USA Holidays
Florida
1995 - Time to do the "Orlando Experience" with James and Chris (who were 9 and 7). No Jo as we were divorced by this time.
Must confess that the trips to Disney, Universal Studios and Sea World were researched and planned very well by yours truly. I felt that the time away should be spent "efficiently" to pack in as much as possible. Possibly the first showing of the "Power Tourist" trait. The planning worked and so was worth every minute spent.
Fourteen days away, only two days relaxing and doing little. The boys stood up to the pace remarkably well and I cannot recall any complaints.
We loved it (indeed, I shed a tear when we finally had to leave the Magic Kingdom for the last time).
Visited:
Disney World - Magic Kingdom, MGM Studios and Epcot
Universal Studios
Sea World - saw the Manatees, Shamu the Orca and a great chilled Arctic exhibit.
Cypress Gardens
Kennedy Space Centre - brilliant.
Washington State
<<Photos>>
1993 - This was supposed to be "The Great Western Adventure" with old family friend Pip, but sadly he could not go as his sister, Anne, was terminally ill. The focus therefore changed to Washington State and visiting Terry and Linda on my own.
I drove and drove in a brank new Ford Probe.
First, over the Stevens Pass on the Cascades to Coulee - the pass was closed with snow the following day. Grand Coulee Dam is over a mile long - now that is something to see !
Circular tour ended up at Sequim on the Olympic Peninsula.
A few days with Terry and Linda (who lived with Linda's Mom and Dad, Martie and Jerry) and then the grand circular tour around the peninsula.
Discovered the delights of Swain's store in Port Angeles - if ever there is a "we sell everything" emporium, this is it, and Hurricane Ridge, the Merrymere falls, Crescent Lake and walking along the Dungeness Spit.
Rain, followed more rain but carried on through Forks (Timber Museum), along the Pacific Coast and swing inland to see the Hoh Rain Forest.
The Hoh had a profound effect on me - it was so green, so beautiful. Trees 200 feet plus tall are common - just magnificent. If I had seen this at 16 years old, I may have become a botanist. Rain and more rain, then down to Quinault Lodge (beautifully situated on Lake Quinault). The story is that a US President - Theodore Roosevelt, maybe - loved the spot so much he declared the area a US National Park.
Anyway, wind and rain had brought the power lines down, but I thought little of this until about 1 o'clock in the morning when I awoke feeling as though I was falling back down onto the bed. Ominous footsteps along the corridor stopped and the knock at the door came. A voice told me that a tree had come down close to my car.
I got up, went to the car park and found that a 200 foot Douglas Fir had come down and smashed through the car roof just behind the driver's seat. Eight feet in any direction and no damage would have been done !
Heart broken, I called Hertz who sent a replacement. The Mazda never gave the same thrill to me as the Ford Probe.
The tour continued to the south, with the aim of seeing Mount St Helens. As it happens, I drove 56 miles from the bottom station hoping for just a glimpse - none came, just the clouds !
Then back to Sequim and home via Seattle.
Called in on "The Forgotten City Which Lies Beneath Seattle's Modern Streets" or the Seattle Underground Tour on Pioneer Square. Now that really IS different tour.
Seems that Seattle was built, and kept getting flooded and unbearable because of the water level raising twice a day because of the tides and the rain. They raised the streets and walkways, which of course meant that in parts, the old shop and street fronts were buried beneath the current pavements.
A very good trip, which I would recommend to any one.
I have had a mild mistrust of big trees since this trip to the Evergreen State.
Washington State
1999 - Second trip to Sequim, this time with James and Chris.
Visited Hurricane Ridge (which was still freezing in August).
Went Orca viewing with Terry off Vancouver and San Juan Island - very memorable.
Visited a fort and the Klallam County Fair.
Drove around the Peninsula to the Hoh Rain Forest and Quinault again. The remains of that damned tree can still be seen by the road side - I was still impressed to see just how tall it was.
Went back via Seattle.
Enjoyed visiting the Boeing factory - impressive to see four 747s being built side by side.
Also enjoyed the Museum of Flight.
Less intense trip this time, and no cars were written off.
<<Photos>>
Missouri
2001 - Flew to Springfield via Chicago with James and Chris and then drove to Hollister via Branson to visit Terry and Linda at their new home at the Stonecroft Conference Center in Hollister.
Temperatures very high - up to 100, I believe.
Very leisurely time, took in Silver Dollar City with Terry "Ooooh...", a ride on a Duck, the local water park and Dogwood Canyon in Arkansas.
Terry took us to look at a million and one pairs of cowboy boots and onto the Bass Pro shop to see a million and one fishing rods.
Always good to see Big Bruv and Linda.
New York
<<Photos>>
2001 - Flew up to NYC from Springfield, Mo after visiting Terry and Linda with James and Chris. Stayed at Best Western on 34th Street (or so).
Temperatures were in the 90s
Took in all the usual sites and had a truly great time:
Central Park / Strawberry Fields
Statue of Liberty
Ellis Island Immigration Center
Empire State Building
Chrysler Building
Flat Iron Building
Times Square
Grand Central Terminal
Natural History Museum
Rockerfeller Center
St Patricks Cathedral
Downtown Financial District
We also went up the World Trade Center twice, once in the day and once at night. We had a drink on the 107th floor restaurant on 10 August.
One month later, the Twin Towers had collapsed following the terrorist atrocity of 11 September.
I guess that the fact we visited the World Trade Center that last evening vindicates my outlook that we should try and see as much, and do as much as we can when we travel - something may not be there next time we visit.
1995 - Time to do the "Orlando Experience" with James and Chris (who were 9 and 7). No Jo as we were divorced by this time.
Must confess that the trips to Disney, Universal Studios and Sea World were researched and planned very well by yours truly. I felt that the time away should be spent "efficiently" to pack in as much as possible. Possibly the first showing of the "Power Tourist" trait. The planning worked and so was worth every minute spent.
Fourteen days away, only two days relaxing and doing little. The boys stood up to the pace remarkably well and I cannot recall any complaints.
We loved it (indeed, I shed a tear when we finally had to leave the Magic Kingdom for the last time).
Visited:
Disney World - Magic Kingdom, MGM Studios and Epcot
Universal Studios
Sea World - saw the Manatees, Shamu the Orca and a great chilled Arctic exhibit.
Cypress Gardens
Kennedy Space Centre - brilliant.
Washington State
<<Photos>>
1993 - This was supposed to be "The Great Western Adventure" with old family friend Pip, but sadly he could not go as his sister, Anne, was terminally ill. The focus therefore changed to Washington State and visiting Terry and Linda on my own.
I drove and drove in a brank new Ford Probe.
First, over the Stevens Pass on the Cascades to Coulee - the pass was closed with snow the following day. Grand Coulee Dam is over a mile long - now that is something to see !
Circular tour ended up at Sequim on the Olympic Peninsula.
A few days with Terry and Linda (who lived with Linda's Mom and Dad, Martie and Jerry) and then the grand circular tour around the peninsula.
Discovered the delights of Swain's store in Port Angeles - if ever there is a "we sell everything" emporium, this is it, and Hurricane Ridge, the Merrymere falls, Crescent Lake and walking along the Dungeness Spit.
Rain, followed more rain but carried on through Forks (Timber Museum), along the Pacific Coast and swing inland to see the Hoh Rain Forest.
The Hoh had a profound effect on me - it was so green, so beautiful. Trees 200 feet plus tall are common - just magnificent. If I had seen this at 16 years old, I may have become a botanist. Rain and more rain, then down to Quinault Lodge (beautifully situated on Lake Quinault). The story is that a US President - Theodore Roosevelt, maybe - loved the spot so much he declared the area a US National Park.
Anyway, wind and rain had brought the power lines down, but I thought little of this until about 1 o'clock in the morning when I awoke feeling as though I was falling back down onto the bed. Ominous footsteps along the corridor stopped and the knock at the door came. A voice told me that a tree had come down close to my car.
I got up, went to the car park and found that a 200 foot Douglas Fir had come down and smashed through the car roof just behind the driver's seat. Eight feet in any direction and no damage would have been done !
Heart broken, I called Hertz who sent a replacement. The Mazda never gave the same thrill to me as the Ford Probe.
The tour continued to the south, with the aim of seeing Mount St Helens. As it happens, I drove 56 miles from the bottom station hoping for just a glimpse - none came, just the clouds !
Then back to Sequim and home via Seattle.
Called in on "The Forgotten City Which Lies Beneath Seattle's Modern Streets" or the Seattle Underground Tour on Pioneer Square. Now that really IS different tour.
Seems that Seattle was built, and kept getting flooded and unbearable because of the water level raising twice a day because of the tides and the rain. They raised the streets and walkways, which of course meant that in parts, the old shop and street fronts were buried beneath the current pavements.
A very good trip, which I would recommend to any one.
I have had a mild mistrust of big trees since this trip to the Evergreen State.
Washington State
1999 - Second trip to Sequim, this time with James and Chris.
Visited Hurricane Ridge (which was still freezing in August).
Went Orca viewing with Terry off Vancouver and San Juan Island - very memorable.
Visited a fort and the Klallam County Fair.
Drove around the Peninsula to the Hoh Rain Forest and Quinault again. The remains of that damned tree can still be seen by the road side - I was still impressed to see just how tall it was.
Went back via Seattle.
Enjoyed visiting the Boeing factory - impressive to see four 747s being built side by side.
Also enjoyed the Museum of Flight.
Less intense trip this time, and no cars were written off.
<<Photos>>
Missouri
2001 - Flew to Springfield via Chicago with James and Chris and then drove to Hollister via Branson to visit Terry and Linda at their new home at the Stonecroft Conference Center in Hollister.
Temperatures very high - up to 100, I believe.
Very leisurely time, took in Silver Dollar City with Terry "Ooooh...", a ride on a Duck, the local water park and Dogwood Canyon in Arkansas.
Terry took us to look at a million and one pairs of cowboy boots and onto the Bass Pro shop to see a million and one fishing rods.
Always good to see Big Bruv and Linda.
New York
<<Photos>>
2001 - Flew up to NYC from Springfield, Mo after visiting Terry and Linda with James and Chris. Stayed at Best Western on 34th Street (or so).
Temperatures were in the 90s
Took in all the usual sites and had a truly great time:
Central Park / Strawberry Fields
Statue of Liberty
Ellis Island Immigration Center
Empire State Building
Chrysler Building
Flat Iron Building
Times Square
Grand Central Terminal
Natural History Museum
Rockerfeller Center
St Patricks Cathedral
Downtown Financial District
We also went up the World Trade Center twice, once in the day and once at night. We had a drink on the 107th floor restaurant on 10 August.
One month later, the Twin Towers had collapsed following the terrorist atrocity of 11 September.
I guess that the fact we visited the World Trade Center that last evening vindicates my outlook that we should try and see as much, and do as much as we can when we travel - something may not be there next time we visit.
(20 Nov 2013)