Below is a map of the route we took
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This is the story of four Swedes and an automobile named Virginia
Lars Thulin, Per Thulin, Ann Thulin and Ingrid Hansson flew from southern Sweden June 2, 2001 to New York, and spent a month traveling to Los Angeles by car.
This site is intended for friends and relatives but others who find their way here are also welcome to look around.
The plan was to see a lot of the country as well as visit friends and relatives along the way.
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We had arranged from Sweden to pick up a car at Newark Airport. A middle sized Oldsmobile Alera, we christened her Virginia because she was registered there. She had found her way to New Jersey on her own.
Together we covered 6000 miles (9.600 kilometers) without so much as a hiccup on her part. She was equipped with all kinds of electronic equipment that we had not previously been spoiled with. Primarily; automatic gears, the very necessary Air Conditioning (AC), adjustable speed holder, automatic headlights, automatic radio volume and of course, an electric seat adjustment that moved the drivers' seat in all directions.
Thank you "Virginia" - you and your Air Conditioning made our trip possible.
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Lars and Per are driven to Sturup airport by older brother Stig. The luggage you see is for three - we kept it light!
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People you may see here:
Ingrid Hansson Thulin
Ann Thulin
Lars Thulin
Per Thulin
Leann and Richard Whitefeather
Paula and Jim Freeman
Sheila Sato and Jessica
Jason Sato and Sonja
Mary Haskell
Shelley Parvin
Fredrik Sandegren
Leonard Narehood
Ira (red) Eppley
Daniel (puck) Lindberg
Justin Devers
There is a list of links to National and State Parks on page 75
If you have comments click here, on "Ann Thulin" at the bottom of any page or write to
ann@konstinorden.nu
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We visited amongst other places:
New York City
Niagara Falls
Toronto, Canada
Cleveland, Ohio
Kansas City
Quincy, Illinois
Hannabal, Missouri
Dodge City, Kansas
Pueblo, Colorado
Dunes National Park
Denver, Colorado
Mesa Verde National Park
Natural Bridges National Monument
Monument Valley
Grand Canyon, Arizona
Lake Mead & Hoover Dam
Las Vegas, Nevada
Death Valley, California
Yosemite National Park, California
San Francisco incl. The Gay Pride parade
Monterey, California
18 mile drive and Carmel
Big Sur - Highway One
Los Angeles, California
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| We flew in a KLM "City Hopper" to Schipol/Amsterdam and from there another to London and on to New York in a 747.
This was not the plan. Our tickets were ordered in March and paid for in good time. We had learned the year before that you must book a trip to New York several months ahead of time. The Airline KLM however cancelled our plane. They saw no reason to inform us.
WARNING... always call the day before to check that you plane is going to be there.
A helpful young man from Sweden's Luftfartsverket managed to book about 12 of us to New York the same day but our baggage was delayed.
Right: Coming in for a landing at Amsterdam's Schipol
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| Per doing some shopping at Schipol (Holland) before we moved on to London |
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The plane from London to New York was terribly cramped and hot as the Sahara. We each got our own little movie screen. Big planes are noisy and it was more or less impossible to hear the film dialog with the sad little earphones they pass out.
I watched the film "Chokolad" but didn't hear much. Per had his own computer earphones so we got a chance to test how good it could have been.
The best screen offering was the channel that showed the current position of the plane, airspeed, temperature, etc.
It's a long flight!
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| Passengers are met at JFK by hordes of fast talking individuals who try to persuade you that it is necessary to ride into town in a stretch limo.
Per discovered after a while that a normal taxi for 3-4, persons costs max. $30 into town - per agreement with the city. Cheaper than bus + metro. Note, however that sales tax and tip should be added. Taxis have huge baggage trunks.
NY is a taxi town. They are to be found on every street at any hour of the day. Not always empty, however. Times Square at midnight 600 taxis will pass you by and you'll be lucky to ever get one to stop. We walked over to another main street to get ours.
Fifth Avenue - "uptown" ->
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| We arrived late at night at the little apartment that we arranged to borrow from "Lasse" - a Swedish friend of a friend who rents it out sometimes in the summer.
Living is expensive in New York. Prices for everything else seemed quite reasonable since the price in dollars is about a tenth of the price in Swedish Kronor. Also because they don't tell you about the sales tax ahead of time. Nasty habit that! And then there is the ever present tip for everything!
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Per and Ann eat breakfast in a tiny café
on the lower east side
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© Ann Thulin © Lars Thulin,
© Per Thulin, © Ingrid Hansson |
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