The Story So Far ...

We said farewell to our work friends at the RSPCA and BBC on 14 September, farewell to our families on 3 October, and set off for Africa to save cheetahs, decorate school buildings, and look around a bit. After a trip home for Christmas, we headed for South East Asia on 6 January -- where we were stunned by Qatar and Cambodia, taught novice monks in Laos, and acted as security guards at an Elephant Festival. It was back home for four weeks to look after John's dad, before we tangoed our way through five South American countries in fifteen days. We then snooped our way through New Zealand, dipped our toes into Fiji, drove-thru California and were home from home with family in Vancouver.

Now, we are home itself. Fulfilled, happy, and ready to earn the respect of our friends and family by knuckling down and earning some money once again ...

Sunday, 12 June 2011

In pictures... North America




Our road trip began in earnest as we quickly left Los Angeles
and set off up the Californian coast...


The Big Sur was a treat to drive...


... and the springtime views were pretty special too.


But we had a date to keep in San Francisco with our good friend Donna. A volunteer teacher
with us in Laos, she'd travelled from Michigan to join us for a road trip. 


Before we left the city, we took time to enjoy rides on the wonderful trams...





... took time taking in the vibrant colours of Chinatown...


... while Donna took a really strong liking to one of the local posters.


We headed north over the Golden Gate Bridge...


... and our drive took us from the beautiful coastline...  





...  into coastal huge Redwood forests, where John
fulfilled a lifelong ambition of driving through a tree.


There was even time for some wonderful beach walks...









... but soon we were back in the forests, where the redwoods got
even larger. Yes, that is John at the bottom of the photo...


... moments before he made a new friend...


... as did Donna.



Heading north, we left Washington State behind...


... and at Portland's Evergreen Aviation Museum, I got to play at Top Gun.


The museum's centrepiece is the 'Spruce Goose', a seaplane flown only once (by Howard Hughes)
and it's still the largest plane ever built. Its wingspan is an astonishing 320 feet.


It was made entirely from wood, held together by glue...



... and the wings are so wide, they used beach balls inside the wings as flotation aids.


We then travelled by train to Seattle...

... where Donna got to visit a 'mother-ship'
of her own, the original branch of Starbucks.


After a couple of days in town we had to say au revoir to Donna,
as we headed north by train across the border...


... into Canada and the welcoming and comfortable shores of West Vancouver.


We were able to squeeze in a chance to see Orca whales...


... but our long journey was finally over, and before we headed home we relished the chance
to see and spend time with family, even if the accommodation was a little cramped. 




Henry
Posted by at

No comments:

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)