Lodi in Aruba

Last sunset in Aruba

2008-06-30T00:56:00.003-04:00

Catch the boys while you can ...

2008-06-30T00:48:00.002-04:00

... or they'll get away ...

Eight in a row

2008-06-30T00:37:00.003-04:00

Almost there ...

2008-06-30T00:35:00.000-04:00

Justin too !

2008-06-30T00:30:00.001-04:00

Everybody dig in

2008-06-30T00:26:00.002-04:00

Sand burials

2008-06-30T00:22:00.001-04:00

First, Matt ...

... make him comfortable ...

and all done!

Drawings in the sand

2008-06-30T00:18:00.002-04:00

Water sports

2008-06-30T00:13:00.003-04:00

Waiting for the boat to take them para-sailing ...

On the way ...

Up in the air ...

DJ and the donkey

2008-06-29T23:38:00.003-04:00

A drive through the desert

2008-06-29T23:35:00.001-04:00

More exploring ...

2008-06-29T23:30:00.003-04:00

They gave us a few more flashlights ...

... and finally out again ...

Light from the top

2008-06-29T23:27:00.001-04:00

Waking up the bats

2008-06-29T23:22:00.003-04:00

Walking in ... with one flashlight

Peering into a recess, looking for bats again ...

DJ running after a gecko ...

Back home

2008-06-28T22:16:00.002-04:00

We're all home. Tired and in some way missing Aruba, but happy to be home.
And good to have uninterrupted internet access again. Funny how almost dependent we are on this now. I couldn't update the blog and photo album during the last days, because of the storm system in Colombia that brought the rains to Aruba. Couldn't stay connected long enough to upload the pictures.

The blog will still be updated, so that it's complete. The online photo album will also have the complete pictures of the whole trip.

In the meantime, the kids can bring you up-to-date with their adventures.
I'm sure they have a lot to talk about.

In to the caves

2008-06-27T23:14:00.006-04:00

They decided that it would be fun to go to the caves. And so, when everybody was finally up and awake, we set off to look for the Tunnel of Love.

After driving to the other tip of the island, and through more desert, rocks, and a military firing range, we arrived at Quadirikiri Cave.

ATV tour stops

2008-06-27T10:08:00.004-04:00

ATV stops -

Casibari Rock Formation

Gold mines/ruins

Mud flats

The ATV ride

2008-06-27T10:02:00.004-04:00

Up early for the ATV ride/tour.

After waiting for the vehicles to be revved up,

a few switches,

and everybody was ready.

Rain again ...

2008-06-26T23:19:00.003-04:00

Unbelievable ... again, rain. This time, during the ATV tour. We were up early again, and with bright sunshine in the morning. By the afternoon, the rains caught us on the home stretch - thank goodness for that, because I didn't want all that mud on us during the ride. We were muddy enough, going through the puddles and mud-flats up on the mountains and trails ... At least the rains washed off most of the mud on us ...

These rains are making internet access difficult. The pictures will have to wait ... hopefully tomorrow the connections will be better. I'm going from one location to another, trying to get a connection, and the laptop battery is running low.
Tomorrow again.

De Palm Island - Water park

2008-06-24T22:21:00.004-04:00

Just as much fun in the water park ...

Relaxing ....
Going down the slides ...
A bucket of water falling on you ...
Talking a victim into looking for 'lost glasses' so that they can dump a bucket of water on them ...

De Palm Island - Snorkeling

2008-06-24T22:13:00.004-04:00

After breakfast, we pick up the snorkel equipment ...

... and into the water ....

Aruba - De Palm Island

2008-06-24T22:00:00.004-04:00

A little island off the mainland, where you can snorkel, relax on the beach, and a water park. We took a ferry boat for the short ride to the island - long enough for the kids to wake up...

... for breakfast ...

Rain in Aruba

2008-06-24T21:16:00.005-04:00

Unbelievable.
It rained in Aruba today. Not just the usual 10-15 second showers that suddenly drop on you.
This was a torrential, stinging, windy downpour, that lasted for almost a half-hour.
We left early this morning, with sun shining, for DePalm Island, for a day of snorkeling, water park, beach.

It rained around 1 pm, then stopped. We thought that was it. An hour later, the dark clouds rolled in again, and this time the rains came down harder. We all scrambled for cover at the snack bar, and stayed there until the rains finished.
We decided to call it a day, and took the ferry boat back to the mainland. It was overcast for the rest of the day.

Hope it clears up for tomorrow. ATV rides through desert and mountains is on the schedule for tomorrow.

Aruba - Natural Pool

2008-06-22T22:40:00.006-04:00

View from the top of the mountain ...

Going down the mountain to the pool ...

The natural pool is behind those rocks

Ride back to the ranch, by the sea this time ...

Horse-back riding

2008-06-22T22:24:00.008-04:00

Up early for the horseback ride through the desert and mountains ...

Matching riders to horses ...

Half-way to the Natural Pool, stop at a picture spot ...

Arriving at the Natural Pool, for a quick swim ...

More water volleyball ...

2008-06-22T22:12:00.006-04:00

DJ's in ... and more volleyball ...

... and the girls join in ...

Aruba - Baby Beach

2008-06-22T21:40:00.011-04:00

A day at Baby Beach - at the southern tip of the island.

Soccer - first half ...

Time for a swim ...

Soccer - second half ...

Ice on the girls' back ...

Pool games

2008-06-22T21:17:00.012-04:00

Water volleyball again ... the boys' record is 6-0 after this game ...

Water fights ...

... and Justin joins in the fun ...

Day 3 - Jet-skis

2008-06-22T21:00:00.008-04:00

Exchanging ride stories ....

Day 2 - Beach and sightseeing

2008-06-20T13:24:00.007-04:00

A day at the beach

A drive to the California Lighthouse in the evening

The Alto Vista Chapel (a church at the top of a mountain)

Day 1 - Pool time ... and water volleyball

2008-06-20T13:17:00.006-04:00

While we saw about the rooms and the bags, the kids hit the pool ... and a game of water volleyball ...

Day 1 - Airport

2008-06-20T13:11:00.006-04:00

Waiting at the airport for the car.

Cameras and camcorders out.

And all that luggage ...

Take-off ...

2008-06-20T12:35:00.005-04:00

We all met at the airport, around 5 a.m., looking like they just rolled off the bed and into the taxi for the airport.

As we clamed our little corner in the waiting lounge, the kids hit the food stands for breakfast and soup. Then we sat and waited until our flight was called.

After settling down on the plane, we all caught up on sleep.

One day to take-off ...

2008-06-13T20:10:00.004-04:00

Okay, I think I'm almost done packing.
The room is a mess; the hallway has the bags lined up; bits and pieces of weaned-out clothes and stuff hat we decide we don't really need. I'm sure we can wean out a few more clothes from the bags. We never use all the clothes we pack, and we hit the laundry room sometime around the middle of stay, anyway.
Four suitcases, two carry-ons, maybe three. Sure hope we're not over the weight limit. Or we pay the fee. Don't know which one is worse.
Two vans to the airport tomorrow morning. That should be fun.
Just saw my outfit for travelling - need to iron the capris. Better start now, before it gets too late.
Then go over my list again.
And lock up the suitcases, before we start stuffing back in the odds and ends that were taken out already, and we think we might need again ...

Two Days and Counting ...

2008-06-11T14:39:00.002-04:00

I took out the carry-on bag last night to have it ready for packing on Friday, and got the urge instead to pack it all up. I almost got everything packed up, then the lights went out. After this pre-summer heat wave, the thunder and lightning storm came, with the strong winds, and the power went out. That was the end of packing.

Serious packing will have to start tonight, as I see too much stuff piled up in the other room already. I want to avoid having to travel with so many bags, but I don't want to pay the over-weight fees either. It'll be one or the other, though ...

The kids are asking about packing two bags - each? Heavens! I can just imagine the chaos at the luggage claim area ...

Three Days and Counting ...

2008-06-10T14:05:00.004-04:00

After three weeks of planning, it's almost time to take off.
Somehow, I don't feel that I'm ready to travel yet ... maybe because I haven't started packing yet. We should do that soon ... like Friday.

The kids haven't stopped talking about the trip for three weeks now ... I think they have their schedule of activities planned already.

Meanwhile, I'm still here with my lists ... what to pack, what to remember, the tickets and reservations, passports, visas, schedules, one bag or two?, maximum 50 lbs., one car or two? ...

I'm going to the spa for a massage as soon as we get there ...