Blogs from Huntsville, Alabama, United States, North America

Weather was fine & clear this morning, and after breakfast in our Hotel we were on our way by around 9.45AM heading into Sweet Home Alabama. Short drive today only about 200km to a place called Huntsville. It’s known as Rocket City as it was here in the late 1950’s and early 1960’s that America’s space programme was based. They have a place called the US Space & Rocket Centre which has more artifacts than they have at Cape Canaveral in Florida where all the launches now take place. We arrived in Huntsville around 12 Noon and decided to have lunch before going to the space centre. We had seen this place called Cracker Barrell about 20 times on this road trip so we thought we’d give it a try. Inside is a gift shop with ... read more

I finally added some pictures to yesterday's blog, so take a look if you have a chance. This morning we got to "sleep in" and had breakfast at 8AM instead of 730. It was a much needed extra 30 minutes of sleep. After breakfast we headed to the auditorium for a presentation on the future of NASA. As the shuttle program is being shutdown after only 2 or 3 more flights, NASA will begin to focus more on robotics. NASA is still hoping for a consideration to continue the shuttle program, but with budgets the way they are, that remains to be seen. It was very interesting to learn about the robotics programs that will begin to take place on the moon starting in the next few years. After that we attended a class called "Toys ... read more

Today started bright and early again with us leaving the dorms at 7:30A.M. and we only just got back at 9:30P.M. Now, that's a long day!! Our team leaders took the Columbus group through a tour of the Davidson Center which actually has the original Saturn V rocket in the museum as well as the teeny tiny space probes that the astronauts sat in. The rocket itself is absolutely HUGE and some segments are actually suspended from ceiling. It just amazed me that we were actually walking under these enormously heavy pieces of equipment that were hung from the ceiling. I was awed (and a little nervous if I'm honest). After that our group participated in a 2 hour Discovery mission which was a huge success. Well, except for the part when the Mission Scientist in ... read more

WOW! Today was full of information & adventure. It started bright & early with the alarm going off at 6:30A.M. We had to be dressed & on the bus for 7:30. We had a great breakfast & orientation where we got the opportunity to socialize with other teachers. In my dorm there are 4 of us... Stacy from L.A., Melissa from Alabama & Kathy from Virginia. (Kathy is the only one not in my mission group.) In orientation I was assigned to mission group "Columbus" with 14 others & we did some icebreaker activities to get to know each others. We have some folks that are a laugh riot & I'm sure they're really fun in the classroom. After all that team building we went to the auditorium for a 1 hour Shuttle Orientation lecture. I ... read more

Well, I have to apologize for that last post. I'll admit it, it got weird there at the end. I do think I get at least a partial pass because I have neither written in awhile, nor do I usually go through any form of surgery. I guess I should say upfront, that this isn't so much a travel blog, yet, but hopefully it will fully develop into that before the year is up. I know that travel is travel, but I was thinking more of cross global adventures instead of just going down the street to Birmingham. But, hey, you've got to get there a bit at a time right? Roomy was angry this morning. The general unfairness of life is getting to her. I don't know. If this keeps up, then neither of ... read more