Anaheim, the home of Mickey Mouse

Left San Diego fairly early in the morning. Drove about 35 minutes North to Carlsbad. Stopped for a few hours at the premium outlet stores- over 90 stores including all the designer names like Banana Republic, Calvin Klein and Tommy Hilfiger etc. Evan, Alex and Lynley did a little retail therapy, I was too busy coughing and fighting this cold. Drove further north to have lunch at Laguna Beach, pretty ritzy place.then it was on to Newport Beach ( could find the turn off), things have changed a great deal since Lynley and I rode bikes around the area 31 years ago. So it was on to Huntington Beach. Parked up and walked the pier, plenty of people. Watched the surfers around the pier. None tried to ride through the pier. The plan from this point was to head to Anaheim and the motel. Well, the GPS had other ideas, it took us all over the place. Basically it had us lost. After 2 hours of driving around in ever increasing circles, we found Katella Ave. Drove up and down East Katella, with the GPS telling us we had arrive at our destination - a small strip mall. Finally found our hotel and checked in. Evan anD Alex headed to Disneyland to see the parade, will we settled in. Around 7 pm we hit Disneyland and so did half the worlds population, the crowd had to be seen to appreciate the weight of people in the park. All the rides like pirates of the Caribbean had over 40 minutes w.aiting time. Al we did was Toads wild ride and it's a small world. The firework show was amazing and we saw Fantasia which was excellent. Finally quite the park around 10 pm, and walked home, coughing all the way. Christmas. The Ameriicans do this so well. Every park we have visited is all geared up for the festive season. Lots of father Christmas houses with Father Christmas in residence. All the music is Christmas carols. The size of the lit Christmas trees is amazing. Last night at Disneyland they even produced snow ( in the form of foam) as part of the Christmas theme. It's a Small World had the full Christmas theme including cold winds blowing. A really amazing experience. Saturday morning it's not quite 8 am and Evan and Alex are off to Disneyland ( it opens at 9 am, closes at 12 midnight), so it is going to be a long day.

Sea World

Headed of to Sea World in time for the 10 am opening, when we arrived everyone was standing to attention presumely because they were playing the " Star Spangled Banner", the US national anthem. Once the music finished, everyone went about their business. Should mention the hotel was full of people coming down to San Diego to witness their son/ daughter passing out from Marine training. The hotel was running shuttles to the event. Back to Sea World, was an interesting day, saw all the live shows we could, like Shamu (Orca), sea lions etc. the exhibits were very good. Saw the penguin enclosure with the handlers feeding them. Didn't realize that penguins are only found in the Southern Hemisphere. Evan brought fish to feed the sea lions and got mugged by a few aggressive birds and had his finger bitten by one of them. Would recommend Sea World, however, be aware that they charge $14 to park your vehicle. Thankfully, the wind storms - Santa Anna winds did not hit us here in San Diego. However, further North cities got hit pretty hard. Just been watching a tv article about a primary school trying to raise $50,000 to pay for a technology upgrade, their network is 13 years old, they have no smart boards, iPads or any form of touch technology. So, they were asking people to vote for them in some national competition. So far they are first. I believe the schools are not getting the funding they require. Local taxes to support education is facing great barriers. I must a Ologise for the spelling or grammar mistakes, I have found it difficult to type on the iPad touch screen, plus with this nasty cold, really can't focus. Today we leave San Diego and drive North to Anaheim for the next 3 days. Then home.

San Diego Zoo

After a good normal breakfast at Howard Johnson Inn, we drove over to Balboa Park to the zoo. The zoo opened at 9am and with Evan and Alex very kean to get there as soon as possible we duly arrived around 9.15. Once in the park we parted company with Evan a Nix Alex. They wanted to do the back stage tour to feed and pet some of the animals ( cost an extra $99 each ). Lynley and I did a 35 minute bus ride around the park, getting a pretty good view of the layout and saw a number of animals. After that we started the tour on foot. It is a great zoo, well layers out and the majority of the animals are very well housed. The highlights - the gorillas, the Californian condors ( they had just been feed, so we got to see them eating, mainly dead rats). One of the people viewing had a dog with him. The dog was just lying on the ground, this attracted the condors as we think that they thought the dog was dead. The majority of the condors rushed up the the glass screen. The day wasn't sunny and warm as we had expected. It was cold, with fog and little sun. Evan and I had worn shorts and t shirts, hence by the end of the day we were frozen.last it out until around 4 pm, then drove back to the hotel, via one or two missed directions, as Lynley miss read the GPS directions. However, in the end we made it back. Hit the showers to warm up. Later Lynley and I went for a walk and gues what we came across a Target and Ross outlet stores, so we did what we should - we shopped. Good prices on clothing. I got a Docker casual shirt for around $10 ( normally retails for around $50) so we consider we got some bargins. We were pretty tired so used room service. The meals are soooo big, it becomes very unenjoyable. So far we haven't been able finish almost any of our meals. Tomorrow we are off to Sea World. Lynley and I are still fighting head colds and coughs. Not much fun. Have found it almost impossible to add photos to this blog when using an iPad, so sorry no photos. Seems like a wind storm is about to hit San Diego today, the " Santa Anna" winds, so they are forecasting strong winds from mid morning onwards. Should be fun driving as the Dodge is a tall vehicle.

Car problems in Williams

For got to mention we are driving a 2010 Honda Accord. As we left LA the service light came on as well as a message saying it had 15% oil life left. Great news. After a full day at Grand Canyon we decided we would need an early start to drive to Escondido to see Bruce and Bonnie. Being early winter the sun doesn't rise to around 7 am ( and sets around 4.30 pm). We aimed to hit the road at 7.30 and stop at Seligmen for breakfast. Got the car loaded but no battery couldn't start the car. After a little bit of panic, an American parked next to us used his cables to jump start the car. Once on the road we decided to by pass Seligemen and drive to Kingman, allowing the battery to charge. Stopped for breakfast, at Dennys. Car started again, great. Then drove down to Lake Havasu City to see the London Bridge. The weather was warm and very sunny. Had a good look around. Time to go, no battery. No one around to give us a jump start, so used the road side assistance help we had taken out at the time we picked up the car. After much tooting and froing with Fox rentals,they arranged for a local tow company to find us and jump start us. They refused to OK us purchasing a new battery and they re-imbursing us. When I explained I could not stop because the car wouln't start again their response was to call roadside assistance everything. Their only other suggestion was to drive to San Diego and replace the car. After getting the car started, we drove almost non stop to Escondido- a very long way across the Mohave desert. Stopped at Desert Centre for fuel. But no fuel all the gas stations and eating places were all out of business, only the post office was still functioning. So hit I -10 and drove to a fuel stop further up the road. Had to refuel the car with the motor running. Then headed of to Escondido. Arriving around 6 in the evening. Went out for dinner, Bruce had to take jumper cables to re- start the car each time. The next day ( Tuesday) we left Bruce and Bonnie and drove to San Diego, where we picked up a Dodge monster to replace the Honda. Parked on the water front. Lynley, Evan and Alex toured the aircraft carrier Midway. I stayed to move the car to a more central and long term parking space. Spent a few hours at the Horton Mall in downtown San Diego before finding our accommodation. The weather has been very sunny and warm, but short days. San Diego is very quiet, little tourists but lots of street people, bag men and woman. Watched the local police arrest one and search his bags. USA is in pretty poor shape. Had a good Mexican dinner. Tomorrow it is either Sea World or the Zoo. The Howard Johnson Inn we are staying at is very good. Has coffee making appliances, microwave etc in the room and off course free wifi ( and brakfast). That is it a couple of fun filled days. Thank goodness for GPS and the maps Chris loaded onto my smart phone. Would be very lost without them. We all well, couple of us a still fighting colds and coughs etc.

Williams

Spent a bit of time last night writing a blog and lost it while trying add photos. Buggar. Since leaving LA have had three great days in Las Vegas. Took in two great shows and shopped a little in the Black Friday shopping scrum. So many people, wall to wall humanity. Most uncomfortable. Yesterday went to Grand Canyon. Sunny but cool a little bit of snow just below the canyon rim. Temperature cool 9 degrees. In the evening gets closer to freezing. Today we are up early have a big drive to Escodido. I have managed to give head colds to mum and Evan, so have spent a little time at the drug store this trip. We are very over fast food..

If its Sunday it must be LA!

Los Angeles. Really didn't finish the first blog. Saturday was very sunny and very warm. The air temp was around 28 degrees with the sea running around 24 degrees. In the morning waked the beach, then blogged out reading and sleeping. In the afternoon. We went for a swim. It was great. Saturday night we had a barbque. Maria, Garry's skid sister came. Over for the evening to join us . Sunday was an early start, we had to catch the air train from Varisty Lakes down to the international airport ( takes around 90 minutes. Left around 6.45 and arrived around 8.30 am. Customs and immigration was a quick and efficient ) but no technology. Meet up with Evan and Alex in the departure longe. They had flew over from Wellington on Sunday morning. The flight to LA departed on time at 10.55 am. The flight was 12 hours. The flight was fully booked and it past relatively quickly. Arriving around 5.50 am. Then the problems started. Both Evans and Alexx's bags were not on the plane, the kids saw them being off loaded in Brisbane. This put a real downer to the first day in LA. Picked up the car and headed to Santa Monicaa ( thanks Chris for setting up the GPS). The weather was cool and over cast. Found the farmers market on 3 rd Street, but the morning start to go further down hill. A very cold breeze was blowing, and nothing in the way of clothes stores were open ( 10 o'clock is the magic number. So to kill time we walked along the beach front to the pier. Then it started to rain, and it rained and rained. By the time we got back to the car we were all soaked. Decided to go to the hotel and get ourselves sorted out. Sorry the rooms will be at least 1 hour. The people at the hotel were sympathetic and did what they could for the two kids. With the rain, and lost bags the day was re- organized. Had to get the kids some replacement clothes etc. thanks again to father Google and the hotels free wifi we found an upmarket mall in Glendale. Thanks again to the marvels of GPS, we found the mall, couldn't find a park so used the valet parking. While it rained outside the two young ones shopped all 3 hours of it. Got back around 5 pm. Stuffed after 28 hours with out sleep. So by 7 pm we are ready for shower and bed. What a day.

Burleigh Heads

Saturday November 19 The flight over yesterday was crowded, how do I know, well we were in row 29 and the last row is 30. The flight time was just under 4 hours. No food service ( I must have slept through that). The whole plan was cattle class. During the flight I was reading a Listerner article around flying cattle class for long periods of time, the author described it as flying in a Petrie dish ( used to develop all different typ of bacteria cultures) this flight was no different. People with coughs etc bore evidence to what the article was all about. Mind you I am one to talk, still getting over a head cold so generously given to me by a fellow Wairarapa train traveller. Customs and immigration should have been a breeze, but unfortunately Lynley had altered my declaration around drugs from a no to a yes. Just got questioned, explained the mishap and we were off and away. Took the AirTran down to Varsity Lakes. Took about 90 minutes. Stopped at very little station as we passed through Brisbane. Once clear it sped up. I wil never complain about the Wairarapa service again. Maggie picked us up at the station and brought us to their recently built Manson. Very nice indeed. Very cool in this temperature ( which is around 29 degrees). Once rested and feed Lynley and I went for a walk around the headland - a national park. Meet a few critters like bush turkeys and lizards and one or two young women with little in the way of beach clothing. In fact you could say the small pieces of material to cover certain body parts, but left nothing to the imagination. Very humid, so struggled with the up hill sections. Rewarded ourselves with an ice cream down in the Burleigh Head village. Burleigh Head is a small village with only a few high rise apartments, still has that village feel, but definitely a beach culture type of place. You know people work ident around with surfboards or biggie boards or just walking or jogging the beach. In the evening walked down to have a meal, very busy, very relaxed place. Mean while up in Surfers it was the beginning of " schoolies weekend". Year 12 graduating students. So it is expected to be an exciting weekend. Saturday Walked the beach to nobbies point. Very sunny and warm. Water was 24 degrees. So may go for a swim later. A few surfers were out - about a 1 meter swell. Then rested.

USA Here we come!! or fear and loathing on the tourist trail

2011 USA here we come.

To celebrate Evan's 21st birthday plus catch up with one or two American friends we are off to Southern California on Novemeber 20. This trip will take in Burleigh Heads (Gold Coast) to spend a couple of days with friends. Thenit is on to Los Angeles (well Hollywood) for 3 days of sightseing and catching up with Linda (american friend), from there it is of to sin city itself- Las Vegas. Following this it is Grand Canyon before dropping down to San Diego (and Bruce and Bonnie-other american friends). We finsih of the loop with a few days in Anaheim and of course Disneyland. So welcome, do hope you enjoy this travel blog and promise little or no reference to food (well apart from the mexican I am looking forward to sampling).