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2001
- The Year In Review.
Another 200,000 flown Kilometres!
Dear Client, December 2001
In March did a 20,000 mile round
trip to New York via SFO, LAX,
Seattle,
Denver,
and Chicago to have dinner etc with some frequent flyer friends.
Went up and had a beer on the top observation deck on the World Trade
Centre. Later took photos
of it from Brooklyn, and also of
course the superb vista of it towering over lower Manhattan from the
Coney
Island ferry ride. Such a tragedy
such an iconic landmark is no more, and
under what terrible circumstances. I’ve
visited the USA several times since 9/11 and the security at airports is simply
insane and stupid. Stamp
tweezers are being confiscated, but
they serve all meals with lethal metal prong forks – work that out.
In August paid another visit to Vietnam – my third time there,
and it truly is THE tourist “must-see” spot in our Pacific region.
WHY folks go to boring places like Singapore etc mystifies me!
Wonderful people, wonderful scenery,
and wonderful prices. $A5
gets you a superb meal with a few beers tossed in.
From Hanoi flew down to Hue,
and was driven through the high Van pass to the beautiful coastal Hoi An
area near Da Nang in the
centre of the country. Walked along
China Beach, and wheezed up the
million stairs to Marble mountain, drank
snake wine (the reptile/s still inside bottle!) etc,
etc. Great scenery.
Hoi An is the tailoring capital of Vietnam,
and this time I went pre-warned. Had
10 x Vietnam silk shirts made, also
robes etc. They make them EXACTLY
as you want, with the features you
want, in your choice of many lovely
bolts. And only a few $US a shirt
– amazing. THE best shirt
fabric on earth in my view. TOTALLY
uncrushable, light,
dries fast, breathes,
and hangs wonderfully. Wish
they sold it in shops here. Entered
and departed Vietnam though Bangkok, another
favourite place of mine for shopping – and food of course.
I get these beautiful leather moccasins made in Sukhumvit Road for about
$A25 a pair. Must have 20 pairs by
now, in all sorts of colour and
styles, and wear nothing else.
They last ‘forever’.
Next up a trip in September/October
to New England.
Flew to New
York (pretty scary right after the terrorist attack) and rented a
car for a few 1000 miles right up to Prince Edward Island province in the Canada
Maritimes.
Up thru Connecticut,
New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Maine,
New Brunswick and Nova Scotia &c. You access PEI via the Confederation
Bridge - the world’s longest, with
a one way toll of about $C37=$A45! Caught
the Tasmania made “Cat” super ferry from Nova Scotia to pretty Bar Harbor in
Maine. Lobster were selling
along the road for about $US4 a pound. Yum.
Who could resist? The leaves
are just stunning right on that October 1 point.
Allowed far too little time to drive from Boston to New Jersey to dump
off rental car and catch plane home, and
got to gate with seconds to spare.
November did something different and flew to Tampa Florida via Washington. Rented a car and drove down past Miami to the end of the Florida Keys, and stayed at Key West. The most southern point in the continental USA, and I have the photo to prove it! Between Key Largo and Key West there are 43 bridges. One is 7 miles long. And unlike Canada – no $45 toll either! A fun place to visit if you are ever in Southern Florida. Had dinner with a friend in West Palm Beach and then flew back home again – some 30 hours in the air/in airports etc.
Mid December 2001 flew again to Miami – no stopping from SYD-SFO-LAX-Washington-MIA. Again that must be 30 hours on the go. Then a sleep, and take a massive boat for a Caribbean cruise to the Bahamas, Puerto Rico, Haiti, and Virgin Islands. Something different for me.
Then from Miami fly to Brazil.
First a few days at Iguassu Falls,
in both Brazil and Argentina – my 3rd Christmas there
for some reason – all at the same superb Das Cataratas Hotel. Then on Christmas Day fly the long haul via Sao Paulo to
Manaus up in the Amazon. I’ve
had Christmas Day in the Amazonia regions of Peru, then Ecuador, and
now Brazil. Bit of jungle stuff
there and then down to Rio for New Year’s Eve.
Hotels incredibly expensive – 4 times usual rates.
This year have a hotel RIGHT in centre of
beachfront on the Avenue Atlantica.
Last year was great fun, and
very safe, so here comes a repeat
performance. Have a huge
“Porcao” feast in Ipanema with some flier friends December 30.
Another has invited me to his apartment on Copacabana Beach with a bunch of
local friends for NYE party.
Back from Rio and fly to a little coastal town down south called Porto
Alegre for a while, then Sao
Paulo, Miami, LAX and back home early January. Phew.
Been a frantic year for travel, and
will scale it back to just over 100,000 miles in 2002.
Well, maybe. (Off to Miami via Washington early Feb 2002,
and then over to Holland and a flyer weekend in Dusseldorf,
and a few days in Texas on the way back.) Have spent less time on stamps
this year as have been on aeroplanes much of the time.
In late 2001 I had the opportunity to buy “Stamp News” and “Coin Review”. Had been working on this all year with the owners. Had put together a consortium of leading Australia and NZ dealers to buy 49%, with me holding 51%. Had meeting with GM etc, and at the last moment decided not to proceed, partly as I don’t need the headache & deadlines. I do hope a sale proceeds somehow as a STRONG vibrant stamp magazine is certainly needed in this region.
Check my website – new list just loaded – List “J-1” – spend recklessly – my Mastercard bill right now looks like the national debt of Laos!
Happy Holidays,
Seasons Greetings, Ho,
Ho, Ho, and all that stuff
……….. Cheers for another year,
Glen Stephens in Sydney
"Löthlórien", 4 The Tor Walk, Castlecrag,
N.S.W. 2068 - Phone: Sydney (02) 9958-1333 - Fax: (02) 9958-1444
Web site: www.GlenStephens.com
- E-mail: glen@glenstephens.com
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GLEN $TEPHEN$ Life Member: ASDA, PTS, APS, ANDA. ALL Postage + Insurance is extra. Visa/BankCard/MasterCard/Diners/Amex all OK, even for "Lay-Bys"! All lots offered are subject to my usual Conditions of Sale, copy upon request or they are outlined in full on this Web site. Usually allow at least 14 days for order dispatch. If you want same day shipping please go elsewhere! I am Sydney's BIGGEST STAMP BUYER: Post me ANYTHING via Registered Mail for my same-day cheque. Avoid NASTY auction "commissions" of GENERALLY 35% (12½ + 15% + GST, etc.) AND their five-month delays! Read for details. I stock Australia & Pacifics nearly 100% complete 1913-1980. Ask for my LOW quote! "Lothlórien," No. 4 The Tor
Walk, CASTLECRAG (Sydney), N.S.W. 2068 |
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