Dear friends,
Last March we received a beautiful brochure in the mail extolling the virtues of
Hawaii, and the restful fifteen day sea voyage, there and return. It came from
the Holland America Line. They sent it because we have travelled with them before. The trip was out of San Diego and return, and the price was really very good. Based on previous trips we've taken, it was a bargain at $185.00 Canadian per day. Because the Canadian dollar had increased in value vs. the American dollar and was worth then about 25 cents less than the American dollar it made it an
excellent bargain. After consulting together we booked for December 6, 2004.
This gave us an eight month period to look forward to the trip, and to make detailed plans.
Air travel usually makes us sick. The tight seating and recirculated air seems to ensure that we either catch a cold or the flu, an unpleasant beginning or ending to a holiday. So, we decided to drive to the port of San Diego in Southern California in our 20 year old Volkswagen diesel Rabbit car. We chose this car because it is cheap to operate, and also one can tilt the seats forward to make a
large cargo space which can be entered from the rear of the car, convenient to hold all the luggage. Total cost for the trip, (both directions,) for the car's
diesel fuel came to only $187.00 American. We travelled a total of 5,750 km to
San Diego and back for this amount. We don't like to pollute or use resources any more than necessary, so that's another reason for taking the little diesel.
One of the reasons we travel by Holland America is because of their more than legally required care for the environment. Another is because their ships are ship-shaped, have teak decks and many other things that are like true ocean liners
used to have, rather than being more like a big floating hotel. Holland America
ships also have beautiful fine art collections and other charming enticements.
We planned to stay overnight in Motel 6's. These are an American chain of low-cost motel units. They are clean and pleasant, and have everything we require.
They cost, on average, $50.00 American per night.
Two weeks before we were to leave Ben used the internet to plan our route to San
Diego, and the places we would stay. He made confirmed motel reservations for
both ways, by internet. This worked very well for us. We always had an excellent non-smoking room awaiting us, whenever we should arrive. Once, when we arrived unusually late due to weather and traffic conditions, we were told that there
were no vacancies. We showed our confirmed reservations and our room was there
and ready. :-)
We packed for cold weather and hot weather, easy travelling clothes, and any possible emergency in the high mountains in very cold weather. We packed for very
formal events and also less formal dinners in the ship's elegant dining room, and casual, sporty day clothing for the whole month. We each had one big hard-sided travel case with wheels, and three airplane sized hard carry-on cases with wheels, plus three satchels and one medium sized square case that was our "kitchen
."
The "kitchen" contained a hot-plate, sauce-pan, small electric kettle, two cups,
plates, bowls and cutlery, can-opener and knife, placemats and napkins. This enabled us to have meals in motel units that many times are not set up for cooking. We were able to dine cosily together in our room, and by needing to buy milk
, water, fruits and vegetables and whatever protein food we required, (often enough, hard boiled eggs,)as we travelled, we saw more of people and places than if we had always eaten in restaurants. Of course, there were times when we also
ate in restaurants, but we didn't dine any more richly than at a Denny's, which
is a cut above average fast-food restaurant where one can get a good variety of
decently prepared food. We don't eat deep fried foods, for instance. And we like more fruits and vegetables than are usually ever offered in such places in the States.
The reason we are careful like this with our money, modes of travel and cooking
is four-fold. The first reason is to control diet and surroundings for health reasons, efficiency and intimacy. There is something nice when travelling to sitting down together with the same pretty plates and cutlery, napkins and placemats. It is rather stabilizing. The second is, as mentioned before, to be light on the environment, and so on. The third is to be able to eat when we want, without having to find a restaurant when we are tired, or we want to leave early and
promptly in the morning, and the fourth is because we are always selective in how we spend our money. Rather than letting it trickle away almost unnoticed, we
prefer to choose carefully how it is used, so that we can do what we think is important. So, on the trip, instead of expensive evening restaurant meals we preferred to do some sight-seeing, or visit attractions like the Hearst Castle in California. Don't think that all people here travel as we do. This is an unusual
habit of ours, but it works well for us.
Incidentally, we had to purchase thirty days of travel insurance to cover us for
any medical expenses in the U.S.A. where the cost of hospitalization is extremely expensive. This insurance cost us $480.00. However, it could cost $26,000 American per night in a hospital, so the insurance is an absolute necessity.
With all the luggage, you can imagine how tightly packed the little car was. There was just enough room to see out of the rear-view mirror, and of course, there were the side mirrors, too.
Next came the task of preparing the house for being away from home for thirty days. Here, if you don't have someone check your home regularly it can void your
fire and liability insurance. There were also the beautiful, blooming house plants that Mary has placed here and there. They needed regular watering. Our next door neighbour kindly offered to take care of those things for us.
Then we turned the heat down, cancelled the Saturday newspaper, shut off the water-softener, and at 1:30 in the afternoon we were finally on our way out of town
. We stopped at Starbucks, (an excellent coffee shop), and filled our travel cups with fresh coffee. The weather was about +2 c., cold, but clear.
We reached the American border in two hours, and after showing our passports were waved through, with best wishes from the American customs man for a good journey.
We didn't take the high mountain route which was foggy, icy and snowing, but opted to go south on a regular highway, not a freeway.
*********end of part 1*********
