And so it begins … but where did it start? Well there’s a story there lol

Side note… those of you who are in the know and have followed along with a Tash and David travel blog before a story in blog 1 won’t be a surprised \240(nor Will a side note or a digression or meander down 15 different paths before getting back to the point at hand). However, for those following for the first time, \240if you like quick, concise dot point \240updates with a photos or two..… this blog is not for you 😆

So back to this adventure … the Beth, Mickey and Hawaii five-0 Aussie Odyssey with Tash, David, Madie and Lauren actually has its origins at gate lounge 16 at the Brisbane domestic airport on Monday 20 January 2020. David and I were waiting for our last connection (a flight home to Isa) at the end of our last big adventure and I was planning where to go next… On the news there was a reports of some weird virus in China in a city I’d never heard of but that was of absolutely no consequence to us… little did we know of what would come… Anyway there we were at gate 16 weary from an amazing trip that saw Jim us follow the civil right movement the bourbon trail and the house of the mouse and thinking about what’s next… Montana, Utah, Colorado all came up in the conversation.. mountains, national parks, food, music, moonshine and history … the seed was sewn.

Then the thing happened, that weird virus far far away took hold and took much… for a while we wondered if we’d ever travel again, even in Australia even to see our families… we’re we done??? we wondered if that last glorious trip would be our last ever…

But slowly we come out of it … out the other side, luckier than many, our family and friends alive and safe and slowly we dared to dream then we dared to plan. Utah and Colorado didn’t make the final ruthless cut but the plan firmed the dates were set and we were counting down for another Hydon dynamic duo USA adventure … or so we thought.

Just after we set our plans we were visiting with close friends, a family that included our gorgeous goddaughters. One of whom was starting to plan her 21st birthday party… she invited us to her Disney theme party and I realised that we’d miss it because we’d be away … AT WALT DISNEY WORLD! I took about 1/2 a second and counted with “why don’t you ditch the party and come with us to WDW instead?” as I was speaking the words I knew how much I’d love for her to join us but I also knew that hanging with us … old, weird, loud besties of her parents wouldn’t be super appealing so I nearly fainted when she said “sure, \240sounds like fun”

New plan: Tash David and Loz’s adventure took hold, we sorted the dates we planned when and how Loz would join and we were set … or so we thought.

A few weeks later we were at trivia, and our lovely friend Madie was beside herself with excitement .. Disney had just announced that they were docking in Australia for the first time ever and Disney Cruising was a go. Knowing how much we like cruising and how much we like Disney, Madie excitedly asked if we wanted to join her on a Disney cruise. \240I had to tell her the truth I love me my Disney and I love me my cruising but like pork and chocolate, for me they just don’t go together.. Madie was a bit sad 😔 this was a chance to do Disney and we said no… it took me less than half a second this time… “why don’t you just come with us to WDW” we’re already going, we’re booking the room anyway our goddaughter Lauren is coming … so jump on in… well the grin was everything.

New plan: Tash, David, Madie and Loz’s adventure took hold, we sorted the dates we planned, we added Madie into the early part of the trip, we confirmed when and how Loz would join us … and we were set … so here we are and so it begins…

But that’s another story for another blog

Until then,

Cheers Tash

Day 1

Blog 1

So now the back story is all squared away let’s get into it….

What a week! Leading up to the start of the trip we were busy… not the fussing fapping kind of busy … big workloads, lots of social community events and life admin kind of busy. Last week of term for Madie and recruitment, new technology solutions and hand over notes for me made me so greateful for David’s flexible work hours.

I gave being ready early a red hot crack \240I really did, but even I knew that taking 27 mins to choose which PJs to put in the suitcase was not efficiency’s friend. Last night was next level madness … an hour to finish up some work issues turned into three and the final bits and pieces of packing took another three… too mega stints and two power naps later and it was morning.

Damon arrived at our place as planned at 7.30am after giving Madie a delightful early \240birthday dinner the night before… and I was ready, almost 😆. A final check of the lists, a final final cuddle of our gorgores kittens Gilbert and Scout and wr locked the door. 7.58 wheels rolling and we were away..

6 minutes later we were unloading at the airport…

Fun fact: it took us a longer for us to unpack the car at the airport than it did to get there.

Checking in was an easy albeit long process…let’s break it down…

1 wheelchair

1 toolbox

1 hatbox

1 saddle bag

2 suitcases

1 rolling carry on bag

1 pink backpack

1 battery bag

1 C-PAP machine

And a handbag

With time and good documentation on our side we were through the polarva of check in and sucurity before 9am and we had loads of time for a bite to eat and a coffee.

Isa airport is a social place and Saturday morning the day after the school term ends was no exception,f familiar faces and friends everywhere. Apart from the great hatbox debacle (big hat box, little plane, \240miscommunication between ground staff and flight staff = hatbox got own seat in Businrss class 🤩)

The matching Mount Isa to Montana t-shirts were a hit…. There were some giggles about ‘our’ names on the back of our Ts… I’d just heard the life motto of a friend the night before, it’s a good one and very fitting for the trip… “ that didn’t go as planned but it turned out pretty good”

Our flight and arrival into Brisbane was pretty uneventful.

After helping us with all the luggage, Madie left us at the hotel to spend a bit of quality time with her family. My bestie Julie swing by to pick us up and we had an afternoon of sushi, coffee and conversation. Later on friends Jen and Shaun popped into the hotel for a bevy and a chat. And after many many long days and late nights we finally stopped to rest…

Tomorrow will see us run some errands and catch up with a birthday girl…

But that’s another story for another blog

Until then,

Cheers Tash

Day 1

Blog 2

Day two was an unusual day … it was a rest and wait day. We flew out of Isa on Saturday morning but built in enough time for flights to be delayed or cancelled … all ran smoothly so we had a whole day to have some down time, do some life admin and celebrate Madie’s birthday.

We woke up earlier than planned … that pesky sun rises so much earlier on the coast but we’d also gone to bed way way earlier than any time in the last few weeks so we were well rested.

We made our way to Chemside and spent a few hours admiring the big city shops and picking out a few last minute items … including some US dollars … kinda forgot we might need actual cash 😳

We met up with Madie and headed to the Sandgate foreshore to celebrate Madie’s birthday with her Brisbane friends… it was a lovely afternoon right up until the wind turned arctic and brutal.

Back at the hotel we had an easy low key night… well David slept and I faffed about with bags and lists and hair dyes for a few hours.

Tomorrow’s our \240big travel day, 3 flights, 3 suitcases, 3 oversized medical bags, 257 pieces of carry on luggage and 3 excited travelers… but that’s another blog for another day

Until then

Cheers Tash

Day 2

Blog 3

Travel days… I’ve decided they’re special… they have \240particular characteristics unlike other days. The travel day the day you look forward to before you travel …the date is burnt into your head and mentioned often, it’s the day you’re counting down to, it’s sn exciting day when it all begins.… On the day the travel day turns into the day that you endure, you get through it, sometimes with gritted teeth, sometimes with additional complecstions (and/or payments) you do the things that are necessary. \240After the day you look back and laugh at it all because you’re on the other side and at the destination on the holiday … The travel day become part of the story, the start of the journey it sets the tone and becomes the first reference point and benchmark of the holiday…

Our 36 hour travel day was no different!!!

Monday 18 September was the day we looked forward to for months and then it arrived…

It was an early start! We knew with our connections, David’s wheelchair, its lithium battery and the general palava that is senonomous with ‘Tash & David’ travel we’d need extra time for check in. It was all going swimmingly the first 90 seconds were perfect … then the drama started.

Madie’s dual passports caused an issue with her visa and the upshot of it all meant that she had to reapply for her ESTA waiver right there and then and we couldn’t check in until her new application was processed … Madie was distraught but after a few tears she was a real trouper, we just got it done… The Qantas staff were brilliant, as time ticked on they just kept bumping us to the next flight… we had loads of time to get to Sydney…,

The approval came though and we’d been bumped to a mid morning flight to Sydney. drama over… or so we thought…

All David’s medical bags were checked in but as our normal bags got checked all sorts of bells and whistles went off, none of our normal suitcases were accepted. Alarms and warning notes took over the check in screens and our bags couldn’t be processed…,a few calls to American Airlinrs revealed that the system was showing the we had tickets that excluded checked luggage… this was different to the information I had on my phone about our tickets but with little choice and time running out we handed over the big bucks to get out bags on the plane… and with that the drama was over… or so we thought…

We got all the way to the plane and down the air bridge before we were faced with issue #3 … the hat box. We’d asked a several times if we should check it or carry it in and we were encouraged to carry it … Well that was wrong! The flight staff had conniptions… they were frenzied… then after about 5 mins just like that due to magic fairy dust or some such all was ok, the box was looked after and we were finally clear and ready to fly…

Given the madness of our start we were mildly nervous of what was to come and what hurdles we may need to jump… but I’m happy to report that the rest of our experience from take off Brisbane to landing in Billings was drama free and at times \240hilarious and fun 🤣

Yes there was a super long 15 hour long haul flight but we had a super spot in the back row of the plane with loads of sneaky storage, we were close to the galley so it was easy to stretch and grab snacks … Madie’s midnight snack run was fantastic. We watched another HP, dozed a bit, read a bit and chatted a bit.

On our travels we met Ashley, a lovely girl on an adventure she was off to the USA for a 3 month adventure, The Brisbane to Sydney flight was her first time on a plane… we’re looking forward to following Ashley’s journey

Once in Dallas we grabbed our bags, cleared customs rechecked our bags and cleared domestic security with efficiency & ease and avoiding every queue because we had our own airport concierge who was assisting David 😉

The transport between the terminals was a bit dicey … we were on a little disability cart loaded with all our carry on luggage piled on to of us with a driver at the back … how we and all the pedestrians we happened uponcame out unscathed is a mystery.

We arrived in Billings a little weary, a little hungry and more than a little happy that we had arrived at last. 3 licences, 3 passports and 3 credit cards later we had our mini van sorted and once we had all our luggage we took carriage of our 4 trolleys and stepped outside in Billings Montana for the very first time.

David had already warned us that he was going to be chief car packer and Tetris master sovMadie and I took on the role of luggage handellers and let David do his magic…

We navigated our way out of the airport and too our hotel with the ‘big left little right mantra’ we need when we first drive on the other side of the road and made it to our hotel safely. \240 After unloading and checking in we dashed back out for dinner… and our memories of great service were confirmed… we went to the local Applebee’s for some wings and fries and some good old American hospitality! A little dance and we were done!

It’s a smidge before midnight snd that’s it for the 36 hour Monday 18 September 2023

Tomorrow we’ll have look at what Montana has to offer, but that’s another blog for another day

Until then,

Cheers Tash

Day 3

Blog 4

Whoops… I forgot to add our awesome video to yesterdays blog so here it is 🤣🤣🤣🤣

Refreshed!!! A good night’s sleep for more than 4 hours in a real bed does wonders. \240We woke up ready and eager to explore what Billings, Montana hard to offer. \240New started with breakfast at the hotel an old habits came flooding back, I don’t think I’ve eaten porridge since January 2020 when we were last in the USA but their I was ripping open a sachet of quakers instant rolled oats cinnamon and apple like I’d never missed a day. \240Bellies full we jumped in the car and headed to downtown Billings … and it was quiet! Nothing was open.???? A quick recon and we discovered that shops opened later and stayed open later. \240So with time on our hands we took a drive. As well as getting a good look at the neighbourhood the drive also gave us time to practise driving on the wrong side of the rod again … Our mantra of “little right, big left” for all turns was useful and necessary!

Back in the downtown area a quaint little shop called the Yarn Bar caught our eye. We knew our friend Madeline back at home would adore this kind of shop so we went in for a quick look, we weren’t quick. \240Over the course of the next 45 minutes we got a lesson on local yarns, imported yarns (including two brands from Adelaide and Cairns) and sock yarns, \240Madie decided to take up knitting, David found a comfortable couch and we discovered that the store owner’s daughter lives in Brisbane. I may have also purchased some yarn for Madeline (but that’s a surprise, shhhhh).

Yarn shopping makes you peckish … who knew???? \240Wo we took a pit stop in Bernie’s Diner just around the corner which led to a little browse and a longer chat in Bernie’s gift shop. Long before we landed in Montana, Madie and I has plans to add to our cowboy boot collections so the next stop was the boot barn … David took a seat and we took a while. \240It was a successful outing because we both found the perfect boots. \240In a stoke of absolute luck I also found the perfect pair of jeans, blouse, denim jacket and suede dress complete with fringing. \240In a stroke of genius jus as I was about to purchase my considerable haul, I suggested that David show the staff our Akubras, he was so excited to go grab the hat box that he didn’t eve notice the sale going through LOL. After boot barm we hit Rimrock Mall and meandered around all the shops we don’t have at home. Madie made a tough decision between two fabulous Lounge-fly bags and picked up a Montana charm for her pandora, while David was gifted with cheeky Barbie movie Kenough t-shirt. \240We rounded out or day of shopping with one of our favourites … \240 Walmart. \240It was Madie’s first time and when she found the Reece’s pieces she was the kid in the candy store! We left with all the things we needed \240… and an elephant!

We had a little rest back at the hotel before heading out for dinner at a bar that was recommended to us … for their fried pickles. They’d come up a few times in conversions during the day so we knew we needed o they them. \240 \240No-one mentioned that the bar also specialised in mules… it was a great combo! Deep fried pickles, scotch eggs, onion rings and huckleberry mules in a sports bar wasn’t the meal I would have predicted but it worked.

Jetlag catching up with us, all shopped out and filled with pickled goodness it was time for bed… Tomorrow sees us start our loop around South east Montana but that’s another blog for another day

Until then

Cheers Tash
Day 4

Blog 5

David and I were up early to do a load of washing, funny how on holidays I quite like chores and am eager to participate and get them done … David better enjoy that while it lasts LOL.  Madie was awake from her slumber when we got back and we went to breakfast while our clothes finished drying After breakfast we parked the van … it took a minute! … There were many many many bags ... not just our suitcases but the snack bags, the, water bottles, the warm clothes, the shopping, the wheelchair bits and all of David’s smaller bags that were now out of the giant saddle bag… the hotel manager come to have a look, he suggested a U-Haul truck for our next trip … It’s not a bad idea….

The drive to Bozeman was an easy 250kms.  Back in the day that would have felt far but that’s a little drive by Isa standards.  Our first stop was Reed Point, population 167. It made the news in June this year for a bridge collapse and train derailment, I think a lot of Americans would have had to look up the location … it’s a tiny place.

Next stop was Big Timber a significantly larger and charming town (almost 10 times the size of Reed Point with 1600 residents). We enjoyed a pastry at the bakery before browsing through the eclectic shops and meeting locals.  In the Crazy Woman store (yep that’s the actual name) we met Rio, a delightfully colourful, friendly local who probably wears the town’s most outrageous crown ( proudly) … we’re all insta friends now.

Our last stop before Bozeman was Livingston, it was mid-afternoon so we sacrificed browsing at the shops and did a quick tour of the town in the car… but when we stumbled on a little park with soft green grass we couldn’t resist a moment.  Allegedly one of us fell asleep in said grass but I’m unable ( or perhaps unwilling) to confirm this rumour.

We arrived at our hotel in Bozeman and after checking in we headed straight out to the historic district to check it out… It was a lovely long retail and restaurant strip with interesting shops on either side.  We saws some lovely homewares stores, gift shops and clothing shops but the highlight for Madie was the hardware store… No she didn’t go bananas over the spanners, screwdrivers hammers of the top of the line tool boxes … she went bananas over the yetis!! They had the whole range of the impossible to get sold out in Australia …. purple!!!!! Calls home, budgets reworked and Madie had half the range in her arms, she was  however very responsible and only left the store with a couple.

We ended the night with a quick dinner at Wendy’s, (another bucket list FF joint ticked off the list) I think it’s one and done for me but it filled our bellies and did the job. 

Tomorrow we start the journey south towards Yellowstone National Park but that’s another story for another blog.

Until then

Cheers, Tash

Day 5

Blog 6

As soon as I woke up I knew two things to be true, I was bone achingly tired and it was cold! I’d spent the wee hours of the morning wide awake and although I eventually fell back asleep I knew it wasn’t enough and keeping my eyes open was going to be an effort. 

We headed to the lobby for breakfast only to discover a very crowded area teeming with tourists, all grabbing a hot breakfast before heading out for the day… we were tourists too of course but while most of the travellers were most likely heading south to Yellowstone we were planning to head north west to the state’ capital; Helena

And cold… did I mention the cold??? We ventured outside after breakfast to pack the car and boy o boy it was arctic! The temperature had plummeted overnight and the wind was brutal the upside was we packed the car super quickly and found the heater controls easily.  I’d love to tell you about the drive to Toston and on to Helena, and I can tell you a little bit … We took a couple of sneaky photos on a closed bridge in Toston … and that’s it … nothing more from me… I was sound asleep for the whole drive… luckily Madie and David took loads of photos and  from what I’ve seen of those it really did look like a lovely drive.

I was finally a little more awake when we arrived in Helena, to be honest the ice cold rain hitting my face did the trick in less than 10 seconds. The purpose of the trip north east of Bozeman to Helena instead of driving due south to Yellowstone National Park was to see the capital building.  Our experiences with US State capital buildings have been fascinating so when we realised how close we’d be we couldn’t resist the detour. Unlike our trip to Kentucky’s Capital building 4 years ago, Montana’s was open to the public on the day we visited and similar to the day we visited Tennessee’s it was cold raining and bleak outside but toasty warm and colourful inside. We spent about 3 hours on a self-guided tour which was great but I was a little bit sad that we didn’t come away with the equivalent of the Tennessee Blue Book which we have on display at home.

We popped into Old Navy and Target to pick up some thermal leggings and gloves because the chill factor was colder than we expected and we knew Yellowstone would be colder.  While we were in target we grabbed a Starbucks fall special pumpkin spice coffee, something we’ll never see at home.  With the shopping done we left Helena and made the 160km Journey to Whitehall, another tiny town but this one had a cute little inn for us to rest our weary heads.

Tomorrow we will hit the ‘big smoke’ when we arrive in West Yellowstone but that’s another story for another blog.

Until then

Cheers, Tash

Day 6

Blog 7

We had a late night last night! We weren’t out kicking up our heels or meeting local in a bar … we were watching Harry Potter number 6 … Well Madie and I were watching, David was checking out the inside of his eyelids and providing a background of contented sleeping noises … and to be honest Madie had to pretty much had to prod me every 15 minutes to make sure I stayed awake.  HP6 was good but a real shift to a much darker story … with a few days before we hit hp world at universal we only have the one movie to go!

After a light breakfast and a car pack (which we had down to a fine art) we hit the road quite early heading south for West Yellowstone.  We had the choice of two highways and we chose the slightly less direct route.  We were rewarded with gorgeous views and a stunning river by the side of the road. It was also significantly colder as we travelled south.  We stopped for lunch in Big Sky, A ski resort (which is also referenced in Yellowstone the TV series).  Our server in café 191 was a lovely lady originally from Germany who helped us fine tune or Yellowstone NP plan. The café had a ‘pin where you’re from’ map and we were delighted to be the first people to put a pin in Mount Isa.

We arrived in West Yellowstone in the mid afternoon and realised immediately that it was a tourist town dominated by accommodation, souvenir shops and restaurants. Given we represented the quintessential tourist about to embark on a Yellowstone adventure we fit right in (well as much as we ever fit in lol).  The  Grizzly and Wolf Discovery Center was only a couple of blocks from our hotel so we decided to use the afternoon visiting it as it was recommended to us by several people.  It was fabulous, the exhibit was very well done, the staff were friendly and knowledgeable and the bears and wolves were close and visible.  I spent almost 2 hours in the cold cold cold blustery wind watching them, it was wonderful ( freezing but wonderful!). The animals end up in the centre after being deemed too socialised and frequenting urbanised and populous areas and is a kinder alternative to euthanising the animals.  The over-socialisation is largely due to human behaviour; feeding the animals, not disposing of rubbish properly or not securing food and leaving it accessible.

After the discovery centre, we spent a little time shopping before seeking refuge in the Slippery Otter Pub for a delicious meal. We ended the night playing Phase 10 while we did a few loads of washing.

Tomorrow we’ll arrive in Yellowstone National Park, but that’s another story for another blog.

Until then

Cheers, Tash

Day 7

Blog 8

So today saw the fruition of a 23 year old promise.  Not long after David and I got married I told David that I’d love to go horse riding with him one day.  At the time he said something like, yes that sounds good. A few later while on holidays we saw a brochure about horse riding on the beach but when I called to book there was no availability for the weeks we were there. As the years passed David’s mobility decreased and I didn’t raise it because I assumed the opportunity was lost. 

Jump forward many many years to earlier this year when Madie expressed an interest in horse riding on this trip. I was researching or options in the Montana/Yellowstone/ Wyoming area and I came across a ranch with excellent reviews, on reading their website information I discovered that they also ran programs for kids with disabilities.  I called them and they were more than happy to accommodate for David’s needs and abilities.  They allowed us to book with the knowledge that on the day it might not be possible and would give us a full refund.

We arrived at the ranch nice and early and rugged u against the cold.  Well David and Madie had a couple of layers on but I had six! … it was protection from the cold and also served as extra padding should I fall… I was really excited to ride right up until the moment I had to mount my horse Virgil, at which point excitement turned to terror …

He was big and strong and I was far from the ground. I was so focused on staying upright while Virgil shook and stepped around and nudged the other horses I didn’t even see David mount Miss Patty a lovely horse used for therapy rides…. But as Virgil turned around there was David resplendently atop of Miss Patty.  Madie was also all set on top of her horse Monty so we were ready to ride.  Our guide w Albert and we were riding with a family of four from Pittsburgh.  Albert was up front and Virgil was very keen to be next in line so I had to learn to take control of him very quickly he was wilful.  Our trail ride took us up through the national park and we got sweeping views of the Montana landscape.

As we rode we got more comfortable with our horses and we were more able to look around as we trailed through the park. I lost feeling in my toes and feet about 2 hours into the ride and my backside started to protest near the end.  As we walked back up the path to the ranch I realised that my knees were not going to like the dismount and me coming down from the horse would be a less than graceful manoeuvre … I was right on both counts! David’s dismount took three people to execute and both he and Madie suffered the same post ride discomfort I did but thankfully it only lasted a few minutes … we all agreed that it was worth it and a great adventure…. And with that the promise made all those years ago was made good.

After our ride we drove another 12 miles south, there was nothing to see 12 mile per say but by doing that we crossed the state boarder into Idaho and in doing so ticked off a 4th state for Madie (she’s totally counting Texas) and US state number 29 for David and I.  We drove the 12 miles back to West Yellowstone and headed to the park.  There was a bit of a line up to get through the gates ( but free admission so late in the season) and made the 60km journey to Canyon Village in the centre of the park, the scenery was instantly beautiful, lush and green.  We navigated our way through the village, found the check in lodge then our home lodge. 

With about 4 hours of daylight left we took the advice to drive towards the north gate on the eastern side of the park for our best chance to see wildlife in the late afternoon.  The drive saw us climb a mountainside, there were snow capped mountains and gorgeous vistas all around and we even had snow at ground level which had Madie squealing in delight. As we came through the other side of the mountain climb we caught a quick glimpse of a bison on the side of the road but largely missed seeing it because we’d been looking the other way… We were lamenting the lost opportunity and debating if we should turn around for another look when we happened upon a large number of cars on the side of the road with people everywhere cameras and phones at the ready.  The lovely German lady at the Café in Big Sky had give us the tip that if we saw 3 cars or more pulled over on the side of the road not in a designated turnout then we should stop because more than likely they’ll be looking at an animal … It was a great tip.  We pulled over and not 30 meters away was a herd of bison grazing, sitting and generally mooching around … it was quite the find!  We spent a good 10 minutes watching and taking photos before continuing on through the Lamar valley. 

Over the next 10 miles we spotted several more groups of bison.  We came to another much larger ensemble of parked cars but we realised that most people were setup with cameras but sitting and chatting not watching.  We deducted that they were there for the immanent sunset hoping to spot the wildlife as day turned to night … most had fancy cameras with tripods and all the gear …

We travelled on through the valley for a few more miles and had just decided to find a spot to turn around when we found ourselves pulling up into a significant line of stopped traffic.  At first we thought it was a line for a parking area or the north gate but it wasn’t either… We were stopped for Bison.  A whole bunch of them were all over the road stopping traffic in both directions.  Eventually a park ranger car drove slowly through the Bison navigating and clearing a safe path for traffic to move again.  It was still low going but we had a terrific view of the bison ambling down the road and one pretty much stuck its head in our widow.  We turned around and navigated the same bison and crowds of people waiting for the sunset and made our way up and back down the mountain just before dark. 

We were tired and hungry by the time we made it back to Canyon Village, so we opted for a quick and simple meal, including a delicious warm and rich hot chocolate in the cafeteria style eating hall and called it a night.

Tomorrow we’ll make another early start and check out the Old faithful area  ….. but that’s another story for another blog.

Until then

Cheers, Tash

Day 8

Blog 9

So it didn’t turn out to be the early start we planned … some of us slept in.  Madie was up and touring Canyon Village but David and I were still sound asleep at 8.30am … 9…. 10 and 10.15.  we finally woke just before 10.30 more then a little surprised at the time!!!! We got ready and organised fairly quickly and we were seated at the Soda Fountain Café for brunch just after 11am. We chatted to a few other travellers over the meal before heding out to see what we could see. 

We stopped at the Beryl hot spring thought to be the hottest spring in the park and started getting our noses used to the smell of sulphur (rotten egg) that would stay with us for most of the day. We visited some waterfalls and an area called the paint pots (a fascinating geological phenomena) before joining the large throng of people visiting the oft photographed Grand Prismatic Spring.  At ground level is was a fairly disappointing experience, between the masses of people, the steam and lack of elevation we could just see an expanse of nothingness really.  On the upside David got to test his wheelchair in a more crowed setting and there were a couple of smaller beautiful springs and a lovely view.

Our fabulous German server from a few days ago had also given us the tip to drive to the next car park \240along to a place called Fairy Falls for an uninterrupted view of the spring.  Great tip!  We had a little bit of an issue with accessibility… the park ranger had told us the area was wheelchair accessible but it was a loose gravel path which was tough going but manageable… just.

It was about a half kilometre walk to the turn off of the lookout and on the way we shared the path with a bison who decided to use the path to get to the next grazing area. To be 5 meters within a bison was a little unsettling but we stood still, and let it \240pass us with no incident.

Madie and I did the climb up to the viewing area and it was wonderful … so much so that when we got back down I convinced David to try the climb… with a little help he got there and was really happy he’d made the decision to climb up dispute the challenge it presented.

After Fairy Falls we headed to the old faithful area. As we arrived crowds of people were leaving which meant the Old Faithful geyser had just gone off. With just over an hour until she’d blow again we took the time to look around the lodges and grab a bite to eat. We met a local guide who gave us an overview of the park in summer compared to winter and we were so glad we didn’t have to navigate the summer crowds.

We wandered out to the Old Faithful viewing area and after a few false starts we witnessed her shoot water and gas high into the air… it was a magnificent spectacle.

It was dark by the time we left the old faithful area, and it was a very easy and peaceful drive back to Canyon Lodge Village. We had a late supper in the M66 lounge before turning in for the night

Tomorrow we leave the park and head for Cody but that’s another story for another blog.

Until then

Cheers, Tash

Day 9

Blog 10

We started the day with Breakfast at a Cody institution called Granny’s. our server was good but had no time for chatting or long stories… David tried a few times but resigned himself to quickly accepting the invitation for more coffee as she wizzed past us. The biscuits and o (my favourite breakfast when I’m the USA) was the best of the trip. David enjoyed his breakfast almost as much as he enjoyed photographing it for the boys in the coffee group back home and Madie reported that the waffles were lovely.

After breakfast we went to the Buffalo Bill Centre where we spent the majority of the day. It is a truly wonderful and first class facility. All the staff were friendly, helpful, kind and knowledgeable, it was completely accessible for David in his chair (other than the one small never cave he couldn’t get to) and the amount of information is mind boggling. There are 5 different museums plus a birds of prey sanctuary (and yes I went to the bird show and survived).

When we finally emerged from the centre we stuck up a conversation with two couples who were visiting from South Carolina. They were simply delightful and a highlight of our day. We’ll keep in contact with Sharon, Sharon Jimmy and William through Sharon (1) as she’s the only one of the four in social media 😆 They were headed to Yellowstone so we gave them some of the same tips about seeing the park that we were given and a couple of insights of our own.

We spent a couple of hours wandering the local shops in the main downtown area and had a lovely chat with Courtney the owner of the Village Shoppe, a lovely little store, we ended up sharing shoe room photos and I have a little ways to go to catch up to her 400+ boot collection. We moved straight from shopping to dinner at Irma’s - the hotel Buffalo Bill built and named after his youngest daughter.

We ended our night doing domestic duties and life admin… washing, bills, emails etc but we washed it down with a wee nip or two of drambuie.

Tomorrow we head back to Montana but that’s another story for another blog.

Until then

Cheers, Tash

Day 11

Blog 12

3am 😱😱😱the joys of travel 🤣🤣🤣

In order to meet up with Loz in Orlando later in the day we needed to get a very early flight out of Billings. With all of our luggage and David’s special equipment we had to be at the airport 2 hours before the flight. \240With sleepy heads we got up got packed and got going. It was all worth it, checking in was a breeze and we’re at the gate (with juice in hand) with 45 minutes to spare…

Apparently we flew to Minneapolis… I wouldn’t know, I got on an aircraft, slept then got off the aircraft…. \240For all I knew we could have done a few laps around the tarmac…. Transferring flights was pretty uneventful and then 9 hours and 4 naps later we were landing in Orlando.

I’d been texting Loz throughout her flights so I knew she would be landing not long after us so by the time we grabbed all our luggage and made our way to Lauren’s bag drop area she was coming down the escalator and three became four 🤩

Outside to meet our driver Freddie we were hit on the face with the Florida heat and humidity… we weren’t in the mountains of Montana anymore…

We arrived at the Royal Pacific Report and the standard of accomodation took a sharp turn north… the resort is gorgeous and the smell was sublime.

After checking out the room we turned around and went to Citywalk for dinner … it was a lovely and quick boat ride but when we arrived the clouds dumped their business and we got soaked … it was heavy and warm so we didn’t even try.

It es all good until we went into the shops and the restaurant for dinner… with the air con blasting at full ball we were freezing. We still managed to have a lovely dinner and yummy drinks at Bubba Gump but we didn’t linger too long.

Another quick wander through the shops and we were done…Loz was nearing the end of her extraordinarily long 40 hour day and our 3am start was caching up with us.

Tomorrow we do all things Harry Potter led by Madie but that’s another story for another blog.

Until then

Cheers, Tash

Day 13

Blog 14

Unlike yesterday we were up and going early. Our first stop was the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone. It featured a couple of waterfalls and I made the half mile trek down to the brink to see the falls up close. The walk back up with its 10 switchbacks was hard, work and exhausting, but worth every step. We spent about an hour in the area looking at the canyon from a few different viewing points in caption and captured some great photos along the way for both ourselves and other people.

After the Grand Canyon, we headed to Yellowstone Lake and took in a few vistas of the mountains in the lake before heading towards the east gate and out of the park.

Just before we left the park we stopped in for lunch at Fishing Village. It was the same sofa fountain set up as over at Canyon Village but unlike over there the server we had was stressed and grumpy. He was telling guest to sit order and wait. All of us around our bench bonded over the grumpy server because he was treating us as naughty children rather than paying guests! The poor attitude stood out so much because we usually get absolutely first class service wherever we go in the USA.

Our time in the park was short, it’s easy to see how people could spend a couple of weeks there. We were grateful to have the opportunity to see as much as we did. The scenery, the animals, the landscapes, the geology and the people we met, made the trip very worthwhile.

We arrived in the quaint small town of Cody on the late afternoon and after checking in and getting ourselves ‘all situated’ we took ourselves out for an early dinner at a local tree steakhouse. While we were on the line waiting to be seated, a diner sitting nearby struck up a conversation … we obviously didn’t look like locals! Turns out 3 of his party of 6 were rodeo people they had heard of Mount Isa and one had visited … I suppose that’s what you get when you visit the ‘Rodeo Capital of the World’!!!

Tomorrow we’ll be visiting the Buffalo Bill Centre of the West but that’s another story for another blog..

Until then

Cheers, Tash

Day 10

Blog 11

Today was all about the drive. I could try to use words and pictures to describe it and show it but it will fall short… it was absolutely breathtaking and one of the most stunning drives I’ve ever done. We went up over the Beartooth Highway, which is the highest road in the USA. We were very lucky to have made the drive because the road is due to close for the season in a couple of weeks but it had closed unexpectedly 3 days earlier the road had been closed. It was only due to the two extraordinary and unusual days of warm sunshine that allowed it to reopen.

It was a long slow windy and beautiful drive. Up on top of the pass we had to grab all of our warm clothes and layer up because it was freezing.

We arrived in the town of Red Lodge in need of a keg stretch and a coffee. We met a lovely local lady, Rebecca, she ended up joining us for coffee and we exchanged travel adventures and shared stories of home. \240Rebecca extended and invitation for us to visit if we were back in the USA (and we reciprocated the invitation). We ended our time in Red Lodge at a delightful food and wine store Rebecca recommended and feasted on sopressa, cheese crackers and quince paste all the way back into Billings.

Our mission once back in Billings was easy…pick up Madie’s boots! They had been in boot barn all week being stretched. They were perfect, fitted madie like a glove and to celebrate I bought a pair of electric blue boots designed by Miranda Lambert … what can I say?? I’m a supportive friend.

At the hotel it was quite the sight… we had to unpack everything out of the car in order to re pack properly ready for our flight to Florida… two full bell trollers later and we were done!

The repack… 😩 😩😩😩 it was brutal but necessary… the next brutal but necessary thing would be our 3.am wake up call … but that’s another story for another blog.

Until then

Cheers, Tash

Day 12

Blog 13