Anyone Game? It’s my Sep 2013 Blog! I'm home; with a TR link in #1189, 10/14

[PrincessInOz]

(Continued from Previous Post)




The main focus point for all things outdoors was the intersection of Flinders Street and Swanston Street. Afterall, there is Federation Square and Birrarung Marr on one side, and the main train station - Flinders Street Station - on the other.

The Station was set up for the RockWiz stage. All night, non-stop, entertainment!

Remember how I said that there were heaps of people around?

Back to the lights! Most of the buildings on the other side of Federation Square and Flinders Street Station were lit up. Check it out for yourselves!

By this stage, the boys were keen to head home. We'd ended up spending a rather short period of time here. I would have loved meandering the streets to see more street art....but I got a rather icy reaction from the boys.

Next year, I'm ditching DH and DS and going in by myself!

 

[ACDSNY]

Beautiful pics!

 

[Minniemum]

Next year, I'm ditching DH and DS and going in by myself!

I'd be happy to join you next year if you're looking for a companion.

Great photos! Melbourne really put on a performance last night

 

[areweindisneyyet]

I want to be home in Melbourne. She looked beautiful. Thanks for sharing.

Your trip is definitely coming together. Loved the Qantas sale too.

 

[tiggrbaby]

That was an amazing night! Thanks for sharing!

 

[zanzibar138]

Wow White Night looked awesome! I'd be pretty tempted to go next year, but I don't think I could handle those crowds

 

[franandaj]

We would need to get some of those nets, possibly chop sticks.

The alternative would be to cook a noodles or fried rice in the apartment and take it down. It would be easier and we wouldn't have to worry about having to heat and cook raw food in hot broth.

I like that idea better. However, in cleaning out the office upstairs I found over a dozen pairs of disposable chopsticks and I know that I have at least three or four nets. Back when I silly enough to try and cook shabu shabu at home. Now I know it's easier to pay $20 and have it prepared than to thinly slice the meat, find udon and mung bean noodles, and cut all the veggies, plus make the sauces!


The pictures from Melbourne look great! Are all those images projected on the buildings? How do they do that? And on so many buildings too. I wish our city did neat things. Pretty much the big event here is the Grand Prix. Next after that is Gay Pride!

 

[PrincessInOz]

Beautiful pics!

I'd be happy to join you next year if you're looking for a companion.

Great photos! Melbourne really put on a performance last night

Sounds like a possible DisMeet date!

I want to be home in Melbourne. She looked beautiful. Thanks for sharing.

Your trip is definitely coming together. Loved the Qantas sale too.

Yes....and SouthWest went on sale today.

That was an amazing night! Thanks for sharing!

Glad you're here!

Wow White Night looked awesome! I'd be pretty tempted to go next year, but I don't think I could handle those crowds

Actually, it's pretty safe. There were heaps of cops around.

I like that idea better. However, in cleaning out the office upstairs I found over a dozen pairs of disposable chopsticks and I know that I have at least three or four nets. Back when I silly enough to try and cook shabu shabu at home. Now I know it's easier to pay $20 and have it prepared than to thinly slice the meat, find udon and mung bean noodles, and cut all the veggies, plus make the sauces!


The pictures from Melbourne look great! Are all those images projected on the buildings? How do they do that? And on so many buildings too. I wish our city did neat things. Pretty much the big event here is the Grand Prix. Next after that is Gay Pride!

Let's go with the fried rice or noodles idea; pending what we can find for groceries.



I believe that there are projection lights that project on to the buildings. I talked to a couple of guys during Christmas and they were the programmers behind the company that did the projections. They have special software that allows them to work out what they want to do and then they have to make it happen in real life. Would be pretty cool to be able to do that!

 

[PrincessInOz]

Plans as they stand for September 17 - 19; Sedona




What are we doing?

Fly out of Los Angeles and head to Phoenix. Pick up a car and head to Sedona. On the way, I hope to see Montezuma’s Castle....

..... and Montezuma’s Well.

DH and I have a brief stop at the Castle before; but we didn't do it any justice then. I'm not sure that it will be any different this time; but as we are in the area, we might as well make a stop.


We’ll drive up the 17 and along the Red Rock Scenic Byway (Route 179) to Sedona.

Where are we staying?

I’ve booked 3 night’s accommodation near the Red Rock State Park. We won’t quite have views of Cathedral Rock from where we are; but we will be within walking distance of the Oak Creek River and fabulous views of Cathedral Rock.

What are we doing?

Hanging out with the energy vortexes! Bell Rock, Cathedral Rock, Boynton Canyon and the Airport are where the 4 main energy vortexes in Sedona are located.
We’ll be up to our eyeballs in the spiraling spiritual energy flows where we are staying!


But it’s not all about the New Age in Sedona. It is one of those meccas of the outdoors….red rock, canyonlands, pines and creeks. It’s the land of Broken Arrow and Pink Jeeps. But that’s not the experience I’m looking for at Sedona.


I’m planning on dragging DS (hopefully not kicking and screaming) for a 6 mile hike along the Oak Creek Canyon. This West Fork walk has been rated in the top 10 walks you can do in North America; so we’re going to ‘go see’.

The other activity that I’ve booked in is a train ride through the Verde Canyon. The last time I was in Sedona, I missed out on this experience. Not this time! I’ve got us first class tickets on the scenic choo choo.

The thing about our visit to Sedona is that we will be there during full moon. I’m going to be looking for vantage spots to be photographing that man in the moon with the red rocks in the background. And whilst I’m doing that, I suspect that DH might be out seeking the Drum Circle that seems to run in Sedona during full moon night.

Hey…..we might be complete opposites in many regards; but we know how to make the relationship work!

 

[ACDSNY]

I can't wait for your pics from the Sedona portion of your trip, I know they'll be awesome.

 

[Minniemum]

Oooh.... A real life Carsland trip. Looks fantastic!

 

[skier_pete]

Sedona is beautiful. While Phoenix will still be hot in September, up in the hills it should be pretty moderate (mid-twenties at a guess?).

We've done Montezuma's castle as well. Very cool! Well worth a stop, but shouldn't take more than a few hours max.

I also want to mention the drive up from Sedona to Flagstaff via the Oak Creek Canyon is absolutely amazing! IDK about hiking it though.

 

[PrincessInOz]

I can't wait for your pics from the Sedona portion of your trip, I know they'll be awesome.

Angela - I sure hope I get some decent shots.

Oooh.... A real life Carsland trip. Looks fantastic!

Sedona is beautiful. While Phoenix will still be hot in September, up in the hills it should be pretty moderate (mid-twenties at a guess?).

We've done Montezuma's castle as well. Very cool! Well worth a stop, but shouldn't take more than a few hours max.

I also want to mention the drive up from Sedona to Flagstaff via the Oak Creek Canyon is absolutely amazing! IDK about hiking it though.

I think this hike is relatively flat for the first 3 miles. That's the bit I'm planning on doing.

 

[franandaj]

I'll be interested to hear about Sedona. We would always stop there for a couple hours on our band trips en route to Las Vegas and I never understood the place, but in three hours, that's not enough time to really do much of anything.

I don't see us going there though, without the draw of a casino, Fran wouldn't be very interested as hiking is unfortunately not her thing!

 

[PrincessInOz]

I'll be interested to hear about Sedona. We would always stop there for a couple hours on our band trips en route to Las Vegas and I never understood the place, but in three hours, that's not enough time to really do much of anything.

I don't see us going there though, without the draw of a casino, Fran wouldn't be very interested as hiking is unfortunately not her thing!

I have high hopes for Sedona. The last time we were there, I was pregnant with DS. It will be nice to share it with him for real this time.

 

[tiggrbaby]

I have high hopes for Sedona. The last time we were there, I was pregnant with DS. It will be nice to share it with him for real this time.

How sweet!

 

[zanzibar138]

Oooh your Sedona section looks awesome! If you're looking for company for your hike, I'll happily volunteer

 

[PrincessInOz]

How sweet!

Oooh your Sedona section looks awesome! If you're looking for company for your hike, I'll happily volunteer

If you do, be prepared for potentially a whine-y boy!

 

[PrincessInOz]

Plans as they stand for September 20 - 21; Grand Canyon



Where are we doing?

Leave Sedona and drive along Highway 89A towards Flagstaff. This drive is one of Rand McNally’s top 5 drives in North America. And this is the direction that Skier_Pete recommended earlier.

From Flagstaff, I have a number of options to drive into the Grand Canyon. I’m wondering if I should drive in via the East entrance along the 89 and stop by Wupatki National Monument and Sunset Crater; or if I should head straight through along the 180 to the Grand Canyon Village. It may just come down to how we feel on the day.

Where are we staying?

I’ve booked 2 night’s accommodation at the Grand Canyon. Accommodation right at the rim seems to have been booked out; even for 8 months out so I had to go with the Plan B choice.


What are we doing?

We have a full day at the Canyon and I suspect that DH will want to head down into the canyon. DS, on the other hand, will probably want to do very little.

A half-way measure may be to hire bicycles and cycle along the rim. I think I might be able to persuade both boys that this activity might be the compromise one for us.

Me? Let’s just say that I’ll be looking at the GC through one end of a lens.

I'd like to hit as many of the lookouts as possible.

 

[zanzibar138]

I’ve booked 2 night’s accommodation at the Grand Canyon. Accommodation right at the rim seems to have been booked out; even for 8 months out so I had to go with the Plan B choice.

So what's the plan B choice?

A half-way measure may be to hire bicycles and cycle along the rim. I think I might be able to persuade both boys that this activity might be the compromise one for us.

Sounds like a great plan!