Hollywood, Vegas and Yosemite

Having had b***** all sleep, I leave the hostel at 2:30am to go to the airport. The first flight is 4hrs to Brisbane and is like a sauna, very very uncomfortable and gross and at this point I'm beginning to think having my not small (this is how I described it to mum) first and last tattoo done on my back less than a week before 20hrs of flying wasn't the best idea........oh well.

Having picked up the remaining (forgotten) oz souvenirs (mum pointed out she hadn't had a postcard from oz) I bought some postcards and stamps from the place I spent the least amount of time in when in oz, slightly ironic that. And even better the postcards haven't been written or posted and will be winging their way back to uk with mum and dad!

After a very very long travel day I arrive in the US of A at 6:40am the same day as when I left NZ! Well, it's very very different to Aussie and NZ, which is no great suprise, but quite a culture shock. I have spent 5 months in two of most laid back countries in the world and then arrive at LAX a bit like a rabbit in headlights and looking bloody awful! I get the super shuttle (not sure I would call it super though!) 90 mins later I get to my hotel in Hollywood, yes a hotel, and my god have I been looking forward to this. A decent bed, cleanliness, and somewhere to unpack and not forgetting the 'free toiletries'. My hotel room doesn't disappoint - and do I miss the bunkbeds? Err, no! Not in the slightest, but I can't get too carried away in getting used to this, in 9 nights time I'm back in the cheap seats, and before anyone's thinking, wow your mum and dad must be brave staying with you in hostels. Alas no, they were not and they are in very nice hotels down the road. The deal was that they would put me up in Vegas and would feed me for the whole trip - I haven't been hungry for the first time in a three week period, its been great, but not so good for the pre Vegas bikini diet (this is in reference to the 'billericay girls do Vegas' part of the trip - confused? you will be, I go to Vegas on three separate occasions as part of the US leg).

Having arrived, checked in, showered, fallen asleep, nearly hugged the bar hotel man who I thought might have been my parents arriving and knocking at my door to surprise me......I go and sit outside the hotel for their arrival....... A couple of hrs later they emerge from the not so super shuttle armed with red wheely bags - and one was full of my stuff and my beloved SKATES......the blog title now holds true again!
After high pitch screams and possibly a few tears (quite a few actually) and more hugs than I think I'v ever had in my life the hellos had been done. The parentals had indeed arrived. So so so lovely to see them, I've missed them loads. Right, thats the sentimental bit done. I was now beginning to panic, the time was soon to come - I had to show the parentals the tattoo (a world map in a compass - it's pretty cool I think) which I'll be honest, isn't the smallest tattoo you'll see, but totally coverable, I had decided this was the angle to use to build up them up to seeing it. I survived! Give it a few years, mum will love it (not)!

Enough about my NZ souvenir, we have a lovely breakfast in the hotel and set off down Hollywood Boulevard. Wow, what a change from the last 5 months, this is going to take a bit of time for me to settle into I think. So so different! I was pretty surprised at how grubby it was, especially the walk of fame. And as we got further down the road the shops got more and more dodgy...... Anyway, having got over all that, we started spotting the famous names etc, including my favourites, woodywoodpecker, Keither Sutherland and Mr Depp! Having wandered about for a bit, we went back to the hotel pool.

Next day and it was the 5hrs LA City tour. We join the rest of touristic crowd and our incredibly enthusiastic tour guide, who by his own admission lives off of celeb gossip. We set off in the bus and head off to our first stop in Venice beach. On route we went over some nice little canals and saw the guys house who created the Simpsons, Matt G...something. We reach the beach, this is going to be good to skate, and we see muscle beach, although a lack of muscles the day we were there! From Venice we went to Santa Monica which is just up the road, I will be staying here on my way back up, it looks pretty cool and is Baywatch territory, more good skating opportunities too :). We then made our way out to downtown Los Angeles, sod driving in this traffic!!! We went past the Disney concert hall, and the massive cathedral which looked quite modern. It was then time to do the Hollywood sign - the monstrosity in Basildon on the side on the A127 doesn't compare!!! Having fought our way through the other camera wielding tourist we got our pictures and then an ice cream! The next portion of the tour was the movie stars homes, we saw loads incl. vinnie jones, Madonna, Katy perry, Britney and Tarrentinos house. I have to say though if I was one of these people I would have a water jet gun and fire it at all the tour buses that go past. I was astonished at how many buses must stop outside these houses each day, no wonder they get a bit hacked off. To finish off our star studded day we finished up for a lovely dinner at the Hard Rock Cafe! Wow decent food - how I've missed you.

Having survived the supershuttle booking and the online check in trauma (sorry dad) we departed the Loews hotel ready to get our flight to Vegas. I am whisked through the 'I don't look dodgy' security, whereas mum and dad are taken to the 'I look suspicious' lane and have to remove shoes and empty bags, which is no mean feat, dad brings more cameras and computer stuff than I do, so they were about 20 mins behind me. Reunited at last, we have one of our many coffee stops throughout the two and half weeks (reference to this in later blogs!). We board the flight, I'm praying I won't be sitting anywhere near the nutcase in front of me in the line, I did end up In front of, well, I m not even sure what word I should use to describe my fellow passenger. The question was then asked, so what has happened to our luggage, will it arrive long after we land, it's following on another plane isn't it???? I'll let you insert your own word here! I tried not to laugh.....much!

We touchdown in Sin City, bloody hell it's hot, this is bangkok hot! Out come the shorts, vest top and flip flips (no more thongs or singlets - sorry to any Aussies reading this). We arrive on the strip, wow, it's certainly different - love it love it!! Ha ha, this is going to be fun! We check in to the best hotel I think I will probably ever stay in unless I win big. The Bellagio is awesome. Very funny though walking through the posh casino with my rucksack, very definitely the only rucksack in the Bellagio, and some amusing disapproving looks from the posh clientele. Ha! My room is gorgeous, the bathroom bigger than some of the dorm rooms I've stayed in.

We went for a walk down the strip, the casinos are absolutely enormous! I knew they would be big but not that big! The next day we went off to explore properly, which meant we ended up in New York New York and found ourselves in the roller coaster line. Mum and dad having read the 'you shouldn't ride this if' both decided based on this they shouldn't go on but would anyway - that's the good old Wood family fighting spirit - THIS is where I get my sense of adventure ( or awkwardness if you prefer) from. After this excitement the olds retired for what they referred to as a power nap, personally I think it was just a full on sleep, no power. I however set off to the casino with my ridiculous backpacker gambling budget, which was pretty much b***** all, and lost it all on the roulette table within two minutes. I then ended up in Caesars Palace and actually got lost! Having found my way back it was Grand Canyon time.

We board our 7 person helicopter and start our journey by taxiing through the airport, soon after we are in the air and flying away from the strip and over the desert. The desert has it's fair share of hills and is reddy orangey in colour, it reminded me a bit of the outback but not as orange! After about an hr we see the canyon, which looks very red. The rocks of the canyon are all different heights, we then descend into the canyon, accompanied by the Star Wars music - brilliant!!! I loved this bit, it was fantastic, I think this was also the pilots favourite bit- it has to be! I'm thinking when I come home I might become a helicopter pilot, the list gets longer each day with my new career options, all completely unrealistic! We follow the river Star Wars stylee and land on a small ledge where we have some bubbly and enjoy the views from inside the canyon. I feel very lucky to have seen this and may not have done if mum and dad hadn't come out - cheers guys! Absolutely fantastic! We have to leave 5 mins early as there is a lot of fork lightening and rather threatening looking clouds on the horizon. On the way back we fly over the Hoover dam and the Colorado river and then over the strip before we land. A thoroughly enjoyable day and evening!

Today is our last full day in Vegas, we go on the high roller, the worlds highest observation wheel where we got a great view of Vegas and the strip. Tonight we are seeing the cirque de soliel Michael Jackson One show at The Mandalay. We had dinner at an Irish bar, I had blackened catfish, which was brilliant, I'm still getting over the fact that I'm having proper dinners again,it's soooooo good! Anyway, we get into the the theatre and we are I the front row!!! Dad was resting his eyes apparently and was very unceremoniously woken up by some of the paparazzi actors - very amusing! The show was incredible, I would love to see it again! I'd forgotten how good michael Jackson's music was, which I know sounds stupid, but it was excellent! The dancers were amazing too, my favourite being the thriller set, which was an extreme trampoline sequence. We didn't want the show to end. A fab end to round one of Vegas!

We say goodbye to the Bellagio to go and get the car, it's at this point the question is asked, 'will the satnav know we are on the other side of the road??? ' I'm not saying anything about this.... The journey to Yosemite National Park is about 10hrs, when I said car, it turns out to be a full size SUV, as dad is now calling his 5litre, v8 moving armchair! Dad is very happy and has forgotten about who I used to work for clearly!

Armed with massive truck, two satnavs (yes, two, we have an American one and UK one) AND MumNav with an old school paper map. This wood family isn't planning on getting lost. We make our first comfort stop (code for coffee stop) and end up at the Area 51 Alien place, gas station and Brothel! Only in America and in the middle of the dessert! After a surprisingly good coffee in the alien place, mum gets in the driving seat and off to Death Valley we go. The scenery is magnificent! Basically consisting of deserts and mountains the roads snakes it way through the valley, it reminds me a little of the outback but with better roads and massive drops at the side of the road which mum loved!!!! There were some menacing clouds on the horizon with fork lightening, we were hoping we would not have to drive through that. We also saw some mini twisters, in the dust. Well, actually to be honest, it didn't really bother me what the weather did when we were driving, I was curled up in the back seat quite happy :) . I had offered to drive, but I hade been told a straight no by dad! Can't imagine why. About 6.5hrs later we are in Yosemite national park, Wow wow wow, I like it here a lot. The roads were amazing, such a great drive. Amazing rock formations and valleys everywhere. After another 3hrs dad was knackered from the drive, the thailand phrase ABT emerged. But this time it meant Another Bloody Tree in jest. The Hoopsters will be familiar with the ABT Thailand meaning! We had arrived in Yosemite Valley, I got dropped at the cheap seats accommodation, a hut in the middle of the forest and mum and dad set off to their lodge. I did what any backpacker would do, locate the bar. I then had a text from mum to say their room was in dad's words 'bleep' and the food is 'bleep bleep' so was having a few medicinal JDs. All of a sudden the cheap seats in the forest weren't looking too bad.

So I haven't been attacked by squirrels or bears during the night I went in search of my free breakfast. Meanwhile over at the lodge, the breakfast dining experience was described as 'bleep' 'bleep' bleep', enough said. I set off on my own this morning to go exploring with my iPod, I think mum and dad were having a coffee :) . Yosemite is great, first stop a river, I cross the bridge, the views are simply breathtaking, the river winds with stunning rock formations and red woods either side. There's a familiar smell in the air, but I can't place it yet. I walk along the river, not too sure where it will bring me out. I end up back on a path and start to make my way to the mirror lakes. There are miles and miles of foot and cycle paths. It suddenly hits me what the smell is - the B&Q timber yard! I continue on my way to the mirror lakes, the trees here are beautiful, the sun glimpsing through the branches and the wide tree trunks providing some well needed shade. As I continue up to the lakes, there are a load of boulders in the river beds, the boulders are huge, I don't think I've seen boulders this big before. Very hot and having run out of water I arrive at what should be the lakes, but they are dry! So no mirror effect today. The views though were tremendous. I them make the long walk back, shower then make another 2 mike walk back to mum and dads for dinner. On route I see rudolf, complete with a full set if antlers, very cool. Still searching for yogi though.

After another massive breakfast we set off on the valley floor tour, this was a bus tour, essentially a tractor towing loads of seats and very very enthusiastic park ranger. We set off and take in even more breathtaking views, including the half dome which we discover is the basis for the north face logo. We see the brothers and el capitan. One thing that did become quite apparent is the lack of water in Yosemite, I can imagine it's even more beautiful with the full rivers and huge waterfalls. Even so they place is stunning, I loved it here!
I couldn't get over the sheer size if everything. We went on some more lovely walks, and ended up in the village where mum and dad bought me a lovely bracelet which will continue with me on the rest of my trip - a very special souvenir :)

The next day we left Yosemite armed with 2 sat navs and mumnav with a map. Yosemite had been awesome, a lovely break from the cities. After a pretty mad long drive, well done dad we get to San Francisco. I get dropped off at my hostel, where mum bless her asks if she should come in with me to check in, very sweet, but I reminded mum that I was 34 and that i would probably be okay :) very sweet. I've missed the olds loads. It's been a fab start to the trip and I look forward to the rest of my time with mum and dad........

Next update will follow when I've dragged myself out of the casino - yes as your guessing these blogs are very late! Sorry guys!

Much love!

Lou x