Tony & Wendy's Travel Blog

Bluebird day so up and out early. Gorgeous blue skies but still very cold, thank the FSM. Snows still pretty good.

Sat on the bus on my way to the slopes when 25 stones of adipose tissue plonks down with a scumboarder big enough to stop him sinking. Can you imagine the inertia in the guy as he hurtles down. It’d be like being hit by an inter-city express.

Thank the FSM and common sense for ski helmets. Just got on the lift, not even sat back and this moron brings the bar down at full tilt before we’d even got out the lift station. Saved by my helmet. Give him a few choice words and he’s sent to Coventry for the rest of the ride as we all ignore him.

Good morning’s skiing. Day 24. Another Epic day 12,000+ feet. Good snow getting back on form.

Wendy’s off down to Kimble junction on a shopping mission for Angela’s birthday present.

Jere and Diane come round for dinner, first time we’ve got to see them properly since last year. A boozy evening, down some excellent Zinfandel. Great company, great food and great wine.

Feeling a tad the worse for ware. I think we helped rescue the American wine industry from financial failure.

The bus to the slopes this morning had 8 cackling fish wives on it. More rattle than a can of marbles, all jostling to get their 3 penneth in. Plenty of noise, no substance.

Lazy mornings skiing. My knees not in a very good mood and I’m picking the hertzmobile up at lunch. By lunch time the snows getting fairly had packed, not the best of conditions.

Great deal on the Hertzmobile, top of the range turbo charged Chevy. Move like shit off the shovel. Best of all it’s due back at 12:00 Saturday but she’s not bothered when it’s returned as long as the keys are in the drop box for Monday morning. Weekends hire for just a days rental.

In afternoon I pick Wendy up from the Christian Centre and then its a major shop, while we have the car, not forgetting an all important liquor store top up of wine and beer.

In the evening we drive down to the Back 40 Grill house in Heber for Angela’s birthday dinner with Hal, Carol, Pat and Diane. Great evening, good company, good food – definitely go there again – and awesome death by chocolate birthday cake, one of the best ever.

Reluctantly have a day off to give my dodgy knee a rest. At last a lie in. Saturdays are oh so busy so it not much of a loss.

As we have the car we drive over to Heber to see if we can pick up a bouncy chair for Beatrix. Wendy’s into this Christian Centre shopping.

Stop for lunch at Midway.

Then it’s yet another supermarket and free Sushi. When will the UN create a world standard supermarket layout, it’d save so much time.

In the evening we’ve got a night off from our hectic social schedule so we try and catch up on some episodes of Billions. Wendy gives it a “series to sleep through” rating. Pretty hard to follow with complex trades and too many similar looking people. You’ve several key characteristics like male, female, black, white, Asian, bald and hair colour so why can’t they select a cast to create unique, easy identified combinations of characters.

Howling a gale last night.

After a day off I venture forth for a few runs. Apparently yesterday was heaving. Today it’s quite icy so stop for an early coffee to warm up and let the snow soften.

My day off and some Tens machine treatment on my knee seems to have done wonders for it.

After lunch we take Bob and Marilyn to the PCMSC apres ski party. They’ve decided to join. Some great food and the usual friendly crowd. Nice thing is they finish around 18:00 so you get the evening to relax and sleep through TV after all that wine.

Drop the Hertz mobile off – keys in the drop box. Great deal, 2.5 days hire for just one days cost, thanks to them closing at 12:00 and the dropbox..

No snow today, after 3″ yesterday. It’s colder than a witch’s titty in a brass bra doin’ push-ups in the snow. Just 22F but with wind chill that’s -8F.

Have a good mornings skiing, although its a tad too busy for my liking – busier than a religion of pieces stoning on a warm sunny day.

See Bob and Marilyn in Miners Camp.

In the evening our social life is expanded further as we have to turn down drinks with neighbours because we’re venturing out to Park City Film Institute to watch a series of short films entered into the Oscars. Free tickets from the Christian Centre so can’t really complain but most of them were bizarre to say the least. Wendy didn’t like any of them because “they’re all foreign” with subtitles. Anyone would think she’d forgotten how to read. The film theatre is in the library. Another first for us. Very impressive, and best of all you can at least get a drink, although a wrist band to verify I’m over 21 is obligatory. Well we are in Utah.

More fresh snow overnight so all the runs are deep powder.

Meet up with Helen and we set off in a freezing snowstorm, but at least visibility is not too bad. After 3 hard runs, wisdom kicks in, or is it wimping out, and we quit.

Try a dirty Chai at bump and grind then it’s back home.

!2″ fresh champagne powder yesterday. Abandon the idea of a lazy start for the day and set off early.

Wendy’s volunteering at the hospital.

Bump into Helen and George in the locker room. Get a few runs in. Back to the old routine, up Eagle, down Temptation, then Mells Alley. Meet up and ski with Helen, George and Jere until about 13:00. Awesome snow, some great runs. Helps me feel a bit more confident but still a mind game. Sunrise has been groomed, but fail to understand how this isn’t a double blue. I think the marketing department must have graded this run for maximum profit.

George and Helen run me home and we put the world to rights yet again, over a few Urquell Pilsner.

Then I venture into the jacuzzi for some R&R.

Yesterday was Fat Tuesday (Pancake day) and I missed out, so made up for them today at breakfast.

After yesterdays exertions I go for a lazy days skiing. Up and out late. Get a few runs in and then meet Wendy at the Christian Centre. This time she’s bought a great ski helmet for Kurt, all for the exorbitant sum of $3.

In the evening Helen and George pick us up and we go down to The Natural History Museum in Salt Lake for a 2 hour guided tour of the museum by a volunteer palaeontologist. Very interesting and gives us a greater insight into the exhibits. Then all 12 of us troop round to a Vietnamese restaurant for a good meal. Food was different and very good. The soup bowls were ginormous, you could wash your feet in them. Great evening, yet another benefit of the Park City Mountain Sports club. All part of our hectic social life over here.

Appointment with fear today as I go to get my crown fitted at the dentist.

Dip out on a days skiing, but as it’s snowy and poor visibility it’s not too bad.

I think I truly deserve an award for bravery, having ventured, solo, into the supermarket and purchased some cereal.

Instead of skiing I have a walk to the Christian Centre to meet Wendy. Yet more toys for Jasper and food galore.

Then it’s a walk in the snowstorm to Starbucks and then onto the supermarkets, part of our daily top up to save on a weekly big shop. You have to do these things when you’re poor and have no car so you rely on the great bus service.

In the evening we have tickets to a Cirque Eloize performance at the Eccles Centre – local high school. Walk round in the snow storm, it’s only 10 minutes walk and there’s something quite satisfying about walking through a snow storm, all snug, warm and dry in your artic gear. Free tickets are curtesy of the Christian Centre yet just one of the many benefits of Wendy’s volunteering there. First time we’ve been to the theatre at the Eccles Centre, It’s quite impressive. The performance was amazing. Such awesome gymnastic feats, make us feel like a couple of cripples by comparison.

Well that keeps us awake for the evening.

Wow another 7″ of champagne powder, no dentist so today I get to ski. Snowing and cold all morning but the powder is great, so much hard work but awesome when you can’t see your ski tips. As the majority of snow came down overnight, its not been groomed down on any of the runs so it really makes you work hard. Just another day here in paradise.

Afternoon we take a walk in the snow. Call in at the Christian Boutique where Wendy’s seen a retro Patagonia fleece. Try it on and it fits. All of $18 and still in perfect fettle. Must be all 30 years old just like my other one. They’re a collectors item. There’s a same one on eBay going for at least $80, one like my original is selling for $120. We love love Patagonia gear. It’s such good quality, it lasts longer than an Arab blood feud and they even have a repair shop. All part of there philosophy.

Pig out on Madame Secretary in the evening. What a great series it is. It’s one of our few free evenings this busy week, need to pace ourselves better.

Bob and Marilyn pick me up and we ski together in the morning. Very cold and snowing, but the best skiing so far this season after yet more snow – 6″ last night. Ideal conditions of just 2″ of fresh powder on top of well groomed runs.

In the afternoon I look after Angela for Carol. Teach her how to play draughts / checkers. She picks it up pretty quickly.

Bob picks us up for dinner round at their home. Have a lovely evening and dinner with them.

Busy morning’s skiing and oh so cold – it’s colder than a brass toilet seat on the shady side of an iceberg.

Go and do a bit of a shop. Sushi for tonight; some quality beers – Pilsner Urquell – none of that girly American cats urine; even get a couple of cans of Boddingtons, who knows we might convert some American friends; treat myself to a bottle of Hennessy Black Label Brandy – well we are here for 20 weeks and I’m sure if I don’t drink it Wendy will manage to pollute it with some lemonade – it’s oh so smooth, so I’ll be hiding it

from Wendy. Very tempted to have a snifter of brandy before, or even while, skiing. It’s claimed a few drinks relaxes you, so you ski better. Might help me with my mind game battle that still plagues me.

George and Helen come round for dinner. Have a great evening putting the World to rights, it’s all so simple why can’t these politicians get it right.

Another blue bird day.

A great days skiing over at the Canyons on the dreamscape side of the mountain. What an awesome run Copperhead is. Really impressed with this side of The Canyons, still not too enamoured with the base area and Super condor side.

Wendy’s volunteering at the Christian Centre. Let’s hope she doesn’t catch religion as she’s not been immunised against it.

Quit just after lunch, get some browny points and meet Wendy back at the house.

Do some wine shopping. It must be the altitude and dry atmosphere up here that makes it evaporate so quickly.

Another awesome day.

Up to Deer Valley for a days skiing. For the first time ever I was not too impressed. Groomed runs were quite skied out and so very busy.

Meet Wendy down at the Snow Park Lodge for lunch. Have a few runs after and then quit for the day.

Anna and Leon are taking us out to dinner. Try the Blind Dog but they’re booked up apart from a late table when Noddy will have well gone past Big Ears. Plan B, we decide to go to Squatters and if it’s too busy we’ll resort to plan C, go and buy Sushi at supermarket. After waiting for 20 minutes and no bus, we go for Plan D. Go home, have wine with beans on toast.

What is it with eating out in PC. Every time we try and go out it’s a total screw up. Last year there was power cut on Main Street so all restaurants were closed. We joked about going to MacDonalds as a guaranteed fall back. Turns out on the news the following day that it’s a day of revolt against Trump, even MacDonald’s was closing for the day.

When will Americans get over their loathing for the current President. Yes, it’s almost the French Revolution against Trump, but it always seems to me that no matter who the current President is, Americans always detest him and think he’s an idiot. It’s in built in their psyche. Get over it.

A days skiing with the Schmitt family, including the downhill racer Angela.

Head over to the Canyons. Work our way over to Red Pine Lodge for lunch. Then work our way back again, ge back to the Gondola just in time before it closes. A good day but oh so busy in places and quite icy.

With my track record these past two years it’s also always good to ski with a nurse.

In the evening we all have a Mexican takeaway at our place and then Angela entertains us with her repertoire. Where does she get her imagination and energy from. Her and Jasper will be like twin tornadoes.

Lazy start to the day. As it’s black out day there’s no skiing on my locals pass.

Cultivate some browny points by going down Main Street with Wendy for a Merchandising fiesta. As usual we don’t buy anything, but it’s the thought that counts. Then it’s a Starbucks moment for us both, before I bravely go with her for the weekly shop. How come I start out with all these good intentions but end up loosing the will to live waiting for her. Ah it takes so long because she’s got to find everything. Hang on this is the same store she’s been coming to at least once a week. Now you see if this was a male dominated role we’d have had the UN establish a World Wide Standard for supermarket layout. End of wasted time problem and eliminates the marketing departments opportunity to screw the customer by moving things around.

in the evening we try and catch up on British TV. What with Netflix and now HBO we’re swamped.

Question times from Edinburgh. Nothing but loathsome, grabbing, whining jocks. For the FSM sake lets give them a 2nd referendum on devolution, but this time England should get a vote in whether they stay or go. I’m sure it’d be a landslide to get shut of them, if only to see less of that gobby bitch from the SNP.

Black out day again, but it not so bad as it’s snowing with that horrible wet snow. One of the busiest days of the year, atrocious weather and lousy visibility, definitely a day to be avoided. Sad for all those who have just come up for Presidents weekend.

We tootle off down to the Tangier Outlets centre to take Wendy for some retail therapy. Don’t we just love the Columbia store. Every year they pack in more merchandise and less room for the customers. At this rate there’ll be no room for the customers next year. I wonder if the geniuses in the customer exploitation and piracy department (marketing) will notice?

Some fresh snow overnight. Lazy mornings skiing. Take it easy as it’s oh so busy, being Presidents Day. And no despite the general hate and loathing for Trump they haven’t cancelled it for the next four years. It seems a peculiarly American attitude in that they always hate or think the current Presidents an idiot. What’s more even if they voted for him.

More fresh snow overnight. Not a lot but it all helps.

It’s howling a gale at the top. 6 or more lifts and the gondola are closed as it’s too windy. Expect they may close the others soon so keep on the runs that you can get back down to base on without being trapped.

Lazy morning again. Snows great though.

Carol pops round in the evening with our Costco supplies.

My blog gets promoted on the Home Exchange site – https://blog.homeexchange.com/blog/exchange-tips/experienced-approach-to-home-exchange/5637/
– not had any death threats, yet.

Carol runs us back home and drops Wendy off at the Christian Centre and then we hit the slopes. Have a few runs together and then I get her to enjoy the day rather than sticking with me on the easy slopes. Meet up for coffee.

What an awesome day, great weather and plenty of snow, although a bit crunchy. Still sticking with my “get my head back together” plan and enjoying the easy and flattering runs. A real confidence boost today. Skiings coming back together and so is fitness as I manage whole runs with no stops and no burnout. Very tempted to up the anti, but will stick with it for the week, got my 10 planned runs in.

Wow saw a sight rarer than a Mountain Lion sighting, as a scum boarder checked behind him before setting off. Amazing. Good job none of his mates saw him letting the side down. There’s hope yet.

Having a locker is great. No longer have to lug those heavy planks of wood up, but also have a comfortable locker room to change in.

After skiing walk down to the Christian Centre to pick Wendy up and walk home. She’s bought a bag of toys for all of $5. They weigh a ton as I lug them back home, like a knackered pack horse donkey, hotter than two hampsters farting in a wool sock in my artic gear, sweltering in the sun.

Lazy evening trying to stay awake.

Well my weight loss is going great. I won’t call it a diet as I’m eating normal and assisting the American wine industry. In just under 1 weeks lazy skiing I’ve lost 4lbs. Once I get in full swing skiing I’ll have to be careful walking over sewer grates in case I fall through. Perhaps need to increase the wine intake to slow down weight loss!

Lazy start to the day.

It’s 44F, like skiing on a slush puppy – spring skiing. Hard work. Don’t like. Just manage 5 runs before throwing my toys out the pram and going home. Mind you at least with 10 weeks here you can afford to be picky – did I really just say that? Where’s the obsessive, must ski all day every day me gone?

Bloody hell it’s raining down here. Not doing the snow any good. Need fewer therms.

On my daily commute there’s some awesome wildlife as two Moose are just loitering around outside Jans on a busy corner. Alas no Mountain Lion sighting. Who knows perhaps the Bear will be back this year.

Still being slightly stupid when it comes to skiing, I set off for a few runs. At least it’s not a white out but the driving snow means it serious goggle skiing. They don’t have any wipers so visibility is confusing and it’s so warm that we’re still skiing on a giant slush puppy. After a few runs, enough to get me another “Stupid Skier” pin, common sense kicks in and I quit. Good news is despite my gear being drenched I’m cocooned in a warm dry shell thanks to my 10 year old jacket and new ski pants.

Spat me vitals, another days skiing compromised, feeling like a Dalek whose plan to conquer the world was frustrated by a staircase.

Call off at Starbucks to try another of their reserve coffees and buy a bag for home.

Wendy’s volunteering at the hospital. I very kindly meet her off the bus and we travel home together. Lazy afternoon and evening. Catch up on some UK TV.

Meanwhile feeling like banging my head against a wall as I try to understand how Trump’s Immigration ban has violated the constitution. It seems that there’s enough muddied waters to make a whole anti-trump parade of millionaire lawyers. I’d always thought having a written constitution, unlike ours based on past precedent, would make life easier and clearer.

Wow 13″ of the good stuff overnight. The World looks a heavenly place this morning – paradise.

Set off to see Angela race on Nascar. Never seen lift queues like it. Takes me 45 minutes just to get to the top of Payday, and thats using the singles line. Angela bombs down Nascar, great little skier.

Snow pretty good but tough skiing with all that fresh powder. Very busy, frighteningly so in places. Too busy, too many queues, too many people. Spoils it.

Walk down to Chase and then meet Wendy at supermarket – well where else would you expect to find her.

Hal and Carol come round for dinner as Angela’s having her first sleep over and they’re unsure whether she’ll stay.

First really bluebird days since we’ve been here.

Up and out early to get Anna and Leon sorted with ski hire. Then a great days skiing. It nice and cold and they had 3″ of new snow overnight so the snows in pretty good, squeaky, condition.

I quit just after lunch time as Jere and Diana picked us up and took us to the Park City Mountain Sports Club (PCMSC) apres ski. It’s a bring an appetiser and own booze do at Bobs home. What massive awesome home they have. He has an amazing collection of baskets and Indian pottery. Finally get to pay our club dues, all of $25 a year. Money well spent. Have a great afternoon with plenty of nice food and much chit chat about skiing. Trump’s kept out of the polite conversation.

Up early for another great days skiing with Anna and Leon.

Hal picks us up and takes us up to the mountain so we can use 6 of his buddy passes. What awesome friends we have.

Snows still in pretty good condition although some runs are a bit icy.

Meet up with Wendy for lunch and butties at PC base. Then I quit and make our way home, via the liquor store – need wine.

Lazy start to the day. I don’t get up there until 11:00, letting the snow soften up.

Hals out on the mountain and gives me a ring to hook up (learnt that in my teach yourself American course). We meet up and I drag his skiing down to my level. Have a great morning skiing with him, he helps me regain some of the confidence I lost thanks to that crazy scumboarder yesterday.

Coffee on the beach outside Campos, enjoying the sun and putting the World to rights. What an awesome day; what awesome skiing; what an awesome life.

Drop my skis off for waxing. Don’t you just love it when people tell you they don’t need them sharpening, just waxing, even though they’ll get less revenue. Cole Sports, a no rip off shop.

Join Wendy, somewhat belatedly, for Tipsy Tuesday. Pass on the Margarhetas, a girls drink, but commit a sin and have a well deserved beer. Great free Nachos and Salsa.

National Ability Centre send out an urgent request for volunteers, I nip along and volunteer to do guiding from Sunday. They’re a great organisation and do such great job, they really do deserve support.

Escape at last, for 10 weeks skiing in paradise. Assuming I can avoid any major breaks.

So it’s goodbye remoaners, who are out to screw Brexit and the country. Goodbye liberal lefty PC stormtroopers. Goodbye to busy body marches – it’s nothing to do with you and is democracy in action. Goodbye to the hypocrisy on sensible border controls. Goodbye to endless futile petitions. Goodbye to toddler tantrums thrown by prissy and spoiled millennials.

You’ll not be missed.

Hopefully by the time we get back everyone will have calmed down and we’ll be on our way out of the Evil Union.

We escape in style as we fly Virgin Upper class Manchester to Atlanta. We upgraded with our air miles. What an amazing way to travel, but what silly prices. They tuck you up with a continental quilt and a brandy to drown the nightmares, but no bedtime stories and you can tell times are hard when there’s no onboard masseur or upper class chef.

Arrive in Park City 24 hours after leaving home but the luxury of the 9 hour flight certainly made the trip much easier. Sadly it’s back to cattle class from now on, at least until we amass enough air miles for an upgrade or accelerate the rate at which we fritter away of our kids inheritance – tempting.

No comment on the usual screening / TSA crap. I think I need some tablets or a better surfboard wax to keep me on my virtual surfboard of life when encountering this nonsense. Just think of it. The so called World’s leading country, suffers all this through a few 7th century barbaric rag heads, and can’t come up with better scanners and solutions. Time for Trump to get his teeth into this senseless bloated job creation industry that’s got too big to ever be tackled.

Our new home for the next 10 weeks is awesome – see pictures. Thanks to Janelle and Mike. It’s oh so comfortable, quality all round and well equipped. Feeling at home already.

Sadly no skiing as Wendy has to go for her drug test, needed if she wants to volunteer at the hospital. I ask you is it really likely a 68 year old Nanna is on anything stronger than Ovaltine? Then it’s the Costco experience to really excise our credit cards. To further enhance the days shopping extravaganza it’s the local supermarket. Wendy’s in her element. By this time I’m off to the liquor store for the essentials (wine, beer and brandy) and then I slink off to Starbucks, drowning my lost ski day sorrows in one of there selected coffees.

Well that’s it, from now on I’m allowed on the slopes.

My big debut day on the slopes. Yeah, I can still ski, so that’s a start. Must admit there’s quite a bit of trepidation, especially as I get off my nemesis, that dam lift, for the first time. I’m taking it easy on green runs for the first week as I try to get my head back together. I’m also not that fit. Well actually my dodgy leg is fine, no problem, exercises paid off, but my good leg is burning out and needs strengthening.

Stop for a well deserved coffee. I’ve been well and truly fleeced. $5.39 for a cup of coffee. Of course I have a few polite but caustic comments about greed and having a urine sample taken. “Ah but you can have free refills sir”. As if that makes any difference, although next time I’ll bring a flask and top it up. The young cashier tried to make me feel better by showing me how ridiculous a Burger, chips and coke were at $28.

An awesome first days skiing. Great weather, awesome snow and best of all I survived.

Wendy’s toddled off to the Christian Aid centre to volunteer on reception. Another day to keep her out of trouble. Pick her up from there and return the Hertz mobile. From now on we’re poor, have to make do with the bus and shank’s pony – very healthy.

Start the day with a healthy breakfast of granola and red fruits. Oh the joys of eating healthy as I chomp down on a brick in my granola and a slab size portion of tooth comes off like a glacier calving. That’s what you get eating healthy. In future I’ll stick to buttermilk pancakes or waffles.

Being Saturday the dentists are all resting their weary laurels, such a hared job, so I’ll have to slice my tongue every few minutes and suffer until Monday.

Oh well time to hit the slopes.

Another great days skiing, even if it is only on the easy greens for now. I really should have done more all round ski exercises.

Evening we start on my free trial of HBO Now. They really seem to have a great selection and it works over a VPN from the UK.

Given the traffic gridlock early yesterday I have a leisurely start to the day and set off around 11:00. Get a couple of hours awesome skiing in even if limited to the greens.

Meet Wendy for lunch at Jupiter Java. Surprise, surprise Eva, our favourite barista is there – she’d got a new job at Wells Fargo, is now studying accountancy at night school but still works here most Sundays as well. We get high fives and hugs all around. I hold Eva responsible for our destitution having introduced me to Dirty Chai’s, which now cost me a fortune at Starbucks.

Wendy sets off home on foot and I have another couple of hours skiing.

It’s weird this getting it back together on skis. I know I’m competent, and touch wood, hardly ever fall. My first broken femur was due to hitting too fast a mogul field I didn’t realise was there. My second was due to a witch from California stamping on my ski. Yet I’m still nervous. Im so much more aware of idiots around me who come to close. But, FSM forbid, even if I was confined to skiing just green slopes for ever it would still be the most awesome. It’s just so great to be out there and enjoy the mountains.

More HBO to drop off to. I blame the wine.

Appointment with fear arranged for 11:00. Dentist even remembers me from last time 3 years ago. His advice is a crown as he doesn’t think a filling will last long. A mere $1,129, to think people moan about NHS. All very efficient from a cast of thousands.

Amazing isn’t it for the past 25 years or so I’ve had fillings and crowns without the needle and have never really had any pain, either during or after treatment. This is a big job so I opt for the needle, but pass on the laughing gas. The second injections more painful than anything in the past 25 years. I thought water boarding was illegal in the US, Despite Trump’s wishes, well this dentist doesn’t seem aware of that as he sprays water in my mouth, does a great job of near choking me. I’m in the torture chair for 90+ minutes, by which time the injections wearing off. And then to top it all the rest of the day I’m in pain from the pneumatic drill he’s used on me while fitting the temporary crown. In those 25 years I’ve never suffered any after pain like this.

Joy I can come back in two weeks for fitting the proper Zirconium crown. Can hardly wait.

No trip to Kimble junction would be complete without Wendy sauntering in not one but two supermarkets. Treat her to a new girlie pink haversack – aren’t I kind.

Yeah, great news we’ve booked our flights for our Park City summer extravaganza. Yes, we escape for 10 weeks back to paradise.

Need copious bottles of medicinal wine tonight to overcome the pain.

A wasted day. No skiing.

Well apparently they closed the Interstate both ways because a herd of Elk have decided to take a stroll down it. Just love this country.

Well I tried to talk Helen out of skiing with me whilst I’m still taking it easy, but she’s a glutton for punishment.

We set off in a howling gale, snowing, flat light and powder drifts all over. You can hardly see where we’re going and after one run our gear is soaked. We both agree it’s time to call it a day, this is no fun. Assumedly we’ll get the “Stupid Skier Pin” for venturing out in such conditions. Good news is there’s no lift lines and hardly anyone out.

Helen and George share there locker with me. This is awesome as it means I won’t have to lug my skis up every day and there’s a pleasant locker room available.

Helen comes back to our place for a coffee, whilst waiting for George. Meanwhile Wendy’s tootled off to the hospital to sign up as a volunteer and complete her learning modules.

Carol and Hal pick us up in the afternoon to take us back to their new home for dinner. It’s awesome, +5,000 square feet; enough bedrooms and bathrooms to house a hoard of refugees; fantastic views over the Timpanoga Mountains; nice and remote. We have a lovely dinner and then stay the night so they can drop us back in PC in the morning. By way of a change I help Hal assemble some bunk beds, enjoy it, really is my forte these days, needs to be as the instructions are about as much use as a PC with no screen.

Awesome American friends.

Yet again we’re resisting the temptation to swell the coffers of the card companies, but instead will be making a donation to Cancer Research UK.

And if anyones offended by the word Christmas, tough.

Up and out early, a rare event for us geriatrics. It’s cold and rainy. Getting us prepared for our return to Belthorn.

Drive down to Pinnacles National Park.

23 million years ago multiple volcanoes erupted, flowed, and slid to form what would become Pinnacles National Park. What remains is a landscape unlike any other. Travelers journey through grasslands, chaparral, oak woodlands, and canyon bottoms. Hikers enter rare talus caves and emerge to towering rock spires teeming with life: Prairie and Peregrine falcons, Golden eagles, and the inspiring California condor.

Luckily by the time we get there it’s stopped raining. I hobble around a short walk and get some photos. Also yet another cap to add to my collection. Oh yes forgot to mention my fall yesterday. Tripped up over a step at Nat and Paul’s. Banged my right knee up, smashed the filter on my camera. Luckily my femurs ok and the filter did its job and protected the rest of the camera. Another sign of old age. Now I’m hobbling around with a very bruised knee.

Oh and Wendy’s did see a bald eagle yesterday, a sighting was on the overnight news.

Then we drive up to Salinas, our next overnight stop. I finally get to visit the Steinbeck museum, the objective of our Salinas stopover. Not a massive museum but a sort of pilgrimage. Last time we were here, we arrived too late as it was just closing.

In the evening we finally get to try an In / Out Burger.

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10157899941695249&set=a.151197510248.229935.621375248&type=3&theater

Yes, we sure live it up. Amazing this place is heaving and next door the MacDonalds is empty. Have a 3 * 3, they sure are good. Better than MacD’s.

Drive up to San Francisco. Our hotel is awesome. Half the cost of our previous SF hotel and restores some faith in Choice hotels. For once a choice hotel with no problems and very luxurious. Just lately we’ve started to give up on choice hotels, there’s always some sort of problem. Started using Best Western and have not been disappointed. But this place is exceptional.

Martha and Bob (home exchangers from San Diego) pick us up at the hotel and take us a tour to the Bay park and then onto the Cliff Inn for dinner. Spectacular sea and sunset views, good food and company. Really good to meet up with them.

Had a pleasant stroll down to the local Starbucks, sat out watching the world go by and absorbing caffeine. Late check out of the hotel and then off to the airport to begin our day of hell.

It starts of course with a queue to check-in as they can’t be bothered to open yet. Now I can appreciate that the majority of people don’t arrive more than 3 hours ahead, but judging by this queue quite a few do. Now with a morsel of common sense and some thought for customer service, they could have just one checkin person on a couple of hours early. Then we have the inevitable misery of the TSA before we mange to escape to the comfort, seclusion and alcohol of an airport lounge.

Food and alcohol selection in the lounge is excellent, so we have our dinner there rather than suffering airline food. I have a lovely bottle of Pomerol. At least when I get on board I can don my eye mask, take a couple of sleeping tablets and hopefully get some sleep with no disturbance. Don’t think the sleeping tablets are much good. Do they have a sell by date?

Flights very good. We have exit row seats, so plenty of leg room. Unusual for Virgin the cabin crew are like a bunch of lobotomised autistics. Zero personality. Zero interaction.

https://www.facebook.com/tony.w.edwards/posts/10157907888725249?pnref=story

Don’t I just love TSA stupidity. In just 20 feet, in full sight of all TSA agents and other passengers I’ve had my boarding pass checked by 3 separate TSA agents. Then I pile everything out of my pockets into my jacket, only to be told I can keep my jacket on. You just can’t win against this random stupidity.

Flight lands on time Tuesday morning. Clear immigration in record time despite my fears to the contrary and my automatic passport scan not working.

Pick car up and then the real hell begins. Road closed by the police for some unknown reason, so takes about an hour to escape London. Then there’s a 71 minute delay on the M6 South of manchester. Road works for eternity. When will they stop these long stretches of road works? When will they stop so many road works in the same area? How are they allowed to get away with this madness. Time to hand out some brown envelopes or have a Saturday afternoon lion feeding. Try accepting Satnav alternate route to end up driving down pitch black, narrow country lanes. Give that up and resort back to the motorway.

By now I’ve totally lost it. Smashed my virtual surfboard of life against the virtual skulls of the dimwits responsible for this chaos. Foaming at the mouth. Thankfully you’re not allowed to have a gun in this country, otherwise I’d have shot all responsible.

There’s just no retribution against this madness. No one is ever made to pay or is accountable. You have to wonder, how many of these journeys could be avoided with remote working? Sadly we have no politicians with a skerrick of common sense, no transport policy, no tax incentives for remote working and worst of all no accountability.

Finally get home after 5 hours of hell. Time for a well deserved Jeva and try my quality Hennessy

For all those whining cry babies who are throwing their toys out the pram because Trump won and now want to flee the country. Go. Abandon your country. We’ll gladly have your citizenship. Dual citizenship would suit us just right.

Our cultural overdose watching “The Two Gentlemen of Verona” by Billy Shakespoke. Wendy dragged along kicking and screaming. Not bad for a first attempt at writing a play.

The language is oh so rich but so fast that you don’t really have time to let it seep in and enjoy it. They should have to pause after each sentence so you can absorb it.

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10157873010050249&set=a.151197510248.229935.621375248&type=3&theater

At last we get some rain here in the desert. Yes, apparently San Diego is classed as a desert.

Lazy morning. Pop down to see Ralph in the supermarket.

After lunch we take a stroll along the beach down to Belmont Park. It’s an old 60’s style amusement park complete with wooden rollercoaster that these days would be considered ideal for a tiny tots amusement park. That’s enough excitement for the day.

Up and out down to the Old Town to pick up the Hop On and Off Tram tour. A tad expensive but a great way to see San Diego – again.

Hop off for a wander around the Gas Lamp district. What a waste that was.

Hop off for a wander around Coronado. Visit the hotel but decide lunch and even a coffee are just too ridiculously priced. Have a stroll around followed by a Panera lunch for Wendy and Starbucks for. Coronado is so up market and relaxing.

Hop off at Bilbao Park for a stroll around. Have tea at the Japanese Tea Hous. Interesting discussion there with 3 raving ranting raging democratic storm troopers, who think that anyone who voted Trump was an idiot and the sun shone out of poor Hilary’s vagina. Wow this country is so polarised. Is there no middle ground? To listen to them everything Trump does is crazy and evil, even breathing. Surely most Americans would agree that both candidates were awful and it was down to choosing the lesser of two evils.

We didn’t hop off at Little Italy, but it looks a great place for a stroll and some coffee.

Finish our tour back at the Old Town. More Mexican shops and restaurants than tacos on a Tuesday.

A great day out. What a lovely city San Diego is if you keep off the Freeways and don’t go out at night.

Lazy morning cleaning up etc.

After lunch we head down to Carrillo National Monument. Free admission with our NP pass, awesome views over San Diego and the Coronado and some pleasant strolls. Watch an interesting film on the Grey Whale. Wow it travels 4,000 miles a year to feed, have sex and give birth.

Pack in the evening and we’re all ready for the last leg of our grand trip.

Happy Thanksgiving America. You can now give thanks that the 18 month pantomime that was your Presidential election is over. Hopefully now is the time to come together and work together. Sadly, like BREXIT, reading the entrails, it’s not looking too favourable.

Set off to Santa Barbara. Involves a drive through Los Angalas, 7 lanes of potential hell, but it turns out that everyone’s tucking into turkey so it’s not too bad.

Black Friday – are they really allowed to call it that?

Drive up to Atascadero to visit Nat and Paul. They were our first home exchangers, in Sedona, and were responsible for puting us onto the home exchange path. Have a lovely afternoon with them, with a trip in Paul’s 1960’s Cadillac. Can you believe this car, only 37,000 miles on the clock, in mint condition, enough steel in it to keep the American steel industry going for a year, a 8.2 litre engine (just drive down the drive and you need a refill) and roomy enough for 2 families to live in. It’s awesome. They certainly don’t make cars like that anymore. A car from an era of big cars. Have a drive around town and practice my royal wave.

Have afternoon tea and then in the evening it’s dinner. A great time meeting old friends, great food, great company. It’s years since we saw them but we pick up just as if it was yesterday.

I see the Obamas have had their Christmas tree delivered. I’m surprised they’ve got the gonads to call it a Christmas tree. I’d have thought holiday tree would have been their mealy mouthed PC response.

Thanks to the scrots from our Coronado home exchange we have been let down at the last minute. But all is not lost, thanks to Chris and De-Shaun, we spend 3 nights with them up at San Marcos. Then another home exchanger has stepped into the breach with a two bedroom condo down on Mission Beach.

Lazy morning in the hotel after the worst breakfast ever served in the garage of a Comfort Inn. Choice hotels really are loosing the plot. There’s always some sort of screw up with them.

After lunch we drive up to Chris’s lovely new home in San Marco. Get settled in there and meet the dog pack. Wendy wants to take the cute little poodle cross home with here.

In the evening we go out for dinner in the Mall. Good choice on the menu, I even get to have Tappas, which only in America includes pizza. Love the home made Jalepeno sauce. Cant believe the wine prices, why they even make NCL cruise prices look cheap.

We both slept like a black bear in hibernation. I think we’ll be trying to sneak this mattress out in our luggage when we leave.

Set off to Carlsbad for a wander around and lunch. Carlsbad village is all very up market and pleasant.

Then drive up to Oceanside. Lovely beach resort. Typical California beach town complete with pier. Full of healthy people enjoying plenty of fresh air, exercise and the beach – no excess adipose tissue blobbies around here. Have a stroll down the pier and afternoon tea at a traditional American diner at the end of the pier, complete with typical American diner waitresses.

Pick up a Mexican takeaway for tea on the way back to Chris’s.

Off down to San Diego Safari park for the day – well afternoon. Walk the whole zoo and do the safari tram tour. Neat zoo, I enjoy it but Wendy’s not so impressed, apart from the Gorilla with baby in arms. Knackered by kicking out time.

Take away tonight is a Quesiddila and Taco – it is Taco Tuesday after all, half price everywhere. Both were awesome. Taco had like pork kebab in it. Really must start to have Quesidillas at home.

Leisurely day at Chris’s as we can’t get into our home exchange until 16:00. Supermarket and bank for some cash to pay for our Park City stay in February – can’t wait – first snow has fallen today, somewhat belatedly this year.

Drive down to our new home, on Mission Beach, for the next 8 days. It’s clean and comfortable, only 50 yards from the beach. Thanks to Martha for stepping up at such short notice, saved us from Hotels or VRBO.

Lazy morning with the excitement of a trip to Ralph’s for Wendy and I while away an hour at Starbucks. There’s a crazy geezer sat outside. Can’t tell what sex. Every time someone comes in he begs them, louder than a constipated opera star, for coffee, not money just a coffee. Eventually it gets rewarded for all the excruitiating whining. There really should be a sign saying “don’t feed the wildlife” it only encourages them. Apparently yesterday he was lay down in the middle of a 4 lane road, outside Starbucks, whining and raving for coffee. Is this what happens to you if you drink too much Starbucks.

After lunch we set off down to Torrey Pines State park on our way to Janelle’s for dinner. Drive up the coast. Traffic is like an exodus of arthritic tortoises, nose to arse tail all the way. By the time we arrive at the state park it’s time to leave for dinner so we give it a miss.

Drive on up through even worse Interstate traffic to Janelle’s.

California traffic is dire. I’all not rant about traffic at home after this trip. Well, not for at least a week.

Lovely dinner with Janelle and Mike, along with their friends Bob and marilyn who will also be up at PC when we are there, so good to meet them. Good company, great food and an enjoyable evening putting the World to rights. They were all keen Trump supporters. Amazing how similar the problems and views are the World over.

2nd attempt to visit Torrey Pines State Park. This time we made it.

A pirate at the entrance robs you of $15 to enter. Nice visitors center and we do a few of the easy walks around the cliffs and woods. All very pleasant, but Wendy’s incensed that after putting down a sizeable deposit on the park, just to enter, she cannot eat her lunch on any of the walks.

Then we drive down to La Jolla. Have a pleasant stroll around the beach front and then onto the cove for a starbucks and stroll around. With all the birds and seals around the sea caves it stinks worse than a knackers yard on a summers day. Of course there are warnings not to approach the seal but it’s amazing the level of illiteracy or stupidity in this country. One young blobbie, very akin to the seals in the amount of blubber she’s toting around, just can’t resist trying to get a selfie with a lazing seal.

La Jolla is very up market and you couldn’t mistake it for anywhere other than California.

Have a stroll down Mission beach.

Stop for an Italian espresso by the beach. People watching, the healthy lythe young eye candy roller blading, volley balling, cycling, jogging or just walking. Typical California beach life.

Chris and DeShaun come over for lunch.

Then in the evening we catch up on some BBC.