On the road again. Left Lake Havasu armed with a breakfast burrito and a bottle of gator-ade. Drove along a 109-mile long straight desert road with no bends. Just before Mark went doolally we reached the town of Twenty-nine Palms (one of my fave songs). Not much to it really. The woman at the visitor info centre did not know how many palms there were or how the town got it's name - very helpful. Mark went for a haircut at crazy Judi's, a tiny scary Japanese w...

Left behind the madness of Vegas and picked up our little Ford Focus at lunchtime. Drove out to Lake Mead (not full of Mead but full of massive fish!). Then headed to Hoover Dam - Damn, it's big. Set of south on highway 95 one of those loooonnnggg straight desert road with tumbleweed rolling about. Crossed into California then over again into Arizona. Arrived in Lake Havasu City about 5 and the temp in the car read 103•. Checked into a Motel 6 right by the ...

Wow Las Vegas. There is no city like it. For a start, it is hot, hot, hot. But also well air-conditioned. Everything on and around the strip is MASSIVE! It plays tricks on your sense of perspective and makes you think things are nearer than they are, thus making you walk lots. The hotels/casinos are works of art. Yesterday I went to New York, Egypt, China, Medieval England, Paris, Ancient Rome, Paris, the tropics, Venice, Monte Carlo all in one street. No...

Wow! We are now in our 10th state (Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Mississippi, Arkansas, Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, Texas, Nevada). Left Austin on a very bumpy Southwest Airlines flight and touched down in Las Vegas about 3-ish. Took a bus and checked into the modest but looovely Desert Rose Resort. Paid a brief (2 hour) visit to the managers reception. This sounds fancy like dinner at the captain's table but it is in fact free wine or beer in plastic cups...

Left Houston at about 10 and drove up through some really pretty hill country and farming towns. Arrived in Austin about 2 and checked into the amazing Austin Motel. Then wandered through very boho Soco neighbourhood and snacked on corn-dogs and beer. Later wandered up to 6th St for a couple of ales. Then headed to meet up with Dad and Cindy to watch the nightly bat-flight from congress bridge. Headed home relatively early (with a last-minute stop at Doc's b...