New World
Many of us are finding the simplified life enforced by this strange, strange coronavirus lock-down to be providing us with an opportunity to do things like sorting out records of the past. I have been looking at an album of my own childhood photographs which is bringing back memories of what is probably the most dramatic dislocation of my entire life.
I had my eleventh birthday in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean. And in the middle of a change in my life so great that the new world I was about to enter would not seem to have the slightest connection with the one I was leaving behind.
Looking back some sixty five years later, I remember most vividly that feeling of disconnection, together with a pervading sense of unreality – a weird feeling that this tremendous thing wasn’t really happening.
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Kew Gardens and the Dale Chihuly glass sculpture installation
Dale Chihuly’s blown glass sculptures were a memorable feature of our visit to Seattle three years ago, and when we saw that Kew Gardens has a major exhibition of his work running this summer we decided to visit.
Our arrival time, after an hour’s drive, worked perfectly so that we were in position just as Sunday parking on the road outside became legal at 10am.
The whole visit to this superb garden was an absolute delight. So I thought I’d share some of the pictures in the hope of encouraging others to go as well.
The temperate house 
Up on the walkway 
A dawn redwood overlooking the lake 
Big outdoor table 
Inside the waterlily house – we liked this one best 
Las Vegas to Calgary in four weeks, and a story with a moral
Our route
The above image is a still from the interactive Google map of our route which can be accessed by clicking this link. If you do that you can zoom down to the detail of where we went and/or superimpose the Satellite view.
Some facts and figures
Modes of travel:
Plane:London to Las Vegas 10 hours BA
Calgary to London 7½ hours Air Canada on a Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner. Read more…
Technical gadgets and gizmos on the trip
I do have some technical experience to share if anyone is contemplating a trip of the kind described in these posts of the last four weeks. And the usual disclaimers apply that I am not an expert and this may all be second nature to many readers. However, here goes: Read more…
Reflections while flying home – and afterwards
We booked our flights economy through Opodo but we find ourselves flying home Air Canada on the very latest Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner. Everything state of the art, including a USB outlet for me to keep this phone charged and me writing the whole way (if I completely lose my senses). Best of all, we have three seats for the two of us!
Flora and Fauna (and Four Lakes) in the Rockies
Lesley’s turn again:
As we approached Jasper in the Rocky Mountaineer we saw a number of ospreys and bald eagles, even one of the latter on a nest with 2 chicks. But, when we were only 15 minutes from Jasper, and we saw a black bear climbing up the embankment next to the railway, the whole carriage erupted in cheers and clapping! Read more…
Lake Louise – heart of the Canadian Rockies
Contrary to the weather forecast, we woke to a brilliant, clear morning.
And rushed down to breakfast when it opened at seven. Read more…
The Icefields Parkway – Jasper to Lake Louise
Walked to the station and picked up our second hire car, this time from Hertz. Honda Elantra. Brand new. Nice.
Drove back to the Tonquin Inn, collected bags and checked out.
Leisurely drive down this superb mountain route, initially opting for two sections of the old road : 93A and 93B. Read more…
The Rocky Mountaineer – one of the world’s great rail journeys
SPOILER ALERT If you are ever likely to do this wonderful journey, just do it. For heavens sake just discover it for yourselves.
Otherwise – on we go. By all means enjoy this feeble attempt to record a few of our impressions.
From the moment we stepped out of our taxi at the dedicated terminal at Vancouver we knew we were doing something special. Read more…
Day 23 : Vancouver – perfect choice for our longer stay
Just as in Monument Valley three weeks ago, and in a Barbara Kingsolver that Lesley has just finished, our fourth and final day in Vancouver brought home to us the extent to which, all over the world, Westerner’s are trying to make some amends for the terrible arrogance with which they set out to obliterate the cultures of indigenous peoples.
Having proudly mastered Vancouver’s excellent bus service we put our $1.75s into the coin counter by the driver of the C23 into town and then used the same ticket to transfer to a 14 trolley bus (electric) for 33 stops to the University of British Columbia’s beautiful, park-like campus. (Google Maps’ route-finding app once again invaluable) Read more…
Generally Speaking 