Categories: holidays
Date: 12 November 2008 08:57:29
I do not appear to have bored you all with the details of my December holiday. I must rectify that!
The main reason I am heading over is to visit my best friend, whom(*) I met in first year uni and who now lives over there. His girlfriend from that time is also now there so I will catch-up with her too [long story about them...; not sure what the story is now. None of my business either -- though if you are reading this feel free to tell me. :) ] He lives in San Jose. I'll also catch up with various friends of his that became friends of mine, and I also look forward to catching up with Duchess, whom I had the pleasure of meeting in San Francisco in 2003, and sadly missed her when she visited Oz due to an insane work schedule.
I also wanted to visit a friend in Toronto whom I met on a Contiki tour of Europe in 1998 -- my first trip overseas, at the grand age of 21. [I feel I need to see loads of stuff again, particularly Rome and St Peters: I think I was too young and immature in some respects. I was not one to get drunk or similar; simply that perhaps I didn't realise and take in all I was seeing.] We have kept somewhat in touch, and sadly I could not, as I had a large depressive episode which meant I could not work for several months several years back and thus had no money to visit Canada, attend his wedding so I look forward to meeting his lovely wife as well as catching up with him.
I then decided to see two national parks, the Grand Canyon and Yellowstone. Yellowstone has always been a wish-to-see due to Old Faithful, and the Grand Canyon...what more must be said. In the excitement of planning, I thought I may visit Savannah, Georgia too [I have always wanted to go and see a Southern town], but I think I was trying to squeeze too much in. God willing, another time. The aforementioned once-girlfriend of my friend may come along too...she shall check her schedule...and funds.
I will be staying in the National Parks at both places: slightly more expensive than staying in a town nearby, but at least I will be in them and not have to travel each day. I am taking buses and trains, and a snowcoach at Yellowstone, to get to the lodges. And I am looking forward to seeing both national parks in winter: it should be a great experience.
At the Grand Canyon I will be staying at the Bright Angel Lodge, in a room that is said to have at least some view of the canyon rim. I will be travelling by train to the Grand Cayon [I plumped for the Dome class -- it's a once-in-a-lifetime thing] and bus back. I've booked myself on the Hermits Rest and Desert View tours.
I'll be staying at the Old Faithful Snow Lodge at Yellowstone. As well as the 'Steam Stars & Winter Soundscapes' and the Day Trip tours, I also booked in for a massage: my first ever. Not sure how I will go...but why not? And as the lady I spoke to who took my booking said after me querying whether I would like it, "You'll never know unless you try....and if you hate it call me back and yell at me." :)
In San Jose I also am looking at a few things, among them Mission San José and the Rosicrucian Egyptian Museum & Planetarium -- and my friend [the woman; why can't English nouns indicate gender like German does, so I could say, for example, friend for male and friendess for female :) ] told me she wants to take me to the Mystery Spot -- looks interesting. I'd also like to see Muir Woods [salmon spawn in December and I wouldn't mind a walk] and the Legion of Honor - Fine Arts Museum of San Francisco. And I am sure I will stumble across many other fascinating places. I did see a fair bit of SF in 2003 [I even hired a bike and rode it across the Golden Gate and down to Sausalito and caught the ferry back], so I am looking forward to seeing the places I wanted to see but missed.
I know I am blessed to be able to do this. Getting a US/Canada Air Pass for most of my flights [I left it rather late so available seats were gone on my final 3 flights] helped reduce the cost, as does staying with friends. I am looking forward to it, as you may've guessed.
(*) I get confused with who and whom: please correct me where I am wrong.