Lazy times in Big Sur were clouded by worry about whether the ash cloud would disperse in time for our rescheduled flight. We had fun finding our way to the central car drop off in San Fran in rush hour, and abandoned it to somebody somewhere in an anonymous multistory carpark. Hotel del Sol looked after us for the last 2 nights, a bit of a misnomer as it was now cool and cloudy with showers. However we were in a great spot in Marina, close to the beach , and running distance to the Golden Gate Bridge. The morning after arriving we went off to tour round Alcatraz, made very lifelike by the fantastic audio commentry which had everyone tiptoeing around, with only the occasional, sudden noise and reverberation of one of the cell doors being slammed shut. We heard tales of the escape attempts and felt some empathy, trapped as we were on the wrong continent.
We briefly explored some of the fantastic street art murals in the Mission, significantly seedier than the centre of town. We rode up and down the millions of hills on trams from a bygone era, and found, at last, quality cafes. We liked San Fran, and it gave a nice end to our trip.
We were lucky and ,although delayed by 5 hours, our flight left that night and we emerged bleary eyed in London Heathrow. So excited to see a WHSmiths, British Newspapers, Polos,
Glasgow transfer and home at midnight, far too excited for that time of night.
A pile of shopping,washing and chores awaits us. Despite this its good to be home.
Sabbatical
Sunday, 25 April 2010
Sunday, 18 April 2010
photos - Buckskin Gulch, Zion
Buckskin Gulch
Buckskin Gulch
Zion- Angel's Landing
Not for the vertiginous
A long way down!Los Angeles- and North
Well our stay in LA was lengthened some what by the unfortunate turn of events and has been rather overshadowed by long periods spent holding on the phone trying to contact various airlines but we have still managed a few outings, although we have barely scratched the surface. We basically limited ourselves to Hollywood and its environs. Fortunately the Hotel was able to extend our stay and was central enough to make brief forrays out between phone sessions.
Highlights? Universal Studios was great. The \2behind the scenes" studio tour was good , the queues were short and the rides were fun. We found enough memorabilia from recent films to excite the kids and a good time was had by all. The surrounding marketing paraphernalia is a bit overwhelming but I suppose that is to be expected. With our extra time we even went back for a second visit and braved the rollercoaster. Although Californians are noteably fitter and leaner than their countrymen, no thanks should be given to the influential studios- offering bargain all you can eat day passes to children. Yuk! Mind you, if you can keep an all you can eat buffet down on some of those rides...
The other major thing which we did was a tour of the movie stars’ homes which the kids enjoyed although there were a stack whom they had not heard of. Highlights for them - Simon Cowells, Michael Jackson’s (where he died) and Elvis’s houses. Also a lot of noteable modern history- OJs bid for freedom, John Belushis and River Phoenix's od spots. Places of indiscresion for Hugh Grant and George Michael ( no, put the phone down, not together!) I was quite taken aback by the number of very large properties which were owned by other people - presumably peripherally involved in the movies….a lot of wealth out there. In one sense it seems strange that these vastly wealthy high profile stars actually live in houses , rather than space ships or private islands. On the other hand, why wouldnt you see Paris Hilton out walking her dog? (A. the dog walks her)
Despite the chance of rubbing shoulders with the rich and famous at the poopascoop dispenser, we were keen to get out of LA and explore , rather than sit around and mope about delayed flights (and Man City loosing the derby in extra time- again!). With no work to race home for we should really see this as a great opportunity- though whether the insurance company will see it that way is a different thing...
Highlights? Universal Studios was great. The \2behind the scenes" studio tour was good , the queues were short and the rides were fun. We found enough memorabilia from recent films to excite the kids and a good time was had by all. The surrounding marketing paraphernalia is a bit overwhelming but I suppose that is to be expected. With our extra time we even went back for a second visit and braved the rollercoaster. Although Californians are noteably fitter and leaner than their countrymen, no thanks should be given to the influential studios- offering bargain all you can eat day passes to children. Yuk! Mind you, if you can keep an all you can eat buffet down on some of those rides...
The other major thing which we did was a tour of the movie stars’ homes which the kids enjoyed although there were a stack whom they had not heard of. Highlights for them - Simon Cowells, Michael Jackson’s (where he died) and Elvis’s houses. Also a lot of noteable modern history- OJs bid for freedom, John Belushis and River Phoenix's od spots. Places of indiscresion for Hugh Grant and George Michael ( no, put the phone down, not together!) I was quite taken aback by the number of very large properties which were owned by other people - presumably peripherally involved in the movies….a lot of wealth out there. In one sense it seems strange that these vastly wealthy high profile stars actually live in houses , rather than space ships or private islands. On the other hand, why wouldnt you see Paris Hilton out walking her dog? (A. the dog walks her)
Despite the chance of rubbing shoulders with the rich and famous at the poopascoop dispenser, we were keen to get out of LA and explore , rather than sit around and mope about delayed flights (and Man City loosing the derby in extra time- again!). With no work to race home for we should really see this as a great opportunity- though whether the insurance company will see it that way is a different thing...
Guess what spiderman
is saying to spiderman....
the strange things you see
on the streets of LA
So onwards, Bladerunner like, escaping from LA. We have hired another beast of a car and are "on the road" heading up the coast road towards Big Sur and San Fran. The driving is easy and after a brief sojourn "Sideways" through Santa Barbara winelands, we have stopped in Morro Bay at the sea overnight. The scenery is greener and the surf is impressive. (Helen's) My motivation for marathon training is a bit shaky and I need to pull my finger out. I can’t see me doing and long runs but should keep things ticking over….
Adieu…..
Adieu…..
Saturday, 17 April 2010
Good Luck Runs Out -Randfield's given extra week for good behaviour!
Most of you will probably already know, but a volcano in Iceland errupted recently, causing ash to blow around Europe and stopping all flights in and out of the UK. This was very bad news for us, as we were all looking forward to flying home after four months abroad.
Our flight, NZ002 from LAX (Los Angeles) to LHR (London Heathrow), was due to leave at around 1630 on the 15th April 2010.
Dad started up the laptop and loaded the internet. Our homepage is BBC.co.uk. They had ALL the details....
We spent most of our morning phoning airlines and checking the internet for details. The internet told us our 'Basic Rights' and stuff. When Mum finally got through to Air New Zealand, they didnt follow any of the rights. Apparently, those were only for European airlines. The next available flight from LA was on the 22nd April. A WEEK away. Our hearts sank. This was a disaster.
Anyway, the outcome was..
Mum managed to find an earlier flight from San Francisco (up the coast). Departs a day earlier (21st April).Dad found out about car hires and now I think we've confirmed hire and are going to drive to San Fran. Ewen and I got over it and are accepting that we will miss a week of school (YESSSS!) and will also have to wait till we see our good friends again ( :( ).
Kerry
Our flight, NZ002 from LAX (Los Angeles) to LHR (London Heathrow), was due to leave at around 1630 on the 15th April 2010.
Dad started up the laptop and loaded the internet. Our homepage is BBC.co.uk. They had ALL the details....
We spent most of our morning phoning airlines and checking the internet for details. The internet told us our 'Basic Rights' and stuff. When Mum finally got through to Air New Zealand, they didnt follow any of the rights. Apparently, those were only for European airlines. The next available flight from LA was on the 22nd April. A WEEK away. Our hearts sank. This was a disaster.
Anyway, the outcome was..
Mum managed to find an earlier flight from San Francisco (up the coast). Departs a day earlier (21st April).Dad found out about car hires and now I think we've confirmed hire and are going to drive to San Fran. Ewen and I got over it and are accepting that we will miss a week of school (YESSSS!) and will also have to wait till we see our good friends again ( :( ).
Kerry
Friday, 16 April 2010
Canyons Canyons and More Canyons
We woke to clear blue skies but ice on the ground and a chilly wind. Helen forced ¾ of the troops out for an early morning run. She found some great tracks in the woods- great until you spotted the coyote tracks (and god know what else).
5 miles up the road the endless flat plateau suddenly dropped away into the Grand Canyon. Awesome doesn’t do it justice. Big isn’t big enough. Vast. Perhaps that’s the word. The Canyon swallows up the view in front, to the left and to the right – and down. Down , down and more down. Somewhere , a whole vertical mile beneath us , the River Colorado grinds away relentlessly. Its best imagined as a canyon within a canyon, the inner canyon, so steep sided that you cant see the river from most rim views, is itself bigger than most canyons you will have seen.
We took the free rim shuttle bus and walked 7 miles back to the start. Each turn gave a different viewpoint. The sun was warm but it continued to fight a battle with the cold wind. The views were stupendous and constantly improving as the sun started to drop and the depth(!!) improved.
After a fairly lengthy walk time was getting on so we decided (not too popular at first) to hang around for sunset. The temperature dropped again but we found an observation point which allowed a small rise in core temp before braving the views again. Boy was it worth it. The expansive views got more and more colourful as the sun set and the shadows lengthened. It was quite awe-inspiring.
Day 2 in GC and we had opted to walk down into the canyon. All of the signposts tell you not to underestimate the distance and that walking down in summer can be particularly hazardous but we thought we would go and see how far we got. Simon opted for another early start and caught sunrise and ran down and back for an hour and a half. Not all the way but a good way down so we were hopeful that we would make it a good way down too. The weather was chilly again so we waited until the sun was into the top of the canyon a bit and set off – thick compacted ice covered parts of the well-made track down from the rim.
The track weaved its way unrelentingly downwards – 1.5m resthouse, 3m resthouse and down to the Indian Garden. We had hoped to make it to Plateau Point from where we should have been able to see into the inner canyon but we too had underestimated the time it would take and were down at Indian garden still 20mins from Plateau Point but after 3 hours walking with a daunting climb back up yet to come. As the signs says – going to the bottom is optional but getting back to the top is mandatory. Hels and the kids set off back up and Si ran to Plateau Point to get a view of the Colorado river snaking its way thru the valley bottom.
There is something psychologically challenging about doing the uphill on the way back but the kids were great and we motored back to the top in record time for an ice cream and hot chocolate stop…..Going down was hard work but you definitely got a different view from within the canyon with the towering walls of the South Rim above you. Fantastic.
Just to round off Grand Canyon we did a South Rim viewpoint tour the next day on our way out. The size is unspeakable and as we drove off we passed some of the canyon from the Little Colorado River carving a convoluted route through the flat countryside. In any other position this would be a major sight but due to its position so close to Grand Canyon, you barely notice it splendid though it is.
We woke to clear blue skies but ice on the ground and a chilly wind. Helen forced ¾ of the troops out for an early morning run. She found some great tracks in the woods- great until you spotted the coyote tracks (and god know what else).
5 miles up the road the endless flat plateau suddenly dropped away into the Grand Canyon. Awesome doesn’t do it justice. Big isn’t big enough. Vast. Perhaps that’s the word. The Canyon swallows up the view in front, to the left and to the right – and down. Down , down and more down. Somewhere , a whole vertical mile beneath us , the River Colorado grinds away relentlessly. Its best imagined as a canyon within a canyon, the inner canyon, so steep sided that you cant see the river from most rim views, is itself bigger than most canyons you will have seen.
We took the free rim shuttle bus and walked 7 miles back to the start. Each turn gave a different viewpoint. The sun was warm but it continued to fight a battle with the cold wind. The views were stupendous and constantly improving as the sun started to drop and the depth(!!) improved.
After a fairly lengthy walk time was getting on so we decided (not too popular at first) to hang around for sunset. The temperature dropped again but we found an observation point which allowed a small rise in core temp before braving the views again. Boy was it worth it. The expansive views got more and more colourful as the sun set and the shadows lengthened. It was quite awe-inspiring.
Day 2 in GC and we had opted to walk down into the canyon. All of the signposts tell you not to underestimate the distance and that walking down in summer can be particularly hazardous but we thought we would go and see how far we got. Simon opted for another early start and caught sunrise and ran down and back for an hour and a half. Not all the way but a good way down so we were hopeful that we would make it a good way down too. The weather was chilly again so we waited until the sun was into the top of the canyon a bit and set off – thick compacted ice covered parts of the well-made track down from the rim.
The track weaved its way unrelentingly downwards – 1.5m resthouse, 3m resthouse and down to the Indian Garden. We had hoped to make it to Plateau Point from where we should have been able to see into the inner canyon but we too had underestimated the time it would take and were down at Indian garden still 20mins from Plateau Point but after 3 hours walking with a daunting climb back up yet to come. As the signs says – going to the bottom is optional but getting back to the top is mandatory. Hels and the kids set off back up and Si ran to Plateau Point to get a view of the Colorado river snaking its way thru the valley bottom.
There is something psychologically challenging about doing the uphill on the way back but the kids were great and we motored back to the top in record time for an ice cream and hot chocolate stop…..Going down was hard work but you definitely got a different view from within the canyon with the towering walls of the South Rim above you. Fantastic.
Just to round off Grand Canyon we did a South Rim viewpoint tour the next day on our way out. The size is unspeakable and as we drove off we passed some of the canyon from the Little Colorado River carving a convoluted route through the flat countryside. In any other position this would be a major sight but due to its position so close to Grand Canyon, you barely notice it splendid though it is.
Long straight roads heading to the shimmering horizon across barren flat desert of orange dirt took us deep into the Navajo reservation. In Tuba City we learnt about the Navajo at a museum and left as baffled as we arrived. The only thing we found out was that they have a different time zone. No matter what time zone you are in, sunset still happens when the sun goes down so as the shadows started to lengthen we found ourselves in real cowboy country- Monument Valley. Remember all those classic scenes of flat topped rock towers standing above flat barren shrub pocked dessert, with tumbleweed blowing across the road? Ok, add in John Wayne or the Malboro Man. Well there we were. Quite surreal, once again. The sun set, the temperature dropped (there’s still snow on the surrounding mountains) and we were off back to Hicksville (Kayenta). We tried hard to find some old classic westerns on DVD to put us in the mood further, but were unable to- til we realised we were in a Navajo Indian reservation, and generally the Injuns didn’t get particularly good press in those films.. Had to settle for hanging up my spurs and chewing a cheroot in the bar downstairs instead.
Another brief drive across amazing desert scenery took us to Page. Page is a new town, created in the 1950s to support a massive dam and power station. After hundreds of miles of dry nothing it was bizarre to see the huge chimneys belching out smoke and the busy western town with a golf course with lurid green fairways amongst the bare rocks. As bizarre was to see the waters of Lake Powell, created by the dam, and stretching 100miles into the distance.
We had a couple of nights in Page which gave us time to explore some ….canyons.
Firstly we visited Antelope canyon. This was on an obligatory Navajo led tour with Bonny, a feisty Navajo midget with a presence twice her size. Antelope canyon is a slot canyon- generally 1-3metres wide, cut up to 30metres deep through the sandstone. Its more akin to caving than anything else, and certainly as different a canyon to the Grand Canyon as black is to white.
The dry sandy bed made for easy walking. However we were in a party of 14 and there were several other parties there too- many specialist photography groups with massive cameras and obligatory tripods, so we were muscled through by Bonny, who had us up down this way and that to get the best photos. It was incredibly photogenic- infact the photos are possibly better than the real life- the colours are more vibrant, and you don’t have the noise and hustle of the crowds. A great trip all the same.
We had a couple of nights in Page which gave us time to explore some ….canyons.
Firstly we visited Antelope canyon. This was on an obligatory Navajo led tour with Bonny, a feisty Navajo midget with a presence twice her size. Antelope canyon is a slot canyon- generally 1-3metres wide, cut up to 30metres deep through the sandstone. Its more akin to caving than anything else, and certainly as different a canyon to the Grand Canyon as black is to white.
The dry sandy bed made for easy walking. However we were in a party of 14 and there were several other parties there too- many specialist photography groups with massive cameras and obligatory tripods, so we were muscled through by Bonny, who had us up down this way and that to get the best photos. It was incredibly photogenic- infact the photos are possibly better than the real life- the colours are more vibrant, and you don’t have the noise and hustle of the crowds. A great trip all the same.
That afternoon we decided to hire a motorboat and explore the lake. We had already explored the slick rock of the lake shore and had discovered with a very brief skinnydip that the water temperature was not quite the Bay of Islands, but set off non the less and explored … some canyons. Firstly the lower Antelope Canyon then the adjacent Navajo Canyon. Although there was quite a wind and chop on the water, making it a little less pleasant, once again the canyons took our breath away. By this time we were feeling we’d seen and done canyons, but once again we found something different. Antelope canyon had shear rock walls of 30-50 metres , and a width of 30-10 metres- at least as far as we ventured before chickening out before our rudimentary 3 point turn in a motor boat skills could be exposed. Navajo Canyon was of a bigger scale, broader allowing some speed in the boat, but enclosed by cliffs up to 100metre high. The lake extends up these serpentine canyons begging you to go just a little bit further to see what might be revealed around the next corner…and the next .. and the next.. We just got the boat back in time.
A strange interlude happened that night. The kids went to the cinema (Diary of a Wimpy Kid) and Helen and I went out on the town by ourselves. We had some lovely sushi, but were missing the kids (..or bored of each other? I don’t think so) and soon were waiting for them to come out of the cinema. We have been together as a family so much for so long on this trip, sharing so much. I cant over-emphasize enough how this trip has been about us as a family rather than the place we have been. The exciting venues have been merely a backdrop to our family life which has grown stronger and stronger. Ok I’ll shut up now.. Where was I? Ah yes, canyons.
So we left Page and headed west- definitely into cowboy country now- indeed a lot of the Hollywood westerns were filmed around Kanab. There’s a place near here (Virgin, Utah) where having a gun is obligatory! And lots of strange polygamist sects.
Before we got there we had one last canyon to explore- Buckskin Gulch. I’d love an explanation for the name- it sounds like an area in Forrest Gump. This was another dry slot canyon, like Antelope canyon, but without the crowds. You made your own way there, firstly by 8 miles of rough roads, “barely passable” by normal vehicles. Apologies to Dollar rentacar. Then a walk along the dry stream bed and into the canyon. Once again it was phenomenal, all sorts of nooks and crannies beneath towering cliffs that in many place you could stretch across and touch with each hand.
An amazing place, well worth the exploration.
A strange interlude happened that night. The kids went to the cinema (Diary of a Wimpy Kid) and Helen and I went out on the town by ourselves. We had some lovely sushi, but were missing the kids (..or bored of each other? I don’t think so) and soon were waiting for them to come out of the cinema. We have been together as a family so much for so long on this trip, sharing so much. I cant over-emphasize enough how this trip has been about us as a family rather than the place we have been. The exciting venues have been merely a backdrop to our family life which has grown stronger and stronger. Ok I’ll shut up now.. Where was I? Ah yes, canyons.
So we left Page and headed west- definitely into cowboy country now- indeed a lot of the Hollywood westerns were filmed around Kanab. There’s a place near here (Virgin, Utah) where having a gun is obligatory! And lots of strange polygamist sects.
Before we got there we had one last canyon to explore- Buckskin Gulch. I’d love an explanation for the name- it sounds like an area in Forrest Gump. This was another dry slot canyon, like Antelope canyon, but without the crowds. You made your own way there, firstly by 8 miles of rough roads, “barely passable” by normal vehicles. Apologies to Dollar rentacar. Then a walk along the dry stream bed and into the canyon. Once again it was phenomenal, all sorts of nooks and crannies beneath towering cliffs that in many place you could stretch across and touch with each hand.
An amazing place, well worth the exploration.
We holed up for the night in Zion Mountain Lodge and finally found a copy of The Magnificent Seven and Bonnie and Clyde to make us feel at home. The next day we explored Zion National Park, though not until Kerry and Helen went off to do their John Wayne is big leggy horse riding thing. Getting to the park required a scenic drive through rocky badlands studded with trees. Then an impressive tunnel (God Bless America etc etc again) dropped you into the valley proper where you were greeted with an impressive arena of rock walls – rather canyon-like actually. This did seem slightly different from our previous canyons as it was greener and even had a river in the bottom.
We set off walking up to Angel’s Landing. This followed a line of weakness up the rocky valley side – blasted into a half open tunnel in places- then through a side canyon, then up “Walters Wiggles” – a series of 20+ stone built zig zags to a breech on the ridge above. This gave vertiginous views down to the valley bellow, and also along the narrow fin of rock out to the peak of Angel’s Landing itself. This was extremely exposed, with chains to hold most of the way The summit was an impressive vantage point of the whole area but we could see clouds amassing down the valley and the first few spots of rain were already in the air. So we raced back down to the valley bottom as the rain increased. By the time we arrived back at the bus it was a cold wet grey afternoon- I think it used to be like that in Scotland sometimes…
As we drove back up the road to the Lodge the rain had turned to snow and by the time we arrived back there were a couple of inches lying on the ground. Now we weren’t expecting that.
The following day we headed, rather reluctantly , back to Vegas , where we had a brief overnight at Circus Circus before an early morning flight back to LA.
Sunday, 11 April 2010
The You Ess of Ey
Well we finally left New Zealand and headed for the “land of the free” – the USA.
After an uneventful flight with the usual lack of sleep and excess of film watching, we touched down in Los Angeles and then transferred to Las Vegas.
We were all agog looking out of the taxi window as we drove in from the airport around the back of the (in)famous Las Vegas Strip. Amongst the glittering array of shiny hotels we could pick out a medieval castle, a pyramid, the New York skyline, even the Eiffel Tower. Wow! What is this place?
We briefly settled in to our room at the Hilton then decided to hit the town. We just couldn’t wait! But first we had to negotiate the massive foyer of slot machines, roulette wheels and croupiers. We had seen nothing like it before. People of all shapes and sizes (well, mostly XXL) sat feeding the slot machines as we drifted around in a daze, almost as gormless as them. If we lingered too long a steward would appear from nowhere and advise us to move on as the kids aren’t allowed in the gambling halls (but are allowed to pass through them, which is just as well as it seems that the each Hotel resort is set out so you are funnelled through the gaming halls to get anywhere)
We found our way to the relative calm of the Monorail ( past the sign to the Barry Manilow shoppe -with record your own karaoke booth) before disembarking at another resort hotel and fighting our way through endless shopping malls and more gaming halls. And people everwhere!! Where had they all come from? Is this why Russell was so quiet?? Eventually we found our way to an exit (cunningly hidden) and emerged, Alice in Wonderland-like, into Paris! There in front of our eyes was the Arc de Triomphe! OK, so it didn’t have 8 lanes of mad French drivers honking their horns, just a couple of stretch limos and someone somewhere in the distance saying “have a nice day, ma’am”
The lights of the strip illuminated the early evening. We were drawn to the Eiffel Tower, and within a few minutes of orderly queuing and a slightly lighter wallet (a common theme in these parts) we were “en haut” (up top) and looking down on the strip. We had a birds eye view of the Bellagio fountain display, and were able to sing along to every heart-stirring Celine Dion word of the soundtrack. We were surprised to feel slightly chilly- after the warm humidity of New Zealand this was a harsh dry desert wind which would haunt us for the next few days. So we headed back down, and indoors (although there was plenty of outdoors indoors, too- they really have everything here) and tried to find our way back home via something half decent to eat. We eventually found an expensive but nice Chinese at the Hilton (woe betide you trying to explore anything that isn’t actually a resort on the strip- its surrounded by parking lots and construction) then collapsed into a fitful and dry sleep.
Vegas 1, Randfields 0.
Day 2
Sleep. Fitful. Dry. Breakfast. Huge. People. Casinos, Slot machines. People. Walk. Shops. People. Crowds. Big people. Noise. Busy. Lost. Excess. People. Hassled. Coffee. Sensory overload. Hotels . Resorts. People. Hotels. Queues. Windy. Cold. Tickets. Dollars. Neon. Concrete. Shops. Facsimile. Walk. Aquarium. Dollars. Pyramid. Shops. Who wants this? Escape. People. Food. Coffee. Hotels. Evening variety show. Shops. Crowds. Let us out! Please!!
Vegas 2 Randfields 0
Day 3
Today we had to escape from Vegas. But we had arranged car hire from a circus. What would we get? Noddy’s car? No a 3.5 litre Dodge Charger. A big, thirsty, brutal beast but with a cavernous boot that swallows up our multiple bags. I guess our carbon footprint will be Elephantine, but that’s all part of the American experience!!
If we were to buy some trees, this part of Nevada- and into Arizona- could do with a few. We were on the freeway and out of Vegas so quickly you had to pinch yourself to make sure it wasn’t some sort of bad dream. Within an hour we were in barren scrubby desert with bare mountains forming the horizon. We also had some unseasonal weather on our tail, cold windy and wet chasing us all the way to the Hoover Dam where we stopped to marvel at one of the American nation’s finest engineering accomplishments. Lots of god bless America and inspiring quotes from Rooesvelt, Lincoln and others. Lots more driving took us further east , where, finally , we could get some kicks- on route 66, of course. We made a brief detour to a classy 50’s style Route 66 Diner for lunch- all lime green and florid pink upholstery. Finally we were getting some of the “real” America. Happy Days!
The Fonz never did walk in, so we drove on- and on- and on- to eventually arrive at dusk in Tusayan, a nowhere pit stop town on the outskirts of Grand Canyon National Park. It was cold- minus 6 overnight- with a sharp wind and a flurry of hail as we sat in the spa pool! Interesting training for returning back to Scotland- after so long in the heat of New Zealand we were a bit put out by this.
Well we finally left New Zealand and headed for the “land of the free” – the USA.
After an uneventful flight with the usual lack of sleep and excess of film watching, we touched down in Los Angeles and then transferred to Las Vegas.
We were all agog looking out of the taxi window as we drove in from the airport around the back of the (in)famous Las Vegas Strip. Amongst the glittering array of shiny hotels we could pick out a medieval castle, a pyramid, the New York skyline, even the Eiffel Tower. Wow! What is this place?
We briefly settled in to our room at the Hilton then decided to hit the town. We just couldn’t wait! But first we had to negotiate the massive foyer of slot machines, roulette wheels and croupiers. We had seen nothing like it before. People of all shapes and sizes (well, mostly XXL) sat feeding the slot machines as we drifted around in a daze, almost as gormless as them. If we lingered too long a steward would appear from nowhere and advise us to move on as the kids aren’t allowed in the gambling halls (but are allowed to pass through them, which is just as well as it seems that the each Hotel resort is set out so you are funnelled through the gaming halls to get anywhere)
We found our way to the relative calm of the Monorail ( past the sign to the Barry Manilow shoppe -with record your own karaoke booth) before disembarking at another resort hotel and fighting our way through endless shopping malls and more gaming halls. And people everwhere!! Where had they all come from? Is this why Russell was so quiet?? Eventually we found our way to an exit (cunningly hidden) and emerged, Alice in Wonderland-like, into Paris! There in front of our eyes was the Arc de Triomphe! OK, so it didn’t have 8 lanes of mad French drivers honking their horns, just a couple of stretch limos and someone somewhere in the distance saying “have a nice day, ma’am”
The lights of the strip illuminated the early evening. We were drawn to the Eiffel Tower, and within a few minutes of orderly queuing and a slightly lighter wallet (a common theme in these parts) we were “en haut” (up top) and looking down on the strip. We had a birds eye view of the Bellagio fountain display, and were able to sing along to every heart-stirring Celine Dion word of the soundtrack. We were surprised to feel slightly chilly- after the warm humidity of New Zealand this was a harsh dry desert wind which would haunt us for the next few days. So we headed back down, and indoors (although there was plenty of outdoors indoors, too- they really have everything here) and tried to find our way back home via something half decent to eat. We eventually found an expensive but nice Chinese at the Hilton (woe betide you trying to explore anything that isn’t actually a resort on the strip- its surrounded by parking lots and construction) then collapsed into a fitful and dry sleep.
Vegas 1, Randfields 0.
Day 2
Sleep. Fitful. Dry. Breakfast. Huge. People. Casinos, Slot machines. People. Walk. Shops. People. Crowds. Big people. Noise. Busy. Lost. Excess. People. Hassled. Coffee. Sensory overload. Hotels . Resorts. People. Hotels. Queues. Windy. Cold. Tickets. Dollars. Neon. Concrete. Shops. Facsimile. Walk. Aquarium. Dollars. Pyramid. Shops. Who wants this? Escape. People. Food. Coffee. Hotels. Evening variety show. Shops. Crowds. Let us out! Please!!
Vegas 2 Randfields 0
Day 3
Today we had to escape from Vegas. But we had arranged car hire from a circus. What would we get? Noddy’s car? No a 3.5 litre Dodge Charger. A big, thirsty, brutal beast but with a cavernous boot that swallows up our multiple bags. I guess our carbon footprint will be Elephantine, but that’s all part of the American experience!!
If we were to buy some trees, this part of Nevada- and into Arizona- could do with a few. We were on the freeway and out of Vegas so quickly you had to pinch yourself to make sure it wasn’t some sort of bad dream. Within an hour we were in barren scrubby desert with bare mountains forming the horizon. We also had some unseasonal weather on our tail, cold windy and wet chasing us all the way to the Hoover Dam where we stopped to marvel at one of the American nation’s finest engineering accomplishments. Lots of god bless America and inspiring quotes from Rooesvelt, Lincoln and others. Lots more driving took us further east , where, finally , we could get some kicks- on route 66, of course. We made a brief detour to a classy 50’s style Route 66 Diner for lunch- all lime green and florid pink upholstery. Finally we were getting some of the “real” America. Happy Days!
The Fonz never did walk in, so we drove on- and on- and on- to eventually arrive at dusk in Tusayan, a nowhere pit stop town on the outskirts of Grand Canyon National Park. It was cold- minus 6 overnight- with a sharp wind and a flurry of hail as we sat in the spa pool! Interesting training for returning back to Scotland- after so long in the heat of New Zealand we were a bit put out by this.
Saturday, 10 April 2010
Reflections on Russell
Well here we are in the US – 6 days out of Russell and time to reflect on our time there as we spent a huge amount of our time doing while we were there.
My broad impression is that this was a fantastic sabbatical and Russell was the perfect destination for lots of reasons, Firstly it is a beautiful spot, surrounded by the Bay of Islands and litte
red with stunning beaches and out of the way spots. As time went on and we managed to spend some time on the water we had some truly memorable days sailing, ringoing swimming and lazing about in unspoilt and stunning locations. We all felt relaxed and had lots of time to be together. Kerry especially loved the swimming and was constantly wanting to jump in, jump off and generally have a go. It was great to see.Secondly the weather which was unseasonably dry and I just got into the habit of expecting 25 degrees fine and partially cloudy. I did not wear a jacket the whole time and spent all my spare hours in shorts – it makes life easier.
Thirdly ( and probably more importantly than that) the Russell community. The separation from the Mainland makes a very definite community feel wherein we were rapidly recognised and welcomed. There were many community events which we enjoyed thoroughly and even in the short time that we were there and knowing that it was temporary, people were incredibly kind and interested. This was best exemplified by the school. Where to start about the school. 115 kids in a local school in the heart of Russell with a fab Principal with a great can do attitude and a love of the outdoors. Ewen seemed to spend half his time geocaching, doing impossible algebraic games and generally having a ball. The kids all had a strong respect for Maori traditions and there was lots of singing and weekly Haka practice. I also really enjoyed seeing them being a part of competitive games – there were 2 swimming galas – inter
school during our time and the kids took part in both. It was great to see the school spirit and the importance put on sport – Riverside could learn so much. Much of the after school sport was run by parents but centred around the school. The attitude was welcoming encouraging and inclusive with a pride put in the achievement of all. Although you could have said that some of the work was not so academic especially in Kerry’s class, the experience was fab for our kids and they have learnt so much.
The other factor which made Russell such a positive experience, was the presence of the Birches. Ian was a patient and fun partner to work with who immediately made us feel comfortable and always seemed to have the time to answer our endless stream of questions. We barely knew Rachel when we arrived but loved her company. She helped us to be included and I will really miss her.
Thirdly ( and probably more importantly than that) the Russell community. The separation from the Mainland makes a very definite community feel wherein we were rapidly recognised and welcomed. There were many community events which we enjoyed thoroughly and even in the short time that we were there and knowing that it was temporary, people were incredibly kind and interested. This was best exemplified by the school. Where to start about the school. 115 kids in a local school in the heart of Russell with a fab Principal with a great can do attitude and a love of the outdoors. Ewen seemed to spend half his time geocaching, doing impossible algebraic games and generally having a ball. The kids all had a strong respect for Maori traditions and there was lots of singing and weekly Haka practice. I also really enjoyed seeing them being a part of competitive games – there were 2 swimming galas – inter
school during our time and the kids took part in both. It was great to see the school spirit and the importance put on sport – Riverside could learn so much. Much of the after school sport was run by parents but centred around the school. The attitude was welcoming encouraging and inclusive with a pride put in the achievement of all. Although you could have said that some of the work was not so academic especially in Kerry’s class, the experience was fab for our kids and they have learnt so much.The other factor which made Russell such a positive experience, was the presence of the Birches. Ian was a patient and fun partner to work with who immediately made us feel comfortable and always seemed to have the time to answer our endless stream of questions. We barely knew Rachel when we arrived but loved her company. She helped us to be included and I will really miss her.
SO why aren’t we staying? As Sara has made it plain that she wants to leave, we had lots of people asking us if were going to stay ‘in paradise’. This made us think more strongly about what we liked about it and what made us want home.
The truth of the matter is that we are happy in Scotland and are not really looking for a change. Living in Russell would also give us several complications. Firstly the on call is an issue. 1 in 2 . It is very quiet – we only saw 10 patients OOH in our 9 weeks and never at night. If you can relax and be happy to be in Russell it is not an issue.
Secondly the fact that it is only a 5 session job so it is not really enough for us to share and I love my job and would have to work a bit more to really fell that I was doing it well. The other local job options would be a bit limited.
Thirdly the isolation. This is also part of the appeal and adds to the sense of community but makes it more difficult to go other places and I think I might get cabin fever after a long time.
So, NZ did us proud again. We feel incredibly lucky to have landed on our feet and been to Russell and we know that we will go back. Our friendship with Ian and Rachel will also last and I firmly hope to see them again. I still love the country and the people….maybe if we had gone to Russell 5 years ago…who knows.
The truth of the matter is that we are happy in Scotland and are not really looking for a change. Living in Russell would also give us several complications. Firstly the on call is an issue. 1 in 2 . It is very quiet – we only saw 10 patients OOH in our 9 weeks and never at night. If you can relax and be happy to be in Russell it is not an issue.
Secondly the fact that it is only a 5 session job so it is not really enough for us to share and I love my job and would have to work a bit more to really fell that I was doing it well. The other local job options would be a bit limited.
Thirdly the isolation. This is also part of the appeal and adds to the sense of community but makes it more difficult to go other places and I think I might get cabin fever after a long time.
So, NZ did us proud again. We feel incredibly lucky to have landed on our feet and been to Russell and we know that we will go back. Our friendship with Ian and Rachel will also last and I firmly hope to see them again. I still love the country and the people….maybe if we had gone to Russell 5 years ago…who knows.
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