East Coast Odyssey, The urban canyons of New York City

New York City was our final destination on our east coast odyssey from Savannah, GA, to the Carolinas and Vermont.

Yellow taxis, red tourist buses, police cars and private cars were all hurtling towards 59th street on the edge of Central Park.

In years long gone the twin towers would have been visible in the distance at the other end of this avenue.

Central Park, New York City, Carousel

We were lucky to have our young three year old friend, Ally, to guide us to the fun spots of Central Park.

Ally and her parents met us at the Columbus Circle entry to the park, right near the golden statue. Before entering the park we bought wonderful gourmet takeaways from the wholefoods store nearby.

After our picnic lunch on the benches surrounding the playground, we rode a horse on the Carousel. Round and round, up and down; it brought back fond memories of my own childhood in the land downunder. We exited the park by way of the Zoo. No need to pay; from outside the fence we could easily see the seals performing.

New York City, Times Square

After three days visiting family in Vermont we took the ten-hour train trip to Penn Station, New York City. It was a scenic trip for the first few hours. Lots of home sites in the remote parts of the country were still surrounded by snow.

We hit the shops the following day. The Virgin music store in Time's Square was the first stop.

We spent three nights at the Gershwin Hotel....a very funky establishment on east 27th street near 5th Avenue. The decor was exceptional. Each floor featured a modern artist. On the 10th floor we were treated to the photography of Billy Name, the familiar shots he did for Andy Warhol.

The only negative comment I would make about the Gershwin is the poor drainage in the shower. By the time I had finished my fairly quick shower I was wading in 3 inches of water.

Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina

Luckily for us our adorable grand daughter lives close to Wrightsville Beach on the coast at Wilmington, North Carolina. The beach is the best place for family reunions.
Wrightsville Beach is my favourite beach on the east coast of USA. The coastal sunrises are always worth waking for.

Beaufort, South Carolina

We keep going back to the lowcountry destination of Beaufort, South Carolina. Marshlands, sea islands, intracoastal waterway, historic homes, Gullah culture, southern hospitality and bountiful seafood are just a few reasons why. This photo was taken while we sat on the verandah at Plum's. The waterfront in historic downtown Beaufort is a popular meeting place. It's the place where the Gullah festival is held every year.

Sunsets over Lake Champlain, Burlington, VT

Sunsets over Lake Champlain were stunning. Locals and tourists congregated each evening along the foreshores to watch nature's fantastic light show. No two evenings are ever the same.

East coast odyssey - Savannah to Burlington

Through mid-March to mid-April we wandered through Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, New York and Vermont.

The early spring colors of Burlington, Vermont, were starkly beautiful. Snow was still falling in Stowe and the bright red ski lifts were still operating. We were in the land of Ben and Jerry's ice cream and Vermont's sugar maple trees.

A day trip around the Burlington district is not complete without a stop at the Ben and Jerry's ice cream factory.

Goannas under the Story Bridge

At the northern end of the Story Bridge, beneath the New Farm cliffs, is what's left of the derelect Howard Smith Wharves. The monitor lizards have claimed the fenced off area as home. In Australia, monitor lizards are known as goannas. Look very closely and you will see the large lizard surveying his kingdom.

The Wharves are an historical landmark with both Indigenous and heritage value. Brisbane City Council is developing a master plan to revitalise the 3.56-hectare area.

The site has stunning views of the Brisbane cityscape.

Exercise after a long flight

International flights to Brisbane get in early in the morning and you cannot check into your city hotel until after lunchtime. Leave your luggage at the hotel and go for a walk or a jog along the Brisbane River walkways. This photo was taken around 6.30am this morning on the floating walkway - the Story Bridge is in the backgound. It's summer time in Brisbane December through to February and the UV rays are extreme from about 7.30am onwards so remember to wear a hat and slap on the sunscreen.

Handmade travel soaps from Besoaps

Be ready with handmade travel soaps and lip balm from Besoaps to help you relax after a long day of traveling. Handmade soaps won't spill and they keep your suitcase and clothes smelling clean and fresh.

The gals from Besoaps, Watkinsville, Georgia, USA, make natural handmade soaps for body and spirit. Using the cold process method, they start with wholesome, natural oils, such as olive, palm, coconut, sweet almond, avocado and hemp, then add wonderful moisturizing ingredients like goat’s milk, castor oil, jojoba oil, aloe vera gel and vitamin E. Be ready for your next trip...pack a couple of handmade soaps to care for your skin.

Christine and Jen create bewitching fragrances to add to their natural handmade soaps. Frangrances that invite you to be mellow, be inspired, be sunny, be tropical, be sassy, be active, be wild, ........., and most of all, be you.

Store your handmade soaps in a bandana then use the bandana to wrap your travel gifts furoshiki style. The fragrance will linger and uplift the spirits of the receiver.

Be sure to ask Christine and Jen to wrap your handmade travel soaps in a bandana when you place your order at Besoaps.

Use your bandana as gift wrapping, Furoshiki style

A lovely Japanese custom is to present a gift in a wrapping cloth or Furoshiki. Traditionally the Furoshiki is a piece of cloth with interesting designs and fabric texture. The Furoshiki can be recycled as a lunch bag, hair scarf, sun shade, or as wrapping for other gifts.

Consider wrapping your travel gifts in a multi-purpose bandana square. There's lots of ways to wrap a bandana around a gift, but the basic way includes a simple knot with a loose corner draped over the edge. This style can be used for oval and rectangular shapes.

Furoshiki-style wrapping instructions:
Spread the bandana fabric as a diamond (see image below) and place the contents to be wrapped in the center

1. Take the corner closest to you (1. tuck) over the object and tuck it underneath
2. Pull the opposite corner (2. top) over the top and leave it draped over the edge
3. Hold left corner (3.tie) in your left hand and gather the surplus fabric neatly with your right hand as you bring the corner over the object
4. Hold right corner (4. tie) in your right hand and gather the surplus fabric neatly with your left hand as you bring the corner over the object
5. Tie the two fabric ties firmly with a square knot - ease in excess fabric for a neat finish. The ties form a practical handle to carry your gift.
   

For creative ideas on Furoshiki gift wrapping read Chizuko Morita's book "Gift Wrapping with Textiles: Stylish Ideas from Japan", ISBN 4-7700-2736-2.

More information on furoshiki multi-use wrapping

How to wear a bandana

Pack a couple of bandanas for the journey. The bandana square folds into attractive unisex hair accessories - headbands, triangle hair scarves and skull caps - to keep your hair under control when travelling. People with little or no hair can enjoy complete headcover and sun protection by wearing their bandana as a skull cap.

Bandana headband: Tie a bandana around long and short hairstyles. The bandana square folds into an inexpensive headband that tames your hair and provides custom fit. Fold the bandana on the diagonal for maximum length. Fold two corners several times into the center of the bandana until the fabric is about 2 to 2.5 inches wide. Use a square knot to secure it. Photo: Julie, Edinburgh, Scotland.

Bandana headband to accent your hair-do: Fold your bandana into a headband and tie it around your pony-tail or bunny-tail 'do'. Photo: Gemma, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.

Bandana headband tied at the top: Fold your bandana into a headband then tie it at the top of your head so the wider part is lifting your hair off your neck and keeping you cool. Photo: Stephanie, Athens, Georgia, USA.

Bandana triangle scarf: Wear a bandana as a unisex hair scarf to protect your hair when traveling. Fold your bandana square into a triangle and tie the long ends at the back of your neck. Christian ties back his long beautiful black Creole hair with a comfortable soft cotton bandana folded into a triangle scarf. Photo: Christian, Austin, Texas, USA.

Bandana skull cap. Fold one corner of the bandana under until its tip is about 5 inches away from the opposite corner. Place this 5-sided shape on your head with the folded edge just above your brow. Tie the horizontal ends around your head making sure the tip of the triangle and any extra fabric is tucked in so the bandana hugs your head like a skull cap. For smaller heads fold the front corner under further until the bandana is folded in half and shaped like a triangle. Photo: Charlie, Auckland, New Zealand.

When tying your bandana the best knot is a square knot... a square knot is secure but is easy to undo. Put left end over right end then right end over left, or you can start with right over left then left over right. It's just like tying your shoe laces only you have to remember to do each tie in reverse.