At last, the dawn broke on a sunny Southern California morning of blue skies and 70 degrees. We joined the throng to the park by about 8.30am and it wasn't too busy for a Bank Holiday. Using the Fastpass ticket system we rode the main rides the kids wanted including Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, Space Mountain, Autopia, Indiana Jones, Haunted Mansion. Many autographs of Characters were obtained and the parade was enjoyed. Altogether about 9 1/2 hours was spent in the park with a break in the middle back at the hotel pool for the kids. Loads of photos and video to select from and to upload shortly.... read more

DId a drive up and down the Vegas Strip this morning much to the kids hilarity over the glamourous pictures of "dreamgirls" on the side of a promotional van. Then followed a 5 hour drive over countless arid mountain ridges and roadworks to a 200 shop Mall called Ontario Mills outside LA. The older kids enjoyed shopping for couple of hours before we arrived in Anaheim home of the original Disneyland which the same age as the present writer/ We did a reccy of the Disneyland box office and left $400 dollars lighter being the cost of one day's admission for the family tomorrow, Good Friday. Weather forecast is good so we can't complain. Evening finished with a tasty cheese pizza in the open air with real tomato sauce. Kids also managed an hour in the ... read more

Having watched the sun come up over the desert dunes we drove into the heart of Death Valley. Temperatures reached 93 degrees F. Extraordinary place with rugged mountains and different colours of stone. A couple of times coyotes wandered on to the road and were reluctant to get off again. Finally we escaped miles of deserted roads and reached civilisation but not as we know it.. Las Vegas. This was the best hotel on the trip so far, Desrt Rose resort, just off the strip so nice and quiet. A two roomed suite loads of space, three televisions, huge beds and a kitchen and balcony. Bliss! We took the kiddiewinkles out for a walk down the strip before nightfall and they were impressed by the larger than life OTT hotels and giant guitars, Coke bottle and ... read more

Today we set off from Fresno on a 332 mile journey to Death Valley. Satnav was convinced it was going to take forever but it just took ages! We stopped at a Subway in the middle of the desert and it had exactly the same menu as everywhere else. The journey into the valley is like crossing the mountains of the moon with fantastic scenery and salt lakes not to mention harpin bends and high climbs which made the big car struggle. The motel is in Stovepipe Wells which is on the edge of incredible scenery and sand dunes.he wee kids went in swimming but didn'y last long! It will get very dark here tonight but sadly the skies don't look clear enough to star-gaze. Tomorrow we drive the Valley proper so Dawn wants me to ... read more

Left San Francisco in glorious sunshine and crossed GG for some great photo ops. Continued through gorgeous Marin County to go to the Christadelphian service in the community center. We swelled the numbers by 25%! We drove to Old Sacramento an old preserved cowboy/gold mining town by the Sacramento river. Strolled in the sun and had a few ice creams and frozen yoghurt. Drove down to Stockton, a typical sprawling California central valley town with huge agricultural surrounding area. Disappointed to find the outdoor pool was closed for winter! This despite sunshine, mid 60's temperature and that Spring Break has started. Oh Well. Tomorrow we hope to visit the most beautiful location on earth...Yosemite valley.... read more

We awoke to rain and forecasts of thunderstorms which stopped our cablecar and bike ride plans. We headed over Golden Gate bridge via beautiful Sausalito to the Bay Model which is an actual model of the Bay area filling a space equivalent of two football fields inside a large shed run by the Army Corps. After a wee while there we headed for Napa and a factory outlets but nobody could be bothered going round NY designer clothes store so made an unscheduled call into Six Flags Discovery Kingdom which is a Theme Park, Zoo and Sea World centre all in one. Beacuse of the rain there were more employees than visitors and the park was to shut early two hours after we arrived. We had bought Season Passes online and needed to be photographed for ... read more

its easy... read more

After 11 hour flight we touched down in San Francisco at 1.30pm Local time, 9.30pm UK time. Virgin Atlantic treated us well although Luke's seat back TV system was faulty. San Francisco airport took ages to clear with long queues and tight vetting. Even Mia was finger-printed. They even had me emptying all the cases off the trolley on the way out of the airport to search for smuggled fruits or meats! After picking up an enormous black brand new , 2 miles on the clock, Dodge Caravan i.e SUV not touring caravan we stumbled bleary eyed through rush hour traffic to the motel on Lombard Street. We took the kids down to Fishermans Wharf to try and keep them up and stopped in for a subway. I actually fancied a clam chowder. Back to the ... read more