days of nuwanda

The real reason Hubby travels all over

...is to build up my Starbucks mug collection. Although he needs to go *back* to New Zealand b/c he forgot to get one there. Wait--do they have S*bucks over there? Surely hobbits like coffee...

 

More Forks!

 
I created a new album to share all the pics Hubby took on the drive to and in Forks, WA last week. Nevermind the Twilight connection, the scenery is beautiful all on its own. Enjoy!

NYC pics

I wanted to post a few photos from Hubby's recent visit to NYC. He had a chance to see the Statue of Liberty, tour Ellis Island, and visit 2 of the most important stores anywhere--the Apple Store and the LEGO store. :) Go here to see the entire album.

 

 

 

 

Alaska in the summertime

Hubby's working in Juneau, Alaska this week/weekend, and it's a perfect time to go north, if you ask me. Sure, it's rainy and foggy and dreary, but it's only 55-65 degrees! I'm jealous, b/c we've been roasting here in Indiana all summer long. He sent me some photos from the flight, taken on his iPhone but turned out pretty good. Beautiful snow-capped mountains! Some of the white puffs are clouds, but most of it is snow.

And if you look closely you can see a tram way up there and coming down the mountain. (Click on photo to enlarge.) Hubby hopes to ride it this visit. I think I would rather take my chances and roll down the mountain than ride the tram, but that's just me. My stomach is doing flip-flops just looking at this photo! 
  

Fancy Kmart

I've been meaning to post this photo. When Hubby was in New Zealand in April, I asked if they had a Wal-mart, which they did not, but he found a Kmart, located in the Dunedin mall. Looked kinda funny to me. I've never seen a Kmart inside a mall--have you? I was a little surprised Kmart was in NZ and not Wal-mart or Target, given the number of Kmarts that have closed in the US in recent years. I'm pretty sure this is the nicest looking Kmart I've seen. :)

NZ trip photos

So Hubby arrived safely in Dunedin, New Zealand, on Sat afternoon (Sunday morning their time). I've only connected w/ him twice since then (3 times if you count the accidental 2 am phone call, when he *claims* he got confused on the time. :) Thank goodness for Skype--turns my iPod Touch into a phone! He seems to be doing well, tired but managing. I stole these photos from his FB page, but I don't think he'll mind.

Hubby at the train station

 

Train station--nice looking building!

 
Another nice building, I believe at a local university

 
A Cadbury factory--perhaps the most important souvenir stop of all! :)

 
Their version of "Yield" sign

 
Some weird trees, very gnarly and old looking

 

 Local scenery. No hobbit sightings as of yet. :)

Seattle, WA

Hubby here in Seattle, WA for an AIIM conference where I am doing a presentation.  Here are some shots of the hotel and my view... very nice.
Very cool fountain
  View from my room (180 degree view)

Hope to be posting some pics from Space Needle.

Spent the night in a silo!?!

Hubby here.

Went to Akron, OH and spent the 2 nights at the Quaker Square Inn (not square but round as in a silo!!!). Here is a link to an aerial view.

  Room layouts  I was in 407 and the black space near the room is where I had my bath room.  The room is 24' in diameter.

   From the iphone, notice the round ceiling.

Hall way

To the elevators and more rooms to the left and right

Last day in Alaska

Well I am heading home today.  Leaving at 9:30pm and arriving at 9:30am...uggg (to the travel not to the coming home).

Here are some parting pictures from Anchorage.

This is one of the glaciers in Chugach National Forest.

   You might be wondering what the bars are by the road.  The snow gets so bad in this area that this is how to tell if you are on the road.  The end of the bar (hang over) is even with the white line on the road.  Albert said that at times when he has driving in snow storms, he had to get out of he truck and feel with this feet where the end of the road was. 

  This valley is called an avalanche valley.  The rubble at the bottom was the results (notice there is still snow from the avalanche).

I asked the reason behind the dead trees near the inlet. In 1964 there was an 9.2 earthquake near Anchorage.   The result was a rush of seawater into the lower areas near the inlet, which destroyed the trees.  There was also a gas station on this side of the road that was 1/2 buried now due to the quake.

 
Near Albert's house, where I stayed in Anchorage (one of the owners of the company), the city discovered a leak in the water pipes.  When they started digging, they found these were the water pipes, which are now being replaced.  They are oak planks surrounded by a wire to hold it together.

And me feeding Star, the reindeer, and Albert w/Star.

What is it like in Juneau?

I have been asked what is it like in Juneau... It is wet and never dark.  Juneau is considered a Temperate Rainforest.

• Average annual rainfall ranges from 55 inches (1,400 mm) to over 90 inches (2,300 mm) depending on location; annual average snowfall is 101 inches (257 cm).
• The average high temperature in July is 65 °F (18 °C), and the average low temperature in January is 20 °F (-7 °C).

It averages 18 hours of 'daylight' during July..but it never really gets dark.

This shot was taken at 3am (yes I was awake...still on EST).