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On Safari 2006
It all started in July, when we decided we would
love to go to On Safari – the big TICA show in the USA. On Safari is held in a different town in
the USA
each year – and this year (2006) it was going to be in Portland,
Oregon.
After shopping around for flights, and hotels,
and arranging our tickets to the show, we sat back for a few months
thinking the time was going really slowly – then suddenly it was time to
go.
24th October
As we had to be at Gatwick for 9.00am the next day, and didn’t want to
drive round the M25 in the rush hour, we decided to stay in a hotel at
Gatwick the night before.
We sat in the bar, having a bar snack, relaxing
and talking about cats. Jacky had a
rotten cold, and drank orange juice, whilst Liz and I ‘relaxed’ over a few
glasses of wine!
We got round to the subject of our boys, and
mating habits – those that were shy, and
those that just grabbed the girl by the
back of the neck and went for it. Then
we got onto the subject of ‘size’.
Liz was telling us about her latest well-endowed boy when we noticed
a very disapproving expression on the face of the lady at the next
table.
Who did she think we were talking about????
Ah well!
Early to bed, ready for the next day
25th October
It was a LONG day. We left the Gatwick hotel at 9.00am UK
time, flew to Minneapolis, where we had a stop-over, then flew on to
Portland and arrived at our destination at the equivalent of 4.00am UK
time.
We were flying ‘cattle class’ (oops sorry -
economy class).
The earphones didn’t work – there was this awful
buzzing and squeaking – so we couldn’t watch the film. So we just talked…..and talked……….and
talked……….about Bengals. I never
realised we could talk for 19 hours about Bengals – it’s amazing
what we found to talk, discuss and debate about.
Looking back at it, I do feel so sorry for the
other passengers sitting near us!
I think we all wondered what the hotel would be
like – we had problems finding one that would fit us in for the week, and
ended up in a 2 star – The Red Lion Inn and Suites. We were in for a pleasant surprise
when we arrived.
The hotel did not have a restaurant, but there
was one next door. The rooms were
comfortable and immaculately clean.
There was a fridge, a microwave, a coffee machine (none of that
‘plastic’ coffee – it was the real stuff), a take away service
where you ordered and delivery was to your room, or the restaurant and bar
next door. And we all had a sofa,
coffee table, desk and chair, and 2 double beds!
Then there was a hotel bus to take you to and fro
where you wanted to go.
26th October
Started with breakfast at the hotel. Continental breakfast was a great choice
of cereals, bagels, doughnuts, waffles, and as much coffee and orange juice
as you can drink.
This was to be our shopping day and time to get
over the worst of the jet lag, before the show.
 The hotel
bus took us to the local train station where we caught the train to
town. Thank goodness a young lady
explained to us how to buy a ticket – otherwise I think we would still be
standing there!
One thing we really noticed about our trip – how
friendly and helpful everybody was.
Everywhere we went, people were eager to help if we looked a bit
lost, or weren’t sure what to do.
How refreshing it was to find the people were so nice!
The train turned out to be a ‘tram’ (in our
language). At the start of the trip
it was running on lines alongside the freeway, and then went into town,
running down the middle of the street.
Arrived at Pioneer
Square, and got a street map from the local
visitors centre – they were so helpful, and suggested places that we could
visit.
We decided to do a bit of shopping, find
somewhere to eat, and go and visit the museum.
 Stopped for an
occasional rest to take the weight off our feet!
(Liz on the left, Jacky on the right, me behind
the camera)
Found the local Mall and browsed the shops, then
had a meal. What a choice there
was: US, Thai, Chinese, Japanese,
Mexican – you could eat anywhere in the world and stay in one place!
At the museum I
discovered I could get a discounted entrance fee as a “senior
citizen” (question is – did I lie about my age?).
Saw a fascinating history of the state or Oregon.
 We finished
the day with a walk along the Columbia river, ending
up back at the train.
When we got back to the station near the hotel we
discovered we had a problem.
We tried ringing the hotel to get the hotel bus
to pick us up, but couldn’t get through – had no idea how to call a US
phone number from a UK mobile, and there were no taxis or pay phones
around.
None of us could remember the way back to the
hotel – we knew it wasn’t far, but just couldn’t remember the route.
So we solved that problem by getting back on the
next train that came along, went to the airport, asked a very nice man to
call the hotel for us, and got the hotel to pick us up from there.
It took us 2 more days of doing this before we
found out the hotel was only a couple of hundred yards away from the
station, and we could so easily have walked it!!!!
In the evening, I rang my husband from the hotel
room. He didn’t answer, so I left a
message on the answerphone….”Hello Darling – I really miss you…….”. Wasn’t until after I’d put the phone down
that I realised that the message I had
heard was someone with an American accent.
Oops!
Our first impressions of Portland…
Ö
Beautiful
Ö
Immaculately clean – not a speck of litter
anywhere
Ö
Friendly – people regularly asked if we
wanted any help when we were trying to work out where we were on the map
Ö
Transport – fantastic – trams, trolley
buses, buses all FREE in the city centre – just hop on and hop off
Ö
Shops – WOW
Ö
Food – what a choice
Would we go again – DEFINITELY, whether or not it
was to see Bengals
Altogether a great day, despite us still getting
over our jet-lag
The hotel didn’t do an evening meal – but there
was an Elmers restaurant next door – so ate there (you should see
the size of the meals – and so cheap) – and relaxed in the bar over a drink
or two (or three).
27th October
Decided to have an all American breakfast in Elmers.
 What
strange mixtures, but they were great!
Jacky had Eggs Benedict: Eggs, Salmon and fresh fruit salad.
Liz had Blueberry Pancakes: Pancakes covered in blueberry sauce, with
sausages and egg
I had Chicken fried steak with hash browns,
sausage and egg
PHEW – thought we’d never have room for another
meal!!!!!
We caught the hotel bus to the Holiday Inn, where
the show was being held. Today was
the Bengal Congress.
We arrived in time to admire the cats as they
started to arrive.
The first cat we saw was a long haired marble Bengal
– Cheetahsden Malibu. What a cat –
the coat was like silk – never felt anything so soft and luxurious – it was
astounding. Can now understand why
some people breed them.
Then the congress started. We were amazed by the cats and kittens
that were there.
WildLove
Quatro Diablo (age 4 months)
WOW – look at those
rosettes – and the profile and rounded
ears.
And the size of the cats!!! This boy is only 4 months old! These are
big, muscular cats – some of the young kittens were bigger than our adults
Solana Ranch Declaration (age 6 months)
 They are
really getting that ALC-look in their Bengals, with the hooded look to the
eyes without losing eye shape, broad noses
with an almost straight profile and very little nose
break, fat whisker pads, and strong chins.
Long bodies, thick rounded tails – these cats had
everything.
It was really interesting to see how all of the
kittens had that same ‘look’ – the consistency was amazing – unlike the
variations in face shape that we see at the UK shows.
The USA
is so far ahead of us in conformation and it was so interesting to see that
the winning cats were NOT all rosetted.
There was far more emphasis on face and head and body shape – and
those cats had faces to die for – such a ‘wild’ look!
Rosettea
Too Roo
And whited tummies too!
28th and 29th October
The days of the show - Saturday and Sunday.
Both days we got up early and had a quick
breakfast and off to the show.
It was interesting to see the pens were so
different to ours.
It looked like the exhibitors rented ‘benching
space’, and if they wanted one, then a pen was provided.
Some people had rented extra spaces which they
used as grooming tables, and to display the details of the catteries. What a nice idea!
The pens provided were stand-alone pens so no
need for wires and curtains when decorating the pens – some of them were
curtained, but many just had gorgeous material draped over them.
But at least 50% of people brought their own pens
– in all sorts of types – ranging from metal framed with glass windows to
the same type of portable pen you see at UK TICA shows.
It was nice to see that some of the portable pens
had clear plastic windows, so that you could see the cats clearly.
MajesticPride
Shahia Sunset
…and all
the cats were sooooo beautiful.
Majestic Pride Kambala
SpotznGlitz
Whiles Echo
I won a raffle prize (made up for being found out
as a senior citizen the day before)
Liz would have bought every cat there if she
could
Jacky just watched and pondered, and planned what
she was going to do.
What a wonderful weekend. Everyone was so friendly, and it was so
nice to meet the owners and see the cats
we normally only see on photos or
pedigrees –
Alshar, Aspengold, Avondell, BaliHai, Bangles, Batifoleurs,
BearCreek, Belara, Bundas, Calcatta, Catspawbengals, Cazzpurr, Cheetahsden,
Clagetts, Dadaelis, Dreamquest, Exoticrose,
Freedompride, Gogees, Goldspurr,
Gypsy Lane, Indiaink, Jater,
Jungledolls, Kajari, Katzpaw, KCs JungleBabes, Mainstreet, Majestic
Pride, Matahari, Maui, Metastar,
Millwood, RainForest, Rockymeountain,
Rosettea, RoyalBG, Royalpaws, Saris, Seawillow,
SierraGold, Silverbell,
SilverPride, Simplysimes,
Snopride, Snowyspots, Solana
Ranch, Spotsnglitz, Stonehenge, Sundaybengals, Sutera, TheSpottedPelt, Tigris, Wildgold,
Wildlove, Wildvision, Xzotica,
ZenDada.
Then there was all the other breeds too –
Abyssinian, American Shorthair, Balinese,
Birmans, Bombay, British Shorthair, Burmese,
Chartreux, Cymric, Devon
Rex, Egyptian Mau, Exotic Shorthair, Havana, Japanese
Bobtail, Korat, Maine Coon, Norwegian Forest Cat,
Oriental Shorthair, Persian, Peterbald, Pixiebob, Ragdoll, Selkirk
Rex, Serengeti, Siberian, Singapura, Snowshoe,
Somali, Sphynx, Toygers,
and the Household Pets
And wonderful to watch the TICA judges at work –
Monika Dany, Lisa
Dickie, Beth Hicks, Adriana Kajon,
Alberto Leal, Karen McInchak, Yvonne Patrick, Pascale Portelas, Lynne Sherer Kurt Vlach, and Elaine
Weitz.
A great
big THANKYOU to everyone for making us so welcome.
and APOLOGIES to those
of you whose cats we didn’t photograph,
and aren’t able to include.
30th October
Our last full day in Portland.
Theresa Thornton
had contacted us by email, and offered to take us out for some sightseeing
in the afternoon..
Theresa has a lovely silver marble Bengal
boy, BearCkBengals HiHosilver Bullitt,
and a brown marble neuter GCA Claggetts Amit Rajat Chatura, that she
shows. She also brought along her
Black Tortoiseshell and white longhair pet
QGM Talisan.
We started the day by going into town again to
spend the last of our dollars, and met Theresa at lunchtime
 Theresa took us
along the Historic Columbia River Highway,
to Multnomah falls.
The falls are 620 feet high – and truly impressive. It was a sight not to miss.
We were lucky to be there in the Autumn, and see
the wonderful colours of the trees.
 And the beautiful
views along the Columbia River.
31st October
Time to go home!
Up early in the morning for the long flight home. This time we had a long lay-over in Minneapolis,
so it was going to be a very long trip – we left the hotel at 6.30 am and were due to land at Gatwick at 9.00am the next morning, then had the drive
home.
But this time we were on a new plane – the A330 –
with our own TV screen in the back of the seat,
and a pair of headphones that worked!
As it was an overnight flight we thought we would get some sleep –
but there was no chance of that with some great films to watch, and a
choice of video games to play.
Of course, the
first thing we did when we got home was cuddle the cats, and make sure that
our husbands had looked after them OK.
Next year On Safari will probably be in Albequerque,
New Mexico – though I don’t think we
will be able to go two years running, but I’m sure we will be going again
some time in the future.
Jacky Bliss (Purebliss) Carol Hebden
(Eriador) Liz
Slater (Junglefire/Junglefrost)
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