Hiking in the last weekend in 2008

South Mountain Park
We attempted a family hike/ walk at South Mountain.  It almost didn't happen because we couldn't find the correct entrance where JJ and Huichi were waiting.  However, using our iphone location sensor and Google maps we were able to find the way.  Once we got there we started walking.  Huichi and I set a bit of a faster pace.  After a time we called the others and discovered they had turned off the trail.  We walked back but missed the turn off so we walked all the way back to the parking lot.  Once there we headed up the trail that we figured the others would be coming down.  We found them.  However, the littlest nephew had fallen down twice and had decided that his walk had come to an end.  PJ ended up carrying him the rest of the way  because he wouldn't ride JJ's shoulders.  The older nephew did fine. 



Peralta Trail
Huichi wanted to hike out to see Weaver's Needle.  She figured we could hike out and back before she and JJ were to leave on Sunday.  We had a good time hiking out.  The rocks rise in a striking steep manner around the trail.  The trail steadly goes up until you reach Fremont Saddle.  There was snow on the trail which is pretty funny.  Worse there was ice on the trail and both Huichi and I slipped more than once.  At the top the views were great.  We headed down carefully.  As we reached the bottom of the trail I got a call from Dad.  We were running late.  My brother was less than impressed when we arrived home ten minutes after he and Huichi were supposed to be heading back to Las Vegas.  Photos here

More photos in Facebook

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Getting Home for Christmas

Flight to Bangkok
Well I finally got on the plane to Bangkok and it took off around 2 hours late.  That was the upside.  The downside were two children who cried most of the time.  Also none of the toilets on my side of the plane worked.  It's no wonder I am feeling a bit stopped up now.

Bangkok
By the time I got here my connecting flight was long gone.  However, I have to say there were pretty organized.  They had a little sign with my name on it.  I was offered new flights and a room.  The room was in the Novetel and it was a beautiful hotel.  The bed was really soft.  I got to my room around 2am.  The bad news - more screaming children in the hotel.  I had to get up at 5:30.  Then I got a free breakfast and I had an awesome waffle that they made right in front of me.  When I got to the airport I checked in and they said I would have to get my boarding pass for Tokyo to LAX in Tokyo.  Well I had about an hour layover.  I said that I wanted my boarding pass before and that I was worried about a middle seat.  They said they couldn't do anything.  Finally, they said they would telex Tokyo about my seat and a veggie meal.  I asked for a copy of the telex.  In the mean time I went to an Internet centre to get my boarding pass for my flight from LAX to PHX (Southwest).  I was able to check in but couldn't print it.  I wasn't really sure what would happen from that.  The really good news is that I got a whole row (3 seats) on this flight.  The flight was only half full.

Tokyo
Again they met me at the gate with a sign with my name on it.  They escorted me to my departing gate and guess what?  They gave me a middle seat.  I complained.  They said that was all they could do.  I said that wasn't good enough.  I suggested maybe they should upgrade me.  They said sorry and asked if it was alright.  I said "No' that I had bought the ticket nine months ago and paid quite a bit of money.  That I had addressed this issue at Bangkiok and showed them the telex.  In the end I kept my cool and walked away.  Later they came over to me and gave me an aisle seat in premium economy.   Funny it appeared that a fight almost broke out.  I didn't understand what was going on because it was in Japanese.  The flight attendant looked like she was about to have a heart attack.  It was a pretty nice flight but I couldn't eat the dinner (no veggie meal).  I took one of Wendy's sleeping pills and got some more sleep.

LAX
I got through immigration so fast I couldn't believe it.  That was likely because I was going to wait anyway as my bags didn't arrive and I had to fill out alot of paperwork.  The folks were pretty nice.  They seemed to even have my name already so I feel that those bags should turn up pretty quickly.  I made my way over to Terminal 1, printed out my boarding pass (B11 - not good for me I like to be A1), went through security and called Dad.  That is when I got another piece of bad news.  My flight had a two hour delay.  I am currently trying to get on an earilier flight standby but i am not feeling optimistic as they are all oversold and they are offering people money to take later flights.

The very good news is that it seems pretty likely I will make it home sometime tonight (Dec 24)

Merry Christmas !!

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Last Days in Oz

Sunday Dec 21st
I took the bus from Geraldton to Perth.  In order to take a later bus I went on the inland route bus which takes longer - seven hours to be specific.  I will never understand why on a half full bus they insist on putting people next to each other and leaving entire rows empty.  I was lucky enough to sit next to a guy who smoke a cigarette right before getting on the bus.  He was also on the large side making the situation uncomfortable.  After about a half hour I moved to a row with no one in it and stayed there the rest of the trip.  The bus did get in 15 minutes early which was GREAT!

Monday Dec 22nd
Got up at 6am for a 7am pickup to go to Rottnest.  I almost didn't get to go because I hadn't taken my credit card but they ended up letting me go anyway.  Rottnest is so lovely.  I rode a rental bike around the island.  I stopped and snorkeled at Parker Point.   There I ran into two difficulties - bad rental mask and my camera stopped working.  I think I am camera cursed.  I still had a great day riding around the island but was sad not to get more than a few photos.  In a Yellowstone like fashion I saw a few other riders pulled over and I went over to check it out.  There were several quokkas (small marsupials) including a mother with her young.  She was kind of hugging him.  I finished my ride around the island stopping at Little Parakeet Bay.  I realy think Parker Point and Little Salmon and Big Salmon are the most lovely spots on the island.  I took the boat and bus back and returned at 7pm.  (The transit time on this trip was longer because I left from the Perth Jetty - I recommend the Fremantle one but I didn't want to haul all my stuff down there).  Oh I forgot to say I took Kwells (sea sick medication) and it was well worth it because others did get sick on the way over and the way back.

Tuesday Dec 23
I got up and reorganised my gear.  I am taking much more carryon in case my luggage doesn't make it to LAX when I do.  I am still missing my favorite REI shirt.  I think it is gone for good.  However, it is always good to have an excuse to go to REI.  If I am lucky there will be a sale on or something soon.  I also walked to the post office to mail a couple of postcards and did a walk down the Swan River.  I saw heaps of birds - herons, egrets, pelicans, ibis, and some that I didn't know what they were.  Not much more time here in Perth and then I will begin my epic 23 hour + layover plane journey back to family and friends.

At the Airport
I took the 2pm shuttle to the airport thus arriving very early.  There were still a few people waiting in line in front of me.  We noticed that the counter personnel seemed to be experiencing issues.  The line behind us grew longer and longer all the way down the terminal to the arrivals area.  We waited and waited.  After about an hour and a half they seemed to get the system kind of working (but slowly).  So I got checked in around 2.5 hours after I arrived.  I was probably the 10th person in economy to get checked in.  There is no word when we will board.  Although the departure sign said Go to Gate and then Boarding.  Now they are saying that Boarding will be manual and slow.  What a surprise. 


Photos at http://picasaweb.google.com/kris.olson.au/LastDaysInOz#

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