Working Vacation

That’s what Montana was for me: An incredibly beautiful landscape. Big skies. Blue Skies (yes, summer has finally arrived in Montana). Lovely hosts and guest and Wranglers. Even lovelier horses. D-E-L-I-C-I-O-U-S food. A cosy Log Cabin, which I would take home with me instantly. Long and early nights (meaning, the days were pretty long, much daylight, but we went to bed quite early). Even earlier (but magical) mornings. Jingling (getting the horses in in the morning). Laughing. Cows Cows Cows. Moving them. Sorting them. Horsemanship. Peace. Quiet. Sore butts – and other body parts :) Mosquito bites. Fun. Buttermilk (my horse). Intensity. The sounds of Nature.

It was awesome at McGinnis Meadows Cattle & Guest Ranch. I’m sure I’ll come back someday.
A Ranch Life Adventure is ending. But new adventures lie ahead. Heading up North to Alaska, crossing through Canada. Not sure how well connected I’ll be there. Just sayin‘, it’s a camping trip (man, I gotta stop doing that :)) So you’ll read more whenever possible.

Happy trails ya all!

"No hour of life is wasted that is spent in the saddle."

- Winston Churchill -

Different Worlds

As Professor Arthur Murphy said (he was sitting next to me on the train ride from NY to Chicago), travelling by train is so much better than taking a plane. It’s much more relaxing. You have the time to do things you normally don’t find the time for. Time for yourself. You can just sit and watch the passing landscape. Why for once just do nothing in this stressful life of ours?! I spent the last train ride listening to Professor Murphy’s stories of the "old days", the romantic history of trains and much more. Now I am back in the train. On the way to the "Big Sky Country". Crossing through Wisconsin, Minnesota and North Dakota. Having the time to write this Blog :) And having left the cities behind …

I can tell you, once in NY, the feeling of being relaxed from 6 days on QM 2 had passed quite quickly. This city is just crazy to me. The craziest Apple as I wrote in one of my Blogs once. Crazy but a place you just have to experience at least once in your life. For me it was already the second time. After having met up with Liz (whom I’d met 2 years ago on a Cross Country Trip) we spent the weekend with things like going to a Musical (Memphis, have to go see that one next time you’re in NY). Watching some Movie Shooting for X-Men (yay, I saw Will Smith *lol* :)). Having lunch at Serendipity 3 (for those who know the movie "Serendipity"). Admiring the gift from France on Liberty Island and listening to the stories of those many immigrants who set foot there so many years ago. Climbing, or just taking the elevator, up to Rockefeller Center to enjoy a magnificent view (I always have to go up some place in a city just to really take in the immensity of it all). Getting annoyed at 5th Avenue during a Puerto Rican Parade which wouldn’t allow us to cross into Central Park to find some quiet moments. And ending the NY days up at Rooftop Gardens on 230 5th Avenue. Again, what a view!

Once I arrived in Chicago in the morning after an 18 hours train ride I knew immediately that something was different there. Also a big city. Also by the water. But, much more relaxed. Well, that‘s how I experienced Chicago. Might have been because it wasn’t the weekend. But it seemed way calmer and way less hectic than NY. I knew at the instant that I entered the streets of Chicago that I would love this city. Unfortunately the time there was way too short (as it always is when you’re travelling). But I’m sure I’ll go back there once. If only for the world famous deep-dish Pizza that I had just before leaving :)

Having been in the US many times already I always have to get used to some differences over and over again. Like, how come small drinks still look big to me? Why does the AC have to be turned on like everywhere inside? I know that people don’t really wanna know how I’m doing when they ask, but do they like have to ask that at every occasion? I'm sure as time passes on these summers travels I'll get used to all these things once again.

Two big cities lie behind. I truly enjoyed them. But I feel like I am ready for some peace and quiet. And I’ll most certainly find that at McGinnis Meadows Ranch in Libby, Montana. A completely different world from the one I have just left. Stories of my life at the Ranche coming up soon.

Till then, be safe and keep travelling with me.

... and just one add to this Blog, cause I was writing it while the train ride just started in Chicago (meanwhile I have arrived in Whitefish, MT, waiting to be picked up to go on the Ranch). I was arriving here at 5 AM. After an 8 h delay. You'll find the reason for that on my picture of the day on Flickr. But I can tell you, I'm not that sad that I won't have to take another train until 5 weeks. Despite of Professor Arthur Murphy's words .. :)


http://www.flickr.com/photos/danielle_76/sets/72157625722382508

Life on the Ocean Wave

Time’s a tricky thing when you’re traveling. Same old story every time. Today it’s one week since I started my trip. Though it seems I’ve been on the road for much longer. My short visit to London is miles and miles away (nautical miles, that is). Theoretically and emotianally speaking. We are only 1 day and 720 nautical miles away from NY now. Having left Southampton through the English Channel, along Bishop Rock (which marks the traditional start of the Transatlantic Passage), through the Celtic Sea, the Mid Atlantic Ridge, the Grand Banks of Newfoundland and into the Gulf of Maine. What a passage!

Today this Transatlantic Passage is a way for people to either skip flying because, let’s says, they prefer other ways of transport (like me). Maybe it’s also a way to start or end your vacation in a more relaxing way. Or maybe it’s just wanting to experience crossing the Atlantic on the ocean wave. Like so many other people before have done. Though I imagine, years and years ago, the reasons were slightly different. In times when thousands and thousands left Europe, dreaming of a new life, a better life with much more opportunities in this land of the free. And how must it have been when after days on sea, finally the skyscrapers of New York appeared on the horizon. A new, a brighter future in sight. I can only imagine how this must have felt.

The ride on Queen Mary from Southampton to NY only takes 6 days and 7 nights these days. Some must think you will get easily bored. But there is so much you can do on here. Apart from eating :) and dressing up nicely I am using this time to read a lot. See shows at night (like Shakespeare’s "Much Ado About Nothing"). Have a Manicure and Pedicure. Listen to music on my Ipod. Or just watch the waves.

Still, I am quite ready to hit land again. One day and we’ll be arriving in the Big Apple. Can’t wait to meet up with a friend to spend a few days in the Big Apple. And from there I’m only a train ride away from the "Windy City" (Chicago).

I’ll keep you up to date how my "City Adventures" have been :)


When the sea is everywhere from horizon to horizon …
When the salt and blue fill a circle of horizons I swear again how I know …
The sea is older than anything else and the sea younger than anything else
The sea gives all, and yet the sea keeps something back.

North Atlantic – by Carl Sandburg (1878 – 1967)

The Adventure has started

Today I kinda felt like an Asian Tourist. Or at least that's what I imagine it must be like: Europe in 5 days or something like that. Well, in my case it was Europe in 1 day. Breakfast in Switzerland. Lunch (with a Croque Monsieur of course = a must when I come to Paris) in France. And dinner in the UK :)

But let's start from the beginning. And that's what today was: the beginning of my Summer Adventure 2011. A very relaxing train ride to London (with a change of train in Paris). Everything went smoothly. All the trains were on time. And what I mainly and positivly noticed today was, that the people were extremely helpful! I was already getting annoyed by the train stations in Paris and why the Metro doesn't have more escalators for people with more than one luggage. And every time there was a helpful person coming to my rescue. Not that I can remember (and I've been in Paris a lot lately) people being so helpful. So that's that about the helpful Parisians :) We'll see how the Britain and the Americans will do.

Here I am now, in the big city of London. Have already been in the city centre for a while. Getting some healthy food (a Vegetarian Swiss Restaurant called Tibits, and no, I'm not homesick yet). That will change tomorrow. As I have a date in the Hard Rock Cafe. What can I say, I have to get used to American food :) And for sure I'll get enough food during the next week on Queen Mary 2 (if you remember my Blog from the last Transatlantic NY - Southampton you'll know what I mean). Relaxing times are ahead before arriving in the Big Apple. I'll take you along the Traveling Waterway Road. Hope you'll join me. Even those who can't swim :)

If you care to see pictures of my summer journey, please go to my Photo 365 Project. One picture a day.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/danielle_76/sets/72157625722382508

I'll keep you posted from somewhere along the road.
Be safe and take care!