• Category Archives Trips

  • 167 miles.

    Posted on by beno Comment

    Our mate Robert came over to the really big island from his current digs in Hawaii to spend some time with his friends in San Diego and us in Temecula.
    Robert is a large format film only landscape photographer, so we have a good deal in common. We met him in Australia years and years ago when he came out for a church convention. He fell in love with the country and came back a bunch of times, so we got to see him every year for many a year.
    Once we moved over here however, our paths crossed a lot less, so it was great to catch up with him again.
    Since hes into all things landscape and loves the back country, Freddy and I planed to take him on a bit of a jaunt when he got out here…. The timing could not have been any better with the area getting a record dump of snow the day before.
    We took him out to Indian Springs, one of our favorite places as most of you would know, then over the back to Borrego Springs, also a fave.
    We went on a real short walk up one of the many canyons and saw some beautiful wild flowers. Freddy and I are real excited to go back there as soon as we can and do some more walking.
    From there (and after a beautiful Freddy lunch on the tail gate of the Rangie) we drove up into the back of Julian and saw two things…. The most snow ever, over 2 feet of it, and the longest line of stopped traffic… about 5 miles… people wanting to sight see!!! So glad we went in the back way, we sailed right past it!

    Anyway, had a fantastic day, came home to a good feed and a warm fire to check out Roberts 4” x 5” film camera and feel totally in love with it.

    Thanks for heading over Robert and spending the day with us. Looking forward to catching up again some time soon.

    (You can see the photos from the day on in my photo album).


    Life in the USA Photography Trips

  • Short update.

    Posted on by beno 2 Comments

    The Internets tubes have been against us…. can you believe that the cafe we were using broke down??
    No? Well, you are going to have to trust me thats what really happen!

    So, just to really quickly rewind (I am borrowing some Mac net time from my friend in Sydney), we had the interview on Tuesday….. During said ‘interview’ (which consisted of three questions, work, school and house) they revealed that they could not accept the marriage certificate that we presented (funny, it was the same one we have used for everything in the last 20 years and the same one we used for the E-3 visa two years ago).
    They wanted the registry version. We got married in Victoria, the USA consulate we were at was in New South Wales.
    What to do? Well, we could apply by mail for the certificate, that would take 5 days, or we could apply for it on line, that would take 5 days, or if I applied in person, it could be issued on the spot.
    Right then, thats the option for us.
    So, I booked a fight that evening, my friend Gordon picked me up from the airport, we dulled the nerves with a bottle (or two) of red, next morning, we drove into town, it took 6 minutes (I timed it) to get the ‘correct’ version of the marriage certificate, Gordon then drove me to the airport. I flew back to Sydney, went to the Consulate, handed it over.
    4 hours latter they rang to say it was all done and did I want to pick it up at 9am on Thursday?
    So I did.
    And that, as they say, is that.

    We fly back Monday, back at work Tuesday.

    Catch you then then.


    Life in the USA Trips

  • None for me means none for you.

    Posted on by beno 1 Comment

    Just when things settle down a little and I feel like posting…. we really do have no internet……
    On the motel web site, they said they have internet, when we get here, no, they don’t.
    So, other than the odd cafe, we are in the dark for the next week.
    So, until next Monday when we get home, hope your all well and we will catch up then.
    Just to keep Alexi happy, here is the link to the photos that I have been putting up.
    Tomorrow is the big day….. will try and blog and let you all know how we went.


    Life in the USA Trips