The history of European settlement of California is different to the rest of the United States in that instead of pioneers moving westward in search of new land from the east coast, California was settled by Spanish missionaries from the south in search of new souls. Core to that fascinating movement over 200 years ago is the establishment of 21 missions throughout California by these Spanish priests. And Julie and … Continue reading →
How do you follow up six weeks traveling around Central Asia followed by three weeks exploring Mongolia? What could possibly complement that sort of massive adventure? Ah, well, we had a good idea and flew to California where our plan was to catch up with family, some who live there and some who are also coming to visit from Australia. For Julie and I that’s California dreamin’ come true. Our … Continue reading →
All good things must come to an end and Julie and I knew our northern summer in the western US was on it’s sunset days. But first we had time for more fun in the sun, great walks in the mountains and a very special birthday celebration. And of course it all happened at Tahoe. The highlight of our entire three month trip to the US was to celebrate my … Continue reading →
California is different to the rest of the United States, to the enjoyment of some and the consternation of others. The lifestyle, culture, weather, economy, diversity and politics make it stand out from the other 49 states. Silicon Valley, Hollywood, the Golden Gate, the beaches, the redwoods, California is different. If California was an independent country it would have the 5th largest economy in the world. It is also a … Continue reading →
We’ve said it before but one of the great attractions of travelling in the US is the national parks. On the top of that list for many people is Yosemite National Park in the heart of the Sierra Nevada Mountains not too far south of Lake Tahoe. Julie and I wanted to take in this magnificent place again and when I scored a three day pass online we were ready … Continue reading →
There’s nothing better than family and Julie and I are both lucky to be part of very large families – each of us the oldest of five children, now with many nieces and nephews. In fact, our three kids have an impressive 24 cousins spread out between the US and Australia. So of course while Julie and I were in the American neighbourhood we set aside a bucket-load of time … Continue reading →
When Julie and I bought Tramp in early 2017 and set off on our around-the-world journey we dubbed Follow the Sun we were full of excitement and anticipation. An almost life-long dream was finally coming true but we were wonderfully naïve about the amazing adventures and not-so-amazing challenges that lie ahead. Six and a half years later, we completed our journey across five continents and 70 countries, which amazes us … Continue reading →
We pulled Tramp over to get out and admire the spectacular multi-coloured sandstone creations towering around us, the wonders of uplifting ocean floors and millions of years of wind and water erosion, and commented that ever since we had entered Utah this wonderful scenery was the new normal. We called it Utah normal. We had a plan to get back to our home base in California in less than a … Continue reading →
The fourth of July, also known as Independence Day, is America’s birthday. It was on this day in 1776 that Congress adopted the Declaration of Independence which formalised the colonies’ divorce from Great Britain. And America, already the most patriotic country we’ve ever been to, puffs out it’s chest, puts up all it’s red, white and blue flags, buys out all the hot dogs and celebrates this day like no … Continue reading →
It has been said that America’s best idea was it’s national parks, precious land set aside for all to see for generations to come. And even for those who haven’t been to the US names like Yosemite, Yellowstone and Grand Canyon are well known as the best of the best national parks in the US. But arguably in that same top tier of parks is a very special place in … Continue reading →
Americans love to recreate. And this country has by far and away the best recreation facilities of anywhere we’ve visited. Whether it’s protected land like national parks, monuments, forests, or simple ‘recreation areas’ like reservoirs, rivers, ATV and offroad vehicle land or open parkland or state parks or county parks or a much longer list America has it all and it is all over the place. And Colorado has to … Continue reading →
They say that all good things must come to an end and we certainly proved it in the upmarket ski resort town of Crested Butte. It was here that my sister Kathy and her husband John had to leave us to get back to family commitments in California. They had been travelling with us for almost three weeks and we had made an excellent foursome. Julie and I usually don’t … Continue reading →
The Rocky Mountains are probably America’s most famous geographic feature. This towering mountain range runs from British Colombia and Alberta in Canada through numerous American states before finally petering out in northern New Mexico. Probably it’s most famous and most visited sections are in the state of Colorado and we were smack dab amongst it all. Colorado alone has a staggering 58 peaks over 14,000 feet (4,240 metres), dozens of … Continue reading →
Julie and I often shake our head in wonder about how travel delivers amazing new experiences every day, usually when we least expect it. And here’s yet another day to prove this axiom – we drove through the high mountains near Santa Fe, New Mexico and unexpectedly came across the stunning Valles Caldera National Preserve. If that wasn’t enough, later in the day we learned all about the making of … Continue reading →
If I had any tourism statistics I would bet the state of New Mexico is near the bottom of the list for visitors. And it’s true that New Mexico does not have any Grand Canyons, Yellowstones, Empire State Buildings or Golden Gate Bridges. If you want to only hit the biggest of the highlights in the US you won’t be coming to New Mexico. But be warned, you’ll be missing … Continue reading →
American states each have a tagline, usually displayed proudly on their license plates. For instance, there’s boring ones like the Peach State (Georgia) or Empire State (New York), some are more descriptive like Big Sky Country (Montana), historic like Land of Lincoln (Illinois) or braggers like Grand Canyon State (Arizona). But New Mexico creates a special aspirational category all to themselves – this low profile state call themselves the Land … Continue reading →
We crossed the Colorado River and entered the state of Arizona, one of the most remarkable states in all the US. Known mostly for the Grand Canyon and it’s expansive deserts, Arizona has a special place in our family – my brother and his family live here, numerous other family members have lived here over the years and I was born here (although it was a long time ago!). Julie … Continue reading →
Julie and I love the beaches and we spend as much time as possible with sand and surf. We also crave the mountains with their snowy tops, jagged peaks, stunning walks and amazing views. But we have always held a special place for the wide open spaces, the long flat prairies, the barren lifeless bush and the endless desert. The desert fascinates us and amazes us at every turn. And … Continue reading →
The setting was sparkling with it’s lush and colourful gardens, the adobe-style architecture of the historic lodge set as a background and a couple hundred well-appointed guests gathered under a cool blue sky. The beautiful bride and our nephew-turned-groom looked absolutely magnificent and we were surrounded by close family. The moment couldn’t have been more perfect. And in this grand way Julie and I started a three month trip where … Continue reading →
Julie and I are old school when it came to plotting our course across five continents during our Follow the Sun journey. We used a combination of fold-out maps, map books, guide books and the occasional reference from Mr. Google to plan each of our 755 days on the road. To supplement all that at a micro level, we often used our GPS – which we named Karen – to … Continue reading →
Somewhere around 30 years ago I said to Julie that when we retire I wanted to drive around the world in some sort of camper. It was a crazy notion at that time but kind of fun to have as a future goal, even if it was unlikely to come true. And other than saying the words we put very little definition or details around the notion at that time, … Continue reading →
Our Follow the Sun journey was almost over and we were slowly inching our way to our start/finish line at my mother’s house in California. And as a special treat we’ll be there in time for Thanksgiving – the biggest family event in America. Our trip across the States over the last month has had great purpose and intent, exploring as many new places on the way as possible. Along … Continue reading →
When we planned this journey across the northern states of America it had a specific time frame due to us wanting to spend Thanksgiving with family in California. It wasn’t our normal style to have a set timeline but we mapped a rough journey which included a few key spots along the way and headed off. Never did we ever imagine in that planning we would spend five nights in … Continue reading →
There’s a part of America that almost nobody goes to and almost nobody lives there. It has endless flat open plains, melting hot in summer and bitterly cold in winter. It is divided into two almost identically-shaped states, the north and the south, with capitals that nobody else knows. There are no standout sports teams and no household names came from there. And yet, and yet, they are wonderfully compelling … Continue reading →
The 49th Parallel, as it’s called, marks the border between the US and Canada from the Pacific Ocean to the Great Lakes. Signed as part of the Oregon Treaty in 1846 it ended years of dispute between the US and Britain and allowed trade between the two countries to continue with clearer rules. We had decided not to cross into Canada on this leg of Follow the Sun but it … Continue reading →
Normally at this time of year around the Great Lakes – late October – people are gearing up for their Halloween celebrations and hunkering down for the onset of winter. Summer cabins on the lakes are being winterised, boats stored indoors, winter tyres dusted off, state parks are shuttered, beanies and gloves pulled out. The sky stays grey, the temperatures drops, the days get shorter and in due course the … Continue reading →
The Great Lakes, as if you didn’t know, are the five huge lakes that straddle the US-Canada border and support one of the most significant economic regions of each country. As a young lad in California they meant very little to me but I remember using the mnemonic HOMES to memorise all five – Huron, Ontario, Michigan, Erie and Superior. And for decades my interest in them ended there. But … Continue reading →
Julie and I had a fantastic time exploring parts of the United States in 2017 during the first continent of Follow the Sun. From California we looped south across the continent to Florida and then more or less up the east coast into Canada. That was great but the US is a huge place and we barely touched the surface of cool places to visit. So on this final leg … Continue reading →
Life without Tramp is basically a string of hotels, restaurants and public transport while living out of our roller bags, sprinkled with valuable time amongst good friends but without the joy of travel the way we like to do it. So it was with mounting excitement that we settled in the greater Baltimore area and positioned ourselves close to the port where Tramp would eventually be released back to our … Continue reading →
The capital of the United States is Washington DC, or District of Colombia, or simply DC to the locals. It is a district, not a state, much like the ACT is the home of Australia’s capital but not a state. The shenanigans that go on in DC make the evening news every night but that wasn’t going to deter us from seeing this fascinating city and learning more about how … Continue reading →
I think you could spend a month in New York and not see all the great attractions in this vast city but we only had a week and wanted to pack in as much as we could. Up to this point we had spent most of our time in the midtown area around Times Square but we were now ready to branch out. New York is just about as big … Continue reading →
It’s known as The Big Apple, Gotham, the city that never sleeps, the capital of the world, the Empire City, Metropolis and many other nicknames but as one of the most dynamic, frenetic, influential and chaotic cities in the world it is a mecca for any traveller passing through these parts. And here we were, arriving from London after reluctantly leaving Tramp behind for his cruise across the Atlantic, keen … Continue reading →
As the chapter for 2022 closes we’ve taken a moment to reflect on our reinstated freedoms to travel. For most of the travelling world the last two and a half years has been a period of Covid-induced inaction and frustration. But with borders starting to open and after taking all the necessary precautions Julie and I finally hit the trail again in mid 2022. With a box of masks, a … Continue reading →
One thing we’ve learned from this three week lap around the Pacific Northwest is that there are endless little hidden gems – as well as some more famous spots – to visit in Oregon, Washington and Idaho. But as we closed the loop, including a fabulous week travelling with Kathy and John, we knew that all our roads lead back to California. But the US is a big place full … Continue reading →
I think it’s half safe to say that many people went on some sort of family camping trip when they were growing up or have taken their own family on a camping trip. We went on many camping trips as a family and I still have fond memories of those great times. Julie and I also took our kids camping most weekends in the summer and they usually involved bush … Continue reading →
No other region of the United States has a stronger reputation for beautiful mountain and coastal scenery, outstanding recreation activities and a general celebration of the great outdoors than the Pacific Northwest, or the PNW. And by the PNW we mean the progressive states of Oregon and Washington which cover everything between California and Canada. Julie and I wanted to do more exploring of the nooks and crannies in this … Continue reading →
Mt. Shasta rises from the flatlands of northern California like a protective mother looking after her brood far below. It is a perfect conically-shaped volcanic mountain, at 14,100 feet (4300 metres) one of the highest in continental United States, formed over hundreds of thousands of years and still considered active. Mt. Shasta is visible for 100 miles on a clear day, one of the most awesome stand-alone mountains imaginable. Mt. … Continue reading →
Pine trees have always held a special place in my mind. They remind me of some of my best memories growing up – hiking in the forests, camping in the mountains, skiing in the Sierra Nevada mountains, holidays at Lake Tahoe. Huge majestic pine trees everywhere. And Julie immediately saw the magic in them when she started to spend time in California with their tall handsome trunks, defining barks and … Continue reading →
It’s a great life on the road, that’s for sure, but it’s also wonderful to go home to our family and friends after being away for many months, catch up on what everyone’s doing, hear their stories and share some of our own. There’s many hugs to share, excited voices, laughs all around, all great fun we had been looking forward to and really loved. And of course, there’s the … Continue reading →
One of my favourite travelling songs is the old Willie Nelson tune with the singalong chorus ‘On the road again, just can’t wait to get on the road again’. Julie and I could finally sing that song again after about an eight week hiatus from Tramp and our Follow the Sun adventure. During that time we had a beautiful little grand daughter (Abby rules!), we reunited with friends and family … Continue reading →
One of the proudest moments of my life was walking our daughter Anna down the aisle on her big day with her beau Carl. That was more than four years ago and a lot has happened since then, all for the good. Julie and I were in North Carolina back in May when Anna told us the big news that she and Carl were expecting a baby, the best news … Continue reading →
Julie and I have been caught between our old-fashioned love for large fold-out paper maps and the newfangled way of navigating via GPS and talking devices. Both methods of moving from A to B have merit and each has their strengths and weaknesses. We’ve adopted a blended strategy of using legacy maps to plot our bigger, broader and longer-term journey while sometimes using our GPS, which we call Karen, to … Continue reading →
Don’t you love spreadsheets? A good spreadsheet reveals all sorts of interesting information, some of it even useful, and a wealth of new knowledge that is almost always ignored or forgotten. And when a spreadsheet can produce meaningful statistics, even better. Well, I’m into spreadsheets, big time, and have kept a detailed spreadsheet of the first leg of our Follow the Sun journey. Here’s a few facts and figures that … Continue reading →
I used to say that the last three days of any holiday are the toughest because your mind starts thinking about getting home, what has to be done next, getting back to school or work, whatever the next chapter has in store. We’re certainly suffering a bit of that because we are looking forward to returning to Sydney before the grand arrival of our first grandchild (yeah!) but all the … Continue reading →
There’s an old cowboy saying for when a horse knows he’s heading home he’ll single-mindedly do anything to get there as quickly as possible – he is barn shy. Well, leaving Canada meant we were now taking a fairly direct route back to our North American home base in California and we were getting a little barn shy to get there ourselves.
Continue reading →We have spent more than seven weeks in Alaska and driven over 5,500 miles, full of adventure, exploration, discovery, wonder, joy and yes, some frustration with extended car troubles. But all good things must come to an end, preferably before winter sets in, and we reluctantly made our way south towards Canada. But Canada and Alaska are intricately linked geographically and with such few roads in the region we planned … Continue reading →
Locals are a great source of information for what to see and where to go. We try to talk to as many as we can, asking questions about things to do, places to visit, local weather conditions, how long have they been there, etc. On a few occasions we were told by Alaskans the best drive in Alaska was the drive down to the deep water port of Valdez. And … Continue reading →
After ten agonising days in Fairbanks we were finally handed the keys to Tramp and with almost childhood zeal we climbed onboard and hit the road again. Tramp’s extensive surgery to his rear end was more painful for us than for him but the Chevy dealer did the right thing and covered all our costs during Tramp’s convalescence. The whole experience taught us how totally reliant we were on our … Continue reading →
We headed south and east toward the Wrangell St. Elias National Park and the remote town of McCarthy. It was a quiet Sunday afternoon, very little traffic, we were looking for bears and moose, as usual. Then a loud clunk, grind, scrape and clang came from the back end of Tramp. We slammed to a stop, jumped out and peered underneath – the rear axle and differential were smoking and … Continue reading →
We’ve been feeling lately like we’re part of Game of Thrones. It is late August and summer is over in Alaska, winter is coming, and everyone is making final preparations before the long dark cold winter sets in. In our case it isn’t so much life and death as just lousy weather, low grey clouds every day, drizzle or rain most of the time, winds blowing, temperatures dropping to chilly … Continue reading →
The Kenai Peninsula in southern Alaska is a paradise for those seeking soft adventure and anyone who wants to get close to northern nature. We had already aced the whole bear thing down in remote Katmai National Park and were now headed for Kenai Fjords National Park and the port town of Seward to explore everything it had to offer. And we started with a perfect 10 campsite on the … Continue reading →
We spent 19 fabulous days in northern Alaska, highlighted by world renowned Denali National Park, a day of scenic flights and exploration in Gates of the Arctic National Park, the epic drive up the Dalton Highway to the Arctic Ocean and a week in Fairbanks waiting for repairs for the third member of our team, Tramp. Now we were heading south to the waterways, islands, glaciers and hidden secrets of … Continue reading →
In 1968 oil was discovered off the shores of northern Alaska. It was cold and inhospitable land, the oil was prohibitively expensive to pump out and transport to civilisation. Then the oil crisis emerged in the early 1970’s and America was thirsty for its own oil rather than depend on countries in the Middle East. Suddenly the untapped oil up in Prudhoe Bay was a bargain and they built an … Continue reading →
Way up in northern Alaska, far above the Arctic Circle, away from any roads, away from any other towns, away from any navigable rivers, smack dab in the middle of one of the most remote national parks in the American parks system is a small native Alaskan village surviving primarily on subsistence living and generations of tradition. The community’s name is Anaktuvuk Pass and on a recent sunny day Julie … Continue reading →
When I was a young man and exploring the world vicariously via National Geographic, intriguing maps and endless travel books I always thought that Fairbanks was the type of place I would like to live. The northern most major town of the continent, near the tallest mountains, starting point for explorers heading into the cold Arctic, big enough to provide all the essentials, it seemed like my perfect town. Unfortunately … Continue reading →
The world renowned Denali National Park is the centrepiece for outdoors Alaska. It contains the continent’s highest mountain, braided rivers, uncountable glaciers and magnificent remote country touched only by its bears, moose, caribou, wolves, Dall sheep and many other northern animals. It is by any standard an American treasure. In planning this trip over the years our visit to Denali was one of the most anticipated sites. And we finally … Continue reading →
Ever since Julie was a teenager she has wanted to go to Alaska. It was wild and remote and adventurous, had amazing wild animals and was romanticised through movies and documentaries. She read Michener, London and other authors who painted a tantalising picture. I think on the first day I met her she said, “I want to go to Alaska”. It was a challenge I was prepared to accept but … Continue reading →
Julie and I love weddings. We love the celebration of a wedding but we also love the reunion of family and friends that every wedding represents. We have no problem travelling fair distances to attend a wedding – different state, different country, short haul, long haul, whatever it takes. And we usually try to tie in some sort of holiday or break with the wedding, whether it is in Bali, … Continue reading →
When does an observation become a generalisation? If you’ve been in one taxi in Paris can you say that all Parisian taxi drivers are rude? If you’ve spoken to one Texan about his big RV can you say that all Texans are proud of their big RV’s? If it rains every day you’re in New Hampshire can you say it always rains there? Of course you can! Travel is all … Continue reading →
Maine is officially The Pine Tree State and its motto is ‘Life the way it should be’. Maine doesn’t have a high profile outside of the New England area and hasn’t played a major role in US history or politics. As a distant outsider I would have said Maine is known for its rugged shoreline, quaint fishing villages and its lobsters. Within the first day we could attest to all … Continue reading →
Everything is green in Vermont. Impressively, 80% of the state is covered in lush forest. The licence plate is green, the signs are green, the frequent huge solar panel farms tell us the state is green, the national forest is called….wait for it…Green Mountain National Forest. Most people live in small rural towns which feature huge green lawns and expansive green trees above. It’s a definite theme.
Continue reading →There is something a bit odd about travelling through Pennsylvania, New York and the states of New England without stopping at the great cities of New York, Washington DC, Philadelphia and Boston. But this trip is not about the cities, it’s about the mountains, the coastlines, the natural wonders of the places we visit. We can hit the cities on another trip, in another time, with a bigger budget. For … Continue reading →
We were enjoying the fresh green canopy of trees above us and the slow winding road when we rounded a corner and suddenly a large black bear lumbered across the road in front of us, paused for a moment, then galloped up the slope and stopped to quizzically look back at us. Perhaps he was admiring Tramp or just wanted to say hello – we’ll never know as traffic coming … Continue reading →
America is a case study in ultimate superlatives. Everything is the biggest, oldest, tallest or best. So when we heard that the Blue Ridge Parkway was ‘America’s Best Drive’ we were hoping the claim was true. We climbed on the Parkway, known also as ‘The All American Road’ and began to follow it northward. The Parkway was dedicated in 1935 after largely being built through government programs employing unemployed men … Continue reading →
The Appalachian Mountains are the dominant range of eastern United States, running from Canada all the way to Alabama near the Gulf of Mexico. They are not high in mountain terms, nor do they have deep glacier-carved valleys or high jagged peaks. But the Appalachians have some of the most rugged land anywhere and the mountains dominate the history, culture and economy of the towns and states that host it. … Continue reading →
The sun was shining bright on North Carolina. We had risen above the swampy wetlands on the secondary roads, passing through more beautiful rural countryside, well-kept homes of all sizes, expansive mowed lawns with no fences between neighbours, churches of all (and no) denominations on virtually every corner and fields of healthy grain and corn all around us. We had enjoyed South Carolina but could their northern neighbour jump over … Continue reading →
In April 1861 one of the most significant moments in the history of the United States occurred when local Carolina troops based in Fort Jackson near the city of Charleston fired their first cannon shot on Fort Sumter. Fort Sumter was built on an island guarding the mouth of the port of Charleston and it was occupied by Federal troops. This was an act of Americans firing on Americans and … Continue reading →
How much did we really know about Georgia? Well…not very much. Sure, Atlanta is a very high profile and internationally recognised city, major businesses, sporting teams, an airline hub. And there’s Augusta Georgia, home to the world’s most prestigious golf tournament, the Masters. Savannah Georgia is one of those beautiful old preserved cities from the 18th centuries, I think. But after that it’s a bit thin. Julie and I were … Continue reading →
Florida has a lot to offer, that’s for sure, and now we were at one of their major draw cards, the last town at the end of the Florida Keys, Key West. We loved the atmosphere and explored the busy streets lined with cool bars, outdoor restaurants, cheap T-shirt shops and upscale stores. We hit the famous Sunset Pier for drinks as the sun set on the water, a rarity … Continue reading →
Most states in the US have given themselves some sort of descriptive marketing name to help individualise themselves. These names are frequently found in their marketing slogans and on their licence plates. For instance, Texas is The Lone Star State, Minnesota is The Land of 10,000 Lakes and Georgia is the Peach State. But no state has adopted a more appropriate and appealing name than Florida – The Sunshine State. … Continue reading →
Sometimes you come across a road that just seems to go exactly where you want to go. You’re interested in exploring a town up ahead, that road goes there. You want to camp in a state park over there, that road goes there. You want to hug the coastline, that road does the job. We religiously avoid the huge Interstate freeways whenever possible and that allows us to explore places … Continue reading →
Louisiana is not a first choice destination for many people. Probably most famous for the fabulous city of New Orleans and more recently infamous for the damage wrought by Hurricane Katrina, Louisiana has a fairly low profile in the minds of most Americans. We entered the state along the coast of the Gulf of Mexico and our first target was to explore the Louisiana bayou which runs virtually the length … Continue reading →
It’s been about a month since we left my family home in Salinas California and embarked on our big journey which we’ve dubbed Follow the Sun. With our trusty stead Tramp we’ve already had a lifetime of fabulous memories and visited some amazing places but we’ve also had to adjust to a unique lifestyle of life on the road. We’ve learned a few things along the way but so far … Continue reading →
Texas is not like any other state, we get that, but even this old California boy has to admit it has some pretty special parts. One of them is their rich history, first as the free land of many Native American tribes, then as a Spanish colony, a Mexican state, an independent state and eventually part of the United States. And no place in Texas symbolises this colourful journey more … Continue reading →
The Rio Grande is one of the most famous and iconic rivers in all of America. Yes, there is the Mississippi and the Missouri and the Colorado, they are all household names. But anyone who has watched an old western or followed the fortunes of the state of Texas or the issues between the US and Mexico know the Rio Grande as much more than a blue line on a … Continue reading →
Texas is a big state. It is big geographically, second only to distant Alaska. It is big in population and the economy, big in political influence, played a big role in American history, it features big trucks, big speed limits, big cowboy hats and big sports teams, especially football. Texas is big and if you have any doubt, just ask a Texan. And we were going to explore the biggest … Continue reading →
Roswell is a remote town in the middle of the vast southern New Mexico desert. It would have been completely forgotten by mankind, and probably much smaller than it is today, if not for the fateful events of 5 July 1947. On this day a rancher found strange metallic objects in a paddock, made of a material he had never seen before. He brought it into town and eventually the … Continue reading →
The Land of Enchantment, as it’s called, does not have a high profile in American life. Home to little more than 2 million people, New Mexico is mostly known for having the tail end of the Rockies, some great skiing, Southwest art from the various Indian tribes and local artists, and perhaps more obliquely – Los Alamos where the first Atomic bomb was detonated and Roswell, the epicentre for UFO … Continue reading →
Colorado is a paradise for those who want to enjoy the great outdoors. We plan to revisit the northern reaches of this state later in the year as part of our loop through North America. But there was one more place we wanted to visit in this region before heading south, the Great Sandy Desert National Park.
Continue reading →The American Southwest has a rich and fascinating history based on the original inhabitants of this vast arid land. Today’s Native Americans are known by their tribal names of Apache, Navajo, Hopi, Zuni and Ute, to mention a few, but some of their predecessors lived simple lives on the high plains, in the caves and in the canyons of this unforgiving land. There are many magnificent places to celebrate their … Continue reading →
Our family has a long association with Arizona. My father was based in the capital Phoenix when he was in the Navy and I was born there during that time. My grandparents and other family members lived there and my brother Bruce and his wife Trish still live in a mountain town in north-eastern Arizona after doing their university in the state’s southern city of Tucson. And through many family … Continue reading →
Most people don’t associate California with desert. Well, California is a huge place with many diverse features and in fact does deserts like few other places in the world, including one of the most famous, Death Valley. Our next destination, Joshua Tree National Park, sits conveniently near the famous desert oasis of Palm Springs and the start of our journey into the vast California desert.
Continue reading →I did my university in Los Angeles (fight on Trojans!), a great city to be in when you are young and without worry or responsibility. But that was a long time ago and this time around Julie and I were more interested in a completely different side of southern California. No long beaches, hot summer days and tall palms for us, we wanted to explore the preserved forests, national parks, … Continue reading →
After 25 years of dreaming, a full year of hard core planning and 35 days of final preparation while staying at my parents’ house in Salinas, the morning had finally arrived when we pulled out of the driveway and began our big journey. It seemed almost too good to be true after all the recent frustrations and minor setbacks but our mighty Tramp pointed his way down the road and … Continue reading →
Americans and Australians speak the same language, right? I mean, it’s usually easy to communicate as long as accents are understood and the occasional strange word is allowed. But when a few people started telling Julie and I that what we really needed with Tramp, our truck and camper combination that we had been building and fixing up, was a shake down it confused us. A shake down is someone … Continue reading →
A few years ago when Julie and I started planning this trip around the world one issue that focused our minds like no other is what vehicle we would travel in and where would we sleep. We knew from experience that our selected vehicle/hotel would be the third member of our team and we would be totally dependent on it for transport, accommodation, security, storage, comfort and…well, friendship. After a … Continue reading →
One of my favourite places in the world is Tahoe. Tahoe is part of my childhood, a place of family gatherings, year round activities, sport, games, fun and total relaxation. Tahoe is in my photos, on my T shirts, in my fond memories. Tahoe, or Lake Tahoe to be exact, straddles the California-Nevada border and is the largest alpine lake in North America. At 6,200 feet (1,900 metres) it is … Continue reading →
In 1932 a young American author by the name of John Steinbeck wrote a book featuring a series of inter-related short stories about a valley near his home town of Salinas in central California. In these stories he described the beautiful green fields, stately old oaks, towering hills on all sides and a creek that ran down the middle of this hidden valley. Steinbeck called the book The Pastures of Heaven and … Continue reading →
The Salinas Valley in central California is said to have some of the most fertile and productive land in all of the US. More than a dozen different crops are grown in its rich brown soil but its signature product, and the very backbone of its economy and culture, is lettuce. In fact, so much lettuce is grown here, almost on a year round basis, that the area has been … Continue reading →
The American northwest state of Washington is known for its beautiful scenery, its pristine waterways, its rainy weather and its coffee. Most of that sounds perfect to us. But Washington is also home to one of our American nephews so when Ross announced his wedding date Julie and I packed our bags. Because we know from experience there’s nothing better than combining a holiday to new places with a … Continue reading →
