Well, we're home. Our flight to Sydney was uneventful and we were home in time to pick up Rufus from the kennel. It's great to be home, but coming back down to earth after such a great holiday is a bit hard to take. All of a sudden I have to start doing mundane things again, like washing, cooking and cleaning. And on Wednesday I have to go back to work. Not fair!
So, my blog has now come to an end. I hope you've enjoyed reading it as much as I've enjoyed writing it. Before I go, here are some final observations from our holiday:
Best experience: seeing the Grand Canyon.
Other highlights: exploring San Francisco, Disneyland, the unfailingly friendly and helpful people we encountered.
Worst experience: Hollywood - too crowded, too noisy, too scary.
Lessons learned: Pack light - I only wore about 70% of the clothes I packed; pack a fleece - you never know when it's going to get cold; don't over-schedule your days - it's not enjoyable if you're exhausted because you've packed too much activity in; observe and enjoy everyday life - it's often just as interesting as the major tourist sights.
Until the next Rogers holiday...
Vxxx
Sunday, April 24, 2011
Friday, April 22, 2011
DAY 13 - Las Vegas - Los Angeles - Auckland
It was rather sad waking up to the realisation that our holiday was almost over. It was even sadder to pack our bags and realise that we were probably dangerously close to our 23kg weight limit. Eek!
We trundled our bags out to the car and hit the road back to LA with the shimmering towers of Las Vegas fading in the rear view mirror. I had mixed feelings about leaving Vegas: the relief at leaving the superficiality and crushing crowds behind was tempered by disappointment at saying goodbye to the desert landscape I'd grown to love.
When we got to LA I just had to have one more visit to Walgreens. Little did we know when we got off the Freeway we ended up in Inglewood which is apparently a well-known as a high crime area. On the way from Walgreens to the airport we came across a police cordon in the street around a dead guy under a sheet (http://www.dailybreeze.com/news/ci_17900982). Very good of the locals to give us a quintessentially LA experience before we left.
I had hoped that our flight home would be less crowded than the one over and we might have an empty seat between us to spread out but alas our original flight was cancelled and we were herded onto an earlier flight that was fully booked. I cried at the thought of being shoe-horned into my seat for 12 hours. The only positive thing that can be said about the flight was I got to watch The King's Speech on the in-flight entertainment system. Great movie but my poor ankles are still swollen.
We landed in Auckland at about 5.30am, bleary-eyed and fed up. The only thing drearier than Auckland on a Sunday is Auckland on Good Friday. We must have crossed the International Date Line into 1956. There was not a soul around. To kill time until we could check into our motel we picked up a rental car and tooled over to Mission Bay for a horribly overpriced breakfast and then onto Devonport to wander on the pier. You know how when you're so overtired you get the stares and you can't focus on anything??? Well, we had passed that point and were dead on our feet. We made it to the motel and napped for about 4 hours before heading out for fush n chups for dinner.
Tomorrow: HOME!!!!
Vxxx
We trundled our bags out to the car and hit the road back to LA with the shimmering towers of Las Vegas fading in the rear view mirror. I had mixed feelings about leaving Vegas: the relief at leaving the superficiality and crushing crowds behind was tempered by disappointment at saying goodbye to the desert landscape I'd grown to love.
When we got to LA I just had to have one more visit to Walgreens. Little did we know when we got off the Freeway we ended up in Inglewood which is apparently a well-known as a high crime area. On the way from Walgreens to the airport we came across a police cordon in the street around a dead guy under a sheet (http://www.dailybreeze.com/news/ci_17900982). Very good of the locals to give us a quintessentially LA experience before we left.
I had hoped that our flight home would be less crowded than the one over and we might have an empty seat between us to spread out but alas our original flight was cancelled and we were herded onto an earlier flight that was fully booked. I cried at the thought of being shoe-horned into my seat for 12 hours. The only positive thing that can be said about the flight was I got to watch The King's Speech on the in-flight entertainment system. Great movie but my poor ankles are still swollen.
We landed in Auckland at about 5.30am, bleary-eyed and fed up. The only thing drearier than Auckland on a Sunday is Auckland on Good Friday. We must have crossed the International Date Line into 1956. There was not a soul around. To kill time until we could check into our motel we picked up a rental car and tooled over to Mission Bay for a horribly overpriced breakfast and then onto Devonport to wander on the pier. You know how when you're so overtired you get the stares and you can't focus on anything??? Well, we had passed that point and were dead on our feet. We made it to the motel and napped for about 4 hours before heading out for fush n chups for dinner.
Tomorrow: HOME!!!!
Vxxx
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
DAY 12 - Las Vegas: The Grand Canyon
Today we had an early start in order to meet the tour bus taking us to the Grand Canyon - up at 5am (urgh). By 11.30 we had crossed over into Arizona to arrive at the west rim of the Grand Canyon. We queued up with about a gazillion other tourists to walk on the Grand Canyon Skywalk (http://www.grandcanyonskywalk.com/skywalk.html), a horseshoe-shaped structure with a glass floor that swings out over the canyon. After over an hour of shuffling through the queue we slipped paper booties onto our feet and stepped onto the Skywalk. The booties are to protect the glass surface of the walk from scratches. Sadly, no cameras or mobile phones are allowed onto the structure, again to protect the glass, but have no fear, the operators of the Skywalk are happy to take your picture for you...at $30 a throw. But, seeing as this experience was a once-in-a-lifetime deal we happily shelled out for a photo.
So, I hear you ask, what was the Grand Canyon like? I was rendered speechless by the majesty of the sight. It moved me to tears. The Grand Canyon has always held a mythical quality for me, as I'm sure it has for many people, and the reality did not disappoint. It is difficult to put into words the vastness of the Canyon but I couldn't help but be awed at the power of nature. More religious-minded folk might feel closer to God upon viewing the Canyon but I just felt the timelessness and endlessness of the earth and how small and insignificant humans are in comparison. After leaving the Skywalk we took a shuttle to another part of the Canyon called Guano Point. That's right...Guano Point. Horrible name, yes, but the views of the Canyon were even more spectacular from this vantage point. I hiked down to one of the viewing platforms and took some amazing photos. The hike back up was a lot harder than I thought it would be due to the high altitude; by the time I got up the top my lungs were burning.
Sartre said that "hell is other people" and never is this sentiment more apt than when participating in bus tours with strangers. When we arrived at the Canyon our tour guide was very clear that we had to be back at the bus by 3.30pm but of course there were some idiots who either cannot tell the time or who do not care that they are inconveniencing people who are capable of following instructions. The stragglers did not show up at the bus until 4.15pm which, under ordinary circumstances, would not have caused Chris and I any great stress. But we had to be back in Vegas by 8pm to attend a show at Brad Garrett's Comedy Club at the Tropicana. The bus made it back to Vegas by 7.30pm and, thanks to a maniac local cab driver who was determined to help us make it, we pulled up at the Tropicana at 7.40pm. Phew!
We rocked up to the Comedy Club and we were the last to arrive. We had a huge stroke of luck as the manager decided to upgrade us to the VIP section, right at the front of the stage. Choice! Then Brad Garrett came on stage and started his routine; he came over and shook Chris's hand and started heckling him periodically. He was hilarious. If you ever get the opportunity to see Brad Garrett live, do it - he is filthy but he's also one of the funniest comics I've ever seen.
And that's been our Vegas experience. Sadly, tonight is our last night in the US. Tomorrow we drive back to LA in preparation for catching an evening flight back to Auckland. The entire trip has been unforgettable there's no one I would rather have shared it with than Chris. Even though we got on each other's nerves sometimes...OK, lots of times...he's been a great travelling companion and we have made lots of memories we can relive together over the coming years.
Tomorrow: back to LA and then home :(
Vxxx
So, I hear you ask, what was the Grand Canyon like? I was rendered speechless by the majesty of the sight. It moved me to tears. The Grand Canyon has always held a mythical quality for me, as I'm sure it has for many people, and the reality did not disappoint. It is difficult to put into words the vastness of the Canyon but I couldn't help but be awed at the power of nature. More religious-minded folk might feel closer to God upon viewing the Canyon but I just felt the timelessness and endlessness of the earth and how small and insignificant humans are in comparison. After leaving the Skywalk we took a shuttle to another part of the Canyon called Guano Point. That's right...Guano Point. Horrible name, yes, but the views of the Canyon were even more spectacular from this vantage point. I hiked down to one of the viewing platforms and took some amazing photos. The hike back up was a lot harder than I thought it would be due to the high altitude; by the time I got up the top my lungs were burning.
Sartre said that "hell is other people" and never is this sentiment more apt than when participating in bus tours with strangers. When we arrived at the Canyon our tour guide was very clear that we had to be back at the bus by 3.30pm but of course there were some idiots who either cannot tell the time or who do not care that they are inconveniencing people who are capable of following instructions. The stragglers did not show up at the bus until 4.15pm which, under ordinary circumstances, would not have caused Chris and I any great stress. But we had to be back in Vegas by 8pm to attend a show at Brad Garrett's Comedy Club at the Tropicana. The bus made it back to Vegas by 7.30pm and, thanks to a maniac local cab driver who was determined to help us make it, we pulled up at the Tropicana at 7.40pm. Phew!
We rocked up to the Comedy Club and we were the last to arrive. We had a huge stroke of luck as the manager decided to upgrade us to the VIP section, right at the front of the stage. Choice! Then Brad Garrett came on stage and started his routine; he came over and shook Chris's hand and started heckling him periodically. He was hilarious. If you ever get the opportunity to see Brad Garrett live, do it - he is filthy but he's also one of the funniest comics I've ever seen.
And that's been our Vegas experience. Sadly, tonight is our last night in the US. Tomorrow we drive back to LA in preparation for catching an evening flight back to Auckland. The entire trip has been unforgettable there's no one I would rather have shared it with than Chris. Even though we got on each other's nerves sometimes...OK, lots of times...he's been a great travelling companion and we have made lots of memories we can relive together over the coming years.
Tomorrow: back to LA and then home :(
Vxxx
Monday, April 18, 2011
DAY 11 - Las Vegas - it's blackjack time!
Today we decided to sleep in and have a lazy start to our day. After partaking in a spot of brunch, we stopped in at M&Ms World on The Strip, a must-see for every culture vulture visiting Vegas. It's hard to believe that the history of the M&M requires four levels of a building, but in Las Vegas everything is bigger. M&Ms World looks like it was decorated by someone who ingested about 10 kilos of M&Ms in every colour and then vomited it up onto the walls, floor and ceiling. The people who built this place never met a primary colour they didn't like. And it was crazy full of people and screaming hyper kids who hadn't even eaten any M&Ms yet. The M&Ms marketing juggernaut is phenomenal: every prosaic everyday item you can think of has been branded with the M&Ms logo. Underwear, office supplies, oven mitts, and even golf club covers were available. I resisted the urge to buy a pair of M&Ms shoelaces and we got the hell out of there.
By this stage we were starting to think the cool hermetic confines of a casino sounded pretty good. Most of the blackjack tables we've seen at the casinos here have had a $10 minimum, which has frightened us away from gambling. But, Hooters casino has $3 blackjack tables 24 hours a day - perfect for a couple of high rollers like us. As you might expect, Hooters brings a new level of tackiness to The Strip. But, the tables were cheap, the croupiers were fun and the beers were FREE! That's right....FREE! We played for about five hours and only lost $20. Taking into account the free drinks, I think we probably broke about even in the end. Probably the cheapest thing we've done in Vegas since we got here. The only thing about the casinos here that has really bothered me is the smoking; you are allowed to smoke in virtually all areas of the casino. There are even ashtrays in the toilet cubicles. They'd probably let you pee at the tables (or introduce gambling in the toilets) if they thought there was a socially acceptable way of doing it.
After leaving Hooters we discovered it was almost dinnertime. No trip to Vegas is complete without indulging in an all-you-can-eat buffet. At Excalibur casino there is a dinner buffet for $19.99 per person. This experience is definitely for those who prefer quantity over quality. Judging by the mostly overweight clientele (ourselves included) the quality of the food was not the primary concern. Suffice to say, I regret going back for more tacos. We rolled back to our room at a very leisurely pace and we are now partaking of some crappy TV while we digest. Urgh. Never again.
Tomorrow: the Grand Canyon! Mucho excitement!
Vxxx
By this stage we were starting to think the cool hermetic confines of a casino sounded pretty good. Most of the blackjack tables we've seen at the casinos here have had a $10 minimum, which has frightened us away from gambling. But, Hooters casino has $3 blackjack tables 24 hours a day - perfect for a couple of high rollers like us. As you might expect, Hooters brings a new level of tackiness to The Strip. But, the tables were cheap, the croupiers were fun and the beers were FREE! That's right....FREE! We played for about five hours and only lost $20. Taking into account the free drinks, I think we probably broke about even in the end. Probably the cheapest thing we've done in Vegas since we got here. The only thing about the casinos here that has really bothered me is the smoking; you are allowed to smoke in virtually all areas of the casino. There are even ashtrays in the toilet cubicles. They'd probably let you pee at the tables (or introduce gambling in the toilets) if they thought there was a socially acceptable way of doing it.
After leaving Hooters we discovered it was almost dinnertime. No trip to Vegas is complete without indulging in an all-you-can-eat buffet. At Excalibur casino there is a dinner buffet for $19.99 per person. This experience is definitely for those who prefer quantity over quality. Judging by the mostly overweight clientele (ourselves included) the quality of the food was not the primary concern. Suffice to say, I regret going back for more tacos. We rolled back to our room at a very leisurely pace and we are now partaking of some crappy TV while we digest. Urgh. Never again.
Tomorrow: the Grand Canyon! Mucho excitement!
Vxxx
DAY 10 - Los Angeles to Las Vegas
Hasta la vista Los Angeles - boy am I glad to see the back of you! We left LA at around 11am, headed for Vegas baby! The city skyline slowly receded into the background as we cruised through the suburbs of LA and then into the desert. The Mojave desert is a strangely beautiful, desolate place. Except for Barstow. This sad little town is about halfway between LA and Las Vegas and is possibly the most depressing place on earth. Most of the houses look more like shanties than homes and a fair proportion are boarded up altogether. I half expected to see tumbleweeds blowing down the street. Maybe it was because we were passing through on a Sunday, but it had the distinct feel of a ghost town. Maybe it is a thriving little metropolis on a weekday, but I doubt it. There is an armed forces recruiting office in the main street and it occurred to me that Barstow is the perfect place to base such an office because being in the army or navy would be preferable to living in Barstow. Anyhow, we had lunch at the local Denny's and then hit the freeway again, this time with me at the wheel of the Mustang! Woohoo!!!
It was not without some trepidation that I slid into the driver's seat. I had hoped that I would make it through the entire trip without having to test my driving skills in a foreign country. But, Chris was getting tired and it was only fair that I shoulder my share of the burden. As I nosed the car out of the Denny's carpark and across the intersection without mishap I could feel my confidence start to flower. I made the turn onto the freeway and merged into the flow of traffic with ease. About 10 minutes in I started to relax and enjoy the soothing rhythm of the road. The further we travelled into the desert the more I was enjoying the drive and the amazing scenery before me. There aren't enough words to describe the vastness and the quiet beauty of the desert. Long stretches of flat scrubby land dotted with joshua trees led to high mountains, some topped with snow. Chris was not impressed, characterising the landscape as "miles and miles of kitty litter", but I found it quite moving. To be honest, all that nothingness was a relief after the human crush of LA.
As we crossed the state border into Nevada, the small townships at the edge of the freeway started to take on a Las Vegas feel with the odd small casino popping up out of the sand. Before too long we could see Las Vegas coming into view on the horizon. What can I say about Las Vegas? It is like Surfers Paradise on steroids. The excess is truly staggering. There is a casino here that has a half-scale model of the Eiffel Tower. Another casino has replicated the New York city skyline, including replicas of the Chrysler and Empire State buildings, and it has a 150ft tall replica of the Statue of Liberty in its forecourt. Another one is shaped like a pyramid and has a 110ft tall replica of the Sphinx out the front. We are staying at the Tropicana, which is not shaped like anything except a big mother of a hotel, although there is a swim-up blackjack table in the swimming pool. Yes, you read that correctly.
Chris and I wandered into the MGM Grand casino with thoughts of finding a cheap blackjack table where we could lose our money at a slower rate. All the tables we saw were too rich for our blood, so we settled for a Starbucks and a slow mosey back to our hotel. But not before I saw something that made me rub my eyes in disbelief: scantily-clad go-go dancers gyrating on podiums over the blackjack tables. No joke. What happens in Vegas....etc.
Tomorrow: more exploring of Vegas and maybe a spot of blackjack. Wish us luck!
Vxxx
It was not without some trepidation that I slid into the driver's seat. I had hoped that I would make it through the entire trip without having to test my driving skills in a foreign country. But, Chris was getting tired and it was only fair that I shoulder my share of the burden. As I nosed the car out of the Denny's carpark and across the intersection without mishap I could feel my confidence start to flower. I made the turn onto the freeway and merged into the flow of traffic with ease. About 10 minutes in I started to relax and enjoy the soothing rhythm of the road. The further we travelled into the desert the more I was enjoying the drive and the amazing scenery before me. There aren't enough words to describe the vastness and the quiet beauty of the desert. Long stretches of flat scrubby land dotted with joshua trees led to high mountains, some topped with snow. Chris was not impressed, characterising the landscape as "miles and miles of kitty litter", but I found it quite moving. To be honest, all that nothingness was a relief after the human crush of LA.
As we crossed the state border into Nevada, the small townships at the edge of the freeway started to take on a Las Vegas feel with the odd small casino popping up out of the sand. Before too long we could see Las Vegas coming into view on the horizon. What can I say about Las Vegas? It is like Surfers Paradise on steroids. The excess is truly staggering. There is a casino here that has a half-scale model of the Eiffel Tower. Another casino has replicated the New York city skyline, including replicas of the Chrysler and Empire State buildings, and it has a 150ft tall replica of the Statue of Liberty in its forecourt. Another one is shaped like a pyramid and has a 110ft tall replica of the Sphinx out the front. We are staying at the Tropicana, which is not shaped like anything except a big mother of a hotel, although there is a swim-up blackjack table in the swimming pool. Yes, you read that correctly.
Chris and I wandered into the MGM Grand casino with thoughts of finding a cheap blackjack table where we could lose our money at a slower rate. All the tables we saw were too rich for our blood, so we settled for a Starbucks and a slow mosey back to our hotel. But not before I saw something that made me rub my eyes in disbelief: scantily-clad go-go dancers gyrating on podiums over the blackjack tables. No joke. What happens in Vegas....etc.
Tomorrow: more exploring of Vegas and maybe a spot of blackjack. Wish us luck!
Vxxx
Saturday, April 16, 2011
DAY 9 - Los Angeles - Hollywood
What is there to say about Hollywood? It is a crazy place. Hollywood Boulevard outside Grauman's Chinese Theatre is constantly full of people: hawkers selling tours of famous people's homes, actors dressed up as Spiderman and the Incredible Hulk, tourists from all points of the globe and homeless people begging for change. The footpaths are chockers and it is exhausting trying to navigate the crowds. Having said that, it is quite a thrill to be in the place where so much movie history has been made. Our first stop was the Kodak Theatre, the home of the Oscars. We took a guided tour of the theatre which included the auditorium where the awards are held - quite an awesome sight. Cirque du Soleil is currently building its sets there for its new production and we were able to get a sneak peek of the sets - very cool.
After our tour of Kodak Theatre we took a 2 hour bus tour of the Homes of the Stars - well, they were allegedly the homes of the stars, but who knows? The tour operators are not very popular with residents along the routes and a few threw abuse our way and told us we were being sold a pack of lies. So who knows where the truth lies? Probably somewhere between the two. Certainly, it is public knowledge where the likes of Jennifer Aniston and Tom Cruise live and where Michael Jackson died so I'm inclined to think it's mostly accurate. In any case, we couldn't really see many houses; the tour should be renamed Hedges and Fences of the Rich and Famous. The highlight for me was probably driving up Mulholland Drive to a lookout where we got some great pictures of the Hollywood sign.
Anyways, the tour was enjoyable apart from the heat. OH...MY....GOD....it was hot. It was over 30 degrees and we were sitting in an open top bus from 1-3 in the afternoon. By the time we stumbled off the bus we were well and truly wilted. We stopped off at Quiznos for a sub and a drink and then headed to Madame Tussaud's Wax Museum. This place was amazing, the statues really are lifelike, although Jennifer Aniston obviously modelled for hers before her nose job. We had our picture taken with Barack Obama, Chris had his picture taken with Will Smith and The Rock and I had my picture taken in between Robert Redford and Paul Newman from the Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid era....yum!
After that we had both had enough of the craziness of LA so we returned to the peace and quiet (and coolness) of our hotel room. For me, it will be a relief to leave LA - it is not my kind of city. It is too hectic, too sprawling, too inaccessible, too everything. I don't know how people live like this. Give me a city like San Francisco any day - it is only 7 miles square and easily navigable, on foot or by public transport, with loads of bookshops, cafes, art galleries, museums, etc. It just feels more laidback - more like Sydney or Melbourne. But I'm glad I had the opportunity to experience even just a little part of it.
Tomorrow: Las Vegas!
After our tour of Kodak Theatre we took a 2 hour bus tour of the Homes of the Stars - well, they were allegedly the homes of the stars, but who knows? The tour operators are not very popular with residents along the routes and a few threw abuse our way and told us we were being sold a pack of lies. So who knows where the truth lies? Probably somewhere between the two. Certainly, it is public knowledge where the likes of Jennifer Aniston and Tom Cruise live and where Michael Jackson died so I'm inclined to think it's mostly accurate. In any case, we couldn't really see many houses; the tour should be renamed Hedges and Fences of the Rich and Famous. The highlight for me was probably driving up Mulholland Drive to a lookout where we got some great pictures of the Hollywood sign.
Anyways, the tour was enjoyable apart from the heat. OH...MY....GOD....it was hot. It was over 30 degrees and we were sitting in an open top bus from 1-3 in the afternoon. By the time we stumbled off the bus we were well and truly wilted. We stopped off at Quiznos for a sub and a drink and then headed to Madame Tussaud's Wax Museum. This place was amazing, the statues really are lifelike, although Jennifer Aniston obviously modelled for hers before her nose job. We had our picture taken with Barack Obama, Chris had his picture taken with Will Smith and The Rock and I had my picture taken in between Robert Redford and Paul Newman from the Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid era....yum!
After that we had both had enough of the craziness of LA so we returned to the peace and quiet (and coolness) of our hotel room. For me, it will be a relief to leave LA - it is not my kind of city. It is too hectic, too sprawling, too inaccessible, too everything. I don't know how people live like this. Give me a city like San Francisco any day - it is only 7 miles square and easily navigable, on foot or by public transport, with loads of bookshops, cafes, art galleries, museums, etc. It just feels more laidback - more like Sydney or Melbourne. But I'm glad I had the opportunity to experience even just a little part of it.
Tomorrow: Las Vegas!
DAY 8 - Disneyland!!!
Well, what can one say about Disneyland? It's total sensory overload, for one thing. The size, the colours, the noise, the thousands of other tourists walking around, the constant exhortations to "have a magical day", the relentless cheerfulness of the staff - it all combines to make one feel slightly overwhelmed. Today was very hot and sunny too - probably about 30 degrees - which added to the overpowering of the senses. Having said that, we had a whale of a time, going on a lot of rides and taking a lot of pictures.
One ride, the It's a Small World Canal Boat Ride, was the apotheosis of the Disneyland experience for me. Walt Disney must have been on crack when he dreamed it up. It is basically a canal boat ride through a series of tunnels containing mechanised dolls dancing to a loop of "It's A Small World" that sounds like it was recorded by a bunch of coked up Oompa Loompas. After about the 6th rendition I was ready to stab Walt through the heart with a Mickey Mouse letter opener ($11.95 at the gift shop). Luckily for Walt, he is already dead. Apart from being aurally assaulted for the duration of the ride, it was enjoyable watching the detailed mechanised dolls do their thing. Quite extraordinary.
That's the thing about Disneyland: it is easy to become jaded about the crass commercialism of the place (it is, after all, designed to part tourists from their money at every step) but you have to admire the attention to detail and there were moments of enchantment and wonder. The evening fireworks show was magnificent and rivalled the show put on by the City of Sydney for New Year's Eve. We did indeed have a magical day. It was also an expensive day, but hey, you can't put a price on magic.
One ride, the It's a Small World Canal Boat Ride, was the apotheosis of the Disneyland experience for me. Walt Disney must have been on crack when he dreamed it up. It is basically a canal boat ride through a series of tunnels containing mechanised dolls dancing to a loop of "It's A Small World" that sounds like it was recorded by a bunch of coked up Oompa Loompas. After about the 6th rendition I was ready to stab Walt through the heart with a Mickey Mouse letter opener ($11.95 at the gift shop). Luckily for Walt, he is already dead. Apart from being aurally assaulted for the duration of the ride, it was enjoyable watching the detailed mechanised dolls do their thing. Quite extraordinary.
That's the thing about Disneyland: it is easy to become jaded about the crass commercialism of the place (it is, after all, designed to part tourists from their money at every step) but you have to admire the attention to detail and there were moments of enchantment and wonder. The evening fireworks show was magnificent and rivalled the show put on by the City of Sydney for New Year's Eve. We did indeed have a magical day. It was also an expensive day, but hey, you can't put a price on magic.
Thursday, April 14, 2011
DAY 7 - It's LA baby!
What better way to start our first full day in LA than with a spot of shopping??? The morning was bright and sunny as we again braved the crazy LA freeway system to get to the Citadel Outlet Shopping Centre, which in heavy traffic took over 90 minutes. The traffic here is nuts: there is no peak hour because it is peak hour all the time. Chris is becoming very proficient at navigating the roads over here and I am slowly beginning to relinquish my white-knuckle grip on the dashboard.
Back to the shopping: OH....MY....GOD....I was in heaven. Citadel has over 100 shops and the most luxurious public toilets I have ever visited in my life. The cubicle had a little rack behind the cistern for you to stow your shopping while you do your business - ingenious! I made a beeline for Torrid, which caters to plus-sized women, and dove straight into the sales racks, nabbing a pair of jeans, two pairs of leggings, a vest and a singlet top for only $57. I could have spent another hour in there trying things on but Chris was getting restless, so we paid up and headed off. Next it was Chris's turn. While I headed off to get a coffee to slake the thirst I worked up shopping for me, Chris willingly shopped for himself. By the time I got to the shop he was trying on numerous items uncomplainingly and accepting help from sales staff (gasp!). He even spent more than I did! Will wonders never cease!
When we emerged from Citadel the sun was high in the sky and the day had turned hot. Chris put the top down on our convertible and we cruised down to Santa Monica for lunch. As you do. We parked and walked down to Santa Monica Pier, which also happens to be the end point of the old Route 66 which ran from Chicago to Los Angeles. Of course it is tragically touristy with everything from cheap hats to having your name written on a grain of rice available for sale, but the views from the pier along the coastline are amazing. We then drove to Venice Beach but beat a hasty retreat; the vibe was seedy, much like Surfers Paradise during Schoolies Week. I was aware that Venice is known for it's quirkiness, but I wasn't prepared for the seediness. After Venice we headed towards Malibu to see how the other half lives. The drive along the Pacific Coast Highway is less than attractive, but we did drive past some very impressive beach houses that were hogging the beachfront.
And that was our day folks. I have to be honest, I'm not enjoying LA as much as I did San Francisco. The city seems incomprehensible and inaccessible to me in a way that SF was not and it is not as beautiful either. The city is so sprawling that I'm finding it hard to get my bearings. It doesn't feel as safe as SF either which I think is adding to my discomfort. Hopefully the longer we are here the better I will be able to get a feel for the place.
Tomorrow: Disneyland!!
Vxxx
Back to the shopping: OH....MY....GOD....I was in heaven. Citadel has over 100 shops and the most luxurious public toilets I have ever visited in my life. The cubicle had a little rack behind the cistern for you to stow your shopping while you do your business - ingenious! I made a beeline for Torrid, which caters to plus-sized women, and dove straight into the sales racks, nabbing a pair of jeans, two pairs of leggings, a vest and a singlet top for only $57. I could have spent another hour in there trying things on but Chris was getting restless, so we paid up and headed off. Next it was Chris's turn. While I headed off to get a coffee to slake the thirst I worked up shopping for me, Chris willingly shopped for himself. By the time I got to the shop he was trying on numerous items uncomplainingly and accepting help from sales staff (gasp!). He even spent more than I did! Will wonders never cease!
When we emerged from Citadel the sun was high in the sky and the day had turned hot. Chris put the top down on our convertible and we cruised down to Santa Monica for lunch. As you do. We parked and walked down to Santa Monica Pier, which also happens to be the end point of the old Route 66 which ran from Chicago to Los Angeles. Of course it is tragically touristy with everything from cheap hats to having your name written on a grain of rice available for sale, but the views from the pier along the coastline are amazing. We then drove to Venice Beach but beat a hasty retreat; the vibe was seedy, much like Surfers Paradise during Schoolies Week. I was aware that Venice is known for it's quirkiness, but I wasn't prepared for the seediness. After Venice we headed towards Malibu to see how the other half lives. The drive along the Pacific Coast Highway is less than attractive, but we did drive past some very impressive beach houses that were hogging the beachfront.
And that was our day folks. I have to be honest, I'm not enjoying LA as much as I did San Francisco. The city seems incomprehensible and inaccessible to me in a way that SF was not and it is not as beautiful either. The city is so sprawling that I'm finding it hard to get my bearings. It doesn't feel as safe as SF either which I think is adding to my discomfort. Hopefully the longer we are here the better I will be able to get a feel for the place.
Tomorrow: Disneyland!!
Vxxx
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
DAY 6 - San Francisco to Los Angeles
Well folks, today's blog is going to be a short one due to most of the day taken up with being in transit between San Francisco and Los Angeles. It was another early start (urgh); up at 6am to get to the airport in time for our flight to LA. We made it with plenty of time thanks to the amazing public transport system in SF - Sydney could learn a lot of lessons about how to run an effective public transport system from SF. The flight to LA was great; only 50 minutes long and half-empty - bliss! Once at the airport we caught the shuttle to our car hire company and picked up our vehicle. But was Chris satisfied with a compact Kia?? Oh no, of course not. When offered an upgrade to a beautiful but impractical convertible Ford Mustang, should Chris have said "no thanks, we'll take the practical and fuel-efficient Kia"? Yes. But did he do that? Noooooo. He turned to me with his eyes shining full of hope and pleading. How could I take away his childhood dream of riding around in a convertible? It would be like stomping on a puppy from the pound, with no tail, and only one eye. So we drove out of there with the Mustang, a couple of hundred dollars poorer but hitting LA's streets in style. I let Chris negotiate the difficulties of driving on the wrong side of the car, on the wrong side of the road, on unfamiliar streets in a strange city. I know, I'm a coward. Besides, I doubt he would have allowed me to interrupt his communion with the vehicle. With any luck, he'll be "communing" the whole time we're here and I won't have to screw my courage to the sticking place and take the wheel myself. Win, win!
We found our hotel and checked in. Woohoo - king size bed! See you in the morning Chris - don't fall into the yawning chasm between us! The rest of the evening we spent scouting out things to do while we're here in LA and lamenting the fact we only have three full days to fit everything in. We found a lovely little Thai place for dinner but oddly enough they brought us fortune cookies after we finished our meal - never had that happen in a Thai restaurant before. Chris's fortune was apt: "Simplicity and clarity should be your theme in dress". Perfect for a man who lives in jandals, shorts and singlets.
Tomorrow: shopping, Venice Beach and Santa Monica.
Vxxx
We found our hotel and checked in. Woohoo - king size bed! See you in the morning Chris - don't fall into the yawning chasm between us! The rest of the evening we spent scouting out things to do while we're here in LA and lamenting the fact we only have three full days to fit everything in. We found a lovely little Thai place for dinner but oddly enough they brought us fortune cookies after we finished our meal - never had that happen in a Thai restaurant before. Chris's fortune was apt: "Simplicity and clarity should be your theme in dress". Perfect for a man who lives in jandals, shorts and singlets.
Tomorrow: shopping, Venice Beach and Santa Monica.
Vxxx
DAY 5 - San Francisco - last day in SF!
Today was another early start - up at 7.30 for breakfast at Lefty O'Douls followed by another bus tour through Golden Gate Park and Haight-Ashbury. We set off from Union Square on a beautifully sunny but chilly day through the city to the entrance of Golden Gate Park. The park itself is a green wonderland, an oasis in the city, and various other cliches. But seriously, it was verdant and gorgeous and a bit of a relief from the concrete and steel of the inner city. We went past the Conservatory of Flowers which was a riot of vibrant colour. Following that we wheeled past the de Young Museum (currently hosting an exhibition on Balenciaga) and the Academy of Sciences, which on Thursday nights turns into a nightclub complete with alcohol and DJs. Cool idea!
After leaving the park we cruised through Haight-Ashbury, the centre of the counter-culture movement in SF in the 60s. It seemed to me the place is trading heavily on its hippie past - it kinda struck me as a facsimile of what it might have been in its heyday and an obvious attempt to fleece tourists of their money. Sort of like how Newtown still trades on its grungy reputation in spite of all the self-consciously uber-cool and expensive shops catering to the yuppies that have moved in. Like Newtown, Haight-Ashbury retains some of its former character in little pockets (it was easy to imagine stoners and free-love flower children hanging out in Buena Vista Park, for example) but it looked largely gentrified. However, the lovely old Victorian homes lining the streets off the main drag were magnificent.
Back to Union Square and then onto Fisherman's Wharf where we caught the 30 Muni bus to Columbus Avenue and got off in Little Italy. This was one of those quintessential SF moments I had been waiting for and the one I most regretted missing out on when I visited in 1996: the City Lights Bookstore, the crucible of the Beat movement in SF. To say I was excited to finally enter the Holy Grail of modern American literature is a gross understatement. The place is not large but is completely filled with books which they encourage you to sit down and browse. Upstairs is the poetry room which was bathed in a gentle light and had 1000s of books of poetry from all over the world. Even Les Murray got a look in. Back downstairs I found Chris engrossed in a book of artful photographs of Alcatraz. I found plenty to take my fancy but ended up buying only one book as a gift for a friend. How restrained am I?? As we left City Lights we took a right down Jack Kerouac Alley, which had some amazing murals and quotes from various poems set into the pavement. We then walked through back up Columbus Avenue and stopped at an Italian cafe for coffee and cannoli - what else should one have when in Little Italy?
We then headed back to the hotel where Chris had a rest and I went out on my own to do a little shopping and take a few photos. Both ventures were successful. There is a Frank Lloyd Wright building just a block away from our hotel which I was excited to see. When else am I going to be able to see an example of Frank Lloyd Wright architecture?? It now houses an art gallery, but the staff very graciously allowed me to go inside and take a few pictures of the amazing interior. Glorious!
Soon, dusk settled an it was time to indulge one of Chris's fantasies - a baseball game. (A segue from the sublime to the profane surely!) It was windy and chilly when we arrived in a sardine tin (also known as the 45 Muni bus) at AT&T Park, the home ground of the San Francisco Giants, the current World Series Champions and the team Chris barracks for. They were scheduled to play the LA Dodgers and it promised to be a thrilling game. And it was certainly an experience: 40,000 fans of both persuasions packed into the ground in a state of high agitation. On a Tuesday night. The level of enthusiasm was beyond anything I have ever experienced - Americans are fanatical about baseball. Prior to the game I had absolutely no knowledge of baseball, but thankfully it is a relatively simple game and I had the basics down before the end of the 4th innings. The game went down to the wire, with the Giants winning 5-4. We ate hot dogs, froze our asses off and cheered and jeered the players - very entertaining. I think I could get to like baseball.
Back to the hotel to thaw out and prepare for our flight to LA the next day. We are very sad to be leaving SF - it is an amazing city and we would love to come back one day. Chris says he has the travel bug now so who knows??? Tomorrow: LA!
Vicki
xxx
After leaving the park we cruised through Haight-Ashbury, the centre of the counter-culture movement in SF in the 60s. It seemed to me the place is trading heavily on its hippie past - it kinda struck me as a facsimile of what it might have been in its heyday and an obvious attempt to fleece tourists of their money. Sort of like how Newtown still trades on its grungy reputation in spite of all the self-consciously uber-cool and expensive shops catering to the yuppies that have moved in. Like Newtown, Haight-Ashbury retains some of its former character in little pockets (it was easy to imagine stoners and free-love flower children hanging out in Buena Vista Park, for example) but it looked largely gentrified. However, the lovely old Victorian homes lining the streets off the main drag were magnificent.
Back to Union Square and then onto Fisherman's Wharf where we caught the 30 Muni bus to Columbus Avenue and got off in Little Italy. This was one of those quintessential SF moments I had been waiting for and the one I most regretted missing out on when I visited in 1996: the City Lights Bookstore, the crucible of the Beat movement in SF. To say I was excited to finally enter the Holy Grail of modern American literature is a gross understatement. The place is not large but is completely filled with books which they encourage you to sit down and browse. Upstairs is the poetry room which was bathed in a gentle light and had 1000s of books of poetry from all over the world. Even Les Murray got a look in. Back downstairs I found Chris engrossed in a book of artful photographs of Alcatraz. I found plenty to take my fancy but ended up buying only one book as a gift for a friend. How restrained am I?? As we left City Lights we took a right down Jack Kerouac Alley, which had some amazing murals and quotes from various poems set into the pavement. We then walked through back up Columbus Avenue and stopped at an Italian cafe for coffee and cannoli - what else should one have when in Little Italy?
We then headed back to the hotel where Chris had a rest and I went out on my own to do a little shopping and take a few photos. Both ventures were successful. There is a Frank Lloyd Wright building just a block away from our hotel which I was excited to see. When else am I going to be able to see an example of Frank Lloyd Wright architecture?? It now houses an art gallery, but the staff very graciously allowed me to go inside and take a few pictures of the amazing interior. Glorious!
Soon, dusk settled an it was time to indulge one of Chris's fantasies - a baseball game. (A segue from the sublime to the profane surely!) It was windy and chilly when we arrived in a sardine tin (also known as the 45 Muni bus) at AT&T Park, the home ground of the San Francisco Giants, the current World Series Champions and the team Chris barracks for. They were scheduled to play the LA Dodgers and it promised to be a thrilling game. And it was certainly an experience: 40,000 fans of both persuasions packed into the ground in a state of high agitation. On a Tuesday night. The level of enthusiasm was beyond anything I have ever experienced - Americans are fanatical about baseball. Prior to the game I had absolutely no knowledge of baseball, but thankfully it is a relatively simple game and I had the basics down before the end of the 4th innings. The game went down to the wire, with the Giants winning 5-4. We ate hot dogs, froze our asses off and cheered and jeered the players - very entertaining. I think I could get to like baseball.
Back to the hotel to thaw out and prepare for our flight to LA the next day. We are very sad to be leaving SF - it is an amazing city and we would love to come back one day. Chris says he has the travel bug now so who knows??? Tomorrow: LA!
Vicki
xxx
Monday, April 11, 2011
DAY 4 - San Francisco
Wow, another full-on day, which started when the alarm (yes, alarm...on a vacation...it's unnatural) went off at 7am. We made our way down to a cafe on Market Street and had some breakfast and watched all those wage-slave suckers, of which I am usually one, make their way to work. After breakfast we hopped onto the F trolley to Pier 33 to catch the ferry to Alcatraz. The F trolleys are a little slice of San Francisco history, with most of them being at least 50 years old. The ride is not a smooth one, but it is a great way to see all the historic buildings along the Embarcadero, the main waterfront thoroughfare.
Once at Pier 33 we queued up with about 300 other people also making their way to The Rock. The ferry ride only takes about 15 minutes and is a relatively smooth ride across the harbour. (For those of us used to the turbulence that can happen on rough days on the Manly Ferry, this was a very tame ride). We disembarked at The Rock and prepared to be awed. Alcatraz did not let us down. The free audio tour of the Cellhouse is narrated by former prison officers and inmates and is a great insight into how life was when Alcatraz was a federal prison. The views from the island back to San Francisco and the Bay Bridge, as well as towards the Golden Gate Bridge were amazing.
After returning to Pier 33 Chris and I lunched at Fisherman's Wharf we visited the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA) which is in the SOMA district (SFMOMA at SOMA....it rhymes!). SFMOMA had quite a few good exhibitions on and I was able to see some amazing art, including pieces by Matisse, Picasso, Warhol and Lichtenstein, to name just a few. My favourite was a piece by Frida Kahlo titled "Frida and Diego", a self-portrait of Frida with her husband Diego Rivera (http://www.frida-kahlo-foundation.org/Frida-and-Diego.html). There was also a very interesting photography exhibition that contained some exciting images. SFMOMA also owns an interesting Paul Klee collection comprising at least 12 paintings. A very edifying couple of hours.
After having our fill of art and kulcha we left SFMOMA and made our way back to Fisherman's Wharf in time to take another evening bus tour. This time I was able to get some great pictures of Grace Cathedral, an Episcopal church located in Nob Hill designed in the French Gothic style, and the "Painted Ladies", a series of seven Victorian houses located in Alamo Square (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Painted_ladies). They're quite famous so you've probably seen them before, especially if you're a Full House fan. San Francisco is full of Victorian architecture so anywhere you go you are gobsmacked by the beauty of these houses.
After the tour we were dropped back at Fisherman's Wharf. We mosied on up to Ghiradelli Square and had dinner at a cosy little Mexican restaurant before getting the cable car back down to Union Square and returning to our hotel. It's been a big day and we're both knackered so I'll sign off now. Tomorrow: Golden Gate Park, Haight-Ashbury and City Lights Bookstore, followed by a baseball game tomorrow night (SF Giants vs LA Dodgers). I know absolutely nothing about baseball but I'm looking forward to experiencing a quintessential American institution. I might even get one of those big fingers that baseball fans like to brandish...hmmm...maybe not.
Love,
Vxxx
Once at Pier 33 we queued up with about 300 other people also making their way to The Rock. The ferry ride only takes about 15 minutes and is a relatively smooth ride across the harbour. (For those of us used to the turbulence that can happen on rough days on the Manly Ferry, this was a very tame ride). We disembarked at The Rock and prepared to be awed. Alcatraz did not let us down. The free audio tour of the Cellhouse is narrated by former prison officers and inmates and is a great insight into how life was when Alcatraz was a federal prison. The views from the island back to San Francisco and the Bay Bridge, as well as towards the Golden Gate Bridge were amazing.
After returning to Pier 33 Chris and I lunched at Fisherman's Wharf we visited the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA) which is in the SOMA district (SFMOMA at SOMA....it rhymes!). SFMOMA had quite a few good exhibitions on and I was able to see some amazing art, including pieces by Matisse, Picasso, Warhol and Lichtenstein, to name just a few. My favourite was a piece by Frida Kahlo titled "Frida and Diego", a self-portrait of Frida with her husband Diego Rivera (http://www.frida-kahlo-foundation.org/Frida-and-Diego.html). There was also a very interesting photography exhibition that contained some exciting images. SFMOMA also owns an interesting Paul Klee collection comprising at least 12 paintings. A very edifying couple of hours.
After having our fill of art and kulcha we left SFMOMA and made our way back to Fisherman's Wharf in time to take another evening bus tour. This time I was able to get some great pictures of Grace Cathedral, an Episcopal church located in Nob Hill designed in the French Gothic style, and the "Painted Ladies", a series of seven Victorian houses located in Alamo Square (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Painted_ladies). They're quite famous so you've probably seen them before, especially if you're a Full House fan. San Francisco is full of Victorian architecture so anywhere you go you are gobsmacked by the beauty of these houses.
After the tour we were dropped back at Fisherman's Wharf. We mosied on up to Ghiradelli Square and had dinner at a cosy little Mexican restaurant before getting the cable car back down to Union Square and returning to our hotel. It's been a big day and we're both knackered so I'll sign off now. Tomorrow: Golden Gate Park, Haight-Ashbury and City Lights Bookstore, followed by a baseball game tomorrow night (SF Giants vs LA Dodgers). I know absolutely nothing about baseball but I'm looking forward to experiencing a quintessential American institution. I might even get one of those big fingers that baseball fans like to brandish...hmmm...maybe not.
Love,
Vxxx
DAY 3 - San Francisco
ARGGGGH - I'm sunburnt!! Today we took a number of double decker bus tours around the city, sitting upstairs and enjoying the sunshine (even though the sun is out it is FREEZING here at the moment - about 10-12 degrees during the day...brrrr....I had to buy a fleecy jacket!). Our first tour took us all around downtown, including the Tenderloin, which is apparently the seedy part of town, kinda like Redfern or Kings Cross in Sydney...or Panthers after midnight. We realised we were in the Tenderloin when we saw a homeless guy peeing against the side of a building in broad daylight. Maybe the guy was hired by the tour company in the name of authenticity, but whether it was contrived or not, it certainly lent that seedy quality to the area. The tour also led us to Fisherman's Wharf which should be nice, but is like a cross between Darling Harbour and Surfers Paradise and has twice as many tourists. Our tour guide warned us about the Bushman, a local homeless guy whose favourite pastime is apparently ripping the branches off local shrubs, shrouding himself in them and jumping out at unsuspecting tourists. So guess who got a fright from the Bushman?? Yep, that would be me. Even after being warned about him. My shriek of fright was quite amusing to the locals. Thankfully, ten seconds after he frightened me he got another tourist behind us. Phew! Rookie mistake...
We also took another tour over the Golden Gate Bridge and into Sausalito. The Golden Gate Bridge is an awe-inspiring sight...maybe even more breath-taking than the Sydney Harbour Bridge. Got some great photos from Vista Point on the Marin County side of the bridge. Sausalito was lovely...reminded me of Noosa a bit without the mosquitoes. Apparently you can't get a property in Sausalito without spending a million dollars, so it was a bit like Noosa in that respect too. Lots of old men in windbreakers and shorts with socks and sandals. Very Sunshine Coast.
Once back in the city we decided to revisit a bar that I spent A LOT of time in the last time I came to San Francisco: The Gold Dust Lounge, a San Francisco institution (http://www.yelp.com/biz/gold-dust-lounge-san-francisco-2) where I had an Irish coffee, my drink of choice in 1996. It was just as I remembered it, but for the life of me I can't understand how I drank so many of them. They are lethal!
After that we took another tour, this time an evening double decker bus tour. Talk about freezing. With chattering teeth and blue fingers we took in the sights of Nob Hill, North Beach, etc. We should have twigged that the cold would be an issue when they offered fleecy blankets upon entering the bus, but no. Even though we had to break icicles off our noses, the tour was great and it was wonderful to see the city as the sun went down. We got off the bus in Union Square and went to Lori's Diner for dinner and to defrost, topped off by a few drinks at Lefty O'Douls (http://www.leftyodouls.biz/), a genuine Irish bar with a great vibe and a piano player doing blues versions of Johnny Cash and Elvis songs. While downing a couple of margaritas we chatted with a lovelorn local who sought our advice about what to do about his crush on the female bartender. We told him to go for it but he said he didn't have the "huervos" (literal translation: eggs, but in the vernacular can also mean testicles) to do it. We left him searching the bottom of his beer glass for the answer.
All in all, a great day. Tomorrow: Alcatraz!
Love,
Vxxx
We also took another tour over the Golden Gate Bridge and into Sausalito. The Golden Gate Bridge is an awe-inspiring sight...maybe even more breath-taking than the Sydney Harbour Bridge. Got some great photos from Vista Point on the Marin County side of the bridge. Sausalito was lovely...reminded me of Noosa a bit without the mosquitoes. Apparently you can't get a property in Sausalito without spending a million dollars, so it was a bit like Noosa in that respect too. Lots of old men in windbreakers and shorts with socks and sandals. Very Sunshine Coast.
Once back in the city we decided to revisit a bar that I spent A LOT of time in the last time I came to San Francisco: The Gold Dust Lounge, a San Francisco institution (http://www.yelp.com/biz/gold-dust-lounge-san-francisco-2) where I had an Irish coffee, my drink of choice in 1996. It was just as I remembered it, but for the life of me I can't understand how I drank so many of them. They are lethal!
After that we took another tour, this time an evening double decker bus tour. Talk about freezing. With chattering teeth and blue fingers we took in the sights of Nob Hill, North Beach, etc. We should have twigged that the cold would be an issue when they offered fleecy blankets upon entering the bus, but no. Even though we had to break icicles off our noses, the tour was great and it was wonderful to see the city as the sun went down. We got off the bus in Union Square and went to Lori's Diner for dinner and to defrost, topped off by a few drinks at Lefty O'Douls (http://www.leftyodouls.biz/), a genuine Irish bar with a great vibe and a piano player doing blues versions of Johnny Cash and Elvis songs. While downing a couple of margaritas we chatted with a lovelorn local who sought our advice about what to do about his crush on the female bartender. We told him to go for it but he said he didn't have the "huervos" (literal translation: eggs, but in the vernacular can also mean testicles) to do it. We left him searching the bottom of his beer glass for the answer.
All in all, a great day. Tomorrow: Alcatraz!
Love,
Vxxx
Saturday, April 9, 2011
DAY 2 - San Francisco
After a satisfying night's sleep, during which I did not roll over once (confirmed by Chris and by my complaining back) we rose at about 10.15am and headed out for the day. First stop: brunch. We walked down to the Westfields shopping centre in downtown San Francisco and found a sandwich place. I can understand why so many Americans are fat: the food is delicious, plentiful and cheap. (Although, to be honest, I haven't seen that many fatties here - apart from me and Chris - so maybe the obesity problem is largely confined to smaller, poorer towns, or Australian and Kiwi tourists. Just my sociological observation...for what it's worth...which is probably very little).
After brunch we hopped on cable car to Fisherman's Wharf and visited the Aquarium on the Bay, a small aquarium on the bay....go figure. Highlights included seeing ethereal glowing moon jellies floating gracefully in a huge tank, sharks and fish swimming above our heads, and being able to touch sting rays and starfish in a tidal pool. After the aquarium we wandered around to the other side of the pier to see the world-famous sea lions sunning themselves on floating barges. The last time I was here the barges were full to bursting with sea lions, but today only about a third were full. According to a news report I saw (http://www.usatoday.com/travel/destinations/2010-03-03-san-francisco-sea-lions_N.htm) the sea lions all but disappeared a couple of years ago but are now slowly returning. Anyways, a trip to SF is not complete without seeing the sea lions bark and sunbake. Tick!
After leaving Fisherman's Wharf we took a cable car to Lombard Street, home of the world's crookedest street (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lombard_Street_(San_Francisco). The cable car ride was amazing and exhilarating and the view of the city from the top of Lombard Street was simply gorgeous. Thankfully we walked down it and not up it....it is incredibly steep: 40 degrees reportedly. It certainly felt vertiginous walking down it. We then took the cable car back down into the city and engaged in a spot of retail therapy. Well, I shopped while Chris sat in the "boyfriend chair" (http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=The%20Boyfriend%20Chair) and waited for me. Walgreen's was such an orgasmic experience for me yesterday I had to repeat it today. I am seriously thinking of living in one. I could shop there for hours. Why can't we have something this cool in Sydney? Priceline: pfft, you're just a pretender.
And that was our day...we came back to the hotel and ordered room service. Both of us have aching feet and legs so we have declined to go out and partake in SF's legendary bar scene. We are just too knackered. Does this mean we are officially old? I fear so. I prefer to think of it as growing old gracefully.
Tomorrow, an open air double decker bus tour around SF that makes the most of bountiful photo ops around the city.
Love,
Vxxx
After brunch we hopped on cable car to Fisherman's Wharf and visited the Aquarium on the Bay, a small aquarium on the bay....go figure. Highlights included seeing ethereal glowing moon jellies floating gracefully in a huge tank, sharks and fish swimming above our heads, and being able to touch sting rays and starfish in a tidal pool. After the aquarium we wandered around to the other side of the pier to see the world-famous sea lions sunning themselves on floating barges. The last time I was here the barges were full to bursting with sea lions, but today only about a third were full. According to a news report I saw (http://www.usatoday.com/travel/destinations/2010-03-03-san-francisco-sea-lions_N.htm) the sea lions all but disappeared a couple of years ago but are now slowly returning. Anyways, a trip to SF is not complete without seeing the sea lions bark and sunbake. Tick!
After leaving Fisherman's Wharf we took a cable car to Lombard Street, home of the world's crookedest street (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lombard_Street_(San_Francisco). The cable car ride was amazing and exhilarating and the view of the city from the top of Lombard Street was simply gorgeous. Thankfully we walked down it and not up it....it is incredibly steep: 40 degrees reportedly. It certainly felt vertiginous walking down it. We then took the cable car back down into the city and engaged in a spot of retail therapy. Well, I shopped while Chris sat in the "boyfriend chair" (http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=The%20Boyfriend%20Chair) and waited for me. Walgreen's was such an orgasmic experience for me yesterday I had to repeat it today. I am seriously thinking of living in one. I could shop there for hours. Why can't we have something this cool in Sydney? Priceline: pfft, you're just a pretender.
And that was our day...we came back to the hotel and ordered room service. Both of us have aching feet and legs so we have declined to go out and partake in SF's legendary bar scene. We are just too knackered. Does this mean we are officially old? I fear so. I prefer to think of it as growing old gracefully.
Tomorrow, an open air double decker bus tour around SF that makes the most of bountiful photo ops around the city.
Love,
Vxxx
DAY 1: Sydney - Auckland - San Francisco
Well, here we are finally in San Francisco...bleary-eyed, jetlagged, but thankfully off that bloody plane!
Our journey did not start well: it took nearly an hour to check in at Sydney Airport due to a rusty Air New Zealand staffer who hadn't been working the check-in desk for 4 years. Then we get through Customs and I get selected for the explosives detection test - no biggie, I've done it a few times before and it's quick and simple. But then we get to Auckland and I'm selected again for not only the explosives detection test but also a frisk search. OK, just a coincidence right? But then, as we are going through Customs at Auckland to get onto our SF flight, I am informed that I have been "randomly selected" for another search: explosives, frisk AND they asked me to take off my shoes so they could check them!!! (Sucks to be them: I had my stinky shoes on). I thought I was being randomly selected for an upgrade to business class...sad. So, if you start getting postcards from me from Guantanamo Bay you'll know why...I'm obviously a "suspicious character"!
The flight itself was your usual long-haul cattle class nightmare. I was doing OK until about 7 hours in when I started getting a sore bum and feeling fidgetty. I'm sure I'm not the only economy-class traveller who reaches a point where thoughts of falling from the sky in a burning fuselage seems preferable to another 5 hours cooped up in an increasingly claustrophobic metal cylinder. All I could think about was my comfy bed at home where I could sleep lying on my side without some stranger's elbow poking me in the ribs. It was even more pleasant sitting next to this fellow as he had obviously had 1000 cigarettes before boarding to calm his nerves...delightful! The only positive was the service from Air New Zealand - excellent as per usual. And the food was really good. Their new safety video featuring Richard Simmons is priceless - here it is: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3iaTEgoezNQ. Laugh out loud funny.
Nerves were a little frayed by the time we landed in SF. Chris apologised to me in advance before we left home for anything he might do while we're away that might piss me off (so of course I had to reciprocate). Good thing we did because it didn't take long to start speaking to each other through gritted teeth. OK, I did raise my voice once too. But it's all good, we found our hotel (http://www.baldwinhotel.com/), and it's quite nice (bar the overflowing toilet....grrr....which was quickly fixed). We are very central, about a block from Union Square. The room is not spacious, but it has gorgeous high ceilings, a claw foot bath and (gasp) a window that opens. Bliss! After showering and changing (divine) we jumped in a cab to check out the tourist nightmare that is Fisherman's Wharf where we scarfed down fish & chips for lunch and browsed all the overpriced shops. We booked our Alcatraz tour for Monday and then caught the Muni (the cable car public transport network in SF) back to our hotel where we finally collapsed in a wordless, grunting heap. After a 4 hour nap we headed off to get a late dinner and cruise Walgreens, the massive pharmacy / convenience store ubiquitous in most US cities. Love love love this store - cheap everything. How come make up is less than half the price it is in Sydney?? Don't know, but I will be stocking up on mascaras that's for sure.
Well, that's it for an action-packed first day. Tomorrow: shopping and maybe a tour of the city. Tune in tomorrow for more scintillating updates!
Love,
Vxxx
Our journey did not start well: it took nearly an hour to check in at Sydney Airport due to a rusty Air New Zealand staffer who hadn't been working the check-in desk for 4 years. Then we get through Customs and I get selected for the explosives detection test - no biggie, I've done it a few times before and it's quick and simple. But then we get to Auckland and I'm selected again for not only the explosives detection test but also a frisk search. OK, just a coincidence right? But then, as we are going through Customs at Auckland to get onto our SF flight, I am informed that I have been "randomly selected" for another search: explosives, frisk AND they asked me to take off my shoes so they could check them!!! (Sucks to be them: I had my stinky shoes on). I thought I was being randomly selected for an upgrade to business class...sad. So, if you start getting postcards from me from Guantanamo Bay you'll know why...I'm obviously a "suspicious character"!
The flight itself was your usual long-haul cattle class nightmare. I was doing OK until about 7 hours in when I started getting a sore bum and feeling fidgetty. I'm sure I'm not the only economy-class traveller who reaches a point where thoughts of falling from the sky in a burning fuselage seems preferable to another 5 hours cooped up in an increasingly claustrophobic metal cylinder. All I could think about was my comfy bed at home where I could sleep lying on my side without some stranger's elbow poking me in the ribs. It was even more pleasant sitting next to this fellow as he had obviously had 1000 cigarettes before boarding to calm his nerves...delightful! The only positive was the service from Air New Zealand - excellent as per usual. And the food was really good. Their new safety video featuring Richard Simmons is priceless - here it is: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3iaTEgoezNQ. Laugh out loud funny.
Nerves were a little frayed by the time we landed in SF. Chris apologised to me in advance before we left home for anything he might do while we're away that might piss me off (so of course I had to reciprocate). Good thing we did because it didn't take long to start speaking to each other through gritted teeth. OK, I did raise my voice once too. But it's all good, we found our hotel (http://www.baldwinhotel.com/), and it's quite nice (bar the overflowing toilet....grrr....which was quickly fixed). We are very central, about a block from Union Square. The room is not spacious, but it has gorgeous high ceilings, a claw foot bath and (gasp) a window that opens. Bliss! After showering and changing (divine) we jumped in a cab to check out the tourist nightmare that is Fisherman's Wharf where we scarfed down fish & chips for lunch and browsed all the overpriced shops. We booked our Alcatraz tour for Monday and then caught the Muni (the cable car public transport network in SF) back to our hotel where we finally collapsed in a wordless, grunting heap. After a 4 hour nap we headed off to get a late dinner and cruise Walgreens, the massive pharmacy / convenience store ubiquitous in most US cities. Love love love this store - cheap everything. How come make up is less than half the price it is in Sydney?? Don't know, but I will be stocking up on mascaras that's for sure.
Well, that's it for an action-packed first day. Tomorrow: shopping and maybe a tour of the city. Tune in tomorrow for more scintillating updates!
Love,
Vxxx
Thursday, April 7, 2011
One more sleep (if I sleep that is!)
Well, the big day is almost here...I don't know how I'm going to sleep tonight. It's like being a little kid on Xmas Eve waiting for Santa to come! Work was one big rush today to get everything finished so my colleagues don't have any nasty little surprises while I'm away. Of course, all the industry was broken up by quite a lot of hilarity over a holiday-inspired haiku challenge which was dominated by Ayishah's demands for presents to be brought back from the US. Then there was the rowdy lunch at Indochine. Ahhhh, I'm gonna miss Team Awesome while I'm away!
The packing is pretty much all done - just the toiletries in the morning and then we're off. I'm praying I haven't forgotten anything! We have to be up at 3.30am (!) to get to the airport in time. Bedtime is looming. Next time you hear from me I will be in the Home of the Brave, Land of the Free. Wish me luck!
The packing is pretty much all done - just the toiletries in the morning and then we're off. I'm praying I haven't forgotten anything! We have to be up at 3.30am (!) to get to the airport in time. Bedtime is looming. Next time you hear from me I will be in the Home of the Brave, Land of the Free. Wish me luck!
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
Two more sleeps!
Well, it is two more sleeps until we wing our way to San Francisco via Auckland and I thought I would start a blog to share my holiday with my friends. Tonight I've been madly washing clothes to make sure they are dry to pack tomorrow night. Oh, and lists, lists, lists: a list of what to pack, a list of what to put in my carry-on, a list of what Steph needs to pack, a list of THINGS I MUST NOT FORGET TO DO BEFORE WE LEAVE...it's exhausting! Now I can concentrate on worrying about how I'm going to cope with the long flight - I'm really freaking out about being cooped up in cattle class for 13 hours with Chris on one side of me and a complete stranger on the other. How am I going to occupy myself, how will I be able to sleep, how will I stave off the boredom, claustrophobia, crying babies, loud talkers, people with BO, etc etc? I mean, I've done this flight before but that was 15 years ago and I was much less worried about these things back then.
Do any of my peeps out there have any tips for enduring long-haul flights??
Do any of my peeps out there have any tips for enduring long-haul flights??
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