Alpine Adventure update

Arrived in Chamonix with a half day to explore this touristy village at the base of Mont Blanc. It is a cute little place with beautiful views. I explored, ate lunch along the rushing mountain water, and bought a new pair of trekking sticks. Then off to the hostel which I would rate as less than average.

The next morning I set off for Les Houches, the meeting point for the trek. 10 arrived, 9 set off- a French couple, a Danish woman, 3 Australians, myself, 1 French guide, and a mule.

We are on day 6 now and have lost the French couple. We arrived in La Fouly very wet thanks to a mid-day shower. We arrived to find hot showers and wifi access (the first so far)!

More to come after the trek...for now enjoy the photos :) 

Familiar Places

The last 24 hours have been a mix of new and familiar.

New- taking the 4 month old non-stop flight from SFO (11 hrs), sitting in an exit row and being asked "are you prepared to do what needs to get done in the event of a crash, like they did on the asiatic flight (the one that crashed)?", a different room with a new view in Lyon.

Familiar- CDG airport and the SNCF station, having all technology not function or dysfunction, mangling the little French I do know, missing a train, the hostel in Lyon, already repacked my backpack 3 times in 24 hours.

Ok so I am in Lyon for the night and will be on an early train (actually 2) in the am. I probably should go out and enjoy the city but I am tired AND I have to get up early in order to  get to the station! If I weren't going on another epic trek I wouldn't be detered by the exhaustion and early hour...but I have this trek :-)

Oh and for just a moment I feel the need to comment on the flight attendant's question. If she and the airline expect that those in the exit rows will fulfill what she implied were crisis management techniques, such as opening the door and finding an appropriate place for it in the airplane, directing and communicating with highly emotional individuals, working effectively with your exit row seatmates, and staying calm and thoughtful during a possible crisis...then either they should lower their expectations or create some sort of certification which muat be xompleted in order to sit in the exit rows. Seriously. The door in my aircraft was 58 pounds, I am not willing to bet my life that everyone who curently sits in an exit row can lift that.  And shouldnt there be height requirements? The doors are tall! And what about language capacity? Don't you want individuals who speak the local languages or on internation flights the language where the flight originated and its destination? I don't know, I just didn't feel comfortable with her question.

Alrighty thats all I got.

Alpine Adventure

Minutes away now from another adventure in the alps. The weeks leading up have been chaotic;  I had forgotten the challenges of prepping for a trip while still on the job!

All is done now and I am ready to board...au revoir!

Misery Trail

This might be the best and most appropriate name for a trail yet. 1000 feet up in one mile. In the sun. The views were worth it though.

Then there's this guy they call "monkey face" but I am thinking it is more like  "planet-of-the-apes face"...what do you think.

Here are more photos from the hike:

Airport view

Charlotte airport from above.

Setting sun

Sunset at The Resort

Kebabs, bubbles and family time. About sums up the evening.

Oh and the brother and I have an addition to the list:
1. Preferred mode transportation around the resort: golf cart, snowmobile, skis. These are not to be confused with the activities one might engage in at said resort

Thank you and goodnight.

Holiday with the southern kin

First look at The Resort.

The Brother and I are wondering what makes a resort a resort? Here are our criteria in no particular order:

1. Must be at a natural location: beach, lake, mountain
2. Must require a map to get around the resort
3. Must have a pool
4. Must a golf, seaonal
5. Must have a "business center"
6. Must have multiple keys or codes to get in
7. All inclusive by being exclusive
8. Must have a bad restaurant, or mediocre at best
9. Any addition items that you want or need or heaven forbid forgot will cost 3 times the normal price
10. Must have pre-planned activities and entertainment

More to come!

Hiking with American pilgrims

Met up with a group of Pilgrims and Pilgrims-to-be for a day hike at Big Basin. A perfect day for hiking in a fantastic park overrun with redwoods. I was a bit apprehensive as I did not know anyone, and  generally find American have a different perspective on travel and the world than I do. Still, I figured it was worth the risk, they were all coming together because of Camino.

I met many interesting people, those filled with worry and excitement as they planned their Camino and those who are Pilgrims once, twice, and three times over. I felt a great camaraderie, there is just a connection, a deeper understanding of humanity I think...being with other Pilgrims filled a void and I was reassured that it was an incredibly beautiful and inspiring experience that does not go away.

New plans and new technology

Work, work and more work. This is how I have spent the last 9 months. It took a few months to settle in to the routine of life here in the States. I am still trying to figure things out but I suppose that will always be the case- I think that is more a mismatch of personality and culture than location or workload.

Travel planning has begun, an 18 day trip that includes a 10 day trek in the alps has been booked. Now it is just details and training; almost as fun as the actual trip itself! Also talking to friends about a week in Mexico for the premiere of a new film festival...more on that later...

Testing out new technology too, in hopes it will afford me the ability to post within the day or even hours of each adventure.  Expect little notes and thoughts the next few weeks as I test reliability and functionality.

Good times ahead!