The Blue Angles

Had a great weekend with my mom and dad who came to visit with us while we are in Georgia. It was really nice to have them with us and their kids, grand kids, and great-grand kids. A very nice time all sitting around the Sunday dinner table with them.


Yesterday was also a nice day out as my dad, daughter and grandson all went to see the air show at Dobbins Air Force Base where we enjoyed all of the aerial demonstrations - especially the Snow Birds

and the Blue Angles

precision flying teams. If you have never seen any of these precision flying teams, or been to an air show, go to http://aero-pix.com/schedule/schedule.htm where you can find all of the big shows, and some of the smaller shows that are for specific types of aircraft.

Tomorrow will be our last day with the kids as we will be flying back to Arizona on Tuesday. We have had a great visit, but are looking forward to getting back home and seeing our cats - all four of them!

This is Butterscotch, our lovely male. We also have his brother Blackie who is pitch black and a bundle of trouble; and his mother, Kali (a very loving tabby) and his father, Big Guy who is a solid black short hair. The were all feral cats that we rescued. After we 'adopted the mother cat,' she brought her four kittens to the house one day. A couple of days later, daddy showed up. We took them all to the vet and got them all fixed up and kept them. After we lost two of the kittens to coyotes, we purchased an enclosure where they can be save from the predators here on the desert where we live. They each have one of these pots in the enclosure along with shelves and a 'cat condo.'

They like their enclosure and stay in it most days, except during the monsoon season when we sometimes have bad storms. They even enjoy it at night. However, they come inside each morning for breakfast and a bit of 'running around the house' for exercise. We know when they want to go back out as the begin lining up at the patio door. In the late afternoon it is back into the house for playtime and supper and then, if the weather is fine, they go back outside for the night. During the winter when the nights are pretty cold in the desert, they stay inside. Also, they stay inside if it is raining (or might rain) during the night. If you have cats, and would like to keep them inside cats so they do not pick up anything from the other cats in the neighborhood, or get into cat fights and such; you may want to consider an enclosure. Our cats love theirs, but still enjoy being inside with us for a few hours each day.

Don’t Check it – Carry it!

Pat and I are still in Georgia visiting our kids. We will be flying back to Arizona on Tuesday. As I was thinking about all of the problems with packing and carry on, I though I would share them with you.

Apart from the fact that so many airlines are now charging you for checked luggage, learning how to pack so you don't have to check luggage can save you time and the possibility of lost luggage. When you arrive at your destination, it is a great feeling to be able to bypass the baggage claim area. Here are five things to consider so that you will not have to check your luggage ever again.  

#1: Use the hotel amenities or collect all of that free stuff they give away during your next stay. Most hotels offer some amenities in the room – shampoo, conditioner, body lotion and more. Additionally, if you ask, you can often pick up more at the reception desk such as toothpaste and deodorant that are not normally in the room. And, if you have picked up the ‘hotel stuff’ from your last hotel visit, and packed them, you will also have that to choose from.

#2: Stay away from liquids and go solid. If it's not liquid, it can be packed in your carryon luggage. Deodorant, makeup, and even sunscreen have solid or powder alternatives. And, if you do have liquids to carry on, be sure to follow the rules for carry on liquids. The 3-3-1 Rule. http://www.tsa.gov/311/index.shtm

#3: Use travel sizes whenever possible. You can find these, even some of the more upscale products, in many stores and online. You can find them at a discount store like Target for the basic grocery store items. Frequent travelers should stock up on basics like toothpaste, shaving cream, deodorant, hair sprays and the like.  

#4: Buy it when you get there. I use this trick if I'm staying somewhere a week or more, especially if it's a familiar destination. Once I arrive I simply stop by the store and pick up the items I will need during the trip. Not only can I do this with things such as sunscreen, shampoo, conditioner, toothpaste and other easily purchased items in full-sized versions; but I can also look for some good bargains on underwire, shirts and slacks. I know I always have to replace items of clothing so; I just wait until my next trip and pick them up then.

#5: And finally, don’t carry it – ship it! If you are going to be gone for a longer period of time, but will still be staying in generally the same location, ship your stuff ahead and have the hotel hold it for your arrival. You can use the regular shipping companies, such as UPS or FedEx or even the USPS. Normally, you will find the cost to be around $30 for a normal sized suitcase. There are also several companies that specialize in shipping your luggage. You will find that it is worth it for the time and headaches saved. Plus, there is the additional savings over having to replace the contents of your luggage if your checked bag is lost.  

Don’t Throw Away Your Old Underwear

Okay – I know this is really going to sound crazy. But, it is something I have been doing for years and it works. When my underwear is about seen its best days, instead of trashing it, I wash it a put it away for future travels. I also do the same thing with socks, as well as other items of clothing that are still usable, but just ready to replace.

Now, when it comes time to travel, I pack the old stuff and just throw it away when I am finished with it. This is an especially great thing to do when traveling overseas as I end up with extra space in my luggage for bring home souvenirs on my return flight. Also, it can be a lot of fun shopping for that special piece of clothing while on vacation in some exotic location. And, if you buy too much, you can always find a cheap piece of luggage for that extra stuff. Or, just ship it home.

Now, I am not suggesting that you keep the socks with holes in them, or the underwear that is more wear and under. And, I wouldn’t want you to save shirts, blouses or slacks that are full of holes or frayed to the extent that they really look bad. Just those items whose time has come because of being dated or perhaps pretty well faded.

I recently had the opportunity to stay at Grand Canyon West a few weeks ago for several days. While there, I of course took awalk on the Grand Canyon Skywalk, as well as taking advantage of several of the other recreational opportunities there. I stayed at the Hualapi Ranch where we had our own cabin with a nice porch that was great for sitting and reading while watching the colors change on the canyon walls as the sun was going down.

Grand Canyon West is a “destination of choice” where visitors can create their own experience whether it is a daytrip from Las Vegas or an overnight adventure at the Hualapai Ranch in canyon-facing cabins. Visitors can choose their method of transportation to the destination by driving themselves, a short 2 hours from Hoover Dam, being driven (via coach/bus, SUV or Hummer) or being flown (via airplane or helicopter). Once at Grand Canyon West, visitors have their choice from a variety of activities at three individual viewpoints - Guano Point, Eagle Point and the Hualapai Ranch – all accessible with the purchase of a basic entry package. The viewpoints are accessed by a continuously running hop-on-hop-off shuttle that enables visitors to stay at each for as long as they like. Additional experiences are available including a walk on the Grand Canyon Skywalk, the glass walkway 4000 ft above the canyon floor, and a boat ride on the Colorado River via helicopter - Grand Canyon West is the only place in the Canyon where visitors can access a boat at the bottom of the Grand Canyon year round. Visitors can book their trip or get more information by calling Hualapai Tourism at 1-888-868-9378 (internationally at (001) 928-769-2636) or visiting www.hualapaitourism.com. Grand Canyon West is open 365 days a year (weather permitting).

About Hualapai Tourism:

Grand Canyon Resort Corporation, which is wholly owned and operated by the Hualapai Nation, manages Grand Canyon West, Hualapai River Runners (whitewater rafting), and the Hualapai Lodge. Grand Canyon West is a collection of viewpoints and attractions spread over 9000 acres of the Grand Canyon’s West Rim in Northwest Arizona, just 120 miles east of Las Vegas, Nevada. Grand Canyon West is the only place in the Canyon where visitors can access a boat ride on the Colorado River via helicopter and is home to the Grand Canyon Skywalk, a glass walkway 4000 ft above the canyon floor.

The site attractions are: Guano Point, with panoramic canyon views and the historic guano mine tram; Eagle Point, the location of the Grand Canyon Skywalk, the Native American Village with authentic dwellings of multiple tribes, and live Native American performances; and The Hualapai Ranch, a western town with cowboy entertainment, horseback riding, wagon rides and overnight cabins facing the Canyon rim. Private cars are welcome or all inclusive tours are available from Las Vegas, Phoenix, and Sedona by airplane, helicopter, coach, SUV, and Hummer. The Hualapai Lodge on Historic Route 66 and Grand Canyon West are open daily 365 days a year.  Hualapai River Runners, the only one-day whitewater raft trip through the Grand Canyon, operates March – October. Visitors can view a complete list of activities, book reservations, and get directions at www.hualapaitourism.com or by calling 1-888-868-9378 - internationally at (001) 928-769-2636.

New Hoover Dam Bridge

In mid November, the Hoover Dam Bypass will be open to traffic, substantially reducing the drive time from Las Vegas and California to Grand Canyon West, home of the world famous Skywalk glass walkway. Hundreds of thousands of visitors each year drive their own vehicles to Grand Canyon West, which before the Bypass was complete, was a 2.5 to 3 hour drive east of Las Vegas.  The Hoover Dam Bypass is expected to take more than one hour off of the travel time roundtrip because now travelers can bypass the congestion caused by having to go over the dam.

I was able to see the bridge not too long ago and all that was remaining was the very last road section at the center. You can bet that Alp (My Class C) and I will soon be making the trip across the bridge to see the spectacular new view of the dam.



Kile's Full-Time RV'ing Blog

This morning my son-in-law introduced me to another blog about travel that he enjoyes and I just wanted to share it with you. Kile's Full-Time RV'ing Blog (http://kileville.blogspot.com) has some great information on places to go and things to see and do - especially for RVers. He also has loads of great photos. I'm sure you will enjoy his blog as much as I do.

Dubi Water Fountain

A friend of mine just sent me this today and I wanted to share. It is pretty spectacular, even though you may not understand the language of the song. http://www.wimp.com/dubaifountain/

Wedding

Pat and I are in Georgia now. We came back to attend the wedding of a good friend of ours. He is 40 and this is his first time. We never thought we would see the day.

Max is not your normal kind of guy, but someone very special to us. Like me, he likes to travel. But, when I lean toward a nice leisurely river cruise, he opts for a jungle expedition in South America. And, being a bit on the adventurous side, his wedding was anything but the norm. He held his wedding in a railroad museum, the Southeastern Railroad Museum, and they (he and Jennifer) were married on the observation platform at the back of a vintage Pullman car. It was the same private car once used by President Warren G. Harding. I will post pictures of their wedding as soon as I download them from my camera.

Pat and I are also taking the opportunity of being in Georgia again (We used to live here in Douglasville, just west of Atlanta, but moved to Rio Rico, Arizona when we retired.) to visit with our kids and grandchildren. We are having a great time visiting with them. They live in Calhoun, Georgia where my son-in-law, Jarrett has a computer business (http://www.surpasssoftware.com/) in Calhoun, and my daughter, Diane, teaches Spanish at Christian Heritage School in Dalton, Georgia where our grandkids, Justin and Diane, attend.

Welcome to my new Blog

This blog will be about my many travels, the travels of my family and friends, and others who are regular visitors of my travel site, www.gettingaway.com. I hope will enjoy this site and become a regular contributor to Getting Away With Jim Bruner. As I will also often be posting information on good travel deals and tips, I hope you will visit often.