Travelogue, Post-Card Home, & Curio

The goal of this blog is to serve as a scrapbook of sights, thoughts and experiences that arise on the Barlow's travels. This is the 3rd in the series of "Spike & Maria's Excellent Travels" - the 1st being a record of their move from Canberra to Brisbane in 1991, and the 2nd being a record of their life in Japan between 1994 and 1996.

Our Itinerary

  • Till 8 March: Preparing (Australia)
  • 8 March - 2 April: Japan (Tokyo)
  • 3 April - 25 April: Greece (Santorini, Athens)
  • 25 April - 1 May: France (Paris)
  • 1 May - 3 June: USA (West Coast)
  • June 5 Onwards: Recovery!

16/5 - Old Friends Reunited


This was the final day in our 3-day leg to reach the Browns. Awaking, Grant claimed he hadn't been able to sleep that night as he was so excited about seeing Nate again after nearly 2 years apart.

Our route took us directly west, just south of the Columbia river. Its a very impressive sight - extremely wide and fast flowing (a lot of height is lost going east to west), with many dams along the route. Its also extremely windy - we stopped for morning tea (and a look) at a rest-stop and waves were making their way up-river...

We also caught sight of the impressive Mt Hood swathed in snow and towering above the landscape; then stumbled onto the beautiful Multnomah Falls (though the food was so bad there we headed on for another locale rather than eat there).

On this and the previous day or 2 we started "encouraging" the kids to bring their journals back up to date. They'd been excellent in Japan, but had fallen out of "practice" further into the trip. Well, it was extremely "painful" (pulling teeth comes to mind)- seems Grant and Zoe have become accustomed to a "jetsetters life". After some discussions and the imposition of some penalties they came good though.

We saw little of Portland (the state's largest city) or Salem (the capital), though both appear very very green. Arriving at Eugene we had some real difficulties and tensions in getting to Jodie's as the exit (from the intertstate) that she told us to take didn't exist. A couple of laps of the city on the interstate then ensued.

Suddenly we were at the Brown's, and a Jodie who had been shooting hoops in the driveway rushed inside to tell Nate that we were here. It was interesting watching Grant and Nate greet eachother and the first few moments (have it on video) of "getting to know you".

In many ways it was like we'd "come home". Before long we were off to take Shannon to gymnastics lessons, followed by the boys to basketball training (Phil is their coach and they train at "MacCourt" the venerable but massive and atmospheric Uni of Oregon basketball court). Then it was home for dinner (ahhh, home cooked meals!) and relaxing with old friends over a drink or two (finally got to try Polgamy Porter - quite malty).

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