GETTING THERE

Well, we’re off again! This time a small trip to the U.S. for four weeks finishing up with five days in Fiji. We have bought a new lap-top to facilitate with the blog, to keep up with our e-mail, to phone home (on skype) and to store and display photos. So far it is proving to be the best thing since sliced bread – an antiquated phrase for a technological miracle!

The flight from Melbourne to Minneapolis was OK but with a couple of problems. First of all we had a stopover at Auckland, NZ which we had not expected (we specifically asked for a direct flight). Then, when we got to L.A., immigration and customs took so long that we missed our connecting flight. This obviously happens all the time at the L.A. airport because they have a permanent desk staffed with four people specifically to re-route travellers who miss their connection. We had to wait a couple of hours and then take a flight to Fort Worth, Texas and then another to Minneapolis, arriving there at about 10.00 pm. The last hitch was that the baggage handlers treated our luggage so roughly that one of the wheels on Milton’s case was ripped right off and is lying on the ground somewhere between Melbourne and Minneapolis.

BEING THERE
We are currently staying with our friends John and Marlee Eret who have a house right on beautiful Lake Chisago which is about 30 minutes out of Minneapolis.

We have been treated with the best American hospitality and have really enjoyed catching up with old friends – or should I say friends of old? On the first day here, John drove me out on the metre thick frozen lake surface to ice fish. Although they were mostly very small we caught almost fifty fish, including sunfish and crappie, and had a great time.

This was my first experience of ice fishing and it was a lot of fun.

I’m not sure if it was more fun catching the fish, drilling the hole in the ice, or the experience of drinking a couple of stubbies in the middle of a frozen lake with a mate. While we were doing this Judith and Marlee went for a walk and then took a scenic drive around the area.

Our second day in Minnesota was characterised by a heavy snowstorm which transformed the landscape into a beautiful North American postcard. John and Marlee took us to see the Mall of America which is the biggest shopping mall in the U.S. We had lunch there and also bought a new case to replace the damaged one.

The mornings are characterised by a sumptuous breakfast prepared by our hosts, the evenings by a wonderful meal, a judicious amount of wine and a great many laughs. I would like, though, for someone to explain to me how come Australian wine is cheaper over here than it is in Australia!!?