|
Retirees’ Corner |
|
Frank Rainer (ME and NIF, 2003) and his wife, Sigrid, have had a busy year of travel in 2007 so far. In January they spent a month in Ethiopia exploring the rock-hewn churches of the north and the tribes of the south, including the witnessing of the rite-of-passage of a young man jumping over the backs of a dozen bulls (while naked - the man, and for that matter the bulls too). From March into May they traveled throughout almost all of the Middle East and Mediterranean, mainly by ship with a few independent excursions in between to Yemen and Kuwait, ultimately winding up in the hill towns of Tuscany and Umbria and ending in Rome. June saw them driving across this country to visit friends and relatives (a wedding, a 25th anniversary party, a lake retreat in NH, and the 4th of July with Clyde Layne (formerly of the lab, now of Sandia) and wife in Washington DC. From Boston they flew via Reykjavik and Helsinki to board a Russian, nuclear-powered icebreaker in Murmansk, Russia, taking them to 90-degrees N latitude to the North Pole. They had a BBQ on the ice and some hardy souls even took a chilly dip. They spotted whales, dolphins, polar bears, and two brave guys who skied and kayaked from the pole over a span of three months. They had to rush back across the US by car to allow just six days to prepare for their next journey - a circle of the South Pacific. Next they went to a remote little New Zealand island of Niue, another story for a future day.
Richard (ME 1998) and Mary (Lasers 2000) Sites took a week-long cruise to Alaska this past summer. This was their second trip but to different ports. The weather was great and at Glacier Bay they saw several pieces of ice calve into the bay. At Juneau, they took a guided nature walk through the rainforest seeing young and older bald eagles and very interesting mushroom species. In Sitka, they were dropped off onto a remote island to explore along with a naturalist and a few other travelers. Mary said she had a sinking feeling when the boat pulled away from the island. It felt as though she was on an episode of "Lost". Sitka was their favorite city on the tour. Other stops were Ketchikan and Victoria, B.C. and then disembarking in Seattle for a tour of the city before flying home. Ship life is fun, the food was great and the entertainment was fantastic. Mary wanted to bring home the waiter and chef. Richard met a young man from Lithuania and they struck up a friendship. Richard's ancestors are from Lithuania and so he was very interested in hearing all about the country. By the end of the cruise, they had adopted Markus and became his USA grandparents. They had a great trip, a good time but are glad to be home too. Dick Ryon (Non-Destructive Evaluation and Nuclear Chemistry 2000) made an eleven-day kayak expedition out the Columbia River and down the Oregon coast for 180 miles to Florence early in August. Traveling with a friend from the Bay Area Sea Kayakers club, the pair avoided towns, sought out caves and arches in the headlands, and found secluded spots to camp. Highlights included close encounters with gray whales and sea lions, beautiful natural scenery, highway bridges, and lighthouses. Planned future expeditions include the Pacific side of Baja California and Southeast Alaska. . (See the full story with photos on webpage.) The November Retiree Luncheon will be held on Wednesday, November 14, at the Elks Lodge in Livermore, 940 Larkspur Drive, across from the Springtown Golf Club. We will learn from Hewitt Associates and Lawrence Livermore National Security about Open Enrollment and the new procedure for paying for benefits after Jan. 1, 2008. Hewitt, the new benefits administrator for LLNS, will address changes in premiums and programs as well as in procedures. Speakers will be announced later. NOTE: This luncheon is a week earlier than the usual third Wednesday. Reservations for the lunch must be made by Nov. 9. Food will be served at noon. Price is $17, payable at the door. Menu:
Mixed Green Salad with Raspberry Vinaigrette, Sliced Almonds, Dried Cranberries Margy O'Dell is looking for people to share their travel experiences with the Travel Group. Contact her via e-mail at: trips@llnlretirees.org. Please send any input for the Retirees' Corner to Gus and Jane Olson, e-mail: Gus@LLNLretirees.org or Jane@LLNLRetirees.org.
|