Wednesday, December 26, 2007

Duck Island, off Anse Vata


Duck Island
Originally uploaded by mikekleiber

Tough Tree


Tough Tree
Originally uploaded by mikekleiber

Tree at Anse Vata

Anse Vata has a very consistent wind.

Anse Vata Beach


Anse Vata Beach
Originally uploaded by mikekleiber
This is the main windsurfing beach in Noumea.

WWII Memorial Plaque


WWII Memorial Plaque
Originally uploaded by mikekleiber

World War Two Memorial


World War Two Memorial
Originally uploaded by mikekleiber
I have vague memories of being at the dedication of this memorial back in 1992.

Sunday, November 11, 2007

Ils De Pin quiet lagoon


Ils De Pin quiet lagoon
Originally uploaded by mikekleiber

Ils De Pin 2


Ils De Pin 2
Originally uploaded by mikekleiber

Ils de Pin


Ils de Pin
Originally uploaded by mikekleiber
Eleanor and I, along with some others, took a day trip down to Ils de Pin. We spent the entire day lounging around a beautiful lagoon just a short walk from the ferry.

Noumea Sunset


Noumea Sunset
Originally uploaded by mikekleiber
This picture is from Eleanor's balcony.

Nouvelle Caledonie

After spending only four days in Sydney (I'll be going back) I flew into New Caledonia. My sister Eleanor is currently living in Noumea, working for the South Pacific Commission, the same organization our Dad worked for when we lived here as toddlers. I've been having a great time here and my french is improving by leaps and bounds. My sister and I were invited to spend the weekend with some of her friends outside of Noumea and I got the chance to surf for the first time in months. It's a new experience to be in a line-up where everyone is speaking french surf jargon.

Fruit Bats


Fruit Bats
Originally uploaded by mikekleiber
Or maybe Bat Fruit?

Downtown Sydney


Downtown Sydney
Originally uploaded by mikekleiber

Sydney Harbor


Sydney Harbor
Originally uploaded by mikekleiber

Sydney's Circular Quay


Sydney's Circular Quay
Originally uploaded by mikekleiber

Sydney Harbor Bridge


Sydney Harbor Bridge
Originally uploaded by mikekleiber
I spent my first day in Sydney walking around downtown and through the Botanical Gardens. Most of the following pictures are of the postcard variety. The Sydney Harbor Bridge and the Opera House are so photogenic that it is hard to take a bad looking picture of either icon.

Crossing the Equator and the Meridian

My arrival in Sydney was fairly non-eventful. Customs in the airport was much smoother, and the people more pleasant, than my experience crossing into the US from Canada. The only thing they wanted to look at was the bag of candy I was carrying to Noumea for Halloween. After breezing through customs I made my way to Cronulla to stay with some family friends I had not seen for fifteen years. The next day I went into the city and took the following pictures.

Monday, October 22, 2007

Mike and Tom


Photo 2
Originally uploaded by mikekleiber
Us messing about with Tom's new computer.

Saturday, October 20, 2007

Sydney Bound

Tomorrow afternoon I'm off to Sydney. I'll be staying with one of my oldest friends (we met before either of us had turned one) and his fiance. It seems that one of us might be growing up a little faster than the other. After a few days in Sydney I'll be jetting off to Noumea to stay with my little sister Eleanor. I'm bringing a care package for her consisting entirely of candy only available in the US. My backpack now holds jolly ranchers, jelly beans, various gummy fruits and watermelon bubble gum. I feel like I'm going into sugar-shock just thinking about it.

Saturday, October 13, 2007

Yoga Space


Yoga Space
Originally uploaded by mikekleiber
I have tried to keep exercising during this trip by going swimming, going on hikes and keeping up with my yoga. It helps when this is my yoga space.

Pig Lair


Pig Lair
Originally uploaded by mikekleiber

Waikiki from Altitude


Waikiki from Altitude
Originally uploaded by mikekleiber

Wind Swept Ridge


Wind Swept Ridge
Originally uploaded by mikekleiber

Ocean View


Ocean View
Originally uploaded by mikekleiber

Natural Arch


Natural Arch
Originally uploaded by mikekleiber

Natixis Logo


Natixis Logo
Originally uploaded by mikekleiber

Old Quarry


Old Quarry
Originally uploaded by mikekleiber

Beautiful Tree


Beautiful Tree
Originally uploaded by mikekleiber
Here are some pictures I took on a hike above Honolulu.

A Change of Plans

I would like to apologize to those of you I called on Thursday saying I was leaving for Tahiti today. A couple of events have forced me to change my plans. Instead of flying to Tahiti today, I'll be going to Sydney next Saturday, the 20th of October. I'll have to visit Tahiti at some other point in my life. I would be more disappointed but for the fact that the alternative is Sydney.

Rainbow for Kate


Rainbow for Kate
Originally uploaded by mikekleiber

Tuesday, October 2, 2007

Honolulu Sunset


Honolulu Sunset I
Originally uploaded by mikekleiber

Honolulu Skyline


Honolulu Skyline
Originally uploaded by mikekleiber

Diamond Head


Diamond Head
Originally uploaded by mikekleiber
Here are some more views from the top porch. If you get the feeling that the views are fantastic any time of day, you're right.

Monday, October 1, 2007

Aloha from Hawaii

I got into Honolulu yesterday and am incredibly happy to be here. As you can see I finally uploaded some of the photos I've taken since leaving Chicago. I'll be her for the next two weeks and then I'm off to New Caledonia. There are no direct flights from HNL so I need to go through either Tahiti, Fiji, or Auckland. I love that, that is my biggest problem at the moment.

Morning Rainbow


Morning Rainbow
Originally uploaded by mikekleiber
Here is the view I had this morning as I woke up and did yoga.

Rose


Rose
Originally uploaded by mikekleiber

UBC Rose Garden


UBC Rose Garden
Originally uploaded by mikekleiber

UBC Totem Pole


UBC Totem Pole
Originally uploaded by mikekleiber

Canadian Flag


Canadian Flag
Originally uploaded by mikekleiber
Here are some photos I took walking around the campus of the University of British Columbia.

Train to Seattle


Train to Seattle
Originally uploaded by mikekleiber

Lonley Hut


Lonley Hut
Originally uploaded by mikekleiber

Lone Tree


Lone Tree
Originally uploaded by mikekleiber

Red Mound & Yellow Trees


Red Mound & Yellow Trees
Originally uploaded by mikekleiber
Here are some pictures I took from the window of the train from San Jose to Seattle. They are mostly from just south of the California-Oregon border. I like the color contrast in this picture.

Jordan


Jordan
Originally uploaded by mikekleiber
This sculpure is in front of the SD sports museum. I took this picture because it looks like the sculptor gave MJ birthing hips and he's apparently being defended by a robot.

Balboa Park Museum of Man


Balboa Park Museum of Man
Originally uploaded by mikekleiber

Balboa Park Arch


Balboa Park Arch
Originally uploaded by mikekleiber
A garden in Balboa Park.

Balboa Park Prado


Balboa Park Prado
Originally uploaded by mikekleiber
The back of the theater.

Balboa Park Theater


Balboa Park Theater
Originally uploaded by mikekleiber
The San Diego Junior Theater.

I am Spartacus


I am Spartacus
Originally uploaded by mikekleiber
A kitten without fear. Thankfully he hadn't yet figured out how to use his claws properly.

A Bigfatdog


A Bigfatdog
Originally uploaded by mikekleiber
My roommate in St. Joseph, MO

Wednesday, September 26, 2007

On to Vancouver

I've had a great time seeing friend and family in California. I started in LA with drinking and good Mexican food. Then I took the train down to San Diego. I highly recommend the Surfliner, watching the sun set over the Pacific from the train was beautiful. In San Diego there was more eating and drinking with friends. I also spent a day wandering around Balboa Park. I used to spend a fair amount of time there growing up so it was fun to visit that part of my childhood. I took a lot of pictures there and I'll try to post them as soon as possible. Tonight I board the train for Seattle then get on a bus for Vancouver to see my sister Danika. I won't get to Vancouver until 12:30am on Friday.

Wednesday, September 19, 2007

California

I've made it to LA and I'm feeling good about being back in southern California.

Thursday, September 13, 2007

Off to Kansas City

I'm looking forward to some bar-b-q and beer. But I first have to tackle the eight hour train ride.

Monday, September 10, 2007

In Chicago

I've been in Chicago since Saturday and am staying with college friends (Malcolm, Micah and their daughter Anabel, for those of you who know them) in Skokie at the moment. It should be fairly obvious that I finally managed to upload some more photos.

Jefferson & Me


Jefferson & Me
Originally uploaded by mikekleiber
Here's the last photo I'll post from the DC trip.

Totem


Totem
Originally uploaded by mikekleiber
Northwest Coast Indian Totem pole.

Stuffed Lion


Stuffed Lion
Originally uploaded by mikekleiber
This is the first animal I saw going into the Hall of Mammals.

Elephant


Hefelump
Originally uploaded by mikekleiber
The stuffed elephant at the NHM.

BigBird


BigBird
Originally uploaded by mikekleiber
Another skeleton from the NHM