Count Down to Antarctica and South America -2016

It's been awhile since our last adventure.  We have spent the last year planning and preparing for the NEXT BIG ADVENTURE, which is a three month journey....first to Antarctica on an expedition boat for two weeks,

then a flight to Patagonia trekking and boating in Argentina and Chili,

Another flight to Easter Island, Chili

Brazil and the Amazon Jungle and River.






Then we are off to Peru

and sailing in the Galapagos Islands for two weeks on a small catamaran.

We hope to see all of the sights above  (stock photos) and have the opportunity to personally photograph many wonderful experiences.    And it begins in January of 2016, which is summer in Antarctica.    We are excited, a  little anxious about Drake's passage to Antarctica and yellow fever mosquitos in Brazil, but certainly prepared to go.

We are immunized against yellow fever, our visas are ready, our cameras are poised with batteries and empty SD cards , we have our arsenal of travel medications including scopolamine patches for the passage across the often treacherous Drake's Passage,  and our bags are almost packed.

Once again we tried to limit our luggage to just carry ons, but let's be real, it's pretty difficult to pack for the below freezing conditions in Antarctica and the steamy, mosquito infested jungle of the Amazon; boots, thermals, jackets, rain gear, mosquito nets, bathing suits, repellant, sunblock, cameras, binoculars, water purification, snorkel gear, water sandals, and the list goes on.  So it looks like we will have one shared 28" shared rolling duffle bag under 50 lbs. , two 22"  carry ons, and two personal items (small backpacks).  It is certainly more than we would like to lug, but still quite conservative to what most travelers carry for just a weekend.  So I think we are ready....until we get there and discover we have forgotten something.

We hope you will join us from your armchair as we visit these wonderful places on Earth.  Stay Tuned!

Thinking about Kathmandu, Saturday, April 25, 2015

We awoke this morning with the terrible news that Kathmandu in Nepal has suffered a catastrophic earthquake and that buildings have collapsed and thousands of people are injured, missing, or dead.  Traveling makes the world so much smaller.  Our joy of traveling is more about the interesting people we meet than the sites we see, and we are saddened by this disaster.

We have donated to the Humanist Disaster Relief (HDR) Network.   Here is the link if you would like to donate:

https://foundationbeyondbelief.org/hdrdrive?link=24212

100% of the donations raised during this drive will be going to a secular organization working on the ground in response and recovery of this devastated region.

HDR Drive is a cooperative program between Foundation Beyond Belief and American Humanist Association.

The open markets and every day people making a living and providing for their families.

Narrow passages through old construction

Lovely, vibrant people, making a living in a crumbling city.

In March of 2013, we traveled to Nepal and India.  The lives of the people in Kathmandu are not easy to begin with. Life is hard and most of the people live in conditions that westerners would deem substandard.  Much of the time while we were walking in the narrow, crowded streets and visiting ancient landmarks, we were amazed that the buildings were standing at all given the smaller earthquakes that had rocked this area and the lack of rebar and shaky foundations.

This building like many others would not take a major earthquake or even a minor one.

Colorfully charming, but a dangerous place to be.

Repairs of previous damage.....no apparent building codes here.

We had been in New Zealand's Christchurch just a few weeks before the earthquake that brought down the church tower in 2011 and destroyed many of the buildings there.  At the time, we declined to take a tour of the tower because ...well we just didn't want to chance being in the tower or church if there was another earthquake like the one that had damaged it just a couple of months before.

In Kathmandu, it was obvious that these people were living dangerous lives in the old buildings where they worked, laughed, lived, and had families.   From the news this morning it looks like I saw the remnants of this tower.

Our hearts go out to them.

Saddened Worrall Travel Rs

2015 ARIZONA

WORRALL TRAVEL R'S ARE ON THE ROAD AGAIN

After the winter holidays, we stowed the decorations, played a few last rounds of golf in the California sun, and headed south....first to Las Vegas for a short visit to daughter Abby, son-in-law Neal, and Noodles, the dog who doesn't know she is a dog.  Hope she's not reading this!    Boy will she have a shock when Baby #1 is due in about six weeks!  While in Vegas, Russ helped Abby build a footstool/toybox for the baby's room, and we had the opportunity to visit the high school where Neal teaches English.  His school is a career technical academy for students interested in engineering,   robotics, medicine, hospitality-cuisine.  It is a first class facility, and we can see why Neal loves teaching here.

Our 3 days in Vegas passed quickly, and once again we were on the road again to southern Arizona to Casa Grande and the Palm Creek RV and Golf Resort.  We will call this home for the next 3 months, short of the time we spend commuting to Vegas when our second granddaughter is born.  Palm Creek is a five star RV resort.  We came here to play and relax.  So far it's been all play...golf, pickle ball, tennis, bicycling, hot tub, photo club, Mac Users club, Zumba, woodshop, silversmithing, card playing, bingo, and field trips to surrounding areas.  I am not sure we can count the few hours of sleep we are getting as the relaxing part.  At some point, we really do look forward to sitting by the pool and reading, but it hasn't happened yet.

Today, we went with the photo club on field trip to Saguaro National Park.  Cactus was certainly my theme for the day.  These desert plants are beautifully complex, their bristles glowing in the morning light.  Enjoy some of the photos, and if you can identify the some of them, let me know.

Saquaro

Birds build nests in the Saguaro

While the namesake cactus of the National Park is indeed the most prevalent and artistically decorate the landscape,

Saguaro Skeleton

there are many other varieties of cactus here:

Teddybear Cholla

The beautiful Fishhook:

Nature's Art

The Prickly Pear:

And a couple, I have yet to identify. Let me know if you can ID these cactus:

Tomorrow, we play in a golf scramble, and are looking forward to the weekend when our dance card looks pretty clear.  Maybe we'll make it to the pool.

HEY ROLLING FRIENDS, COME AND VISIT US AT PALM CREEK in CASA GRANDE!

All is well with the Worrall Travel R's in Arizona