http://www.travelblog.org/Bloggers/tcdevelop/ Travel adventures in journals and photos from tcdevelop en-us Sun, 20 Dec 2009 05:12:31 +0000 Sun, 20 Dec 2009 05:12:31 +0000 One last day in the US but we plan to make the most of it. First that familiar but forgettable breakfast then we check out and head for the Hollywood Forever cemetary. This time Karina has done her research and I've drawn a small map from the net.The cemetary is much larger than the other one we searched a few weeks ago but armed with our map and only looking for 3 graves it doesn't take lo http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/California/Los-Angeles/LAX/blog-401572.html We finished off the breakfast bars for breakfast and packed our bags to move on for the 2nd last time. We drove the short distance down to take a closer look at Morro Rock. It was an overcast foggy morning and there was a chill in the wind again. We took a few photos from the roadside then ventured down to the waterside to get a better view.To our surprise a sea lion emerged from the water ju http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/California/Santa-Barbara/Solvang/blog-401568.html Down to the supermarket for more breakfast bars. We stumble across Nob Hill which turns out to be the local supermarket that Penny used whilst living in Pacific Grove for a year. It's only a few streets away from her place in factAfter another breakfastinapacket we headed out to find Penny's old place a blue house near the sea. After some confusion we found it and according to Penny who sa http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/California/Big-Sur/blog-400994.html Orange juice and breakfast bars again. Yuck. But quick and easy. Checkout isn't until 12 so we head up to Lombard Steet the famous bit and arrive around 10am. Not too many people this time of morning. We walk down it then up again and by the time we reach the top after taking a lot of pictures and getting towards 11am it's starting to get crowded.Back to the motel checkout and head back t http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/California/San-Francisco/Pacifica/blog-400704.html No breakfast here so it was orange juice and cereal bars again. Then we headed out to Pier 33 for the Alcatraz tour. Fisherman's Wharf was supposedly 20 mins walk from our motel on Lombard Street which may technically be correct but Pier 33 is about 45 mins. Fortunately we left in plenty of time.A classic SF morning fog. Today we were dressed more appropriately and despite the brisk walk it w http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/California/San-Francisco/Alcatraz/blog-400697.html Before breakfast we decided it was prudent to do a last laundry load before home and with a late checkout 12pm it was ideal. Then down to breakfast waffles no less and packed up the car ready to head to SF.We arrived at our motel on Lombard St early morning. Luckily our room was ready so we could dump our stuff and head out for lunch. A nice couple gave us their two all day transport pas http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/California/San-Francisco/North-Beach/blog-400398.html We went down to breakfast as it started and got straight in without waiting this time. Same fare nothing too exciting. Back to the room to pack and off to the Yosemite Valley.Not many people in the park yet we were able to park just outside the general store. A quick visit to the visitor centre and we hopped onto the free shuttle to the bottom of the Vernal Falls hike. 1000 ft ascent again http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/California/Yosemite-National-Park/Yosemite-Valley/blog-400390.html We were peeved to find that we had to put our name down and wait 15 mins to get a seat at breakfast. Breakfast itself was quite decent albeit with limited options.We'd planned two hikes today. The 1st Mariposa Groves to look at the giant sequoia trees. It's only a short drive from the Wawona Hotel and we arrived shortly after 9am. Armed with our 0.50 map we head off to check out the main attra http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/California/Yosemite-National-Park/Yosemite-Valley/blog-400154.html The free breakfast consisted of orange juice your choice of 1 cereal and pastries. The breakfast room seated a total of 4 people. I'm guessing not a lot of people opted for breakfast. Still it was better than breakfast bars in the carA relatively late start after yesterday's marathon drive. Soon we were approaching the park and the scenery gave hints as to what was in store. Plenty of pulling http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/California/Yosemite-National-Park/Yosemite-Valley/blog-399609.html No breakfast option at this motel and we're out of breakfast bars so it's off to the supermarket. Breakfast in the car park ordinarily not very pleasant but we had views of snowcapped mountains not too far awayKarina had spied a Polo Ralph Loren factory outlet across the road from the motel so we headed there. About an hour and 5 tops later she's done. She assures me that she got an absolu http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/California/Lake-Tahoe/blog-399608.html Breakfast bars and fruit again for breakfast and we hit the road. First stop Salt Creek and our first off road trip all 400m of it A short boardwalk around a rather smelly little creek in the middle of nothing really. Plenty of little fish and the odd bird made it a little desert oasis.Next stop Scotty's Castle. In the heat we walked slowly up to Scotty's Grave on the hill overloo http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/California/Mammoth-Lakes/blog-399607.html Shopping day today After another forgettable Holiday Inn Express breakfast we packed our bags and headed out to the Las Vegas outlet store. I've never seen a bigger shopping centre in all my life I literally couldn't walk the length of it SeriouslyKarina was in heaven and bagged a few bargains so she tells me including some stuff from Tommy Hilfeggar I found a cool music shop that sold http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/California/Death-Valley-National-Park/blog-399606.html To the supermarket for breakfast bars and orange juice for breakfast. A couple of shirts and then we filled up the jeep before heading back to Vegas.This time we decided to skirt Zion and pass through Cedar City. We were told it was very scenic which was just as unexpected as the trip up. We started to climb a bit and eventually we started to see snow on the side of the road. After a while we came http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Nevada/Las-Vegas/blog-399605.html Up at 8am on the dot and showered ready hopefully for our ride. Karina rang the office at 845 to book the 12 day morning ride. They were only running afternoon rides and told us just to turn up at 1230pm for the 1pm ride.After a couple of breakfast bars and an orange juice for breakfast the first order of business was seeing about getting the slow leak in the tyre fixed. We suspected it had http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Utah/Bryce-Canyon/blog-399604.html Another horrible Holiday Inn Express breakfast and then we checked out to head to Bryce Canyon. I didn't know much about the trip not having done it before and had a feeling it would be rather a boring 4 12 hours. And an hour out of Vegas it looked like I was right.We stopped at St George just off the I15 for some gas and a quick lunch Subway againWe were taking I15 northeast from Neva http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Utah/Zion-National-Park/blog-399602.html Getting up at 5am after going to bed at 1am was never going to be easy. Missing breakfast as horrible as it was just made things that little bit worse. We were picked up at 6am and shuttled to the underground carpark of the Planet Hollywood casino complex where we were offered a complementary breakfast consisting of a museli bar and a bottle of water.We finally left around 745am. First sto http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Arizona/Grand-Canyon-National-Park/blog-397588.html A subway for breakfast and an early start. Normally the subways were good but the breakfast choice some rather cuious ham that looked more like donor kebeb beef with presumably powdered egg and cheese was rather bad. We scoffed it down in the car and headed for VegasIt was a 4 12 hour trip today. More very long very straight highways. The closer we got to Vegas the wider the freeway and http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Nevada/Las-Vegas/blog-397576.html Normally I look forward to the free all you can eat breakfast in hotels but there was absolutely nothing to look forward to for our 5th breakfast at The Holiday Inn Express. The only remotely healthy choice was Raisen Bran already with sugar and scrambled powdered egg on toast. Even the orange juice was cordial. Uggh Not that there was much else to choose from the fried bacon and iced pa http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/California/Joshua-Tree-National-Park/blog-397574.html Up in time for breakfast and onto the metro for 1 station to the Universal Studios shuttle stop. We're at the gates about 10 mins before the opening with a few hundred other people waiting for the Action call before entering the park proper.10am and we make a beeline for the studio tour with most people following suit. We're on the 1st tour of the day and it turns out the 1st tour with high http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/California/Los-Angeles/Hollywood/blog-396991.html Up for an early breakfast and then downstairs right on time to meet the shuttle at 915 to take us to the airport to pick up our car. 935 and it still hadn't arrived so we rang. 3 miles away I as told. 945 and it still hadn't arrived. Talking to the girl at reception she mentioned that they'd already been At 915. We weren't there so they left No waiting. No calling the room. Just left. http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/California/Los-Angeles/Westwood-Village/blog-396774.html