Thank you and signing out for now. It's been great and a short 8 months of our lives but jam packed -

To those who have read the Blog , hopefully it may have inspired you to follow your dreams instead of talking about them. 'Life is too short' has to be one of my most voiced opinions.

Like any great book I must thank some terrific people and where better than on the internet in public so to speak!

Thanks Wendy, Nicky, Hazel, Glen and Ian for rolling up your sleeves and helping us get our house ready for our tenants, including cleaning of toilets, vacuuming, going to the dump for us and bringing us food and drinks when the cupboards were bare! True friends.

Thanks Bronwyn for nipping into our empty house under cover of darkness before the tenants moved in to video everything 'in case'.

Thanks Cynthia for being a truly wonderful neighbour (unlike some others who shall remain nameless) and looking after our cherished garden.

Thanks Glen and Ian for looking after our mail, our bills, our house, our tenants and everything in between. Giving us beds when we had none. Couldn't have made it without you.

Thanks Barbara for looking after our 2 'babies' (Tosh and Treacle) and Tim's car.

Thanks Mel and Rob for storing just 'some' of Tim's rather large LP collection.

Thanks Barry & Kathy for looking after our 2 other 'babies' Windsor and Little Man.

Thanks Christine and Ross for showing me the way with our new laptop which has been invaluable and introducing me to Blog pages. Also for helping us with the big clear out before we left.

Thanks to all the people we have met for the first time or met again on our travels who have given us their hospitality, their time, their food and sometimes their beds. These times were special and it was nice not to be in yet another hotel room.

Thanks to those of you that emailed and called us and reminded us how we left at the right time due to the bad Wellington winter we missed.

Crocs -

I had to include a photo of our Crocs shoes which have been so good as we have travelled. Kennedy and I were the first and Beau, Jonty and Tim soon followed as converts. They may not be pretty but man are they comfortable and practical. We have all now worn them daily since June 4th 2006 and they're still going strong. We have had many comments on our family of Crocs and the 6th pair in the photo in case you're wondering belong to Kennedy's new stuffed toy!

Final day in L.A -

27 January 2007, THE last day of our epic journey. I am writing this at 11.30 a.m and our flight leaves tonight at 10.30 p.m. We have secured a late check out and are now contemplating how we shall fit our mountain of goodies into reasonable sized packages for checking on. Quite a task I can assure you. We think we will have 9-11 suitcases at this point plus carry on luggage. Then there is the no liquids rule introduced since our departure from NZ so we have to be mindful of where we pack the shampoo, perfumes etc etc. Check in is 3 hours prior to departure so I am sure we will be glad to get on the plane tonight.

It is a beautiful sunny day here again and about 20-25 degrees. We know we shall miss the warm weather we have been so blessed with for most of our trip. We are all excited to see friends and cats again and our own home which we hope will be in a fit state having been tenanted for 8 months. Our possessions are being moved back in 2 days after we get home and then the unpacking and sorting will begin. I have not missed wearing a watch and enjoyed being totally oblivious to the time of day, date and sometimes even what day it is. I have also not missed telephones ringing.

Poor Beau has to start college/new school 2 days after we get back and get used to wearing a uniform every day including a tie. Though we are all nervous for him we know it is all part of growing up and we are confident it will be a new and exciting chapter in his life. He has matured both physically and mentally over these last 8 months and we hope all our talks of his new school will have been of help.

Jonty is desperate to play his first game of cricket, 6 days after our return so we hope we can find his uniform before then! He has lost 4 'baby' teeth since we've been away and I'm sure he has grown a few inches in height though not in girth. Both boys have learned to tie their own shoe laces since we have been away.

Kennedy is now 7 going on 15 and is seriously into fashion and makeup and telling me what not to wear and what looks good having become an avid follower of the American TV programme 'What Not to Wear'. She is now experimenting with high heels and makeup and various hairstyles now her hair has grown so long. Luckily she still has a 'little girl' side and yesterday we treated her to a much desired stuffed toy from 'Build a Bear Workshop'. This is a chain of stores where you choose an unstuffed toy of your choice, have it filled in front of your eyes once you have given it a 'voice' and a heart. Then you can buy any number of accessories for it including handbags, shoes, pyjamas, raincoats etc etc. Then you get a 'birth certificate' stating your toy's name,weight and height and a special box to carry it home.

Calico Ghost Town, California -

We stopped by this old 1881 mining town, now a preserved 'park' as Tim and I had enjoyed our first visit here 20 years ago. We did a little train ride around the town and went down one of the original mine shafts. The weather has warmed up now that we are back in California and was a lovely sunny 15-20 degrees today. We arrived in Ontario, Los Angeles where we have 3 nights before we fly out this Saturday night (27th January).

No Tim really isn't THAT much shorter than me!

Venetian Hotel, Las Vegas, Nevada -

You might think this is Venice, Italy but no it's Las Vegas. We didn't do a gondola ride as they were $15 US per person.

Kiwis make front page on the Miller County Liberal, newspaper!

Thanks to our Georgian hosts we found ourselves on the front page no less of the local newspaper there.

Here is the article and photo that appeared:

Kathy Dugan and her parents, Jack and Runell, with Elspeth Campbell, Tim Datson and their New Zealanders Visit Colquitt

January 24, 2007

New Zealanders Visit Colquitt by Kathy Dugan

It's not unusual for people from other countries to visit Colquitt. Kathy Dugan and her parents, Jack and Runell, kicked off the New Year with New Zealand guests. In 2003, Kathy and her friend, Jean Brock, visited New Zealand where they spent several days with Elspeth Campbell, Tim Datson and their children Beau, Jonty and Kennedy in their home in Wellington, New Zealand.
It was Elspeth that helped Jean and Kathy arrange a tour of the country. This family from New Zealand is taking the trip of a lifetime. They are taking eight months to tour the US and Europe. After seven months of touring, the family arrived in Colquitt on New Year's Day and enjoyed visiting and catching up.
While they were here, Kathy took the opportunity to show them where she worked. After a tour of the research facilities, they were joined by Kathy's co-worker, Jean Brock, for a field tour to learn a little about the longleaf-wiregrass ecosystem. The group, along with Jean's husband, Dale Brock, then headed to Colquitt for a taste of southern cooking at Helen's Pirates Cove.
The next day after walking around Colquitt and seeing some of the interesting things there, Kathy and her guests headed to Bainbridge, where Jean and Dale Brock had a canoe trip on Lake Douglas planned, thanks to Carolyn and George Daniels who provided access to the lake and an additional boat for the trip. After working up a hearty appetite on the lake, Jean treated the group to dinner at Old Mexico in Bainbridge.
Before their guests headed back west, the Dugans took them to a cotton field to show them how cotton grows and explained how it is baled, processed and eventually winds up as clothing or other popular products.
The Dugans and the Brocks hated to see their friends leave, but they enjoyed returning the favor and showing them some southern hospitality.

Things we shall not miss about the USA -

This list isn't long so don't worry my American friends and they are only minor things!

• Chocolate - I am a chocoholic like so many women BUT American chocolate just doesn't cut it.
• Cheese - An unnaturally lurid yellow colour and expensive. Imported cheeses are available but we found them too dear. The fact that you can buy cheese in a spray can says a lot about how American's regard cheese!
• Bread - never found any that really did it for us. Too processed and the fact that it keeps for weeks in its bag without going mouldy, well.......
• Excess packaging everywhere. Americans don't seem to be into recycling yet and the amount of wasteful packaging is shameful.
• Tipping. Hate it but necessary evil here.
• Taxes - vary from state to state and never included when buying things and paying bills so you can never have the right money in your hand.
• Pounds and ounces, gallons and miles. Get metric America like the rest of the world. Unsure why the old system is still cherished so much.
• Being taken for being English all the time.
• Americans' who have no idea where New Zealand is. We've had people think it's near Sweden!
• People who do know where New Zealand is thinking it's hot there all the time.

Things we shall miss about the USA -

• Shopping and some of the stores we have come to like such as Walmart, Ross, Borders, Yankee Candle Company and Barnes and Noble.
• Fast food chains Taco Bell (where else can you fill up on Mexican food from a 99c menu?), Dairy Queen for their 'Blizzard' sundaes in over 20 flavours.
• The choice of family dining restaurants and how affordable they are.
• Turning right on a red light.
• 90% of stores and supermarkets have restrooms unlike at home.
• Ice cream - amazing array of flavours including cheesecake, birthday cake, chocolate silk pie, Twix, Moose Tracks, Cookie dough etc etc
• Altoids - cool zingy sweets.
• Our Chevrolet minivan and having a vehicle with cruise control.
• Dr Pepper soda (well Beau shall miss it)
• Courteous people and courteous drivers - Americans as we have always found are so polite, friendly and hospitable -far more than Europeans. This really makes a difference when you are a stranger in town.
• So much diversity to be found in one country - the climate, people's accents and the scenery is so varied from one state to the next.
• The Spanish influence on American culture and just hearing the language spoken in so many places.
• Choice of TV channels and a few favourite programmes like 'Dog the Bounty Hunter', 'Criss Angel Mindfreak', 'Intervention' and of course the latest season of 'American Idol'!
• Geiko Insurance TV adverts - fun and clever.
• Polite store attendants including supermarket packers who address you by name, pack your groceries and offer to take them to your car - no tip required.
• Wildlife we have seen so often in parks or while driving such as deer, squirrels, chipmunks.

Paris Hotel, Las Vegas, Nevada

Las Vegas, Nevada -

We've had a pretty relaxing week here, sleeping in and enjoying the space our apartment offers. The only disappointment is we haven't been able to use the luscious looking pool as it is just too cold. The weather has been fine and dry but a cool 10-15 degrees. We have visited the Liberace Museum with its amazing costumes and collection of diamond studded cars and have looked at quite a few of the themed hotels including New York New York (pictured), MGM, The Luxor, Excalibur. Bellagio and Treasure Island (pictured).

Birthday Boy Jonty -

Today is Jonty's 11th birthday and here he is opening his presents which were a Spongebob Squarepants CD Rom and 2 DVD's of a couple of American TV shows that we have all become fans of: 'Dog the Bounty Hunter' and 'Criss Angel Mindfreak'. Jonty was delighted and has something new to show his NZ friends assuming these shows haven't made it to NZ yet?
The other 'present' I have to give him before his return to NZ is a haircut!

Musings on America -

As we near the end of having had 5 months in the USA I thought it apt to share with you all some facts about this country that you may or may not know. Things I have read on our travels that I have found interesting.

• The USA's poulation is 300 million making it the most populous country after India and China.
• 31 million speak Spanish as a first language.
• 75% of the population are white, 12.5 % black, 12.5 % Hispanic/Latino and only 1% are Native American Indian.
• USA is the only country in the world to have 6 climate zones.
• USA is so large it has 4 time zones within the mainland USA. Alaska and Hawaii are an additional 2 more time zones.
• USA is the 3rd largest country in the world.
• A 2002 study of 18-24 year olds found 1/2 couldn't locate New York on a map, 2 1/3rds couldn't locate New Jersy (the most populated state) and 1/10th couldn't find the USA !
• USA has the most uninsured citizens, the highest rate of poverty and infant mortality and one of the least successful public education systems in the western world.
• USA has the best and most sophisticated medical care and facilities in the western world.
• Gas is $2.20 US on average per gallon (1 gallon = 3.8 litres). This equates to about 84c NZ per litre.
• It is estimated that 21,000 people die prematurely each year in the USA as a result of being uninsured.
• USA's most profitable business is the pharmaceutical industry.
• American's eat 50% of their meals in restaurants (does not include fast food or takeaway).

The open road in America which we shall miss so much.

Las Vegas, Nevada -

We arrived here last night and are staying at a lovely timeshare resort (thank you Michael) called Tahiti Village (view from our balcony -right). It is brand new and we have a 2 bedroom apartment with 2 bathrooms, 2 kitchens, 4 TV' s and 3 DVD's so everyone is happy to have a week's R&R here. My only complaints are the internet is $11 US per day so if you don't hear from us for a few days you'll understand why and the beautiful looking lagoon beach style pool is too cold. Also unusually for the USA they have the European style washer/dryer in one machine thing which I hate as it literally takes 2 hours to wash and another to dry! Don't ever buy one of these machines!
This is my 4th time in Las Vegas but the first for the children who are very excited about seeing the lights at night.

A lot of people are quick to criticise Las Vegas but we enjoy it. It is unlike anywhere else on the planet and anything goes here in the city that never sleeps. We take it for what it is and have fun, enjoy the sights and the lights.

Zabriskie Point, Death Valley, California -

I think the people in this photograph help to put into perspective the enormity of the landscape.

Badwater Basin, Death Valley, California -

As you can see from the sign we are below sea level here and behind the children is a salt lake.

Death Valley National Park, California -

I had always wanted to visit this place but in the last 3 visits to California in past years just never made it. This time we made the time to reach this remote National Park that straddles California and Nevada. There are few towns near the park and so we bought our food in advance and were forced to stay inside the park at one of the park owned accommodations which are basic and expensive but that's what you call a monopoly and you can't do much about it. The park is huge and in fact the largest National Park in the mainland USA. On our main day here we spent over 6 hours just driving through it en route to Las Vegas. The temperatures were warm in the day but cold at night. Most visitors come between October and March as summer is unbearably hot at around 40-50 degrees. The scenery was amazing and the highlights were Zabriskie Point (a famous movie is named after it) and Dante's View.

This will be our last National Park and what a highlight they have all been. We visited 18 of the 48 and certainly got our money's worth by buying the $50 US annual pass back in June. Regular admission is otherwise about $10-20 US per vehicle per day. The parks are extremely well run and the children have enjoyed them as much as we have including doing the activity packs the rangers give them.

SNOW!

We got a cold night (12 below) in Flagstaff, Arizona but weren't complaining! Kids were delighted to play in the fresh powdery snow despite it being so cold. Beau said this could be the'white Christmas' we had planned but didn't have. However after 24 hours in the cold it was time to move on to warmth again that we are so used to so we drove west to California again. Now it really feels like we're coming home as we hit the west coast again and see road signs for Los Angeles. We had a night in the uninspiring but convenient town of Barstow en route to Death Valley.

Petrified Forest National Park, Arizona -

We took a small detour and drove the 28 miles through the park and stopped to see the unique petrified logs. These were trees thousands of years ago and then over many years they were covered with volcanic ash which seeps through the wood, turning them into stone with bright and varying coloured quartz crystal inners.

Arizona -

As we drove out of New Mexico and into Arizona we finally got to be up close and personal with some fresh snow. The scenery en route was beautiful with the bright red rocks doused with a thin layer of snow.

Truth or Consequences, New Mexico -

Yes this is the actual name of this small town. It was originally called Hot Springs but during the 1950's the residents changed the name to Truth or Consequences (or 'T or C' as it appears on road signs) in honour of a popular radio show of the same name at that time. Strange but true.

Alamogordo to Albuquerque, New Mexico

We had a night in Alamogordo and visited White Sands National Monument which has the largest gypsum dunes area in the world. The kids enjoyed rolling down the dune faces gathering great deposits of sand in their hair.

Then to Albuquerque where we had 2 nights visiting the 'Old Town' with its gorgeous adobe buildings and churches and then on to see the petroglyphs (rock drawings) at Petroglyphs National Park. There were snow deposits all around Albuquerque from 2 weeks earlier when they had 2 feet of snow fall. The kids were disappointed however not to see mountains of fresh snow but more on that to come.....

Texas boots

Musings on heading home....

We have now secured the rest of our accommodation bookings until we leave Los Angeles on 27 January including a week's R&R in Las Vegas. This is a definate final step now and the reality of leaving America behind is setting in slowly. The end of our 8 month trip of a lifetime is nigh!

While the children are particularly excited about seeing their friends, toys and cats again they, like Tim and I are also sad about returning home. We have never been homesick once and have enjoyed every minute. The 8 months seems like 1 to us all, it has flown by so quickly. Everyone we meet without exception tells us what a wonderful thing we are doing but we already know that. What a great experience it will be to reflect upon over the coming years. Being in the travel industry for over 20 years I know how important and educational, travel is for everyone but maybe especially for children. I did my first overseas trip on my own at the age of 18 to America, Britain and Europe for 3 months and have never looked back. I encourage my children to do the same and hope they will some day. Some people choose to spend their money on a new car, expensive fashion or a fancier home but we chose to spend it on a family adventure that will be forever ingrained in our memories.

Naturally I look forward to seeing my friends, cats and garden again but I could keep going over here quite easily if we had unlimited funds but we don't. Our friends in Wellington continually tell us how bad the weather has been since we've been away and that we left at the right time. I read recently on the net that December (our summer) had been the wettest recorded for about 60 years. Lets hope February is wonderful, warm and sunny! We have been blessed with fabulous weather the entire trip except for 4 weeks of rain during the height of the English summer - enough said! During our 5 months in America we have experienced 4 days of rain and fabulous high temperatures in June and July and very mild temperatures given the time of year for November through January.

More musings before we say farewell.

Carlsbad Caverns, New Mexico -

We say goodbye to Texas and head into New Mexico again where we visit the Carlsbad Caverns National Park. The caverns are over 3500 feet below sea level. You can get an elevator down into the caves or walk down through them to get to the 'Big Room' cave which we did. It took us over an hour to walk down and then another hour around the cavern floor. We caught the elevator back up. Inside the cavern floor is approximately the same size as 14 football fields so these caves are by no means small. I'm sure most of you know what the inside of caves look like so instead I attach a photo of the tourist shop within the caves which I thought was quirky as were the restrooms inside a cave! Also a photo of us as we begin our descent into the mouth of the cave.

After Carlsbad we headed to Roswell, the UFO capital of the world where the mysterious 'Roswell Incident' took place in 1947 and is still debated to this day. Every July, Roswell hosts its annual UFO convention. The small town has really capitalised on its UFO fame and even the street lights along the main street 'have alien eyes painted on them.

Wonderful weather today, sunny and about 20 degrees - not bad for the middle of winter.

San Antonio, Texas -

A balmy day in this river town. First stop was the Alamo, site of the famous battle between the Mexicans and the Texans. Then we enjoyed a Mexican meal along the famous riverwalk and then a 30 minute boat tour on the river that winds its way right through the city. After that we visited one of the missions, San Jose just south of the down town.