McEwen Farming and Family Stuff

One of our computers, the one I want to take with me I took to our guru for a check up and update it and it crashed on him and he has been three days getting it back up and running , as usual we did not have everything backed up proper and we only have three days now to go. Got it back this Lunchtime and it is up and running well, thanks John

I also have run into strife with funding as we were planning cashing some USA shares I have, to fund this trip and find we cannot get our hands on the  precious greenbacks (76 cents today) without transferring back to our money and then back to US  $ ,s without huge penalties both ways ..Anybody Got any ideas ? they are USA Pershing account but run by CBA here>

Evidently all has tightened up since 9/11 and I don,t think I can even open a an account there but I will certainly be trying.

Yes it has been a bit hectic this week especially preparing for a long stay but our bags are packed and thank the lord for digital communications .

I have a USA simcard for my smartphone , Hope it will work and a 6 inch navigator with latest US maps on it  and a Citibank card with free access so we have done all we can to make this work .We  have not driven on the wrong side of the road for over ten years so that will be a challenge.

We have friend a from Sydney . Met on our Russian cruise  in 2013 who will baby sit our home for the first month and our kids and Neighbours will keep an eye on the place .

Better  go and do a bit more .

Two days later and a lot has happened .Crossed the pacific in 14 hours, best flight ever arrived 6 am the same day we left(go figger) and got our car out by about 7.30 ,Dozens to pick from and finally selected a Mazda Rogue SUV ,got the GPS mounted and headed  over an hour sth to Long beach and checked the motel Found we could get in about 11am so we headed downtown (long Beach ) There are something like 18 cities in the LA region spreading over 110 miles. Had coffee at a diner and walked on the Bellmont Beach and lay in the warm sand for a while . Went to the Motel and slept till about two am . Set the GPS to Queen Mary a few miles away . Paid for a tour . It is similar to the QE2 that we travelled on in 96 from New York to Southampton and they have turned it into a hotel and convention center. Very nice timbers in it .

Today we booked a LA city   tour starting at 12.30pm from Downtown LA . Very interesting drive in, about 1.5 hours with the Navigator in Charge . Most of the 4 or so freeways were up to Five lanes both ways and we sure appreciated the Navigator lane and route choice, it changed the route twice to find the faster way home . We were directed to an underground car park 4 levels down right under the chinese theatre and Dolby cinema complex. After the 5.5 hour tour, very extensive tour of the city of 18 million we had some fun finding the car . In fact we had to find the carpark first. Negotiating the stairs that the Oscar winning acters tread and he stars names embeded in the footpath. Saw Glen Millers , Billy Graham, Olivier N John ,Robyn Williams, some of the over two thousand .

Home for a nice meal, served in the room o finish off a great day.

Thursday

Currently in Tucson .Arizona on route to El Paso tomorrow.
Had Dinner with Relatives .All McEwens and their partners and Kids Last night in San Diego.Picture att (facebook) with Paul McEwen snr and Partner. His Son Trip and Daughter Mellissa Rij and Husbant David  and two kids Amanda and Colton, The coastal strip has a very high standard of living . Very productive with Lots of industry and Oil wells pumping and huge homes and attractive gardens

Still having problems with my Email especially, can, t even log into Bigpond now wanting to send a code through my Aussie phone which we are not using . Any way Yahoo still works and I can access browsers, Best news we see it has rained 13 mills on the BOM Charlton Obs site.Thank the Lord for that.

Big drive today through into Arizona and only 200 miles to El Paso tomorrow . Roads are incredibly good and traffic goes fast . all Speed limits are exceeded by 5 to 10%. Out in the desert today limit was 75 mph but most were doing 80.

Trucks are supposed to do only 55 but most would be doing 60+.Must be getting the hang of it Never even got a HORN  blast today. Biggest problem negotiating left across traffic . They come from the other direction. Had problems getting fuel . You gotta pay before you fill (2.50 to 90 per gallon and that’s a bit tricky and the pumps work different to  ours .

Lots of activity in the the desert drive . in all the valleys there is flood irrigation with lots of Hay and Barley and corn growing . No wonder their aquifers are under threat . It is all lasered and laser planes going everywhere. Huge renewable wind turbines and acres of solar panels and one place had maybe a thousand acres of reflective collectors.

Several very large cattle feedlots today must be a good outlet for produce.

Very rugged hills as you head east ,must be the tail of the rockies and they are rocky and 3000 ft above sea level but once over that it goes into plain but with plenty low bush vegetation and when you get close to El Centro it is back below sea level and pretty Hot and there are some pretty big towns out here. Yuma is on the border into Arizona .

Had a couple of hours yesterday at he Miniature Engineering Craftsmanship Museum just out of SD. more on hat later.

cheers for today