California dreamin

Well it came to pass that Julie had mid Winter Break and if you know Julie (and me) we never let an opportunity for a trip to pass us by. Now Mid Winter Break (Spring Break in British Columbia) is only for 1 week but a week gives a lot of opportunities....

I don't think any of Julie's workmates were going to be staying around and enjoying Canada's Winter delights unless they were skiing and as my skiing days unfortunately were distant memories we decided to look for a warmer sunnier place. So we asked and....  

Kinfolks said to "move away from here" , "so we loaded up the Truck and we went to Beverly" or at least we went to California which is where Beverly (Hills that is) is. The truth was that we had seen a great deal with Virgin America before we left Australia for flights from Toronto to Los Angeles so that had been decided while in Australia.

However to get that flight we had to get to Tronna and with another wet, snowy and foggy drive  spirits weren't exactly soaring. But the thoughts of sunny times ahead made the trip easier. It was good to find a snowbank to park on near Cheryls unit on the Avenue Road. (Not sure I really understand how that Road was named but who am I to argue.)  

Cheryl has done two exchanges to Australia including one to Albury which is where I grew up, (although some would question whether I ever did actually grow up)!! She said I probably wouldn't know the other place but not only did I know Sutton (pop 220) I knew a number of people who lived there. A least I knew the important people. Well, at least, I knew the beekeepers. The Bingleys and the Kershaws are beekeeping families from the area and their children and grandchildren were students of Cheryls that year.

Apart from teaching andTeacher Exchanges Julie and I have more in common with Cheryl. We all enjoy good wine, good food and good company, all of which were were part of the night. First a stunning bottle of Brokenwood Shiraz, we Australians know how to make great Shiraz, and then we went for a great meal at Cheryl's friend, Blair's, restuarant.

With our flight being at 5 pm we had time for a guided tour of Toronto the next morning before heading towards the Holiday Inn Express where the CuRVee would have a weeks holiday while we were in California. We were on time at the Airport but our plane wasn't so we were able to get some lunch. Things were normal, it was 4.30 pm!!

After getting through US customs (fun) it was up to Sir Richard or which ever Virgin Pilot was flying the plane to get us to California. The fight flew by (what a terrible pun, Dad would be proud) and before long we were in Los Angeles Airport (LAX). It was relatively sane.

A short bus trip to Alamo Rentals, where they checked our Credit Card and said just go out and pick whatever Mid Size car you want. Interesting concept but we forgo the opportunity to look for a Hummer and took a Toyota Corolla plugged in Mrs Garmin and headed to "The Hacienda Hotel" in El Segundo (near LAX)....

The next day it was sunny and WARM! Shorts weather, yippee!!! Then Julie discovered the exercise room, oh well time to see wheter I could still walk on a treadmill. Still got the basics worked out and managed to get myself really warmed up at least.

A shower, breakfast (in out room) and Julie brought the RockinCorolla to the front of the El Segundo and we were away and ready to tackle the Los Angeles traffic.

Well was the Los Angeles traffic ready for us?? Sure but then all we wanted from the LA traffic was for it to stay out of our way and to let us out. We had decided to leave LA at this stage and head for Merced for the night before a day at Yosemite National Park.

The traffic was OK, though I think, Julie's driving made it seem that way. And soon were winding through the hills past the famous names. And heading into the hills that ring the "City of Angels". When I call them hills some of them were higher than Australia's highest mountain so it was an spectacular drive for the first 2 hours.

And as Greg, Melissa, Paddy and Rajiv would remember from the Alberta Adventure in 2007 there is nothing better than a salad roll at a beautiful place......











It was worth the drive



to get a view like this

Gourmet fare of course. Oh well we all have to put up with difficulties don't we!

Then on past some of the one of the reasons that California thrived.... apart from the gold and the sun and the film industry and the agriculture and the forestry and on and on and on.......

  But we found the real reason and the true INDUSTRY



If you detect a little bias you may be right. But for those followers of the truly noble profession where no practitioner (apiarist) ever expands the truth they were flying well and there was a hint of a honey smell..... The Almonds were just about finished flowering but the bees were still flying very well.

We travelled through the amazing farmlands of the San Joaquin Valley where we managed to find a bottle of good Californian wine to help us get over the trip

Well at least it was a wine and it had been a long day.....but a good one!!!!