http://www.travelblog.org/Bloggers/farrell/ Travel adventures in journals and photos from farrell en-us Tue, 24 Nov 2009 04:08:00 +0000 Tue, 24 Nov 2009 04:08:00 +0000 To see what he could see to see what he can see.Here is the link to the pictures which is what he could seeOk so I am not a bear and I didn't go over the mountain but I did decide to go around the mountain. I had finally found the time to take one of the hikes I intended all summer I was going to hike the Timberline Trail around Mt. Hood. Ideally this is approximately a 40 mile trail that cir http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Oregon/blog-438599.html Ok the other day I climbed Mt. St. Helens.I don't really have anything to blog... its a steep hike through boulders and skree.4.5 miles one way and about 4500 ft vertical.Ok I really just wanted to share my pictures.St. Helens Picture LinkUm if you want to skip the silly short blog entries I'm posting all of my pictures on flickr.You can sign up and just follow there if you want. http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Washington/blog-430645.html ldquoWe're going to Skook.rdquo It really wasn't even our saying. It was story Jessica told me from her first time at Skook. We just stole it and it makes me smile every time I say it.Skookumchuck is a tidal rapid on the Sunshine Coast of British Columbia Canada. It is about a 45 minute paddle or hike from the small town of Egmont out to the ldquorapids.rdquo The rapids are massive st http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/Canada/British-Columbia/blog-429273.html Cliff NotesLet's see highlights of the Thailand really in no particular order.They have awesome food tastes just like the Thai food here. You can get it spicy ornot spicy depending on what you order. We have really good Thai here but since Ihave gotten back I have decided it was much better there.Bad beer though I switched to Mekong rice rum and coke or sprite about halfwaythrough the t http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Thailand/blog-381995.html Ok random trivia. The Galapagos Islands are officially named the Archipelago de Colon they are part of Ecuador and sit 960km off the Ecuadorian coast. They are also about 90 national park. The only way to walk on the islands is with a Park Naturalistguide. These islands were the inspiration for Darwinrsquos Origin of Species. The islands are famed for their vast array of wildlife much http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Ecuador/Galapagos/blog-381997.html This is the trip report from my trip to Chile back in 2004 before I started blogging everything.Cliff NotesChile is a country of spectacular scenery friendly people and excellent food. My threeweeks there were quite amazing and I hope to go back. I will try to describe in words andpictures the adventure but it really canrsquot be done. I expected Patagonia to look a lot likeAlaska. Simply st http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Chile/blog-381991.html OK so it wasn't really two bits. I did get a haircut shave and a head massage for 380R about 8. It was the first time I've ever been shaved by a straight blade. I was little nervous but it was the best shave I ever got.So you really don't care about me getting a shave do ya I'm sure I did more than that in my 3 weeks in India so here are few short notes on my trip.The WeddingSo The We http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/India/Tamil-Nadu/blog-359218.html It is the first day of school and I'm in the cafeteria getting a late lunch. So far I've been on campus for 3 hours and all I've done is go to my pilates class. I don't teach until 6PM on Mondays. Sort of sucks but not the end of the world. Anyway the only thing open this late in the afternoon in the cafeteria is the grill. I'm sitting there looking at the menu and watching the lady take o http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Oregon/Portland/blog-328842.html I can't believe it. Here I sit in a truck loaded with gear on its way to Lee's Ferry. I'm actually going to kayakraft the Grand Canyon. I'm filled with way to much nervous excitement. I don't actually know if I will be rowing a gear raft or kayaking. The plan is for Todd and I to take turns rowing and paddling. Who cares it is the Grand Canyon and the trip of a lifetime. We have 18 days http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Arizona/Grand-Canyon-National-Park/blog-310987.html Well I thought I should write and tell everyone about my exciting last couple of weeks.First of is I found a job... that means I'm about to enter the world of responsibility... how scary.Now the good news my first assignment is to take summer vacation. My job doesn't start until September. I am going to be a full time instructor at Portland Community College. I am going to be teaching about th http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Oregon/Portland/blog-279232.html If you aren't interested in reading a boating trip report don't bother to read any further. I'm actually posting this on the paddling website. I figure I will put it here as well because well I can.Anyway today I got back in MY boat. YAY. It felt good to be back in the EZ. It was nice to be in a boat that I knew and was comfortable in. I don't understand why the PFD dry top dry pants a http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Oregon/Portland/blog-270693.html Wow so this weekend I moved all of my stuff from storage in Seattle to storage in Portland. I'm getting good at loading my stuff from one box into another boxtrailer moving it and then putting it back in a 3rd box. I have to say that loading the trailer this time was a lot less work than the last time. I guess that is the practice of the jigsaw puzzle. Of course fitting it all into storage http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Oregon/Portland/blog-268981.html So I'm at Kells in downtown Portland on Friday night. I sit down to talk to these girls. We get to talking about where we are from nobody in Portland is from Portland... sort of like Atlanta in that aspect anyway the one girl says she is from Atlanta now but Indiana actually. interesting For some reason I respond with ldquoGo Hoosiers.rdquo To which I find out that she is a Boilermaker http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Oregon/Portland/blog-266414.html TIA stands for This Is Africa. I first heard the term used in S. Africa. Since that time Irsquove used and heard it used many times. When I hear it used by westerners or travelers it doesnrsquot bother me. It is usually used as a way to remind ourselves that we arenrsquot home. Western rules donrsquot apply. However I have heard it used by locals at times. This generally bothered m http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/blog-220829.html Well my time of traveling Ethiopia has finished. It has been a really amazing 3 weeks with lots seen and done. I spent my entire time in the north in the Ethiopian Highlands. This is a very mountainous area similar to Lesotho I know that doesnrsquot help. The people even where blankets like in Lesotho. I found this very reassuring for some reason. It has an average altitude of above 2 http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Ethiopia/blog-219918.html Well I've been in Ethiopia for just over a week or so. I have yet to leave Addis Abba... but we will get to that story later.I have to say I like what I've seen in Ethiopia so far. It is so laid back it seems. I had heard that is was really in your face and such. But I don't recall anyone yelling faranji Ethiopian equivalent of Muzungo to me yet. People just seem to mostly let me go about http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Ethiopia/Addis-Ababa-Region/Addis-Ababa/blog-211549.html Tuesday was the start of my journey home. I had a flight on Tuesday morning to London where I planned to spend a few days visiting some friends before heading on home. I have to comment on this flight because I got to fly first class. It turns out that the pilot happened to be sponsoring some children at Ray of Hope where I worked in Kampala. We had met several times. He was able to use some http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/United-Kingdom/England/blog-208558.html What is it Lassie You say Timmy is in the well No you say we are all in the well Oh my thank you Lassie Cat you saved us.Ok that isn't really how it happened. I was awakened 430AM by the sound of wailing cat. This was the 2nd time that it had gotten into my room tonight. The first time I figured it just ran in when my roommate came in this time I was sure it jumped in the window. http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Tanzania/Zanzibar/blog-208557.html One of the last things JR The son of the lady I rented from said to me as I was backing was All this time in Africa and you never caught the African fever. You are lucky....So....I want to apologize that my last blog was slightly arrogant and gloating about Zanzibar. I was cruelly reminded this week that those are good qualities.Yes Life up and Smacked me down mightly.It decided that I need http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Tanzania/Zanzibar/blog-206367.html Well I have about 24 hours left in Uganda.I'm excited to be going especially since in like 48 hours I will be on Zanzibar island. Forget it if you don't know it. If you do know it I know you are jealous.Oh but don't be too jealous. I do have 30 hours on a bus first... but it is a nice bus so I hear.As far as leaving Uganda. It feels good and strange. The teachers are having a going away p http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Uganda/Central-Region/Kampala/blog-205113.html