Recent content by Jean

If I may add a little to the excellent ideas already given, my suggestion for eating would be anywhere that specialises in seafood. I have spent much time in Seattle (my daughter used to live there) and the US generally and while I can’t say that I would visit the US to sample the food, I have...

I keep wondering just how many of the anti-maskers, or even those who are not sure if they are effective, would be happy to undergo surgery by a team of doctors, nurses etc not wearing masks. Would they happily go back to the barbaric old days when doctors didn’t wash their hands, wear masks...

Re the idea about obesity - I have seen Vietnam mentioned as an example of this. Apparently it has the world’s lowest obesity rate along with a very low Covid death rate. May well apply to India also. I also wonder about testing rates in some countries. Low testing rates may well make for low...

The infection vector? A person uses the toilet, then because Covid virus particles are excreted, some are in the air, ready to be breathed in by the next occupant/s, depending on how long they hang around. This process is encouraged by flushing, sending even more particles into the air. IIRC the...

I have seen medical advice in Australia, given by a Professor of Epidemiology, that Covid particles are excreted by humans, making sharing toilets a risk. This would be in addition to any virus particles left in a shared restroom, just by someone breathing. Who can tell if the previous occupant...

Re the idea that “lockdowns don’t work at all”, I must comment from personal experience that they DO work and they work well. For months now in Australia, we have only had occasional outbreaks of Covid, stemming from human error in managing those folks in quarantine, having returned from...

Just another thought about the cost of entering the park - at the time we visited we had pre purchased a National Parks annual pass for quite a reasonable amount. IIRC it was $50 then, so obviously more now. But it gave great value, free entry to every national park we visited, and over six...

I endorse the idea that a day (in reality it would be less than that) is far too short a time to visit one of the major wonders of the world. We spent three days there and it wasn’t enough. Also, at that time anyway, private cars were not allowed in the busiest areas, it was shuttle bus only. I...

I read here that some areas in the US do not have an adequate supply of syringes. Can this be true? We will not start vaccinations here in Australia until March, more of a watch and wait thing. Also there is minimal COVID here, even with a recent outbreak. Outbreaks here are tiny compared with...

It seems to me that some sort of estimates or educated guesses will be necessary if the US is to prepare in any sort of useful way for what is to come. Maybe we get all the wrong news here in Australia, but just today I read that about half of all COVID tests in (I think) South Dakota are coming...

Here in Australia, there is a significant difference in voting - it is compulsory. Folks who do not vote and do not have an adequate excuse are fined. I think the fine is $50, don’t know for sure as I have always voted. Even if overseas, we have requested a postal vote and mail that in from...

As I drove home yesterday afternoon I actually followed along in real life with your train as it travelled through Blaxland in the Blue Mountains. The train line and highway are in close proximity most of the way over the Mountains. So I look forward to following along online.

My comments stem from a trip on the Adirondack some years back, but I suspect things have not changed greatly. We (husband and myself) travelled from Montreal to NYC with a full size suitcase each as we were travelling internationally for about a month. From memory there was nowhere to store...

Don’t know how much time you have in London (there is never enough), but I just wanted to mention that St Pancras and Kings Cross stations are worth a visit. They are right next door to each other, but have very different and attractive decors. Apart from the attractive decor of St Pancras, it...

An interesting bit of nitpicking there! Thanks for making that clearer. I forgot to mention the very useful www.seat61.com. Good for down to earth info and hints, also good prices for travel in Britain and Europe. I have asked questions there and received prompt answers. I am pretty sure...