impossible to take lousy photos when you have such stunning scenery.

Mike and Mo joined us all for dinner and we had so much fun. It was difficult to say our goodbyes so we agreed to try to cross paths somewhere later in our travels.

The next day was a really long day with about 330miles to get us from Mammoth Lakes, up through Reno, Nevada and then back into California to Dunnigan. Now that was an interesting RV park! Quite a few permanent residents that had a very interesting vocabulary that we listened to rather late in the evening! They did quiet down and we were able to get a decent night’s sleep in the end.

Our next two overnight stops took us up into Oregon which is just the most stunning countryside. It is just beautiful with wooded hills, lots of rivers and farming country. I think I could live in Oregon but then again I say that about so many of the places we visit. This country is just so diverse!

I don’t know if I have commented before but this country has sooooo much water. There are lakes, rivers and streams everywhere! I guess when you have so much water, conservation isn’t really necessary. I could probably count on the fingers of one hand the number of times I have come across dual flush toilets. Just saying!!!!!

Our next stop is Seattle at one of our favourite RV Parks and catching up with more wonderful friends Kelli and Don and their St Bernard’s Greta and Faith and Kane who is a guide dog in training.

For those of you who are new to our blog Kelli and Don came to our rescue when we in need of somewhere to leave the rv and truck when we took our cruise to Alaska in 2010.

We had made friends with a couple, Mary and Bruce from Wisconsin, and while we were visiting them I was searching on the internet for a park or somewhere to leave the rig while on the cruise.

Unbeknown to me Mary sent an email to, Sandra, her sister-in-law in Seattle, asking if she knew anyone with room for an rv. Sandra then sent the email to everyone in the Guide Dogs for the Blind group in which she was involved and Kelli and Don put their hand up. They looked after the rv and took us to the cruise ship and then picked us up on our return. Such wonderful people! They made us so welcome and we really appreciate everything they have done for us but especially, their friendship. We were so looking forward to caching up with them again.

Here endeth this episode in the life and times of the real GRAY nomads! Be healthy, be loved and above all be happy. Love and hugs from us.

We’re baaacckkkk!!!!!! Another Beginning.

It could be good or it could be your worst nightmare!!! The Aussies are back in the US!!! We left Perth on Monday evening, 14th May and flew to LA via Auckland NZ. In fact, we left Auckland at 9.30pm Tuesday 15th and arrived in LA at 2.00pm on Tuesday 15th!! Just love that International Date Line. We had a 14 hour layover in Auckland so had spent the time sleeping at a motel and then spent the night in LA before heading to Phoenix early on 16th. Our arrival in Phoenix was very special because we were met at the airport by our friends Rick and Karen. They had a lovely sign welcoming us back which was terrific. They took us straight out to the RV storage facility where we had to pick up the truck and fiver. The staff and facilities at Coyote Pass RV Storage in El Mirage are fantastic and we can certainly recommend them if anyone is looking for storage. The good part was that Doug, our rescuer in Phoenix when we had the trouble just before leaving last time, had done all the right things and the truck started first time and the fiver was in excellent condition. We then took the fiver to a dealership to get the wheel bearings repacked while we had a delightful lunch with Karen and Rick back at their campground. It was so wonderful to be able to catch up with the last year over lunch. We have so much fun with these guys. Karen and I ducked down to the shops so I could pick up a few essentials for the fridge and pantry although before we leave on Saturday an extended and very serious trip to the supermarket is on the agenda. Obviously before we left last time we emptied the fridge and pantry so it all has to be restocked - long shopping list being developed. Thursday, Norm and I spent the day unpacking all the clothes and ‘stuff’ we had put in storage in the fiver and unpacking the suitcases and putting everything back in its rightful place. Needless to say an early night was on the cards! Friday was to be our last day in Phoenix so Karen and I headed off to the supermarket for some serious shopping. We had a really good giggle as we were heading back to the campground. Karen and I were loading the shopping into the truck as a lady, a bit older than us we think, came up to Karen and very politely asked her, “Have either of you two ladies ever had a colonoscopy?” Of course I am just about having an apoplectic fit while Karen is very politely telling her that it isn’t that bad and she shouldn’t be looking after the children as she may have to get to the ‘potty’ in a bit of a rush in the preparation! We really cracked up in the truck on the way home! Early Saturday morning Norm and I got up and started going through our pack up routine. We are a bit out of practice and had to check very carefully that we were doing everything in the right order and doing it correctly. A small hiccup with attaching the truck to the fiver was very quickly rectified and no problems. I must admit though it did take us a bit longer than usual but I am sure we will become more efficient as we go along. Our journey today isn’t too long as we head up I17 towards Flagstaff and then connect with I40 to get us to Bullhead City which is still in Arizona. We will only be staying overnight and we may use the afternoon to do some domestic chores that have to be done. (Boring!!!!!) We spent a hot night in Bullhead City and then left early the next morning for Inyokern in California. Another hot night and so looking forward to the cooler weather forecast in Mammoth Lakes. More to come as we move north. See you somewhere in the great outdoors or they say here - see ya on the road! Take care and be kind to you.

On the move again - Hawaii

And so the adventure continues! After six months we have now flown out of Perth, via Sydney, to Honolulu. The flight was, like most flights, very uneventful although we did have three seats to ourselves so we were able to spread out for the ten hour flight from Sydney to Honolulu, so for the first time ever, I was able to get some sleep! Not a lot, but at least my head wasn’t drooping onto my chest or my shoulder and waking me up every time! Lol We arrived at our hotel about lunch time and immediately set out to do some chores! Our Kindles had stopped working while back home and Amazon had replaced them but the old ones had to be posted back as soon as we were back on US soil. We had to find an internet café (as the internet connection at the hotel wasn’t working) and we had to print out the return labels. I had broken two of my beautiful new nails and had to get them repaired and we needed to find the UPS store to post the Kindles back. We managed to get the internet café, the labels and my nails done as Norm was having some problems walking because his knee had swollen up during the flight. The Kindles had to wait till the next day. The concierge recommended a restaurant across the road - the ‘Ohhh! Ceanarium’ (Oceanarium). It had the most amazing aquarium - absolutely enormous! They even had a young lady scuba diving in there feeding the fish! And the food (buffet) was to die for. You should have seen Norm with the crab legs! I wish I had had the camera! The day ended quite abruptly as we made it back to our hotel room and literally crashed. I didn’t work out how many hours we had been awake, but it was more than twenty four and we had to be up and ready for our excursion by 6.30am. Our coach picked us up, along with 37 other people who are going on the cruise, and took us to Pearl Harbour to the memorial there. I would have to say that this was probably one of the most moving and sobering experiences I have ever had. Amongst the exhibits there was also a movie which provided the background for Japan’s decision to bomb Pearl Harbour. The movie was particularly graphic and included original footage from the event. After the exhibits and movie we took the short boat ride out to the remains of the USS Arizona. This battleship was sunk with a loss of over 1100 men. The bodies of about 900 still remain entombed in the hull. Just so very sad. Interesting that 70 years on there is still oil leaking from the tanks of the Arizona, and, according to our guide, the oil rises to the surface in droplet form. When it reaches the surface it spreads and then by the time the current takes it to the stern of the ship it has dispersed and disappeared completely. Our guide said that the oil does not seem to be in the water except over the ship and doesn‘t show up anywhere else. I think the guide said there is still half a million gallons of oil still in the hull. And they call the drops of oil - the tears of those below. Very sad. From Pearl Harbour our tour took in the Punchbowl Memorial and Honolulu city highlights. In the afternoon we went off in search of the UPS. Walking along the foreshore of Waikiki beach, police car with two police patting down two gentlemen (?). As we walked passed they slapped the cuffs on one but we didn’t wait to see what happened with the other. Eventually we found our way to the UPS store and got rid of the Kindles. Then we went for a walk to the International Market where we each bought a Hawaiian shirt - just for fun! Quite bright but lots of fun! I must add that many people - locals and visitors - seem to wear them! The evening we returned to the Market and had a quick dinner and watched a trio of Hawaiian musicians and singers perform. They also had a dancer who performed some beautiful hula dances. She was so elegant and graceful. We also stopped at one of the many pearl shops and Norm bought me a stunning set of pearls - a pendant, earring and ring. I am such a lucky lady! The next day we set out for the ship the ‘Pride of America’ that was going to take us on a cruise around the four major Hawaiian islands. We had a lovely balcony suite and were so excited. Of course when you get on the ship the staterooms are not quite ready as they are still cleaning after the previous passengers had only just disembarked so we went off to get some lunch. Is it any wonder that the average weight gain on a cruise is 12lb in seven days!!! There is so much food to chose from and it is all so beautiful! I was determined to not put on any weight this cruise so I settled for a lovely fresh roll with some filling. No dessert, no icecream - what a wonderful start! But can she keep it up?!!!!!! We settled into our room and spent the afternoon checking out the ship, had a swim and some drinks by the pool. As we were lounging by the pool we struck up a conversation with , Sean and Holly, the couple next to us, who were from Connecticut. Well the conversation stretched into a drink or two and then then went to dinner. We had to have dinner in the buffet as we had left it a bit late to get dressed up for one of the restaurants.. Our first port was on the island of Hana and we were booked on the all day ‘Heavenly Hana’ tour. The tour took us around some incredible coast line and at times was quite a nail biting ride with the wheels of the bus incredibly close to a sheer drop onto rocks or just straight into the ocean!!! The scenery was just stunning with beautiful waterfalls and forests and the stunning volcanic coastline. We also stopped at a winery and although it was a lovely spot with (shades of home!) some stunning eucalyptus trees (from Aust. of course) we found the wines a bit sweet for our taste. There was a unique store next door that sold the most amazing icecream so of course we had to have some! About watching what I was eating - yeah I will do that later!!! When we got back to the ship we dressed for dinner as it was Norm’s birthday. We had a lovely meal in one of the many dining rooms and shared our meal with two Canadian ladies and a young American couple. It was such fun and we all had a fabulous meal. But I was good and passed on the dessert! If you had seen the desserts you would understand why I think I deserve a medal. Monday, Norm and I were supposed to be going snorkeling but we got to the boat, got on it and Norm looked at me and said we were going back to the ship! I was feeling decidedly ill and was looking quite green around the gills! We jumped in a taxi and went back to the ship where I proceeded to spend the rest of the morning and part of the afternoon in bed sleeping. Norm went down to the pool and spent the day reading and lounging by the pool. I started to improve in the afternoon so I went looking for him and we ended up spending the rest of the afternoon swimming and reading by the pool. We had dinner with Sean and Holly who had spent a wonderful day. It was their 30th wedding anniversary and Sean had planned a romantic renewal ceremony on the beach. We had a wonderful dinner celebrating their anniversary and of course when they were presented with a cake to celebrate Norm had to get into the act and wanted to now how come he didn’t get a cake for his birthday? So of course our waiter then brought him one with a candle on top and we all sang Happy Birthday - even though it was a day late! But a wonderful time was had by all and plans for the rest of the cruise were discussed. Beware!! It was at 5.15am on Tuesday morning that the proverbial hit the fan with a phone call from our son Bryce in Australia. My mum was extremely ill and was in need of surgery and we were needed at home. The concierge on the ship was wonderful and by the time the ship docked at 7.00am he had arranged for transport from the ship to Hilo airport, flights from Hilo to Honolulu then Sydney and on to Perth. Sounds easy? Well it would have been if the plane in Hilo hadn’t had engine trouble and then they put us on another flight to Honolulu which would have got us to the next flight in time if they hadn’t been delayed getting the luggage off our original flight and if we had been able to get off the plane immediately. The steward assured us they would hold the flight for us but guess what? They didn’t - we were 10 minutes late and on the same airline but they didn’t wait. When we got to the counter they very kindly offered to put us in a hotel for the night until I chucked a wobbly and then they decided to try to get us home some other way. Sooooo to cut a long story short they sent us to San Francisco then Sydney then Perth. We get to Sydney and are sitting on the tarmac when the captain tells us that we are running a bit late as we are waiting for one more passenger!!! Twenty minutes later the passenger arrives (why couldn’t Hawaiian Airlines wait ten minutes?) and guess who it is - Stevie Wonder - so now I know/!!!! Anyway we arrived home only four hours later than we would have done had the plane waited in Honolulu so it wasn’t too bad and Mum had had the surgery and was coping as well as a 90 year old can cope after major surgery. Two weeks later and she was well enough to go home however she is still not too flash and I am not sure that the surgery was the best move but it is done. She continues to hang in although she isn’t happy and keeps telling me she has ‘had enough’. I think she is going to struggle with the notion of us leaving again in May for our next adventure. Stay safe friends and family.

Following On

Wow it is sooooo long since I posted on the blog. We ended our holiday in New Zealand which was really difficult and somewhat of a let down really. The Grand Canyon is a really hard act to follow.

We spent nine days on the North Island of New Zealand and visited the Bay of Isles, Rotorua and Coromandel. The Bay of Isles was spectacular and we were fortunate that, although it was cold and a bit wet, the weather held out and didn't impact on our getting out and about. The North Island was gorgeous and being winter was so green and lush.

From there we made our way down to Rotorua which is renowned for its thermal springs and mud and geysers (reminded me of Yellowstone). We experienced a wonderful evening of Maori culture and Norm was fortunate (?) enough to be chosen as the "Tribal Chief". There are some disadvantages to being outspoken!!!! He had a great time and looked like he enjoyed doing the Haka.

After Rotorua we drove on to Coromandel. I would not have wanted to drive the truck and fifth wheel to Coromandel. The very narrow road winds (really windy) its way around the coast line and at times is reduced to one lane. Coromandel is beautiful and we spent a couple of days there before we had to make our way back to Auckland for our flight home.

We had a very uneventful flight home and were greeted by the family at the airport. It was wonderful to be home however, being away for a year meant investing time and energy into returning the house to some semblance of my home. With the very long, hot, dry summer the garden had suffered horribly and had to be redone. Many of the plants had died so they had to be dug up and new ones planted.

We have now been home nearly six months and things are back to normal (if there is a normal with Norm around!!!!). We are spending time enjoying family and friends and catching up with everyone. I have gone off to do some cooking and quilting courses.

The good news is that Norm and I will be heading off to Hawaii on 22nd February so this here blog will be up and active again. We will be spending three days in Honolulu and then heading off on a seven day cruise around the four islands. Then a couple more days in Honolulu then back to Perth.

AND THEN!! on 15th May we fly back to America!! Can't wait!!! The plan is to fly to LA then on to Phoenix to pick up the fifth wheel. We will be spending a day or two in Phoenix to restock the RV and get it ready for our trip. We are meeting up with friends in Dawson Creek in British Columbia, Canada and will then start a three month trip up through Canada into Alaska! Woo Hoo! And then, depending on how long our visa is stamped for, we will head to either Quebec for a while or to New England for the fall. Not sure yet.

It is going to be wonderful to be back in the States and with friends again. It won't be long and we will be getting ourselves organised.

My love and hugs to all and our best wishes for a wonderful year ahead.

Take care of you and yours dear friends.