It never rains in Southern California… but today a welcome shower promises a colorful desert bloom in the coming weeks. Undeterred, we picked up bicycles that will be our companions for the next few weeks. For the first two weeks, we also have an EV (the learning curve on charging is proving interesting!). The local bus service complements our transportation options, and of course, we can always walk.
Category: Travel
Palm Springs arrival
It was 65° warmer at Palm Springs PSP than when we left Minneapolis/St. Paul MSP this morning. This is cool for Palm Springs but it heats up next week. Here, we’re walking from the arrival gate to baggage claim.
Simplifying Travel
Here, I’m waiting for a TTP (Trusted Traveler Program) interview via Zoom to renew Global Entry. With a simple selfie using an app as the plane arrives, I can skip immigration lines and I don’t even show my passport. Last time at O’Hare, I walked past a two-hour line and easily made my connection.
Cheap Tix
Booked a round-trip to Japan using miles earned from a United Airlines credit card I opened earlier this year. The sign-up bonus and other perks covered the cost. I’ll be flying with ANA on the transpacific portions, which generally offers better service than United. My outbound flights will take me to Asahikawa, Hokkaido, a gateway to Daisetsuzan National Park. Traveling on the cheap adds to the adventure!
Paying the Price of Travel
Downsides of long-haul travel are jet-lag, possibly layered on a cold or worse. Today I failed a COVID test, which is some consolation.
The Day After
It was a day for embracing jet lag and planning future adventures. Later this month, we’re day-hiking sections of the Superior Hiking Trail (SHT) on the North Shore of Lake Superior. To mentally prepare, I organized timelines of previous SHT hikes at my Web site. And for next year, I started researching a potential multi-day…… Continue reading The Day After
Almost Home
Dwight’s carrying grocery bags of fresh produce we picked up at Trader Joe’s on the way from the LRT station. After over two weeks on the road, we are a little deficient in the fresh produce department.
Bridport Bus Station
Waited at Bridport Bus Station for a bus to Axminster where we would catch a train. Rain seemed set in for the day, a first on our trip and a good reason to be in transit. Until recently I thought Axminster was a brand or style of carpet, but now I know it’s also a…… Continue reading Bridport Bus Station
The Road to Oxford
At Kings Cross we paused for a selfie, then took the tube to Paddington to catch a train to Oxford to join friends for our hike to the source of the Thames. Somehow, instead of one tube train, we took four trains, or maybe it was five trains as we compounded our navigation errors.
View of MSP Gate G9 Jet Bridge
MSP, gate G9, soon to board for London LHR. Thunderstorms are brewing bringing back memories of a rather alarming aborted landing in Tokyo due to thunderstorm-related downdrafts. We accumulate our experiences.