Grandma and Grandpa, having turned
twenty-one (it says here) treated themselves to a round-the-world
trip. No dodgy hot air baloons across India this time though –
proper business class all the way (ooh!). We had a great two and a
bit weeks, taking in Big Sur, Yosemite, Monterey and err Walmart.
With trans-Atlantic pampering seemingly
having cured dad of his long-standing aversion to flying, ma 'n' pa
settled in quickly and we decided to go to see Lick Observatory on
the weekend after arrival. I'd been warned the drive was a bit of an
occasion but it came as quite a shock to the fifteen-year-old Dodge.
I've got quite accustomed to roads wide enough to get four cars
abreast so driving the old thing up a two-way goat track with
cyclists bombing up and down (in 35 degree heat – are they mental
or just taking the same stuff as Lance??) was relatively
entertaining. For me anyway. Judging by the white knuckles elsewhere
in the car, I'm not so sure everyone felt the same.
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| Sophia's (perfect) photo |
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| My (blurry) photo |
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| I could've bought a penny chew with that |
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| Dad, what's a black spider with a red splodge on its back called? |
Great place anyway, Sophia even sat
through a talk about an optical telescope and then asked to take some
pictures. My phone wasn't good enough so cue nudges and giggles
around the place as five-year-old Sophia 'does' the photographer part
with an SLR slung round her neck. Her photo's better than mine too.
Grr.
After a really nice break at Yosemite,
we headed off to Monterey and Big Sur. We seem to spend a lot of time
at both places cos they're really quite nice. Pfeiffer beach was
sunny and lovely, we did the usual lets-bury-Tommy-in-the-sand games
and then went for a paddle. Funny how the Pacific never warms up.
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| Arrrrrhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh it's COLD! |
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| Study of road and RV in colour by Tommy Mole 1/Many |
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| Who's that over there? |
Back to Monterey for a nice game of Uno
in an Italian restaurant and more aquarium-related shenanigans the
next day. The smiles in the photos say it all.
