Nomads Unlimited

Europe 2010 - Day 13 - Paris

2010-04-06T21:07:00.000-07:00

Had one full day in Paris, so we walked all over. First, we crossed the bridge in front of Les Invalides to the Right Bank...

Funny little FedEx delivery bike...

This facade was being torn down...

Went to see Les Halles, where the city's great open-air market used to be. St-Eustache church, on the edge of the market plaza, has a sculpture depicting the night vendors moved everything from Les Halles to the market's current location in Rungis...

This window was sponsored by the union of charcutiers (cured-meat producers), and shows scenes of ham and sausage production...

And, sort of random: a Keith Haring triptych...

Then over to E.Dehillerin, a great kitchen goods shop...

After lunch of street pizza, we wandered past some art galleries...

Heading back toward the Left Bank, we passed the Hotel de Ville...

Some nifty brickwork here...

Passed a HUGE crowd waiting to enter Notre Dame cathedral. Glad we'd seen it on a previous visit...

Shakespeare and Company indie English-language bookshop (cheeky photo -- didn't actually go inside)...

A beautiful twisted column in the Church of Saint-Séverin...

Unfortunately, a mediocre dinner. :( So no photos of that. But we finished the evening, and the trip, with a street crepe and a stroll to the Eiffel Tower...

Europe 2010 - Day 12 - Chieming (DE) to Paris (FR)

2010-04-05T22:56:00.000-07:00

Had to say goodbye to friends for an afternoon of travel.

Munich airport: Dave's in the zone, designing sets...

We stayed at Hotel Muguet on Rue Chevert in Paris. Beautiful place.

A copper water fountain near the elevator...

The pretty vanity in the bathroom...

All of the wood in the room matched: wardrobe, headboard, door and window trim, desk. Here's the painted detail on the headboard...

Went for dinner at Pasco, just down the street. Ordered the evening's prix fixe before Shan remembered that agneau means lamb. Dave liked it more than Shan. The starter was amazing, though: hard-boiled eggs breaded lightly, then deep-fried and served in a yum fashion. Dessert was called Chocolate Surprise. See those little round chocolate bits? They're pop rocks. SURPRISE!

The tables has cool slots in them for the tableclothes...

Shan's dinner view: the dome of Les Invalides...

Dave's view: shelves o' lights...

View from our balcony...

Europe 2010 - Day 11 - Side Trip to Kloster Seeon

2010-04-04T22:50:00.000-07:00

Easter Sunday. Spent a quiet morning in, Shan reading, Dave getting stickers applied by Isabel...

Pretty pretty princess!

The sun was reluctant to come out...

...but not us. We set out for Kloster Seeon, a pretty abbey guarded by a dour sculpture...

Cool, though. We stood at the back of the church to listen to a song, then headed across the bridge...

...and past some sculpture...

...to find some Roman ruins purported to be nearby. Had a nice walk. No ruins found, but another nifty sculpture at a school...

...and a funny fence...

...and a tree house...

...and CAT MAGNET!

Whew. Time for some tea and coffee back in town...

...and more sculpture...

...and some daring slide action...

Europe 2010 - Day 10 - Hike to Mountain Hut

2010-04-03T23:14:00.000-07:00

Steep hike today, but less snow...

Plateau below the mountaintops. Spot the hot air balloon...

Chiemsee from altitude...

Iz is all about her biscuit...

...until she got a load of the awesome potato pancakes at the hut. Also notice the cat...Shan was like a cat magnet in Germany...

Awww...

The hut, which is a hostel, restaurant, and generally great hangout...

Back at the dairy farm, the cows are curious...

...because this calf was just born...

But this cat has the situation under control...

Unlike its lazier compatriots...

Cat magnet!

Europe 2010 - Day 9 - Snow Hike Near Chiemsee

2010-04-02T22:31:00.000-07:00

We stayed at a dairy farm outside Chieming in Southern Germany. The view from the front porch...

Guess whose bed is whose...

Snow hike! A dugout water fountain...

Dave teaching Isabel mischief...

Scenes from the hike...

Friends Björn, Jenny, and Isabel...

Sunset on the Chiemsee...

Europe 2010 - Day 8 - Les Eyzies (FR) to Chieming (DE)

2010-04-01T20:35:00.000-07:00

Lots of traveling today, so we took few photos. Most interesting: in this rock shelter were discovered the first remains classified as Cro-Magnon. It was 500m from our B&B in Les Eyzies...

Then we were off to Chieming, a small town on Chiemsee in Bavaria, to spend Easter weekend with great friends Björn, Jenny, and Isabel!

Europe 2010 - Day 7 - Side Trip: Rocamadour

2010-03-31T19:52:00.000-07:00

For this trip, we opted for a GPS unit in the rental car. And just for getting us out of Paris in rain and traffic, it was worth it. But sometimes? We got extra adventure...

Driving no man's land...

Where are we? I don't know. Next to this heap of wood?

That's our Fiat 500. Great car, by the way.

Our off-roading did bring us to this cool stone building, for which we totally trespassed to get a closer look...

Back on the "road." Finally...Rocamadour!

Since Rocamadour is built on a cliff, the thing to do is go to the top of the chateau and walk out on this ledge and...wait, why am I doing this?...

Oh, right, to look down...

And Shan's out of there. But Dave's brave...

A stone gutter on the roof...

The real reason people come to Rocamadour is it's on one of the pilgrimage trails to Santiago de Compostela, so the thing to do is actually the hillside stations of the cross...

...which lead to all kinds of chapels below. One of them has a very famous black madonna, seen in the center of this photo, against the blue background. A beautiful chapel with stars painted behind the altar, and a lot of ship/navigation references. This is a very naughty photo, as taking it was technically forbidden...

Two more angles on the church...

And more great door detail...

While walking out of town, a backward glance...

Nifty succulent plant on this lane...

On our way back to the B&B, a shot of one of the many walnut orchards in the region...

...and a moody vineyard...

...and another house in the rock...

Europe 2010 - Day 6 - Side Trip: La Roque St-Christophe

2010-03-30T20:15:00.000-07:00

Visited Lascaux II this morning. Great replica and a fun, enthusiastic guide, but no photos. :(

Stopped in St Léon Sur Vézère for lunch. Had a great meal at Restaurant de la Poste, where the chef was also the barkeep. Then we checked out the town's Romanesque church...

Then we went to see La Roque St-Christophe, a kilometer-long rock shelter above the River, first occupied over 50,000 years ago and later fortified...

Some of the most interesting displays were replicas of medieval construction machines...

Notice the posts and beams set into the rock. Holes for this kind of construction can be seen in rock shelters and on cliff faces throughout this region...

Cool storage niche...

A stone water basin catching water dripping from the limestone ceiling...

Reconstruction of a half-timbered wall...

We (and everyone who ever lived here) had a great view of the valley...

Europe 2010 - Day 5 - Side Trip: Maison Forte de Reignac

2010-03-29T20:09:00.000-07:00

Breakfast at Ferme de Tayac. Off-camera: cereals, yogurt, bread, and croissants. Great way to wake up!

Today, we drove up the Vézère River to see the fortified house of Reignac, at a rock shelter into which houses have been built for centuries, in various forms. Doing so made the house more easily defensible, and gave inhabitants natural climate control. Rooms carved into the rock stored food, wine, and other supplies. The current house is stone...

Our favorite room was the kitchen...

The hearth...

A stone stove...

...and stone sink (drains to outside under window)...

Mouse trap?...

Cool rotary mixer...

Most interesting: the lockable bread cabinet...

Europe 2010 - Day 4 - Sarlat to Les Eyzies de Tayac

2010-03-28T20:37:00.000-07:00

We decided to drive the "smile" curve of the Dordogne to get to Les Eyzies. On the way, we stopped briefly in Domme. The light was dim in the church (and photos frowned upon - don't tell), but this is a stone carving of a girl holding her wooden shoes in her right hand...

Rock shelters with ruins were common along the river valley...

We also stopped in Saint-Cyprien, founded by a hermit (Cyprien) who holed up in one of these rock shelters in the 7th Century. In the 9th Century, monks first fortified the settlement against raids from the far north. This is the approach to, and facade of, the church...

Our hosts in Les Eyzies were Mike and Suzanne at Ferme de Tayac -- lovely people, lovely place! This is the great room where we spent our evenings before a fire, reading books and drinking wine, and listening to Suzanne's Celtic music mix -- perfect for the misty/rainy weather of the season...

Europe 2010 - Day 3 - Side Trip: Beynac

2010-03-27T20:32:00.000-07:00

Began a rainy day in Sarlat at its much-touted Saturday market...

Goods in the old town area were gorgeous: craft cheese, sausage, produce, bread, and preserves. Bought some provisions and headed out of town on foot toward Beynac-et-Cazenac...

This bakery had an old mixer out front...

This area of France has a lot of stone buildings, especially round ones...

This one had a brick oven in an outdoor cooking area...

After about two hours, we crested a hill, and there was Castle Beynac, our goal. Since it's still surrounded by pasture, orchards, and vineyards, we imagined the approach was much the same for travelers 500 years ago...

Castle Beynac was built on a cliff top overlooking the Dordogne River. Parts of it date from the 12th Century...

The floor in this room is called pisé. It's made using long, thin stones set lengthwise into sand/mortar, so that you see just one flat end. Several rooms have this type of floor...

A nicely vaulted latrine...

Some door construction...

We visited late in the day, just before the rooms were systematically locked down for the night. The woman with the key ring had large keys with heart-shaped handles. To match this heart-shaped keyhole plate, as in Sarlat...

The great hall...

...and its small oratory with 15th-century frescoes...

This room was Richard I's while he occupied the castle (the final decade of his life, 1189-99)...

Finally, the kitchen. The ramp allowed easy delivery of goods, but also the quick passage of horses and other animals and goods into an inner courtyard, in the case of siege...

The table (probably a reconstruction) has slots at the end to allow handy storage of swords...

The hearth with its natural stone floor...

A couple details from the hearth area: water basin and butcher block...

When we left the castle, we discovered there was no (remaining) train or bus from Beynac to Sarlat, as we'd counted on. So we walked back to Sarlat, arriving well after dark. Our B&B hosts were dismayed: we were the first guests they'd ever had who walked to Beynac. It was about a 15-mile round trip on the route we chose. Beautiful and well worth the walk.

Europe 2010 - Day 2 - Sarlat-la-Canéda

2010-03-26T22:00:00.000-07:00

Woke up at La Lanterne, a very nice B&B right in Sarlat's old town center. We had the only two-level suite: bed upstairs, sitting room and bath down. The sleeping chamber...

...which had a Juliet balcony...

The view from the balcony...

The view from the other window. That's La Lanterne, a memorial for plague victims (another pic later). What's that at the very bottom?...

The wooden spiral staircase that led down to the sitting area (as steep as it looks)...

We spent the day exploring Sarlat. First up, the freaky trees in the municipal gardens. A lot of trees in France were pruned like this...

St Sacerdos Cathedral...

Bishop's house, adjoining the cathedral. The courtyard is a burial ground for clergy...

Narrow passageway with beehive corner...

La Lanterne...

A nearby door. Notice the heart-shaped keyhole plate. We saw more of those in the coming days...

Some street scenes...

Note the authentic 16th-century TV antenna on this building...

Medieval burglar bar...

These were once stairs to the top of the town's fortified wall...

These dogs had a rooftop/walltop garden, from which they kept close eyes on us...

Used my first spontaneous French via this house. A man next to me asked what the big deal was about the house because a group of students nearby were drawing it. I explained it had belonged to a friend of the writer Michel de Montaigne. Then I realized the man had asked me his initial question in French, and I'd understood it as though he'd spoken English. Very cool...

A gig car, Sarlat-style...

We took a walk up and out of the town center in the evening. I love this hat - Mom made it - very toasty...

After dark and much wandering, we walked by a bar whose specialty is bière flambée - flaming beer. Who are we to pass up such a delicacy? The bartender started with a huge glass (think: toilet bowl), swirled a liqueur around the inside and lit it on fire. When it had nearly gone out, he poured in a peach lambic and a Trappist beer. Then he put two straws in it. Bravo, monsieur! We drank every drop because it tasted like dessert...

Europe 2010 - Day 1 - CDG to Sarlat-la-Canéda

2010-03-25T22:00:00.001-07:00

Dawn over Ireland...

Landed in Paris, got our rental car, plugged in the optional GPS (very good decision), and managed to get out of Paris in a southerly direction. Decided to make a side trip to Chartres "because we've never been there."

Got to Chartres, saw this...

...and realized we've totally been there.

Some cool buildings...

Cool, half-timbered staircase built in 16th Century...

The prettiest butcher shop ever...

The cathedral had had a lot of renovation since we'd been here last, but there was a service on, so no photos inside. Here's the facade, though, and a detail of the door...

More great hinge and lock details to come on this trip.

Thanks to our little side venture and later rain gales and crazy tiny backroads and questionable GPS routing, we arrived in Sarlat-la-Canéda after 9 pm -- a bit dark for photos, so more on our accommodations in the next post.

Mexico 2007 - Day 4 - Loreto to Isla del Carmen

2007-12-21T15:13:00.000-08:00

Breakfast @ Baja Outpost

Boat to Isla del Carmen

Kayaking! - note the GLASSY water - we were dropped off on the western side of the island with plans to kayak to the southern tip, where we would be picked up in 2 days + taken to another island - advice from Leon: camp only in south-facing bays - sounded simple - gorgeous day of paddling - saw some dolphins, but they eluded us -

Mexico 2007 - Day 3 - Loreto

2007-12-20T15:12:00.000-08:00

Talked to Baja Outpost owner Leon to plan kayak trip to start tomorrow

Bought supplies

Explored Loreto

Relaxed!

Mexico 2007 - Day 2 - La Ventana to Loreto

2007-12-19T15:12:00.000-08:00

Morning beach walk

Breakfast across from campsite

North to La Paz

Eager to get farther north - drove to Magdalena Bay area - too early for gray whales - called Baja Outpost in Loreto - room available in palapas!

Quick stop for groceries

On to Loreto!

Mexico 2007 - Day 1 - San Antonio (TX) to La Ventana

2007-12-18T14:08:00.000-08:00

Travel partners: Björn + Jenny

Flight: San Antonio, TX, to Denver, CO

Flight: Denver, CO, to San Jose del Cabo, Mexico

Rented a Tsuru (?!) from Budget

Hopped on Mex 1 + drove north toward La Ventana Beach

Missed our turn onto a cross-peninsular paved route

Chose a groomed dirt road just north of El Triunfo - creepy local + very few signs = awesome ride!

Set up camp @ beachfront RV park

Dinner @ taqueria

Short beach walk before sleep

Signs from the road

2007-01-01T10:28:00.000-08:00

Some of our favorites...

[Levin, New Zealand]

[island off Dubrovnik, Croatia]

[near Omaio, New Zealand]

[Texas, U.S.]

[Tennessee, U.S.]

[Paris, France]

[Erbendorf, Germany]

[Bavarian Forest Park, Germany]

[somewhere in Bavaria]

[Nordlingen, Germany]

[Tarragona, Spain]

[Great Torrington, England]

[near St. David's, Wales]

[Levin, New Zealand]

[Singapore]

[Auckland, New Zealand]

[New Mexico, U.S.]

[Picton, New Zealand]

[San Francisco, CA]

[Taiwan]

[Oamaru, New Zealand]

[Hong Kong]

The best sign we weren't allowed to photograph: "Tea-Bagging" (Celestial Seasonings production line, Boulder, CO).

Go to Murray Grainger's Signs of the times for more great signs...

Europe 2006 - Day 7 - Poland

2006-12-14T20:14:00.000-08:00

Bakery breakfast
Minibus to Auschwitz (no photos inside camps)
Film first - needs to be updated - seems about 30-40 years old, besides the necessary WWII-era newsreel footage
Signed up for English tour - ended up w/ a private tour guide - bus to Auschwitz II-Birkenau - guide explained layout from top of gate tower - huge complex - saw latrine + bunk buildings - latrine building had 201 concrete seats - memorial offerings in bunk included a chain of origami cranes - back to Auschwitz I - main administrative center - barracks (built w/ bricks from houses in surrounding villages) are filled with prisoners' belongings (suitcases, shoes, eyeglasses, etc) - extremely powerful - last stop was the one remaining crematorium - low-ceiling'd + somber - difficult tour but recommended for anyone who goes to Poland
Can't imagine seeing Auschwitz at any other time of year - this was the sunset outside Auschwitz I

On a lighter note, the recycling bins look like PacMan ghosts

Bus back to Krakow
Pierogi snack in xmas market
Dinner w/ Maciek + Ania at local cellar restaurant - traditional Polish fare - Shan had this gorgeous plate of liver, sauteed w/ apples + onions, served w/ mashed potatoes

Aw, man, we shoulda had the chicken breasts! (local telecom mascot?)

Europe 2006 - Day 6 - Poland

2006-12-13T20:01:00.000-08:00

Hiked to a hilltop cathedral - trail is a very old pilgrimage route + includes stations of the cross

Private tour by monk @ cathedral, including crypts
Bus to Kielce
Kamil wanted to take us to a nearby cave - closed!
The lower roof on this Kielce cathedral is getting new copper panels

Kamil wanted to show us a plaque on the side of the building - construction foreman said no!
Greek dinner
Kamil took us to see an important sculpture off the main street - street lamp went out just as he began telling us about it - poor Kamil!
Nice tea near train station
Train to Krakow
Walked through Galeria mall b/c Shan thought she knew the right exit to get back to hostel - wrong! damn! - Dave found our way back
Late dinner at Christmas market

Europe 2006 - Day 5 - Poland

2006-12-12T19:32:00.000-08:00

To Wielicka Salt Mine
A shot down the center of the staircase

The floors, walls, and sculptures in these photos are composed of salt (except where obviously wood)

Late lunch @ Bagelmama - best. bagel. ever. Plus yum soup!
Took train to Kielce - how to not get a seat-mate:

Kielce's main street was beautifully misty

Drinks @ Club Gaudi

Dinner @ Sphinx - a popular chain serving Middle Eastern - wish we had this chain in San Antonio!

Europe 2006 - Day 4 - Poland

2006-12-11T19:22:00.000-08:00

Slept in - ahhh :)
Back to Wawel Castle to see cathedral and grounds

Antennae across from Wawel hill

Met Kamil for dinner
Walked to Barbican + memorials
Bought fried pies @ McDonald's to use the toilets!

Europe 2006 - Day 3 - Germany to Poland

2006-12-10T20:19:00.000-08:00

Awesome buffet breakfast @ Felsenkeller

Flight: Frankfurt-Hahn to Krakow

Met @ airport by Maciek + Ania - tea @ their flat - nice!

They got us a deal on a private room @ Sky Hostel - signs like this one line the main hall, 'cept this one is inadvertently funny

Walked to Christmas market in main square - youth choir singing carols on stage - hot, mulled wine - grilled wurst + kraut snack - lovely
Met Maciek for dinner in cellar restaurant
Walked around Wawel Castle
Sculpture of Smok Wawelski (The Wawel Dragon) below castle, next to Vistula River - sign said to text SMOK to #7168 + the dragon will breath fire - we tried twice - apparently Smok was taking the night off

Europe 2006 - Day 2 - Germany

2006-12-09T19:42:00.000-08:00

Very little sleep
Picked up rental car @ MUC - super helpful Budget desk agent - nice map
Drove to Sohren - ~6 hours - stopped partway to nap @ rest stop - saw snow for first + last time this trip

Checked into Hotel-Restaurant zum Felsenkeller - excellent!

Owners are chef + his wife - great dinner - Shan had stroganoff-type meat + mushrooms over spätzle - mmm...

Europe 2006 - Day 1 - US to Germany

2006-12-08T17:38:00.000-08:00

Flight from San Antonio to Washington, DC (Dulles)
Fun Geo Stuff 1: my water bottle has a handy diagram of the water cycle

Fun Geo Stuff 2: evidence of glacial retreat in Virginia

Flight from DC to Munich, Germany
Shan's toys: eBook reader + mp3 player

Shan's book [spoiler for George R. R. Martin's A Storm of Swords!]

Dave's toys

Dave's book - bonus points if you can identify it... (or even read it)

Best part of the Lufthansa flight: free Bailey's after dinner - yes, please! - almost like reading my book in a big, leather chair before a toasty fire - except not.

Check out the archives...

2006-01-04T16:10:00.000-08:00

...I've retro-posted our 2004 trip to Germany, Austria, Italy (Rome, mostly) and Croatia there. Some nice photos!

Also for the intrepid blogsplorer: our 2004 Pacific trip (3 months thru New Zealand, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand).

Currently retro-posting our 1998-99 Circle-Pacific trip (5.5 months thru California, Hawaii, Cook Islands, Fiji, New Zealand, Australia, Thailand, Hong Kong).

After that, will post our 1999-2000 trip to Europe (5 months thru England, Ireland, Wales, Belgium, Portugal, Spain, Greece, Germany [photo above], Czech Republic, France).

Enjoy!

Road Trip: Denver 2005 - Day 7 - Amarillo to San Antonio

2005-12-10T22:47:00.000-08:00

Tahoka, TX, is covered w/ cotton fluff right now - I think this is a piece of it - either that or Santa exploded

Beef jerky is transluscent - who knew? - freakishly beautiful - if churches had beef jerky windows, I'd consider going

Lady was among the welcome crew back @ Ed & Julie's - sweet!

Road Trip: Denver 2005 - Day 6 - Denver to Amarillo

2005-12-09T22:06:00.000-08:00

Heading home, reverse route from Monday
Stopped near Pueblo, CO, for a great picnic lunch of exotic cheeses, salami, etc - gorgeous sunny day

Snack stop [cue Dueling Banjos]

Shannon's snack - she was hoping the bright sprinkles were PopRocks, but no joy - except for brownie joy, which rules!

Dave gave Shannon his CrackerJack prize - that's one magic frog!

Road Trip: Denver 2005 - Day 5 - Denver

2005-12-08T11:19:00.000-08:00

First stop: Goodwill! Future post on daily pie will feature the zoot suits Dave & Ed bought - awesome!

Then on to Mecca...

Cool "tree" made of aluminum cans

Infiniti clouds

Picked up our 12' x 6' trailer - on to the storage unit

The tub where our stereo equipment used to be

Loaded in 20 minutes - those tubs are freakin' awesome!

Road Trip: Denver 2005 - Day 4 - Frisco

2005-12-07T23:38:00.000-08:00

Ready to go!

I-70 West

Eisenhower Tunnel

Gazebo in Frisco where we got married in 2000 - awwwww!

At the Frisco heritage museum

Buried shrub or hairy snowball?

Ahhhhh...lunch @ the brewpub

Julie makes a snow angel

Shannon's overly excited about destroying fender bergs

Check out that temperature (Ed: "hrumph!")

Hwy 6 back to Denver - time for a swim?

Dinner @ Trail Dust steakhouse - food ok - slide awesome!

Road Trip: Denver 2005 - Day 3 - Boulder / Denver

2005-12-06T22:50:00.000-08:00

12 degrees F today!
Went to check out our storage unit first thing - found the lock in tact, but the door bolt had been hacked - missing: brand new Dewalt chop saw, stereo, VCR - not so sad about the VCR, but WTF????!!!! We're thief magnets lately - stereo taken out of our truck the day before we left - wondering what we'll find (or what we won't find) when we get back home - oh well - will check everything Thursday when we pack it - looks like our art, photos, other special stuff is still there

Headed to Celestial Seasonings factory + good feelings emporium in Boulder - Christmas music playing inside was John Denver + the Muppets (yay) - original Sleepytime box art - awesome tour (free!) - tea sampling (free!) - hair and beard nets (free!) - mint storage room makes your eyes water - couldn't take any photos of the tour itself - too bad...there was a big sign over one area of the production floor that read "Tea Bagging" - so wanted a photo of that

Looks like the Sleepytime bear had something extra in his "herbal infusion"

Spent most of the afternoon indoors @ Flatiron Crossing mall - chili lunch...mmmm - met cute puppy Ollie keeping his owner company on a slow day in a hammock shop
Dropped Ed & Julie @ the hotel - headed to Macaroni Grill for dinner - Shannon managed to give herself 2 papercuts on the "tablecloth" - Dave drew out plans for a fence + raised garden

Hot tub!

Road Trip: Denver 2005 - Day 2 - Amarillo to Denver

2005-12-05T10:55:00.000-08:00

Creepy deserted amusement park in Amarillo

Scenery on 87 north of Amarillo

Get up from that!

First signs of snow

First rest stop in New Mexico

Mountains!

Cool old drive-in, Raton, NM - check out that awesome projection/concession building!

Road Trip: Denver 2005 - Day 1 - San Antonio to Amarillo

2005-12-04T21:52:00.000-08:00

When we moved back to Texas from Denver in 2001, we left most of our stuff in storage there - today we left on a road trip to go get it - woo hoo - early Christmas!
Fortifying ourselves at Taco Cabana before departure

On the road w/ Dave's folks, Ed & Julie

Souvenir from a penny press outside Boerne, TX

Hwy 87 North between Fredericksburg + Mason is a "bollweevil-free zone" - who knew?

Cotton field outside Abilene

How was lunch in Abilene, Ed?

Starting a new eBook - trying to read it before the movie hits

This clever sign @ an Amarillo Cracker Barrel was beyond the vision abilities of both myopics AND blind people - way to go!

Haiku Tag

2005-12-02T13:23:00.000-08:00

Haiku tag is a great way to pass time when traveling. You can play it one of two ways:

You write an entire haiku, then tag someone to write the next, or
You take turns writing single lines

Here are some we wrote on the 2004 trip to New Zealand, etc:

8/31/2004
Bus from Honesdale, PA, to NYC

Background: 50-something man talking (to a film student - dude! documentary!) about going to NYC to meet 29-yr-old actress he’s written to. Says her father is one of his favorite actors. Character actor? Nope: Jon Voigt. That’s right, he was headed to see Angelina Jolie. Sweet. We wrote haiku and quotes for an hour and a half.

middle-aged stalker
going to the Big Apple –
Angelina, run!

Angelina’s man
is loony as a jaybird;
restraining order!

fortune cookie says
Angelina’s my true love;
I’m loony as hell

odd couple on bus:
Indian film student and
Angelina’s love

crazy old stalker;
an Indian film student;
the bus is so fun.

now he’s a singer;
the crazy old elephant.
what’s next, Jedi knight?

we will see him with
Angelina on TV:
the joke is on us.

Stalker quotes:
“I’m a realist.”
“Love is a form of obsession.” (in response to film student’s observation of “You’re obsessed with her.”)
“I’m still married, by the way. I’ve had trouble getting divorced.”

Other haiku, because our Air New Zealand tickets had not yet arrived from Jeff @ Air Brokers:

missing plane tickets;
God only knows where they are;
maybe we can walk.

Jeff had a hissy;
the tickets are in limbo;
Jeff is a sissy.

the backpacks are packed,
the vagabonds are ready;
no tickets? let’s go!

9/12/2004
Free-camping at Maungaraho Rock Scenic Reserve

hiking up the rock
I am struggling to breathe
but the nookie’s nice…

I have no butt crack;
my cornbread is backing up;
I need a tapeworm.

Dave’s guts are rumbling.
cool, maybe they will explode.
when did I have corn?

toe jam is not jam;
earwigs neither ears nor wigs;
English is stupid.

trampolines are fun
but naked jumping can hurt;
I think I just plotzed.

the flowering tree
sheltering a tiny lamb
taking a big dump.

a river runneth
o’er the rocks and verdant plants;
I’ve peed on my foot.

the twinkling stars
may hold my destiny, but
my poo poo still stinks.

one cappuccino
has the ability to
keep me regular.

go pray to your God.
before you finish, ask him:
“do you have titties?”

my husband’s a god.
my wife is a hot mama.
bow chick-a bow wow…

give to charity.
I hear it’s a good way to
die poor and alone.

sheared sheep shivering;
queerish quakers quavering;
crusty crappy crack.

my underwear is
standing on its own but my
socks are mingling well.

I chew my toenails
when I’m nervous; when relaxed,
I pluck my back hair.

[and, after meeting a guy taking his kitten to the vet for you-know-what...]

poor teenage kitten
about to lose his testes;
better him than me.

Texas Clay Festival 2005

2005-10-23T14:37:00.000-07:00

Went to this year's festival in Gruene, TX, with high expectations. While everything met the craftsmanship standard of a juried show, there was very little that was colorful or unusual enough to appeal to us.

One artist really stood out, though. His name's Billy Ray Mangham, and you can see his work, and his wife, Beverly's, at Sleeping Dog Studio in San Marcos, TX. Chatted with them for a few minutes -- they're good folks! Here's their shameless dog, Booger...

Seattle/Portland 2005

2005-08-29T10:50:00.000-07:00

Some highlights from our week in the Seattle and Portland areas this month...

Yummy dinner w/ friends + awesome hosts Mike + Melissa - fresh salmon baked on the grill, heirloom tomato bruschetta, roasted corn, lots of red wine - yes, please!

Hike through Mt Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest to an alpine lake - gorgeous

Rugby's shy around this camera

Flying piglet in Seattle park

Thought we'd love Portland - didn't - but had two favorite things there - Powell's Books - and this sign (posted on a bridge) for the local suicide hotline - sweet

France 2005 - Day 8 - Bretagne

2005-03-29T22:25:00.000-08:00

Short coastal walk near St. Malo

Into St. Malo
Lunched on local specialty - galettes - yum!
Sightseeing

Church windows

Patisserie treats

Winters must be long in Bavaria, for we learned yet more variations of last night's card game - good fun - sad to be leaving tomorrow morning - will definitely return!

France 2005 - Day 7 - Bretagne

2005-03-28T21:22:00.000-08:00

Biked in + around Brocéliande Forest - a bit muddy - fun! (Shan) - kill me now! (Dave)
More drunken Bavarian cards - once we "mastered" the original game Björn started adding variations - more hilarity when Jenny bluffed her own partner (Shan) instead of opponents

France 2005 - Day 6 - Bretagne

2005-03-27T20:57:00.000-08:00

Gorgeous + long coastal walk to Cap Fréhel lighthouse and Fort La Latte - stunning

France 2005 - Day 5 - Paris to Bretagne region

2005-03-26T22:29:00.000-08:00

Drove to Bretagne
Dave recuping admirably
Stopped @ Chartres on the way - awesome windows - cold weather outside and in gives authentic cathedral experience - great old "Salmon House" inn in old town

Checked into 3-floor holiday apartment near Dinard - nice - squeaky spiral stairs - Dave + Shan settle into top dormer room
Groceries! - 6-pack of French cheeses only 10 Euros - local hard cider - chocolate - bread - veg - wine
Bretagne is beautiful - cool + misty + ethereal - now understand why Bretons who fled across the Channel settled on Cornish coast - would love to spend October through March here
Once we were tipsy on local cider, Björn taught us a convoluted Bavarian card game - much hilarity ensued

France 2005 - Day 4 - Paris

2005-03-25T21:32:00.000-08:00

To the Louvre! - Shannon in heaven - Dave getting greener by the minute - regretting Tandoori chicken of evening before
Shan looks around the ancient foundations - Dave curls fetally in an alcove
Shan gazes at medieval tapestries + Dutch oils - Dave enforces non-smoking policy for French teens in Louvre restroom
Dave rests moaning in the sunny forecourt of the Louvre - Shan digs up high school French to explain to local pharmacist that her mari is malade and wants to vomit
Armed with drugs of questionable effectiveness, Dave heads back to apartment - makes deposits in two Métro trashcans on the way - falls into miserable non-slumber @ "home"
Shan joins Björn + Jenny in search for the Catacombs - after much navigating of twisty streets, discover the Catacombs are closed (they were closed when we were here in 2000, too, but because of flooding that time) - foiled!
Shan walks most of the way back to the apartment - beautiful day
More halting French pharmacy talk to obtain actual working drugs
Picnic dinner @ apartment

France 2005 - Day 3 - Paris

2005-03-24T22:04:00.000-08:00

Rainy spring day
Searched around Champs Elysées for a custom perfumerie - no luck - apparently you have to go to Italy for that now - but spent some time in Sephora discovering scent families - will go to the Sephora in San Antonio for further research!
Musée D'Orsay - good to see the polar bear again :) - liked the impressionist painting + art nouveau furnishings exhibits
Latin Quarter + nearby gardens
Dinner @ Indian restaurant near apartment - Dave has the chicken (forboding music here...)

France 2005 - Day 2 - Paris

2005-03-23T23:52:00.000-08:00

Arrive @ CDG Aeroport
Met by Björn + Jenny (nice!) in their cool new car (nice!)
Drove to apartment in Paris suburb of L'Hay-Les-Roses
Lunch in local bistro
Shower + nap!
Metro into Paris for dinner @ La Coupole - awesome original works on walls and columns - Dave has prepaid for a multicourse gourmet meal - Shannon's first escargots (like garlicky mushrooms - yum!) and crème brulée (huge! - couldn't finish it) - leisurely 3-hr dinner
Nice walk around the area before heading back

France 2005 - Day 1 - San Antonio to Paris

2005-03-22T20:32:00.000-08:00

So we're dropping our visiting friend Faith off at the airport (here's Faith at one of San Antonio's missions)

Faith gives Shannon a gift for her birthday tomorrow - a Lonely Planet France guidebook - Whaaaaa? - and a card (here's the card - verse à la Faith)

And inside...

Dave's pulled off one of the best surprise birthday gifts EVER - STUD! - he and Faith have packed my backpack and it's waiting in the truck - we're off!

Pacific 2004 - Day 89 - Thailand

2004-11-30T22:30:00.000-08:00

Watched Green Bay Packers trounce the Rams
Sky train to Patpong Rd - no titties - Dave sad :(
To big mall - bookstore :)
Through Lumphini Park - cool ball games being played - like cross between volleyball + hackey sack
Night bazaar (Suan Lum) - new place - nice outdoor concert dining - more gifts + souvenirs
Heading home tomorrow - ready to get back to work - crazy talk!

Pacific 2004 - Day 88 - Thailand

2004-11-29T21:29:00.000-08:00

To Khao San Rd - have to see what the fuss is about - nothing to fuss about - meter taxi driver refused to use meter + told us off - nice!
Indian dinner + more foot massages

Pacific 2004 - Day 87 - Thailand

2004-11-28T22:27:00.000-08:00

Chinatown
Back to Chatuchak - we're animals!
Foot massages on Pradiphat Rd

Pacific 2004 - Day 86 - Thailand

2004-11-27T21:25:00.000-08:00

Chatuchak! Again!
Awesome VIP cinema experience - crap movie (Alexander) - great theatre

Pacific 2004 - Day 85 - Thailand

2004-11-26T22:46:00.000-08:00

Watched part of T-giving football game - hung out @ bungalow till noon
Ferry to Krabi
Cool night market in Krabi for Loi Krathong - crunchy snacks

Flew to Bangkok - checked into Sena Place Hotel

Pacific 2004 - Day 84 - Thailand

2004-11-25T22:21:00.000-08:00

American Thanksgiving
Checked into Moonlight Bay - great bungalow on stilts w/ perfect sea view

Great multi-level deck bar on beach

Quiet time reading on bungalow deck

Gorgeous sunset

Pacific 2004 - Day 83 - Thailand

2004-11-24T22:18:00.000-08:00

Moved to bungalow without sea view - suspect it's reserved for first-nighters only
Snorkeling trip to Ko Rok - cool fish, slugs, stars

2-hour Thai massage on beach - NICE!
Dinner w/ beach view @ Sea House - best som-tam yet

Pacific 2004 - Day 82 - Thailand

2004-11-23T22:14:00.000-08:00

Ferry to Ko Lanta
Checked into Lanta Sea House beachfront bungalow - nice view from porch
Lunch @ Sri Lanta after grueling rides on 2 taxi-bikes (first broke down) + shitty roads
Sunset swim back @ Sea House - gorgeous!

Torchlit dinner on beach - nice

Pacific 2004 - Day 81 - Thailand

2004-11-22T21:13:00.000-08:00

Flew to Krabi
Checked into KR Mansion - heh - nice candlelit rooftop terrace + world's slowest pad thai

Pacific 2004 - Day 80 - Thailand

2004-11-21T22:11:00.000-08:00

Chatuchak Market! - Have been wanting to return since '99 - covered about 1/4 of market in 5+ hours - lots of new cool flatware + serving pieces

Pacific 2004 - Day 79 - Thailand

2004-11-20T21:10:00.000-08:00

Tried to set up Ko Lanta hotel/bungalow - no luck!
Went to mall to see Wimbledon
Flew Thai Air to Bangkok
Checked into Asia Airport Hotel

Pacific 2004 - Day 78 - Thailand

2004-11-19T22:06:00.000-08:00

Day trip to Doi Suthep temple - cool bells - funny growly puppy
Baby elephants! - Mae Sa camp - cool paintings too - Dave got mugged for his bamboo + bananas by teenage elephant
Master cooking class - too much food! - awesome experience - just us + a 20-something chef from Pacific NW

Pacific 2004 - Day 77 - Thailand

2004-11-18T21:06:00.000-08:00

Back to Bo Sang for gift shopping
Set up flight to Krabi

Pacific 2004 - Day 76 - Thailand

2004-11-17T21:29:00.000-08:00

Day trip to Bo Sang - neat teak + teak root furniture - possibility of future import business - talked it over w/ owner Mustafa Akkan
Lots of other good crafts around
Met Bev + Laura @ night to hear about their trip to Pai - decided not to go

Pacific 2004 - Day 75 - Thailand

2004-11-16T21:02:00.000-08:00

Day off for movies - Dodgeball and Sky Captain - intrigued by Saw + Final Cut

Pacific 2004 - Day 74 - Thailand

2004-11-15T21:00:00.000-08:00

Day 5 cooking class - sad to be finished - bought large cookbook - considering evening master class

Pacific 2004 - Day 73 - Thailand

2004-11-14T22:58:00.000-08:00

Day 4 cooking class - good class, but annoying kids talking thru demonstrations - SHUT UP!
Sunday night market great - low key - some unique stuff - bought a cloth lamp - entire market halted + silent @ playing of nat'l anthem

Pacific 2004 - Day 72 - Thailand

2004-11-13T21:57:00.000-08:00

Day 3 cooking class - market tour

Pacific 2004 - Day 71 - Thailand

2004-11-12T10:55:00.000-08:00

Day 2 cooking class - made our own curry paste - getting a handle on ingredients + techniques
Crazy blondes still in class - seriously, shut up
Met Bev + Laura for dinner @ Whole Earth - food ok, conversation better

Pacific 2004 - Day 70 - Thailand

2004-11-11T21:52:00.000-08:00

Found Pagoda Inn this morning - great fan room on upstairs corner - beautiful!
Day 1 cooking class - intro to ingredients, etc - awesome - met Bev + Laura Goodman (NY)
Also in class: 2 other crazy blonde women from NY - shut up already...
Met Bev + Laura @ night bazaar

Pacific 2004 - Day 69 - Thailand

2004-11-10T20:48:00.000-08:00

Checked into Chiang Mai Thai Cookery School - pd for 5-day course starting tomorrow
Wandered CM - municipal market not so great
Foot massage near Irish pub (US$2) - will probably get massage every day
Night Bazaar great - nice stuff + cheap
Have to check out of hostel tomorrow - we haven't signed up for any excursions, so get out!

Pacific 2004 - Day 68 - Malaysia to Thailand

2004-11-09T20:37:00.000-08:00

Lots of airport time today on way to Chiang Mai
Chiang Mai has good vibe - clean + friendly + cheap!
Checked into Yourhouse Guesthouse (220 Baht/night)
Buffet dinner @ Utopia - nice salad fixins, grillable meat, spaghetti bol.
Cheap internet - 30B/hr (75 cents)

Pacific 2004 - Day 67 - Malaysia

2004-11-08T20:29:00.000-08:00

Caught bus to Batu Caves
Caves cool, but monkeys cooler! - Shannon nearly mugged by teenage hooligan monkey thugs - saw a few (one over + over?) newborns clinging to mom-monkeys
Also: roving wild dogs + shy black-faced monkeys
Finally (!) caught bus back to KL
Internet + more software in Chinatown
Back to Chili's for chips, salads + more monsoon viewing
Bookstore :)
Picked up sushi (7 nigire for RM8!) + fruit for dinner
To room for dinner + TV

Pacific 2004 - Day 66 - Malaysia

2004-11-07T21:26:00.000-08:00

Walked to Golden Triangle - Monorail!
Went to find Sunday Market - closed - nighttime only
Shopped Central Market
Back to hotel for a swim
Early dinner @ Chili's in KLCC - nice view of daily late afternoon monsoon!
Walked around mall - bookstore! - back to hotel for TV

Pacific 2004 - Day 65 - Malaysia

2004-11-06T21:19:00.000-08:00

Shopped Little India + Chinatown - software, clothes, tea
Learned about tea @ Teh Is Tea near Penggong
Saw The Grudge - creepy - at Suria KLCC
Back to Little India for night market

Pacific 2004 - Day 64 - Malaysia

2004-11-05T21:18:00.000-08:00

Left Taman Negara by longboat - saw monitor, monkeys + boar - awesome trip downriver

In Jerantut, booked hotel in KL (cheap for 4 stars!) + flight to Chiang Mai, Thailand
Merry Miss Sunshine served fast lunch in Jerantut, barely in time to make shuttle to KL
Checked into Corus Hotel in KL - nice :) - had buffet dinner (RM112)

Pacific 2004 - Day 63 - Malaysia

2004-11-04T20:01:00.000-08:00

Looks like our candidate didn't quite win - fellow traveler gave us news of close electoral college vote while we...
Hiked the jungle up to a lookout - walked the canopy walk - saw a poisonous snake + huge ants

Rested, showered, rested more
Went to aboriginal village upriver - blew darts, made fire, had a young civet walk on us - cool! - good boat ride back

Will leave Taman Negara a day early to head to KL

Pacific 2004 - Day 62 - Malaysia

2004-11-03T19:57:00.000-08:00

Shuttle to Tembeling Jetty
Great boat ride to Taman Negara - very cool + comfy - saw 1 monkey + 1 monitor

Checked into Ekoton Village - cranked the A/C!
Relaxed today + tried to get election results - unresolved @ bedtime
Met + talked (listened) to Dave - former military / San Antonio resident

Pacific 2004 - Day 61 - Malaysia

2004-11-02T21:05:00.000-08:00

B-fast @ Cherating Cottage (RM8)
Bus to Kuantan (RM6) - lunch @ A&W! (RM12)
Bus to Jerantut (RM21)
Stayed @ Hotel Sri Emas (RM48)
Booked trip to Taman Negara (RM575)
Yummy roti dinner @ Muslim restaurant on Jl Besar (RM8) - is it insensitive to eat at a Muslim restaurant before sundown during Ramadan? Stupid tourist...

Pacific 2004 - Day 60 - Malaysia

2004-11-01T19:32:00.000-08:00

Breakfast on Jl Mahkota (RM6)
Bus to Cherating
Checked into Cherating Cottage (RM50) - friendly owners
Rainy, blah beach
Lunch + dinner @ Duyong Restaurant on beach - awesome watermelon/lime juice drink (RM26 lunch, RM 20 dinner)
Decided against going north along eastern coast - will head to Taman Negara Nat'l Park

Pacific 2004 - Day 59 - Singapore to Malaysia

2004-10-31T20:44:00.000-08:00

Breakfast on Timah Bukit (S$11)
Bus to Johor Bahru, Malaysia (S$4)
Taxi to JB Airport (40 Malaysian Ringgit [RM])
Flight to Kuantan via Kuala Lumpur (RM314 total)
Stayed @ Tong Nam Ah Hotel (RM25) - great ceiling fan - pretty comfortable

Pacific 2004 - Day 58 - Singapore

2004-10-30T21:36:00.000-07:00

Up early - city quiet - breakfast of prata + curry @ Food Stop on Hill St
Checked out Chinatown - empty
Train to Chinese Garden - cool lizards + cloth lighting sculptures

Train + long walk to Haw Par Villa on Pasir Panjang Rd
Cool morbid "Gates of Hell" dioramas @ Haw Par Villa (S$2)

Lunch on Pasir Panjang @ dim sum house (S$6) + drinks (S$3)
Taxi (S$10) back to Funan IT Mall - loads of technology for sale - prices only slightly better than U.S. + no tax - snacks of tea (S$6) + fruit (S$2)
Dinner in Tekka Centre (S$6) then Indian Market - we're here during the Deepavali Festival + Ramadan - the markets are hopping @ night when Muslims are able to break their fast

Pacific 2004 - Day 57 - New Zealand to Singapore

2004-10-29T20:18:00.000-07:00

Mailed laptop + final non-essentials to camp office
Flew from Auckland to Singapore (11 hrs)
Checked into Boon Wah Hotel - air-con + TV
Stayed in for evening

Pacific 2004 - Day 56 - New Zealand

2004-10-28T21:13:00.000-07:00

Re-registered Bucky + shipped extra stuff home from Hamilton
Drove to Backpacker's Car Market in Auckland - sold Bucky (NZ$3500) to English couple - profit in 3 hours, thanks to the current exchange rate :)
Changed flight date - fly to Singapore tomorrow!
Surfed Internet, wrote Richard, booked hostel for 2 nights in S-pore
Stayed @ Aloe Tree Lodge (NZ$58)

Pacific 2004 - Day 55 - New Zealand

2004-10-27T20:10:00.000-07:00

Drove north to Cambridge
Took break in Turangi to see community mosaic panels

Camped @ Cambridge Motor Camp on Scott St (NZ$24)
In the kitchen, met David + Katharina from near Mannheim, Germany - gave them all of our food + fuel + some books

Pacific 2004 - Day 54 - New Zealand

2004-10-26T20:05:00.000-07:00

Woke up @ 4 am?!
Saw cool mosaic fish mailbox on coast road

Traversed S. Island from West Coast to Blenheim
Wild goose chase to visit The Store - not the place Dave remembered
Caught 6pm ferry to Wellington - great sunset - met Dennis + Esther from Malaysia

Camped @ Paekakariki Motor Camp/Holiday Park (NZ$20)
Quote of the Day (Dave): "Merge like a zip...bitch!"

Pacific 2004 - Day 53 - New Zealand

2004-10-25T19:58:00.000-07:00

Big decisions this morning
Both of us are longing for San Antonio - may return there in U.S. winter/spring
Need more travel stimulation - will start getting ready to head to Asia early - will head for Auckland now
In good spirits for hike out

Met local couple - wife Gail is from Indiana + went to IU
Soaked in rock pools @ Maruia Springs Thermal Complex (NZ$20 for 2) - beautiful rock pools constructed above river - nice hot spring waterfall for all-over body massage
Ate dinner in Greymouth @ Priya Indian restaurant - "feast for 2" (NZ$23 ea) - appetizer platter, 2 curries, naan, pappodom, rice, dessert, drink - YUM
Free-camped on coast road north of Greymouth - nice to hear surf again

Pacific 2004 - Day 52 - New Zealand

2004-10-24T20:24:00.000-07:00

Hiked to Boyle's Flat Hut - trail very muddy - rain most of the day

Packed 8 days of food for long circular hike - too much weight! - decided on 5-day max in future
Trail + tramping so dismal, we decided not to continue intended route
Had hut to ourselves - ate 2nd lunch + big dinner to reduce load

Pacific 2004 - Day 51 - New Zealand

2004-10-23T19:52:00.000-07:00

Beginning of Labor Weekend - traffic!
Drove to Springs Junction for last-minute groceries + some lunch
Free-camped @ trailhead for St. James Walkway - sand flies horrible!! :(

Pacific 2004 - Day 50 - New Zealand

2004-10-22T20:48:00.000-07:00

Into Christchurch to see Amadeus (director's cut) @ Regent Cinema
Internet, book shopping, another meal @ Sampan House
Stopped @ "historic pub" for wedges + beer - watched horse + dog racing on giant TV - Dave picked 3 winners in a row!
Drove northwest to SH7
Camped @ Balmoral Reserve Park (free) - neighbor's stove caught fire - lent first aid supplies

Pacific 2004 - Day 49 - New Zealand

2004-10-21T19:50:00.000-07:00

Woken by keas again - very used to begging for food - no luck with us!

Sunny day, so we hiked out the way we came in - trail in fantastic condition - lunch @ Mt. Somers Hut - total hike 4.5 hrs

Drove into Christchurch
Yummy lunch/dinner @ Sampan House
Camped @ Addington Accomodation Park - friendly but dumpy

Pacific 2004 - Day 48 - New Zealand

2004-10-20T21:45:00.000-07:00

Woken by keas, but didn't realize what they were
Another gorgeous sunny day!
Hiked to waterfall behind hut via climbing rocks + scrub hillsides + creekbed - showered in waterfall + bathed in pool below - sunbathed too - water was breathtakingly cold but awesome
Hiked back in creek - overall a great Kiwi outing: bushwhacking + wet shoes

Have had the Pinnacles Hut to ourselves for 3 nights :)

Pacific 2004 - Day 47 - New Zealand

2004-10-19T20:43:00.000-07:00

Beautiful sunny day!

Chopped firewood
Laid in front of fire @ night
Possum on porch named James after author of The Rats (book Dave found in hut)

Pacific 2004 - Day 46 - New Zealand

2004-10-18T20:40:00.000-07:00

Hiked to Pinnacles Hut (4 hrs) - tough! - snow on track was treacherous - more cloud + mist, but some sun - nice lunch break @ saddle

Had P-Hut to ourselves
Possum on porch @ night

Pacific 2004 - Day 45 - New Zealand

2004-10-17T20:37:00.000-07:00

Began Mt. Somers Walkway
Misty and cold (love it!), some rain, no view of Mt. Somers
Good hike to Mt. Somers hut on Woolshed Creek (4 hrs)

Hut divided into musterers' side and trampers' side - stayed in musterers' side - nice fireplace
Snow throughout evening + night

Pacific 2004 - Day 44 - New Zealand

2004-10-16T10:35:00.000-07:00

Drove toward Mt. Somers Walkway
Rainy day
Stopped in Fairlie for lunch - local kids playing on a grass maze

Camped @ Woolshed Creek car park@ base of Walkway - great river

Pacific 2004 - Day 43 - New Zealand

2004-10-15T21:30:00.000-07:00

Hiked "access to Benmore Recreation Area" track of SH8 near Twizel - ridge + pasture - good 3 hrs exercise + views + curious Stepford cattle

Drove toward Geraldine - pulled off for nap - knackered from hike!
Free-camped @ picnic area next to Geraldine Forest (private) - 2 other vans pulled into same area - 1 parked 6 ft away - moron!

Pacific 2004 - Days 37-42 - New Zealand

2004-10-14T20:27:00.000-07:00

Have stayed @ condo in Omarama since Oct 8

Yummy dinners, lots of reading + TV - 2 American presidential debates (Go Kerry)

Walked along river trail in Twizel - great water

Condo complex is deserted and outdated - ready to move on

Pacific 2004 - Day 36 - New Zealand

2004-10-08T21:25:00.000-07:00

Dave's birthday!
Nice turquoise rivers + lakes on way to Omarama

Checked into Countrytime Club in Omarama
Awesome tapas dinner by Dave

Pacific 2004 - Day 35 - New Zealand

2004-10-07T20:19:00.000-07:00

Lunch @ Pulsi in Christchurch
Cold, cloudy day
Walked thru Arts Centre
To Botanic Gardens for walk + tea

Watched Super-Size Me - great, but made Shannon want a Quarter Pounder - sick
Free-camped off SH1 near Ashburton, next to RR tracks

Pacific 2004 - Day 34 - New Zealand

2004-10-06T21:13:00.000-07:00

Played around White's Bay - funky rocks

Stopped @ gorgeous Montana Winery - bought wrought iron olive spoon - enjoyed huge fireplace + leather couches w/ cappuccino + Cuisine magazines

Fish + chips in Kaikoura followed by...
Walk along clifftop of peninsula - great views, no whales or dolphins

Nice views of mountains covered later by cloud front

Stayed @ Meadow Park Holiday Camp (NZ$28) in Christchurch - tried to get our money's worth using kitchen + pool w/ water slide

Pacific 2004 - Day 33 - New Zealand

2004-10-05T21:32:00.000-07:00

Got last of travel vaccinations (Twinrix #3)
Te Papa! Awesome national museum covers art, culture, history, science, natural history

Lunch @ AbraKebabra - cool ambience under indoor tent
Ferry to Picton (NZ$40 ea + $140 for Bucky)
Free-camped @ White's Bay

Pacific 2004 - Day 32 - New Zealand

2004-10-04T20:02:00.000-07:00

Drove to lookout 8 km north of Battle Hill Farm Park
South to Wellington

Extended our visitor's permits online
Lunch @ The Oaks Satay Noodle House on Cuba St - wide rice noodles w/ seafood + seafood noodle soup w/ vermicelli + coconut broth - yum!
Bought several used books for our Bucky-brary
After considering camping in the parking garage, drove back up to Battle Hill (NZ$10)
Great fire, but didn't get to enjoy it - started raining

Pacific 2004 - Day 31 - New Zealand

2004-10-03T21:00:00.000-07:00

Hiked to Battle Hill summit - great views, nice trail

Two ewes died - one had lambs, one was trying to lamb - ranger asked Dave to help load them onto disposal trailer - Dave's first time handling a sheep
Stayed on @ campsite - nice fire after dinner

Pacific 2004 - Day 30 - New Zealand

2004-10-02T20:55:00.000-07:00

Laundry + yummy breakfast @ motor camp - great signs

Pulled off @ Otaki Beach to read for a couple hours

Went to Nyco Chocolate Co + Prenzel Tasting Room, 1 km south of Paraparauma - favorites: dark chocolate + cointreau truffle, "Stiff Richard" shot (butterscotch schnapps + butterscotch cream) Mmmm...
Camped @ Battle Hill Farm Park (NZ$10) a few km's north of SH58 - nice spot next to creek, lots of young lambs

Pacific 2004 - Day 29 - New Zealand

2004-10-01T20:50:00.000-07:00

Great morning views of Tongariro Park volcanoes

Books + muffins in Palmerston North
Wild Goose Chase Day:
Simpson Scenic Reserve yielded no hiking
Mt. Lees Scenic Reserve looked like someone's private garden
Attempted drive to hike in Tararua Forest Park - road nearly washed out in several places - but nice sunset

Turned around + drove to...
camp @ Levin Motor Camp - very friendly, nice kitchen (NZ$20)