Nevada and Arizona: More than a money oasis.

Vegas Baby!

It’s been a while since we had the energy, or more precisely the motivation, to get you all caught up on our adventures from the last two weeks and the best place to start would definitely be Vegas. For those who do not know Las Vegas is in the Nevada desert surrounded by mountains on every horizon and is constantly rated as one of America’s best cities to let your hair down and let your wallets open.

We arrived on a Sunday afternoon after a long drive from San Diego through some pretty amazing scenery. The way the American landscape changes so dramatically from urban jungle to desert plains studded with monoliths and mirages of mountain ranges in the hazy distance is quite something and we are so glad we chose to drive, rather than fly, across this unfathomably beautiful and rugged terrain. Las Vegas is as glamorous, in parts, as it is made out to be in the media and when the sun goes down the lights come on and the whole city awakes from its daytime hibernation.

Even strolling around the Las Vegas strip you get an appreciation for just how much money is in this city and many try to capitalize on that, some more successfuly than others. If you can look past the peddlers selling wild fantasies through to urban hip-hop jazz fusion artists pushing their latest audio offerings the streets are safe and alive with an electricity like we have never experienced. We were staying at a motel on the Las Vegas strip and we spent one day collecting tickets for David Copperfield and trying out an amusement park on the top of the Stratosphere Casino. The ride we went on was a rollercoaster wannabe and if the roller coaster was not 108 stories high the ride would have been rather lame, we were kind of feeling a little ripped off as it cost about $50 each including entrance to the Stratosphere observation deck, so we spent the next couple of days wandering around without any goal in particular. Antoinette developed a curious, and honestly tempting, craving for espresso martinis and this would take us a few days to stumble across, but we will save that tale and it’s consequences for later.

Each casino has it’s own theme and most are kept in pretty good repair. The MGM Grand has a lion enclosure on the casino floor, the Venetian has Venice inspired gondolas cruising the moat in front of the casino and well you get the idea. The temptation to consume booze most days was hard to overcome, as everybody else seemed to be doing it, but with money being tight for the time being it was probably a blessing in disguise. The shopping in Vegas is truly world class. Almost every major hotel has three things. A Tiffany’s, Gucci and Louis Vitton store either inside the complex, or adjacent to, but there are plenty of other stores to visit and we spent a good day or so strolling through a mall with clouds painted on the ceiling and indoor fountains supposed to fool you into thinking you are outdoors.

Delicious, but deadly.

We did eventually locate somewhere to get an espresso martini, which was delicious, but for some bizarre reason the waitress told us about a place we could get an even better one [which was pretty daring because the ones we had in front of us at the time were lush] and we decided that would be our destination for our large Friday night out on the town. We arrived at Blue Martini around 5.30 to take advantage of their happy hour specials [$7 cocktails until 8pm which included the shaker they were made in that doubled the amount of cocktail goodness you received] and the results were messy. After slamming down four cocktails each, and the extra from the shakers, we were uneasily intoxicated and barely had the sense or energy to make it back to our motel, let alone any casinos. It was a good thing, however, because we would have been cannon fodder for the highly trained fortune distributors behind the smooth felt tables of any casino. The hangover was disastrous and we spent most of the day flicking between anything and everything on a disjointed cable network while avoiding any mention or sight of the sun and the scary neon lit world that lurked metres from where we lay defenseless and in need of a miracle.

This afternoon held promise, not similar to the afternoon before it, but the thought of seeing David Copperfield at the MGM Grand was enough to lure us from our incapacitated state, although we were both hoping he could make our hangovers…disappear. The show was brilliant and Copperfield really does things that defy logic and leave you scratching your head thinking ‘How?’ Even though the show did not seem too important to Copperfield he was still having fun, mostly at the audiences expense, and the show was worth the money. So after succumbing to the temptations of Las Vegas, perhaps a little too much, it was time to escape the strip and head to the Grand Canyon.

Grand Canyon 1.0

After another eastward drive we found ourselves on highway 64 50 miles south of the Grand Canyon in a town called Williams. We were a little bewildered when we checked in and were given a sheet saying ‘freeze warning,’ but we quickly figured out why. This place was freezing. We woke up in the morning to find ice on the inside windows of our RV, seriously it was so cold we could not sleep, but after a hot breakfast and an hour long cruise down highway 64 we arrived at our destination. Photos really do not do justice to the Grand Canyon and although you can capture, preserve and display portions of the canyon in great light and detail the vastness and gargantuan space this wonder occupies can not be described by any single image. The park was really well run, with free shuttles running constantly through some of the parks better spots, and we found ourselves walking within metres of the canyon rim in no time.

Grand Canyon near Desert View

We took as many photos as we could before deciding it was time to head somewhere else and we tackled the 30 minute drive to Desert View where a lone tower watches over the plateaus and crevasses and forgoes magnificent views deep into the canyon and over the plains. We do not know what it was, maybe the extended hangovers, but for most of the trip we were both speechless and did not feel the need to gasp and gape because the views said it all for us. Even though the light for most of the day was horrid with shadows stretching through almost every shot the journey out here was really worthwhile and even though we might never come back the majesty and immensity of this place really is something you have to see for yourself.

After another cold night in Williams we headed south for warmer weather to a small town called Sedona, literally a blip on the map, and found a strange affinity with the red rocks and desert hills that make up so much of what we are now seeing. For us the south-west really feels like the real America and being able to drive through such mind blowing natural phenomena makes us realize just what we are doing and makes us really glad we are actually doing it. We have a couple of things to take care of in Sedona before heading through to Albuquerque, Roswell, Senora and beyond, which, undoubtedly, will hold plenty of sights, sounds and tastes for us to write about, but you will just have to wait a while.

‘Till next time,

Antoinette and James.

California: Childhood Adventures and Remembering Ron Burgandy

So, when we left you last we were on the cusp of fulfilling every child’s dream and entering what is arguably the most famous theme park on the planet, Disneyland. Antoinette could hardly contain herself the morning of our departure and after loading our pack mule, James, with sugary supplies and a really atrocious coffee we arrived at the gates about 30 minutes prior to the park opening. This, as it turned out, was a really good move because if you want to experience everything this park has to offer it will take more than a full day and we found it was not until half way through our second day we had seen all the different areas in Disneyland. We decided not to tackle the California Adventure Park because it just would have meant we would have to split our time between the two destinations and not be able to get the most out of our Disneyland experience.

James hanging on for dear life.

After waiting for the park to officially open and hearing the ‘strategies’ of people standing next to us and how they were going to go to this ride, grab fast passes for this ride on the way, while the family continued on, and how walking through the park with a stroller was about being ‘firm, but fair’ we did not know what to expect. We quickly realized how lame and unentertaining it would be to have a strategy and we just decided to do everything in the entire park and we were always joking about having a strategy while waiting in line for the rides, which was a good way to pass the time. Even in off season there were lines for pretty much everything, but the lines all move really quickly and we would hate to come to this place during peak season because you would definitely end up feeling like a herd of animals as the lines crawl to the departure point. Some of our favourite experiences included when Tigger, the sneaky and unsubtle so and so, covered James with Antoinette’s scarf during a photo to get James, quite literally, out of the picture, completely overdosing on sugar for the two days and James holding on for dear life while Antoinette drove carelessly around a closed circuit. Some of the rides were, obviously, better than others and Space Mountain, Splash Mountain and Madhatter were some of the best and we made time to revisit these on our second day.

The place itself is all done really well, with the exception of a few of the older areas, and each theme is executed near perfectly and the décor in these sections really does make you feel like you are in the jungle, in the wild west, a futuristic land of tomorrow or part of a Disney fairytale yet to be told. After two days of strolling around, tackling the exciting and authentic attractions and having all of our childhood fantasies fulfilled it was time to say goodbye to Disneyland and say hello San Diego, the birthplace of Ron Burgundy, the greatest fictitious news presenter the world has ever known.

Antoinette with her recently acquired friend, Samuel.

Those of you who have seen Anchorman will now be thinking of plenty of ridiculous quotes from the most eccentric scotch loving, suit wearing and mustachioed character ever produced, but San Diego has more to offer than entertaining news anchors. After two non-stop days at Disneyland we spent one afternoon on Pacific Beach, just a 10 minute drive north-west from the city centre, lazing about and it was great to be able to get outdoors, relax and forget about everything to do with traveling for a few hours. The beautiful white sands, gentle sea breeze and warm sunny conditions made this just what we needed to get our heads back in the right places after the swarming mass of crying children and angry parents that was Disneyland.

The San Diego Zoo was also another reason we came this far south and it did not disappoint. The place is massive and there are so many animals here and although it is always a bizarre feeling to see such majestic creatures behind bars, prisoners for our own enjoyment, it was still an enjoyable experience. This zoo has elephants, polar bears, tigers, lions, leopards, jaguars and so much more it was hard cramming it all into one day, but after walking without a break from end to end and side to side we had seen everything there was to see, except for the animals that spent their days hiding just out of view. After two days of drinking down the smooth delights of San Diego it was time to get amongst the city centre and we found ourselves dragged towards the Gas Lamp Quarter.

The Entry To the Gaslamp Quarter in San Diego

The Gas Lamp Quarter is a 16-block sanctuary in the centre of San Diego overflowing with restaurants, shops and night clubs nestled in some very classic Victorian architecture. The energy around this place on a Saturday was quite electric and one could only imagine what would take place here once the sun went down, but we could only imagine because the 300 mile drive the next day limited our debauchery to a late lunch and, yet another, average coffee experience. Overall San Diego is definitely worth visiting if you ever find yourself this far south and had we been privy to a couple more days here there was more we could have done, but with Vegas beckoning with its bright lights and promises of unclaimed fortunes it is time to say goodbye to California and hello to Nevada.

‘Till next time,

Antoinette and James. 

Los Angeles: Broken Dreams and Happiness

One of the most iconic Los Angeles Images

A long drive and a really dodgy motel, or hotel as the owners prefer to call it, was not the impression of Los Angeles we were hoping for. The room was without doubt the oldest and most neglected we have stayed in. We had to park Phoenix, our camper, in an alley way opposite a dumpster with ‘fuck life’ sprayed badly on all sides and the smell of disinfectant was everywhere in the room from the yellowing floor tiles through to the sandpaper-esque towels and bed linen. It took a little getting used to, but the homemade vegetable vindaloo seemed to get rid off, or at least mask, the strange odours of this motel room in disguise.

Our first day was spent strolling through the down town area of L.A., which was a little disappointing in all honesty, and the shopping was all oriented to wholesalers and the area was full of tacky discount stores. It was not what we were in the mood for. We looked into being part of a studio audience and after reserving tickets online, two days prior for those of you wondering, we headed out to Sony Pictures and after a hour and a half bus ride and a further 30 minutes waiting around in the carpark we were told the studio was full and we had to go home. They did offer tokens that would see us certain entrance to an audience of our choosing, which was great because now we can see a show we do not really give a shit about the next time we come down the road from Australia. The whole experience was really disappointing and was the pinnacle of a number of let downs we have had to endure and we were both pretty pissed. 

Legends from the Rock Wall on Sunset Boulevard

The night’s adventures did not end there, however, we decided to pick up some supplies [corn chips for nachos, pineapple juice, vodka] and write our own hilarious sit-com. Downtown L.A. is not the trendiest part of town by any stretch of the imagination and while picking up the supplies from a convenience store with bulletproof glass around the register James was told he was going to hell for being greedy and that he needed to read the bible after declining a Hispanic guy, who ‘just got outta jail’ [his words, not ours], spare change. So our first L.A. escapade saw us travel pointlessly for three hours on public transport, get turned away from a show with tickets in hand and been told our futures were not so bright in the eyes of someone who, obviously, lives his life according to the good word…NICE!

Killer mural along Venice Beach

This city is renowned for it’s glitz and glamour and a trip to Hollywood was enough to get our moods back in the right place. The tour we settled on took us through Hollywood, Beverly Hills and down Sunset Boulevard on a two-hour loop around some of the city's sights and attractions. The sights mainly revolved around celebrity existence and for two people who hold only the slightest of interest in what celebrities worked where before they made the big time the highlights were few and far between. The walk of fame is pretty cool, but again did not really do it for either of us, but if you dig your celebrity gossip and want to tantalize your senses with the lifestyle of the stars then this is the place to do it. Our favourite place was the 'rock wall,' a storefront crowded with handprints of very influential music stars from previous eras. Beverly Hills’ meticulously manicured lawns and shopping centres with no sign of wear and tear were impressive, including the world famous Rodeo Drive, but were awash with a pretentious and almost inaccessible aura.

The highlight of Los Angeles, by far, are Santa Monica and Venice beaches that are shining examples of what the city has to offer. The beaches were hemmed by distant images of mountains and the white sands were tamed by blue water on one side and a whole range of crazily unique stores selling everything from urban artworks through to cooky giftware. We finally picked up a mascot on the Venice Boardwalk, a little Wall-e figuring made out of recycled hardware, and wandered around until we decided it was time to move on to the Santa Monica pier. The pier is the western most point on Route 66 and was a fitting destination seeing we will be crossing the country using parts of this historic roadway. It was nice just taking things a little slower than in the centre of Los Angeles and the coastal vibe was a welcome change after the trials of the previous couple of days.

Kick ass figurines made from scrap metal at Venice Beach.

Our last days in L.A. were spent people watching in Santa Monica and overdosing on burgers for our ‘last night dinner celebration,’ and we were both ecstatic to be putting the badly lit and interesting aromas of our lodging for the previous seven nights behind us. We are currently in Anaheim, after a shorter than expected drive, in a much nicer motel chain and are set to fulfill all of our childhood dreams with two days kickin’ around in the grounds of Antoinette’s future house, the Disney castle. With San Diego and a week in Las Vegas on the horizon, not to mention all the happy snaps with idols from an age gone by, there are plenty of tales to come.

‘Till next time,

Antoinette and James.

California 2.0

The Rock

So our last entry left you all hanging and thinking about the mischievous deeds Antoinette and James would be up too when they hit San Francisco. The city itself is relatively small, by city standards, with approximately 750,000 residents, but there is so much history in San Francisco you do not know where to start. We were located right in the heart of the downtown district in an ok motel, but the location is what got us really excited.

After crashing hard in the afternoon after the long and busy drive composing of aggravated Americans, lost Asians and totally awesome Australians [we give you one guess to figure out which group we were part of] we booked ourselves tickets to one of the city’s most famous landmarks and tourism hotspots, Alcatraz. We decided to walk in the morning, as the map made it look easy, but we have both sworn never to say another word about how geographically boring Perth is compared to this place. After many ascents and descents through the hills of central San Fran, including a waddle through the ‘crookedest’ street in the world, we arrived at the iconic waterfront district and were en-route to the small island in no time.

Alcatraz has so many stories to tell, and the island itself has changed its persona more than a hermaphrodite on drag night, but just walking around the grounds was enough to make you appreciate how isolated the prisoners of Alcatraz were. The cellblocks were eerily quiet as everyone was cruising around buckled to the voices of the audio tour and getting the insights of former wardens and inmates into the daily happenings on The Rock. There were stories of retribution, foiled escape attempts and gory details of prison life. The views to San Francisco were brilliant and the prisoners would have been able to enjoy what is one of the best views of the city if it were not for the 6m high brick walls and barbed wire surrounding their ‘recreation yard.’

The Golden Gate Bridge

After our Alcatraz experience we headed back to our temporary home to recoup for the next two days in the city. We jumped on one of the ‘hop-on / hop-off’ buses and headed for the Golden Gate Park, a massive man made expanse of huge trees, shrubs and grassland. In the latter half of the 1900s the Golden Gate Park was transformed from barren sand dunes into the lush and beautiful retreat it is today. We have also walked the span of the Golden Gate Bridge, checked out were the ‘hippy movement’ began, discovered the joys of antique arcade machines on Pier 45 and strolled the streets of central San Francisco taking in the epic Victorian and Edwardian style homes that colourfuly dot streetscape after streetscape. San Francisco is the sort of place you could spend a month and still not see everything, but with this just being the start of our trip we needed to keep moving. If we were to come back it would be with a lot more money in our back pockets to take full advantage of the insane amounts of boutique retailers and one-of-a-kind shops that we just do not have back home. When it was time to say goodbye to San Francisco it was time to say hello again to mountain country and we set out for Yosemite National Park.

A grassy meadow in Yosemite Valley

The three and a half hour drive rewards you with massive slabs of granite rocks sprouting vertically into the bright blue sky on either side with lush forests, meadows and rivers at every turn. The sights here are unlike anything we have ever seen before and the pictures we have burned into our memories do the place more justice than even the most high-resolution panoramic shot of the valley. The next day we wound our way down through Fresno to Kings Canyon National Park and took a hair raising ride down into the valley, which [for those of you playing at home] is not as much fun as it sounds in a 17ft camper van on steep winding roads with loads of blind corners, but once we got to the valley floor and were enveloped by the walls of granite we quickly forgot the potential drama of the downward journey.

Giant Sequoias at Kings Canyon.

Going back up was a little easier and after cruising through some fog we arrived at a patch of forest that is home to some of the biggest trees in the world, the Giant Sequoia. These trees are massive. Standing 30m away you still cannot get the entire thing in a picture frame and the biggest one, General Grant, is estimated to be between 1600 to 2000 years old. Feeling insignificant when standing next to these natural giants is all too easy and these fire resistant behemoths have withstood more than any human will ever experience and really define the word awesome.

We have seen so much in the last five days or so and we just hope it all sinks in over the long drive we have in the next couple of days to Los Angeles, five and a half hours away, which we will be calling home until our next major stop. Disney Land, but do not tell Antoinette she might pass out.

‘Till next time,

Antoinette and James.

California: More Than Just Oranges

Our apartment on wheels

Heading out of Seattle after cruising the suburbs and market places one last time we were ready for something new, fresh and a little warmer. San Francisco is located in the Bay Area of north western California and there is so much to see and do in the northern area alone and our Lonely Planet USA book, aka our bible, is open all the time.

We had to pick up our camper from the east side of the bay in a suburb called Hayward. For all those wondering we still have thick Australian accents because we get asked to repeat everything when we are trying to tell drivers where we are going. Our camper van, who we have named Phoenix to fit in with our trashy adopted personas, was waiting for us at a motel just off the interstate highway and the only thing separating us from the road was the desire to get some sleep somewhere other than a motel car park. Phoenix is a converted Dodge van with a fuel guzzling V8 and everything you would expect in an RV; fridge, microwave, shower, toilet and what has now become a really comfy bed. The RV appeared smaller than we thought it would, but after camping out for a couple of days we have become used to making the most of the space we do have, but we digress.

Our first stop once we got on the road was Walmart to pick up some supplies for the journey ahead to make sure we don’t get caught out unprepared and then onwards towards the Napa region. Even though it has been only a matter of weeks since we had driven in Hawaii we were quickly reminded of the discourteous manner and apparent lack of peripheral vision amongst American drivers. Within minutes of being on the interstate we witnessed dozens of ‘near misses’ and saw two crashes within about ten minutes of one another and this really had us on edge considering we were ‘easy prey’ for the cut throat attitude on American roads.

Ken: Elkhorn Peak's Magician

Regardless we arrived at our campsite a little later than expected and got ourselves comfortable for the day ahead, which would see us head into one of the worlds most recognised wine regions. The morning started as many more will, by getting a little lost, but after stumbling through the Napa town centre and finding our pick up location we were taken away on a bus with four other couples to our first vineyard. The Napa Valley is about 50 km long and about seven wide and laden with vineyards and wineries capable of producing some very top quality wines.

The valley is subject to a number of different micro-climates and these different regions are suited to different varieties. The southern more temperate climates are better suited to pinot noir whilst the mountainous regions are better suited to Cabernet varieties to give the grapes the sunshine they need to ripen properly before harvest late in the season. What surprised us about the valley is a majority of the grape producers sell nearly all of their grapes to the local wineries, while keeping a small percentage for themselves, to create a system of sustainability and quality throughout the Napa region.

The 'Yates Family Representative

Our first vineyard was Elkhorn Peak and Ken, the owner, has been growing pinot noir in the valley for about 30 years and his wines were really a cut above the rest. His passion and ability to cut through all the bullshit and misconceptions many have of the wine industry really caught our attention and his no nonsense approach to growing a top quality grape delivered sensationally tasty results. The most disappointing thing about the smaller producers is that most will not ship overseas because it is too expensive and they cannot guarantee their wines will not be affected by the shipping methods so we had to make do with a couple of bottles of pinot and a really tasty desert style wine that, we swear, will only be consumed when we get back home. Napa is a really beautiful region and had we the time and money we would have stayed for much longer and tasted our way through many more of the small vineyards to get a real taste for what the Napa Valley has to offer.

After saying goodbye to the valley we took Saturday to re-fit our RV and get ourselves properly settled. We have pulled out the bed into a more permanent position and stored everything away to get used to the limited space we have available to us. We have already found when it comes to cities and camper vans it is cheaper to get a room at a motel than it is to stay at an RV park, which could be anywhere from 30 to 40 minutes away from the city centre. Our list of cities to visit includes many major cities and if traffic in San Francisco is anything to go by staying off the roads will be a very wise move for our sanity, not to mention safety. San Francisco will be our home for the next couple of days and with Alcatraz and plenty more on our agenda before heading out to Yosemite and onwards to Kings Canyon we really have a lot to think about.

‘Till next time,

Antoinette and James. 

Seattle: Sleepless? No way.

The sunset over the lakes crossing the US / Canada border

Leaving Whistler we decided to take a different approach to traveling, we have typically broken longer journeys into two, so we decided to treat it like a band aid and rip it off in one go. After starting our trip at 10am with a bus ride, followed by another bus ride, followed by a painful five-hour wait in a bus station, followed by a train ride over the border and finally a cab we arrived at Seattle Hostel around 11pm. After more than 11 hours of travel we were glad to stop moving and get ourselves settled in the heart of downtown Seattle.

Our accommodation is an old historic building given a new cutting edge feel with local artists transforming each room into a quirky representation of contemporary art. The artist who themed our room is obviously quite an interesting character and her interest in exploring the relationship between organic subjects and technology is an interesting setting to chill in. Being right in the middle of the city is a huge bonus and everything we need is within a ten minute walk or less.

Our first morning we took advantage of the sunshine, a rare thing for Seattle, and wandered [or waddled after taking advantage of the hostel’s free breakfast] to the well known Pike Place Markets. The diversity and quality represented throughout the marketplace was quite something and at 10:30 in the morning the place was pumping and full of people. It sounds strange, but the vibe at the markets was something quite special and being back in a city again after Whistler was really a big buzz.

Gotta love Seattle Hard Rock

After cruising our way around and getting a little lost, we’re quite use to that now, we headed for Space Needle and the attached Experience Music Project and Sci-Fi Museum. The EMP [Experience Music Project] is a representation of the musical movements and individuals who have shaped music history in Seattle and around the world. From ancient posters of Jazz artists in the early 20s and 30s, the perms of Hard Rock superstars, draft lyrics handwritten by Kurt Cobain and guitars used and trashed by Jimi Hendrix this place is a music buff’s paradise. There were stacks of interactive exhibits and after Antoinette had a go at slappin’ the bass, James almost loosing Roofus [our little point and shoot camera] and mixing ‘Sweet Dreams’ by the Eurythmics [quite badly we are sorry to say] it was time to check out the Sci-Fi Museum.

Each cabinet and glass case was overflowing with costumes, books and movie props to satisfy and interest some one with even the most fleeting of interests in sci-fi stuff. Full size Teenage Mutant Ninja turtles, ET and a wide range of robots and droids and original movie posters adorned the walls of sci-fi museum and the scariest thing was most of it is either made or donated by fans of the movies. After coming a little too close to a Tranformers poster of the animated movie it was time to rip James away from his boyhood hero, Optamus Prime, and go to higher ground.

Ready for take off.

The Space Needle was a little expensive, $20 each, to get to the top and were it not for the blustery wind conditions and the cold we probably could have got our money’s worth out of it. It was something worth doing, but it really did look a whole lot more impressive from the outside, as do many things in this city. Don’t get us wrong it was cool to see one of Seattle’s most well known landmarks, but we both felt it needed more to justify the price of admission.

After feeling a little jaded by the whole Sky Tower thing we headed back to the hostel to reload for the next day of cruising one of Seattle’s most historic sections. Pioneer square is one of the most historic parts of Seattle and the architecture really reflects so many qualities of the city itself. Old red brick buildings tower over the arcades and streets filled with boutique fashion houses and quaint art galleries nestled in between plenty of caffeine replenishment zones, restaurants and pubs. Most of the Pioneer Square area was built after the great fires in the late 1800s and exploded into the consciousness of ordinary American’s when it was marketed as a ‘gateway to gold country’ during the biggest gold rush in America that lasted the best part of two decades. It was a good thing we came during the day as this area has quite a bad reputation at night, especially on the weekends, so we decided something a little more sophisticated was in order for our night time shenanigans.

A lazy dinner and some down time awaited before we ventured out to a club called ‘The Tripple Door and Musicquarium,’ for a live Jazz troupe and a few glasses of Napa Valley Cab Sav. The music was good, but the wine was better, and after chilling in the mood lighting for a few hours we retreated happier than when we arrived and devoured plenty of sleep until the next morning.

Saturday had arrived and we decided a ‘do nothing day’ was essential. We finalized a few little bits and pieces, including the arrangements for picking up the motor home, and our first stay at a trailer park in the Napa Valley, which is more expensive than we thought. As time passes we are getting a lot better at not spending so much while still spending enough to keep ourselves from going insane. We spent so much more than we thought or intended too during the first month and a half, but we did not really know what to expect so we are both glad to be on the mainland away from most of the tourism oriented places where businesses charge a shiteload of money just because they can.

A mural that sums up Seattle's diversity and heritage.

Money matters aside Sunday was spent cruising through the Fremont Sunday markets and delving deep into ‘vintage’ territory. This district is certainly the most alternative we have seen thus far and Antoinette described it perfectly when she said ‘this area is like Fremantle except it is hip, not hippy.’ With plenty of random junk and trinkets to pick up and touch we spent a few hours looking at all things weird and wonderful and after buying a couple of little bits we headed home happy that we were able to check out something that really felt like Seattle. There is also plenty of public artwork around on almost every street corner in Fremont. A Lenin Statue from Europe on North 35^th, a troll under a bridge snacking on a VW Beetle on North 36^th and statues waiting at a disused bus stop on North 34^th all testify to the artistic nature of this city and is a very welcome sight under the overcast skies.

We have a couple of days left in Seattle and have a couple of things left on our ‘to do’ list before we leave and after cramming so much into days just passed it should be a leisurely cruise to the finish and then onwards to genuine sourdough bread [sorry Antoinette], cable cars, Alcatraz and San Francisco.

Whistler: No snow, but that does not matter

Antoinette and our S'mores mascot chowing down

So leaving Vancouver was hard, seeing that we had to say goodbye to an old friend that we might not see again for quite some time, but the decision to head through to Whistler was definitely a good one.

Our last couple of days in Vancouver were spent lazily strolling the arcades and shopping districts of the downtown area and introducing Amy, our Canadian hostess, to the delights of Masala Dosai [deliciously golden rice and lentil crepes stuffed with spicy potato for those that do not already know and if you do not we suggest you get acquainted with these addictively tasty beasts].

Amy returned the favour by introducing us to 's'mores,' delicious sandwich style treats consisting of crackers [gluten free of course], fire roasted marshmallows and plenty of chocolate. Not exactly the most healthy things, but damn they were tasty. Be warned friends we shall be sharing the love, but never the recipe.

One of Vancouver's hidden gems was found on our last day in Granville island, which is actually a peninsula but being outsiders we did not want to stir the pot too much, and with markets, wicked lunch options, a pretty damn good busker, glass blowing, art school, hammock store and a brewery. If ever there was a location for a lazy day this place is perfect.

Quite a view 'eh

So after tying up lose ends and relaxing to our hearts content we had to farewell Amy's crazy Grandma and her cozy home it was time to head out into the mountains for some of that fresh mountain air.

The bus ride out to Whistler was very scenic and the weather gods did allow us to take full advantage of the two and a half hour bus ride into the mountains that hosted the winter Olympics earlier this year.

Our accommodation is a small bed and breakfast just outside of Whistler’s town centre and had the ‘Golden Dreams Bed and Breakfast’ been closer to town it would have been the equivalent of a five star hotel for the both of us. It is awesome to wake up and have breakfast waiting on the table upstairs and also get the locals interpretation of the weather forecast to help us decide what will be worth doing and when to do it. Being fed without having to do dishes might sound like a small thing for most, but for people trying to save cash wherever and whenever they can it is a luxury we are enjoying to the max.

Since arriving in Whistler we have found ourselves busy pretty much all day every day and there is always something to do in or just outside of the hustle and bustle that is the Whistler and Blackcomb Mountains. There is something about these mountainous landscapes that have us both in a spell and seeing these places drive us to see more of the same and we have both vowed a trip to the Himalayas is on the table after this whole around the world shindig.

We spent Saturday climbing to heights other St.Kilda fans could only dream of [after the disappointment that was the grand final rematch] and after 20 minutes in the gondola line and a 11 minute gondola ride we were at the lodge atop Whistler Mountain. Panoramic views of the valley carved by a massive glacier measuring more than 2000m thick greeted us and after taking more than just a couple of shots of the distant mountains and lush temperate rain forest we decided it was time to head over to Blackcomb mountain.

No photoshop here. It is a wild bird.

In the old days we are sure getting to the summit of both mountains in one day would have been an achievement worthy of wenches and ales at the lodgings below, but for us it was as simple as presenting a ticket to the Peak 2 Peak ‘gondola technician.’ The Peak 2 Peak gondola carries passengers between the summits of Whistler and Blackcomb Mountain and is truly one of a kind. Suspended over 430m above the valley floor at its highest point and a distance of over 3000m classified as ‘unsupported span’ it was quite a ride, with the exception of camera happy tourists able to do everything except for sit down and just enjoy the ride.

Once at the lodge on Blackcomb we headed down one of the walking trails and were blown away by some of the epic views we had and also some of the close encounters with local wildlife. This experience alone was enough to warrant another visit to this awesome mountain township, but with so much ahead of us we will have to add it too the list.

Sunday afternoon was not without irony. We decided a light stroll after lunch was in order and after some seriously tasty gluten free gnocchi [quite a find we know] we found ourselves getting seriously lost trying to find ‘Lost Lake.’ After walking aimlessly through the Douglas Firs and Red Cedar trees we found what we were looking for. The Lake was reflecting the grey skies and surrounding trees and was something we have never seen before so we decided to kick back, enjoy the view and add a few photos to the ‘Leg’ album for all those in the know back in ol’ P-Town.

Our Transportation and Lost Lake

After taking it easy for more than a couple of days our adrenaline levels, well James’ at least, needed a bit of a boost so we booked ourselves in on Ziptrek’s Eagle Tour. The package included two and a half hours amongst 10, 000 year old rainforest, five zip lines [including Canada’s longest] across the valley and walking 40m above the undergrowth on walkways and suspension bridges from tree to tree. The whole experience was eye opening and it was a fantastic way to see the valley. What really made it worthwhile was the fact every aspect of the tour was carefully planned and executed to minimise the impact on the delicate ecosystem surrounding the platforms and trails. From the untreated red cedar platforms sourced from heli-logging plantations in Canada to offsetting the carbon used by the bus to transport the group to the first zip line, Ziptrek is truly a shining example of eco tourism and really makes you think about what you can accomplish as an individual, and perhaps as a business in the future.

With only one whole day left in Whistler Blackcomb we are about to spend the day cruising around town and packing our bags once again for the full day of travel we have tomorrow. Another two and a half hour bus trip awaits before we jump on a train and head south across the border to arrive in Seattle by 10pm local time. Our time in Whistler has delivered everything we expected it to, partly because we had no expectations and if you ever find your way to British Columbia you just have to make the effort and come out to mountain country.

‘Till next time,

Antoinette and James.