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Thursday, April 20, am on my way. Awake
since 11.30 pm unable to sleep, had heaps to keep me busy anyway.
Re-packed.. would have loved my suitcase.. R says no room.
Tried to watch movie and couldn’t concentrate", "An American Quilt".
Three cups of tea and three smokes.
Spoke to R before he left for his midterm exam and then when he came
home afterwards. "What are you wearing" I asked, he is always asking me.
"Boxers and white sox, I am taking them off".
"DONT YOU DARE" said modest little me, he continued saying am putting on
blue jeans and white T shirt. So got that wrong I guess.
Spoke about what I would be wearing when we finally make eye
contact.....autumn colours of ochre and green, new lacey top underneath
with (matching knickers. .kept that to myself, he would find out much
later).
So he is packing camping gear into his car and soon off to San Diego. me
to Adelaide domestic. Its freezing cold, both inside and out of the
airport, taxi so early picking me up that the place had to open up for
me. Bought a soft toy, a Koala holing the Aussie flag, a bookmark with
Aussie slang words for him to practice and a goodbye card: The Simpson
desert, that will be a hard one to write.
6.30am and have been delayed on the ground for 1/2 hour, have been
sleeping (2pm Ca). Slept through take off then woke in time to say
goodbye to the moon and see Adelaide disappear and suddenly tears, WHY?
Stunning morning, heading south, not far enough to see the Onkaparinga,
turned over the oil refinery, towards the sun. Blue blue sky, pink
horizon and billowing white clouds. Then the sun arrived and warmed my
skin and I gave thanks for this day and for, for being alive and for
Reggie.
On to breakfast, yummy!
Melbourne, 8.30am. Shopping for a walkman, batteries and film. Only an
hour before boarding and at the window watching them load a United
Airline plane. On board Adel/Melb flight, when I woke up enough to make
conversation with my neighbour, discovered he was from Seattle, lovely
accent, just like R.
Tried to phone Liz from Melb, but those damn phones, eventually bought a
phone card and made contact, big mix up with the taxi, haled the wrong
one and now have upset the Yellow Cab people. Will pick me up from the
airport next week.. isn’t she nice.
10.20am and on board the Qantas 747, up front where I like it close to
the Emergency Exit so can stretch out and sleep. Had lovely talk with
couple from Melbourne. They are off to LA San Francisco, and Las Vegas
12.30pm (8pm LA), So watch a movie and lights out, slept about an hour
already. We were delayed again in Melbourne but on the runway this time,
only woke when we took off. have seen "Happy Texas" for 5 minutes and
"Cider House Rules", about an hours worth and now "Stuart Little".
Sleeping off and on.
6.10am, so guess have been going 12 hours or so, seems a lot longer
(1.40am in LA)
so 6 hours to go.
Have lost the immigration cards we all filled out.. want to sleep some
more and stop crying. Seems the closer I get to him, the closer I get to
leaving again.
Ängela’s Ashes" Irish story, so sad. the Eurythmics sang the theme song,
must try to find the book and read it.
9.30am three hours to go. 10.40am, now and I think we land at 7.30am in
LAX so must have made up some time or something. have eaten everything
put down in front of me, and so much water. Taken walks to chat with the
other sleepless ones and to stretch the bones.
A nice thought that I will have 6 hours to myself before R arrives, or
will I? He always surprises me....lots of secrets.
1.15pm Have had a nice swim with the sun on my back, laundry in behind
me and am listening for the dryer to stop. Chatted with guy from
Montana, over for a conference. he is interested in my Internet pal and
quite used to it happening all over the world. A friend had lost her
husband a couple of years ago and decided that it was the safest way to
meet somebody, so he wished me well.
Am back in our room now and getting NERVOUS for the first time, so long
hot bath and then a shower, lots of moisturiser to wake up my skin.
Lunch a disappointment, no chicken in a chicken dish? None that I could
identify anyway, major butterflies happening. Room clock says 2 o clock
but R just called on the outskirts of San Diego and its only 1pm. So
have been early all along.
Its amazing, not nervous now, although heart racing. Said to look out
for Mickey Mouse, what ever that means, maybe he is picking him up along
the way, bringing him with?
Good Friday, left 3 hours late at 8am, cool and overcast outside.
Saturday 22nd and have just eaten lunch at town called Beaty, small
mining village. Hotel Motel Casino for photo stop and loo as well.
Bought new hand-pump for the air mattresses at the Auto Mart, but
hardware stores all closed for the weekend so cannot locate new
mattresses.
Turkey sandwiches and a gorgeous coconut health drink. We have so may
leftovers from Dinner last night. My spinach Salad, a blueberry muffin,
cream cheese and slice of date loaf from the breakfast that nearly
didn’t come. Only managed the yoghurt and strawberries. R shared mine
before devouring two enormous pancakes, butter and syrup. Showers at
Furnace Creek resort. watched sunset over Zabriski’s Point yesterday .
Its Good Friday and we have arrived, registered with the ranger at Stove
Point Wells, picked our camp site overlooking the valley with the RV
park below then Furnace Creek with its enormous grove of Date Palms. Can
watch the sun go down form the door of the tent. A dome tent, goes up so
quickly and easily, unpacked gear and Reggie busting his foofer trying
to blow up air mattresses. Called on a fellow campee and he is kind
enough to offer his pump, connect to battery and its useless. Again the
big blow. Its so hot and they are so soft and sticking together so will
wait for someone else to help out with air. Big thunderstorm over LA,
maybe will reach us tonight. No just a dust storm to make me feel at
home and a young French couple trying to erect their tent in all sorts
of trouble so we help out.
The ground too hard and their hearts not
set on staying so they have left. Back to Furnace Creek as have built up
a giant thirst for a beer. Out on the verandah for a smoke and a young
boy all the way from Holland stumbles out of a car....major nose bleed,
so hot and frightened. Made him sit and wet some tissues for his face
and neck. sips of water and then his sister arrives and pours water down
his back. Now he is smiling and here come mum and Dad. Only arrived
yesterday and are off to Los Vegas, the Grand Canyon, San Diego, LA and
home.
Dinner at the restaurant, Reggie so charming, we order clam chowder, me
a bowl and he a cup. Cant eat any more of course so watch him consume
the main course on his own. Take mine back in a doggy bag. Back to
campsite to star gaze.
Saturday, buy shower passes , would have loved a swim but he doesn’t
want too. Cold water but wonderful to be clean again. Sharing his
shorts, T shirts etc, perfect fit. Breakfast at same place, aren’t we
the lazy ones, Jill our waitress is having a bad day, computers down,
people everywhere doing nothing, so different to the service last night.
We start to make a joke of it all, over an hours wait but not a problem
and the giggles started. Asked French couple next to us if I could pinch
some bacon and they enjoy the joke too. By the time we leave Jill is
just another mate, so we shop for ice and water. Me shopping for
gorgeous top, soft toy to sit on the PC at home, smelly things (air
fresheners) and a necklace of turquoise and silver, it’s an Indian arrow
head.
Off to town of Beaty, outside of the valley, up into the mountains, wild
flowers and Harley Davidson riders everywhere. Small dusty town, yards
of rocks, not what you would call gardens at all. Loo stop at
Hotel/Casino and a kind man took our picture.
Wonderful guys at the Automart, no mattresses but a foot pump. Send us
to the Hardware Store but both closed, so will have to make do with what
we have and hopefully they will stay up all night. Those rocks do bad
tings to my back. R seems to be able to sleep anywhere. Turkey
sandwiches on the lawn and then home to our little slice of heaven
....the pub at Furnace Creek, so cool inside and the beer icy cold.
Watched Seattle v Utah and then R decided that he would cook me dinner.
Have late night spinach salad with Feta and tomatoes with a dressing to
die for.
God he must eat out a lot, has all these tiny packages from the
takeaways, condiments and spices etc. Must admit saves carrying large
containers from home.
He fussed over that steak and made a gravy of all the juices. We open
bottle of San Giovaise , Bernie’s gift from Coriole. Ate pistachios and
Kalamata olives. Everything always tastes better outdoors.
Before dinner had decided on a short stroll, for photos etc, he got in
the mood for something more serious and came back up the hill with water
bottle etc and dragged me up a bloody great mountain, or so it seemed.
So hot, so steep, so far....at times sheer drops on both sides of the
path so had to put my blinkers on and concentrate on his bum to keep my
balance.
Made it and the view and his company made it all worth while. Ran out of
film, carried that great heavy camera for one picture only, so borrowed
his - a throwaway paper thing. Down again slipping and sliding, Oh on
top was a small church like building, badly vandalised though...the
broken windows made great picture frames. Hope they turn out OK
Reggie slipped a couple of times, not me surprisingly.
So hot so sat for a long while in the shade of his car. Listen to his
tape and I introduced him to Andea Bocelli, last I ever saw of that...he
played it over and over and over. people moving in next door, lots of
kids big and small so will have interesting time in the morning with
Easter bunny etc.
We make friends and promise to catch up later for a talk etc.
Watched the sun go down and off to bed.
9am Easter Sunday, Sue had given me a chocolate Bilby and written a note
for R. He’s a little squashed, melted but he can still make it out and
smiles. Have a feeling he doesn’t like chocolate as I am the only one
eating Red Tulip solid eggs, so give most away to next door, for the
hunt when they wake up.
Reggie makes us English Breakfast tea for me on is little Butane burner.
Found Camping plates and stuff second hand.. although brand new,
belonged to a girl guide and inside one of the bowls was a compass,
something he hadn’t had for a while and treasures now.
Hit the showers and off the Bad Water with a top on the way for a stroll
into Golden Canyon. Seems to think it leads to the Zabriski’s Point he
so badly wants to see, but we don't make it that far. Climb giant
boulders, collect souvenirs and off down the road again.
Bad water fascinating as the lowest point in the whole valley. 293 feet
or something below sea level. As the volcano created this valley, the
floor sunk and the sea dried up. The water their now saltier than the
sea. but still there is life. Our feet become encrusted with salt and
enjoy looking at the patterns in the sand and the crystals inthe tiny
pools of water as it is sucked out of the earth.
More photos and lots of water to recover.
Back to camp and its practically empty so empty tent, pull the pegs out
and pick the whole thing up to carry to a cool spot under a couple of
trees. So easy and we have a proper BBQ fire now so we scavenge for left
over firewood from abandoned sites, ready for ME to cook for a change.
Find a Rock Cornish Game Hen, only big enough for two, potatoes and will
see Jill again for some more salad, butter and stuff. Lots of fresh
fruit for afters as well and a bottle of Napa Valley Chardonnay.
So hot so back to the pub - meet a couple from Sydney, recognised the
accent. Reggie loves listening to all of that and can't believe that I
picked up on it so easy. This couple on a huge adventure and are leaving
for Los Vegas real soon. Off to Africa etc and back home for September.
Then another couple joined us, having just arrived from Los Vegas so we
had a friendly chat with everyone including the bar keeper. So much fun,
so relaxed and how life is supposed to be.
Back to camp and what to do......lets just veg out in the shade so
Reggie finally got around to giving me a massage, ice to cool me, didn't
work but something did as managed to nod off for about 15 minutes or so.
His turn, haven't got a clue, ice for him also and a giant piece to melt
down his bum. Lasted forever apparently but wouldn't move it. Used heaps
of that cheap but wonderful Franklins moisturiser and tried to do it
right. he was so quiet thought he had gone to sleep but guess the ice
put a stop to that.
Its 5.14am - Up all night again. This will have to stop or Bob will have
my britches for garters tomorrow. Work, ugh! Somebody save me!!!!
------------------ DIARY ENTRY ENDS
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Hope you enjoy this - keeping the best of
it just for me and him.....more to come
"Patricia"
>> Continued in
Part
Two
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