From Greenwich Meridian to International Date Line.

We said our goodbyes to Denise and Steve and flew down from Missoula to Los Angeles (via Portland) on the Monday evening before checking in to a quirky little bijou hotel in Beverly Hills. One full day was left in the city so we had booked a tour described as "LA in a day" and off we went early next morning. The first photo stop was Santa Monica pier, followed by a bit of a walk around at Venice Beach. It all looked rather run down and not particularly attractive or exciting...maybe it looks better in the height of summer. Next was a look at Beverly Hills and Rodeo Drive which boasts the most expensive shopping in the world. For example, just to get an appointment at gentlemans outfitters, Bijan will set you back a non refundable $1,500. Unfortunately I had a prior engagement. Still, it was a very pleasant part of the city in which to have a meander. Lunch was at the Farmers Market...think London's Covent Garden and you will get the idea. We just had a tuna melt sa...

Having spent a second comfortable night in Kalispell we set off fairly early for the return drive to Missoula. The scenery alongside the western edge of Flathead Lake was just as pretty as on the journey up and we stopped at one or two scenic spots for the obligatory photo opportunity. Much of the remainder of our stay was spent socialising. The weather warmed up somewhat over the course of the week to a very pleasant 17C and at one restaurant we were advised that we were the first people to have sat outside for lunch this year! On the Saturday, Denise had invited over several friends and neighbours for evening drinks and nibbles; once again we were able to sit outside, although a well stocked fire in the fire pit kept most of the chill at bay. For our last full day in Montana we went on another road trip of some 375 miles to the Bannock National Park. Bannock itself is a ghost town having originally sprung up during the late 19th and early 20th century when gold was discovered i...

Having made it all the way to Montana, the plan was always to get out and see some of the countryside and in particular, the national parks. Unfortunately, it was still too early in the year to get into Yelowstone, so instead we headed 150 miles or so north from Missoula towards Glacier National Park. The scenery was wonderful. Quiet roads with little traffic, lakes, pine trees, mountains, rivers and wildlife....mostly deer...including one extremely close call. Along the way there was the occasional small settlement, a few gas stations and general stores. Most of these advertised "beer, bait, pizza, supplies", presumably in order of importance. Many of the dirt tracks leading from the main road were unimaginatively named "Mountain view" this or "Pine ridge" that. We passed Flathead Lake, the largest lake west of the Great Lakes. It looked cold and uninviting, but we found a good spot for lunch overlooking the water. Pressing on we arrived at Kalisp...

They call Montana "Big Sky Country" and it's easy to see why. From our window we can see the Bitterroot mountains to the west, their angular, snow covered peaks rising to just short of 10,000 feet. To the east is the more rolling Sapphire range and between is the Bitterroot river and the main highway which stretches from Missoula all the way down to Salt Lake City. Houses and farms line the valley but as there is so much space, nothing appears crowded. It's a haven for wildlife. Ducks, geese, osprey abound and we've also seen various birds of prey ranging from small kestrels to bald eagles. On the ground, bison roam, we've spotted a fox and last evening a herd of deer wandered through the backyard. Over the next few days we will be getting out and about and intend seeing a bit more of the State...although bear in mind that it's the 4th largest and equal in size to France. Having said that, the population is only 1 million and the average salary is onl...

Once docked back in Los Angeles it was time to move on to Montana to visit Claire's sister and family in Missoula. The only thing to worry about was getting to Burbank airport in time for our 12 noon flight. We were scheduled to disembark at 7.30am and I reckoned that allowing an hour for customs/immigration, an hour on the road and half an hour for unexpected delays, if we got to the airport by 10am, we would be doing well. We got there at 8.50am! So there was a bit of hanging around before the first leg of the journey from LA to Seattle...that went on time and we even got to see the Space Needle from the air. Two hours later we were boarding the second flight, going on to Missoula, where we would be met by Denise and Steve. As we boarded the pilot gave the weather for en route and was met by a round of resigned applause when he advised that snow was forecast for Missoula. We arrived safely and on time and thankfully there were only a few light snow flurries by the time we go...

As promised, a few notes written during our long sail back to Los Angeles from Bora Bora. Back in the northern hemisphere  We have left the International Date Line far behind, but we crossed the equator back into the northern hemisphere at 11.45am local time on Easter Sunday morning. The sea is relatively calm but there are some threatening looking clouds around. The captain said that is Giovanni sweating. Green Flash The atmosphere out at sea is incredibly clear and the night sky and stars are beautiful. The southern cross is visible from these latitudes. The sunsets have been wonderful too and the other evening we made a point of looking for the famous "green flash" at sundown. Just as the sun dipped under the horizon it appeared, making what what was visible of the sun look like a giant emerald ring. Quite a phenomenon and one I had never seen before. Captain's Cocktail Party Unbeknown to us until a few days ago, our trivia partners, Mike and Zennie are the most travel...