Safari Adventures

 

My aunt and paternal grandmother had made arrangements to take my cousin and me on a California adventure.  I believe were about eight and nine at the time we went on our week-long vacation. 

We stayed at a hotel in Las Vegas and saw Andy Williams perform.  And then we went to California.  Our plans included Disneyland, Knotts Berry Farm, a Wildlife Safari and touring the Queen Mary.  My brother and another cousin did a similar trip the following year.  Only Grandma and Aunt Kristie deleted the safari and Queen Mary (as neither had been impressive in the year prior) and took the boys to Universal.  I think they got the better deal.

My husband, daughter and I moved to Oregon in July of 2015.  My brother came to spend a week with us in September.  He is the one who looked up activities that we could do together while he was here.  One of those adventures included the Wildlife Safari in Winston Oregon (here). 

He said he had always wanted to do a safari adventure and that particular day and time has definitely been the best day that I have spent at Wildlife Safari.  There was so much activity among the animals and Steven drove slowly through the different areas that Wildlife Safari has to offer.

I’ve been to the Safari several times over the past ten years and the time I went with Steven was definitely my favorite.  A far cry from the one my cousin and I had visited in California over fifty years ago.  It was a hot day as I recall and the animals definitely were not active. 

 

Great Memories.

The Drive Home

                We left the Marino Valley at 4:00 a.m.  We managed to miss any signs of congested traffic.  The heaviest we saw was going through Pasadena –

but it was on the other side.  Our side was okay – the entire way home.  How blessed we have been!  

We stopped at Santa Nella.  Richard recognized the town we were in.  He pointed out Anderson’s split pea soup restaurant where we had eaten two and a half years ago when we had gone on our Disneyland (extremely hot) vacation.

We saw tons of hazelnut trees during our drive

And got several pictures of Mount Shasta.

This was taken about four hours before we got home

This was taken on the day we left Oregon

and let us not forget the countless rest stops we saw

Pictures at the Start of Traveling

          As it has been over 50 days since our journey begin I don’t recall all the details.  Jaime took these pictures on the way to Modesto – or at our lodging.  We past lots of olive groves.