  June 2, 2004 We are in Chicago. (337 miles) Tom got a great deal through priceline and we are staying at the Palmer House in the Loop district. The kids loved the main lobby. The ceiling was painted beautiful pictures (Sean was quick to note the that people were naked). All of them felt like they were in the movie "Anastasia" when they were walking down from the balcony on the grand staircase. So of course we had to do it several times a day!
Spent some time seeing the John Hancock building, the science museum, and various other shops and buildings. I was impressed with the kids - since we lived in a very white NH, I was afraid of them making comments about the skin color of others. I guess we did get them out often enough because they never said anything about it. We did have some long conversations about beggars and when do you give and when you don't. It was a difficult concept to get across. They have always seen us giving money every month to different charities, donated food and clothing to the homeless shelter and Joan's pantry.
"Why don't you want to give that man with the bottle any money? " They really make you stop and question yourself - am I teaching them to be giving or am I teaching them to be judgmental? We visited with some friends of Tom's that he hadn't seen since college. They are very impressive and I felt like we aren't doing anything great by going to Tasmania. I am not completely sure of the dates, but they were in Nicaragua in the 80's providing health care. (he is a physician and she is a PA) They later went to southern Mexico and provided more health care there.
They we living in an area that didn't even have electricity! Their two oldest children we going to school and being taught in Spanish! She told the story of how it took "forever" to get into a store when they returned, because the children were in awe of the automatic door openers. Each one would need to take their turn at standing on the area that would trigger the door to open, allow it to close before repeating the process for the next child. My hat is off to them! 5 June 2004 We left Chicago and blitz over to visit Karen's aunt and uncle (621 miles).
It was wonderful to see Martha and hear some of the family skeletons. But we were able to talk to Uncle Al for the first time about his experiences during world war ll. I never knew he was on Omaha Beach on D-day. He was also in the heart of the Battle of the Bulge. He didn't say a lot, however the look in his eyes spoke volumes...... 6 June 2004 Made it to Colorado Springs. (another 650 + miles day) The kids I think are doing better than we are with the traveling.
They love listening to the book on tape. I need to thank RJ Rowlings for making the fifth Harry Potter book so long. I think when we finally finish it will be over 24 hours of listening. We will usually drive for a couple of hours and then when they start to get restless we will put on a cd and there is silence in the car. They continue to do math and geography in the mornings when we are driving. They also are writing in their journals (I think - they asked me not to read them so as far as I know they may just be drawing).
The scenery outside the car window changed from gentle rolling hills in eastern Kansas to the flat, baron land of western Kansas. Tonight we go our first real glimpse of the Rookies. These are real mountains and not the hills of NH. I can spend hours just looking at the snow caps. I don't think you could ever grow tired of looking at them. Especially when it is hot outside in the middle of summer and you can look up and see snow.
It was a beautiful sunset, full of soft pinks, warm oranges and brilliant reds. 8 June 2004 We crossed through part of the Rookies Mountains and camped in the eucalyptus grove last night. I was amazing we made it. When we were getting the house emptied and sorting what goes and what stayed we would casually threw in stuff we thought we might need. We never went through our standard camping check list. We did have our tent, unfortunately it is about nine years old and is showing it's age.
The fly will disintegrate whenever you touch it. Tom didn't think it was going to rain so tonight we are going without a fly. One of the tent poles was busted. So we McGyvored it with the tire iron and some duct tape. The kids had fun exploring the area. Sean especially seems at home here.
After breakfast he hiked up about 1000 feet to a point that seemed to have some caves. I can identify some of the plants, yucca, sage,and eucalyptus. It seems to be a transitional place with some desert, some alpine, and some that I thought only grew with a lot of water. I think it reminds me just how little I know about the different environments. 11 June 2004 Moved deeper into the southwest corner of Colorado and spent two nights camped at about 10,000 feet. There was snow next to the tent.
We had stopped and bought a new tent which turned out to be a good thing. Although it didn't rain the fly did help to keep the heat in. Everyone had to sleep with sweats, three shirts, two pairs of socks and a hat on. And there was times it was still cold. There was a river about ten feet from the tent. It was a beautiful place to pitch a tent, however the constant sound of running water wasn't helpful when you woke in the middle of the night needing to go to the bathroom.
It was toooooo cold to go outside and pee. We hiked higher and found an alpine meadow. Sitting on the rocks with the warmth of the sun on my shoulders and a cool breeze on my face I realized my mind was quiet for the first time in years. There was no twitting about the past, no to-do-list, no worring about the future. All that mattered was the here and now. Oh how I would love to stay in this moment.
Even the kids seem to be a peace. At least they are not fighting. Each seems to be wrapped up in their own imaginations, playing in the forest or by the water. 16 June 2004 We drove hard through the desert (and he four corners). At one point after we had crossed through the four corners into Arizona we pasted through a sandstorm. Although it wasn't a strong one we saw dust devils and the sand stung anywhere that your skin was exposed.
We arrived at 9 pm in Paradise Valley. I was nice to be at Tom's mom's and to take a warm shower before crawling into a comfortable bed. The temps have been in the 100's so the kids are enjoying Uncle Tim's pool. We still have not received the FBI clearance. The Australian govt. will not grant a work visa without it.
Doubts as to whether this is going to happen are lingering and we are making plan B. Is it a sign? I don' know, but we keep going back to the decision we made when we were centered. Going was what we wanted when we were in a good place. 18 June 2004 I can't believe the last twenty-four hours. We had to make a decision.
We had received the clearance and forwarded them on to the Australian Govt. The person who was to approve our visa was first out sick and then didn't get to it. It is now the weekend over there and we are scheduled to leave on Sunday. Do we go ahead to Fiji and maybe have to turn back at our own expense or do we sit tight until Monday and forfeit the money we had already spent to save our reservations in Fiji? Global was reluctant to approve their spending the money to pay for Tom and my ticket. Tom had spoken to Adrian at Global and told her he would call back in five minutes to tell her what we wanted to do.
We talked and had decided that we were going to take the chance and fly on to Fiji at our own expense and they could reimburse us if the visa was approved. In that five minutes Adrian had called the travel agency and told her to cancel everything and reschedule them for two days later including the reservations that we made and were paying for ourselves. She canceled without checking availability of flights on other days. Needless to says there were words flying when we heard what Adrian had done. After much to do they were able to get most of the reservations back. Now they need to make sure that Federal Express delivers the tickets to us on Saturday.
More last minute hair pulling - are they going to be right? 22 JUNE 2004 BULA ! ( It means "health" in Fijian. But they use it as a hello. ) We left the USA last night at 11:30. At least I think it was last night.
We left on the 20th and arrived on the 22. It seems strange to have totally lost the summer solstice. We went from having the longest day to having the longest night. We told the kids that it's great because the days will just keep getting longer down here. Even with the jet lag it feels wonderful to be back in the southern hemisphere. It was still dark after we cleared customs.
We landed on the Fiji island of Viti Levu, the largest of more than 300 "bits of land" some of which come and go with the tide and storms. We were waiting outside the airport and I automatically looked up for Orion. (I couldn't see him at all in Phoenix) I need to buy a book or at least a star chart - I have no idea where the Southern Cross is. We met a couple from England who are taking six weeks and traveling around the world with their 2 and 3 year olds. He is between jobs and thought they would never have the time again. They were perfect people to help calm our nerves - people who are taking chances and following their dreams, even if it isn't a convenient time.
The place we are staying is a typical Fijian hotel. The kids love having breakfast pool side and retiring to the villa when they're had their fill of food and swimming. We tried keeping them up to overcome the jet lag. Unfortunately, they are doing great, it's Tom and myself that are having the trouble keeping awake. We took them in a taxi to downtown Nadi. The route took us past sugar cane fields and locals with their veggie stands.
We also saw the part of Fiji that isn't in the brochures. While sitting in a restaurant the local village children, dressed in their school uniforms, would stare at us sitting there. Occasionally, if we caught their eye the would wave a shy little wave while having a huge grin on their faces. There was a fair amount of shopping for tourist, so I can't imagine that seeing a white person is a novelty. 24 June 2004 We took a very small plane (18 people including the pilots) to the island Vanua Levu and the town of Savusavu. We learned that Sean ready does get motion sickness.
There was a great deal of turbulence with take off and landing. Especially landing as a storm was moving in. This appears to be a much smaller and poorer town. The kids and I walked through town will Tom tried to print our visa information for Australia. We came across school children we didn't have shoes. Stopped by an open market where fresh pineapple, a large one even by american standards, was 1 dollar Fijian.
(1$ Fijian = 55 cents US) Many of the homes where worn. The hotel wasn't that great, but I have also stayed in worst. The poverty bothers Sean. He has always been sensitive to the needs of others and wants to help them. Tom read that 50% of the population under the age of 25 is unemployed. That is huge to begin with but also since they have a very young population to begin with!
I don't want to be callous towards Sean and his feelings, but this is exactly why we wanted them to see the rest of the world. That not everyone has gameboy, a pair of shoes for school or even enough to eat. Speaking of enough to eat, they are learning that they can't get the food they are used to. There has been a night or two where they are going to bed hungry because they didn't like what was being served and no other food available. I don't know if this is being too hard on them. But I do want them to learn to eat what they choose.
The flowers are beautiful. They said that this was a bad time to be here for the flowers, since it is winter, But I thought they were gorgeous. In Fiji if you are unmarried you put the flower over your left ear. If you are married it's the right. Although I have noticed some men put it behind both.............. 25 June 2004 We arrived yesterday at the Cousteau Resort. We are so not like this place.
They were waiting and singing for us when we had arrived. As we climbed out of the car, glasses of juice were put in our hands, some one introduced herself as Mere and took the kids off on a tour of the place. Tom and I did the usual sign in stuff that included "How would you like to spend your time here? Snorkel, scuba dive, sea kayak, walks in the rain forest, sailing. It is a bit overwhelming and I feel embarrassed to be here. It was truly wonderful but I still wonder about the side that you don't see.
How do the natives feel about the people who come here. 28 JUNE 2004 OK, enough of paradise. I think we are vacationed out and just want to be home at least be in Tasmania. We fly out in two more days. 
