I’d not planned on writing a blog for this trip. For a start we’re not in Vin Rouge our Land Rover and secondly, we’re not in Australia. But I received a number of requests about writing one even before we left so here we go with the unintended blog.
Everything was going according to plan. We were packed ready on time (probably for the first time ever), the taxi picked us up with no delay, check in went smoothly, we had time for checking out the duty free shop at Brisbane International and even for a leisurely coffee before the flight was called. The flight to Los Angeles left on time and apart from the lack of legroom in QANTAS cattle class, we happily settled in to watching some movies and tried to doze for the next thirteen hours. Our noise cancelling headphones, although not completely effective, do reduce considerably the background noise from the four engines that propel the 747 along at a ground speed approaching 500 kph. We were happy to disembark at LAX and collect our luggage from the carousel ready for border protection checks and the onward domestic flight to Seattle. Another three hours of flying and almost 30 hours without sleep and we again waited at another carousel for our baggage. And it didn’t appear. Only then did we discover that QANTAS had not provided us with the baggage check numbers. Twenty four hours and a great many telephone calls later, we were once again reunited with the missing bags that had taken a side trip to San Francisco. Ah, the joys of international travel.
A good night’s sleep and our bodily time clocks were some way towards catching up, or should that be falling behind. Crossing the International Date Line means that one flies into the night, to greet the morning of the previous day. In fact, arriving four hours in advance of leaving time. I’m beginning to agree with the old Flanders and Swann opinion that ‘if God had meant us to fly, he would never have given us the railways!’
We wanted to make as much use of the time available to us in Seattle so after a quick check in at the hotel, it was hot foot to the Chihuly Glass and Garden museum. Kim was keen to see the extraordinary and colourful artistic structures of glass, some under cover, many outside in the gardens. We even saw a blob of molten glass moulded and blown into a delicate and elegant ribbed tumbler shape.
The displays was impressive to say the least. Most were head height, some were three or even four times that size. It was difficult to believe that they were actually made of coloured glass.
With just sufficient time before night fell, we made it to the top of the Space Needle, built for the 1962 World Fair. At that time it was the tallest structure around. Now it’s a bit dwarfed by tower blocks, but the view from the top is great.
Reasonably bright and early next morning found us at the Boeing factory where the larger jets are built. These start off costing from $280 million and go up to about $350 million. We couldn’t make up our minds which to go for so didn’t place an order.
The building is huge, the largest by volume in the world. Seeing a row of jumbo jets under construction looking like overgrown toys is rather mind blowing. The scale of everything is staggering.
Our day finished with a trip underground. In its early days Seattle was flooded regularly by high tides mixed with, let’s be polite and call it ‘waste’. Finally the city father decided to raise the whole place some 30 feet which has left some parts accessible. Early history of course is fascinating and brings to life tales of the ‘wild west’. Mostly our guide seemed to be concerned with toilets and brothels. Educating.
Knackered, we hit the sack.
Wednesday we mostly walked, taking in the sights, sounds and smells of the Pike Place Markets and harbour. Interesting. They do seem to have their own names for some vegetables.
Late afternoon and we should have boarded the train. However, a mud slip had closed the track and so the first part of the journey took place on a bus. It’s now late evening. Our cabin on the train has been converted for sleeping and so I’ll finish here. G’night all.
No comments:
Post a Comment