Volcanos from the sky

Our inflight entertainment from Seattle to PDX was volcano after volcano after volcano. It is fair to say that 'the mountains were out' which is such a rare thing in the rainy Northwest.

Reiner

St Helens




Mt Hood

American High school


PDX and the Max Line

Beach days

We drove through the amazingly tall trees to the enormous Cannon beach that was covered in people. Okay most of the world would think that the beach was fairly sparsely populated, but it now feels rather full of people compared to the beaches I hang out on in New Zealand - granted that beaches are wintry cold at the moment there:)

Training while on vacation

I am under strict orders from my coach not to over do it while I am in the States because "I'm on vacation" after all... But rowing is my vacation from life, so I've found my own unique brand of adapting my rowing training into a vacation flavoured one.

So I present to you the vacation-erg thanks to my friend who lent me her dusty rowing machine.

And the Oregon flavor beach run
The oh-so-light out 5:40 am departure to boat house
And the Willamette River I have never actually seen from water level before. I had no idea that there were sandy beaches, house boats, and tons of rowers on this river before. Five seat never felt so good!

Chicago Friends

Chicago was all about meeting up with friends.. for deep dish pizza, conversation, and wedding vows. I can't get over how there are American flags EVERYWHERE and there are lots of contrasts between pretty things and rough things.

Shopping

I am not much into shopping when on vacation, but when you arrive without your luggage and the first order of business is a friend's semi-formal wedding, you gotta get busy.

I walked up and down Michigan Avenue hoping to find something wedding appropriate.

Chicago

There are some striking differences when you find yourself in a big city all of the sudden again.
Obviously the architecture is a bit different here than in Wellington.

But also the 'skyline' of condiments at your breakfast table is a bit different. In Wellington a bowl of sugar is standard.. perhaps salt and pepper too.
But nothing like this.
This place actually brought out a cup with an orange slice and a prune standard with every sitting. That was new to me.

Fever induced thoughts...

I think writing while sick is nearly as dangerous as writing while drunk, but I am finding the internet funny today..

.. that just screams hammer time to me!

I also was finding the current Air NZ ad campaign amusing.