More US trip photos PLUS Breaking NEWS!

And the breaking news is? I hear you ask. The breaking news is that we just bought a van. This is a van that will be used for Wifey-Poo and I to go "hide in the woods" so to speak.

It's a 2001 Mitsubishi Express Short Wheel Base. Awesome turning radius, loads of space for everything, only 60,000 miles (93,000 kilometres) on the clock, gets 28 mpg city (11.5 kpl) and 33 mpg country (13.9 kpl). I'm happy. We already have fold out tables n chairs and 2 small camp cookers so it's now only a matter of getting sleeping stuff and a small portable potty and we are set!

This will be fun! Once the Tour de France is over expect us to go lots of places and take lots of pictures for you to admire.

Speaking of pics for you to admire, how's abouts some more from my recent trip to the USofA?

Didja know that the city of Charlotte in the US State of North Carolina likes to use their sculptures as Public Service Announcements? You do know. Here is one where they warn you what can happen to your brake discs if you let your brake pads wear down too far:

At least that is what it looks like to me, so there!

Here is a school of some type of fish. They were quite energetic too.

Anyone out there know what kind they area? The fish were about 12 to 16 inches long and the pic was taken on the Atlantic side of Florida in a river estuary --if that info helps the identification of the fishees.

The airport at Adelaide looks quite empty at 430am!

Yes, I'm a dork and arrived 2 hours before the flight left, had the whole terminal to myself till about 5am!

Without a doubt, this is the BEST bumper sticker I saw on the whole trip!

This was in Charlotte, NC. Apparently Charlotte has become a fairly liberal city (by US standards at least) but I was told that the state becomes very conservative in the rural areas.

Speaking of Charlotte, here's a nice bit of contrasting skyline:

I like the old style church better than the new buildings!

I wanted to stop here for a snack at the Charlotte Airport cus of the name

but alas, I did not have the time. Bugga!

This Evinrude outboard engine is over 100 years old!

And I know that how?

Here's how:

Sometimes it helps to read things, eh?

The Museum of Natural History at The Smithsonian has some neat critters in their front garden. Here's one of the now!

Hmmmmm, she looks kinda dessicated though. Musta stayed out in the sun too long without a hat!

The Hope Diamond is very big. And blue. And folks crowded around the display a dozen deep! Very glad of the camera I had and the fact that I was taller than most of the folks crowding the display.

Does anyone (besides Yours Truly of course) know why The Hope Diamond is blue? Just leave your answer or shrewd guess in the comments, no worries mates.

And of course the real reason why every non-grownup kid visits museums:

Dang but those are some TINY arms! Makes you wonder what else he had that was tiny.

That's it for this round of pictures from the USofA trip. Stay tuned for more and stay tuned for pics of our new van that I'll be picking up Friday morning!

More photos from my USofA trip!

And in any ole random order too! Why? Why not!

Firstly let's get the gratuitous phallic symbolism of The Washington Monument out of the way as I took this picture of Tonya (niece) and Anna (big sis):

Yes, the framing of the shot with those two nice ladies was purposefully done by Yours Truly, thankyouverymuch.

Speaking of the Washington Monument, does anyone know what these little fiddly bits of gold on top mean?

Obviously something to do with The Freemasons and buried treasure I'm sure.

And no, I did not scale the monument nor did I hover in the air (I left my cape at home this trip) to get the above picture. It's called a good camera.

Anna has two cats. They are brothers. They are long-haired Burmese cats. Here is Felix:

He's the small one at only 14 pounds --that's 6.35 kilos which is 2 kilos heavier than His Royal Highness!

And this is Oscar, weighing in at 18 pounds or 8.16 kilos!

They are both very friendly and quite scritchable too.

This is a lot of fiddly-bits!

Notice I've no water bottle in my pocket anymore, but I'm still happy to see you.

THE original studio model used to make some science-fiction telly show back in the 60's.

Not sure which telly show, anyone remember?

Warning: NSFW! Hardcore threesome truck porn!

Made you look *snicker*

Biltmore House was overwhelming.

And if I ever get that rich I'll be doing something to help out the poor instead of building a house like that!

Had lunch at an Irish Pub in downtown Charlotte one day. Good food, nice atmosphere.

But their Guinness was ICE-COLD! Had to order a Newcastle Brown whilst my pint of Guinness warmed up enough to be palatable.

What is it with US'n's and their ICE-COLD beers?

Orville and Wilbur Wright liked my tie dye shirt so much the demanded that I pose with them in a picture.

They weren't as photogenic as I, rather flat that day.

The Dolphin Bar down in Jensen Beach Florida was nice. Excellent food, good salad bar.


And a certain actress from yesteryear was The Patron of the place!


How they kept those dolphins hovering over the water like that is beyond me!

I joke of course. Everyone knows dolphins can levitate.

What do you think of my camouflage?

Bet you had to look twice to see me since I blended in so well, right?

One of the best Mexican restaurants I'd been to! And it's right in the heart of Shenadoah in a little town called Luray in Virginia.


That's all the photos till next post. Don't worry, I still have over 3200 more to share with you!

I made it back!

And here I'll bet most of you thought I'd gotten lost whilst over in the USofA. Or maybe I was just being lazy about getting a write-up of the trip? As it is, there is waaaaay too much to write up in a single post and if I go thru it day by day then it'll be next year by the time I finish up and can get back to the 12 apostle story!

So how about I just toss up a few random pictures over the next few posts? Sure will save my fingers a lot of wear and tear, that's for sure mates.

First up is me at the National Air and Space Museum.

Even the dude in the space suit liked my tiedye!

My uncle deep fried a turkey on Memorial Day. It was sooooooo good! Best turkey I've ever had.


You can find my deep fry turkey write up right here.

These next 3 are about the whole reason for the trip: dad's funeral at Arlington National Cemetery.






This was the only day I wasn't wearing a tie dye shirt BTW.

Look! The White House as scene from the Washington Monument.


Here, let me help you find it...


And this is taken from the exact same place, same camera!


Yeah, good camera!

This sculpture in Arlington is supposed to be something about Cupid. However I found it was a frighteningly realistic portrayal of the road system there!


Those of you over there know exactly what I mean.

I'm guessing everyone in Charlotte has a picture like this.

Only mine is much more better than yours, so there!

I so totally REFUSE to grow up!

For some reason I was the only person doing this at the Natural History Museum.

Hand held, no tripod. Still the same camera, still the same lens.

The camera I had for this trip was a Fuji HS10 if anyone is interested.

I can do really good lens flare too.




Of course if you don't clean the dust off your lens for a few days you'll get even better lens flare!

A trick discovered quite by accident by yours truly.

By the end of the trip my uncle still had not learned how to frame a shot properly.

But he's now getting better as Anna and I got him a camera so he can practice!

Yes, it is a water bottle in my pocket and I am happy to see you.


Luray Cavern was very impressive. But waaaaay too warm for a cavern. Too much touristy body heat.


I do like the reflecting pools in caverns. Gotta hold the camera very very very steady.


I sure hope they don't fire up these rockets anytime soon!


Nope, Anna doesn't drink too much. Whatever gave you that idea?


As usual, I enjoyed myself.


And, as usual, I never pass up a chance to relax.


Expect more random pictures from the trip over the next few posts, no worries mates.