Flashback: 2002 Australia & Hawaii trip report

In 2002, I got a bigger than normal income tax refund for some reason, so I decided to take a bigger than normal vacation with the money, and I planned a trip to Australia. I loved the accent and it was the farthest place I could go in the world away from my home. In 2002, the internet (as the public used it) and in particular the web was only about 5 years old, so booking international travel by the consumer was still relatively new. I ended up emailing people and companies to send me paper brochures to look through.

New York City, 1965

In the summer of 1965, my parents spent some time in Manhattan around the time they went to the World's Fair. Among the places they took pictures at were the United Nations building and a boat ride out to the Statue of Liberty (also seen here in 1974 and 2006).

Montreal, Fall 1974

My dad went on a business trip to Montreal and Quebec in fall 1974 and took the family along. It was my first trip out of the country, and back then to drive across the border all you had to do was answer a few questions for the border guard about where you were going and what you were going to be doing there. We went to Quebec City on that trip, too.

Among the places we visited were "Man and His World", the Old Fort, and the downtown area.

Disneyworld, 1973

My family took a trip to Disney World during Christmas break in 1973; I was 7-1/2 years old, and my sister was 5. We stayed at the Polynesian Village, one of two hotels on site (the other being the Contemporary). We did the luau one night, but it was so cold that we had to wear winter jackets, hats, and gloves while eating our spare ribs (as can be seen in one picture here). Judging by the position of the night-time photos, we spent two full days at Disney World.

I know that at least two of the rides aren't there anymore - the 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea ride (closed 1994, demolished 2005) and the Skyway (closed 1999).

Lots more photos at my flickr page; if you're knowledgeable Disney fans, please comment on what ride it was taken on, and even if it's still there in that condition.

Vancouver, summer 1985

My dad took these on a business trip around June 1985. I've never been anywhere near Vancouver (in fact, in Canada I've never been west of Windsor, Ontario) so I have no idea what the area looks like today. Maybe you'll see something you recognize during the Olympics.

Space Shuttle Columbia, October 1994

With the Space Shuttle program winding down, I can add some photos of the shuttle and its infrastructure here as something that will all too soon become a thing of the past.

These are photos I took of the Space Shuttle Columbia in October 1994. Columbia was on her way from Florida to California where it would undergo several months of modifications and upgrades. As you can see, the shuttle sitting on the 747 Shuttle Carrier Aircraft is huge, and it can't fly cross-country without refueling several times. On this trip, she stopped in Huntsville AL before landing at Ellington Field southeast of Houston on October 10, 1994, where she stayed for the night. Ellington is just a couple miles from NASA's Johnson Space Center, so a lot of NASA folks went out to look at the big bird.

Columbia was lost on Feb. 1, 2003, as she was coming in to Florida to complete mission STS-107. The orbiter came apart and the crew was killed.

Chicago, Fall 1972

Some slides taken from the top of the John Hancock Building in downtown Chicago, sometime in late 1972. I photo-stitched some of them together to make panoramas.