08/08/2007 by Russell.

Took over an hour from our Hotel just to get to this famous destination, Graumans Chines Theatre and the Hollywood walk of fame et al.

My hands fitted Robin Williams, MM had small feet as did Bette Davis.

Harrison Ford and Johnny Depp’s feet were there along with R2D2 ….

Emily even had her photo taken with Cap’n Jack. We strolled and went into Ripley’s ‘Believe it or Not’ Museum.

HAd our lunch where we could see the HOLLYWOOD sign in the far distance.

Drove down Sunset Blvd, about an hour to Santa Monica beach via Beverly Hills, Bel Air…

We had a very full day with only an hour on the beach..and were cussed at by some Hood as we left because we took our time in the parking lot.

We are all tired and settled for a rive thru, which would have been fine except for ice going all over my nether regions…ow that was cold. 

Posted in Holiday, Uncategorised | Print | No Comments »

07/08/2007 by Russell.

Mon/Tues

Took us awhile to gey out of Diego, we couldn’t get on the right freeway we wanted.

Arrived at the Hilton, It is a huge hotel along with several others servicing Disney.  We are 10min walk away from Disney.

Hotel not as nice as Diego, have to pay for Internet here £5 a day.

There is a pool, a gym etc.,but really there is nothing around here other than more Hotel chains.

WE have to go by car everywhere and we have to pay for parking here!

Have to get on the freeway to go anywhere even to the beach.  We are about 10 miles from the beach and 25 miles from Universal.

We will try and do ‘Sunset Boulevard’ today and take it from there…

Wednesday is Disney day.

Have a nice day..

Posted in Holiday, Uncategorised | Print | No Comments »

06/08/2007 by Russell.

What a final day we had in Diego.  We were more adventurous, visiting the bay area and over the bridge to the Coronado.  Famous for it’s wooden structured hotel, La Coronado.

Visited abeach up the island, which wasn’t to Greg’s satisfaction, so moved back towards the famous hotel.  As usual, able to pull up outside the seafront in a prime slot. 

Ambled into hotel, had free glass of Lemonade, and saw the splendid interior.  It is regarded as a national treasure, and has a fantastic lift (old caged thingy) and wooden staircase to die for.  It was the first hotel in the west to have electricity and I think a lift.  It was also used as a backdrop to ‘Some Like it Hot’ movie and has hosted presidential dinners - Nixon, Reagan…and the beach was great.

In the evening we ventured downtown in the dark with a rough notion where wanted to be, took us 3/4 of an hour but we found the ‘Corvette Diner’ complete with Corvette inside the diner.  Fantastic, a woman took the SUV to be parked, and we had ice cream shakes, great burger and the dj even played a request for E and G - ‘Let’s twist again like last summer…is it a bird? is it a plane? ‘NO!’ it’s a twister…you know the one..and that’s it. End of Diego.

Off to drive up to LA - have you seen the number of freeways there are up there? we were lost at times around Diego.

 Hope folks are reading this…

Posted in Holiday | Print | No Comments »

05/08/2007 by Russell.

Took us awhile to get downtown to the Gaslamp Quarter (town centre).  Ambled round usual shops - Gap, Macey’s, Body Shop.. and then drifted off to ‘Seaport’ on the waterfront.  A bit like Covent Garden with the sun but no artistes, only artists and tarot readers - for whatever reason.  Saw some quiant three wheel cars for hire.

Saw the naval ships here across the water.  It is a city on the up..

Got some bits and bobs, had a lunch with fries (its fries with everything).

Spent afternoon in the pool and will watch Superman tonight in the pool with the movie projected on to a large screen..there is a carvery here tonight, something Phillip would quite enjoy.

Had a dossy day

Posted in Holiday, Uncategorised | Print | No Comments »

04/08/2007 by Russell.

Is it possible for sea creatures Dolphins, Whales, Walrus and even an Otter do do all those tricks?

We found out with an afternoon of great drama and excitement as all types of sea animals treated everyone to thrills and spills in the pools.  It was a spectacle as only America can put on, troubadours entertained the waitng crowds in the seating areas.

Dolphins must have leapt around 30feet, Shamu the killer whale entetained to rock music, The seals even talked with their trainers.  Amazing stuff.  Even the penguins were treated to an Antarctic  habitat.  The first time we saw them swimming we were taken aback at their speed and agility.

Greg and Emily had a ‘whale’ of a time….we stayed until the firework ending and came back to our hotel to find that not only had we lost two of Greg’s t’shirts drying on the balcony earlier in the day, to now losing his United towel…the hunt is on.

Posted in Holiday, Uncategorised | Print | No Comments »

03/08/2007 by Russell.

Hired bikes today (thursday) and meandered up to La Jolla ( guidebook claims most expensive real estate in California)

Beaches weren’t what was expected, rocky covesSeagulls taking food off sunbathers.  But we did sea some seals on the beach catching a few rays.

In the afternoon we went back towards familar territory on the beach.

Had a steady evening, we are off to SeaWorld on Friday afternoon until 10 at night.

Have to do household chores now…washing…cooking…

Posted in Holiday | Print | No Comments »

02/08/2007 by Russell.

August 1st

Beach bums this afternoon, busy beach which is only a five minute walk away.

Pacific not as warm as Lake Mead, but the waves are fantastic (some for Kirsten to really enjoy)

We spend a good hour in the water, and sunbathing on the beach.

In the evening Emily doesn’t come to the funfair.  Greg foes on his first big Dipper ride of the holiday - a taste of what’s to come later in LA.  It is a restored big dipper from 1925 and is a typical up and down dipper of the 20’s with an all wooden framework. He was a bit wibbly wobbly afterwards.

We are having major problems with Gregs OC - so there will be no furher pics on the web, but we will keep blogging.

Posted in Holiday | Print | 9 Comments »

02/08/2007 by Russell.

Arrived safely, only lost our license plate and had the bodywork trim flapping off, but apart from that no major incidents.

Sunday

Hired a boat on the lake, the lake is huge backing up to Hoover Dam, so we saw this from the water side.

Swam and picnicced in the water of around 80degrees., The sun shone, although we had been experiencing thunderstorms.

Monday 

Got more groceries…and sunbathed at the shoreline and swam a lot in the lake, it was so refreshing.

Evening arrived and we had a thunderstorm sent from the heavens.  Emily and I enjoyed a fantastic light show, whilst Greg curled into a ball.  Terrific.

Tuesday

Drop off RV and get our SUV, the drive through Mojave Desert - 5 hrs down to San Diego.  Missed my intersection recommended by Google, but in the end it took us to Diego.  (bit of a panic at the time)

Intersections on Freeway around Diego were a little disconcerting, but drove right to the door of our hotel. Facilities excellent, we have pool, arcade games fro Greg, even a kitchenette and tennis courts and….more

I see Tevez still isn’t resolved, but we have major probs with the pc, CAN’T ACCESS ANY PROGRAMMES OR LOAD ANY MORE PICS UP  ON THE WEB.

Posted in Holiday | Print | No Comments »

02/08/2007 by Russell.

Tuesday 24th

this is my second attempt, Greg’s PC is not functioning properly…..

Rv picked-up and we hit Wal-Mart, get groceries inc. roasted chicken for dinner etc, load up the RV and swing out of Wal-Mart - and picture if you can - chicken being slewn across the RV, emily wailing about it and Greg and I turn to look, only for the RV to mount the kerb and swerve to miss an approaching lampost - all within the first mile!

Successfully get to Hoover Dam and make a visit.

Arriving at our first RV site was something akin to Bates’ Motel out of Psycho.  Completely deserted, Joshua trees as far as we could see.  Slept OK.

Weds 25th

Off to Skywalk on west rim of Grand canyon.  What a money spinner this is for the Hulapai Indians.

An hours coach ride up a gravel track - we are assured its being tamacced, no wonder with the dosh rolling in.

$74.95 each to get on the skywalk which included the payment of $50 to get on the reservation.  Splendid views and and expanse of terrtory which remains long in the memory.

Before getting far on our 200 mile trip to the South rim, we were delayed by flash floods.

Thurs 26th

Yawn - up at 5.30 for a Mule ride. We missed the evening briefing, so belted down to the corral on our bike past a fully grown elk by the side of the road - yikes!

Off we trotted to Plateau point - 6 miles away and 6,000 feet down (it is like the pictures in your mind - very steep) and still 2,000 ft above the Colorado river.

 Sore bum and certificate to prove we are all successful MuleSkinners (whatever that is)

Friday 27th

Dossing day around the Canyon

Saturday 28th

Along route 66 to Lake Mead

Posted in Holiday | Print | No Comments »

24/07/2007 by Russell.

EMILY’s post 

With Trump tower next door, we started shopping spree las vegas style in fashion show mall. Probably one of my highlights of the holiday so far. Clothes, shoes, bags me me me but ovbiously my dad and brother weren’t impressed so they hung around the gadget stores. Only when it came to Boot Star where racks upon racks of cowboy boots did their adrenelin kick in, with Greg trying on hats, me and my dad torturing our feet with boots did the roadtrip really start.

Las Vegas shopping centre bowled me over but thank fully pepsi was there to keep me going. Video-taping our journey back to Ceasar’s by foot which was a bad decision by me. The heat still suffocating but the tanning session starts immediately. Going back and forth through the hotel continually buying more souvenirs.

Finally returned back to hotel, 2 hours after we thought we would return, our soles burnt out. Made our way to the pool, me and Doctor Who comfortably sun bathing and Greg and my dad getting refreshed in the 3 n a half feet pool.

Sleaz zone has finally come into our agenda with the entertainment of light show.

Posted in Holiday | Print | 1 Comment »