Australian embassy, here we come..

Finally, the tickets have been booked, and the application package is ready to be shipped to the Australian Embassy in Washington.D.C. The website says that the turn around time is 2 weeks. Assuming the documents reach the embassy on July 26, two weeks is approx Aug 10. If we get the documents back by Aug 12, we have plenty time to get the passport stamped with the NewZealand visas. Thank goodness, the NewZealand consulate is in Los Angeles.

One step closer to our vacation!

Planning: For a trip down-under

Its that time of the year, time to do some travelling, time to do some relaxing, and time for some fun. Been almost 2 years since my last vacation, I think its high time we got out of the place. And where better than the Kangaroo-land, for some sight-seeing, and getting some adrenaline rush in Queenstown, among the Kiwis.

The travel companions: Mrs and Mr Chandra, Preetu and me.

Tentative itinerary: SFO -> Sydney -> Great Barrier Reef -> Ayers Rock -> Sydney -> ChristChurch -> Queenstown -> Sydney -> SFO

Airlines: AA (using frequent flier miles)

Now, onto to get the Aussie visas:

For non-US citizens, we have to mail in a paper application to the Washington.D.C office. Turn-around time is *3 weeks*. US citizens can apply online. All the documents and forms to be filled up are here: http://www.austemb.org/DIMA/visiting/short_stay_visit.html Phone number to contact the Australian Embassy in D.C: 888-990-8888

For NewZealand:

Winter day in Yosemite National Park

Winter daytrip to Yosemite National Park

Having made reservations at the Ansel Adams gallery in the Yosemite valley for a 2 hour long photography walk starting at 9AM on saturday morning, Preetu and I woke up early, and left to Yosemite by 5AM. This was our first winter trip to the awesome valley. Weather forecast was cloudy weather for the national park, and it had rained the previous night. Chains had to be carried for the drive into the national park. Guided by our new Garmin GPS, we reached the entrance to national park by 8AM. Right at Groveland, there was snow along the roadside, but nothing that warrantied extra caution.

The national parks pass gave us free entry to the park, but we had to cable up to drive the remaining 20 odd miles to the valley floor. A good 15 mins of huffing and puffing, and we had cabled up. It was almost freezing conditions, and the roads in the park were heavily snow clad. We had about 45 mins remaining to amble to the Ansel Adams gallery (which is right beside the Visitor information center). Tons of snow on the road, and alongside, this was a sight to behold. Hardly any cars around, we were perhaps one of the very few winter visitors to Yosemite. For this reason alone, we should visit Yosemite often :)We sped along, a high and mighty 25-30 miles per hour !! Not fun driving with the cables on, but hey, better safe than sorry. By the time we made it to the valley floor, one of the cables had flown off, and we had no clue where! Yosemite looks breathtaking, with Half Dome, Sentinel Peak, El Capitan, all the peaks snow covered, and a few feet of snow on the valley floors. None of the 100's of people who are omnipresent during summer.

Made it to the Ansel Adams gallery by 9.10AM, and I took off on the 2 hour walk, led by a cute photographer, who spoke about the basics of photography, about how important light was, good times to take photos, exposures, and apertures. She led us to the base of the lower Yosemite falls, explaining to us the do's and dont's all the while. There were about 15 odd people with me. Preetu had decided to stay back in the Ansel Adams center.

A couple hours, and few photos later, I was back at the visitor center, and Preetu and I started driving around the valley floor. Weather started turning sour by noon. Lunch of tomoto rice, curd rice, and chips, courtesy of my darling wife. Took a few pictures of BridalVeil falls, the chapel, Yosemite falls, and by 2PM, it started raining pretty bad.

I bought new cables at the garage, and we headed out of the valley. Snow flurries started in a hurry, and I pulled off the road and put cabled up. It isnt much fun kneeling down on the roadside and fooling around with the cables. Anyways, slowly and steadily, we left the national park, at about 5-10 mph. A little later, at a visibility of 100ft or less, our car suddenly turned 180 degrees in the middle of route 120. Whew! A close call that. Our GPS located a motel close by, but lo and behold, that motel was closed for winter. The other nearest motels were in Groveland, about 15 miles away. Another couple 180 degrees spins, and driving on first gear, at 2-3 mph, for about an hour, and we safely reached below the snowline. Glad to be on even roads now, we got rid of the cables, and drove back home, stopping only to take a few pictures of a breathtaking sunset.

Winters in Yosemite valley is awesome. No tourists, empty roads, and snowclad moutains!! A 4 thumbs up! A must do. We might head back in a few weekends.

More pictures are on our flickr website at:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/navjav/sets/72057594085609593/