Travel on your birthday...

...it's a must! Well it has been a must for me over the past 10+ years all because I moved to NYC and my birthday happens around Thanksgiving. What is the point of taking just two days for Thanksgiving when you can combine it with a few more days and a couple of weekends and voila a nice little vacation time to use to celebrate.
The day began beautifully with a perfectly prepared breakfast- in bed no less. Then whilst I finished my packing and ablutions the others tidied the apartment we were staying in and hit the road.



We arrived at the Grand Canyon rim and walked to the Grand Canyon Village- a little further than we anticipated so two hours later we arrived and were particularly ready for lunch. :).
The first time I went to the Grand Canyon I wasn't particularly in awe- I don't know what it was- the weather, the light something...
This time the light was right and the colours splendid. I think perhaps the long walk gave a greater perspective to the size of the Canyon.




 The shot above has the group out on the rocks that you can see zoomed in on in the photo on the right.
Throughout our walk along the rim we and others and commented on the numbers of folk who risked life and limb in such ridiculous journeys out on to perilous rocky outcrops.





The more I look at this shot of the Grand Canyon I think of Albert Namatjira's glorious paintings...and I have to say it is my favourite photo of the day.

By the time we reached Monument valley it was dark but the morning vistas from our room were so so splendid....

Add we saw the sunrise...

From our room's balcony!

Sedona...

We started out after breakfast in our rooms, gathering up the bits we couldn't eat then to keep for our breakfast the next day. First stop after checkout was the car hire place- I've never seen such a large car hire area- it was like another whole airport lounge with so many care hire companies. In a one minute survey 25 people passed me as I guarded the luggage :).
Our large car fitted all we needed water, cases, cameras, snacks and off along the highway from Phoenix to Sedona we set with the assistance of the onboard GPS and the 70's radio station to sing along with.
We made it to Sedona early afternoon found our accommodation and went to explore a small shopping center with the necessary lunch venue.

After lunch we shopped a little and did a bit of hunting and gathering in Whole Foods finally settling in to our glorious accommodation with these splendid views. We were nestled down in time for the sunset. 

Travel to USVI

 The day began early with the ever reliable Franklin picking me up at 48th Street and this time to JFK for an 8:30 flight to St Thomas.
Today was a new airline- Delta. I have to say it was speedy to check in and then to get through security.
It was good to have large glasses of water and a tiny snack offered. That's all I really needed and then my bag was there- what more could one need.

 I've chosen to stay again at Bluebeards Castle Hilltop Villas. Not only are they reasonable priced, the views of St Thomas Harbor are fabulous. I came to check in with a little trepidation given the experience I had last time. This time it was such a different experience. Admittedly it was different personnel and she welcomed me back and couldn't be more helpful. 

The blue sky and the cloud patterns are fantastic.

The gang got together

Friday nights in our early days in NYC gave Tiina, Sue and I the chance to "debrief"after a week in schools in a place far from Victoria Australia. We'd travel from our different parts of the city Tiina the Upper Eastside, Sue Midtown and me Bay Ridge Brooklyn. We'd try out different places and be absolutely exhausted. Some things don't change- we were still exhausted but the places we used to go have either closed or changed to some other restaurant/bar. 





On Friday night we got together at a new place that Bernadette found for us- Bathtub Gin 

We had a fabulous time and went on to have dinner elsewhere. So that was Friday night done and dusted.










Saturday lunch was spent helping Sheena celebrate her birthday at Stella 34 a restaurant in Macys. Good food, good company and a great view.

Then off to the theatre to see a fantastic piece of theatre.

Wow the staging as well as the acting was brilliant

Flowers of the Highline

Tiina and I caught a cab to the 34th Street end of the Highline and on this gloriously sunny day walked the length of this beautiful space.


So many of the flowers were out and together with the beautiful weather combined for such a pleasant morning in NYC.

 And then there were the autumnal tints

She's b-a-a-a-ck

Tiina arrived Wednesday night after the Kitchen Tablers had left. Sue and i sat and chatted and waited and finally the front desk buzzed 16P and "Miss Tiina is here!"
And indeed she is. Just like old times.
Tiina, Sue and I arrived in NYC at the same time to be consultants with AUSSIE. We had such great times together, Friday night catch ups- me coming from Bay Ridge- the other end of the R line- Tiina from the Upper Eastside and Sue from Midtown.
Now it is time for us to catch up and enjoy each others' company and this wonderful city. Yee Ha!

Subway journey

The J train is an interesting commute... catch the Q or N to Canal and then up a flight of stairs to the J train platform. Yesterday when i did that trip there was a rather large rat at the end of the platform that I kept a close watch on as I waited for the train to arrive.It was scared onto the tracks by a young fellow commuter :)
We journeyed swiftly or as swiftly as a J train goes until we pulled into a some stop in Brooklyn where we waited on the platform for a while then the announcement that a train was stopped ahead of us and needed so mechanical issues addressed so someone was going onto the track for a look see (my words not theirs).
Next it was announced the next stop would be Broadway junction involving expressing through a few other stops. Fine by me we'd catch up time. Then we did another express to get further ahead of the train behind. Then we pulled into Crescent Street and again going express- given that Cypress Hills where I was headed was the next stop I got out of the train along with a number of other commuters and as the train pulled out of the station this was the sight we could see...

 

A sharp intake of breath! What happened here and how long will it remain like this.

I turned around to look at the other side of the platform and what a contrast !

Soon another train arrived and I traveled in a rusty old train dragged out from somewhere. A boy from the school i was heading to was made anxious by the delays as he wanted breakfast at the school and he was/did miss it.