California dreamin’

Monday, 26 May, 2008

I've just returned from a two week trip to the west coast of the USA and having uploaded a whole pile of photos to Flickr, am spending some time reflecting on the visit. I plan to post miscellaneous (post-visit) observations in the near future, if anything, to remind myself about the things that made me think, smile, confused and bemused.

I've never covered so many miles within the relatively short time frame, having travelled between Las Vegas, Palm Springs, San Diego, Los Angeles and San Francisco. Whoever said the Americans love road trips, weren't kidding!

Here's what happened below, together with direct links to any specific Flickr sets, and some Twitter comments, that I would have made if I had a mobile net device.

Photos from the whole trip are collected together in the 200805 USA Flickr collection.

2008 USA TRIP DETAILS

Friday 9th May
Traveling : Las Vegas, Paris Las Vegas Hotel.

Twitter - Damn - lots of East-Asians everywhere! Where there's East-Asians, there's Cup noodle/ramen.
Twitter - I want a US style number plate. Real life embossing and theming!
Twitter - Did I say small town in the middle of the desert?
Twitter - Sand dunes. I think of CSI Vegas.
Twitter - Jesus, she should really tone down her pulling technique. And if possible, her bod too.

Saturday 10th May
Location : Las Vegas
Explore Venetian hotel and other shopping areas.

Twitter - Whoa she's hot. Damn, it's hot. Damn, I'm bloody hot!
Twitter - Damn right, 2 people noticed my alligator cuff. Too bad they were shop assistants - probably refining their sales technique.
Twitter - That was definitely Sharon Osbourne. But Linh thinks she put on weight. So where's Arnie?
Twitter - It's Saturday night, but is it always this busy every night?

Sunday 11th May
Location : Las Vegas
Walking down the opposite side of Las Vegas Boulevard
Coca Cola store, the M&M store and New York.

Twitter - Trying to resist the urge to get a shot with a tip-shopping-showgirl. Lots of suntanned skin showing, heavy makeup and heavy assets.
Twitter - Would it be fun to be an architect here? "No expense spared!"
Twitter - Las Vegas buffets (Rio) are redefining the quality of a buffet for me. I'm just glad I'm not eating here everyday - to get my value's worth.
Twitter - Non-sale trainers - half the UK price!
Twitter - Hm. I think my budget needs recalculating.

Monday 12th May
Travelling : From Las Vegas to La Quinta, Palm Springs
Family dinner

Twitter - Coming from the sprawling, unreal glamour of LV, what is in Palm Springs?

Tuesday 13th May
Location : La Quinta, Palm Springs
Outlet shopping - more shopping!

Twitter - Godammit - why do they only display pre-tax prices!

Wednesday 14th May
Location : La Quinta, Palm Springs
Mount San Jacinto State Park

Twitter - Travel half way around the world, and then go to the top of some mountain, and who do you meet? Yet another couple from Surrey!

Thursday 15th May
Traveling : From La Quinta to Los Angeles then to San Diego
Hollywood sign viewpoint
Griffith Conservatory
Dinner in Santa Ana

Twitter - Back to urbanity!
Twitter - Hollywood Chinese Theatre. Lots of jobbing actors(?) in thick suits in sweltering heat. Think Michael Jackson, Spiderman, Jack Sparrow, Supergirl, Hello Kitty, Batman etc. We caught Spiderman lunching with Jack Sparrow.

Friday 16th May
Location : San Diego
San Diego Sea World

Twitter - Large buffet breakfast! Man, its too early for ribs, rice, vegetables, meatballs and spaghetti!

Saturday 17th May
Traveling : From San Diego to Los Angeles then to Dublin, near San Francisco
Visiting Yosemite National Park on the way.

Twitter - Uh-oh, getting picked up by a people carrier with a mandarin speaking driver, who hawks, spits and smokes his way around the car park..
Twitter - Thank god - there's a "proper" coach picking us up from LA!

Sunday 18th May
Location : San Francisco
Napa Valley for wine tasting
Golden Gate Bridge
Palace of Fine Arts
Lombard Street
Fisherman's Wharf, Pier 39
Bay Cruise to Golden Gate Bridge and Alcatraz
Extra coach tour to Twin Peaks, Castro Theatre, San Francisco City Hall and Chinatown
Night time views from Treasure Island

Twitter - I think that's enough for one day..
Twitter - Goddammit, trust the only day for us to be in SF shows the bridge submerged in a fog.

Monday 19th May
Traveling : From San Francisco to Los Angeles then back to San Diego
Pass through Monterey Bay - 17 Mile Drive incorporating Pebble Beach, The Lone Cypress, Bird Rock and Seal Rock

Twitter - How can one place be both freezing and warm within the same square couple of miles?!?

Tuesday 20th May
Location : San Diego
San Diego Zoo
Sea Port Village

Twitter - More animals - yet, more photos are taken (by me).

Wednesday 21st May
Location : San Diego
Balboa Park for the Japanese Friendship Garden and the Natural History museum

Twitter - Mental note to come back to Balboa Park in the distant future. Way too much to see here in one day!

Thursday 22nd May
Traveling : From San Diego to Los Angeles then back to London, UK!
Stop off at Los Angeles Chinatown for a quick visit.

Twitter - Only 15 hours travelling time back to South London. Not counting the waiting and the fact we've already been up for 8 hours... what fun.

This entry posted in : Events. Inspiration. Travel.

2 Comments :

i love putting picsk on flickr, good post.

Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on 04/06/08 at 06:06 PM

Las Vegas sign is tiny!

The only indoor place where smokers were welcome were casinos. Amazing power they wield there.

You could fill your vehicle with petrol (or 'gas') while drinking alcohol, smoking and playing one-armed bandits - LIBERTY! LIBERTY WAS BORN IN VEGAS!

Posted by Dave on 10/06/08 at 02:11 PM

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