The train journey to Chicago started at 4pm on Tuesday and we arrived at 4pm Thursday.
Out cabin on the train was the same as on the coastal train from San Francisco, so it was easy to stow everything away and feel settled in. By now I had developed Bronchitis and was certainly not fit for the company of strangers, so we organised for all our meals to be taken in our room.
The scenery between Seattle and Chicago is pretty much all wide open plains and fields .... pretty much nothing to see although still attractive, green farming land. I have ever seen so much corn growing in all my life! To be honest I spent most of the trip coughing, sleeping and swallowing pills in the hope of feeling better before we got to Chicago!!
We arrived and caught a taxi to our hotel which was terrific. My first of impression of Chicago was .... scary. It seemed huge, dark and confusing. Let me say though, on further exploration it was NOTHING like that. It was a great city. Our hotel room was just amazing ..... huge and it had this amazing day bed built into the bay window. So you could lounge in the window several stories up and watch downtown Chicago go by.
Another special thing about Chicago was that we were able to request a companion pet for our stay. We had our own goldfish buddy whom we named George G. Fish. Such a cutie and very calming as well.
When I woke on Friday I was very disappointed to discover I was still feeling fairly ordinary. No way I could face a day of traipsing around the city. So I bunkered down in our room and prayed for the coughing to stop!!!!
Russ took off on his own to visit Frank Lloyd Wright's home, studio and gallery in Oak Park. He very bravely caught the underground train on the Harlem line and walked the few blocks to the house. On the way he was able to see many examples of Lloyd Wright architecture in the homes in the area. The house itself was designed and built by FLW when he was 21 years of age in 1900's. It was the home in which he and his wife raised their six children. It is now used as a museum to showcase his work. Even the furniture in the house was designed by FLW to blend and accentuate the features of the home.
After it was completed FLW continually changed the house, as he tried out new architectural ideas. One such idea was a special window in his wife's day room which opened outward. One of the children apparently was quite adventurous and kept climbing and falling out of the window. FLW was such a pedantic man that he refused to alter the window to make it more safe. Apparently, design was far more important than the safety issue.
Russ had a fantastic time and found it to be a wonderful opportunity to see the innovative style of FLW and appreciate further his work.
Saturday I decided to brave the tour bus and we took off with a list of places to see. First stop was Millenium Park. Rather a misnomer considering they could not finish it in time for the turn of the Millenium but actually completed it in 2004!! There was some fascinating sculptures set in the middle of the wide paths, fantastic trees, wonderful lawns to rest on and a beautiful water park. It was a rather unexpected find. There was a space around the size of half a footy field. At each end there were brick walls about 6 metres long by 2 metres wide and probably 10 metres tall. Water flowed down the walls from the top and the space in between the two was filled with water spouts (like you see out the front of Crown Casino). The space was filled with kids and families having the best time, on a hot day, playing in the water. The best part was on the tall feature walls that continually projected pictures of people. They showed through the water .... spectacular!!! We really enjoyed watching everyone have fun and sat for a while watching and enjoying the cool breeze over the water.
We decided to eat lunch and I had my heart set on eating at at place I had read about in some tourist guides. It was called Eggys and as I adore eggs in any shape or form, I was really looking forward to it. According to the maps we had it was just a short walk from the park, so we set off. After walking in several directions, and asking a few people, we realised there was no way we were going to find Eggys!!! I had a bit of a meltdown so we sat in another area of the park to catch our breath and cool off a bit. Could not have picked a better place to sit ... the passing parade was fantastic.
As it was the weekend there were a procession of stretch limousines arriving with wedding parties aboard. Interesting array of brides from the sublime to the ridiculous!!! What really caught our attention however were limousines full of quite young Mexican people. On investigation we discovered they were celebrating an event called Quinceanera. When a Mexican girl turns 15 she has an elaborate celebration to mark her coming of age. These girls wore the most amazing dresses. Very formal, very ruffley, very colourful, very glittery and beaded. Their best friends and younger siblings wore something like bridesmaids dresses (only way shorter and um ... cheap looking!!!). The young men wore tuxedos usually in blue, white or some other colour!!! They go to big parks and monuments to have professional photos done and then celebrate with a huge reception!!! It was trashy, flashy, over the top and I loved it!!!!
After that excitement, we walked back to the bus and did a tour of Chicago including their Chinatown, Little Italy and Greektown. It was very interesting and the cooking smells as we went past were so enticing we almost left the bus and invited ourselves for dinner at the nearest home!!!
Little Italy was particularly interesting as we learned about the early mobster days and saw some of the crime scenes!!! The other interesting feature of the tour was watching the retractable bridges which have to split and raise to allow bigger ships to move further up the Chicago River.
We caught the hop off/on bus again and made our way into the city. We visited an amazing lolly shop which had a display of dresses, all made from different well known lolly wrappers. At first glance you would not have known what they were made of .... very clever. We then went to the John Hancock Building which was nearby. In Chicago there are two or three tall buildings which all have an observatory level. John Hancock is one of those, so we went to the top and admired the gorgeous view just as the sun was setting. We stayed for ages and were able to see the whole city glittering with thousands of lights. Just beautiful. That was enough for one night, so we made our way back to the hotel to check on George G Fish!!!
The following day we were on the move again, so we packed up, had the hotel mind our bags and had a fantastic lunch, sitting on the sidewalk, watching view, enjoying the sunshine and sipping a couple of glasses of rather nice wine. Optimum way to spend a Sunday in my opinion!!!
We got to the station just in time to board the train and once again settle into our sleeper cabin. This time the trip was only 22 hours, so we made the most of our last night on the train, with a nice dinner, good company and another couple of wines!!
Thursday, July 19, 2012
Wednesday, July 11, 2012
Seattle
We caught the train at Emeryville station which is over the Bay Bridge from SF at about 6pm. Found out little sleeper room. It was the cutest thing with a long couch which made into a double bed (plus another single bed which folded down). It also has a comfy chair, a basin and a table that folded up between the couch and chair. The bathroom was very small with a toilet and shower. We settled in and made ourselves at home pretty quickly.
We were able to order dinner in our room and because at this stage I was feeling pretty ordinary with a cold etc. we decided to eat there rather than inflict my coughing and sneezing on everyone else. It was great food and Russ really enjoyed his steak.
We settled down to sleep for the night and were rocked off to sleep with the movement of the train.
I woke up quite early (especially for me!!!). I looked out the window to be greeted by the most amazing mountains topped withn snow. It was sooo beautiful. The scenery was just as stunning all the way to Seattle. We arrived early in the morning, dumped our bags at the hotel and walked, walked and walked some more. We checked out the main city area but I started to feel a bit unwell so we went back to the hotel and I slept for ages.
Next morning poor Russ was woken with the sounds of my coughing. Rotten timing but what can you do? So we caught a tourist bus and explored the city further. We saw the seaport which was full of converted warehouses used for events and entertainment. There was a big fun park area as well. Seattle has an old reputation as a rough and industrial area but it has moved on from that and is a really interesting place. We went into the areas where grunge music had its start. If we had had more time, there was a huge exhibition on the history of music in the area but we had to move on.
The bus then took us to the Seattle needle. As it is the 50th anniversary of the World Expo in Seattle there was lots of information on the Expo and construction of the needle. We then took the lift up and spent a lot of time appreciating the amazing views from the top and taking photos.
By then I was feeling pretty awful so we headed back to the hotel for some comforting soup, washing some clothes and huge rest. Next morning Russ went out for another exploratory walk while I was sleeping, we packed up and headed back for the station for the next step on our exciting journey.
We were able to order dinner in our room and because at this stage I was feeling pretty ordinary with a cold etc. we decided to eat there rather than inflict my coughing and sneezing on everyone else. It was great food and Russ really enjoyed his steak.
We settled down to sleep for the night and were rocked off to sleep with the movement of the train.
I woke up quite early (especially for me!!!). I looked out the window to be greeted by the most amazing mountains topped withn snow. It was sooo beautiful. The scenery was just as stunning all the way to Seattle. We arrived early in the morning, dumped our bags at the hotel and walked, walked and walked some more. We checked out the main city area but I started to feel a bit unwell so we went back to the hotel and I slept for ages.
Next morning poor Russ was woken with the sounds of my coughing. Rotten timing but what can you do? So we caught a tourist bus and explored the city further. We saw the seaport which was full of converted warehouses used for events and entertainment. There was a big fun park area as well. Seattle has an old reputation as a rough and industrial area but it has moved on from that and is a really interesting place. We went into the areas where grunge music had its start. If we had had more time, there was a huge exhibition on the history of music in the area but we had to move on.
The bus then took us to the Seattle needle. As it is the 50th anniversary of the World Expo in Seattle there was lots of information on the Expo and construction of the needle. We then took the lift up and spent a lot of time appreciating the amazing views from the top and taking photos.
By then I was feeling pretty awful so we headed back to the hotel for some comforting soup, washing some clothes and huge rest. Next morning Russ went out for another exploratory walk while I was sleeping, we packed up and headed back for the station for the next step on our exciting journey.
Thursday, July 5, 2012
San Francisco
If I were ever to move to USA, San Francisco is without doubt THE place I would want to live. It is a fantastic city and grabbed me right from the start!!
We flew from San Diego and caught a shuttle bus from the airport. About halfway to our hotel I told Russ I really liked the feel of the place. Our hotel was walking distance from Fishermans Wharf which was a real bonus. As soon as we unpacked, we walked to the Wharf for a look around. Fabulous atmosphere with heaps of things to do.
Next morning we slept in for a while and then had a delicious brunch at the restaurant attached to our hotel. It was an Italian style place, with some very attractive waiters and yummy food. We shared a couple dishes, most of which was eaten by Russ ..... what a hero!!! Next chore was washing (the only disadvantage to 'packing light' is you have to keep up with the washing or you run out of clothes!!!), mailing a parcel of souvenirs etc home and getting my nails done!!! All a bit tedious but necessary.
We then rewarded ourselves with some more time exploring the fantastic Pier 39, where there are lots of eateries, souvenir shops, an aquarium and very clear views of Alcatraz Island and the Golden Gate Bridge.
Wednesday was a special day. We went to a baseball game. I had been looking forward to this for ages and was very excited. The San Francisco Giants were playing the Houston Astros at the Giants home field. Michael and Sarah are avid Giants fans, so by default we are too. Go Giants!!!!!!! We caught the trolley car one block from our hotel. This took us along the waterfront to meet up with the MUNI (the local underground railways system). We found the right train without getting lost and got to A T & T stadium with no problems. We were meeting Mick and Sarah at a bar across from the stadium and managed to find a spot on the fairly crowded outdoor area. We waited for ages and then decided to make our way over to the stadium.
We went in the main gate with thousands of others and soon discovered that the seats I had bought on line were absolute rippers. We had a fantastic view of the field.
Russ armed himself with a hotdog and the game started. Not too long after I heard my name being called and looked around to see Michael and Sarah standing behind us. Poor things, there had been a fire which had closed down the underground and the half hour trip from home to the game had taken them two and a half hours!!!! We made plans to catch up the net day and they headed off to their seats to enjoy the game.
We had a great time joining in the traditional singing, chomping on garlic fries and candy floss and waving my huge orange foam finger around. Sadly the Giants did not win although they had won the day before. A great day trying out some traditional American sport.
Next morning we were up bright ands early to get in some sightseeing on our, by now favorite, hop on and off bus. Great way to see things a bit further afield. It also took us across the Golden Gate bridge which was amazing. The views of the city from the the side of the bay are spectacular. We then raced back to our hotel to change clothes and get ready for our very special night out.
We caught the trolley car to the underground station and then BART (a VERY fast train) to Walnut Creek which is Sarah's home town. We were delighted to have been invited by Juan and Kathy (Sarah's parents) for dinner and were able to meet all Sarah's grandparents, aunt and friend. We had a fabulous dinner and chatted for hours. Just a great relaxing night with terrific people. Sarah also gave us a tour of the Walnuft Creek area and we saw where she had grown up, excelled at swimming and worked, plus the best array of shops!!! Two very happy people caught the train back to SF.
We were on the move again the next day, so while I packed up and got organised (and had a bit of a sleep-in) Russ did a tour of Alcatraz. He had a fabulous time but came back exhausted as there were heaps of steps to climb!!!! Took one last long walk down to Fishermans Wharf, picked up some souvenirs, had a meal and caught the bus over the Bay Bridge to Emeryville where we caught the Amtrak train to Seattle.
We flew from San Diego and caught a shuttle bus from the airport. About halfway to our hotel I told Russ I really liked the feel of the place. Our hotel was walking distance from Fishermans Wharf which was a real bonus. As soon as we unpacked, we walked to the Wharf for a look around. Fabulous atmosphere with heaps of things to do.
Next morning we slept in for a while and then had a delicious brunch at the restaurant attached to our hotel. It was an Italian style place, with some very attractive waiters and yummy food. We shared a couple dishes, most of which was eaten by Russ ..... what a hero!!! Next chore was washing (the only disadvantage to 'packing light' is you have to keep up with the washing or you run out of clothes!!!), mailing a parcel of souvenirs etc home and getting my nails done!!! All a bit tedious but necessary.
We then rewarded ourselves with some more time exploring the fantastic Pier 39, where there are lots of eateries, souvenir shops, an aquarium and very clear views of Alcatraz Island and the Golden Gate Bridge.
Wednesday was a special day. We went to a baseball game. I had been looking forward to this for ages and was very excited. The San Francisco Giants were playing the Houston Astros at the Giants home field. Michael and Sarah are avid Giants fans, so by default we are too. Go Giants!!!!!!! We caught the trolley car one block from our hotel. This took us along the waterfront to meet up with the MUNI (the local underground railways system). We found the right train without getting lost and got to A T & T stadium with no problems. We were meeting Mick and Sarah at a bar across from the stadium and managed to find a spot on the fairly crowded outdoor area. We waited for ages and then decided to make our way over to the stadium.
We went in the main gate with thousands of others and soon discovered that the seats I had bought on line were absolute rippers. We had a fantastic view of the field.
Russ armed himself with a hotdog and the game started. Not too long after I heard my name being called and looked around to see Michael and Sarah standing behind us. Poor things, there had been a fire which had closed down the underground and the half hour trip from home to the game had taken them two and a half hours!!!! We made plans to catch up the net day and they headed off to their seats to enjoy the game.
We had a great time joining in the traditional singing, chomping on garlic fries and candy floss and waving my huge orange foam finger around. Sadly the Giants did not win although they had won the day before. A great day trying out some traditional American sport.
Next morning we were up bright ands early to get in some sightseeing on our, by now favorite, hop on and off bus. Great way to see things a bit further afield. It also took us across the Golden Gate bridge which was amazing. The views of the city from the the side of the bay are spectacular. We then raced back to our hotel to change clothes and get ready for our very special night out.
We caught the trolley car to the underground station and then BART (a VERY fast train) to Walnut Creek which is Sarah's home town. We were delighted to have been invited by Juan and Kathy (Sarah's parents) for dinner and were able to meet all Sarah's grandparents, aunt and friend. We had a fabulous dinner and chatted for hours. Just a great relaxing night with terrific people. Sarah also gave us a tour of the Walnuft Creek area and we saw where she had grown up, excelled at swimming and worked, plus the best array of shops!!! Two very happy people caught the train back to SF.
We were on the move again the next day, so while I packed up and got organised (and had a bit of a sleep-in) Russ did a tour of Alcatraz. He had a fabulous time but came back exhausted as there were heaps of steps to climb!!!! Took one last long walk down to Fishermans Wharf, picked up some souvenirs, had a meal and caught the bus over the Bay Bridge to Emeryville where we caught the Amtrak train to Seattle.
Saturday, June 30, 2012
San Diego
Our stay in San Diego was a bit disappointing.
It started well enough with an enjoyable bus trip from Anaheim. There was lots to watch on the way and the two and a half hours passed quite quickly.
We were booked into the Sheraton Hotel. I had found 40% off through Expedia so was looking forward to some luxury at a good price!!! Big mistake. The first person we dealt with was a very surly and unwelcoming receptionist. There was no way she was cracking a smile for us!! We had originally booked for two nights but changed our plans while in LA so rang and booked a third night. This poor dumb chick had real trouble booking us in cause she wanted to do it as two separate bookings (separate credit cards and all!!!).
We finally got into our room to find our promised view was almost totally blocked with palm trees ... great. Then the tv remote did not work. The rudest maintenance man ever, came to replace it (such charming staff). We decided to avoid all further encounters with staff unless it was life or death!!
We caught the local bus into town for a look around and enjoyed a yummy lunch at a beaut Irish pub. Followed that with a very long walk through the Gaslamp District and the Horton Shopping Centre where Russ had a much needed 'marine style buzz cut' done by a very nice young person. Problem was that neither of us was really sure which gender the young person belonged to!!!!
Once back in our room, we discovered the problem with San Diego. You really, really need a car to get anywhere. The three main tourist attractions we were interested in were the Zoo, Sea World and the Wildlife Safari. Each of these is a long way out of the city, in three different directions and with no direct public or tourist transport available. Unbelievable!!!!
The second day we were there, the hotel was celebrating its 40th anniversary with a big party with barbecue, bands and entertainment. As guests we were invited, so we went along at lunchtime for the barbecue. Nice to be invited except that when we got the we were expected to PAY for our lunch (not my kind of party invitation!!!!!). We had a quick lunch and listened to the band playing for a while, ate some birthday cake and met a few interesting people. After that had a quiet afternoon catching up with washing, emails and ther bits and pieces.
Next morning we went in separate directions. There was a huge maritime museum which included the USS Midway which Russ wanted to explore. I was going to do a land/sea tour to check out some seals. We took the tourist bus which dropped Russ off first and then I got off at the Seaport stop. I wandered around to the Duck Tours where the 'gentleman' told me I had to get the tickets elsewhere. He said it was one block behind where we were, so I set off. When I arrived at the spot he told me, there was nothing there. I walked several blocks in each direction and still could not find the ticket office. I was pretty ticked off, so I decided to give up.
I walked back to the Seaport Village and wandered around for a couple of hours. It was just delightful. I watched a clever man balancing rocks. Checked out all the shops (and picked up a couple of absolute treasures). Took heaps of photos, listened to a very good Frank Sinatra type singer, had a delicious icy lemon drink and generally had a good time. It was very relaxing and such a pretty place.
Went back to the appointed place to meet up with Russ. He too had had a wonderful time. He explored the Midway from top to bottom, also took heaps of photos. The Midway was the biggest ship in the world in 1950. A post-war aircraft carrier complete with planes and helicopters on the deck which were also able to be explored. There were dioramas, photos, a tour of the crow's nest, the officers quarters, flight simulators ands everything a pilot's son could wish to see. He had such a great time and is still talking about things he saw.
We returned to the hotel and had a nice dinner in the bar. Very casual but great food.
Next morning we packed up early and I cannot say I was sad to leave the hotel. I think we would have had a better time in San Diego at a different hotel and also with a car. Nevertheless, we saw some great things and had some downtime to rest up after Anaheim!
It started well enough with an enjoyable bus trip from Anaheim. There was lots to watch on the way and the two and a half hours passed quite quickly.
We were booked into the Sheraton Hotel. I had found 40% off through Expedia so was looking forward to some luxury at a good price!!! Big mistake. The first person we dealt with was a very surly and unwelcoming receptionist. There was no way she was cracking a smile for us!! We had originally booked for two nights but changed our plans while in LA so rang and booked a third night. This poor dumb chick had real trouble booking us in cause she wanted to do it as two separate bookings (separate credit cards and all!!!).
We finally got into our room to find our promised view was almost totally blocked with palm trees ... great. Then the tv remote did not work. The rudest maintenance man ever, came to replace it (such charming staff). We decided to avoid all further encounters with staff unless it was life or death!!
We caught the local bus into town for a look around and enjoyed a yummy lunch at a beaut Irish pub. Followed that with a very long walk through the Gaslamp District and the Horton Shopping Centre where Russ had a much needed 'marine style buzz cut' done by a very nice young person. Problem was that neither of us was really sure which gender the young person belonged to!!!!
Once back in our room, we discovered the problem with San Diego. You really, really need a car to get anywhere. The three main tourist attractions we were interested in were the Zoo, Sea World and the Wildlife Safari. Each of these is a long way out of the city, in three different directions and with no direct public or tourist transport available. Unbelievable!!!!
The second day we were there, the hotel was celebrating its 40th anniversary with a big party with barbecue, bands and entertainment. As guests we were invited, so we went along at lunchtime for the barbecue. Nice to be invited except that when we got the we were expected to PAY for our lunch (not my kind of party invitation!!!!!). We had a quick lunch and listened to the band playing for a while, ate some birthday cake and met a few interesting people. After that had a quiet afternoon catching up with washing, emails and ther bits and pieces.
Next morning we went in separate directions. There was a huge maritime museum which included the USS Midway which Russ wanted to explore. I was going to do a land/sea tour to check out some seals. We took the tourist bus which dropped Russ off first and then I got off at the Seaport stop. I wandered around to the Duck Tours where the 'gentleman' told me I had to get the tickets elsewhere. He said it was one block behind where we were, so I set off. When I arrived at the spot he told me, there was nothing there. I walked several blocks in each direction and still could not find the ticket office. I was pretty ticked off, so I decided to give up.
I walked back to the Seaport Village and wandered around for a couple of hours. It was just delightful. I watched a clever man balancing rocks. Checked out all the shops (and picked up a couple of absolute treasures). Took heaps of photos, listened to a very good Frank Sinatra type singer, had a delicious icy lemon drink and generally had a good time. It was very relaxing and such a pretty place.
Went back to the appointed place to meet up with Russ. He too had had a wonderful time. He explored the Midway from top to bottom, also took heaps of photos. The Midway was the biggest ship in the world in 1950. A post-war aircraft carrier complete with planes and helicopters on the deck which were also able to be explored. There were dioramas, photos, a tour of the crow's nest, the officers quarters, flight simulators ands everything a pilot's son could wish to see. He had such a great time and is still talking about things he saw.
We returned to the hotel and had a nice dinner in the bar. Very casual but great food.
Next morning we packed up early and I cannot say I was sad to leave the hotel. I think we would have had a better time in San Diego at a different hotel and also with a car. Nevertheless, we saw some great things and had some downtime to rest up after Anaheim!
Disney California Adventure Land
Next morning we caught the same bus back to the Disneyland complex. After our big day the day before, we were decidedly less bouncy but no less enthusiastic.
It took a while to actually walk in as there was a fairly large area fenced off while they prepared a new 'world' called Buena Vista. It was due to open the week after we were there. We started to walk around to the right and the first thing I saw was an enormous 20 foot bear statue!! It was near the entry to a really exciting looking ride which had people on huge tyre shaped floats which went down a fast flowing river while spinning in all directions. I was pretty keen to have a go until I read all the warnings for people who should not attempt the ride. Sense took over and we decided to give it a miss. We spent some time leaning over a bridge watching all the terrified faces as they were tossed around in their rubber tyres!!!
We stopped off and had some quick breakfast (couldn't face it when we woke earlier!!!). Next stop was Bug Land. The exhibit looked amazing and while looking around we noticed there was a 3D movie to watch. This was where things got so funny. There were all these signs warning that children may be frightened by the movie. I said to Russ that I could nt understand how a few bugs old scare kids .... what overkill!!! We took our places in the auditorium which was made to look like a woodland area, donned our 3D glasses and off it went. I admit I got a little shock when the first butterfly flew straight at me. I just could not resist trying to touch it even though I knew it was just an image!! The movie showed all sorts of bugs and their tricks of spitting, spraying water and sending out foul smells. Lots of fun but the funniest part was just beginning.
From bugs they moved on to spiders. They started jumping at us and then heaps seemed to dangle from the ceiling right in front of us. Poor Russ ... he does not like spiders at all and it frightened the life out of him. Honestly, he was squealing like a girl and I could barely stop myself from falling off my seat, I was laughing so hard at him!!! It was an absolute scream. The movie wound up and there was an announcement for everyone to stay in their seats while all the bugs left the auditorium. It was suh a surprise when you heard scuttling noises right under your seat and then it actually felt like something was bumping the seat right underneath you!!! I admit ... I jumped a mile.
We left the auditorium and Bug World laughing so hard we totally forgot we were tired!!!
The giant ferris wheel was calling. There were two choices here ... Some of the cages just went around the edge as usual, but some moved along the struts of the whole wheel. So when the giant wheel moved around, the moving cages slid from the inside to the outside of the wheel. Having previously described Russ's dislike of scary ride, I probably don't have to tell you which option we took! We shared the cage with a delightful 10 year old Texan lad and his mum. We were amused to hear he was there to cross the first item off his 'bucket list'. Bless him!!! The ride was great and provided fabulous views of the whole park.
We wandered around and came across what looked like a row of sideshow games. One involved shooting a target with a high pressure water gun. When you hit the target your car moved up the gauge. You raced other people to get To the top, so I had a go and on my second try ... I WON!!! The prize was the cutest stuffed Dumbo. I loved it and it will take pride of place at home.
We had a snack, watched the Pixar parade (the Adventure Park version of Mickey's parade) which again had incredible floats and costumes. Then walked and checked out the rest of the park. By 5 o'clock I was ready to pack it in, so we collected some more souvenirs and made our way back to the bus. Boy did we sleep well!!!
It took a while to actually walk in as there was a fairly large area fenced off while they prepared a new 'world' called Buena Vista. It was due to open the week after we were there. We started to walk around to the right and the first thing I saw was an enormous 20 foot bear statue!! It was near the entry to a really exciting looking ride which had people on huge tyre shaped floats which went down a fast flowing river while spinning in all directions. I was pretty keen to have a go until I read all the warnings for people who should not attempt the ride. Sense took over and we decided to give it a miss. We spent some time leaning over a bridge watching all the terrified faces as they were tossed around in their rubber tyres!!!
We stopped off and had some quick breakfast (couldn't face it when we woke earlier!!!). Next stop was Bug Land. The exhibit looked amazing and while looking around we noticed there was a 3D movie to watch. This was where things got so funny. There were all these signs warning that children may be frightened by the movie. I said to Russ that I could nt understand how a few bugs old scare kids .... what overkill!!! We took our places in the auditorium which was made to look like a woodland area, donned our 3D glasses and off it went. I admit I got a little shock when the first butterfly flew straight at me. I just could not resist trying to touch it even though I knew it was just an image!! The movie showed all sorts of bugs and their tricks of spitting, spraying water and sending out foul smells. Lots of fun but the funniest part was just beginning.
From bugs they moved on to spiders. They started jumping at us and then heaps seemed to dangle from the ceiling right in front of us. Poor Russ ... he does not like spiders at all and it frightened the life out of him. Honestly, he was squealing like a girl and I could barely stop myself from falling off my seat, I was laughing so hard at him!!! It was an absolute scream. The movie wound up and there was an announcement for everyone to stay in their seats while all the bugs left the auditorium. It was suh a surprise when you heard scuttling noises right under your seat and then it actually felt like something was bumping the seat right underneath you!!! I admit ... I jumped a mile.
We left the auditorium and Bug World laughing so hard we totally forgot we were tired!!!
The giant ferris wheel was calling. There were two choices here ... Some of the cages just went around the edge as usual, but some moved along the struts of the whole wheel. So when the giant wheel moved around, the moving cages slid from the inside to the outside of the wheel. Having previously described Russ's dislike of scary ride, I probably don't have to tell you which option we took! We shared the cage with a delightful 10 year old Texan lad and his mum. We were amused to hear he was there to cross the first item off his 'bucket list'. Bless him!!! The ride was great and provided fabulous views of the whole park.
We wandered around and came across what looked like a row of sideshow games. One involved shooting a target with a high pressure water gun. When you hit the target your car moved up the gauge. You raced other people to get To the top, so I had a go and on my second try ... I WON!!! The prize was the cutest stuffed Dumbo. I loved it and it will take pride of place at home.
We had a snack, watched the Pixar parade (the Adventure Park version of Mickey's parade) which again had incredible floats and costumes. Then walked and checked out the rest of the park. By 5 o'clock I was ready to pack it in, so we collected some more souvenirs and made our way back to the bus. Boy did we sleep well!!!
Tuesday, June 26, 2012
Disneyland
Well it is true .. Disneyland really is 'the happiest place on earth'.
Our trip to Anaheim started well. We flew back from Vegas to LA and then caught a shuttle from the airport to Anaheim. It dropped us at our accommodation which turned out to be an absolute gem. We stayed at the Ayres Hotel which calls itself a 'European boutique style hotel'. It was delightful with a bedroom, lounge room and kitchenette (at a bargain price). Without a doubt, the cleanest place I have ever seen. They even provided free hot cooked breakast, wine and cheese in the afternoon and freshly cooked chocolate chip cookies on the reception desk all afternoon. Russ was in heaven.
We went for a walk, organised our transport to Disneyland, and had some dinner.
Next morning we were up bright and early to catch our local bus to Disneyland. I was sooo excited. Through the gates, the first thing I saw was the beautiful garden with Mickey's face made out of flowers. We jumped on the train which does a circuit of the whole park so we could get an overview and plan our attack!!
First stop was Adventureland and a ride on the 'Pirates of the Carribean'. It went underground, up and down rivers and passed lots of intricate tableau of various parts of the story. It was so much fun and quite exciting. We then walked for ages looking at everything including the full size pirate ship, paddle steamer and the Matterhorn (the ride was not operating at the time). We took heaps off photos and also watched people on stomach-turning rides which we passed on!!
We stopped for a quick lunch at a terrific place which looked as though it had been transplanted directly from New Orleans. There was even a jazz band playing while we ate.
After lunch we headed for Fantasyland. It's stories from Fantasyland had always been my favorites when watching Disneyland on television when I was young. It exceeded my expectations. Everything was pink, glittery and pretty (even the rubbish bins were pretty). We saw magic castles, stages beautifully set for productions and lots of special rides. I watched the Tea Cup ride for ages, but soon realized that I still could not do that without being violently ill.
Russ was interested to see the interpretation of Alice in Wonderland. Apparently there was a version of this story in the early seventies which featured Peter Cook, Dudley Moore and Sir Robert Helpmann as the Mad Hatter. This version inferred that Alice's adventures were caused by a drug inducted haze. We lined up for the Alice ride for ages with heaps of families of all ages and sizes and thankfully we were by no means the only adults in the queue without kids!!!! We rode on carriages made from sections of a very long caterpillar and saw a traditional version, which we thoroughly enjoyed.
Followed this up with The Little Mermaid. Rode in gorgeous clam shell carriages through water and paths. The story was again represented with lovely displays, some of which I managed to photograph as we floated past.
Tomorrowland was next. We did a round trip on the Monorail, checked out some interesting exhibitions and again avoided the scariest rides. I probably would have been happy to go on most things, but Russ really does hate them and I did not want him to feel bad saying no all the time, or worse going on rides and being terrified, so we watched and enjoyed them that way.
It was then time for what I had been really looking forward to .... Mickey's Parade. We found ourselves a fantastic spot, seat in the shade and right on the corner of the main street. Before I knew it there were the most incredible floats and characters were passing us. Honestly, it is so hard to describe individually. Just the most amazing array of colorful costumes, dancing, well known characters, movies scenes and everything you could imagine and then more!!! It was just wonderful and I could have watched the whole thing aver again straight away. I took sooooo many photos!!!!!
After that excitement, we went for a long walk down main street. There are souvenir and food shops everywhere. We ate a quick dinner, finished with yummy ice-creams (we were at Disneyland after all) and then found the Disneyland Town Hall where we were presented with special badges as first time visitors. We then did some souvenir shopping. Mostly for other people, but I am now the very proud owner of a pair of pink glittery Minnie Mouse ears. Another thing to cross off my bucket list!!!
In the replica of the Ford's Theater, we found a video and displays on the development, building and opening of Disneyland. It was really interesting and informative. In another room there was a video about Abraham Lincoln, his life and presidency. We then went into the replica of the theater where he was shot and watched the most incredible lifelike fully moving figure of Lincoln which was sitting in a chair and then stood and delivered the Gettysburg address. It was incredibly moving and realistic.
Our final event of the exciting day was to watch the fireworks over the Fantasyland castle. Just beautiful and even included Peter Pan and Dumbo flying through the air in appropriate parts of the story. Honestly, it looked just like the fireworks shown in the opening of every Disneyland episode on tv (if you are old enough to remember that!!!!).
After 13 exhausting hours, we made our way back to our bus stop and back to our hotel to grab some rest before tackling Disney California Adventure Park!!!
Our trip to Anaheim started well. We flew back from Vegas to LA and then caught a shuttle from the airport to Anaheim. It dropped us at our accommodation which turned out to be an absolute gem. We stayed at the Ayres Hotel which calls itself a 'European boutique style hotel'. It was delightful with a bedroom, lounge room and kitchenette (at a bargain price). Without a doubt, the cleanest place I have ever seen. They even provided free hot cooked breakast, wine and cheese in the afternoon and freshly cooked chocolate chip cookies on the reception desk all afternoon. Russ was in heaven.
We went for a walk, organised our transport to Disneyland, and had some dinner.
Next morning we were up bright and early to catch our local bus to Disneyland. I was sooo excited. Through the gates, the first thing I saw was the beautiful garden with Mickey's face made out of flowers. We jumped on the train which does a circuit of the whole park so we could get an overview and plan our attack!!
First stop was Adventureland and a ride on the 'Pirates of the Carribean'. It went underground, up and down rivers and passed lots of intricate tableau of various parts of the story. It was so much fun and quite exciting. We then walked for ages looking at everything including the full size pirate ship, paddle steamer and the Matterhorn (the ride was not operating at the time). We took heaps off photos and also watched people on stomach-turning rides which we passed on!!
We stopped for a quick lunch at a terrific place which looked as though it had been transplanted directly from New Orleans. There was even a jazz band playing while we ate.
After lunch we headed for Fantasyland. It's stories from Fantasyland had always been my favorites when watching Disneyland on television when I was young. It exceeded my expectations. Everything was pink, glittery and pretty (even the rubbish bins were pretty). We saw magic castles, stages beautifully set for productions and lots of special rides. I watched the Tea Cup ride for ages, but soon realized that I still could not do that without being violently ill.
Russ was interested to see the interpretation of Alice in Wonderland. Apparently there was a version of this story in the early seventies which featured Peter Cook, Dudley Moore and Sir Robert Helpmann as the Mad Hatter. This version inferred that Alice's adventures were caused by a drug inducted haze. We lined up for the Alice ride for ages with heaps of families of all ages and sizes and thankfully we were by no means the only adults in the queue without kids!!!! We rode on carriages made from sections of a very long caterpillar and saw a traditional version, which we thoroughly enjoyed.
Followed this up with The Little Mermaid. Rode in gorgeous clam shell carriages through water and paths. The story was again represented with lovely displays, some of which I managed to photograph as we floated past.
Tomorrowland was next. We did a round trip on the Monorail, checked out some interesting exhibitions and again avoided the scariest rides. I probably would have been happy to go on most things, but Russ really does hate them and I did not want him to feel bad saying no all the time, or worse going on rides and being terrified, so we watched and enjoyed them that way.
It was then time for what I had been really looking forward to .... Mickey's Parade. We found ourselves a fantastic spot, seat in the shade and right on the corner of the main street. Before I knew it there were the most incredible floats and characters were passing us. Honestly, it is so hard to describe individually. Just the most amazing array of colorful costumes, dancing, well known characters, movies scenes and everything you could imagine and then more!!! It was just wonderful and I could have watched the whole thing aver again straight away. I took sooooo many photos!!!!!
After that excitement, we went for a long walk down main street. There are souvenir and food shops everywhere. We ate a quick dinner, finished with yummy ice-creams (we were at Disneyland after all) and then found the Disneyland Town Hall where we were presented with special badges as first time visitors. We then did some souvenir shopping. Mostly for other people, but I am now the very proud owner of a pair of pink glittery Minnie Mouse ears. Another thing to cross off my bucket list!!!
In the replica of the Ford's Theater, we found a video and displays on the development, building and opening of Disneyland. It was really interesting and informative. In another room there was a video about Abraham Lincoln, his life and presidency. We then went into the replica of the theater where he was shot and watched the most incredible lifelike fully moving figure of Lincoln which was sitting in a chair and then stood and delivered the Gettysburg address. It was incredibly moving and realistic.
Our final event of the exciting day was to watch the fireworks over the Fantasyland castle. Just beautiful and even included Peter Pan and Dumbo flying through the air in appropriate parts of the story. Honestly, it looked just like the fireworks shown in the opening of every Disneyland episode on tv (if you are old enough to remember that!!!!).
After 13 exhausting hours, we made our way back to our bus stop and back to our hotel to grab some rest before tackling Disney California Adventure Park!!!
Wednesday, June 13, 2012
Las Vegas
So .... Vegas. The very first thing that struck us was the intense heat. I mean, we expected it to be hot (it is the desert after all) but whoa!!! The day we arrived it was 107 degrees which was about 15 degrees higher than the normal temperature for this time of year. And it stayed that way until the last day of our visit when it finally got down below 100!!!!!
Night time temperatures were around 95 degrees so we spent the rest of the first day checking out the hotel. The pool at the Tropicana was fantastic and filled with gorgeous people standing in waist high water clutching beers!! I gave it a miss!!!
I hit the pokies and managed to double my money ..... yep turned $5.00 into $10!! Could be a new career in this!!!
Had a pretty lazy morning the next day and then an essential appointment at the spa to have my nails done. Some things just have to be done!!!! After that I felt more like my old self. We went out for a very yummy dinner and then went to see a show. We saw Dancing with the Stars. It was fantastic. Carson Cressley was the host and Joey Fatone one of the celebrity dancers. The costumes were just amazing and the professional dancers were inspiring to watch. Makes you want to get up and do it yourself, except at my feet (or body) would never be able to move like that!!!
After the show we went for a walk down the strip to check out some of the lights. Truly fantastic and every bit as spectacular as they look in photos.
We had been looking forward to the next day for ages, our trip to the Grand Canyon. Our driver picked us up right on time and it was a 20 minute drive to the air field. After completing the paperwork and the compulsory weigh-in (I discovered I had managed to lose another 2 kilos even on holidays!!!) we met our pilot Mike and made our way across the tarmac to the helicopter.
I was sooooooo excited!!!! Russ and I got to sit in the front for the first part of the tour. The take off was so smooth and I loved the way we just hovered off the ground as we turned and went down the runway. We were following two other helicopters and were soon soaring up over the mountains. Below us, we had a great view of Lake Mead which was formed when they built Hoover Dam. Before too long the dam itself was visible on our right and we curled around to get a great view. It is a very impressive structure.
We continued on and the scenery became even more amazing. Over a vast ridge and then, there it was .... the Colorado River and the Grand Canyon. It is impossible to describe adequately the immense size and depth of the canyon. In fact even being in there it is difficult to get perspective until you see the other helicopters ahead of you. They looked like tiny specks compared with the sides of the canyon.
Before we knew it we were through the canyon and heading towards the refueling point for the helicopters. We landed, had delicious icy cold waters and cool towels ..... just the perfect thing ..... while Mike refueled. Then we reboarded and our English fellow fliers took the front seat. On the trip back we saw the town of Boulder which looked like a huge green oasis, and miles of roads which seem to lead to no-where!!
I could have kept flying forever but sadly our time had come to an end. We landed and were driven back to the hotel with memories that will last forever.
That night we went to the Comedy Factory and I swear, I have never laughted so much in my entire life. We saw three comedians, none who I had heard of before, and they were so funny. It was a great night after a truly great day.
Our last day in Vegas we did a bit of gambling (came out ahead although not enough to keep us going for more the a day!!!!). At night, it was slightly cooler, we took a double decker bus tour of the strip and Fremant Street. It was fantastic to see all the amazing resorts and hotels. They are such elaborate displays and the lights are just huge. Fremant Street is a special street downtown which has a domed roof over the street which is used as a neon display. I believe there are more neon lights in this street than anywhere else in the world.
There are live bands playing (that night it was a Bon Jovi tribute band) and heaps of souvenir shops, pubs and food outlets. We had hot dogs and pretzels while we listened to the music, checked out an incredible aquarium surrounded by a pool at the Hyatt hotel and people watched, before getting back on the bus and back to the strip.
Vegas was fun and I am glad I have had the chance to visit but I don't feel like I ever need to go there again. It is for the young, gorgeous, energetic and very very rich. Get there some time, just for the experience, if you can!!
Night time temperatures were around 95 degrees so we spent the rest of the first day checking out the hotel. The pool at the Tropicana was fantastic and filled with gorgeous people standing in waist high water clutching beers!! I gave it a miss!!!
I hit the pokies and managed to double my money ..... yep turned $5.00 into $10!! Could be a new career in this!!!
Had a pretty lazy morning the next day and then an essential appointment at the spa to have my nails done. Some things just have to be done!!!! After that I felt more like my old self. We went out for a very yummy dinner and then went to see a show. We saw Dancing with the Stars. It was fantastic. Carson Cressley was the host and Joey Fatone one of the celebrity dancers. The costumes were just amazing and the professional dancers were inspiring to watch. Makes you want to get up and do it yourself, except at my feet (or body) would never be able to move like that!!!
After the show we went for a walk down the strip to check out some of the lights. Truly fantastic and every bit as spectacular as they look in photos.
We had been looking forward to the next day for ages, our trip to the Grand Canyon. Our driver picked us up right on time and it was a 20 minute drive to the air field. After completing the paperwork and the compulsory weigh-in (I discovered I had managed to lose another 2 kilos even on holidays!!!) we met our pilot Mike and made our way across the tarmac to the helicopter.
I was sooooooo excited!!!! Russ and I got to sit in the front for the first part of the tour. The take off was so smooth and I loved the way we just hovered off the ground as we turned and went down the runway. We were following two other helicopters and were soon soaring up over the mountains. Below us, we had a great view of Lake Mead which was formed when they built Hoover Dam. Before too long the dam itself was visible on our right and we curled around to get a great view. It is a very impressive structure.
We continued on and the scenery became even more amazing. Over a vast ridge and then, there it was .... the Colorado River and the Grand Canyon. It is impossible to describe adequately the immense size and depth of the canyon. In fact even being in there it is difficult to get perspective until you see the other helicopters ahead of you. They looked like tiny specks compared with the sides of the canyon.
Before we knew it we were through the canyon and heading towards the refueling point for the helicopters. We landed, had delicious icy cold waters and cool towels ..... just the perfect thing ..... while Mike refueled. Then we reboarded and our English fellow fliers took the front seat. On the trip back we saw the town of Boulder which looked like a huge green oasis, and miles of roads which seem to lead to no-where!!
I could have kept flying forever but sadly our time had come to an end. We landed and were driven back to the hotel with memories that will last forever.
That night we went to the Comedy Factory and I swear, I have never laughted so much in my entire life. We saw three comedians, none who I had heard of before, and they were so funny. It was a great night after a truly great day.
Our last day in Vegas we did a bit of gambling (came out ahead although not enough to keep us going for more the a day!!!!). At night, it was slightly cooler, we took a double decker bus tour of the strip and Fremant Street. It was fantastic to see all the amazing resorts and hotels. They are such elaborate displays and the lights are just huge. Fremant Street is a special street downtown which has a domed roof over the street which is used as a neon display. I believe there are more neon lights in this street than anywhere else in the world.
There are live bands playing (that night it was a Bon Jovi tribute band) and heaps of souvenir shops, pubs and food outlets. We had hot dogs and pretzels while we listened to the music, checked out an incredible aquarium surrounded by a pool at the Hyatt hotel and people watched, before getting back on the bus and back to the strip.
Vegas was fun and I am glad I have had the chance to visit but I don't feel like I ever need to go there again. It is for the young, gorgeous, energetic and very very rich. Get there some time, just for the experience, if you can!!
Tuesday, June 5, 2012
Santa Monica and Paramount
Our last couple of days in Los Angeles were pretty busy as we tried to pack in as much sightseeing as possible.
On Wednesday we bought tickets for the Big Red Bus. We have discovered that these 'hop on and off' buses are a great way to see as much as possible in a short time. They also give you a chance to see which attractios you would like to get back to for closer inspection. They are usually double decker Englsh buses and give great views from the top story.
Our first stop was Rodeo Drive, obviously not for shopping (!!!) but it was fascinating to see all the famous designer names and drool through the windows! We then headed for the Santa Monica Pier. This place is fantastic. It is a huge old pier which is lined with places to eat, souvenirs, games, carnival rides and a roller coaster. It is quite a long walk so there was plenty of exercise involved as well. After looking around I knew I wanted to ride the roller coaster. Knowing that Russ absolutely hates rides of all kinds, especially roller coasters, I was ready to go on my own, but he totally surprised me by offering to ride too. I would really like to report that he had a great time, but he was all gritted teeth, closed eyes and clench hands!!! I, on the other hand, loved it and could have happily gone around a few more times!
Once Russ was able to retrieve his stomach we decided to have some lunch. We chose a place called Bubba Gump. This place is made to look like a hillbilly shack and has lots of references to Forest Gump around. There arlocals of humerous signs hanging around and each table hs two signs - Run Forest Run /Stop Forest Stop - which are used to signal whether you need attention from your waiter.
The menu is seafood based, especially shrimp, which suited me as I am currently having a love affair with prawns! We shared a entree size tasting platter which was more than enough food for us (and a few more)!!! after a stroll along the very beautiful (and extremely wide) Santa Monica beach we jumped back on the bus and headed back to town.
Our next planned stop was going to be the La Brea Tar Pits museum but as time was running out we passed that and had a look around the Farmer's Market instead. It was getting late so we took the bus back to Hollywood Boulevarde, checked out the hand and footprints in concrete outside Graumann's Chinese Theatre and then packed it in for the day!
Our last day in LA we had to catch up on some domestic chores like mailing stuff home and doing the washing. I had a swim in the pool and at lunchtime we went to Paramount Studios for a tour. We met our guide, Betty, and after the introductory talk boarded the golf-cart. Our first stop was an empty studio. It looked like a huge aircraft hangar and the walls were lined with excess military mattresses for sound-proofing. The ceiling consisted of wide beams for hanging cameras and lighting plus an office area for production work. The next few studios were in various states of being set up or broken down for different productions.
We saw the area where Lucille Ball and Desi Arnez had their dressing rooms, production offices and a small apartment for when filming went late. It was all built around a replica of Lucille Ball's garden at hoe to make her feel more comfortable. The garden is also used for filming various shows including The Brady Bunch, 90210 and Glee. We were told the story that when Ball and Arnez divorced, he moved out of his dressing room and Lucille Ball had the doorway concreted over to indicate the relationship was done and dusted. It stays that way today!!!
I was then very excited when our next stop was Dr Phil's studio. He only records from August to February , so because it was not being used, we were able to check it all out. We saw backstage where Dr Phil and Robyn have their make-up done, the gym where he works out 4 hours a day, the green room and of course the set. I even got to sit in Robyn's chair in the audience, which has special lighting hidden under the seat in front so she always looks perfect. Her box of tissues was sitting ready under her seat and I could not resist pinching a couple of tissues as a souvenir!!!
Next stop was the area called New York where they have permanent street facades of each area of the city. It was so interesting walking up the steps to a building to find it only about 4 foot wide behind the door! Buildings that look like huge towers in films are actually only 4 stories, which are duplicated electronically for film.
Our last stop was the huge water tank where all underwater scenes are filmed including some from Titanic and the parting of the waters in the Ten Commandments. While we were touring around, hundreds of people were preparing the whole place for a huge party the next day to celebrate Paramount's 100th anniversary. It was looking amazing and really made me wish I was famous enough to attend!!!
We caught a taxi back to our apartment, quickly changed and headed out to CBS studios. I had managed to pick up two free tickets for the taping of the Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson. I love this show and watch it as often as I can at home so I was rapt to see it in person. We had a terrific time watching the interaction between Craig and his gay skeleton side-kick, Geoffrey Peterson. His guest was some lame comedian flogging his we book but on the whole it was a good night.
So that was our time in Los Angeles. We loved it but were very excited to be heading for Las Vegas despite our 5am pick up time!!!!
I am sorry I have been so slack in blogging but I promise to keep up better now. Thanks for hanging in there.
On Wednesday we bought tickets for the Big Red Bus. We have discovered that these 'hop on and off' buses are a great way to see as much as possible in a short time. They also give you a chance to see which attractios you would like to get back to for closer inspection. They are usually double decker Englsh buses and give great views from the top story.
Our first stop was Rodeo Drive, obviously not for shopping (!!!) but it was fascinating to see all the famous designer names and drool through the windows! We then headed for the Santa Monica Pier. This place is fantastic. It is a huge old pier which is lined with places to eat, souvenirs, games, carnival rides and a roller coaster. It is quite a long walk so there was plenty of exercise involved as well. After looking around I knew I wanted to ride the roller coaster. Knowing that Russ absolutely hates rides of all kinds, especially roller coasters, I was ready to go on my own, but he totally surprised me by offering to ride too. I would really like to report that he had a great time, but he was all gritted teeth, closed eyes and clench hands!!! I, on the other hand, loved it and could have happily gone around a few more times!
Once Russ was able to retrieve his stomach we decided to have some lunch. We chose a place called Bubba Gump. This place is made to look like a hillbilly shack and has lots of references to Forest Gump around. There arlocals of humerous signs hanging around and each table hs two signs - Run Forest Run /Stop Forest Stop - which are used to signal whether you need attention from your waiter.
The menu is seafood based, especially shrimp, which suited me as I am currently having a love affair with prawns! We shared a entree size tasting platter which was more than enough food for us (and a few more)!!! after a stroll along the very beautiful (and extremely wide) Santa Monica beach we jumped back on the bus and headed back to town.
Our next planned stop was going to be the La Brea Tar Pits museum but as time was running out we passed that and had a look around the Farmer's Market instead. It was getting late so we took the bus back to Hollywood Boulevarde, checked out the hand and footprints in concrete outside Graumann's Chinese Theatre and then packed it in for the day!
Our last day in LA we had to catch up on some domestic chores like mailing stuff home and doing the washing. I had a swim in the pool and at lunchtime we went to Paramount Studios for a tour. We met our guide, Betty, and after the introductory talk boarded the golf-cart. Our first stop was an empty studio. It looked like a huge aircraft hangar and the walls were lined with excess military mattresses for sound-proofing. The ceiling consisted of wide beams for hanging cameras and lighting plus an office area for production work. The next few studios were in various states of being set up or broken down for different productions.
We saw the area where Lucille Ball and Desi Arnez had their dressing rooms, production offices and a small apartment for when filming went late. It was all built around a replica of Lucille Ball's garden at hoe to make her feel more comfortable. The garden is also used for filming various shows including The Brady Bunch, 90210 and Glee. We were told the story that when Ball and Arnez divorced, he moved out of his dressing room and Lucille Ball had the doorway concreted over to indicate the relationship was done and dusted. It stays that way today!!!
I was then very excited when our next stop was Dr Phil's studio. He only records from August to February , so because it was not being used, we were able to check it all out. We saw backstage where Dr Phil and Robyn have their make-up done, the gym where he works out 4 hours a day, the green room and of course the set. I even got to sit in Robyn's chair in the audience, which has special lighting hidden under the seat in front so she always looks perfect. Her box of tissues was sitting ready under her seat and I could not resist pinching a couple of tissues as a souvenir!!!
Next stop was the area called New York where they have permanent street facades of each area of the city. It was so interesting walking up the steps to a building to find it only about 4 foot wide behind the door! Buildings that look like huge towers in films are actually only 4 stories, which are duplicated electronically for film.
Our last stop was the huge water tank where all underwater scenes are filmed including some from Titanic and the parting of the waters in the Ten Commandments. While we were touring around, hundreds of people were preparing the whole place for a huge party the next day to celebrate Paramount's 100th anniversary. It was looking amazing and really made me wish I was famous enough to attend!!!
We caught a taxi back to our apartment, quickly changed and headed out to CBS studios. I had managed to pick up two free tickets for the taping of the Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson. I love this show and watch it as often as I can at home so I was rapt to see it in person. We had a terrific time watching the interaction between Craig and his gay skeleton side-kick, Geoffrey Peterson. His guest was some lame comedian flogging his we book but on the whole it was a good night.
So that was our time in Los Angeles. We loved it but were very excited to be heading for Las Vegas despite our 5am pick up time!!!!
I am sorry I have been so slack in blogging but I promise to keep up better now. Thanks for hanging in there.
Santa Barbara and the Beach Boys
To fulfil our dream of almost our lifetimes, on Monday 28 May we boarded a shuttle bus to LAX airport where we met the shuttle bus to Santa Barbara. It was a very pleasant journey of about two hours. We were luckily able to check into our hotel room early and had time to catch an electric trolly car up the main street and have some lunch at a terrific place called "Joe's" which had booths for eating and a long bar if you are just there for a drink.
We shared some delicious shrimp/prawns and Russ had a huge plate of pasta, then it was back to change and get a taxi to the Santa Barbara Bowl.
The Bowl is a spectacular place. An outdoor amphitheatre which holds around 4,000 people. The stage is surrounded with stone and the whole place blends in perfecty with the surroundings.
We lined up to collect our special package goodies, which included our access passes (how cool do you feel wearing one of those!!!) plus tote bags, special edition t-shirts, posters and lots of other bits and pieces. We were then loaded on buses and taken (up a VERY steep hill) to the seating area where we were sllowed to watch the sound check. While lining up waiting to go in to sit down I could hear Brian singing one of his songs .... talk about excitement!!!
There were probably about 100 of us and we sat and listened as they rehearsed three songs which they performed later. Then they mucked around a bit and sang us a couple of their new songs and some oldies which were not included on the playlist for that night. As they left the stage we were ushered around the back of the stage and before I knew it I was MEETING AND TALKING TO the Beach Boys. I spoke to Mike Love and Brian briefly and then had a conversation with Al Jardine and Bruce Johnson about their upcoming tour to Australia. It went so quickly and at the same time the moment seemed frozen in time. Russ was rapt to actually shake hands with all of the boys, especially Brian Wilson. A moment we will NEVER forget. We had a photo taken, which will be available on line in a week or two. Cannot wait to see it!!!
After that excitement, we had a chance to grab some food and then made our way to our seats in the third row for the concert. We had the opportunity to the some more photos in front of the stage and before we knew it the concert started.
Russ has a full playlist of the concert which I will not bore you all by reproducing there. Suffice to say they played everything we wanted to hear and more. Because this tour is to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the band starting, they played songs from all eras including a couple from their soon to be released new cd 'That's Why God Made The Radio'. Some really beautiful harmonies reflective of the early days. I was so glad I'd bought a new camera in Hawaii as I was able to take ome great photos as well as film my three favorite songs. I think I have watched those three clips 10 times already. The sound may not be perfect (we were sitting a bit of close to the speakers I think) but the memories are irreplaceable.
It has been 20 years since Brian Wilson has played with the other original Beach Boys. They're doing a huge world tour to celebrate their 50 years but after that I am not sure if we will ever see them together again. It was a historic and totally memorable event for both Russ and I. Something we will always treasure.
On a total high, we returned to our hotel for the night and next morning caught the bus back to Hollywood. The most amazing couple of days ever!!
We shared some delicious shrimp/prawns and Russ had a huge plate of pasta, then it was back to change and get a taxi to the Santa Barbara Bowl.
The Bowl is a spectacular place. An outdoor amphitheatre which holds around 4,000 people. The stage is surrounded with stone and the whole place blends in perfecty with the surroundings.
We lined up to collect our special package goodies, which included our access passes (how cool do you feel wearing one of those!!!) plus tote bags, special edition t-shirts, posters and lots of other bits and pieces. We were then loaded on buses and taken (up a VERY steep hill) to the seating area where we were sllowed to watch the sound check. While lining up waiting to go in to sit down I could hear Brian singing one of his songs .... talk about excitement!!!
There were probably about 100 of us and we sat and listened as they rehearsed three songs which they performed later. Then they mucked around a bit and sang us a couple of their new songs and some oldies which were not included on the playlist for that night. As they left the stage we were ushered around the back of the stage and before I knew it I was MEETING AND TALKING TO the Beach Boys. I spoke to Mike Love and Brian briefly and then had a conversation with Al Jardine and Bruce Johnson about their upcoming tour to Australia. It went so quickly and at the same time the moment seemed frozen in time. Russ was rapt to actually shake hands with all of the boys, especially Brian Wilson. A moment we will NEVER forget. We had a photo taken, which will be available on line in a week or two. Cannot wait to see it!!!
After that excitement, we had a chance to grab some food and then made our way to our seats in the third row for the concert. We had the opportunity to the some more photos in front of the stage and before we knew it the concert started.
Russ has a full playlist of the concert which I will not bore you all by reproducing there. Suffice to say they played everything we wanted to hear and more. Because this tour is to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the band starting, they played songs from all eras including a couple from their soon to be released new cd 'That's Why God Made The Radio'. Some really beautiful harmonies reflective of the early days. I was so glad I'd bought a new camera in Hawaii as I was able to take ome great photos as well as film my three favorite songs. I think I have watched those three clips 10 times already. The sound may not be perfect (we were sitting a bit of close to the speakers I think) but the memories are irreplaceable.
It has been 20 years since Brian Wilson has played with the other original Beach Boys. They're doing a huge world tour to celebrate their 50 years but after that I am not sure if we will ever see them together again. It was a historic and totally memorable event for both Russ and I. Something we will always treasure.
On a total high, we returned to our hotel for the night and next morning caught the bus back to Hollywood. The most amazing couple of days ever!!
Hooray for Hollywood
Our first full day in Los Angeles and we started on Hollywood Boulevard. The apartment we were staying in was only one block away which turned out to be very convenient for organising things and sightseeing.
We started by walking the length of the boulevard checking out the stars in the pavement. Along with the name of each person, the star also has a symbol to show which area of the arts they won the recognition for. A little tv for television (obviously), a clapper board for movies, the sad/happy masks for theatre and a microphone for radio. Some celebrities have a star in more than one category and only a very select few have all categories.
A star is earned by completing five years in the chosen area. The person then has to be nominated and approved by a huge panel. They then have to pay for their star and the cost of the presentation ceremony, plus costs to actually put the star into the pavement. I think it is around $30,000 per star. Sounds like a lot of money, but to these people it is just small change.
While walking along Hollywood Boulevard there are just heaps of characters and star impersonators. Some are there to promote a new movie, others just to give people photo opportunities. We saw everyone from Mickey and Minnie Mouse, Johnny Depp, Marilyn Monroe, Chewbacka and Charlie Chaplin through to heaps of superheroes including Superman, Spiderman, Wonder Woman and lots of what looked like Transformers (they are probably from a new movies that I have not seen!!!)
There are also many recording artists trying to sell you their latest hip hop or reggae cd. We did get some photos taken with some characters but if you are ever coming here my best advice is, do not speak to anyone or take anything from anyone UNLESS you are prepared to pay!!! The character actors are usually happy with one or two dollars but the singers/rappers believe they are worth lots more. We were able to negotiate with a couple, down to $5.00 but I heard about others who were handed a cd and then asked to pay $20!!!
In the afternoon we were lucky to get tickets on a "Tour of the Stars Homes". Now I know this is tatally naff, but I have wanted to do it for as long as I can remember and boy was I excited. There were about 10 of us in what looked like a convertible Tarago van (or something like that). It was very comfy and gave great views of everything.
After a quick drive down Sunset, Melrose and some other pretty well known streets, we headed up Mulholland Drive and had our first view of the famous Hollywood sign.
It was then on to the very plush suburbs of Beverly Hills, Hamby Heights and West Hollywood. We saw so many homes of famous people including Shirley Temple, Fred Astaire, Paul Newman/Joanne Woodward, Courtney Cox, Jennifer Aniston, Meg Ryan and Tom Cruise. We also saw the hedge where Lindsay Lohan crashed her car and started all her troubles, the houses where Britney Spears had her big breakdown and where Michael Jackson died.
One big highlight for me was seeing Dr Phil's house. It is just gorgeous. One of my favorite homes was the new place Simon Cowell has built. It is very modern, sleek and clean looking. He has two huge palm trees on each side of his driveway which cost him $10,000 each ..... yup $20,000 just for two trees!!!!
We finished off our day with a quick look at Madame Tussauds and dinner. Great day.
Monday and Tuesday were spent in Santa Barbara and I will write a separate blog on those two special days.
We started by walking the length of the boulevard checking out the stars in the pavement. Along with the name of each person, the star also has a symbol to show which area of the arts they won the recognition for. A little tv for television (obviously), a clapper board for movies, the sad/happy masks for theatre and a microphone for radio. Some celebrities have a star in more than one category and only a very select few have all categories.
A star is earned by completing five years in the chosen area. The person then has to be nominated and approved by a huge panel. They then have to pay for their star and the cost of the presentation ceremony, plus costs to actually put the star into the pavement. I think it is around $30,000 per star. Sounds like a lot of money, but to these people it is just small change.
While walking along Hollywood Boulevard there are just heaps of characters and star impersonators. Some are there to promote a new movie, others just to give people photo opportunities. We saw everyone from Mickey and Minnie Mouse, Johnny Depp, Marilyn Monroe, Chewbacka and Charlie Chaplin through to heaps of superheroes including Superman, Spiderman, Wonder Woman and lots of what looked like Transformers (they are probably from a new movies that I have not seen!!!)
There are also many recording artists trying to sell you their latest hip hop or reggae cd. We did get some photos taken with some characters but if you are ever coming here my best advice is, do not speak to anyone or take anything from anyone UNLESS you are prepared to pay!!! The character actors are usually happy with one or two dollars but the singers/rappers believe they are worth lots more. We were able to negotiate with a couple, down to $5.00 but I heard about others who were handed a cd and then asked to pay $20!!!
In the afternoon we were lucky to get tickets on a "Tour of the Stars Homes". Now I know this is tatally naff, but I have wanted to do it for as long as I can remember and boy was I excited. There were about 10 of us in what looked like a convertible Tarago van (or something like that). It was very comfy and gave great views of everything.
After a quick drive down Sunset, Melrose and some other pretty well known streets, we headed up Mulholland Drive and had our first view of the famous Hollywood sign.
It was then on to the very plush suburbs of Beverly Hills, Hamby Heights and West Hollywood. We saw so many homes of famous people including Shirley Temple, Fred Astaire, Paul Newman/Joanne Woodward, Courtney Cox, Jennifer Aniston, Meg Ryan and Tom Cruise. We also saw the hedge where Lindsay Lohan crashed her car and started all her troubles, the houses where Britney Spears had her big breakdown and where Michael Jackson died.
One big highlight for me was seeing Dr Phil's house. It is just gorgeous. One of my favorite homes was the new place Simon Cowell has built. It is very modern, sleek and clean looking. He has two huge palm trees on each side of his driveway which cost him $10,000 each ..... yup $20,000 just for two trees!!!!
We finished off our day with a quick look at Madame Tussauds and dinner. Great day.
Monday and Tuesday were spent in Santa Barbara and I will write a separate blog on those two special days.
Sunday, May 27, 2012
Finishing up in Honolulu
The morning after the wedding, I had to be up fairly early to make an appointment at the Apple store in Ala Moana Shopping Centre. As you have probably noticed I have not been able to post photos with my blog (very frustrating) and it turns out tht I have a problem with my Itunes store. My very patient and caring friend Nick, has been emailing me trying to solve the problem but it was beyond repair, so off the Apple store I went.
The good news is that the problem looks like being solved very soon (hopefully even tomorrow) and then I will update all my posts and fill in the the photos I have been taking.
After some wandering around and lunch, we decided to take it pretty easy in the afternoon. We headed back to the apartment and I went for a long swim in the pool while Russ slept on the sun-lounge. Guess all the excitement of the previous couple of days caught up with us!!!
Friday we wentured out to Pearl Harbour. We caught a shuttle bus out the front of the apartments and it dropped us off a little way up the street from the entry. Russ had already visited Pearl Harbour when our cruise visited Hawaii (about 3 years ago). Because time was timited then, he only explored the Aviation Museum. (I went shopping !!!!) This was his first choice as his Dad had been a pilot in New Guinea during WW2. This time we planned to visit the Arizona memorial and the site in general.
I must say that some of the things I do not enjoy are ... museums, history, war and killing. You can imagine then that Pearl Habour was not my first choice of how to spend a day. I basically left Russ to explore all the museums and exhibits on his own. I wandered around and took some photos with my new camera and just took in the scenery.
We then went into the theatre to watch a 15 minute film about the history and facts of the bombing on 7 December 1941. I found this extremely moving and very informative. We boarded a Navy boats for the very short trip to the Arizona memorial itself. This is the iconic white builidng you see on anything about Pearl Harbour. It is a very simple, stark memorial built over the remains of the sunken battleship. The ruins are the actual grave of approxiately 1100 men who never escaped the battleship before it sank after a direct bombing. It is supposed to be a place for no talking and just quiet contemplation. Unfortunately many people failed to understand this which I found really disrespectful.
If you look at the huge marble wall engraved with the names of all the men who lie beneath, you could not help but be moved and grateful for their sacrifice.
Our shuttle bus was very late picking us up, so we ended up getting stuck in peak hour traffic at the start of a long weekend (Memorial Day). Finally maded it back to base around 6pm. Long day.
Michael had organised a final get together for everyone in the nearest beach park. There was still a fair bit of drink left over from the wedding and they obviously could not take it with them, so anyone who was interested grabbed some food and met at the park. The best thing was that every Friday night there is a massive fireworks display right over the lagoon next to the park, so we also had free entertainment. Can't beat that!!!!!
It was a great way to finish off our time in Hawaii. Lots of the guests were heading home, a few going to the mainland for further adventures and some grabbing an extra few days of sunshine before they returned to Melbourne's winter. Farewells were said and then a longish walk back around the lagoon to our apartment.
We packed up everything before going to bed as we had a VERY early start this morning. The airport shuttle I had booked picked us up at 5:30 this morning and our flight left Oahu at 8:00am. We arrived in Los Angeles around 4:30pm and FINALLY got to our new 'home' just after 6pm. After a quick orientation walk, we grabbed some dinner, unpacked and as I type Russ is snoring his way to the land of nod!!!
Time to grab some sleep, so we can start our jam-packed schedule for the next few days. The is sooo much we want to see and do while we are here!!
Hope you enjoyed my post on the wedding. Hopefully I will be able to post lots of photos very soon. Thinking of you all xx
The good news is that the problem looks like being solved very soon (hopefully even tomorrow) and then I will update all my posts and fill in the the photos I have been taking.
After some wandering around and lunch, we decided to take it pretty easy in the afternoon. We headed back to the apartment and I went for a long swim in the pool while Russ slept on the sun-lounge. Guess all the excitement of the previous couple of days caught up with us!!!
Friday we wentured out to Pearl Harbour. We caught a shuttle bus out the front of the apartments and it dropped us off a little way up the street from the entry. Russ had already visited Pearl Harbour when our cruise visited Hawaii (about 3 years ago). Because time was timited then, he only explored the Aviation Museum. (I went shopping !!!!) This was his first choice as his Dad had been a pilot in New Guinea during WW2. This time we planned to visit the Arizona memorial and the site in general.
I must say that some of the things I do not enjoy are ... museums, history, war and killing. You can imagine then that Pearl Habour was not my first choice of how to spend a day. I basically left Russ to explore all the museums and exhibits on his own. I wandered around and took some photos with my new camera and just took in the scenery.
We then went into the theatre to watch a 15 minute film about the history and facts of the bombing on 7 December 1941. I found this extremely moving and very informative. We boarded a Navy boats for the very short trip to the Arizona memorial itself. This is the iconic white builidng you see on anything about Pearl Harbour. It is a very simple, stark memorial built over the remains of the sunken battleship. The ruins are the actual grave of approxiately 1100 men who never escaped the battleship before it sank after a direct bombing. It is supposed to be a place for no talking and just quiet contemplation. Unfortunately many people failed to understand this which I found really disrespectful.
If you look at the huge marble wall engraved with the names of all the men who lie beneath, you could not help but be moved and grateful for their sacrifice.
Our shuttle bus was very late picking us up, so we ended up getting stuck in peak hour traffic at the start of a long weekend (Memorial Day). Finally maded it back to base around 6pm. Long day.
Michael had organised a final get together for everyone in the nearest beach park. There was still a fair bit of drink left over from the wedding and they obviously could not take it with them, so anyone who was interested grabbed some food and met at the park. The best thing was that every Friday night there is a massive fireworks display right over the lagoon next to the park, so we also had free entertainment. Can't beat that!!!!!
It was a great way to finish off our time in Hawaii. Lots of the guests were heading home, a few going to the mainland for further adventures and some grabbing an extra few days of sunshine before they returned to Melbourne's winter. Farewells were said and then a longish walk back around the lagoon to our apartment.
We packed up everything before going to bed as we had a VERY early start this morning. The airport shuttle I had booked picked us up at 5:30 this morning and our flight left Oahu at 8:00am. We arrived in Los Angeles around 4:30pm and FINALLY got to our new 'home' just after 6pm. After a quick orientation walk, we grabbed some dinner, unpacked and as I type Russ is snoring his way to the land of nod!!!
Time to grab some sleep, so we can start our jam-packed schedule for the next few days. The is sooo much we want to see and do while we are here!!
Hope you enjoyed my post on the wedding. Hopefully I will be able to post lots of photos very soon. Thinking of you all xx
The Wedding (at last)
After another full day of shopping, Tuesday night saw us at the Tiki Bar and Grill for the traditional Rehearsal Dinner. This was attended by the bridal party and their partners and all family. I think there was around 30 people in all, sitting along a huge table. It was a wonderful opportunity to get together, chat and catchup with what every had been doing.
The bride and groom provided an amazing buffet meal with everything you could imagine!! Cocktails flowed and everyone had a great time. At the end of the night there was still so much food left that Zac, one of Sarah's bridesmen, and I packed everything up and it went back to the apartments to feed the starving hoards for the next couple of days!!!
The wedding day dawned with more glorious sunshine. After a short sleep-in, I went downstairs for my hairdressers appointment at 11:30. This was when things went slightly askew. There was NO appointment recorded, even though Russ said he had made one, and they were too busy to fit me in anywhere. AGH!!!!!! After a few tears I realized there was nothing I could do, so set about trying to make the best of my hair on my own.
So, hair and make-up done, I held my breath and stepped into the dress I had chosen. I was holding my breath because I had not tried it on since I arived and there wss not a lot of room to spare. Anyway, the dress zipped up easily (phew) and we made our way down stairs to the bus which Mick had arranged to get everyone to the venue.
The bridal party (girls) had taken a limo early in the morning to have their hair and make-up done at the venue. The guys took the morning off to go shooting(!!!) at a local range and then also caught a limo at lunchtime.
The bus wss full with around 50 guests, beers were passed around and the mood was fabulous. Mick had arranged for us to take the scenic route so that people who had been in Honolulu only had a chance to take in some of the beautiful scenery of the North Shore. We arrived safely at the venue for the wedding, Lulu Palms estate, and piled off the bus with many people making a dash for the loo. It had been a 90 minute drive with beers after all!!
Not long after we alighted from the bus, the sky clouded over and some rain fell. Poor Mick, he was pretty disappointed given that the weather for the past two weeks had been continual sunshine. The rain passed quickly enough though, and before I knew it the ceremony was beginning. It was absolutely wonderful and a true reflection of Mick and Sarah's personalities. The procession started with some of the guys, then three couples of attendants, a very cute page boy and two of the cutest flowergirls I have ever seen. (If you haven't seen the photos check them out on my Facebook page). Then the beautiful bride arrived on the arm of her very proud Dad, Juan. She looked absolutely stunning and like an angel. Sarah has dark very curly hair and it hung halfway down her back with Frangipani flowers threaded into it. Her veil was very long and fell from a clip in the back of her hair. Her dress was divine. Cream chiffon with a deep v-neck front and back. I was so delighted to see that Sarah had bucked the ccurrent trend and DID NOT have a strapless dress. It had a crisscrossed tie under the bust which became a very long train. The sleeves were elbow length and made of three levels of frills. I don't actually feel I am doing the dress justice with this description.
Her skirt was gentle flowing and very feminine. The night before the wedding Sarah had sewn some very fine strings of beading onto the neckline and front of the dress. It looked so beautiful.
The ceremony was short and uncomplicated and I wish you all had been there to hear their very individual vows. They were a wondeful combination of sincere love and committment and some humour. I hope to get a transcript so I can share some of it some time.
Once the ceremony was finished the party started immediately. The bar was opened and the most amazing array of food appeared. There was all sorts of delicious things including a huge cheeseboard, salads,savouries, fruit, and desserts. Everyone filled their plates more than once.
There was a huge photo for everyone to sign, a photo booth for instant photos and a tiny clothes line to hang them on, a 'beer pong' table which is a favourite drinking game of the bride and groom (and friends). There were even individualised beer pong balls (like ping pong balls) with the date of the wedding, their names and a flower all tied up in little white gauze bags. So cute. There were games to play, bubble guns for the kids, a dance floor and an excellent DJ who kept the tunes going all day/night. It was some party.
Sure it rained a couple of times during the night, but it was never cold and the rain dried up before you knew it. At sunset everyone walked down to the beach to watch the sun sink into the sea and more photos were taken. It was spectacular.
There were some very funny speeches from some of Mick's mates and some lovely heartwarming ones from the girls.
The cake (red velvet cupcakes with a single top level and bride and groom smurfs) was cut and the groom ended up with cake all over his face (in trye American tradition). Mick made a wonderful speech and I was very proud.
It was such a relaxed and fun wedding. Everyone commented that they could not remember being at a better wedding.
The DJ kept everyone dancing, the barman was working hard and beore we knew it, the evening ended in the tradional "Mick' way. He and several of his mates did their now familiar 'nudie run' round the estate grounds. It was hysterically funny, especailly when someone moved their clothes and they had to search through the bushes using the light from their mobile phones before they found them.
We all finally re-boarded the buses and made our way back to Honolulu. Not sure what the other bus was like but, lead by an able group of young people at the back of the bus, we sang our way home. Everything from Khe Sahn to Advance Australia Fair.
I could not have wished for a better wedding to celebrate Mick and Sarah and their amazing love story. It was a true reflection of them and despite the fact that the stress almost made Mick grey overnight, it was well worth it. They worked so hard to make sure everyone had a fantastic time, not just at the wedding, but during their whole holiday in Hawaii.
I had the most wonderful day. I was so unbelievably proud of Mick and Sarah, I got to spend heaps of time with my gorgeous son David, his lovely wife Kylie and my very precious grandson Brodie (who was impecably behaved all day as usual). I also had the chance to chat to my darling daughter Jess which was a real treat. I could not have asked for anything more and after two wonderful weddings this year I am sure I will be on a high for a very long time.
The bride and groom provided an amazing buffet meal with everything you could imagine!! Cocktails flowed and everyone had a great time. At the end of the night there was still so much food left that Zac, one of Sarah's bridesmen, and I packed everything up and it went back to the apartments to feed the starving hoards for the next couple of days!!!
The wedding day dawned with more glorious sunshine. After a short sleep-in, I went downstairs for my hairdressers appointment at 11:30. This was when things went slightly askew. There was NO appointment recorded, even though Russ said he had made one, and they were too busy to fit me in anywhere. AGH!!!!!! After a few tears I realized there was nothing I could do, so set about trying to make the best of my hair on my own.
So, hair and make-up done, I held my breath and stepped into the dress I had chosen. I was holding my breath because I had not tried it on since I arived and there wss not a lot of room to spare. Anyway, the dress zipped up easily (phew) and we made our way down stairs to the bus which Mick had arranged to get everyone to the venue.
The bridal party (girls) had taken a limo early in the morning to have their hair and make-up done at the venue. The guys took the morning off to go shooting(!!!) at a local range and then also caught a limo at lunchtime.
The bus wss full with around 50 guests, beers were passed around and the mood was fabulous. Mick had arranged for us to take the scenic route so that people who had been in Honolulu only had a chance to take in some of the beautiful scenery of the North Shore. We arrived safely at the venue for the wedding, Lulu Palms estate, and piled off the bus with many people making a dash for the loo. It had been a 90 minute drive with beers after all!!
Not long after we alighted from the bus, the sky clouded over and some rain fell. Poor Mick, he was pretty disappointed given that the weather for the past two weeks had been continual sunshine. The rain passed quickly enough though, and before I knew it the ceremony was beginning. It was absolutely wonderful and a true reflection of Mick and Sarah's personalities. The procession started with some of the guys, then three couples of attendants, a very cute page boy and two of the cutest flowergirls I have ever seen. (If you haven't seen the photos check them out on my Facebook page). Then the beautiful bride arrived on the arm of her very proud Dad, Juan. She looked absolutely stunning and like an angel. Sarah has dark very curly hair and it hung halfway down her back with Frangipani flowers threaded into it. Her veil was very long and fell from a clip in the back of her hair. Her dress was divine. Cream chiffon with a deep v-neck front and back. I was so delighted to see that Sarah had bucked the ccurrent trend and DID NOT have a strapless dress. It had a crisscrossed tie under the bust which became a very long train. The sleeves were elbow length and made of three levels of frills. I don't actually feel I am doing the dress justice with this description.
Her skirt was gentle flowing and very feminine. The night before the wedding Sarah had sewn some very fine strings of beading onto the neckline and front of the dress. It looked so beautiful.
The ceremony was short and uncomplicated and I wish you all had been there to hear their very individual vows. They were a wondeful combination of sincere love and committment and some humour. I hope to get a transcript so I can share some of it some time.
Once the ceremony was finished the party started immediately. The bar was opened and the most amazing array of food appeared. There was all sorts of delicious things including a huge cheeseboard, salads,savouries, fruit, and desserts. Everyone filled their plates more than once.
There was a huge photo for everyone to sign, a photo booth for instant photos and a tiny clothes line to hang them on, a 'beer pong' table which is a favourite drinking game of the bride and groom (and friends). There were even individualised beer pong balls (like ping pong balls) with the date of the wedding, their names and a flower all tied up in little white gauze bags. So cute. There were games to play, bubble guns for the kids, a dance floor and an excellent DJ who kept the tunes going all day/night. It was some party.
Sure it rained a couple of times during the night, but it was never cold and the rain dried up before you knew it. At sunset everyone walked down to the beach to watch the sun sink into the sea and more photos were taken. It was spectacular.
There were some very funny speeches from some of Mick's mates and some lovely heartwarming ones from the girls.
The cake (red velvet cupcakes with a single top level and bride and groom smurfs) was cut and the groom ended up with cake all over his face (in trye American tradition). Mick made a wonderful speech and I was very proud.
It was such a relaxed and fun wedding. Everyone commented that they could not remember being at a better wedding.
The DJ kept everyone dancing, the barman was working hard and beore we knew it, the evening ended in the tradional "Mick' way. He and several of his mates did their now familiar 'nudie run' round the estate grounds. It was hysterically funny, especailly when someone moved their clothes and they had to search through the bushes using the light from their mobile phones before they found them.
We all finally re-boarded the buses and made our way back to Honolulu. Not sure what the other bus was like but, lead by an able group of young people at the back of the bus, we sang our way home. Everything from Khe Sahn to Advance Australia Fair.
I could not have wished for a better wedding to celebrate Mick and Sarah and their amazing love story. It was a true reflection of them and despite the fact that the stress almost made Mick grey overnight, it was well worth it. They worked so hard to make sure everyone had a fantastic time, not just at the wedding, but during their whole holiday in Hawaii.
I had the most wonderful day. I was so unbelievably proud of Mick and Sarah, I got to spend heaps of time with my gorgeous son David, his lovely wife Kylie and my very precious grandson Brodie (who was impecably behaved all day as usual). I also had the chance to chat to my darling daughter Jess which was a real treat. I could not have asked for anything more and after two wonderful weddings this year I am sure I will be on a high for a very long time.
Monday, May 21, 2012
Honolulu
It was hard to be sad leaving on Saturday morning. While it had been incredible being at Turtle Bay Resort, there was still so much to explore and do. So taking my place behind the wheel of our hire car again, we made our way down Highway 99 towards Honolulu. After a short stop at Haleiwa for a burrito breakfast, we arrived back at the airport and it was with some relief that I handed the car keys back to the lovely Megan. Yes, car still intact and in the same condition as when we started out - phew! We caught the airport shuttle into the city and were really excited to see our new home for the week.
Our apartment at the Iliaki is fantastic. Just small with one bedroom but absolutely everything we could possibly need including a full kitchen and balcony (lanai) with the most amazing viws. (I am still having problems attaching photos to my blog, so I will post the photos on Facebook - sorry!!)
We can see the ocean from two angles and right next door is a lagoon where people canoe, paddleboard and of course, swim.
We unpacked and settled in pretty quickly and then went for a walk to the local supermarket to stock the kitchen (I plan to do my last lot of cooking for the next few weeks). It is amazing how inspired you get when you have a brand new luxury kitchen to create in!!
The rest of the day was spent looking around locally and getting oriented. Pretty relaxed. Made contact with 'the groom' who sounded like he was well into celebrating!!!
Today was fantastic - so much fun. We were up early (well for me anyway) and caught the 'Big Red Bus' out the front of the apartments. The bus is a double-decker and one of those 'hop on and off buses'. We went straight up the stairs and really enjoyed the views as we drove around. Our first stop was the Ala Moana Shopping Centre. Did not spend too much time there as we will be back tomorrow. Walked a couple of blocks down to Walmart. Now I know there are heaps of jokes (and hilarious photos/videos) from Walmart but the prices are incredible and that is good enough for me!!! We bought 8 pairs of shoes/sandals/thongs between us. Plus heaps of clothes as well (Kristen you would have been so proud of me!!) Walked back to the bus stop and jumped on again. We did the rest of the circuit and stopped of at Hilo Hatties. This is another clothing and souvenir store which is iconic in Honolulu and I managed to pick up some more clothes and a couple of things to send back home.
Back on the bus and we finally made it back to the apartment complex, laden with bags and with aching feet!!! Great fun unpacking everything though and admiring our purchases. We decided to stay in for dinner. All the young ones were meeting up for a girls/guys pub crawl. I did not want to cramp their style by tagging along. Luckily for us we had entertainment practically at our fingertips.
The building next door is the Hawaiian Hilton and they regularly have a luau on their terrtce rooftop. Tonight was one such occasion, so we sat on our lanai, ate our dinner and listened to the music and watched the hula girls, fire dancers and everything else. It was fantastic entertainment and all for free!!
Tomorrow we are planning some more shopping!! Only three more sleeps till the wedding. Hope you are all well and happy. xxx
Friday, May 18, 2012
North Shore
Aloha
The North Shore is a truly beauiful part of the world. It has been so relaxing here and the perfect way to start our holiday.
Wednesday we took it pretty easy. Woke up quite late and dragged ourselves down to the Ola restaurant for lunch. This resort has about 10 different eating places and this one is right on the beach under a thatched roof. I started off with a Pina Colada ... a very good idea and what will be the first of many I think. Lunch was sliders. These were three medium size hamburgers (filled with beef, pork and fish). The slider has meat that has been cooked and shredded and the 'slider' is a reference to how the meat is shredded (the fork slides over the meat to pull bits off). It came with a huge pile of fries. Thank goodness we only bought one serve to share!!
The afternoon was spent by the pool. I love water and swimming so I was in heaven. I think I was in the water for about three hours. I did not want to get out. There were quite a few people on lounges by the pool but the water was pretty much left to me and a handful of others. Did a lot of my water aerobic exercises and just floated around enjoying the sunshine. Russ set himself up on a lounge and 'read' the paper (I think there was more snoozing going on than reading!!!). That night he went to a talk by a guy called Ricky Grigg, who is a professor of oceanography at the University of Hawaii, and had been around when the 'surf culture' was just starting. Apparently, he was really interesting and Russ had a great time.
Thursday morning we were up and out early (well actually, earlier may be more accurate!!). Drove down to Sunset beach and checked out the scenery - gorgeous. We then had lunch at a roadside prawn farm. Now this may sound a bit dodgy but all along the coast are prawn farms and they have kitchens set up out the front where you can buy cooked prawns straight out of the water. We ate a huge pile of garlic butter prawns with rice and finished off with a massive shaved ice. Bliss
Last night was spent at the Hang Ten bar where we had dinner and watched a presentation by some Tongan drummers and fire sword dancers. Spectacula, especially with the backdrop of the setting sun. Oh yes, this life is really hard to take.
So .. a few things I have observed so far:
The people here are so damn beautiful. The women are so gorgeous that at one stage I did comment that it was a shame that I wasn't gay!!! Russ is VERY glad he has reflective aviator sunglasses (!!!).
The food servings are huge as we expected, but it is still pretty easy to find reasonably healthy things to eat. No-one forces you to eat the piles of fries!!! Sharing one meal between the two of us is plenty (great way to save money).
TV is great ... Discovering lots of new shows as well as some favourites from home (YAY ... Judge Judy). Some of the ads are really funny. For a country that thinks saying 'toilet' is inappropriate, they ads for 'toilet paper' are VERY descriptive!!!
Off now to enjoy our Friday, our last full day here. Will be back once we are in Waikiki. Thanks for reading xxx
The North Shore is a truly beauiful part of the world. It has been so relaxing here and the perfect way to start our holiday.
Wednesday we took it pretty easy. Woke up quite late and dragged ourselves down to the Ola restaurant for lunch. This resort has about 10 different eating places and this one is right on the beach under a thatched roof. I started off with a Pina Colada ... a very good idea and what will be the first of many I think. Lunch was sliders. These were three medium size hamburgers (filled with beef, pork and fish). The slider has meat that has been cooked and shredded and the 'slider' is a reference to how the meat is shredded (the fork slides over the meat to pull bits off). It came with a huge pile of fries. Thank goodness we only bought one serve to share!!
The afternoon was spent by the pool. I love water and swimming so I was in heaven. I think I was in the water for about three hours. I did not want to get out. There were quite a few people on lounges by the pool but the water was pretty much left to me and a handful of others. Did a lot of my water aerobic exercises and just floated around enjoying the sunshine. Russ set himself up on a lounge and 'read' the paper (I think there was more snoozing going on than reading!!!). That night he went to a talk by a guy called Ricky Grigg, who is a professor of oceanography at the University of Hawaii, and had been around when the 'surf culture' was just starting. Apparently, he was really interesting and Russ had a great time.
Thursday morning we were up and out early (well actually, earlier may be more accurate!!). Drove down to Sunset beach and checked out the scenery - gorgeous. We then had lunch at a roadside prawn farm. Now this may sound a bit dodgy but all along the coast are prawn farms and they have kitchens set up out the front where you can buy cooked prawns straight out of the water. We ate a huge pile of garlic butter prawns with rice and finished off with a massive shaved ice. Bliss
Last night was spent at the Hang Ten bar where we had dinner and watched a presentation by some Tongan drummers and fire sword dancers. Spectacula, especially with the backdrop of the setting sun. Oh yes, this life is really hard to take.
So .. a few things I have observed so far:
The people here are so damn beautiful. The women are so gorgeous that at one stage I did comment that it was a shame that I wasn't gay!!! Russ is VERY glad he has reflective aviator sunglasses (!!!).
The food servings are huge as we expected, but it is still pretty easy to find reasonably healthy things to eat. No-one forces you to eat the piles of fries!!! Sharing one meal between the two of us is plenty (great way to save money).
TV is great ... Discovering lots of new shows as well as some favourites from home (YAY ... Judge Judy). Some of the ads are really funny. For a country that thinks saying 'toilet' is inappropriate, they ads for 'toilet paper' are VERY descriptive!!!
Off now to enjoy our Friday, our last full day here. Will be back once we are in Waikiki. Thanks for reading xxx
Wednesday, May 16, 2012
Aloha
What an incredible 30 hours we have had.
Flight to Sydney left on time and we filled in the time at the international airport with browsing through duty free shopping. Didn't buy anything but I do have a few things on the radar for later.
I am an absolute convert to Business class travel. It is fabulous!! We were in the first row of seats so had heaps of room. Before we even took off we were sipping champagne and watching 'the poor people' boarding. What fun!!! Straight after take off (about 30 minutes late) we were given 'comfort packs' with pillows, blankets, socks and toiletries and hot towels to refresh us. Then we were invited to choose our meals and handed iPads for all our entertainment needs (movies, tv shows, music, videos, games etc). The rest of our economy flights are going to be such a comedown!!!
I must admit that by the end of the flight I was pretty much over it. Not sure how peope who travel all the time manage it!
The arrival through customs and immigration was very smooth and easy. These people certainly know all about customer service. So friendly, weloming and efficient. Our immigration agent, Officer Ben, was delicious. Big, black and utterly gorgeous. I was ready to migrate permanently, then and there.
Found our shuttle bus easily, picked up our hire car (I love the number plates with the rainbow)and we hit the road.
Driving on the wrong side of the car and on the wrong side of the road is surprisingly easier than I thought. Afer turning on the windscreen wipers instead of the indicators a few times and hitting the door instead of the gear stick a a few more times, it just becomes as automatic as driving at home. The only time I was thrown slightly was the first few turns onto the 'wrong' side of the road. Just follow the traffic and you don't go too far wrong.
We headed out of the airport and towards the North Shore. I was pretty tired after 48 hours without sleep (I couldn't
sleep the night before we left - nerves) so we decided to stop for brunch. Totally cool place called Breakaway which had the whole thatched huts, surfboards on the roof and surfie decor. Delicious Eggs Benedict for me and sunny-side up for Russ. Hash browns here are a whole new thing - totally delicious and way better than what Maccas call hash browns.
Fortified we hit the road again and found Waimea Bay - home of surfing. Russ was in total heaven to actually be there. It is the wrong time of the year for big surf, but the beach is just beautiful. Stayed there for ages (I may have even had forty winks lying on the beach). A little further on was Sunset Beach another iconic surf beach. Finally we arrived at Turtle Bay resort. Words almost fail me (unusual I know!!). It is just stunning and vast. (More exploring and info tomorrow).
Checked in early and once I saw that king size bed .... that was it for me. I slept for a few hours and now feel like my old self. Long shower to wash away the travel grime and some dinner.
I apologize for the lack of photos. Having problems uploading them to the blog. I will work on it and hopefully tomorrow with have some images for you. Catch you then xxx
Flight to Sydney left on time and we filled in the time at the international airport with browsing through duty free shopping. Didn't buy anything but I do have a few things on the radar for later.
I am an absolute convert to Business class travel. It is fabulous!! We were in the first row of seats so had heaps of room. Before we even took off we were sipping champagne and watching 'the poor people' boarding. What fun!!! Straight after take off (about 30 minutes late) we were given 'comfort packs' with pillows, blankets, socks and toiletries and hot towels to refresh us. Then we were invited to choose our meals and handed iPads for all our entertainment needs (movies, tv shows, music, videos, games etc). The rest of our economy flights are going to be such a comedown!!!
I must admit that by the end of the flight I was pretty much over it. Not sure how peope who travel all the time manage it!
The arrival through customs and immigration was very smooth and easy. These people certainly know all about customer service. So friendly, weloming and efficient. Our immigration agent, Officer Ben, was delicious. Big, black and utterly gorgeous. I was ready to migrate permanently, then and there.
Found our shuttle bus easily, picked up our hire car (I love the number plates with the rainbow)and we hit the road.
Driving on the wrong side of the car and on the wrong side of the road is surprisingly easier than I thought. Afer turning on the windscreen wipers instead of the indicators a few times and hitting the door instead of the gear stick a a few more times, it just becomes as automatic as driving at home. The only time I was thrown slightly was the first few turns onto the 'wrong' side of the road. Just follow the traffic and you don't go too far wrong.
We headed out of the airport and towards the North Shore. I was pretty tired after 48 hours without sleep (I couldn't
sleep the night before we left - nerves) so we decided to stop for brunch. Totally cool place called Breakaway which had the whole thatched huts, surfboards on the roof and surfie decor. Delicious Eggs Benedict for me and sunny-side up for Russ. Hash browns here are a whole new thing - totally delicious and way better than what Maccas call hash browns.
Fortified we hit the road again and found Waimea Bay - home of surfing. Russ was in total heaven to actually be there. It is the wrong time of the year for big surf, but the beach is just beautiful. Stayed there for ages (I may have even had forty winks lying on the beach). A little further on was Sunset Beach another iconic surf beach. Finally we arrived at Turtle Bay resort. Words almost fail me (unusual I know!!). It is just stunning and vast. (More exploring and info tomorrow).
Checked in early and once I saw that king size bed .... that was it for me. I slept for a few hours and now feel like my old self. Long shower to wash away the travel grime and some dinner.
I apologize for the lack of photos. Having problems uploading them to the blog. I will work on it and hopefully tomorrow with have some images for you. Catch you then xxx
Monday, May 14, 2012
On Our Way
Well the big day is finally here.
In the past I have to admit I have not been the most organised of travellers. I leave packing to the last minute, usually forget something and leave home in a panic. Well, not this time. I am writing this as I sit on the couch, calm and completely organised.
Our bags are packed (hopefully with everything we will need) and most amazingly, they are both WELL under the allocated baggage allowance. This is nothing short of a miracle considering 3 years ago when we went on our cruise, I left Melbourne already 10 kg over weight (the bags of course ... I was waaaaaay more over weight than that!). When we returned home I think I was nearly 20kg over.
It cost us a fortune and I vowed there and then that I would never overpack again!
So our fur babies are at the cattery (quite a few tears shed over that one), the house is spotless, fridge empty and I think everything has been crossed off the 'to do' list.
We have a fairly long day ahead of us. We leave Melbourne at 13:35 and fly to Sydney. The flight to Honolulu leaves there are 18:00 and arrives at 8:45am TODAY!!! I really struggle to get my head around the whole time change thing. I mean, I understand how and why it happens but it just seems very weird arriving at a place before you have left home.
The big excitement for today is that we have an up-grade to Business Class for the flight to Hawaii. I picked up a very cheap deal for this and believe me, I cannot wait to experience life at the pointy end of the plane!!! Hope I don't disgrace myself!
Once we arrive in Honolulu, we pick up a hire car for the drive to the North Shore and Turtle Bay Resort. I am doing the driving (because I am a shocking navigator) so I hope I don't cause any accidents or international incidents!!!
So here we go ........ see you in Hawaii. xx
In the past I have to admit I have not been the most organised of travellers. I leave packing to the last minute, usually forget something and leave home in a panic. Well, not this time. I am writing this as I sit on the couch, calm and completely organised.
Our bags are packed (hopefully with everything we will need) and most amazingly, they are both WELL under the allocated baggage allowance. This is nothing short of a miracle considering 3 years ago when we went on our cruise, I left Melbourne already 10 kg over weight (the bags of course ... I was waaaaaay more over weight than that!). When we returned home I think I was nearly 20kg over.
It cost us a fortune and I vowed there and then that I would never overpack again!
So our fur babies are at the cattery (quite a few tears shed over that one), the house is spotless, fridge empty and I think everything has been crossed off the 'to do' list.
We have a fairly long day ahead of us. We leave Melbourne at 13:35 and fly to Sydney. The flight to Honolulu leaves there are 18:00 and arrives at 8:45am TODAY!!! I really struggle to get my head around the whole time change thing. I mean, I understand how and why it happens but it just seems very weird arriving at a place before you have left home.
The big excitement for today is that we have an up-grade to Business Class for the flight to Hawaii. I picked up a very cheap deal for this and believe me, I cannot wait to experience life at the pointy end of the plane!!! Hope I don't disgrace myself!
Once we arrive in Honolulu, we pick up a hire car for the drive to the North Shore and Turtle Bay Resort. I am doing the driving (because I am a shocking navigator) so I hope I don't cause any accidents or international incidents!!!
So here we go ........ see you in Hawaii. xx
Friday, May 11, 2012
The Final Countdown
As I write this we have about 70 hours to go before take-off. We have been planning and saving for the past 18 months and it is hard to comprehend that our dream trip is actually going to happen. I am not sure if it will seem more real on take-off, or perhaps it will take until we land in Honolulu?
The butterflies have well and truly settled in my stomach and if I think about what lies before us, it almost feels like my heart skips a beat.
Previously, I posted an itinerary, however there have been quite a few changes since then, so to keep you up to date here is the final edition.
Tues 15 May - Fly to Honolulu via Sydney - drive to North Shore
Sat 19 May - Move to Waikiki
Wed 23 May - Wedding day
Sat 26 May - Fly to Los Angeles
Mon 28 May - Bus to Santa Barbara - Beach Boys concert
Tues 29 May - Bus to LA
Fri 1 June - Fly to Las Vegas
Sun 3 June - Helicopter flight over Grand Canyon
Wed 6 June - Fly to LA / drive to Anaheim
Thurs 7 & Fri 8 - Disneyland
Sat 9 - Drive to San Diego
Mon 11 June - Drive to Monteray
Tues 12 June - Drive to San Francisco
Wed 13 June - Alcatraz tour
Thurs 14 June - Baseball game
Sat 16 June - Train to Seattle
Sun 17 June - Arrive in Seattle
Tues 19 & Wed 20 June - Train to Chicago
Thurs 21 June - Arrive in Chicago
Sun 24 June - Train to Washington
Thurs 28 June - Train to Philadelphia
Fri 29 June - Train to Montreal
Tues 3 July - Train to New York
Friday 6 July - Day trip to Niagara Falls
Tues 10 July - Fly to LA
Wed 11 July - Fly to Melbourne
Fri 13 June - Arrive home
Still with me? Well done!
So obviously the vast amount of the planning and organizing is done. The hardest part has been getting myself ready - - facial, nails, pedicure, hair cut and color etc etc etc! Being a girl is not easy!!! (For any beauty treatments I highly recommend Bryony from B4 Beauty in Romsey. For fabulous hair see Michelle at Mishka Hairdressing in Riddells Creek) Clothes are organised thanks to some nifty alterations by a local dressmaker. I have a plastic bag full of chargers and cords for iPad, iPods, cameras, phones and goodness knows what!!! Yep, I think I have thought of everything. Mind you, I said that the last time we went overseas and then forgot the passports. I have promised friends that they will be chained around my neck this time!
So now you are updated. My next post will probably be just before we take off. Thanks for reading and drop in again soon.
PS: Welcome to my blog Sharyn and Sarah xx
The butterflies have well and truly settled in my stomach and if I think about what lies before us, it almost feels like my heart skips a beat.
Previously, I posted an itinerary, however there have been quite a few changes since then, so to keep you up to date here is the final edition.
Tues 15 May - Fly to Honolulu via Sydney - drive to North Shore
Sat 19 May - Move to Waikiki
Wed 23 May - Wedding day
Sat 26 May - Fly to Los Angeles
Mon 28 May - Bus to Santa Barbara - Beach Boys concert
Tues 29 May - Bus to LA
Fri 1 June - Fly to Las Vegas
Sun 3 June - Helicopter flight over Grand Canyon
Wed 6 June - Fly to LA / drive to Anaheim
Thurs 7 & Fri 8 - Disneyland
Sat 9 - Drive to San Diego
Mon 11 June - Drive to Monteray
Tues 12 June - Drive to San Francisco
Wed 13 June - Alcatraz tour
Thurs 14 June - Baseball game
Sat 16 June - Train to Seattle
Sun 17 June - Arrive in Seattle
Tues 19 & Wed 20 June - Train to Chicago
Thurs 21 June - Arrive in Chicago
Sun 24 June - Train to Washington
Thurs 28 June - Train to Philadelphia
Fri 29 June - Train to Montreal
Tues 3 July - Train to New York
Friday 6 July - Day trip to Niagara Falls
Tues 10 July - Fly to LA
Wed 11 July - Fly to Melbourne
Fri 13 June - Arrive home
Still with me? Well done!
So obviously the vast amount of the planning and organizing is done. The hardest part has been getting myself ready - - facial, nails, pedicure, hair cut and color etc etc etc! Being a girl is not easy!!! (For any beauty treatments I highly recommend Bryony from B4 Beauty in Romsey. For fabulous hair see Michelle at Mishka Hairdressing in Riddells Creek) Clothes are organised thanks to some nifty alterations by a local dressmaker. I have a plastic bag full of chargers and cords for iPad, iPods, cameras, phones and goodness knows what!!! Yep, I think I have thought of everything. Mind you, I said that the last time we went overseas and then forgot the passports. I have promised friends that they will be chained around my neck this time!
So now you are updated. My next post will probably be just before we take off. Thanks for reading and drop in again soon.
PS: Welcome to my blog Sharyn and Sarah xx
Sunday, May 6, 2012
Buck's Party Fun
I am very pleased to report that everyone, including the groom, survived the Buck's Party, injury free.
I had been a bit nervous because the groom-to-be has been the instigator of many buck's party (and other) pranks and there were many threats that revenge was about the be swift and severe. However, despite some serious drinking and severe hangover symptoms, everyone seemed to have a great time.
The theme for the big event was 'Top Gun'. The groom and his mates have been long-time fans of the movie and it was the prefect choice. The invitation was cleverly done by video which combined clips from the movie and photos of the groom.
Requested dress for the day was blue jeans and a white t-shirt to fit in with the theme and from the photo below you can see that everyone joined in with great enthusiasm. Total roll-call was 57 guys of varying ages. There were many work colleagues of the groom, as well as long-time school friends. A lovely testament to the popularity of my wonderful eldest son. My hubby and second son both attended, so I had eyewitness reports as well as Facebook posts during the day.
The day started at one of the guy's homes, where bacon and eggs rolls were served by a gorgeous young lady who seemed to forgetten to put her top on at the last moment. Nevertheless, she managed to send all the boys off on their adventures with full tummies (and goggle eyes!!!). Equipped with special insignias sprayed on their t-shirts, personalised stubby holders and aviator sunglasses, the guys boarded the bus to a secret location.
The ended up at Barwon Heads, where an excited groom was sent up in a Japanese 'Kate' bomber for some aerobatic flying.
The rest of the party were able to watch the flying demonstration from the cliffs before they re-boarded the bus and headed for Ballan. On a property in the area, away from any neighbours, lunch was served, cricket and footy played, a fair amount of beer consumed and some 'entertainment' enjoyed.
Then back to the original house for pizza dinner, plenty more beer, even more 'entertainment' and a general good time. It was at this point that my 'reporters' left the party, so I am not sure exactly how the night ended up. I have not heard any reports of shaving, dying or tying anyone up. Probably best that I don't know. What I do know is that Michael has some wonderful friends who gave him a fitting send-off into married life. Huge thanks to each one of them.
I had been a bit nervous because the groom-to-be has been the instigator of many buck's party (and other) pranks and there were many threats that revenge was about the be swift and severe. However, despite some serious drinking and severe hangover symptoms, everyone seemed to have a great time.
The theme for the big event was 'Top Gun'. The groom and his mates have been long-time fans of the movie and it was the prefect choice. The invitation was cleverly done by video which combined clips from the movie and photos of the groom.
Requested dress for the day was blue jeans and a white t-shirt to fit in with the theme and from the photo below you can see that everyone joined in with great enthusiasm. Total roll-call was 57 guys of varying ages. There were many work colleagues of the groom, as well as long-time school friends. A lovely testament to the popularity of my wonderful eldest son. My hubby and second son both attended, so I had eyewitness reports as well as Facebook posts during the day.
The day started at one of the guy's homes, where bacon and eggs rolls were served by a gorgeous young lady who seemed to forgetten to put her top on at the last moment. Nevertheless, she managed to send all the boys off on their adventures with full tummies (and goggle eyes!!!). Equipped with special insignias sprayed on their t-shirts, personalised stubby holders and aviator sunglasses, the guys boarded the bus to a secret location.
The ended up at Barwon Heads, where an excited groom was sent up in a Japanese 'Kate' bomber for some aerobatic flying.
The rest of the party were able to watch the flying demonstration from the cliffs before they re-boarded the bus and headed for Ballan. On a property in the area, away from any neighbours, lunch was served, cricket and footy played, a fair amount of beer consumed and some 'entertainment' enjoyed.
Then back to the original house for pizza dinner, plenty more beer, even more 'entertainment' and a general good time. It was at this point that my 'reporters' left the party, so I am not sure exactly how the night ended up. I have not heard any reports of shaving, dying or tying anyone up. Probably best that I don't know. What I do know is that Michael has some wonderful friends who gave him a fitting send-off into married life. Huge thanks to each one of them.
Tuesday, February 28, 2012
A Slight Glitch!
For a while there it seemed as though there was not much to chat about. It was ages till the wedding and all the planning that could be done, had been. We were just cruising along. Of course, just when you start cruising ........
About 10 days ago, we got to work to discover the airline we had booked with, to get to Hawaii, had gone into receivership. Chaos ensued! Luckily Michael and Sarah had a Facebook page set up to keep everyone in touch and this proved invaluable. As I may have mentioned, the flight we were taking was a popular choice with many of the wedding guests and we were looking forward to starting the party on the way there. This meant that there were many of us in the same position .... stuffed!!!!
First thing we did was contact the bank to see if we were getting our money back. General news was that if you had booked using a credit card you were pretty assured that your money would be refunded eventually. That was at least from the 'Big 4' banks. We bank with a smaller bank who were pretty reluctant to commit themselves to anything. It has taken until today (any a couple of fairly harsh emails) to get a commitment from them that .... yes, we will be refunded. Hooray for that.
Now we just have to have that money in our account before we can book an alternative trip to Ohau!!
Everyone is now pretty scattered across airlines and flights so it looks like the party will have to start once we land instead. That is fine. The main thing is that everyone gets there eventually and without being too much out of pocket.
I was awful to see the toll it took on Michael and Sarah. They were just devastated and took a lot on because everyone was going to be there for them. No-one even considered it was their fault, or blamed them. They went out of their way to keep everyone informed and updated. I am delighted everything has worked out for them.
The other exciting development is that the official invitations have arrived. They are fantastic. These two young people are so creative. The invitations are made to look like airline tickets and everyone just loves them. See what you think.
About 10 days ago, we got to work to discover the airline we had booked with, to get to Hawaii, had gone into receivership. Chaos ensued! Luckily Michael and Sarah had a Facebook page set up to keep everyone in touch and this proved invaluable. As I may have mentioned, the flight we were taking was a popular choice with many of the wedding guests and we were looking forward to starting the party on the way there. This meant that there were many of us in the same position .... stuffed!!!!
First thing we did was contact the bank to see if we were getting our money back. General news was that if you had booked using a credit card you were pretty assured that your money would be refunded eventually. That was at least from the 'Big 4' banks. We bank with a smaller bank who were pretty reluctant to commit themselves to anything. It has taken until today (any a couple of fairly harsh emails) to get a commitment from them that .... yes, we will be refunded. Hooray for that.
Now we just have to have that money in our account before we can book an alternative trip to Ohau!!
Everyone is now pretty scattered across airlines and flights so it looks like the party will have to start once we land instead. That is fine. The main thing is that everyone gets there eventually and without being too much out of pocket.
I was awful to see the toll it took on Michael and Sarah. They were just devastated and took a lot on because everyone was going to be there for them. No-one even considered it was their fault, or blamed them. They went out of their way to keep everyone informed and updated. I am delighted everything has worked out for them.
The other exciting development is that the official invitations have arrived. They are fantastic. These two young people are so creative. The invitations are made to look like airline tickets and everyone just loves them. See what you think.
Celebrations Begin.
It's been a while, but here I am again.
The celebrations are beginning and a couple of weeks ago I was honoured to attend the hen's party. And what a party it was!!
It was held at the home of Kelly and she and Hayley were the entertainment organisers. Jamie and Jodie took charge of the food and I cannot praise them all highly enough. It was supremely organised and you could not have asked for more (except perhaps a little more sunshine).
The theme was circus/carnival and the bride was provided with a fabulous 'ringmasters' costume to wear. I must add at this point that apart from the date, the entire planning was kept a secret from Sarah. The outdoor area and backyard were festooned with balloon arches, flag garlands and masses of paper flowery decorations. It looked fantastic. There were various booths set up for games and Hayley's Dad had excelled in the construction area.
After settling in with some drinks and nibbles (cleverly presented in glittery top hats as bowls) we started with a dunking game called the 'Archiwetter'. As Sarah's surname is Archuleta you can see where the name came from! Sarah had to answer questions and get the same answer that Michael had given .. if not .... it was a tequila shot and a dunking. Very funny.
Next was 'The Inseminator'. Pop a balloon with the dart and then answer the question. Lots of laughs were provided not only by the questions and answers, but also by the dart throwing abilities of many of the guests (including me!!).
There was also a game based on 'Bobbing for Apples' but the apples were replaced by .... well you can guess! There was a pool of swimming plastic ducks which each had a number corresponding to a dare. The results were hilarious and the 'jelly wrestling' by the bride and her bridesmaid a highlight!!! A super dinner followed - huge platters of delicious treats. Everyone enjoyed tucking in to those.
The grand finale, of course, was the stripper who was appropriately dressed (for a while) as a cop.
A very nice looking young man who was a great dancer. I was lucky to have a prime position and thoroughly enjoyed the performance (complete with a kiss and a flash for the old girl).
When I left, the girls were enjoying a dance and sing. Hope Kelly is still on speaking terms with her neighbours!! It was a great day. I met some lovely new friends and look forward to spending more time with them in Hawaii. I also discovered an unknown liking for tequila!!! Thank you so much Hayley, Kelly, Jodie and Jamie for all your hard work. I am so grateful to you all for making our precious Sarah feel special.
The celebrations are beginning and a couple of weeks ago I was honoured to attend the hen's party. And what a party it was!!
It was held at the home of Kelly and she and Hayley were the entertainment organisers. Jamie and Jodie took charge of the food and I cannot praise them all highly enough. It was supremely organised and you could not have asked for more (except perhaps a little more sunshine).
The theme was circus/carnival and the bride was provided with a fabulous 'ringmasters' costume to wear. I must add at this point that apart from the date, the entire planning was kept a secret from Sarah. The outdoor area and backyard were festooned with balloon arches, flag garlands and masses of paper flowery decorations. It looked fantastic. There were various booths set up for games and Hayley's Dad had excelled in the construction area.
After settling in with some drinks and nibbles (cleverly presented in glittery top hats as bowls) we started with a dunking game called the 'Archiwetter'. As Sarah's surname is Archuleta you can see where the name came from! Sarah had to answer questions and get the same answer that Michael had given .. if not .... it was a tequila shot and a dunking. Very funny.
Next was 'The Inseminator'. Pop a balloon with the dart and then answer the question. Lots of laughs were provided not only by the questions and answers, but also by the dart throwing abilities of many of the guests (including me!!).
There was also a game based on 'Bobbing for Apples' but the apples were replaced by .... well you can guess! There was a pool of swimming plastic ducks which each had a number corresponding to a dare. The results were hilarious and the 'jelly wrestling' by the bride and her bridesmaid a highlight!!! A super dinner followed - huge platters of delicious treats. Everyone enjoyed tucking in to those.
The grand finale, of course, was the stripper who was appropriately dressed (for a while) as a cop.
A very nice looking young man who was a great dancer. I was lucky to have a prime position and thoroughly enjoyed the performance (complete with a kiss and a flash for the old girl).
When I left, the girls were enjoying a dance and sing. Hope Kelly is still on speaking terms with her neighbours!! It was a great day. I met some lovely new friends and look forward to spending more time with them in Hawaii. I also discovered an unknown liking for tequila!!! Thank you so much Hayley, Kelly, Jodie and Jamie for all your hard work. I am so grateful to you all for making our precious Sarah feel special.
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