If you Fall Asleep.....You Just Might Wake Up in Canada

Travel from Queenstown, New Zealand to Vernon, BC, Canada
Friday, August 26th, 2011 and Friday, August 26th, 2011

I traveled back in time today. The past kind of looks like the present. Today was the day I went home....to Canada. The last 13 months just flew by......now that I'm actually staring at heading home.

I did however have one more day left in Queenstown so thought I would check out some of the local sites. The day was quite beautiful so after checking out of my hotel I made the short walk into downtown.

This is the view from the restaurant of my hotel. A very pretty spot. It wasn't in the main part of town but only a short 15 minute walk (or 5 minute bus ride) and really quiet so I really liked it.

A little bit closer to Lake Wakatipu and another look at the Remarkable Mountains.

One of the tourist attractions in Queenstown itself is the Skyline Gondola. You can take the gondola to the top (you can also walk or bike) and then once you get there, there are a few more activities you can do if you so chose.

On the way up.

Looking down on Queenstown and Lake Wakatipu from the gondola.

Another look at Lake Wakatipu.

Once you get to the top you can check out how far it is to pretty much every where else in the world. Just a few more hours and I would be making the 12,404 kilometre (7707 mile) trek back to Vancouver.

This is part of the "luge" track you can also pay to ride once you get to the top.

One of the para-gliders you will see floating around the top.

If you're keen you can bungy jump or swing when you get up there too. I of course was not keen.

I was not so interested in the luge or the bungy or the paragliding but I did wander a few of the hiking/biking trails in the area before heading back down.

Ok one picture before I went back down.

It looks a whole lot steeper from this way.

Once back in Queenstown I did some final shopping and then headed to Fergburger for one last time.

A little look at my Sweet Julie (that's the name of the burger........grilled chicken marinated in a ginger soy sauce with sweet chilly.) I also highly recommend the Sweet Bambi (wild fiordland deer with a thai plum chutney).

From there it was back to hotel to collect my bags and then off to the airport. I left Queenstown at around 1630 (4:30pm) on Friday August 26th, travelled to Auckland and then Vancouver and then finally Vernon, arriving back home at about 1845 (6:45pm) on Friday August 26th, 2011. Too bad it actually didn't feel like a 2 hour flight but as usual I did get a lot of sleep on that flight.....and managed to watch a few movies too.

Eventually I made it back to Canada and got settled back into my room in Mom and Dad's basement. Lots of unpacking and sorting and laundry and that kind of thing in the weeks to come. And then I can start packing for the next adventure.

Julie

Another Walk Along Australia’s Shores

Bondi Beach to Coogee, NSW, Australia Tuesday, March 16th, 2011

One of the many surfers on Bondi. Seems like nobody works.......they just surf and hangout at the beach. What a life!

Today I decided I was going to do another hike…..well this really was going to be more of a walk. I did however prepare a little bit better and packed my hiking boots. There are a lot of recommendations to do the Bondi to Coogee Coastal Trail. It is roughly 6.6 kilometres in one direction but you can go a little bit further to make it around 10 kilometers one way.

The pool is right next to the ocean. Love it. This is the home of the Bondi Surf Bather's Life Saving Club. it is recognized as being the oldest life saving club in the world.

The walk starts at Bondi Beach which is probably one of Sydney’s (and Australia’s) most famous beaches. It certainly is one of the most photographed. The day was not so sunny and warm but that didn’t stop the surfers from being out on the water in full force.

Bondi.....probably would look better with some sun.

I was hoping to spy some of the camera crews who film Bondi Rescue but there were none so I quickly made my way to the trail. Like I said I walked about 10 kilometres and then decided I was going to make my way back so I did a total about 20 kilometres that day. Much better in my boots I must say and it is a paved path the whole way so not too many worries about the slithering wild life that might cross my path.

Some of the very interesting rock formations that you will find along the way.

It was a pretty full day because I took my time and stopped to take a lot of pictures and that kind of thing. Here are a few shots I took along the way.

That is Bondi Beach in the background. The crashing waves always turn me off but the surfers love it.

This guy was totally posing for cameras. He obviously likes the attention he gets from all the walkers and runners on the trail.

I only got close enough to take this picture and yes I have zoomed in a bit. It is straight down once you get to the edge and the water does not look that friendly.

The renovations on this building appear to not be quite complete. Really I took this picture for Scott.

Strong currents? Well at least the lifeguard is there.

This is the Waverly Cemetery. It is home to famous Australians including Lawrence Hargrave and Henry Kendall. No I don't know who they are either.

You pass a very nice Lawn Bowls club along the way. What a great backdrop. They do a very good job of trying to attract walkers into the club for a bowl or a drink or even some dinner. I also took this picture for Scott. Grass greens in great shape and a great view. One of the best spots to lawn bowl I have seen.

Once again.......I just love warning signs. They're funny.

Yes, the life ring is a little random but at least you know they are there.

Stopping along the way. It was a very pretty walk.

This is the Memorial to the Victims of the Bali Bombings. The 2002 bombings killed 43 people from New South Wales.

Another stop along the way. It was a beautiful day for a walk.

From the looks of it, these keys have been sitting here for a while. Apparently no one has claimed them but no one seems to want to move them either.

This is actually past Coogee. I got there and decided I wanted to walk a little further. Couldn't get too close to the edge but I could walk right down onto the rocks. Actually the trail continues on the rocks and around some cliffs. I decided not to walk that far.

This guy was hanging out on the rocks too.

I found a nice pool that I could put my feet in......just out of reach of all those pounding waves.

The evening brings more surfers and plenty of fishermen to the rocks. Not sure they catch much but they do try.

I guess this is Bondi's way of trying to keep some garbage out of the water.

One of the reasons I avoid hostels.....if the windows are open and you are hanging stuff out of them to dry that means no A/C.

And that was my trip from Bondi to Coogee. I slept very well this night too......but my feet felt so much better. Lesson learnt.....wear your boots.

Julie

7 Hours, 7 States and at The End of It...Sunshine and Friends and Baseball

Friday, April 9th - Sunday April 11th, 2010
Baltimore Maryland

Well it is spring time which means it is time for me to head somewhere along the East coast to watch some baseball (it's inevitable). My weekend off happened to correspond with the Blue Jays' first visit of the year to Baltimore.......and some unseasonably warm weather. It was kind of last minute but the stars were aligned for me to head down for the weekend.

My GPS told me the drive would take me about 7 hours....which usually means I can make it in about 6. We were both wrong....it took me almost 7.5 hours. It took me an hour to great across NYC and then another 45 minutes to get gas in New Jersey (gas is always cheaper on the turnpike so it actually is worth the wait).

I took this picture while sitting in traffic on the Cross Bronx Expressway. Express it was not and I assure you there was no way to maintain my speed....unless 3 km/h is a new speed limit.

Anyway, eventually I made it there. For a trip to watch some baseball however, I actually did not watch that much baseball. I contacted a friend (Catharine...you may remember her from the John Legend concert last summer) and she was like, come stay with me, let's hang out, I'm calling people so we can go out for dinner, I have to work but we will still hangout. So I got there Friday and actually didn't make it to the ball park until Sunday. But all was good because along with Catharine I was also able to spend sometime with David, John, and Amy......who I also worked with at Hopkins.

My other excitement was that on Thursday I bought a new camera. I am very excited about it. So excited that I keep using the word excited. I still have no idea how to use it but I am learning. So while Catharine was as work and I had no baseball to watch, I was taking pictures of random things and enjoying the sunshine. Did I mention it was about 16 C (61 F) on Saturday and then jumped up to 25 C (77 F) on Sunday? Probably not, but it was super nice.

Anyway, here are some pictures from my weekend. Not even sure they are in any particular order but you get the point.

One of the first pictures I took with my new camera. I took it about 18 times while changing all the settings on my camera .....and they all look really different but this was the first so this is the one that gets posted.

This is the view from Catharine's apartment window. Such a cute little place.

I love the flowers in the Spring time. Ok I don't like the allergies that come along with them but everything else is ok. Everything was so nice and green and everything was in bloom in Baltimore. I returned to Boston to still find everything grey and dull. Forgot how much faster the spring comes in Maryland.

No children out playing on this gorgeous day. In fact, the streets and alley ways were pretty empty.

This is one of the main streets from the Inner Harbour. It leads up to the Power Plant......which is a giant bar and night club, not an actual power plant.

Wouldn't be Baltimore if there wasn't at least one person sleeping on a bench somewhere. Do you think that little guy even notices?

No matter how many times I have been to Baltimore and wandered the streets, I always seem to find something new. I can't recall ever seeing this before.

Yes, this is a familiar picture.....the road leading up to Oriole Park.

Eventually it was Sunday and I made my way over to Oriole Park to catch some baseball. You will all be very happy to know that my streak is broken.....The Jays WON!!!! I am no longer banned from the ball park. Anyway, here are some shots from the game.

I totally love my 26 times zoom. I'm not even remotely close to these guys but I can almost read their lips and follow their conversation.

Anyone need a baseball?

I do believe we are looking at the Jays' collection of gum and sunflower seeds and stuff.

So glad the foam finger was the fan item of the game and was on sale. And yes there is a little sarcasm in that statement. It seemed like everyone in the area had one. Don't worry, this little guy got bored early and it didn't spend much more time blocking my view.

Now if only this guy would get bored and move on. Don't worry he did eventually move. This wasn't his seat.

See I have a much better view now.

Nice boots.

Eventually I had to head back to Boston. I had work Monday morning. It was a long drive back (I hit traffic before I even left Baltimore, but luckily it was pretty thin once I got to NYC) but it was worth every minute I spent in the car. And I have a feeling me and my camera will be having a lot more fun times together in the days, weeks and months to come.

Julie