And then we decided to travel north (in WINTER!!!)

I want to  preference this entry with the fact that we went to some wonderful and beautiful place - but I was so bloody cold (!!!!) that those memories many be slightly warped...

This adventure started with yet another early morning flight (via Chicago), and a final leg in a tiny plane to Milwaukee. After we visited the scariest Walmart yet, we went to our hotel, which may have been the most beautiful hotel we have stayed in during our entire time in America. It was a gorgeous old building that had been beautifully restored/maintained in a Victorian style, with grand staircases, stunning chandeliers and ironwork that left me flabbergasted.

We rugged ourselves up in jumpers, coats, gloves, hats (and buried the baby under jackets and blankets in his travel pram) and set out on a food hunt.  I don't know why, but I had always wanted to go to Wisconsin. Possibly because it is well known for beer, brats and cheese - who doesn't like that list! After a brisk walk in the freezing cold we explored the local farmers market and ate some cheese and red wine, and then had dinner at a brewery where Tristan had a burger that had two toasted cheese sandwiches as buns! And he ate the lot!

After a sleep in and pancakes for breakfast we went for a drive along the beach at Lake Michigan, which was partially frozen and covered in snow. It was so strange to see a "beach house" carpeted in snow; what should have been manicured lake sand, blanketed in so much snow it was actually difficult to tell where the "sand" would have ended and the "beach" would have started. I actually think it was one of the most foreign things we have seen on our American adventure.  Next we went to the Harley Davison Museum (Milwaukee is where the original bikes were made) which was really interesting, and Zac did his very first drawing there - which was exciting.  That evening we went to a lovely pub/cheese shop (BEST IDEA EVER!!) for afternoon tea and met some lovely locals. Cider, cheese and good company was a definite trip highlight.

The next day we drove to Chicago. It's a big city! And it has a gorgeous skyline! BUT IT WAS THE COLDEST PLACE IN THE WORLD EVER!!! It is well named the windy city. We stayed in an awesome hotel in the heart of downtown (where parking cost us $49 a night!) that was close to everything that you could imagine. That afternoon we cold shuffled walked down to Navy Pier for a sticky beak and dinner. What a fun place this would have been - if it hadn't been sleeting. I can't help but laugh at this scenario in hindsight - but at the time I did want to kill my husband.  To cheer me up Tristan took me to Bubba Gump Shrimp for tea. I feel so terrible, because he really was trying to make it an amazing trip, but I was too cold to care.

The next day we brought tickets for the hop on/off bus to get around the city and explored the Magnificent Mile shopping district, climbed the John Hancock building, and the theatre district (rugged up in five layers of clothes). That night we went to restaurant that was famous for deep dish pizza.  I can't say either Tristan or I particularly liked the iconic meal, but I guess we are glad we tried it. Another day, and another day on and off the bus. We went up Sears Tower, went to the planetarium and tried to take photos of the city - which was difficult because, as in Jack and the Beanstalk, the clouds swallowed buildings so you had no idea what was in the sky.  Tristan tried a Chicago style hot dog (blurh) and I poked my folk at Italian beef.... (Note: I thought all "Chicago style" food was gross) and for dinner we had some amazing Indian. Overall, I'm sure Chicago is an amazing city, but its not a place for tourists in winter.  It was freezey cold!

After leaving Chicago we drove to Indianapolis, with a quick side trip into Michigan to say we had been there, and stopped at an adorable coastal town that was closed for the season. We learnt a lot of the northern parts of the country are often "closed" for tourists between Labor Day (September) and Memorial Day (May) - I'm guessing due to inhospitable weather. In Indianapolis we stayed at an awesome hotel that was once central station, so there were old carriages that had been converted into hotel rooms, and statues of people who would have frequented the station back in the day. I really liked it.

Indianapolis was a really interesting city. On the face of it, the city seemed dead - but actually they had built a system of air bridges to contact all the buildings, so basically you didn't need to go outside which was great, because the weather didn't get much above freezing while we were there - though the sun did come out which was great! We explored the local markets, went to a Man Vs Food recommended diner for fantastic pork snitty sandwiches for lunch, and went to the best museum EVER in the afternoon.  The Indianapolis Children's museum is the biggest in the country and it's AMAZING! As you drive up, there are dinosaurs trying to escape the building, in the lobby there a life-size Bumblebee transformer from the actual movie, a HUGE toy shop, there was a matchbox toy car interactive exhibit, insects - all around awesome!! The three of us had so much fun together.  While in Indianapolis we also visited the Indi Speedway which was cool as we got to walk on the actual track.

Back on the road, we went to the US Air Force Museum in Columbus, OH, which was enormous! Tristan was in heaven! There were planes from every era (I think there was every military plane!), every war, new spy planes, experimental aircraft, Presidential planes, and a special area on space where there was a mock up of the type of satellite that Tristan works with here in America.  I honestly think that Tristan could have spent an entire day exploring!

We spent St Patricks day in Cleveland OH. We attempted to go to town and explore, but it seems there had been parade earlier that was getting a little wild, so the police strongly suggested we head back to our hotel for the night. Close to the hotel we found this great little bar and bistro that had more beer and bourbon on tap than we had ever seen. It was pretty cool. The next day we visited the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and listened to heaps of great music. The museum was on the waterfront, so we got to see more frozen lake and snow covered boats.

The final leg of our adventure took us to Niagara Falls. I think everyone has a picture in their heads of what this world wonder looks like, but nothing could have prepared me for the beauty of this place in winter.  We started on the American side and walked to the viewing platform - I need to point out that it was snowing at this point, with a wicked wind that stole your warmth with every breathe - but it was awe inspiring, gob-smackingly amazing, made your eyes pop, WOW! Due to the weather conditions we didn't have any people to elbow out of the way, so all we had to do was stop and stare. Snow and ice frosted every rock and plant, the water spray froze in place creating the illusion that the entire falls was glittering, and the water gushed and pulsed over the edge into an abyss, that was frozen at the bottom, creating an almost complete ice bridge, with small gaps where you could see the waters force pushing everything down stream.

Crossing on to the Canadian side of the falls, and seeing the iconic horseshoe falls made the American side seem lame - it was that impressive.  It was similar in that everything was snow capped, frosted and glittering but more spectacular in the sense it was so much bigger and you could see the beauty of nature cascading over the edge creating a wall of water spray that looked like a necklace of the finest lace.  And this was just by day light: of a night, beams of light in patriotic colours are shone onto these spectacular feats of nature.  There are no words that can describe that marvel - AMAZING and WOW seem to be both too many and too few words to describe it.

Away from the falls themselves, there is a carnival feel to the town of Niagara.  There are game shacks, wax museums, lego displays, kitchy stores, casinos every time you turn around - it's very family fun orientated. We spent a cold afternoon having a look around, but really our attention had been stolen by the falls.

After 13 (freezy cold, snowy, windy, icy, miserable weather) days away from home, it was more than time to get back to sunny Denver. It had been an eye opening adventure, with nothing being as we expected. We saw some really cool things, marvels of man and nature, imagination and wonder. We got to experience life in some real American cities that had both grown and contracted, prospered with the economy and become destitute in the recession. We saw the Great Lakes - while frozen and snowy, they had a uniqueness to them that we had never experienced before. It was a truly a wide and wondrous adventure.

Baby spent the entire trip rugged up in winter woollies, under jackets and blankets, beanies and gloves - so toasty warm that we frequently had to take layers off him.  Meanwhile, I'm shocked that Tristan didn't lose a finger in the cold, due to his insistence on not wearing gloves for the majority of the trip. And me - I am over my love affair with Winter. My once favourite season has been booted to the bottom after making me spend a miserable two weeks away from home, being nothing but hard work for my wonderful husband.

But one thing is for sure - this Apperley family learnt why the birds fly south for the Winter!

Mexico - the best EVER

Dear Nanna,

You remember that Facebook message I sent you in Feburary? Where I said I was running away to Mexico, and never coming home – well this is why…

After 2 long flights via Dallas we arrived at our resort in Cozumel, Mexico, at sunset.  I remember driving to the hotel from the airport and seeing this enormous tiki hut looking building in the distance and thinking: “That is amazing! What a resort that must be!”  And guess what! It was where we were staying! Tristan picked this amazing (all you can eat/all you can drink) resort where the tiki hut was the reception area.  On arrival we were met by porters who took our baggage away, and a waiter asking for our drink order. Walking to the other side of Tiki hut, it was elevated to look down on a rainforest in the middle of the hotel.  It was beautiful and you felt your worries melt away in moments. 

Our room was on the 3^rd floor and our balcony looked right out into the trees.  While we waited for our baggage to arrive, we quickly ran down to the beach to have a look while there was still a little light.  We had to navigate through the paths in the rainforest, past the pool, go through a tunnel (that actually went under the main road above) and we were stopped dead in our tracks – the water was just there.  There was this tiny man-made beach with six little sunbeds and the water lapping gently against the sand.  Up a few stairs to the left was an infinity pool that looked like it disappeared into the bluest ocean – and of course it had a swim up bar.  To the right of the beach, also up a few stairs was another beach with a volley ball court, buffet, and another pool with another swim up bar, and a spa.  Yep! Awesome!

We went back to our room, roughly unpacked and went to dinner at one of the three restaurants at the resort. Most nights and all breakfasts we ate at the large buffet restaurant.  Each day had a different theme and completely different food.  And there was so much of it!! After eating more than was really good for us, we called it an early night. It had been a long day.

The next day we were woken with birdsong – magical! After a generous breakfast we hired a car and set out on our first adventure.  First we drove to Chankanaab National (Marine) Park for a bit of snorkelling. Walking in the gate we were met by a native character, all dressed in blue paint, feathered wings, and bells on his wrists and ankles (and was so good looking that I actually think I drooled).  After a few photos we walked past a huge dolphin pool area to the beach and snorkelling area.  We set ourselves up and Tristan was gone.  Zac and I sat and played on the golden sand, watching the dolphins play in the tropical blue water.  After about 30 minutes we played tag and Tristan and the baby played while I got wet.  I walked along the boardwalk and down some stairs to get in.  I was immediately met by dozens of tiny colourful fish who I think expected me to feed them…nope…I swam out a little way in search or some of the submerged treasures.  I found a Madonna, a holy cross and many fish and coral.  It was so lovely. So peaceful and beautiful. Tristan hadn’t found the treasures yet so when I told him about them he disappeared quickly to find them – he found more than me, but I didn’t care as Zac and I dried on the beach while eating calamari and chips.

As we wanted to explore more of the island we left not long after, (disappointed!) driving around to the light house on the southern point of the island, and then to another secluded beach where we go to lay in hammocks on the golden sands while Tristan we back out in the waves.  Just watching the wave wash up against the shore, while zac played in the sand and made friends with some of the other tourists, was so therapeutic – I don’t think I could have found anything wrong with the world if I tried!  When Tristan washed back to shore we ate some local cuisine (so fresh and yummy) and drove around to a local tequila factory.  There we met with a funny older man that had so many stories to tell, and all of them made you cry with laughter.  We learnt all about how REAL tequila was distilled, that it came from the blue Agave plant and that tequila with a worm in it was an inferior product! The real tequila was very tasty and came in a range of flavours that I very much enjoyed.  We wasted enough time at the distillery that it was time to drive back to the resort for tea once we were done.  Another night of yummy food!!

They next day we just lazed by the pool all morning! My idea of a holiday!! Feet up, book in hand, and the boys splashing in the water – could there be a better way to spend your time!! Lovely!! That afternoon we left Zac with a baby sitter so Tristan and I could spend some quality time together.  We took a nearby snorkel safari with this guy who could free dive to over 20 metres! Crazy! The water was so clear and there were fish of all sizes, a turtle or two, conch fish, coral – it was amazing.  Not as colourful as Vanuatu, but it had that feel to it. After a post snorkel lay by the pool, we got ready for our first dinner without the baby in memory.  We ate a the fancy (no children allowed) Italian restaurant at the resort.  The food was GOOD! And the company was even better.  We watched the beginning of the show and then headed back to our room to see the small boy that we had missed so much! Another very good day!

The following morning, after another big breakfast, we walked into town.  Our resort was right on the edge, so it was a bit of a hike in high humidity and heat. Not the most pleasant experience – so we stopped at the first stop – Margaritaville! I LOVE that place.  We ate huge nachos, used the internet in for the first time in days, drank fish bowl size dinks and watched all the people play in the outdoor swim play area, complete with giant water trampolines, snorkel area, and other float toys – it looked like so much fun – but we forgot to take our cozzies!! After a couple of hours we dragged ourselves away and went and investigated some of the other tourist traps/shops.  Cozumel is a VERY popular cruise stop so there are lots of shops to accommodate the hordes of tourists.  We got a bunch of items that we didn’t really need – and caught a taxi back to the resort for some more pool time – AHHHH - and dinner at the resort's Mexican restaurant. Yummy!!

The next morning we got up SO early to catch a ferry to the mainland to go see some Aztec ruins.  They were amazing! Considering the huge amount of tourists at the site, the ruins were well maintained – you could even see where an inhabitant from the past had painted a hand print on the side of a building – but he had six fingers as a result of rampant inbreeding! Wacko!! The honey bee was a God like figure that featured on many buildings and the language of the Aztecs was full of onomatopoeic features – pretty cool! We drove past a couple of other tourist sites that looked like so much fun to swim and play at, but it had already been a big day for Zac, so we caught an early ferry back to the resort – and your guessed it – more pool time.

Now to you understand why I want to run away to Cozumel! Not only was it warm and tropical and so relaxing, but we got to spend some lovely family time together without the hub bub of our other get aways.  I loved it!!

After 5 days in the sunny tropics, it was time to go back to snowy Denver  – I was devastated.  Our flight home was via Dallas again, and as we caught the train around to our homeward flight we caught sight of the flying kangaroo, which just bought on a wave of homesickness!

Back in Denver I started to pester Tristan immediately for us to take another holiday back to Mexico before we went back to Oz.  After that holiday it became my #1 must do again trip – it was amazing!! The best way/place  to break up a snowy, cold winter! Best holiday EVER!!!

I love you – but I’m running away to Cozumel every winter forever

Your missing granddaughter

Penni    

Ho Ho Ho and a Happy New Year

Dear Zac,

Christmas 2012 was very special for our family – it was your first Christmas home from hospital, and the second for our family in the US. 

We all awoke on a snowy day, at the very reasonable hour of 8am, with smiles on our faces – although you knew not why.  We went down stairs and while you were curious about the big tree in the lounge room, it was more because of the sparkling baubles than because of the gifts.  We ate some breakfast and opened gifts at homes – Mama opened your gifts that year.  You seemed a little disinterested in the whole processes, but you watched attentively playing briefly with your new toys before setting them aside.

Later in the day we went to Aunty Beck’s house for Christmas dinner – there were lots of Aussies there. And there was lots of food! We found a spot and ate all the spoils with laughter and happiness.  You received another truck load of toys (all noisy) from the Mckees, and you seemed much more interested in those toys!! After food, Daddy had to work, so we spent some more time playing with our surrogate family in America. But as you got sleepy, we decided to go home and watch cartoon in front of the fire place.

That night, all tucked up in Mama and Daddy’s bed, we all fell asleep with the safe knowledge of many more family Christmas’, but only one more white one.

The next day Jolly arrived with Nini – and I’m not sure who was more excited, you or Jolly.  I think Jolly spent the next week sitting on the floor playing with you.  It was very difficult to pull the two of you apart.  As such, we didn’t do too much out of the ordinary, it was just business as usual, with extra (extra extra) Jolly play time. The love between you two was so obvious! It filled the room as you walked in, and stayed with you all day.  It was the most heart filling feeling you can imagine.

We did pry you apart one day. All the grown-ups went up to the mountains for some skiing lessons.  It was very entertaining to see us all dressed up in our snow gear, looking more like pork roasts than sexy ski bunnies. Daddy went off and played with his mates while Jolly, Nini and I fell down a lot and tried really hard to roll down the hill gracefully – we all failed miserably, though your Jolly failed the least. One of your Dad's mates hurt himself on the mountain so we called it an early day. Turns out he broke his collar bone in several places...snow boarding is not a safe sport!

We left you with Jolly alone one night so your Daddy and I could go to an NFL game. I hear you didn’t care in the slightest that we had gone.  Daddy and I rugged up tight as it was FREEZING outside.  It was -2 when we got to the stadium and started to drop rapidly.  We had seats high up in the grandstand so we had a great view when the F5s from Daddy’s base did a low fly over.  It felt like if you would have put your arms up you would have been able to touch them.  I can’t tell you much about the game – I was too cold.  I stopped watching the temperature once it hit -12… I can tell you that NFL is not as animated and entertaining as the baseball (although I have the same amount of attention for both).  But it was an experience that we wont forget!

The next day Jolly and Nini had to go home, and it was New Years Eve. As you were so little, and Daddy had to work, we did absolutely nothing to celebrate the incoming year.  And I mean nothing!  We were all tucked up in bed and asleep by 10pm. We did wake up briefly at midnight to some fireworks in the neighbourhood, but it held such little interest that we were all back asleep before they had stopped. 

And that my small boy, was how you spent your first Christmas and New Year home for the holidays.

We love you so much

Mama and Daddy

Sailing the Caribbean

Loved ones,

Like so many of our adventures, our holiday to Miami and our cruise started with a stupid early morning.  After a long flight we arrived in Miami, collected our car and navigated the interstates to Miami Beach and our hotel.  As it was our 4^th wedding anniversary, we walked down to a little Italian restaurant for tea.  Sometime during dinner it started to rain – now it doesn’t actually rain all that often in Denver so this was a serious event for us.  Zac spent the entire run back to the hotel between bemused and completely confused at what this cold wet stuff was falling from the sky! How sheltered we had kept our small boy.

The next day we drove to Everglades National Park and caught a trolley around a small patch of the park.  We were taken to a lovely watch tower where you could see for miles.  Along the way we saw the swamplands, birds and more alligators than I thought possible to live in such a small area.  It was a little intimidating how close we got to those monsters! We learnt the Burmese pythons we a pest in the Everglades as they ate the small animals that the alligators also need to survive.  There is actually a bounty if you catch/kill them! It was an educational tour. 

For Zac’s first birthday we drove to Key West, the most southern point of mainland USA.  It was one of the most amazing drives we have EVER done:  100 miles with 27 interconnecting bridges (some which were just so long) and the most spectacular views you can imagine. It made us terribly homesick for the beach, while making us wish we had skipped Miami completely and just spent some quality time in a small beachside village, fishing and walking in the sand.  We stopped at one little village to feed this enormous fish at the end of a wharf – it was at least twice the size of Zac and would jump out of the water to grab at the bait in your hand.  It was pretty cool, despite the baby being scared silly.  We ate fish and chips for lunch and Daddy sampled some of the famous Key Lime Pie.  Our final destination was Key West itself – such a quaint little town where driving a golf buggy or cycling was much easier than actually driving!  Key West is actually closer to Cuba than the nearest Walmart… bizarre! We drove home late that night, regretting that we didn’t have more time to spend in this beautiful part of the world.

Our final day in Miami was spent walking the boardwalk. There is such a difference between a beach in Oz and a beach over here.  Here the beaches are all manicured, with drags over the sand to make it all uniform (and I guess to weed out any nasties that might be hidden in the sand).  There are little beach shacks scattered along the way where you can rent a beach chair and umbrella – because you would never sit on the sand! A person will come along to your chair and you can order table service lunch and drinks – high end food and cocktails (no BBQ chook sandwiches’ here!).  In this part of the world, going to the beach was an opportunity to be seen, not an opportunity to play in the waves with your loves ones… I’m glad this is one Americanism that had not made it to our sandy shores.

The next day we packed all our gear and set out for our cruise.  The boat was impressive! There were 3 pools, at least 5 ‘hot tubs’, food, food and more food, bars, casino and duty free shops to satisfy all your shopping needs.  At night we ate at a lovely restaurant at the back of the boat where the wait staff knew our names before we even turned up.  They were from Indonesia and Thailand, so it was nice to talk to people who actually knew foods we would appreciate.   We saw some live shows, a comedian (and Mama even popped her head in and saw some of the drag show on board – it was the best show she saw by far!!).  While there was plenty to do, it wasn’t the most baby appropriate environment, so we tended to spend a lot of time in our room, or sitting inside watching the sea slip by. Which was nice, but not really what you go on a cruise for… While it was a great, unique experience that enabled us to see many of the tourist sights of the eastern Caribbean, it’s not one we would be rushing back to do again, primarily because we just didn’t get to spend enough time at each port (6-8 hours).

However, the little time we did spend at each port was enough to make us hungry to visit each location again for a much longer time.  

Bahamas was the first stop.  Nassau has a grand nautical and colonial history – and you can see and feel it everywhere.  It was truly beautiful. The blue of the water was an indescribable coral blue and so crystal clear you could see the bottom at over 20 feet.  We took a ‘submarine’ ride to see some of the local sea life on a reef. Zac seemed to really enjoy it.  The fish didn’t seem as colourful as their pacific cousins, but there were turtles which were wonderful. We got to sail past all the celebrity homes (including Tom Cruise’s and Oprah’s two), and the Atlantis resort which looked incredible – a place on Mama’s bucket list! This adventure was followed by a city tour (and some crazy traffic) to a look out at the highest peak of the city. There were some cute little shops at the top near an old fort that we perused while the locals fell in love with the blond hair, blue eye little boy who smiled at them.  It was pretty adorable. Before we knew it, it was time to get back on the boat and sail for our next exotic locale.

St Thomas, in the US Virgin Islands, is perhaps one of the most beautiful places in the world.  The lush green island, surrounded by the most beautiful blue ocean, is just awe inspiring.  When you think island paradise – THIS IS IT!!  We took a full island tour that included a crazy bus ride up to a lookout.  While the traffic was enough to make you chew your finger nails off (there were 8 boats in St Thomas that day) the view of the harbour left you lost for words.  We drove back down to Meagan’s Bay, rated as one of the top ten beaches in the world (they have obviously never been to the South Coast) and the best in the Carribean.  And it was lovely – beautiful tropical warm water, lapping waves, the blue (oh so blue) bay and palm trees dropping along the way – sigh. It was paradise.  Zac played on his very first beach, and ate sand as he should, while Mama and Daddy took turns in the water – baby was not a fan of the water!

Our tour of paradise continued after this short stop to Black Beard’s castle – which is now a rum factory.  Daddy liked it.  We learnt all about the real pirates of the Caribbean (I was so disappointed as Jonny Deep wasn’t there), and walked down 100s of stairs, through little shops, past restored colonial homes of yore, to the town.  We did a little window shopping and caught a pirate ship back across the harbour to our cruise boat and our time was all up!  It was a glimpse into a world that seemingly lived harmoniously between its colonial roots, native landscape (of paradise) and modern living (in paradise). It’s a place you can see yourself spending a month at and still wanting more time. We adored it!

Puerto Rico was our next stop.  Before we arrived, we presumed Old San Juan wouldn’t be a trip highlight, so we just booked ourselves on foodies tour.  That way we could at least enjoy some nice food.  Instead, it was a place that ended up being high on our ‘if we have time – we’ll be back’ list. The tour started with a historical walking tour of the old city.  We saw these huge, thick, fort walls that have become a part of the fabric of the island, giving it character and sense living history, fountains and plazas that gave it an old world sensibility, houses of every colour and hue cramped against one another without seeming to crowd out the sun or the sense of tropical laughter, grand churches that have stood the test of time (and war and uprising).  Beside all this history (we really didn’t realise the amount of history this tiny city had!), was a modern city that was this unique blend of African American, Hispanic, Caribbean and American cultures.  And everyone was happy – people were smiling and laughing everywhere.  It was amazing and just made you delighted that you were there. 

Our tour visited a rum factory (when in Rome, right?), a bunch of little shops that sold local foods (sauces and spicy jams seemed popular) and culminated at a local restaurant where we were given a refreshing local beverage (Mojito!! Yum yum) and were taught how to make a local traditional dish (tasted like feet – but it was fun).  After this we rushed up to one of two major forts in the city to explore.  This was a holiday highlight for Tristan – he got super snap happy.  We slowly meandered back down to the boat to go to our final port of call – but we really wish we had more time here.  There was so much more to see and experience – we barely scratched the surface!

Our final stop on the cruse was just as fabulous as the three previous.  While Grand Turk was still just a little island, not yet developed in the sense that the other islands had been, it had this sense of being completely unspoiled and ready for exploring.  It was a low island – I would be surprise if a single part of it rose more than 10m above sea level. It still had dirt roads and locals carrying their catches (dinner) walking along them, with our cabbie stopping as we drove to chat to his mates and find out what was biting.  We spent the day at the most glorious beach we have ever seen or been to.  It was part of a dive resort that may have had 10 other people sharing this lovely long beach of white sand and pine trees (odd right?). We ate the freshest and most delicious seafood lunch of our lives, and then Zac and I retired  to lay on the beach while Tristan took a deep sea snorkelling tour.  Tristan tells me it was a cool trip. The drop off was specular, but was missing the coral and colour that you would expect.  Zac and my day was fabulous as I drank my fill of tropical drinks, napped in the shade, and played in the sand.  I don’t think we could have asked for a more relaxing day! Before we knew it we were herded back to the boat and it was the end of our holiday.

Overall, while Miami was an experience, I think we would have valued the four days along the Florida Keys a lot more.  And the cruise, while we are glad we did it, and we got to spend a little time in four of the most wondrous places we could have imagined (and most that we could not have), I’m not sure it is our type of holiday.  Too much no-time between islands and not enough time to explore.  We definitely prefer to fly and experience more.  But no regrets – because if we didn’t do it this way we would never have had an opportunity to get a taste of the Caribbean paradises that we saw!

Love and wishes that you too get to experience paradise

 

 

 

Keeping things orange

Dear Friends and Family,

Autumn is a beautiful time of year in Colorado.  It's like the world purposefully starts to slow down and get into the festive spirit. The leaves begin to change colour, the wind whistles as it blows, snow suddenly appears out of nowhere and frozen turkeys appear in every supermarket. It is also the start of football season when Colorado starts eat, drinking and bleeding Denver Broncos blue and orange -it's a special time of year.

This year we repeated our visit to the corn maze. 4 families adventured into the agricultural eastern plains of Colorado, in search of this year’s maze - a giant pictograph of the local quarter back, Payton Manning (demi-god to any NFL fan). The drought had a big impact on the maze this year; the stalks were only 6-7 feet tall (in fact you could often see over them) and they were considerably thinner than last year, but we had so much fun because Zac was with us. 

We played in the corn pit (not sand pit), jumped on a giant pillow, shot pumpkins out of a huge air rifle, caught a 'train' around the field, slid down an enormous slide on the side of a hill, and of course raced through the maze. What is so great about this place is that everything has obviously been made of farm left overs.  The train carriages were 44 gallon drums cut in half with a 'bench' and rope seat belts, the slide was obviously a mound of dirt left over from digging a basement, covered in a tarp with carpet cut offs to help you slide down, and all the veggies loaded into the air gun were those that would have never made it to the supermarket shelves. It really had that backyard/ farm yard/ neighbour’s yard feel to it - despite thousands of people running around. There were several school aged kids and two babies with us, so we got to have a lot of childlike fun. It was a beautiful sun kissed day full of wonderful family memories.

A week or so later and it was Zac's first Halloween. Daddy and I spent a couple of afternoons searching for the perfect costume... well one that fit anyway. As no one was hosting a party this year, we went to one of the other Aussie family's house so we could watch their kids go nuts. And they did! Our little Superman fell asleep before any of the frivolity even started, while the other Aussie kids collected buckets (no kidding!) of 'candy' from their neighbours while dressed up in some gruesome costumes! It was a true American experience to see hundreds of little monsters, ballerinas, zombies, football players, zoo animals and cartoon character running around the streets with pumpkin buckets in hand yelling 'trick or treat', with protective parents waiting patiently in the driveway reminding everyone of their manners. It's something I am very glad that we did.

Thanksgiving followed a few weeks later. Again the Apperley's hosted the event. A couple of families and a few boys from Tristan's work came over for the grand turkey feast. Tristan worked this year, so I was responsible for the turkey. I put it in the oven way to early and it was ready 3 hours before the meal - but it still tasted juicy and tender so it wasn't too bad. We just have a big roast dinner basically, which isn't the way that Americans actually do it, but we object to having boiled veggies with roast meat - that's just dumb! It confuses any locals at the meal, but since we also insist on generous amount of beer and wine, people get over it pretty fast.

That night I adventured out to the Black Friday sales. They are similar in nature to Boxing day sales, but every store participates and people go bananas for them. They camp out in front of their favourite stores, they turn up hours and hours early to place a hand on that one product they can't live without, and elbow everyone out of the way to get what they want. I just went as a spectator to this sport, but grabbed 3 or 4 toys for Zac. Turns out that I was able to get his Christmas presents and a couple of other older gifts for him for dirt cheap. It was a successful evening. Tristan woke up at stupid o'clock the next morning sales to do his shopping. As such, there is a state of the art home cinema upstairs, more Lego for 'Zac' and some tools laying around. An expensive, but bargain filled couple of hours.

And most importantly this Autumn saw us celebrate Zac's first birthday. Somehow we had survived the first year of Zac's adventure. Go team Mama and Dad! We shared the day with another little boy we know who is a week older than our little man. Both Mum's spent many days (ok - weeks) preparing for the day. There were about 20 people who were kind enough to come along to the first birthday parties. Zac happily sat on everyone's knee, ate too much (well sort of) and vomited in front of everyone. It was a good day. There were balloons, cakes (thanks Aunty Beck) and good company. It was a good reminder of the little community that we have built around us for support - we are very lucky.

So it was a fun filled 'Fall' in 2012 - lots of laughter, smiles and good times were had as the seasons moved steadily towards Winter.  Only one more until we are home.

Sending you all lots of love

Planes, Trains, Ferries and Monorails

Dear All,

Our most recent adventure was to Seattle and Vancouver Island..

Zac happily slept and played through another flight as we drifted to the US far north west. On arrival in Seattle we were able to catch a train to downtown, and then a short taxi to our hotel. Yes - before we had even started our adventures we had been in a car, train, plane, another train and a taxi!

We quickly dropped our baggage and set out exploring.The first thing that we did was head to the water (almost ocean). To smell the salt brine, see the harbour movement, and feel that sea breeze almost brought a tear to the eye. We wondered along the waterfront for a while and then headed to the famous Farmers Markets. First we had to climb a million steps, with the pram, to get there - but it was worth it. The Markets are famous for fish flying through the air and of course fresh food. There were dozens of fresh flower markets, veggies, and the original Starbucks Coffee house. We bought some yummy cheese that wasn't orange - which is very difficult to find in America - and ate it with a fresh baguette and continued exploring. That afternoon, Zac took his first Merry-go-Round ride with his mother, his father ate a lot of seafood at local popular restaurant (another Man Vs Food find), we all rode on a ferris wheel over the water and caught the monorail back to the hotel. All in all it was a good day.

The next day we woke very early to catch the ferry to Canada. It was not a good trip!  Mama was thrown up on as we left the dock and got to wear parfume a la Zacarais for the entire day!!!  However, the rest of the day was pretty good. Dad tried to hire a mustang to drive around the Island on for the day, but Zac's seat didn't fit, so we ended up with a regular sedan. We drove to the most beautiful gardens and walked around for a few hours; through traditional Victorian and Japanese gardens, and a spectacular rose garden that took your breath away. We also saw a butterfly garden and ate at wonderful seafood restaurant with the best entrees EVER! The entire day it was wonderful to be on the ocean and to not be in America for just a little while. However, we noticed how much we had acclimatised to the US when everything was expensive, and we didn't have to tip!

Early the next morning, after a big breakfast at a cafe that sold sausage rolls, I got to visit my very first castle, set at the highest point of Victoria. It was very pretty, with each room 'restored' to a different period, illustrating the history of the building. We then returned to town and strolled through all the quaint little stores in the cold. The town reminded us a lot of Kiama so it was that small bit of familiarity that made it feel homely. We ate lunch at a pub full of cricket memorabilia, which Tristan LOVED! The funniest part was not a single staff member knew anything about the sport - so you could tell it was just a gimmick. After a long day we caught the ferry back to Seattle and our American life.

After a late night, Zac and Mum had a sleep in the next day and Dad went off to the Boeing factory to see the 747, 757 and 787 being made and got to walk factory floor. From all accounts he was like a kid in a chocolate shop. That afternoon we went to the world fair grounds and visited a very 'unique' museum, the (Experience Music Project) EMP museum, that focused on music, science fiction and pop culture. Despite loving each of these genres, I must admit that we felt very uncultured there. It was great to look at, but I don't think Tristan and I were 'artsy' enough to enjoy it. From there we went up the iconic Seattle tower for a beautiful view of the city and harbour, and caught the monorail and train to China town for a meal with flavour.

On our final day in Seattle, we went for breakfast in the IT district of town. (Seattle is home to both Microsoft and Amazon). It was AMAZING! I'm still salivating over the French toast and berry condiment bar! From there we went to the Pacific Science Centre and had Zac sitting all by himself at one of the floor activities - very exciting - and we went to a Tutankhamun exhibit with about 1000 other people. While very crowded, it brought back some great high school memories of Ancient History class. After a quick lunch of a meat pie (!) we caught a taxi back to the airport for the long flight home.

Seattle was great.  It was only a small city, and reminded us in some ways of Sydney. The food was great, I enjoyed catching public transport again, and it was so nice to spend some quality family time together. We also liked Victoria, Canada.  It was just like the little towns we grew up near and hold so dear. But most memorable of the trip was the water - we miss it much! It was unreal to spend a few days living by it again.

Sending you all much love

Tristan, Penni and Zac

life

Dear All,

The reason that there haven't been any blogs recently is because we have led a relatively mundane life for the past couple of months.

I managed to get away for my first baby free nights away when a friend of mine was in California for a couple of days.  It's amazing how much you can talk and laugh when you are with a good friend.  I survived the days away from Zac well - it was the perfect amount of time away! Tristan also managed to survive being a full time Daddy for a few days too.

Tristan also got some baby free time when he went away to Arizona for work.  He got to see the aeroplane graveyard which he was pretty excited about. He also got to spend a few night out on the town, which were well deserved. Zach and I survived without Tristan, but Zach was unimpressed and wouldn't speak to his father for a couple of days on his return.

Other than these little adventures life is just rolling along.  We think we are at about half way through our American adventure at this stage. We are still missing home, but enjoying all the opportunities to see the sights and delights that the US has to offer.

Much love

Man-cation 2012

Dear family,

I must say that our latest adventure has been my favourite so far. It was short and sweet, covered in lush green grass, filled with postcard moments of cliche small town America. It was great. It also happened to be the perfect weekend excursion for a couple of blokes - lucky me!!!

It started with Zac's first flight. He was surprisingly well behaved. He slept during takeoff and was so interested in the lady sitting beside of me that I don't even think he noticed the landing in Nashville. Ah Nashville! The home of American country music. The small town that had grown into a city but still maintained its small town feel. Both Tristan and I were much bigger fans of the city than we thought we would be. There was live music in every bar, neon lights on every shop, and people in boots everywhere!!!! It sounds a bit cringeworthy, but it was so much fun, you couldn't help but walk around with a smile on your face. After dinner at Margarettaville, and a Jake Sparrow looking pirate making me a balloon flower and Zac a balloon dog, we wondered the street and enjoyed the boisterous atmosphere. Tristan described it as Bourbon street, New Orleans, without any of the X rated nastiness - I agree. It was great. And I could just imagine Tristan and his boys getting their "yeehaw" on and enjoying a big night out here.

The next day we drove through the picturque countryside to the Jack Daniels distillery. It was so much prettier than I thought. We did a tour where we walked up and down and up and down a couple of hundred steps looking at the process that gives the Tennessee whiskey its distinct taste (running the alcohol through maple charcoal apparently). It was an education. Did you know that Jack is made in a dry county!! You cannot buy or drink Jake where it originates!!! Bizarre The next day was interesting. We drove to Kentucky - and lost another hour - so we didn't get to do everything we wanted to. But we did make Jim Beam and Heaven Hill distilleries. We went on a few more tours - Jim was disappointing, heaven hill had a cool little trolley that we got to go on, but Zac and I couldn't go anywhere near the tasting room coz he was under 21...but another good day absorbing the beauty of the South.

We did another 4 distilleries the next day - Wild Turkey (rustic and a very good tour), FourRoses (mpft), Woodford (might be the most beautiful winery/distillery/brewery EVER - also serves a good lunch!!!) and Maker's Mark (I dipped a bottle in red wax - awesome!!). It was a really fun day. Tristan enjoyed the bourbon, I enjoyed the scenery and Zac enjoyed being out of the car. A successful day all round. And we had completed the Bourbon Trail - Yeah!!! We get a t-shirt for our efforts ;-)

It was all quiet an education: we learnt all bourbons are whiskeys but not all whiskeys are bourbons; that you need to meet 41 federal requirements to qualify as a bourbon (Jack doesn't qualify); that due to the distinct environmental conditions of Kentucky 97% of all bourbon is made in that state, but it doesn't need to be made there to qualify; and Australia is the second highest country to consume bourbon (by quantity not per capita - we beat Canada, Germany and Japan!!).

On the way back to Nashville to come home we went to a Man Vs Food recommended restaurant (not sure if this reference will make sense at home - google it. We've been to several of these restaurants, not for the challenges, and the food to always great!!) Lynn's Paradise Cafe looked like every piece of kitsch paraphernalia had been thrown on the walls, pinned to the roof, had glitter added to it, then a silk flower or two was added for flavour and BAM!! Confetti was showered on it too. It was an incredible sight. And the food was bananas! I had a walnut bread that had been made into French toast, smothered in REAL blackberry jam with a soft meringue on top. Ok I know it sounds bizarre but it was FABULOUS!!! So yummy I am salivating while writing!!

So while going on the Bourbon Trail seems on paper to be a Man-cation - it was great!! I loved it!! Tristan loved it (we have many top shelf bottles of bourbon prove this) and Zac... Well Zac was able to fly without causing an international incident - so that's a win ;-)

A couple more states knocked off our US travel list.

A month of birthday celebrations

As many of you know, June is my birthday month and I celebrate it the entire length and breadth of it. This started in university when 3 of my closest friends had their birthday celebrations at the start of the month, and I wanted to join in. Since that time my self-indulgence for birthday celebrations has only grown, and I now consider any and all activities in the month of June as a personal Triumph to my glory - a bit egotistical??? Perhaps, but I share my fun with many.

I LOVE my birthday! I love looking back on the year that has been, and celebrating how far I have come, what I have achieved, and how lucky I am. This year was extra special - it was the first year I got to share my birthday with my son AND it was the first time I had ever had a summer birthday!!! Whoo!!

So the beginning of the month was the end of the road trip in the big blue car - not a bad start! This was followed by many coffee dates with the girls, going to the baseball, quality time with my boys, and finishing uni for the semester! Then the real fun began at the end of the month! It started with a post-yoga lunch at the pool with the ladies and their babies. Lots of fun. We made many American families jealous with the smells of a typical Aussie beach lunch - a BBQ chock, lettuce and coleslaw. The sun shone brightly, Zac and I bobbed in the water, and laughter filled the air. A very good day.

A few days later, Tristan and I got up at the crack of dawn, dropped Zac off at his 'quarter cousin's' house (that's what one of the boys introduced Zac as at baseball - awww), and headed to the mountains for an adventure - white water rafting!!! Ok, so it was Tristan's work function, not a Penni birthday event, but I had been wanting to go for ages, so in my head it was all for me ;-) We drove to Idaho Springs, and the mountain banks of the Colorado River where the water turned and churned its way down the 14,000 ft mountains as snow melt, into the river that will eventually wind its way to the Pacific ocean. However, as it was a tame snow season this year the water level was considerably lower than last year. But we were still excited! We geared up into stinky splash and life jackets, received a bank side safety lesson, and jumped into the raft (5-6 per raft). Keeping a hand firmly on the t-grip of the paddle, one foot wedged under the seat in front of us, we pushed off into the water. It was a beginners course, so there wasn't that much rough and tumble, but instead a pleasant ride in a narrow gorge (alongside the interstate...). Sure we got stuck on a rock and one of the other rafts barged us and lost a small child overboard into the very chilly water, but all in all it was a quiet ride. We had a small splash in the water at the end (we all cooked in our splash jackets and the sun was scorching!!), and caught a school bus back to the start point. It was lots of fun, and next time we absolutely want to challenge ourselves with an intimidate course. After the adventure, we had lunch at a microbrewery and I left Tristan to hang out with his work colleagues while I wondered the town, looking at antique shops, little boutiques and cafes. I really enjoyed myself.

My next celebration was shared with an 11 year old boy - Zac's 'quarter cousin' was entering his tween years and 'we' (his Mum and I) decided to share our actual birthday parties. It started with another poolside lunch (yum) and lots of frivolity. Zac and I shared some special moments curled up under a tree. We then went back to our house where we had an all-American BBQ. I cooked ribs for the first time (they turned out fantastic), we had some chicken wings and other bits and pieces. Everyone had a really good time. It's was lovely to look around and see how settled we were into our life over here, and how our extended 'family' came together for a celebration. I definitely missed my nearest and dearest from home, but it was wonderful to finally have a pool party summer birthday!!

And then, the next morning I get up and see that I have a few messages from my nearest and dearest on my phone. It seems they were having a get together at home and wanted to Skype!!! So lucky me got to spend the morning of my actual birthday catching up with some mates from home. It meant more to me than I can ever express. The best birthday gift I could imagine. So you see, my birthday month was fabulous. Spent in the sun, surrounded by friends, spending it with my little boy for the very first time, in the arms of my husband, a long way from home on an adventure of a lifetime. How lucky am I!!!!!

Family fun times

Dear all,

I know I've been slack on the blog front for too long, so I will endeavour to fill you in on all the fun and excitement of late June.

It has been an exciting couple of months for the Apperley family in Denver. This has been topped off with visits from the family on the first year anniversary of our departure from the wonderful land of Oz.

Earlier this week Jessica came to visit. It was so exciting as it was the first family member from home to meet little Zac. As this was just a stop on the way of her amazing American adventure, she told me that she was just happy to fit in with our normal family schedule. So during her first few days, we did just that. I showed her all the big places we do our usual shopping, what the run around normal grocery shopping is like here (three shops instead of just Woolies), how cheap and easy it was to fill your cupboard full of brand name clothes, and importantly what life is like with a little boy filling up all your hours. I’m not sure that I could say she had fun but she got the idea of what life is like at Mansion a la Apperley.

On Friday, Tristan finished work and with the two of us to watch baby Apperley, we could finally take Jessica on a Colorado adventure. But not until after Zac's swimming lesson (which daddy got wet for this week). First we drove up into the mountains, and she got her first peek of the left over snow in the distance. Gasps of wonder continued and the sheer cliffs of the rugged mountains passed us by (really fast because Tristan was driving). We drove up over a 12,000 ft pass - her first experience of thin air and Tristan's driving along a precipitous ridge without guard rails. The view was spectacular and the air was a little frigid. Next we drove through a few little snow towns, packed full of RVs for the summer, past the snow fields that are now rugged mountains with purposely placed trees undispersed with rocky crags that are covered by snow for the majority of the year.

We then went to Brekenridge. During the winter this is a town/ resort/ party haven. It's a quaint little town full of snow shops, bars, boutiques, and restaurants. It reminds me a bit of Halndolf in the Adleaide hills, and a little of Kiama on the coast. It's a picturque place as my photo on FB showed. We wondered the street, in and out of little shops, had a wine and cheese experience as an appetizer, then ate dinner at the world's highest floating restaurant. It was so nice to spend some quality time together in a grown up setting. We got home LATE and surprise surprise Roger was here after an epic drive from Mississipi. More family to spend precious time with.

The next morning we all jumped back into the big blue car and headed for the Rocky Mountains National Park. Again we climbed up up up, but this time we followed a narrow dirt road up the side of the towering mountain. We made 12,000 ft, seeing glorious mountain lakes full of snow melt in the distance, passing waterfalls drizzling freshly thawed ice from the mountain, above the tree line to where on scraggly bushes grow. It was magical. At the top the view was spectacular, seemingly going forever. It reminded me of the cartoon 'the land before time' when the dinosaurs found paradise: it was that type of breathtaking moment. Following the dizzing heights, we descended back to a reasonable altitude. We stopped along the way so Jessica could run across the tunanda and play in the snow (she was like a little girl at Christmas - glowing cheeks and you couldn't wipe the smile off her face!!). We stopped by a lake and took a leisurely stroll - Roger had to check to see if there were any trout. We saw an elk, deer, squirrel, (and trout). It was post card perfect, and all the more special because of the company we got to share it with. And we watched the sunset between the mountains, over one of the lakes, cuddled up for a photo opportunity.

After two big days out and about, Zac and I spent the day at home while the other Apperleys went the baseball for a true American experience. I wasn't there, but I hear it was a poor game, the Rockies lost, the hot dogs were yummy, and the beer flowed freely into Tristan's cup. Sadly the next day, Jessica left us to continue her American adventure. But many hugs were had between Zac and Jess, and true family bonds were solidified. We are so grateful that she came so far for a visit. It meant a great deal. But we have another couple of weeks with Roger, so I have no doubt more family adventures are in our near future.

Lots of love

The GRAND Tour

This is the blog that has held all the others up. This was an epic road trip! I'm exhausted just remembering the details - so much so that I had to have Tristan write down notes for me to prompt my memory! Well, here it goes.... 

We have travelled a lot in the big blue car. But all these adventures, even put together, pale in comparison to the adventures we had on this road trip. It was EPIC!!! We drove from Denver to the Grand Canyon, from Las Vegas to Monument Valley, to Arches National Park and home again. The car was serviced just before we left and needed another as soon as we got back. It was long, hot, picturque, spectacularly beautiful family holiday that we will never forget!!

It all started early one morning with a few false starts: first the Blues lost the State of Origin - Tristan was unimpressed after getting up at stupid O'clock to watch the game live, and when we finally did get out the door Tristan did a U-turn a mile so from the house because he thought he left the garage door open,. And then at coffee up the road we realised that I had left me phone at home. Nevertheless, once we were on the road it was a spectacular drive through the rocky mountains (up, up, up), stop for some roadworks, more beautiful mountains, high red cliffs, stop for some roadworks, wide canyons, valleys of green, mountains (still climbing), a few more roadworks, and finally, after 8 hours of driving, we made a smallish town close to the border of Colorado. Just east of this town is a national park called Mesa Verde and it has a 'city' of cave dwellings that the ancient people of North America lived in (think pre-Indian). Though we were rushed so didn't get to visit, apparently it is a marvellous site to see. It's on our 'back track list' of places to go if we get time.

The next day we hit 4 states at the same time. Four Corners is a landmark where Colorado, New Mexico, Utah and Arizona all meet. It's one of those stops that you just have to go to say "and last week I was so busy I was in four states on the same day!!!" It's actually a very cool place with market, stalls around a plaque in the middle delineating the states. These little Indian (think cowboys and ... Not curry flavoured) market stalls were EVERYWHERE selling arrows, jewellery, pieces of stone, jewellery, pottery, jewellery, and sand art. Some of it...well...sigh...but on a rare occasion (every tenth store - so about 20-25 stores in total) had such breath taking pieces of work we kept making excuses to buy things we "needed". We have some lovely souvenirs, and a few things I look at and ask myself "really?"

Later that day we made the South Rim of the GRAND CANYON. It was a little hazy, but as we drove around we were able to get an idea of the grandness of the landmark. The colours were amazing! To see how the Colorado River had cut its way through this amazing landscape, exposing layer on layer of different geological time lines. It's really had to describe its impressiveness. We hopped from photo opportunity to photo opportunity, enjoying the vastness. There were a number of trails that enabled you to hike half way down to the bottom, but they were terribly steep, we had Zac, and it was disgustingly hot! So we stayed on top, looking down (way down) to the hazy depths where the river crashed and rolled its way towards the Pacific ocean. Wow!!  

We went back to the park early the next day and walked for a few miles along the rim. You really got a good idea of the length and breadth of the canyon this way - mainly because we didn't even put a dent in it. Zac, as always, sat back and enjoyed the adventure while his parents huffed and puffed our way around. Getting lost on the way back was a personal highlight. After lunch we caught a bus out to the eastern most point of the tourist road, stopping at even more photo stops, taking time to inhale the beauty of this wonder, sharing special moments as a small family, watching the clouds roll on by without noticing the wonder that they were passing below. Wow doesn’t even begin to describe how spectacular it was.

After a day and a bit of exploring that didn't even begin to scratch the surface; we adventured further west, heading for Las Vegas. We visited (another) aircraft museum and went to a drive through zoo called "Bearazona". It was really cool. We drove through a couple of gates that reminded me of Jurassic Park, saw long horned sheep, bison and other herbariums large mammals ignoring the traffic, passing them by. Then we got to the wolves... They were....more animated... There was a small pack that circled around the car in front and while the driver was happy snapping at seeing the majestic animals so close, one of the wolves at the front started to chew on the front bar and tires. It was bizarre! I don't know that the driver knew what to do, but after some slow nudging forwards, the wolf moved away far enough for the car to zoom off. We saw loads of bears - it was breeding season, so we saw several "piggy back rides". Interesting. The mama bears seemed less than impressed and promptly told the daddy bears to go away when they were finished playing.  

Another day, and we inched closer to Vegas. An hour or so after we hit the road, Zac turbo spewed all over the backseat as we drove down the interstate...so we had to pull over, clean him and the car up... So easy when cars are zooming past you at 130km an hour! After a quick breather and lunch at Tristan's favourite takeout "In and Out" (an obligatory stop for all those who travel along the West Coast) we continued our drive past the engineering greatness that is Hoover Dam. It was a long weekend in the US so there were people EVERYWHERE. Police directed the traffic, and you had to squirrel your way through the crowds to get a look. While in theory it is just another dam, it's a very impressive one. We happy snapped for a while, but the imposing heat restricted our stay as we didn't want Zac out in that heat for too long.  

Vegas was just down the road. We arrived as the sun started to disappear over the mountains and it had started to cool down to a more reasonable temperature. We caught up with friends and had dinner at one a casino off the strip. It was huge and the strangest part was just walking in with Zac in his pram. Tristan and I crept in like we were convicts waiting to be caught, but no one paid us any heed. We walked past dozens and dozens of "slot machines", sat in the restaurant ordered drinks without being ID'd (a big deal as we usually get asked everywhere) and enjoyed a yummy Mexican meal. It was a lovely night...until Zac decided to be sick (AGAIN!!). Poor baby - it had been a big day for the small boy.  

After we all got a good night sleep, (Zac woke up his usual self) we were ready to run and play, and we dared the heat and explored the Vegas strip. Though I shouldn't say the strip as that gives you the illusion we saw a lot. We didn't - 4 hours and we managed 4 casinos, lunch, and a yard glass of cocktail (carried with us as we strolled along the strip). There was so much more to see, but we just ran out of time!! Tristan and I had our first baby free date since Zac came home that evening, and we had to get ready!! So as Zac sat watching basketball on tv with our friends, Tristan and I walked hand in hand to see a show. It was so nice! Of course one of the shows main character was baby, so little Zac wasn't out of our mind for very long.  

We were back on the road the next day (with fond desires to go back to Vegas one day sans baby for a big night on the strip) on our way to Monument Valley. But first, we had a surprise drive through another national park. We were just driving along, watching bad tv on the DVD player while sitting in the backseat playing with Zac, following the GPS, when we saw that the road we were following was going through the heart of Zion National Park. It was so impressive!! We drove through a couple of canyons, which I imagine would be like being at the bottom of the grand canyon looking up. The road twisted and turned as we climbed out of the gorge, we drove through two tunnels carved into the cliffs. They had grand windows in the sides, framing the beautiful scenery that just took your breath away. It was a beautiful, unexpected landscape that we both wished we had more time to explore. There were campsites along the river that we wished we could have pulled over and spent a day or so relaxing and kicking up our heels with a beverage or two. It was one of our favourite places yet in the US.

Later that day we stopped in a three hotel, McDonalds and HJs only sized town. It wasn’t anything special, and there was no pool at the hotel, but it was good to have a rest before we hit cowboy country. An early morning start saw us enter into Monument Valley as the sun began to reflect off the red buttes and sandy desert. Now this spectacular piece of landscape is where many John Wayne films were shot, where countless cowboy movies are set and home to the Wild Wild West. I could just imagine my Poppa standing beside me telling me about a scene in a movie that was shot just in front of us. We were able to drive around the park on a serious 4x4 road that took us to some amazing places. We ate Indian flat bread, drizzled in local honey (YUM!), shopped at a couple of Indian brick-a-brac stalls, and sat at the edge of a butte, looking into the valley at sunset, waiting for that perfect photo. It was such a nice day!!

The next day was short drive to Moab, via a few wineries. We just took it easy. Then the following morning we got up early and explored Arches National Park. Eons of erosion had resulted in a unique landscape where the salt and soil beneath large limestone cliffs had been washed away, resulting in 'arches' emerging along the landscape. It was a magical landscape, and I often felt we were on a distant planet. We did a few short walks, but it was HOT! Thank goodness that we had the water cooler in the boot, because we filled our drink bottles up countless times. I honestly wished we had explored this park more, but we were all exhausted after 10 days away from home, adventuring across 4 states, and we were very much looking forward to spending a day in our PJs at home. So we just drove around the park, happy snapped and made it back to our hotel before sunset.

The next day, we cut our trip short, packed the car up for the last time, and drove all the way home.

It was a spectacular trip - enough for several holidays - and we squeezed it all into just 11 days. We visited where the states met, we saw the vastness of the Grand Canyon, we experienced man's greatness at the Hoover dam, an inch of Sin City was fabulous enough to call us back, unexpected beauty at Zion made us want for more, 4x4 adventures at Monument Valley was an experience I wish we could have shared, and the landscape of Arches made us remember that we truly are only in this world for a blink of an eye.

I love that we got to experience it as a little family - but I must admit, that first night home, sitting on the couch together as the very best feeling of all.

Apologies for the EXTREME delay in posting this blog.

I hope you are all happy and healthy - we miss you all