Friday, 18 August 2017
Bit coin machine
This was the first time we have come across this, in downtown Seattle. Apparently we can sell bitcoins and collect cash or buy bitcoins at this hi tech ATM. There wasn't a queue, so Kay had a play with the buttons. Not sure if she bought anything, but I do know she did not have any bitcoin to sell.
Seattle - Day 3 and Ivanka Trump "no stock"
Slept in this morning, and made our way to our tour hotel. We met up with some familiar faces, which was lovely. Had our first tour dinner tonight. Found that there are many early mornings - well, luggage outside the door early at any rate. Eclipse morning is as 4am departure!!! Before the sun even gets up I guess.
Had time for a bit more shopping. At Nordstrom, I got a pair of my favourite jeans. I inquired about Ivanka Trump's range, but was told that they no longer stocked them. They used to until her father became president.
Sorry no pics today. Tomorrow is Seattle, then past Mt St Helens on the way to Portland.
Had time for a bit more shopping. At Nordstrom, I got a pair of my favourite jeans. I inquired about Ivanka Trump's range, but was told that they no longer stocked them. They used to until her father became president.
Sorry no pics today. Tomorrow is Seattle, then past Mt St Helens on the way to Portland.
Thursday, 17 August 2017
Boeing factory - and a reminder about the military-industrial complex
Today was our tour of the Boeing factory. NOTHING could be taken with us - no cameras, mobiles, handbags, let alone backpacks - just ourselves in our clothes. (The last time that I remember this level of restriction was visiting the Mao Mausoleum in Beijing). The whole complex was huge - deceptively so. They had separate " bays" for 747/767 and then 787 (Dreamliner)/777. We were taken to observation decks 3 or 4 storeys above the work-sites. We saw nose cones, bodies being joined together, wings being assembled and joined up to the body, horizontal and vertical stabilisers etc etc.
Once the wings have been joined to the body, then that section is too heavy for the cranes to lift. It is only when the wheels have been attached that you get the WOW factor - weight on wheels.
Only the 787 appears white as it is being made - because it is largely carbon fibre. Other planes have that green stuff, to protect against corrosion before paint. And apparently painting adds to the weight of the aircraft, especially if there are too many layers of multiple colours.
We saw a Qantas and Air France 787 in production. A Scoot aircraft (787?) was outside, paint having been completed, at the stage of being tested and awaiting delivery. A KLM plane was being tested. There were a couple of Emirates, Air India, Chinese airlines, El Al around the place.
No surprises really - just like all the pics you see of aircraft assembly, but it was good to see it and to take in the massive scale of it all.
The only jarring note was in the introductory video with a glowing rendition of Boeing's vision, excellence etc etc etc. Well ok - pride in achievement is a good thing - but then one of the claims was that it was there "to protect us"! Later we saw some 767s destined to be aircraft re-fuellers for the Air Force. So I began to look for just who their customers are. According to Investopedia, 27% of Boeing revenue comes from purchases by and through the US Government. Just a reminder that you were seeing part of the military industrial complex. AerCap, an aviation leasing and finance company was a big customer as was FedEx.
Some pics below. None from inside the factory, but taken from the Institute of Flight which the administration centre for tourists.
All that stands between you and eternity when you are in the air!
Somewhere out there is Scoot, Air India, Emirates.. all ready for their new owners.
And the KLM purchase (or lease?) having just gone for a fly.
And guess who else is here too.....
And just added to our list of must do's - Toulouse to see the Airbus factory!
Once the wings have been joined to the body, then that section is too heavy for the cranes to lift. It is only when the wheels have been attached that you get the WOW factor - weight on wheels.
Only the 787 appears white as it is being made - because it is largely carbon fibre. Other planes have that green stuff, to protect against corrosion before paint. And apparently painting adds to the weight of the aircraft, especially if there are too many layers of multiple colours.
We saw a Qantas and Air France 787 in production. A Scoot aircraft (787?) was outside, paint having been completed, at the stage of being tested and awaiting delivery. A KLM plane was being tested. There were a couple of Emirates, Air India, Chinese airlines, El Al around the place.
No surprises really - just like all the pics you see of aircraft assembly, but it was good to see it and to take in the massive scale of it all.
The only jarring note was in the introductory video with a glowing rendition of Boeing's vision, excellence etc etc etc. Well ok - pride in achievement is a good thing - but then one of the claims was that it was there "to protect us"! Later we saw some 767s destined to be aircraft re-fuellers for the Air Force. So I began to look for just who their customers are. According to Investopedia, 27% of Boeing revenue comes from purchases by and through the US Government. Just a reminder that you were seeing part of the military industrial complex. AerCap, an aviation leasing and finance company was a big customer as was FedEx.
Some pics below. None from inside the factory, but taken from the Institute of Flight which the administration centre for tourists.
Potstickers
Day 2 in Seattle. The day began with jet-lag haze, but we still got a lot done. We saw the Pike Place Markets and the fish tossing that Kin Mun knew about from Dace. It was a performance as well as selling!
We went to the Space Needle, found a huge Columbia shop with prices much better than Sydney, walked down to Pioneer Square and in the middle of all that, went back to our hotel room for a snooze. And another one dollar ride on the light rail.
We inadvertently found ourselves in the less salubrious area of town - a surprise after all the genteel comfort we had seen. I WAS right about capitalism after all!
Trump doesn't exist until you read the papers. Haven't put on the TV to watch our favourite MSNBC yet. No doubt we will get the chance.
This was my lunch - pic below. The menu said "potstickers", the waitress described them as dumplings, but they were close to gyoza. I guess when you are the largest economy in the world, you get naming rights. (The coins are us taking the chance to get rid of our loose change).
Free pic at Space Needle. Mr Rainier in the background (photoshopped). It is active and overdue we were told.
We went to the Space Needle, found a huge Columbia shop with prices much better than Sydney, walked down to Pioneer Square and in the middle of all that, went back to our hotel room for a snooze. And another one dollar ride on the light rail.
We inadvertently found ourselves in the less salubrious area of town - a surprise after all the genteel comfort we had seen. I WAS right about capitalism after all!
Trump doesn't exist until you read the papers. Haven't put on the TV to watch our favourite MSNBC yet. No doubt we will get the chance.
This was my lunch - pic below. The menu said "potstickers", the waitress described them as dumplings, but they were close to gyoza. I guess when you are the largest economy in the world, you get naming rights. (The coins are us taking the chance to get rid of our loose change).
Free pic at Space Needle. Mr Rainier in the background (photoshopped). It is active and overdue we were told.
Wednesday, 16 August 2017
Seattle
We are finally in Seattle.
An uneventful flight from Sydney to San Francisco. However the joys of transferring from international to domestic flights in the US awaited us. Queues for immigration, customs, to collect and put our luggage into "Transfer", security for domestic trip.... .
We did get to Seattle, minus our luggage. However the Alaska Airways staff seemed to be quite used to this, and in fact by the next morning, our second suitcase had arrived at our hotel. The only plus was that it made using the light rail from the airport to the city a breeze.
And we got a $1 light rail ticket because we were over 65.
After our substantial dinner, we slept at 8pm - very tired. And it was still only Monday!!
What we have seen of Seattle has been positive. It reminds me of Melbourne - wide street, trees, busy but not noisy or frenetic. We have begun to reacquaint ourselves with the enthusiastic US service culture - from the stewardesses on the flight, the wait staff and the hotel staff.
The only pic is of our vegetarian lunch from SFO to Seattle. I wondered if the food processor had broken down when they made the spinach dip! But we ate it all.
An uneventful flight from Sydney to San Francisco. However the joys of transferring from international to domestic flights in the US awaited us. Queues for immigration, customs, to collect and put our luggage into "Transfer", security for domestic trip.... .
We did get to Seattle, minus our luggage. However the Alaska Airways staff seemed to be quite used to this, and in fact by the next morning, our second suitcase had arrived at our hotel. The only plus was that it made using the light rail from the airport to the city a breeze.
And we got a $1 light rail ticket because we were over 65.
After our substantial dinner, we slept at 8pm - very tired. And it was still only Monday!!
What we have seen of Seattle has been positive. It reminds me of Melbourne - wide street, trees, busy but not noisy or frenetic. We have begun to reacquaint ourselves with the enthusiastic US service culture - from the stewardesses on the flight, the wait staff and the hotel staff.
The only pic is of our vegetarian lunch from SFO to Seattle. I wondered if the food processor had broken down when they made the spinach dip! But we ate it all.
Saturday, 5 August 2017
Itinerary Eclipse August 2017
Monday 14th August.
QF 73. Dep Sydney 1300.
Arr SFO. 09:30 13hrs 30mins.
Alaska Airways AS 307 Dep SFO 12:43
Arr Seattle 14:45. 2hrs 2 mins.
(Hows that for confidence in flight times!)
Tuesday 15 August.
Seattle. Recovery!
Wednesday 16th August
Morning - Institute of Flight tours
Thursday 17th August
Seattle. Tour begins with dinner.
Friday 18th August
Seattle- Olympia-Portland.
After breakfast, enjoy a sightseeing tour of Seattle, “the Emerald City,” including the restored waterfront, historic Pioneer Square, and famed Pike Place Market, a fisherman’s marketplace filled with restaurants and shops. We then head south through Olympia, Washington’s state capital, to Mount St. Helens, where resident experts explain the region’s natural history as well as the volcano’s dramatic 1980 eruption. At day’s end we arrive in Portland, beginning our two-night stay in one of the country’s most vibrant business and cultural centers.
Overnight: Doubletree Lloyd Center or similar (2 nights)
Saturday 19th August
Colombia River Gorge
Mount Hood dominates the horizon as we leave Portland and cross the surrounding valley to enter the foothills of the Cascade Range. The highlight of your sightseeing among the peaks is the magnificent Columbia River Gorge, which we explore by road and on foot. You also tour the Bonneville Dam, spanning the river between Oregon and Washington, which has been generating hydroelectric power since1938. In the evening, join us for a dining and sightseeing cruise from Portland, gliding along the Willamette River and across Lake Oswego as a live band sets the mood on board.
Sunday 20th August
Mount Hood - Bend.
Today’s leg of the journey through the Mount Hood National Forest includes a stop at remarkable Timberline Lodge. Built in the late 1930s, this National Historic Landmark offers stunning views from an elevation of nearly 6,000 ft (1,830 m). We then continue on to Bend, where you gather after dinner with your fellow travelers for a briefing to review tomorrow’s eclipse program.
Overnight: Hilton Doubletree or Hilton Garden Inn, or similar (2 nights)
Monday 21st August
Total Solar Eclipse
Tuesday 22nd August
Crater Lake - Coos Bay.
After breakfast we carry on through breathtaking mountain landscapes to Crater Lake National Park, one of the nation’s oldest wilderness preserves. The lake for which it was named fills the caldera of an extinct volcano and is renowned for its extraordinarily crystal-clear blue waters. After exploring a little on foot, we continue on toward the coast, arriving by sunset at the charming seaside town of Coos Bay.
Overnight: The Mill Casino Hotel or similar
Wednesday 23rd August
Bandon Natural Area - Redwood National Park - Eureka.
Your day begins with a drive to Bandon State Natural Area, whose scenic Beach Loop Road includes sights such as Bandon Rocks and Face Rock – where, according to a local American Indian tradition, you can sometimes hear the voice of a young woman carried by the ocean winds. We also visit picturesque Gold Beach, known for its bald eagles, cormorants, and blue herons, as well as its seal colonies. Then, continuing south, we enter California’s famed Redwood National Park, home to some of the world’s tallest trees. Standing among the giant trunks, gazing up at treetops nearly 300 ft (90 m) above, it’s easy to believe that you’ve been transported to a storybook forest. Our day’s journey ends in Eureka, where a delightful tour of this historic timber and fishing village, pointing out gems of Victorian architecture in the Old Town.
Overnight: Red Lion Hotel Eureka or similar
Thursday 24th August
Redwoods - San Francisco.
Journeying on among the majestic redwoods, we pass through “the Avenue of the Giants,” a stretch of highway overlooked by towering trees, and then continue winding our way down the coast to San Francisco, entering the legendary “City by the Bay” as all travelers should – via the Golden Gate Bridge.
Overnight: San Francisco Marriott Marquis or similar (2 nights)
Friday 25th August
San Francisco tour.
After breakfast, discover San Francisco on a fascinating sightseeing tour that showcases some of its most famous landmarks, including Twin Peaks, Fisherman’s Wharf, the Coit Tower, and Chinatown. The rest of the day, you’re free to explore this incredible city at your leisure – perhaps taking a break from walking with a ride on one of its legendary cable cars. Then in the evening, gather for a farewell dinner to celebrate the end of your Pacific Northwest eclipse journey.
Saturday 26th August
Final breakfast with tour.
San Francisco
Sunday 27th August
San Francisco
Monday 28th August.
San Francisco. Depart 23:25.
QF74
Tuesday 29th August
Lost day!
Wednesday 30th August
Arr SYD 07:00. 14hrs 35mins.
TIME ZONES
Sydney, Brisbane AEST UTC + 10
Singapore SGT UTC + 8
Seattle, San Fran PDT UTC - 7.
17 hours behind Sydney. Or 7 hours ahead but a day behind!
| TRAVELQUEST INTERNATIONAL • 332A N Rush Street, Prescott, Arizona 86301 USA Tel: +928.445.7754 / fax: +928.445.8771 • Toll free 800 830 1998 www.TravelQuestTours.com | |||||||||||||||
Sunday, 5 March 2017
Life in Iran
It is always difficult to get a handle on what it is like for ordinary people, especially on a tour. But we saw some things.
Learner driver in Tehran. The learner was a young lady learner - obviously we were not in Saudi Arabia!
Mobile phones and driving are quite compatible. The congestion allows sms to be sent I suppose.
School Children
And an ingenious way to not mix up backpacks!
At a shop, one young man struck up a conversation with me and another woman on our tour. He said that he was glad to see tourists in Iran because it would open up the minds of Iranians. I commented that it was not only Iranians who needed their minds opened - but that's another story. Then he went into a bitter diatribe against the government - corrupt, doesn't care about the people, education, health etc etc. Wow. Just as well we were not recording it!
Learner driver in Tehran. The learner was a young lady learner - obviously we were not in Saudi Arabia!
Mobile phones and driving are quite compatible. The congestion allows sms to be sent I suppose.
At a shop, one young man struck up a conversation with me and another woman on our tour. He said that he was glad to see tourists in Iran because it would open up the minds of Iranians. I commented that it was not only Iranians who needed their minds opened - but that's another story. Then he went into a bitter diatribe against the government - corrupt, doesn't care about the people, education, health etc etc. Wow. Just as well we were not recording it!
Lost in Translation - and loos.
Lost in Translation - food
This from the cafe at Persepolis. We bypassed these offerings and opted for coffee, without soil or distillates, here on earth.
This from some buffets.....
A health warning!
And if you can't have it all...
No idea about ardur - hors d'oeuvres? Despite the spelling, I always recognise dessert!
But the best of all was at breakfast one day, where "Espionage Crepe" was available. A brave person took one and found it was spinach.. It was remembered for the whole trip!
This from some buffets.....
A health warning!
But the best of all was at breakfast one day, where "Espionage Crepe" was available. A brave person took one and found it was spinach.. It was remembered for the whole trip!
Thursday, 2 March 2017
Safely home
We had a good flight this morning from Singapore, helped enormously by the vacant seat between us and the fact that it was a day flight.
Now unpacking. And I have lectures tomorrow - a third year Politics subject - Politics & Religion! How timely.
Now unpacking. And I have lectures tomorrow - a third year Politics subject - Politics & Religion! How timely.
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