...recounts the retirement travels of Mark and Vicki Sherouse since 2008...in Asia and the Pacific, New Zealand, Europe, South America, and Africa, as well as the US and Canada. Our website, with much practical information, is: https://sites.google.com/site/theroadgoeseveron/.Contact us at mark.sherouse@gmail.com or vsherouse@gmail.com.
Thursday, January 18, 2018
A Camper-Van Named Rooby...
This is our second camper rental in NZ, our third overall, and the first that comes with it's own name...Rooby. (Its Kiwi predecessor was the Millennium Bongo). I'm not sure whether Rooby is a Rooby Sue or a Rooby Tuesday. I think most likely a Rooby Sue ("Ain't that somethin'? She falls down a well, her eyes go cross. She gets kicked by a mule. They go back to normal. I don't know.") Anyhow, the best interior and other shots of Roobie are from the vendor's website: https://www.cruzycampers.co.nz/diesel-campervan. It's a bit cramped, even by our standards, but it's OK. We're still looking for the bathroom.
Saturday, January 13, 2018
Return To New Zealand, 2018
After nearly a month's very enjoyable stay in Menlo Park, Fiji Air flew us first to Nadi and then to Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand, where we will spend the next 3 months, more or less. It is our third long stay in New Zealand, a place we have always loved. We have rented a well-traveled van camper--a 2002 diesel Toyota Hiace (banzai!) named Rooby--from Cruzy Campers in Christchurch and have spent nearly a day moving in, sorting out, etc., at the Top 10 Holiday Park. Rooby is of course RHD, but, since it's only been 4 months since I was last keeping left and upside down, it's OK. I'll post more pix and more detail as we get underway.
To New Zealand Via Fiji
Our flight January 11-12 took us from San Francisco to Nadi, Fiji, and then to Christchurch.
We had an enjoyable 4 hour lay-over in Nadi |
At what is the nicest Priority Club lounge ever, so far |
Staff completely up to the very high standard of service we have experienced elsewhere in Fiji; friendly, first name-basis... |
Boarding for Christchurch |
Bula, Fiji |
Passing over the south coast of the North Island, Cook Strait |
Over the South Island now, Canterbury, on approach |
Very Long White Cloud (Aotearoa, the Maori name for New Zealand, means "Land of the Long White Cloud") |
Canterbury, with its gorgeous farm- and ranch-lands, and vineyards, and mile upon mile of giant wind-breaks |
We'll be flying Air New Zealand direct from Auckland to San Francisco next April |
After orientation and moving in, checking out prices of the good stuff... |
Did I mention I watched Dunkirk twice on the first leg of the flight? |
Xmas, 2017
Another fun old-fashioned family Christmas (Rachel was with the Sehestedts in Missoula this year)...
Making cookies with Grandma and Mama |
Twas the night before... |
Xmas morning...the subsequent several pix were a blur of excitement |
Major grand-parental gift |
With a back-story, of course |
Molly |
Rebecca's big gift from Vicki, a photo album of her early years |
Assisting Daddy |
And me |
P has a robust sense of humor...here reading from a joke book that came for Xmas |
Rebecca |
Jeremy |
P's gift to Mama, a custom-decorated pillow case (with a little guidance from Grandma) |
And ditto for Daddy |
Vicki with The Road Goes Ever On, Volume IV (extremely rare first edition) |
Holiday Miscellany, 2017
A miscellany of pix from our stays with daughter Rachel and husband Will in November/December in DC and with Rebecca and husband Jeremy and grand-daughter Penelope in December/January in Middle California. Alas, it appears quite a few pix are temporarily missing--Rachel and Will, their menagerie, the herb farm, Sandee and Rhett, P with Samantha at the Christmas at the Savoy performance...but I'll find them eventually and post them here.
Fortunately, the really important stuff is still intact...pix Rachel sent from Lebowski's in Glasgow... |
Menu...someone really know his/her TBL |
"Hey, careful man, there's a beverage here!" |
Now in our North American camper, Le Sport, in Rebecca's driveway, our home for 3+ weeks; Vicki churning |
Me, apparently practicing my selfie technique |
Approaching Xmas, it's chilly, but the roses are still blooming in Menlo Park; one of Maggie's (she's in England) |
One day P and I went to NASA's Ames Research Center in Mountain View; here's P examining a moon rock |
Earth depiction |
Real Mercury capsule |
P ready to do an EVA |
The Ames visitor center; small, but much of interest |
At Stanford Mall |
Baby-sitting with Junie (thanks Beth and Kelley) |
P taking the Girl Scout oath at her new troop's investiture; Rebecca is co-leader |
New troop |
Wednesday, December 6, 2017
Going To The Zoo, Zoo, Zoo...The Smithsonian National Zoo
Megabus sped us to DC to stay with daughter Rachel and her husband Will, with whom we had a great if unconventional Thanksgiving dinner. A few days later Will and Rachel made it a long weekend in Scotland, and Vicki jetted to Chicago to visit Tawana and Wes and their new grand-daughter Elinor. I was left in solitude to care for the dog, Daphne, and the cats, Peter and Bianca. Not for the first time. After Vicki's return, we visited the National Zoo, another Washington site we had somehow missed on previous visits. Getting there and back is a snap via the Red line. And despite the cooler weather, the Zoo was fun, especially after our recent African experience.
Mei Xiang dining on bamboo, the only thing pandas eat |
In the panda research center |
Now go do that kudu that you do so well... |
Look alive! |
After Kruger and Etosha, we've come to appreciate electrified fences |
Because... |
Day's worth of elephant turds |
Above, the orangutang high-wire crossing |
Thus |
In the big cat area |
Checking to see what the tiger is having for lunch |
Checking us out for lunch |
Sadly, there were no leopards, so we are still deficient in the (African) Big Five department |
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