More photos can be viewed on my diary pages Sep 10 - 16: Click

AUSTIN - Whenever we go on these big holidays we like to get a train ride, for David's sake. And so we got onto the Amtrak in Dallas (2 hours late - what else is new?) for a ride across plains, through dusty, quiet small towns. I slept most of the way. (kids played cards in the lounge car, but left when the evening's movie, 'Bear' came on. Not the world's most interesting trip, but certainly a lot cheaper than flying. Most people on the train were going from Chicago to LA and were living on the train for days. We were only on for 6 hours. Two reasons for Austin. One, Gail's aunt Janet and family live there; and two, we heard that it was a very nice place to live. So when our plans changed and Gail headed back to Phoenix, I still wanted to stopover at Austin. Janet was an enthusiastic tour guide and crammed a lot into the one day we had. Visited her son Tom at work in his liquor store, Austintacious; hubbie Bob, even harder at work in his barbershop (during a lull in the action David climbed into the chair for a trim) then we set off in search of Barton Springs pool which was in lovely Zeicker Park. Even had time to do a little shopping before getting back horns where Janet showed us how to make burger boats for the meal that night with Tom and his growing family. Austin did remind us of Minnesota with its many perks and trees.

DALLAS - Our final leg, by Plane found us arriving in Houston about the same time that Gail flew in from Arizona. She had given up waiting for her father's operation which never happened until the day after she left. My sister Angi and Jim Beadle picked us up and after a couple hours travelling on the underground rail to the perking lot, we were put up in an apartment in the complex where they live. Walked over to the Hard Rock cafe - almost too loud to carry on conversation, but atmosphere and an interesting menu. Followed that with a stroll through an area of very large mansions. Then at 10:30pm went to a supermarket to get food supplies. Armed guard inside end a couple plain clothes creeping around and did we get the once over. Sad that their services were required, but at least we honest people can feel minutely safer.

SHOP TIL YOU DROP - Getting near the end and we hadn't spent all of our money, so we wanted to shop and were obliged. Jim brought us to Galleria, which is huge complex of exclusive stores. Interesting to browse, but we weren't happy until we got to a Wal-mart where we loaded up a couple shopping carts and had to buy a humungous carry bag for most of it. Marshalls, Children's Palace and Service Merchants each got some of our business. After all that chauffeuring around we treated Jim and Angi to a wonderful meal at Atchalaya. We are talking major atmosphere, this place had a lively buzz. And the food, fantastic Cajun style. I had shrimp, done seven ways.

FAREWELL - Well all good things must come to en end - one can only take so mach of my sister's cooking. So, after a rushed and teary departure at Hobby airport we were on our way back home 31 days after landing in LA. And amazingly enough, David ran into a classmate in Honolulu as we waited to rejoin the plane.

FINIS - All in all, a disappointing trip for us as Gail missed out on some of it and we couldn't visit half the people we wanted to meet up with, and see all the places and do all the things we had planned. It certainly left in us a desire to return again.