Wednesday, May 13, 2009--Vancouver to Victoria
The forecast was for a 70% chance of rain today, so we were lucky. It finally rained, but not until later in the day.
We had reserved a rental car from a Thrifty office that was only 2 blocks from our hotel. After breakfast, we checked out and went to there. Fortunately, a woman at the tourist office had marked a map for us related to the route to get to the ferry landing. We followed it and arrived 9 minutes before a scheduled departure. We were the last car allowed on the boat. And the next ferry wasn't until 2 hours later. Thank goodness we didn't have to wait.
There was a large family on the ferry with musical instruments. For an hour of the 1 1/2 hour passage, they played Celtic music to entertain the passengers. I could tell it was not usual, because the staff from the boat kept looking in the room where they were playing and smiling. It was so nice to be entertained on our way across.
The passage among the Gulf Islands was very nice. We were so close to the shores on both sides. We could easily see the homes and imagine the lives of the people living there.
After arriving on Vancouver Island, we took a back scenic road to Buchart Gardens. It is the major tourist site on the island. There still were only a few sprinkles, so we thought we should stop and see the gardens then. Why return that direction only for that? They were gorgeous. This is the time of the year for tulips, daffodils, chestnut trees, rhododendrums, etc. There were so many beautiful colors of flowers, and they were mixed in different combinations. There was even a dogwood tree in bloom. It took almost 2 hours to see the gardens including watching everyone else who was there to see them, too, including the Japanese group that was so happy to see the Japanese section, the old people who were happy to be able to get into the gardens via wheelchairs, etc.
We crossed to the shore and took another scenic route into Victoria. We passed the University of Victoria campus, went through neighborhoods with wonderful homes that had gardens that were a match for those we had just seen, saw the rocky coast, etc. It was a nice drive.
Our hotel is filled with older people. It's one of the older hotels in the city--a historical landmark. It's nice, though. But it cannot compare the luxury we enjoyed in Vancouver. It's only about 2/3 the price of the hotel in Vancouver, too.
We drove through the center of town tonight, but we will wait until tomorrow to really explore it. The weather has now deteriorated, so we will stay inside this evening and hope for better skies tomorrow morning. Also, it is too cold to be outside. We were runnign the heater and the defroster in the car.
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
44,986 Steps/Approx. 20 miles!
Tuesday, May 12, 2009--Vancouver
It's been a LONG day! The weather was beautiful, so we stayed out walking all day long.
We started by going to the nearby Sutton Place Hotel where a friend will be staying soon. Then we went to Heritage Square to see a group of old houses that have been restored and maintained as the city has grown into a cluster of high-rise buildings. From there, we explored the West End, a very nice neighborhood that has small shops and restaurants with lots of homes and apartments around them for the residents of the area.
We walked over the big bridge to Granville Island, discovering only after we were on it that we could not go down to Granville Island! Instead, we had to overshoot it and walk back to it. There should be an elevator or steps for pedestrians!
Granville Island has many galleries and shops and a very large market. We saw some of the art, especially that produced by the students at Emily Carr University. We wandered through the boat market. We walked through the food market. Then we sat in the sunshine looking toward the skyline of Vancouver. From there, we walked further down the island to a small restaurant that serves fish caught only by local fishermen. There, we had fish and chips on their outdoor patio.
We returned to town by the Burrard Bridge, an older bridge that has lots of character and was designed to be much like the gates of cities in Europe. We walked to the waterfront stopping by a gallery that had a painting I liked and that would be nice in my living room. The only problem was the cost--$27,000 U.S.!
We entered Stanley Park and walked along the edge of it to see the views back toward the city. Then we walked along the north side to the statue of the Woman in a Wetsuit, which is a rip-off of the Little Mermaid statue in Copenhagen. From there, we walked a trail through the park back toward town.
We were so tired that we decided to head to Costco and eat a snack so we wouldn't have to go back out later this evening. We bought some trail mix for our trip in the car that starts tomorrow, and we snacked on hotdogs since we were still not very hungry after our big breakfast and late lunch.
It's 19:30, and we have just returned to the hotel. My pedometer shows that we have walked 44,986 steps since leaving the room this morning. That's approximately 20 miles of walking. We are both tired and ready to stay in the room for the rest of the night. But what a beautiful day it was with sunshine and temperatures in the low 60s F. It was a day made for walking!
It's been a LONG day! The weather was beautiful, so we stayed out walking all day long.
We started by going to the nearby Sutton Place Hotel where a friend will be staying soon. Then we went to Heritage Square to see a group of old houses that have been restored and maintained as the city has grown into a cluster of high-rise buildings. From there, we explored the West End, a very nice neighborhood that has small shops and restaurants with lots of homes and apartments around them for the residents of the area.
We walked over the big bridge to Granville Island, discovering only after we were on it that we could not go down to Granville Island! Instead, we had to overshoot it and walk back to it. There should be an elevator or steps for pedestrians!
Granville Island has many galleries and shops and a very large market. We saw some of the art, especially that produced by the students at Emily Carr University. We wandered through the boat market. We walked through the food market. Then we sat in the sunshine looking toward the skyline of Vancouver. From there, we walked further down the island to a small restaurant that serves fish caught only by local fishermen. There, we had fish and chips on their outdoor patio.
We returned to town by the Burrard Bridge, an older bridge that has lots of character and was designed to be much like the gates of cities in Europe. We walked to the waterfront stopping by a gallery that had a painting I liked and that would be nice in my living room. The only problem was the cost--$27,000 U.S.!
We entered Stanley Park and walked along the edge of it to see the views back toward the city. Then we walked along the north side to the statue of the Woman in a Wetsuit, which is a rip-off of the Little Mermaid statue in Copenhagen. From there, we walked a trail through the park back toward town.
We were so tired that we decided to head to Costco and eat a snack so we wouldn't have to go back out later this evening. We bought some trail mix for our trip in the car that starts tomorrow, and we snacked on hotdogs since we were still not very hungry after our big breakfast and late lunch.
It's 19:30, and we have just returned to the hotel. My pedometer shows that we have walked 44,986 steps since leaving the room this morning. That's approximately 20 miles of walking. We are both tired and ready to stay in the room for the rest of the night. But what a beautiful day it was with sunshine and temperatures in the low 60s F. It was a day made for walking!
Monday, May 11, 2009
Arriving and Exploring Vancouver
Sunday, May 10, 2009--San Antonio to Vancouver via Denver
My friend Lyn made a brunch for Jack, Drew, and me. We had about 6 cold salads with crusty garlic bread and wine. Then we had coffee with chocoate cookies. It was so tasty and just right as a send-off for the trip.
Jack and Drew drove me to the airport where everything went so smoothly. I already had my boarding passes, so all I had to do was check my one bag. I went downstairs and talked to one of the Volunteer Ambassadors for a while to pass the time. Then I went to the gate.
Both flights were on time, and I had great seating in the Economy Plus sections. The knee room was so nice.
It was drizzling when I arrived. After being asked LOTS of questions by immigration, it took an extra long time to get my bag. Then I ran into a bit of a problem trying to get cash. The first machine would not let a card be inserted. The second machine took my card, but after humming over and over again sent the card back out saying the transaction was canceled. Since all the ATMs at the airport were operated by the same RCB company, I realized I needed another plan. There was a 7-11, and inside it was an ATM for another company. It worked.
Taking the bus to town went smoothly. I waited only a moment for the airport bus, then it took only a few seconds to transfer to the downtown bus at the Airport Station. The bus dropped me off just across the street from my hotel. It was about 20:30 at the time.
The hotel was much nicer than I expected. It is very stylish and seems newly remodeled. There are nice paintings, comfortable comforters, chocolates on the bed, a flat-screen TV, etc.
This trip was scheduled 5 years ago. Unfortunately, that was the trip when Arne had his stroke. After he died, I had to take his remains back to Denmark. It's a nice area. I think he would have enjoyed being here.
Wes arrived about 1:00 having had no problems himself on his flights. We visited briefly, then went to bed.
.
Monday, May 11, 2009--Vancouver
It was raining this morning. In fact, the forecast calls for a 60% chance of rain every day this week. Wes had not brought an umbrella, so buying him one was our first task after having breakfast--scrambled eggs with bacon, juices, coffee, muffins, cereals, etc.
We wandered the downtown area seeing the waterfront with all the sea planes coming and going, the Gastown area with its old storefronts, Chinatown, two old train stations, etc. We stopped at the downtown Costco (only 7 blocks from our hotel) to have a hotdog for lunch.
Because of the rain, we went to the Imax in the afternoon and bought a discount ticket for seeing two features back-to-back. We saw Space Station 3-D and Under the Sea 3-D. Both were very good films. I thought that Under the Sea was especially well made, though. The fact that Tom Cruise narrated the Space Station film bothered me; I would have preferred an unknown voice.
The sun was out when we left the theater. We spent the rest of the afternoon wandering the downtown shopping area. Vancouver seems like a very big city. It is filled with highrise apartment buildings that all seem brand new, and the residents of all those apartments suppurt block after block of stores.
My friend Lyn made a brunch for Jack, Drew, and me. We had about 6 cold salads with crusty garlic bread and wine. Then we had coffee with chocoate cookies. It was so tasty and just right as a send-off for the trip.
Jack and Drew drove me to the airport where everything went so smoothly. I already had my boarding passes, so all I had to do was check my one bag. I went downstairs and talked to one of the Volunteer Ambassadors for a while to pass the time. Then I went to the gate.
Both flights were on time, and I had great seating in the Economy Plus sections. The knee room was so nice.
It was drizzling when I arrived. After being asked LOTS of questions by immigration, it took an extra long time to get my bag. Then I ran into a bit of a problem trying to get cash. The first machine would not let a card be inserted. The second machine took my card, but after humming over and over again sent the card back out saying the transaction was canceled. Since all the ATMs at the airport were operated by the same RCB company, I realized I needed another plan. There was a 7-11, and inside it was an ATM for another company. It worked.
Taking the bus to town went smoothly. I waited only a moment for the airport bus, then it took only a few seconds to transfer to the downtown bus at the Airport Station. The bus dropped me off just across the street from my hotel. It was about 20:30 at the time.
The hotel was much nicer than I expected. It is very stylish and seems newly remodeled. There are nice paintings, comfortable comforters, chocolates on the bed, a flat-screen TV, etc.
This trip was scheduled 5 years ago. Unfortunately, that was the trip when Arne had his stroke. After he died, I had to take his remains back to Denmark. It's a nice area. I think he would have enjoyed being here.
Wes arrived about 1:00 having had no problems himself on his flights. We visited briefly, then went to bed.
.
Monday, May 11, 2009--Vancouver
It was raining this morning. In fact, the forecast calls for a 60% chance of rain every day this week. Wes had not brought an umbrella, so buying him one was our first task after having breakfast--scrambled eggs with bacon, juices, coffee, muffins, cereals, etc.
We wandered the downtown area seeing the waterfront with all the sea planes coming and going, the Gastown area with its old storefronts, Chinatown, two old train stations, etc. We stopped at the downtown Costco (only 7 blocks from our hotel) to have a hotdog for lunch.
Because of the rain, we went to the Imax in the afternoon and bought a discount ticket for seeing two features back-to-back. We saw Space Station 3-D and Under the Sea 3-D. Both were very good films. I thought that Under the Sea was especially well made, though. The fact that Tom Cruise narrated the Space Station film bothered me; I would have preferred an unknown voice.
The sun was out when we left the theater. We spent the rest of the afternoon wandering the downtown shopping area. Vancouver seems like a very big city. It is filled with highrise apartment buildings that all seem brand new, and the residents of all those apartments suppurt block after block of stores.
Sunday, May 10, 2009
I'm Off!!!
It's 10:07 Sunday morning, May 10. I have finished everything that needs to be done here at the house except the 2-3 last-minute items such as shutting off the water to the final toilet and taking out the trash. I am expected at my friend Lyn's home at 11:00 to have Mother's Day Brunch with her, her daughter Christa, and our friends Jack and Drew. We will eat and visit leisurely. Then about 1:30 someone in that group will drive me to the airport.
I have already checked in for my flights. I'll be in economy plus, so there will be plenty of leg room. As usual, I have one small 22 inch bag to check (43 lbs/19 kg) and my small backpack to carry on. Most of my weight, as usual, is books. I have 10 books in the suitcase and 4 more in the backpack. As I travel along the way, both will get lighter and I will have more space. Right now, the suitcase is bulging! But I haven't yet opened up the expansion compartment, so it doesn't have to be so tight. Tightness, however, keeps things from juggling around inside. When I get to the airport, all I will have to do is check in my bag, watch security check it, then go to the gate. My flight is at 15:45.
Now to get dressed and do those final chores.... Then I'll literally be off on my trip. Hope Wes makes it today, too. Two years ago when he was meeting me in Anchorage, there were problems with his flights that kept him from coming until a day later. If all goes well, I will be at our hotel around 21:30 to 22:00 and he will be there around 01:00 in the morning.
Note: Canada, being an advanced country, will be a difficult place for me to update the blog. The richer the country, the fewer places there are for people to have computer access away from home. Therefore, during the first 11 days of the the trip, I may not be able to post often. When I do, it may also be with limited time, since it will probably be from a computer at a public library with restrictions on computer use.
I have already checked in for my flights. I'll be in economy plus, so there will be plenty of leg room. As usual, I have one small 22 inch bag to check (43 lbs/19 kg) and my small backpack to carry on. Most of my weight, as usual, is books. I have 10 books in the suitcase and 4 more in the backpack. As I travel along the way, both will get lighter and I will have more space. Right now, the suitcase is bulging! But I haven't yet opened up the expansion compartment, so it doesn't have to be so tight. Tightness, however, keeps things from juggling around inside. When I get to the airport, all I will have to do is check in my bag, watch security check it, then go to the gate. My flight is at 15:45.
Now to get dressed and do those final chores.... Then I'll literally be off on my trip. Hope Wes makes it today, too. Two years ago when he was meeting me in Anchorage, there were problems with his flights that kept him from coming until a day later. If all goes well, I will be at our hotel around 21:30 to 22:00 and he will be there around 01:00 in the morning.
Note: Canada, being an advanced country, will be a difficult place for me to update the blog. The richer the country, the fewer places there are for people to have computer access away from home. Therefore, during the first 11 days of the the trip, I may not be able to post often. When I do, it may also be with limited time, since it will probably be from a computer at a public library with restrictions on computer use.
Sunday, May 03, 2009
Travel Itinerary for 2009
I will be departing on May 10 for my travels for the year. I will complete Around-the-World Trip IX and then will commence Around-the-World Trip X while I am gone. The following itinerary covers my travels from both trips until I return to Texas in October.
May 10--San Antonio to Vancouver via Denver
UA 7571 SAT-DEN 15:49--17:07
UA 281 DEN-YVR 18:12--20:09
Eleven days for travel around BC--Vancouver, Vancouver Island and Whistler as major areas of exploration
May 21--Vancouver to Seoul Inchon
AC 63 YVR-ICN 12:15--15:40+1
May 23--Seoul Inchon to Kota Kinabalu (Flight was originally scheduled for the 22nd to coordinate with the arrival in Seoul, but fewer scheduled flights per week now require me to wait one day in Seoul)
OZ 757 ICN-BKI 18:45--23:05
Twenty-two days to travel throughout the provinces of Sabah and Sarawak and in the Sultanate of Brunei
June 14--Kuching to Kuala Lumpur
AK 5205 KCH-KUL 11:55--13:35
Will spend one night in Kuala Lumpur visiting a friend there.
June 15--Luala Lumpur to Bangkok
AK 742 KUL-BKK 13:40--14:45
Four days in Bangkok to see my dentist and buy my new ATW air ticket
June 19--Bangkok to Phnom Penh
FD 3616 BKK-PNH 14:50--16:00
Ten days to explore Cambodia--mainly Phnom Penh and Siem Reap (location of Angkor Wat)
June 29--Phnom Penh to Bangkok
FD 3617 PNH-BKK 16:30--17:40
Four more days in Bangkok to return to my dentist and to enjoy the city--massage, films, etc.
Note: The remaining dates for flights are all temporary until I finalize my new ATW ticket while in Bangkok
July 2--Bangkok to Delhi
TG 315 BKK-DEL 17:45--20:45 (Most Likely)
or
TG 323 BKK-DEL 7:30-10:30
Eighteen days to visit Chandigarh, Dharamsala, Amritsar and maybe to go to Jaipur and Agra.
July 20 (Late night of July 19)--Delhi to Istanbul
TK 1071 DEL-IST 4:20-8:40
Will depart Istanbul that evening of July 20 via train for Thessaloniki in Greece and will spend the next few weeks as follows with the number of days in each place being only an estimate:
Thessaloniki 3-4 days
Macedonia 6 days
Albania 7 days
Serbia 3 days
Bulgaria 8 days
Romania (Coastal) 5 days
Moldova 5 days
Romania (Central) 3 days
Sept. 3--Bucharest to Copenhagen
SK 1782 OTP-CPH 13:35--15:05
Will have 10 days to see my friends in Copenhagen and to say good-bye to the city, since this will be my last ATW trip and, therefore, my last time to visit the city for many years.
Sept. 13--Copenhagen to Casablanca via Lisbon
TP 503 CPH-LIS 8:30--11:05
TP 228 LIS-CMN 14:55--17:40
Eight days to explore Morocco--mainly Fes and Marrakesh after a brief stop in Casablanca
Sept. 22--Casablanca to Lisbon
TP 229 CMN-LIS 16:05--18:35
Will arrive in Lisbon too late for a connecting flight to my next destination, so will sleep at the airport
Sept. 23--Lisbon to Caracas
TP 121 LIS-CCS 11:10--14:50
Nineteen days to explore Venezuela
Oct. 12--Maracaibo to Aruba
RV 300 Mar-AUA 14:10--15:40
Four days to enjoy the beaches and towns of Aruba
Oct. 16--Aruba to Charlotte
US 874 AUA-CLT 16:45--20:53
Will arrive in Charlotte too late for a connecting flight to San Antonio, so I will sleep at the airport
Oct. 17--Charlotte to San Antonio
US 315 CLT-SAT 9:45--12:10
Arrival will be 157 days after departure for the trip and travel will have included 17 countries (Canada, Malaysia, Brunei, Thailand, Cambodia, India, Turkey, Greece, Macedonia, Albania, Serbia, Bulgaria, Romania, Denmark, Morocco, Venezuela, and Aruba)
May 10--San Antonio to Vancouver via Denver
UA 7571 SAT-DEN 15:49--17:07
UA 281 DEN-YVR 18:12--20:09
Eleven days for travel around BC--Vancouver, Vancouver Island and Whistler as major areas of exploration
May 21--Vancouver to Seoul Inchon
AC 63 YVR-ICN 12:15--15:40+1
May 23--Seoul Inchon to Kota Kinabalu (Flight was originally scheduled for the 22nd to coordinate with the arrival in Seoul, but fewer scheduled flights per week now require me to wait one day in Seoul)
OZ 757 ICN-BKI 18:45--23:05
Twenty-two days to travel throughout the provinces of Sabah and Sarawak and in the Sultanate of Brunei
June 14--Kuching to Kuala Lumpur
AK 5205 KCH-KUL 11:55--13:35
Will spend one night in Kuala Lumpur visiting a friend there.
June 15--Luala Lumpur to Bangkok
AK 742 KUL-BKK 13:40--14:45
Four days in Bangkok to see my dentist and buy my new ATW air ticket
June 19--Bangkok to Phnom Penh
FD 3616 BKK-PNH 14:50--16:00
Ten days to explore Cambodia--mainly Phnom Penh and Siem Reap (location of Angkor Wat)
June 29--Phnom Penh to Bangkok
FD 3617 PNH-BKK 16:30--17:40
Four more days in Bangkok to return to my dentist and to enjoy the city--massage, films, etc.
Note: The remaining dates for flights are all temporary until I finalize my new ATW ticket while in Bangkok
July 2--Bangkok to Delhi
TG 315 BKK-DEL 17:45--20:45 (Most Likely)
or
TG 323 BKK-DEL 7:30-10:30
Eighteen days to visit Chandigarh, Dharamsala, Amritsar and maybe to go to Jaipur and Agra.
July 20 (Late night of July 19)--Delhi to Istanbul
TK 1071 DEL-IST 4:20-8:40
Will depart Istanbul that evening of July 20 via train for Thessaloniki in Greece and will spend the next few weeks as follows with the number of days in each place being only an estimate:
Thessaloniki 3-4 days
Macedonia 6 days
Albania 7 days
Serbia 3 days
Bulgaria 8 days
Romania (Coastal) 5 days
Moldova 5 days
Romania (Central) 3 days
Sept. 3--Bucharest to Copenhagen
SK 1782 OTP-CPH 13:35--15:05
Will have 10 days to see my friends in Copenhagen and to say good-bye to the city, since this will be my last ATW trip and, therefore, my last time to visit the city for many years.
Sept. 13--Copenhagen to Casablanca via Lisbon
TP 503 CPH-LIS 8:30--11:05
TP 228 LIS-CMN 14:55--17:40
Eight days to explore Morocco--mainly Fes and Marrakesh after a brief stop in Casablanca
Sept. 22--Casablanca to Lisbon
TP 229 CMN-LIS 16:05--18:35
Will arrive in Lisbon too late for a connecting flight to my next destination, so will sleep at the airport
Sept. 23--Lisbon to Caracas
TP 121 LIS-CCS 11:10--14:50
Nineteen days to explore Venezuela
Oct. 12--Maracaibo to Aruba
RV 300 Mar-AUA 14:10--15:40
Four days to enjoy the beaches and towns of Aruba
Oct. 16--Aruba to Charlotte
US 874 AUA-CLT 16:45--20:53
Will arrive in Charlotte too late for a connecting flight to San Antonio, so I will sleep at the airport
Oct. 17--Charlotte to San Antonio
US 315 CLT-SAT 9:45--12:10
Arrival will be 157 days after departure for the trip and travel will have included 17 countries (Canada, Malaysia, Brunei, Thailand, Cambodia, India, Turkey, Greece, Macedonia, Albania, Serbia, Bulgaria, Romania, Denmark, Morocco, Venezuela, and Aruba)
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