Yesterday & last night just vanished on me and we have been to Bunbury (60 miles away) today to shop. Our little town doesn't cater for all our needs so we make the trip to the big smoke once a month or so.

While I was on my trip to the US & England in 1997, I kept a journal, & when I returned I wrote about my experiences. I called it "Jacqui's Journey" or "You must be Jacqui." The reason for this will become clear if you stick with me, as I thought I might post it, in small episodes. Anyway here goes, please feel free to comment if it is too boring, I had such a wonderful time and did so many things that I only ever dreamed of.
At this stage I was single, 59 (never been out of Oz)& not having met my Walter yet, but that is another story.

I began my journey as I left Bridgetown at 9.30 am on October 4th 1997, spending the day in Perth with my family, before boarding United Airlines flight 4960 at 12.55am, headed for LA via Sydney, arriving LA at 8.30 am still on the 5th Oct. On to Chicago and eventually to Burlington, VT. My friend Ron was there to meet me & we were soon on our way to Middlebury.
It was a beautiful night, moonlit, & on the way I was able to catch glimpses of houses, barns, churches etc. We made Middlebury at 12.30 am, where I met Ron's lovely wife Kay. So to bed, it having been 54 hours since I got out of mine at home.

In the morning I had my first look at the stunning suroundings, in the meadow I could see deer, & beyond that a barn & silo, so unlike anything we have in Oz. The trees, sooo beautiful, they were everywhere, the leaves every shade of, red, orange & yellow.

Kay & I went to Shelbourne & to the Vermont Teddy Bear factory (where else the the bearlady go), we went on a tour, which was great fun. Bought some great stuff for the kids.

We then went to the Christmas Loft, which was to be the first of the many beautiful Christmas stores that I would go to. Over the next few days I explored Middlebury, which is a delightful place, I saw chipmunks, squirrels & a redheaded woodpecker. Saw Otter creek which runs through the centre of town, with a beautiful old stone bridge, the lovely stores & of course the fabulous trees. I was told many times while I was in Vermont that it was the best Fall that people could remember.

I walked along the Robert Frost Trail, through the woods, where there were plaques with his poetry on, and all this surrounded by the stunning trees. We drove to Ripton, past the fantastic Middlebury College, through some breathtaking scenery, mountains, streams & beautiful homes. In Rutland had my first american hot dog, and went to Barnes & Noble book store where we sat & had coffee & read, it was all so different to home.

That all in this installment, I'll try to post so pics as I go along.
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Nothing is too small to know, and nothing is to big to attempt.

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