So, I finally emerge from my bed of sickness on Monday morning. My flight leaves early Wednesday, so there is just time for a small Tacoma adventure. James and I head for the hills.

Quatropus

We play with all the 4 wheel drive options and the truck sparkles. Taco is short for Tacoma and Taco means Octopus in Japanese. This makes sense as she sticks to slopes and descents with her huge suckers.

Water is of course her natural habitat.

We ramble along obscure adventure tracks until there is a general feeling that we should head back towards human habitation.

James finds mushrooms.

It is in fact getting dark and the road starts climbing towards some high mountain ridges. It starts to snow heavily and an overall impression of, we are lost on the side of a high mountain in California in deep snow, settles in. Are we downhearted? No! By this time the Tacoma has established her credentials as the sort of truck we like by coolly pounding her way up the mountain.

We start to climb.

We get to the summit but now have to make our way back down a very steep and narrow track with vertiginous drop offs on the left. The snow, mud and pitch black add to the drama.

Anyway our admirable vehicle brings us safe and sound into Clear Lake, Meth Capital of Northern California.

I realize next morning that I have not my IPhone. Bags are searched, clothing searched, motel room searched, burger bar where we ate the night before is searched, but no phone. We head off with heavy hearts. About 40 miles towards the wetlands where the geese live, I remember that I have a Find my Phone app on my IPad. I need a wifi connection to energize the app. Sunshine falls onto the Golden Arches and the amazing free wifi that McDonalds provides, gives the answer. The phone is in the truck! I did not search diligently enough.  It is under a seat somehow. Phew, I am very relieved as I feel much guilt about losing OIST stuff. Thanks MacDonalds.

It is very gloomy and pouring with rain but we watch birds anyway.

Trump Goose

Robin Hood

Muslim hardliner or Ibis.

This is why they  are called Red Tailed Hawks

I am now back in Japan, in Haneda. Thanks boys for looking after me so well during my hour of need.