TravelStream™ news feed for member judencharlie on TravelPod's free travel blogs service http://www.travelpod.com/syndication/rss/judencharlie en-us Copyright ©2009 TravelPod.com Mon, 05 Oct 2009 22:40:47 -0400 http://www.travelpod.com http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/judencharlie/3/1254566402/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/judencharlie/3/1254566402/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/judencharlie/3/1254566402/tpod.html Mon, 05 Oct 2009 22:40:47 -0400 Its Fellowship time - Canada/USA - 2009

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Los Angeles, California, United States

A rather strange scenario for us today. Firstly, we decided for the first time ever to sit right at the back of the plane because we wanted to sit in a section that only had two seats instead of the usual three. Many people warned us about this but hey, it was great. No crowding and though it was a little bumpier, it really wasn't anything to be overconcerned about. Noise cancelling earphones did their trick. I think it is catholics to the back of the bus for us in future!Another strange thing, even though our bags were checked through to Toronto, nevertheless we still had to pick them up and then put them in again for loading. Very strange because we didn't have to go through check-in or anything like tthat but just grabbed our bags off the carousel, walk  couple of paces through customs and then dump them in an area set aside to go back onto the pane. Bizarre!A good flight though Syd/LAX, flying Qantas. Very comfortable indeed.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/judencharlie/3/1254566314/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/judencharlie/3/1254566314/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/judencharlie/3/1254566314/tpod.html Mon, 05 Oct 2009 22:39:23 -0400 Its Fellowship time - Canada/USA - 2009

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Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

Same old same old but it is always the tried and tested that really works. We stayed the night before flying out at the Airport Mercure. This really is the best way to start - no fussing about getting to the airport on time on the day of the flight and especially when one would have to negotiate that blasted M5. Nah, nice and easy by train to the airport, shuttle to the hotel and then just chill, followed by a meal at the local club. Very nice indeed. A good thing about it too, it forces you to stop. When you are at home, you don't stop, as much as you try to it just does not happen. Yes indeedy, perfect. Just perfect
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/judencharlie/2/1216597080/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/judencharlie/2/1216597080/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/judencharlie/2/1216597080/tpod.html Thu, 24 Jul 2008 19:54:01 -0400 USA 2008

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San Francisco, California, United States

Today was a gentle start to the day and saw us having a leisurely breakfast followed by packing. Following our experiences of Air Newzealand being so pedantic about bags not being over $20 kgs, we decided to get one up on them and pack our esky with additional stuff to lighten the loads anyway! At least that way we shouldn't have to unpack in the middle of the airport as has happened on two occasions previously!Then - WALMART! Shopping for final goodies. Makeup is so cheap over there. Would you believe we still have supplies from our trip before last! Yep - good enough reason to go over there to stock up! Clothes too. Amazing the amount we have to pay for clothes here compared to over there.That done, final stop - Sacramento - and were we ever sorry we did not get there earlier. What a great place. The city itself is full of trees - every street is green with beautiful trees lining the avenues. We headed straight for Old Sacramento and only had time for a brief walkaround. Such a shame because this is a place we could quite easily have spent a full day exploring - Old Sacramento followed by the main city itself. Old Sacramento is placed alongside a river where you could take a paddlesteamer up the river and as well, take a ride on the old steam train. Streets are cobblestone and sidewalks are all boardwalks. Fabulous. We felt it was good to have gone here, albeit briefly, since our parting view - Reno - would have not been a pleasant one otherwise.Mad rush then to San Francisco International. Yes, the plane only leaves at 9.15pm but we wanted to freshen up and so on beforehand. Were our bags OK weightwise. Hah! Not on your life! We were still over so there we were chopping and changing then shrinkwrapping the esky however, would you believe, this time Air Newzealand did not check each of the bags individually as they have in the past. They made us put all the bags together onto the scale since we are allowed two bags each of up to 20 kgs which means 80kgs in total. So inconsistent. We need not have bothered about the additional esky filled with stuff to lighten to bag loads!So that is it. A very brief trip which has seen us travelling like the wind to reach different places combining business with pleasure. Would we do it again? You better believe it! Afterall, in the words of someone we know so well - you have an eternity to rest!
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Roseville, California, United States

A very comfortable night indeed in Payton before making our way onto the Interstate. As we bypassed Salt Lake City, we were totally struck by the smog, so bad it reduced visibility dramatically. Yeeuch! That is the thing with being in a valley - no wind, the smog sits!Just outside Salt Lake City we came across the great Salt Lake. This just stretches for miles and miles and then at Wendover we came to the Salt Lake where the land speed record attempts are done. Don't actually understand why it has to be on a salt lake - perhaps because it is so flat? Whatever. Lots and lots of salt!Nevada really is another one of those states like Dakota - north and south - boring! Miles and miles of nothing. Flat, desert though admittedly, there are mountains in the distance - WAY in the distance! As we crossed the Sierra Nevadas there was snow on the peaks. Amazing to think this is summer with temperatures in the mid to high 30's and snow on the peaks.Well, again we felt like we were in North or South Dakota - miles and miles of nothing to see but a heat haze! Though this time, instead of prairies, it was miles and miles of desert! OK, the positive aspect of this - don't drive Nevada again.Reno - known as the biggest little city - another Vegas wanna be. It tried, but has failed! What a dump. We expected something completely different. The main street is one casino after another - just like Vegas, but whereas Vegas pumps with excitement, Reno really pumps with the dregs of society! In Vegas we felt safe. Reno, we couldn't wait to leave and under no circumstances would we even dream of walking the street alone at night. Vegas we did not get that impression at all. So, a quick look and we left the dirt and dregs behind us. Then it was a matter of finding ourselves somewhere to stay as it got darker and darker. We had assumed that the Interstate would have many hotels and clearly visible from the road, as was the interstate north to Seattle. Not so. We had a little trouble but eventually made our way to a Holiday Inn express just outside Sacramento.So, final day tomorrow sees us doing our shopping and final sightseeing before the long flight home. Both of us keep saying we can't believe it is time to head back already particularly since we normally spend 5-6 weeks here but this time has only been half that! It has been good nevertheless.
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Payton, Utah, United States

Up early - we had plans to do a lot today and just as well because our day was certainly filled. First visit, Natural Bridges National Park - three main arches, well bridges actually, but they look just like an arch. The difference is in the way in which they are formed. Spent a wee while checking out the structures before heading to Glen Canyon. Wow factor here. The landscape is nothing short of spectacular. We ended up at Halls crossing which is where you catch the ferry across to Bullfrog. This is a place we thought we would just love to stay and chill. Right on the water in the spectacular Glen Canyon with towering walls of red. And get this - you can hire a power boat - a Riviera if you please - 175 hp plus - no license required! Apparently if you wish to OWN a boat, then a boat license is required, but in Utah, just renting a boat - nah! No license! How bizarre is that? Anyway, time again prevented us from getting out onto the water but we did give it some consideration!From there, we made our way to Capitol Reef National Park and again, wow factor. This is one of the parks that we had hoped to get to last year when we were in Utah but distance prevented us from getting here. This time, it was on the route. This is a place that we have put on our list of places to come back to for hiking and photography it is so beautiful. We have said it before and we have to say it again - these Mormons knew what they were about settling Utah! Beauty all around!Well, San Francisco is still a way to go so we had better start making a move since we don't have much time before we fly out. We have made the decision to hit the interstate and just travel to Reno for the final fling before the last few hours to San Fran. We put some miles behind us and spent the night at Payton. Tomorrow it's onto the Interstate 80 and push for Reno. Hmmmm - might have to play a couple of tables tomorrow night!
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Blanding, Utah, United States

Travelling a long way today, we stopped off at Black Hills Canyon of the Gunnison. Reported in all the write ups of it being a canyon that brings about vertigo in all persons, it being extremely high, this was not the case for either of Jude nor myself. It was nevertheless extremely high with a pretty powerful river below cutting into the rock. One could hear the thunder of the river many, many feet below so one could only imagine what it would be like in the actual gorge itself. We only had time to do the south rim since time is of the essence at this point!From there, we may our way to Ouray. Now THIS is fantastic. Quite spectacular scenery where the cliffs seem to loom over you as you navigate your way along skinny roads with the sides dropping away and of course, no guard rails to stop cars going over if something nasty should happen. We figure the philosophy here is, "we build the road, it's up to you to stay on it". Ultimately we ended up going through Silverton and then down to Durango and Cortez, the last two places of which we have been before but we actually had no choice because we needed to make our way over to Utah on our way back to San Francisco. Our routes are pretty limited in that regard.Stopped off at Blanding - crazy to think a little under a year ago we were here having my teeth fixed after Charlie chipped a tooth in Monument Valley. A pity we did not arrive in time for her to have a check up!Not many choices of hotels in Blanding which, we noticed, seemed to be predominantly Navajo. This was noticed last time we were here. Again, even though we were here previously - in fact less than a year ago - we had to choose between coming to Blanding, or going through Moab, both places of which we had been however since we wanted to go to Natural Bridges monument and as well Glen Canyon, we had little choice but to revisit. Not a problem - just a quick overnighter anyway.
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Salida, Colorado, United States

It was sad to have to leave Denver this morning because we realised all too soon it signified the tail end of our trip. We made our way back down to Colorado Springs where we pulled in at the Air Force Academy. What a campus! This place is like a small city. It is absolutely enormous and so spread out. What we really came to see was the Cadet Chapel which is apparently the third most visited tourist attraction in Colorado! The chapel itself has a number of spires and the glass is stained glass. I don't think I can adequately describe this so best I provide a pikkie which you will note at the top of this blog. What an amazing piece of architecture.Mad rush now to get to Canon City, a drive beyond Colorado Springs, to do the Royal Gorge train route, a train ride into the Royal Gorge. Whilst we enjoyed the trip, we were a little disappointed though because it wasn't as narrow and as impressive as we had expected. It is a famous train ride into the Royal Gorge and the entire trip runs alongside the Arkansas river where you can see whitewater rafters making their way down. At one point the train passes underneath a bridge which is extremely high above the gorge. After the trip, we took ourselves to the bridge which I walked over. Jude, with her fear of heights was unable to bring herself to do it. She tried a couple of times to put her feet on the bridge but nah, just couldn't make it! But you know what? On the way to the bridge, we were driving along the road and we came upon this black bear. No kidding, at first it would have been about 50-80 feet away so I quickly put the zoom on my camera lens. By the time I had myself together to photograph, there were about 6/8 people around. The bear then starts to make its way TOWARDS us. I started to sh..t myself. Here we are, standing on the side of the road, watching a black bear walking towards us. And he came closer and closer - so much so, I had to take off the zoom lens and put my normal lens back on! Evenutally, he would have been no more than 10 feet away and I am thinking, "something wrong here - shouldn't we be backing away?" It was amazing! To be so close to this beautiful animal out in the wild!We stayed at Salida this evening and heading for Black Canyon of the Gunnison and Ouray tomorrow.
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Denver, Colorado, United States

Another day of work today but with a twist. On Sunday on our way out to Colorado Springs, we heard an interview with someone from an organisation called Freedom service dogs who operate out of Denver. In a nutshell, they are doing precisly what I would like to introduce into the prison at Kirkconnell, that being the training of unwanted dogs taken from the pound to be assistance dogs for the disabled and in so doing, also providing the inmates with qualifications in pet care.So, in the morning we went to the conference, but in the afternoon, we set up an appointment with this organisation for a tour of the facilities and as well a discussion with the person concerned. It turned out to be an extremely valuable exercise. Not only did we get valuable information about their operation but we were provided with a number of key contacts. Most excellent day of work.Today is our last evening at the Interlocken Resort so we have packed our goodies and are moving out tomorrow. We shall be making our way back to San Francisco via a number of sites we want to see. Gosh, it has been quick.
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Denver, Colorado, United States

Its conference day today at the Sheraton in Denver so not really anything to report. All work today!
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/judencharlie/2/1215995580/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/judencharlie/2/1215995580/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/judencharlie/2/1215995580/tpod.html Fri, 18 Jul 2008 01:44:55 -0400 USA 2008

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Denver, Colorado, United States

Very early start today. We had to get ourselves down to Colorado Springs for a bike tour that we had previously booked so we were up at four and on the road by 4.45. The tour started at the offices of the operator leaving at 6.30 in the morning, first having breakfast in town followed by a trip to the top of Pikes Peak via the cog railway. Pikes Peak is 14,110 feet - the highest mountain in Colorado and at points on the railway, the front of the train is three stories higher than the rear of the train which, by the way, only has four carriages! That gives you some indication as to just how steep the incline is.Once at the top, we were met by the tour operators and issued with our biking gear - helmets, mountain bikes (of course) and anything else we needed such as warm clothes, gloves, thingies to tie our pants to stop them getting caught in the chain, etc. then it was all downhill from there. Hell it was a buzz! We flew! We stopped at regular intervals for the tour operators to check our brakes because they were heating up and of course, risked failure, but what a blast! Just as well it was downhill though because at that altitude, breathing was difficult. Both Jude and I could feel the pressure on our chests making it difficult to breathe.The ride down lasted several hours so we only finished the tour about 2.30 when we arrived back down at the bottom of Pikes Peak. It was quite a great time and we met a couple of really nice people from Texas.Before heading back to Denver, we did a tour of Miramont Castle which was a total waste of time. The brochure made it out to be far more than what it was. Well you win some and you lose some!
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