Förenta staternaHawaiiMaui CountyHo‘olehuaMolokai Airport21°9’10” N 157°5’46” W Förenta staternaHawaiiMaui CountyHappy ValleyMokuhao Park20°53’22” N 156°30’32” W
Förenta staternaCaliforniaLos Angeles CountyWestchesterLos Angeles International Airport33°56’32” N 118°25’17” W
Grönland 77°37’9” N 42°48’45” W 7 juni 2023, Grönland ⋅ ☀️ -12 °C
I didn't actually set foot on Greenland, of course. The most efficient route between West Coast US and the UK is the polar route, which flies over the southern tip of Greenland. It was nighttime onLäs mer
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What every traveller longs to see! The person sitting in the window seat was originally seated in the last seat of my row but she, very sensibly, moved to the empty window seat just before takeoff.
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If I remember correctly, the cabin attendants made folks who were awake and opened their window shades close them again. This is where the galley comes in extra handy! The emergency doors back there have small windows built into them and the crew was happy to put those shades up so I could take some photos.
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The first three photos were taken out of the starboard side window, facing north.
EnglandRichmond upon ThamesKewOliver's Island51°29’13” N 0°16’59” W 6 juni 2023, England ⋅ ⛅ 17 °C
In the evening, my hosts took me to a farewell dinner at The Bell and Crown on the Thames in Richmond.
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I like this photo because of the shadow of The Bell and Crown shingle on the wall of the building next door.
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The tide was up when we first arrived, and a couple of boat crews went rowing by on the Thames.
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Wall decoration near our table. Sorry, no food porn, but I had a wonderful Sri Lankan vegetarian curry and a gin cocktail that had me giggling. OK, OK. Maybe I had two gin cocktails!
EnglandRichmond upon ThamesKew GreenKew Royal Botanic Gardens51°28’42” N 0°17’49” W 6 juni 2023, England ⋅ ☁️ 16 °C
In the afternoon, I met up one final time with my high school friend at a cafe by Kew Gardens Station. No pix, except of my walk there, through neighborhood streets full of flowers. Pretty sure you'dLäs mer
EnglandRichmond upon ThamesKewOliver's Island51°28’47” N 0°16’49” W 6 juni 2023, England ⋅ ☁️ 14 °C
On my final day, I returned to The National Archives to register as a Reader. I wanted to find the handwritten recommendation that a British Empire Medal be awarded to Ruby Boye, someone I've beenLäs mer
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In the Reading Room. Files you request are brought up from the bowels of the Archive and put in a locker for you. You have to reserve a seat in order to have a place to read them at.
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While I waited for my document request to be fulfilled and a seat to become available, I grabbed some lunch at the cafe on the ground floor. Maids of Honour is a pub I passed several times on my bus trips to and from Kew.
EnglandEalingChiswick51°29’32” N 0°15’50” W 5 juni 2023, England ⋅ ⛅ 18 °C
Nothing to show for Monday. Pretty sure I just spent the day recovering from my trip to Cardiff.
WalesCastleCardiffCardiff Central Railway Station51°28’30” N 3°10’39” W 4 juni 2023, Wales ⋅ ☀️ 17 °C
I took the train back to Paddington a little earlier than expected because of not being able to look around the castle grounds.
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On my walk from the castle to the station, I spotted this! Why anyone would want to ruin rum by adding a fizzy drink to it is beyond me. Even ice is a travesty! OK, OK, I've partaken of rum and coke in my younger days. If "Coke" wasn't trademarked, that would probably be in the name.
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Like the castle, the docks, the mines, etc., the Great Western Railway was owned by the Marquess of Bute. Its initial primary purpose was the transportation of raw materials like coal and finished product like steel, but it also ushered in the great era of train travel. Which still flourishes in the UK and on the Continent, unlike in the USA.
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The two strike days now over, the refreshment service was restored! A nice gentleman walked through the carriages dispensing goods from a little cart, just like on airlines.
WalesCastleCathays ParkCardiff Castle51°28’56” N 3°10’52” W 4 juni 2023, Wales ⋅ ☀️ 15 °C
Resenär Cardiff Castle was just a short walk from my hotel and I visited it after checking out early in the morning.
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As the plaque explains, the castle was presented to the City of Cardiff by the 5th Marquess of Bute. Probably to avoid taxes, the docent at The Pierhead had said, the day before. LOL
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Greenery and Norfolk Pines in the airport parking lot, where I was waiting to catch the bus home.
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This isn't the plane I came in on. It's one of the bigger ones that Mokulele (which is owned by Southern Airlines, a mainland company) puts mainly on the MKK to Honolulu route. One day I'll get to ride on it instead of a little 8-seater!