Well everything changed soon after my last post ! At the last minute, just a couple of days before the ship was due to sail, my shipping agents called me and told me that the ship MV Figaro was no longer calling at Los Angeles !! Surprised a lot of people because the Korea and Japan sector to LA is usually one of the busiest ones for these vessels, carrying Hyundais and Kias from Korea and Toyotas etc from Japan to the US market. But for some reason, it isn't going to LA this time, so at the last minute we had to change to a different vessel, Taiko, Voyage 205.
But this ship only sailed from Brisbane on the 16th January, so Elsie sat in the port (fortunately under cover !!) for more than 10 days waiting. Right now she is just arriving in Fremantle today after going to Port Kembla and Melbourne, and then tomorrow goes off north to Singapore, Korea and then Japan before crossing the Pacific Ocean to Seattle and then LA. (Hope the battery isn't too flat by the time she reaches LA !!) If you are interested, you can go here http://sagaweb.2wglobal.com/AppSchedules/vesselSearch.do and if you type in the vessel name (Taiko) and then the voyage number 205, you can see where the ship is either in a text format or you can click on Map and see where the vessel is on the map. Anywhere typed in red means the vessel has already departed that port.
Anyway, the Taiko arrives Los Angeles / Long Beach on 1st March, while I have now changed my flights so that I arrive there on the 28th February. I am hoping the Taiko arrives on time so I will be able to get the car released on the 2nd or 3rd Feb at the latest otherwise I will get caught up in the weekend which might cause clearance delays. Just have to wait and see.
In the meantime, spending time looking at the route more closely. As I have said, not going to get too detailed in my planned route, but the sector I am looking closely at is the one immediately north of Seattle. Choice 1 is to go up Rt 99 through Whistler, Kamloops (to see friends), Prince George, Fort St John, and onto the Aaska Highway there. Or choice 2 is to catch the ferry across to Vancouver Island, drive up to Port Hardy, then catch the ferry up to Prince Rupert and go up the Cassiar Highway. Both routes are spectacular, so I am really torn - But am starting to realise that nearly ALL the roads up in that part of the world are fantastic, and I just can't expect to drive on them all !!! Hmmmm ! Leaning towards the Vancouver Island route at the moment because I probably wouldn't do the Cassiar Hwy when I come south, and every thing says the road is fantastic, with lots of wildlife, while around Dease Lake is apparently amazing scenery. Also, it is the route less well travelled by the general public traffic, and that is what I want.
Other than that, relaxing because I can no longer go out and keep fiddling with the car ! So am slowly putting things I need to take in a pile, and refining my list of things to take - Tube of Vegemite is high on the list !! Also doing some work around the house on many things that I have ignored for the past year because I was too busy working on the car.
Oh, and got my new computer for the trip !! Got an Asus Ultra Notebook which is super small and light - 1.4 kg. So far love it, and it has the grunt to also do my work Access databases so that if I get offered some work while I am on the road, I can do it no problem - And help pay for the trip as well !!!
So, roll on February 28th and the start of the next leg of my trip. Can't wait !!
