RussLins - Lindsay Clarke

We are Lindsay and Russell, both from the UK. After living for (quite a few!) years in London, we decided that we had had enough, and spent 11 months travelling around the world like we always wanted to! Our route took us through South-east Asia (Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand, Malaysia & Singapore), Australia and South Pacific (New Zealand, Fiji, Rarotonga) and North America (LA, British Columbia and Alberta, Toronto and Montreal, New York).

Unfortunately our trip had to end (why?) and we have now moved to lovely Leeds in West Yorkshire where we have settled for the foreseeable future...

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Joined on: July 31st 2005
Last Login: September 16th 2008

Blog Entries: 64
Photos: 417

TB Code: [blogger=5482]
Status: BLOGGER

Blogs & Travel Journals

by RussLins, order by Date newest first.

By RussLins
October 2nd 2006

New York New York - So good they named it twice

North America » United States » New York » New York

Cityscape 1
It is an amazing city

We caught the train easy enough and were soon whizzing out of Canada and back into the United States. Lins was a bit worried about crossing the border again, since when we last crossed the border we are not entirely sure what happened with our departure card. We were soon to find out as US immigration boarded the train to sort out everyone’s paperwork. We got the usual interrogation about where we were from and where we were going and where we were from - they really do need to mix it up a bit if they are going catch you [View Full Entry]

By RussLins
September 27th 2006

Bienvenue sur Montreal

North America » Canada » Quebec » Montréal

Skyline

The bus left on time. We were going to have a 3 hours stop-over in Ottawa, the nation’s capital, in the middle of the night but we should be in Montreal by the morning. When we got to Ottawa I asked the bus driver where we would catch the Montreal connection. “That’s it over there.” he said pointing to the bus next to us. I went over and the new driver confirmed it. But what about the 3 hour stop-over? I have no idea because we got straight on it. “So what time do we get to Montreal?” I asked. “2:30am” [View Full Entry]

By RussLins
September 21st 2006

Toronto and Niagra Falls

North America » Canada » Ontario » Toronto

From the tower
Downtown

We had arrived in Toronto at nearly midnight. We couldn’t find where our transfer bus to the hotel was and no one was answering the phone at the hotel. When we did find the bus stop we were told the bus would be at least an hour so we had to wait. We were really happy to get to the hotel when we did finally arrive. So we are now refreshed from our travels and heading for the city itself. We had caught the free hotel transfer bus back to the airport and were going in from there. What a nightmare. [View Full Entry]

By RussLins
September 18th 2006

C-c-c-c-calgary

North America » Canada » Alberta » Calgary

Devonian Gardens
Not what you expect at the mall

We arrived in Calgary with a bit of a problem. We didn’t actually know where our B&B was. Our map was just too big a scale to show the road so we go into a shopping mall to find a book shop. Apparently people in Calgary don’t read because there are no book stores. We find a pay phone and call the B&B - thankfully they are in and it appears we are just around the corner. The B&B is nice but the owners are having their dinner so we slip out and take advantage of still having the car by [View Full Entry]

By RussLins
September 15th 2006

The Wild Canadian Rockies

North America » Canada » British Columbia

Mountains
Wow - even with no snow

I’m standing in the lobby of a large hotel having just paid for a economy compact hire car. We are off to the mountains today and I have to drive on the wrong side of the road through the city. I’m not looking forward to it. A huge Dodge car draws up in front of the hotel and I thank god we went for a compact - driving a behemoth on top of everything would be hell. “Are you Russell Williams?” The driver asked “here’s your car.” Oh dear. I guess by American standards this is a compact. I finish the [View Full Entry]

By RussLins
September 6th 2006

A trip to 'British' British Columbia

North America » Canada » British Columbia » Vancouver Island » Victoria

Victoria Harbour
Where the seaplanes to Vancouver fly from

“So we are staying at a B&B called ‘If-n-When’” Lins said. “No, ‘Ifanwen’ It’s a Welsh name you muppet!” I replied. Having given up on getting accommodation in Seattle we had booked a B&B in Victoria, the Provincial capital of British Columbia and were waiting for the bus to take us to the ferry. Victoria is on the southern tip of Vancouver Island, an island about the size of the UK just off the coast of BC. It is also the only Canadian city below the 49th parallel, so right across the water from the US. The ferry ride is a [View Full Entry]

By RussLins
September 4th 2006

Viva Vancouver

North America » Canada » British Columbia » Vancouver

Lost Lagoon
The lovely city of Vancouver

We left LAX and flew up the western US sea border. The Rockies rose up on our one side as the Pacific stretched out on the other and soon we were on our descent to Vancouver International Airport (also known the catchy code YVR). The head steward started his usual safety announcement and thank yous for flying. “Also I will be coming through the cabin and handing out applications for the new Air Alaska credit card, where you can get air miles every time you shop.” He then went into a 10 minutes sales pitch of the wonders of this credit [View Full Entry]

By RussLins
August 31st 2006

Two Go to Tinsel Town

North America » United States » California » Los Angeles » Hollywood

Big sign
The famous real estate advert

We took off from Raratonga at about 11pm and had a short flight across the pacific to Tahiti. Although we weren’t going to leave the airport we still had to get out and wait for a plane (the same plane we came in on) which was due to leave in about two hours. As we arrived at the airport we were met by yet more music and dancing - mostly on ukuleles and drums and were handed a flower by a Tahitian woman before we had even crossed the tarmac. My first surprise as we entered the building was that there [View Full Entry]

By RussLins
August 26th 2006

Kia Orana - The Cook Islands and Temporal Anomalies

Oceania » Cook Islands » Rarotonga

Beach 3
Paradise, paradise, paradise

The flight from Fiji to the Cook Islands is again three hours but due to the fact we cross the international dateline we get caught in a temporal anomaly which means we travel back in time. Our flight took off from Nadi at 6:15pm on Saturday 19th August and landed on Raratonga in the Cook Islands at 11:30pm on Friday 18th August, nearly 20 hours before we took off! This means that we get to enjoy the 19th August all over again, and we can claim to be one day younger than we actually are! So we arrived at Raratonga airport [View Full Entry]

By RussLins
August 19th 2006

Bula Fiji!

Oceania » Fiji » Viti Levu

Palms 1
Well I've found my spot

As we got off the plane in Fiji the warm air wafted over us. “Bula!” smiled an airport official as we walked through to the arrivals lounge. We went through the usual procedures and came out to pick up our ride to the resort. Everyone smiled as we came through the gates and asked where we were staying. Being a hardened traveller I was used to being jumped on by unhelpful taxi drivers and tried my best to ignore them but actually they were genuinely trying to help as they pointed Lins in the right direction to catch our ride. The [View Full Entry]

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