BACK IN BC

Well so much for constant updates whilst I was on the family roadtrip. Life and other things got in the way of writing my blog, oh and a touch of laziness as well.

As stated in the last blog we spent New Years Eve at the Peppermill Casino in Reno, Nevada. A huge monstrosity of 900 rooms. This was the first time in a casino for most of the group and they were overwhelmed by the buzz of the place, lights, noise and constant action. Being New Years Eve the place was packed, with all types of patrons from the well dressed to drunken 'good-ol-boys.'

Only one of us hit the tables and that was my son David. The drinking age is 21 so only three of the seven could legally drink. The tables and slot machines were packed and thick cigarette smoke hung in the air. Drunks were everywhere and security was having a fine time ushering people here and there.

We all gathered on an upper level to welcome in the new year. It gave us a birds eye view of the gambling and dance floor below and it was fun to watch everyone make full or semi fools of themselves. It was great to be able to see in the new year with some of my family and I certainly had a better time than last new year which was spent alone.

We all retired to our rooms in a good state as we had to be on the road early next morning. I think we were all glad to leave the glitz and glamour behind and get back on the road again.

We had another long day in the saddle and this trip consisted of a trip of the Sierra Nevada mountains which were clogged with snow and guys were making a killing placing and taking off snow chains. We went across the mountains on our all-season tyres without any dramas at all. The scenery was stark white everywhere and the temperature dropped as we climbed higher.

In the early evening we approached Los Angeles and of course the traffic. I have been to LA several times but never really driven there so it waas an experience driving from one side of LA to anaheim on the other. The traffic was dense and the speed was a constant 120-130kph, you really had to be atuned to what was going on around you as cars were zipping this way and that.

I miscalculated on the petrol and we had a few scary moments when it appeared that we may run out on the freeway but we managed to get off and fill up.

We found our Anaheim hotel okay and checked in. Basic and within an easy walk of Disney. We walked up on the first night and entered Downtown Disney, a road full of shops and eateries where you don't actually enter the park or have to pay. Full of tourists spending lots of money, a real melting pot.

I had come across a Disney ticket deal on eBay and after some negotiations and a little legwork I ended up saving almost $1000 on entry to Disneyland which was a huge saving.

We spent two days at Disney and that was more than enough for me. It is great and as they say it is "the happiest place in the world," but it was hot and there appeared to be scowls everywhere. The lines were usually long, but they have a system called fast pass where you can bypass lines. Everyone loved the thrill rides as well as some of the more sedate, character driven rides.

Nightime was special as all of the Christmas decorations were alight and the Magic Kingdom and It's a Small World were ablaze with colour and light. It's hard to beat a night at Disney!

After two days at Disney we drove to Universal studios and spent the day. The studio tour was great as were some of the other attractions and rides. I really thought Universal was better than Disney and there were way more characters walking around the lot and more shows to watch. There weren't as many people there either so the lines weren't as long.

Our last day in Los Angeles was a trip to Hollywood Blvd. All I can say about this place is that it is a bit of a freak show. All the action centres around Grauman's Chinese Theatre and this appears to be a magnate for various weirdo's who mingle with a large bunch of tourists.

One of the attractions is the stars on the footpath but after you have viewed a few, you are basically over it. The names and inscriptions in contrete outside the theatre are much more interesting but so to are the 3 guys who stand there with banners condemming just about everything in the name of god. Add to that Star Wars stormtroopers, Yoda, Catwoman, Marilyn Monroe and a couple of blondes dressed in tight fitting police uniforms....well you get the picture. You also have to dodge numerous black dudes who are pimping their CD's. If you listen they will tell you that they are the next 'big thing.'

All in all it is a bit of a rock show and not to my mind a great place to visit except to say that you have. That night we went and saw Avatar in 3D on the big screen and we all enjoyed the film, it was a good way to wind up our stay in Hollywood.

At 0630 the next day we departed LA and got caught in peak hour traffic, but soon enough were out on the highway again where bright Southern Californian sunshine gave way to a bleak mist and fog that stayed with us the entire day. We stopped in the mid-afternoon in a small town and saw a sign for a flea market and went along for a look. The funny thing was that it was basically for the Mexican community, it was a huge market but we appeared to be the only Anglo's there. Most of the advertisments were in Spanish. And this was in a small community in Northern California, it seemed more like we were in San Salvador or some other far off place.

We did the trip back in three days of driving through all conditions and all types of country from high mountains to stark, white plains. The biggest thrill for everyone was when I got pulled over by the Highway Patrol in Northern California. I had just passed a slow vehicle and was doing , by the troopers calculations 87mph in a 65mph zone. After taking my license and asking a few questions he went back to his squad car and returned with the sweet words of, "I am not going to give you a ticket this time, " and proceeded to give me a lecture which I listened to attentively. I must admit that it did slow me down for the remainder of the trip as this is the second time I have been pulled over and let off in the last 5 months in the USA.

We took the kids to Wal-Mart for shopping at Omak on the way to the Canadian border and they were impressed with the guns on sale and just how cheap some of the things were. The car was full to overflowing for the last 90 minutes of the trip to OK Falls.

To our suprise OK Falls had recceived a heavy snowfall the day before and the driveway was clogged with snow, we couldn't get the car up. To the Aussie kids this was wonderful and the daylight hours were filled with snowfights and one brave fellow went cavorting in the snow in his underwear. I disowned him at that time.

Tonight we are off to a ice hockey match. A first for most of us.