Wednesday, 21 September 2016

DENVER & NEILL'S TRIP THRU THE USA 2016

21ST SEPTEMBER KLEINEMONDE.
AFTER A GOOD FEW HOURS OF TRIAL AND ERROR I HOPE I HAVE GOT THIS BLOG THING FIGURED OUT FINALLY AND THAT I CAN REMEMBER IT ALL.

HELLO TO THOSE OF YOU THAT MAY BE INTERESTED - I HOPE TO BE POSTING DETAILS OF OUR TRIP EVERY COUPLE OF DAYS AND IF WE CAN GET PHOTOS LOADED HOPEFULLY I CAN POST A FEW OF THOSE AS WELL
I WILL RESUME THIS AFTER A COUPLE OF DAYS WHEN WE HAVE SOMETHING TO REPORT.
WE DEPART O.R.TAMBO ON TUESDAY THE 27TH SEPTEMBER TO NY.

WISH US LUCK AND THAT ALL GOES WELL.

THANKS - DENVER & NEILL

Blog at start of Neill and my trip to the USA 27th Sept 2016 We had done most of our last minute things and packing, and while checking all our documents  to my horror I finally figured that I had left my passport at Kleinemonde in the photo copy machine while making copies to to take along in case.

I immediately thought that we would not be able to fly tonight, and that would set our trip back a couple of days and have a ripple effect on all the bookings of flights and hotels. What a disaster.

Then I thought about it and talked to our fantastic travel agency, and we saw that there was a last flight out of East London at 6pm, but we would have to still get someone to fly to Jhb with the ticket.

Then you realize what would one do without friends and family.

Gene Sheila's wonderful OT and friend agreed to drive to the airport and she had about 15 minutes to spare and get their in time to get on the flight which would arrive at 7.30pm and we were to board at 7.55, and take off for NY at 8.40pm.

TANDY had meantime spoken to Angela our travel agent and set a time line for what we had to do. That was to check both bags in under Neill's name as on the long haul we were allowed 2 bags and the travel agency had checked us in so we had boarding passes but without a passport we would not get through immigration !!

We then talked to the SAA supervisor about getting some help in getting us through all the procedures as quickly as possible.

Tandy went to wait at the domestic arrivals gate for Gene and we waited with the supervisor at the check in counter - meantime resourceful Gene had found 2 businessmen, and asked them to take the passport, she sent photos of the 2guys to TANDY and I,  also cell number etc. And then drove more slowly back to Kleinemonde.

Tandy then met the gentleman collected the passport, and ran all the way to where we were waiting, and the SAA lady allocated someone to priorities us through to the boarding gate, which he ( Montana by name ) did incredibly well, and even got us through all the security checks of which there are 3, and right to the front of the people waiting to board, in fact we boarded first along with the wheelchair travelers.

That was absolutely something we did not think we could do, but thanks to Gene and Tandy we actually had about 15-20 minutes to spare as they had not started boarding when we got to the front !!

Again what would we do without friends like Gene that just drop everything and get going, and Tandy who had with her travel agent experience and ability to think under pressure got all the procedures check in etc set up so once we got the passport we could get through all the formalities. Friends and family fantastic.

So we are now on the way to NY on schedule as far as we are concerned.

SAA were wonderful and absolutely did their bit.

We will attempt to keep our Blog updated when we have WiFi, which we do not have on the flight.

So for now we are OK.

We also very much appreciated the phone calls from staff, friends and our very efficient travel agent when Nicole who had nothing to do with our booking as such called to see if we were OK and made the flight, she and Lerato also booked a flight for Gene, and cancelled it again when Gene was able to make other arrangements  and    (I guess that is why she is such a great OT) Obviously Tandy and Angela had checked our progress and also phoned and then let all know that asked how we were managing.

How lucky can we be to have all that help.

Until tomorrow !!!!

28th Sept 2016

After a reasonable flight a fair dinner and breakfast, and Neill losing his socks for  a while which he had taken off to sleep we had a good flight.

We landed at JFK at 6.40 am on schedule to quite a nice day although we were in the terminal all the time. The terminal seemed like the size of Edenvale.

We went through the usual formalities with machines doing most of the work which we managed with some help. Then through a final check of immigration where they took a good look at you.

We had of course to go through the usual security check before going into the Delta airlines terminal which in itself is huge with 41 boarding gates. NEIL had tried to take a small bottle of airways wine through buy they just threw that as well as our water of course.

We then had to collect baggage that was booked through all the way to Bozeman in Montana which is our final destination today. We just had to wheel through customs which was easy, and then give them back to an SAA desk who will forward to Bozeman hopefully.

We located our terminal and sat down to get some coffee. We could not figure out how to shut the predictive text on Neill's phone so we had to ask a lady sitting near us to do that so Neill could send an SMS home.

Judging from Tands Sms my what's app did not get through.

They changed our boarding gate from 26 to 41 but luckily we got a lift from the Delta courtesy golf cart operating in the terminal as it was a long walk .

So now we are on out flight to Salt Lake City where we change for a flight to Bozeman where I guess we will crash and sleep.the Salt Lake leg is 4 1/2 hours and I think the Salt Lake - Bozeman leg may only be 1-1/2 hours hopefully. As we will have been flying for 24 hours as we are due there at 5pm Montana time which I think is 2 hours behind NY time. Whew. Some really nice passengers as company on the Boeing 757 flight to SLC, lots of movies live TV Wi Fi and heaps of video etc all live through the seat back screen with earphone that you buy for $2 and keep, it would seem that most aircraft and airports have earphone Wi Fi and charging connections at most seats.

Will try to update and send when I get a local sim for the I pad and notebook.

 

so no luck with the sim i bought at SLC airport, and after some attempts trying to get it logged on, i spoke to a lady supervisor who sent an e mail to say they would refund the money to my credit card without me returning the faulty cards or cards where there is no coverage in Montana, so i hope she can get this right.

we arrived at our Microtel Hotel in Bozeman at around 7pm and decided to go straight out to supper as we knew that once we relaxed we would be asleep, so we did that and ate at Famous Dave's where we had some really good slightly hot hamburgers,

the restaurant was finished in huge pine logs that Sheila will remember from the lodge in Yellowstone from a few years ago.

Neill very generously paid for the meal and was generous with his tip making amount up to a round 100, which when i looked at realised he had put a Rand sign in front not thinking and realising that it was in dollars so that was a very expensive meal !!! we wont make that mistake again.

I will try and slot in some photos in a day or so, once we hit the room Neill was straight to bed and asleep while i was still talking to him.

As is often the case i was busy till after 11 getting the blog draft done and trying to get the sim card to work etc.

29th thursday

we had the usual waffle for breakfast and some boiled egg on a bagle, then got underway to Big Timber. the drive was through the Montana mountains which had the highway, the Yellowstone river and the rail line all running next to one another winding thru the mountains.

we did stop next to the river at one point to get some shots of the train strangely that Neill seemed keen on.

On the way there were lovely looking Ranch houses set against the fantastic mountain backdrop so the settings were very picturesque and would be really nice to live there.

the road eventually flattens out where the ranch activities were more Cattle some sheep, and some wheat, and a lot of Alfalfa ( Lucerne) with piles of grazzing we guess stocked for the winter when they get a fair amount of snow.

We found the super hotel in Big Timber then went to look around, and find the Shiloh rifle co, also having a quick tour of the other C Sharps rifle manufacturer which is just a few blocks away.

they showed us around and it was interesting, on our way out we saw a rebuilt 1947-1949 chev truck that we took photos of which was one of Neills favourites, then had a look at a shop Fort's which had a huge gun shop and groceries as well as lots of memoribilia, a gift shop, and many other items, where a lady rep selling art decorated  gift bags by a Japanese Bozeman artist must have heard us talking and came to chat to us and also giving us a gift bag each.

She is a sales rep for this company, and travels big distances south about 2-3 states and east to west the same, also seeing her daughters and grandchildren - i said wow that was alot of driving, to which she replied it was much easier than when she was younger as she was a rodeo rider and always had to drag a horsebox with her in those years and now just has an SUV withs some samples.

she as all the folk we have met have been very friendly.

Neill keeps asking them if they know of south africa or have been there and if they know Stutterheim, and they justb look blank and then he laaunches into long storie about where, aand do they know of the Musgrave rifle manufacturers again getting blank looks, and he seems surprised and so i have tried to explain that not many know of South Africa let alone Stutt.

we then had a nice lunch at a place called the Thirsty Turtle where again they were friendly and chatted to us. 

then while i was typing some of the blog he was sitting on the bed watching the TV and fell fast asleep,

so we went out to the Grand Hotel as we were recomended for dinner, and what a lovely old historic well kept building it is richly decorated and going since around 1890.

there wasn a batchlorette party going on in the next room and quite a lot of noise, and they must have each been given some dares or tasks to answer in the next few days.

so this elder lady all dressed in denim looking quite smart and energetic comes to us and asks if either of us is a redhead, and is it natural, and if so can we prove to which i answered yes both us were, and that we could prove it but not in the pub, and that these days we would be ahppy with any colour hair.

so she sat down and chatted to us and she and her husband are ranchers running sheep and cattle and a hunting lodge in what they call the wildeness south east of big timber,

for once she knew about SA and would like to come hunting here, and Neill was able to talk to her about Dohne Merinos and she was a smart older lady.

they have sold their Nothern ranch that borders Canad to their son, and the local Ranch they are getting the daughter Lonny to take over, to whom we were also intoduced, a sturdy but nice blond lady with a big flat brimmed stetson on.

everyone asks if we have come fishing or hunting, to which we explain we were really here to see the Shiloh Rifle factory !! she thencalls a guy over and intoduces us to a guy called Kirk Brian who is the owner of the Shiloh factory, so we ended up after a lot of interesting chat and a couple of beers getting away at around 11pm, so here i am trying to get the blog up to date with Neill again sleeping.

so i will end off now and get some sleep so i vcan be awake in time to go for the promised tour of the rifle factory which now will be very personal after having spent an evening with the owner who has airoplanes maybe 4, and 14 Harley Davidsons and 4 collectors John Deere tractors, and he promised to show us his Dad's model train layout if he remebers after the beers and wine he had.

 i need to sleep as some person phoned m,e and woke us at 5,30 am this morning and there was no one or i could not get any answer when maybe they realised i was not in the mood for talking, and i sent and sms to which i had no reply - so tonight i will switch the phone off, and will try to call when i get the sims, sorted

cheers for now at 12.45 am and will try and slot some pictures in next time 

Cheers for today and apologies forthe repeat and thanks Sonia for your reply hope you get this blog which has been started from the beginning - some hassles getting it to open and publish tonight !!