California 6-21 Aug Part I

2 weeks just passed by like that. It just felt as if I am preparing for my holidays now. Anyway, it was totally enjoyable.

Took a direct flight straight to LA. SQ has always been my favourite carrier. Well, besides the standard pretty air stewardess, there's always the flight entertainment system and the better service. It was also the first time I sat on the executive economy class. Very roomy and it was a very smooth ride all the way to LA. Caught 3 movies on the way there.

I stayed at Anaheim which is about an hour away from LA into Airport. Took the super shuttle which only costs me US$15 instead of US$80 for a cab ride.

Los Angeles

• Visited Chinatown - pretty run down and quite a no of market stalls selling clothing and tourist items. I had my lunch at a Tim sum restaurant there and goodness, it was such a nightmare. The siew mai were stuffed with meat and it was such a torture trying to finish up the few items I ordered. Food was oily and full of meat. What an insult to Chinese Tim sum!!
• Beverly Hills - strolled up and down Rodeo Drive and Melrose's place. There are a couple of luxurious boutiques and prices are generally quite ok. Makes no sense bcos I don't go for branded goods anyway. Bought some running shirts and shorts at Niketown. A guy came up to me on Rodeo and asked me for change to buy a burger. I was surprised at how well dressed he is and yet, he asked for money. But then, California is one of the states with generous welfare for the poor - daily soup kitchens and clothing for the poor.
• Hollywood - Walked down Hollywood Blvd. I took a cab to man's Chinese Theatre where the hands and footprints of American screen idols are cemented in cement. There's a new shopping centre but the side buildings are a bit run down and dilapidated. Thought there wasn't much to see.
• Sunset Blvd - most happening places to pick up gals. They have a couple of nice looking restaurants but the bars looked sleazy and run down to me. Didn't stay long after grabbing a couple of gin tonics.

Anaheim

• Disneyland - opened in 1955. 4 different parts - Fantasyland, Adventureland, Frontierland and Tomorrowland - each with their own rides, shops and restaurants.
• Disney's California adventure - right next to Disneyland. Newest theme park which opened in 2001. There are rides, shows and attractions. Divided into different parts like Sunshine Plaza, Golden state, Paradise Pier and Hollywood Pictures Backlot.
• Downtown Disney - a lot of shops, theatres and restaurants. Had dinner at a Mexican place and goodness, the portions are so huge that I couldn't even finish half.

Newport Beach at Orange Country

• Just dropped by. Nice place to shop, roller blade, eat, drink and relax on the beach. Nice sea waves for surfing.

I joined up the tour at Holiday Inn, Manchester Ave in Anaheim and from here, my trip began.

Started off with a short ride from LA to San Diego along the Pacific Coast. We headed for Tijuana, Mexico for shopping and lunch. Just a small Mexico town. Surprised me that there are a couple of strips clubs along the stretch and they open during lunch hours. Else, nothing much to do really. Went down to San Diego across Coronado Bridge with great views of the skyline. Took a 1hr cruise along the harbor. It is also the docking site for the US Navy. Saw 3 impressive aircraft carriers and quite a no of warships, including destroyers and supplier ships. Had a short tour in the city itself that includes downtown, Gaslamp Quarter and Balboa Park.

Started off the next day with the morning at the Seaworld. There are quite a couple of shows with the killer whales, seals and the dolphins. It was fun watching. And there was even a mini cirque du soleil performance at one of the shows. The park is big with a couple of theme rides and major exhibits like the shark sections, freshwater aquariums and polar bear stations. Took me about 6hrs to finish it. Headed off to the Mission Beach in the afternoon for a good suntan and a swim. Typical beach scene with a lot of bikinis, rollerbladers and people trying tattoos on the sidewalks. For dinner, I went down to the lively Gaslamp Quarter. There are a lot of choices for dinner and nightlife.

After San Diego, the next day was spent travelling to the cacti filled Sonoran desert of Pheonix. Full of changing scenery through Cleveland National Forest, Anza Borrego Dessert and the Imperial Sand Dunes. Settled at the end of the day at the beautiful resort town of Scottsdale. The heat was unbearable... with 40 deg celsius and it smacked me right on the face when I alight from the bus. It was like sauna in the nature. Had an easy dinner with some of the fellow travelers and did a bit of shopping.

The next morning, I took a hot ball ride across the incredible Sonoran Desert and then had breakfast in the middle of the desert. It was quite a fun idea from the hotair balloon company. Popped champagne and breakfast. haha... but american champagne is a bit gassy for me. Left Pheonix for the red rock country for Sedona. The brilliantly hued sandstone are carved by sea and wind into cliffs and rugged spires. Took a jeep ride into the country side. This place is where the Wild Wild West Movies in the 50s and 60s are made. Moved on the the Grand Canyon National Park, one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World.

The next day was spent at the Grand Canyon. Took a helicopter ride in the morning. It was spectacular at over 1.6km deep and averaging 16km wide. Went hiking in the afternoon. Luckily, there were free shuttle busses along... bcos the whole trail is like more than 20km along the edge of the cliffs. Looking down the cliffs will make the knees wobble. Think the no of people who dropped off, committed suicide or getting murdered is like 60-100 cases. Thought of hiking down to the bottom of Grand Canyon but then thought better of it. There was a New Yorker gal who ran 3.15 hours for the marathon, got lost and died of dehydration hiking down the trail. The sunset was also beautiful at 7.21pm in the evening.