Tag Archives: USA

Heading West and By the Numbers

A four hour train ride took us from Pamplona to Madrid.  We got lost in the mesmerizing landscape grinning every time a small village with white stone buildings entered the scene.  Lush were the hillsides and fields of agriculture.

We walked by the Atocha Station a couple of times while in Madrid but discovered a lush garden inside after departing the train.It was an easy listless day – train and then a taxi to the hotel near the airport for our flight back to the USA the following morning.

It was an eight and a half hour flight to Newark where we were to have a quick layover and be one our way to Charlotte.  Upon landing lightening crashed in around us and the plane stood still on the tarmac as the airport closed.  An omen.  A half hour later the plane was cleared to head to the gate.

Unbeknownst to us the airline industry and particularly United was in melt down mode.  It was utter chaos. Cancelled flights and stranded people.  Our connecting flight to Charlotte a victim.

It was 5:00 pm.  A United agent told us it would be days before any  seats would be available. “Check online.” The internet confirmed the worst.

We had places to be!  The following day was our grandson’s first birthday and our son had taken time off of work – we didn’t have days…. who has days???

Quick change of plans – we rented a car and headed to Charlotte driving until dark.  It was 1:30 am Madrid time by the time we stopped for the night somewhere in Maryland.

We arrived at our destination 21 hours late but in time to celebrate.

We visited family, broke bread, raced cars and played with our grand babies. 

United continued its melt down and we feared we’d not make it home to Nevada as scheduled.  It all worked out – both flights harmoniously were delayed and we made it home.Now we shift through months of mail, dust off the house and get ready for summer.  We head out again in 8 days.

Our trip by the numbers:

13 flights, 1 cruise ship, a few boat rides, multiple trains, lots of car rides,  one tram – 34 beds and 18 Countries: South Africa, Eswatini, Lesotho, Mozambique, Madagascar, Comoros, French Comoros, Seychelles, Omán, EAU, Armenia, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Spain.

I wore everything that I packed, left one shirt (on purpose) and threw out 2 that I ruined.  I way overpacked even though we just had carry on.  Another lesson learned (again).  Way less is even more!

Thanks for following along!

 

T minus 48 hours – Nairobi here we come.

Some of you know that flying is a white knuckle event for me. Much improved over the years I still feel some strange force like fog on a misty morning in the days building up to departure.

*stock photo- not mine

Yes, 130 countries and I’m afraid of flying. Actually – crashing.

Anxiety be damned. Power through it – have a martini or worse case pop a Xanax.

This time I am so excited to leave that I’ve even been talking about it. We have to – there are sooo many balls being juggled precariously in the air. Flights being cancelled – countries closing – Delta Variant – civil wars and protests…..

For now we’re:

Packed ✅ There is a strict 33 pound weight limit because of small planes. If I carry my 6 pound camera around my neck this is doable. Normally, a mixture of black, gray and splash of color are my go to items. Simple and quite effectively doesn’t show red wine drool.

This time. Beiges, light pinks, khaki green and creamy whites are what’s called for. The tsetse fly is a thing in Africa! I remember growing up hearing my mother say she thought she was bitten by a tsetse fly whenever she felt tired.

A couple of Google searches later and we’ve learned that this fly is attracted to dark colors. Apparently blue is its favorite color and black is its second. They bite – hard – through clothing and can carry a sickness. Sleeping sickness – as well as a bunch of ugly side effects including death when not treated. You didn’t have to convince me.

Covid test ✅ (waiting for our results – no time for delays). Like traveling to Hawaii – Kenya requires a negative Covid test within 96 hours of landing.

Countries for which we have non-refundable flights have recently restricted travel for tourism. No entry. Vaccinated or not. Covid test or not.

Covid, malaria, sleeping sickness and imaginary plane crashes… what’s a girl to do?

This will certainly be an adventure. Last time we left the country – altitude sickness, protests and a government overthrow kept us on our toes. This time we’ll get to experience new countries in the life and times of Covid and once again we’re going to be flexible like silly putty.

We’re on our way…

The beginning of October found us driving across the USA from “Mona” (tiny house number one) in Northern Nevada house to our “Fort” (formally a tiny house until we bought the unit next door this summer – still a tiny one bedroom but a mansion to us) in Charleston, SC.The drive was uneventful and flat and luckily there were only a few minutes of rain.Our building in Charleston is a construction zone. Down with the old balconies and up with the new. The stucco is being fixed as well. To say the least it’s noisy and a great time to bail…So I write this from the Charleston airport. Late this evening we’ll rest our heads in Quitó, Ecuador. The second highest capital in the world standing at 9,350′ above sea level.

It was questionable if we were going to make it there. Sunday saw the end of 12 days of civil unrest. The indigenous Ecuadorians traveled from the Andes and the Amazon to Quito to protest rising fuel prices – 30% on petrol and 50% in diesel, 20% decrease in wages, reduced vacation time by 50% and more.

Here are two stories that explain. First and second.

We’ll see you in Ecuador…..

* This blog and future ones from South America will be published from a cell phone app which is why they won’t look polished. All photos will be taken from my iPhone. I have my good camera but decided to leave my laptop home so that I don’t spend hours editing photos while we’re traveling. My husband is happy about that!!!

Shots from Charleston:

Minden, Germany via Minden, Nevada, USA

Neddenriep HouseAll I knew for sure when we left Minden, Nevada is that we would be staying in London for 9 days.  The rest was a surprise – Bill likes crafting these to keep me on my toes.

We rented a car in Hannover after having traveled for a month by air, bus, train, cab and ferry and headed north.  In search of his Neddenriep ancestral home.

Equipped with a street address and GPS we encountered a problem right at the get go. No such street.  Town yes – street no.  Hoping that someone in the town could advise us we looked for a cafe.  Thank goodness for small towns and an intelligent google savvy young women who not only informed us that the street was spelled incorrectly the town was incorrect as well.

No problem though. After asking “Where is your Googler?”  on my phone, she punched the info into our GPS and we were on our way.  A 10 minute drive.

Reipe 9 in Bad Fallingbostel.  Reipe had every number but #9 – back and forth we drove – just about to give up when Bill spotted a farmer.  No way in heck he would speak English – we gave it a whirl.  English – yes.  Oh you want the Neddenriep Haus – turn around hang a right and then take a left into the trees on a narrow road.  Ok – that’s strange but ok.

Sure enough 9 Reipe – Neddenripe Haus.

Bill’s ancestors immigrated to America in 1869 and to this day the house/farm and street still bear the Neddenriep name and are still occupied by Neddenrieps.

We snuck around the property like house robbers snapping photos – proof that we had been there.  Mission accomplished.

On thru Bielifeld, the Heitman hometown and Minden the namesake to our home town in Minden, Nevada.  Another link to the past…

To go full circle – Bill made an illegal turn leaving Minden and soon there were flashing blue lights warning us to pull over.  Promptly Bill was scolded about obeying road signs and please give me your car papers and your driver’s license. Bill pointed to our home town on the license and told the officer that we were here to discover the original Minden.  With a smile the officer informed us that she had traveled to Minden, Nevada this summer to visit a friend who was an au pair.

With that and another stern warning we were free to drive back to Hannover.

 

 

Photo of the Day 324

Back in the USA after 7 weeks and 14 countries! Thanks Europe we had a blast. 

Charleston, SC

November 19, 2016

#usa #landofthefreeandhomeofthebrav#europe #thankseurope #travel #doyoutravel #explore #citizenoftheworld #photofrommyday2016 #photooftheday #blackandwhitephotography #iphoneography #chs #airport 

Photo of the Day 316

From Minden, Nevada, USA to Minden, Germany.

November 11, 2016

Thank you to all our Veterans for your service.

#minden #nevada #usa #germany #ancestors #immigrants #cloudyday #landscape #explore #welltraveled #fromwhereistand #tlpicks #doyoutravel #cntraveler #guardiantravelsnaps #lonelyplanet #photofrommyday2016 #photooftheday #sonya7rii