Day 16: San Francisco! Trams and Crooks!

A long lie today! The second long lie in 16 days! Bliss! I was glad of the lie in too after all last nights partying while they were out! Some of the other guests really know how to party! Especially the panda in room 226!

So after a late start they went out for breakfast. They went to Hans Cafe! ( http://www.yelp.co.uk/biz/hans-coffee-shop-san-francisco ) it has had good reviews on line and people on the trip and the guide had recommended it! It is a diner. A cheap diner! But we had a nice breakfast! The freshly squeezed juice was very refreshing and the bacon sandwich was great! L enjoyed her eggs bennedict and so we set off on full stomachs!

Today's Plan as to visi the crookedest street in San Francisco! No, not lawyer row or accountant alley, but the street titled Crookedest Street. But first we had to get the tram. Now this was easier said than done! We thought we would head down to the end of the line at Hyde. The terminus is located just off Union Square beside the entrance to the Westfield Shopping Centre. When we got there the queue was quite long. Well, very long! The queue went down to the turntable for the tram and then round the turntable and started coming back up the other side!

L disappeared to see yet another toilet, this time in Burger King, and I slowly moved along the queue! A group of 4 in front of us were not happy and they thought because they had tickets they should get on before everyone else. Then after about 20 minutes they decided if the went up the line a it they would get on a tram quicker! So off they went!

L and A continued to queue and there were a few people making there way up and down the line. San Franciso, like a lot of major cities, has a high homeless population and they seem to frequent the busy city centres where the people are! Right now on MSNBC news President Obama is on telling everyone thatin America anyone can make it there if they really try. Well, they do not seem to do anything for the homeless. Many of them appear to have mental issues and there seems to be very little done to help them. However, they beg, they go through the bins looking for bottles and cans that they an get some money for through recycling and ask for money from anyone who looks at them. There appears to be a huge divide between the haves and the have nots. These people have reached rock bottom and will do anything to get a few dollars. The locals seem to want to ignore them and the tourists look uncomfortable, as we did, when they come at you. Some are polite while some with mental issues really have no way of communicating with other people. Obama is now speaking about values, hard work and economic difficulties - yet many are homeless and hungry or have dependencies on a wide range of substances.

But they continued queuing for the tram! The lime was slowly moving - despite being very long indeed. The trams would come to the end of the line and sit for a while before making it to the turntable where two or three of the staff turned the tram round on the turntable till it aced the line heading back up the route. Then they would let the people at the top do the queue on the tram.

After about 50 minutes it was our turn! You have four options on the tram. An inside seat, standing inside, sitting outside or standing on the outer Parton the tram and hang on while being shunted up and down the hills! Well, they made iron to the outside seats and had a good view until after 2 or 3 stops when the standing positions in front of us were full.

They had a good laugh when they passed the next stop and who was there but the four people who thought they would stop QUEUEING with us plebs and get on quicker! Well, as the tram came up to them the driver shouted out, 'You need to wait for the next tram! This one is full!' if you saw their faces it was a picture and I am sure the older lady with them saw upon the tram and grimaced as she realised we had even behind them in the queue! A and L looked at each other and just laughed!

Now the tram ride proved to be both a practical and entertaining journey. It was getting us to where we wanted to go, despite the wait, and it was also an entertainment! The driver was quite entertaining. Not only did he drive the tram but shouted continually at the passengers and thos waiting to get on the tram at the stops. He would shout at people to keep in their seats, not to hang out too far incase of accidents, and most amusing of all, he would shout at those at the stops!

'Ok! We can take the first four only on the far side! Come on people!' he'd shout.

'Sorry folks, we're full! No spaces here. You need to wait for the next car!' he'd shout again.

'Oi, no skipping up the queue. You won't get on if you skip the queue!' he should out loudly at the people queuing!

And the classic, watching a lady come right out to the tram when he stopped, 'Lasy, we're full! Wait for the next one! No, no..we are full! Get the next one!'

Everybody laughed but the women was not too happy! The problem s there are too many passengers needing on and not enough trams to deal with the demand. Each journey costs $6 or you can but tickets for multi trips!

So, after a long journey, well worth the 6 bucks, they made it to the Lombard stop at the top of the crookedest street! They got off and this allowed some to get on to the tram! At least they had got this tram and they were at the top of the street and they were not having to do it from the bottom up! There friends had had to walk up 2 or 3 hills to get there but they got it the right way!

The street is very short but it must have about 12 very tight hair pin bends that run down the street. From the time they got there the road was constantly busy with cars and taxis wanting to drive the famous street! The tourists walked down either side taking photos and the home owners must absolutely hate it! However, they knew what they were taking on when they bought the house! The street is immaculate and the gardens are all landscaped with colourful flowers! Despite taking 5 minutes to walk down it was well worth the visit!

They then walked back to Union Square via China Town Once more. They then went and got a drink and sat in Union Square watching the world go by. Then it was shopping in the Westfield Shopping Centre but neither of them were reallyn for it. How many expensive shopping centres can you visit and not shop in? So, they had a coffee and then made their way back to the hotel for a rest and to contemplate packing! They made it to the happy hour in the hotel and he 7 remaining passengers were there and they caught up with the days events!

Now they are packing and they are going to meet the others for a drink later on!

 

Almost time for home!

 

Their tram to Crooked Street!

The Crooked Street!

These leaves are prickly - hurry up!

The Crooked Street from the bottom!

On their anniversary night out...but keep your eyes open!

One for Mark! Check out the monkeys!

 

 

 

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Day 15: Home Alone

Ok, I'm home alone tonight! They have gone out for the evening and have left me all ALONE.

So, what do bears do on a free night?

Well, first it's a bath! (pity there's no bidet or I could have had a jacuzzi!!)

Second: I get to choose which channel is on the TV! I think there is a documentary on the nature channel about the grizzly bear!

Third: phone down for room service! That will get them! I might go for a nice salmon fresh from the river! Don't bother cooking it!

Fourth: I get the kindle to myself! What is this 'Fifty Shades' nonsense?

Then lastly a brandy and a cigar! (Room service again!) oh, and remember to open the winow and get the smoke out there!

Then by the time they are back I will be fast asleep and full!

So...last full day tomorrow! Hope I don't get left behind again!

 

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Day 15: Muir Woods, Sausalito and China Town

Well, today was their Silver Wedding Day but they still took me with them! Well they needed someone to take their photos for them! Once more they woke me up early at about 7pm. They had to be down by 8am as they had another tour booked today and the had to see Craig for one last time and get their transfer information!

There were 12 going on the trip today! Half were doing the trip to Muir Woods and Sausalito while half were doing the same trip with a bay cruise add on. Craig was their and they got their transfer voucher and got a chance to thank Craig and give him his 'tip'! This aspect ofthe trip had caused some discussion and generally took some people by surprise!

However, Craig had provided a great service and had kept everyone right and had been very helpful in telling people what to do, the best options to do at a place in a short time and his general commentary on the trip had helped pass the time with some laughs.

So, they were picked up by a Sightseeing Tour Bus. It was going to take them to their main office where everyone wold get dispatched to their bus for the trip they were going on.

They had a wait to et their tickets so they managed to get a tea and coffee while they waited. Soon they were off and the driver/guide said he would give us a commentary as we went and that of course any tip at the end would be most gratefully accepted! Here we go again!

The great thing about this trip is that to get to The Muir Woods they would have to cross THE bridge! Not the Bay bridge which they have crossed a couple of times but The Golden Gate Bridge! They could see the bridge coming up and it was a CLEAR day which depressed them as they had not had the chance to get a great bridge picture. The journey over the bridge was great but the bus was so shoogly it was no use trying to take photos! :-(

Once over the bridge they had to drive about 12 miles to get to the woods. The woods are special because they are one of the few places in the area where the giant redwood trees grow. The whole of the east coast of California used to be covered in forests of redwoods but as man took over the area and developed it for their own use the trees quickly disappeared. This area was saved by a William Kent who bought a section of land and gifted it to the federal government so that the trees would not be chopped down. Then President Roosevelt proclaimed the area a National Park in 1908 which would save and preserve the area for all americans for generations to come.

Once they arrived the guide told them they had 1 hour 15 minutes and if they were late he would go without them! Cheery chap! They would also need to factor in going to the 'reatroom', the shop and the cafe if they needed any of them! So, it was another time oriented visit!

They would love to have walked further as the woods were amazing. They followed the board walk and it was just a shame there were others there too! The redwoods are amazing. Sme of them have been know to live for 800-1000 years and some have lived even longer than that! They grow straight up and the examples here could be between 270-300 feet tall. The guide said that people often find the woods like visiting a cathedral. The tree grows tall and straight but four or five other tress can grow round the original tree and they are genetically identical to the main tree as they are off shoots of the original. The colours were amazing and when the sun was shining the trees came to life. Despite the height of the trees you could still see clearly and walking round the boardwalk was very different to the likes of walking down The Strip in Vegas! They would happily have walked for longer if they could and it was not as chilly as they had expected it to be!

They made it round one of the walks and had time to grab a bite to eat and visit the shop before making their way back to the bus. They just hoped the journey from here on would be a little more sedate than the one out! Of course it is a smaller and less luxurious bus but the driver, despite being an older guy, seemed to think he was a race driver and had to get from A to B as quick as possible! The road in to the woods had been very windy and this time they had to climb back up the road to the main road.

It was disappointing to leave the woods and they would have gladly spent longer there and have walked more. The redwoods are very impressive and it is quite awe inspiring to see them rise into the sky in the way they do considering they have quite small roots! Again it is lucky that such an area of natural beauty has been saved and will be preserved for generations to come to see. The woods were named after John Muir, a Scot, who had been instrumental in setting up a number of America's national parks. The wood that remains covers quite a small area of land but it is vital that it is looked after and kept open to the public.

Once they left here they were on their way to Sausalito. This is one of the Bays most stunning areas and is a haven for the very rich. The house prices are very high and it is a very desirable area to live.

They were dropped there for an hour or so and so they decided not to try and have lunch there so they old look about. First of all they spent some time sitting on a bench by the bay admiring the view. They could look across to Angel Island, Alcatraz and to spectacular views of the city across the bay. They moved on and walked along the waterside before looking at some ofthe shops in the town before heading back to the park for a seat in the heat of the sunshine. So much for Craig's forecast of fog and cold conditions!

Soon they were off once again and they thought they were heading straight back to the city? However, the driver swung off the road near the bridge and took us down to the waterside so that we would have an opportunity to take some photos! This was great as A really thought he would not get the chance to get decent photos of the bridge at all. I got my one taken too and was delighted to ad that one to my collection.

They got off the bus at the tour offices and decided not to take a shuttle back to the hotel. They would walk in to the city centre and go through Chinatown before heading to Union Square before heading along Sutter to the hotel.

Chinatown was fascination and the decorations, the shops and the liveliness of the area created a real buzz about the place. Then once they arrived n Union Square the sun was very hot and they felt quite tired and sweaty after their walk to the city. They decided to have a seat there with an icecream and people watch. They spent around an hour there before getting some passerbys to take their photo beside two of the Heart sculptures located in the square. Well, it was their anniversary!

Then it was back to the hotel for a rest before Theyhad out for a nice meal tonight to celebrate!

So, not long to go now before it's time to pack up and come home! Another update will be put up tomorrow!

Tiny Ted next to the giant redwood!

The Golden Gate - At last!

Me at the Golden Gate!

L was feeling a little off colour!

Awwww.... Look at them! Even after 25 years of marriage!

union Square

Oh no! Not another one!

 

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Day 14: Farewell Dinner

Tonight was there last official night of the trip. They have a two day extension and many of the follower travellers go home tomorrow. 27 of the 41 had signed up for the farewell dinner. There was a drinks reception in the hotel from 5.30 - 6.00 before we got the bus to the Franciscan Restaurant which is right on the bay over looking Alcatraz. http://www.franciscanrestaurant.com/

They arrived at the restaurant and they were told there were two large tables and one table for three people! A family of 3 from Australia were the unfortunate ones to end up on their own - although they said their table had been upgraded to business class! The meal was very nice but the company made all the difference. Everyone was looking forward to a pleasant night and were trying to forget they were heading off tomorrow - some as early as 5am!

After the meal we were taken to Ghilardhelli Square ( http://www.ghirardellisq.com/ ) whee we got the chance to visit the Ghirardelli Chocolate Shop or go for a drink! They visited the shop as you would expect and for some presents to take home?

After this the bus took us across the bay and across The Bay Bridge to Treasure Island so they could get a photo of the city skyline at night! The view was stunning and they were lucky to get a very clear night!

After that it was back to the hotel and a round of farewells to those leaving tomorrow. The guide thanked everyone for being such a good group to work with and the driver got a great round of applause! Of course it was 'tip' time and as the driver, Aaron, would not be back with us he was collecting his envelopes with the tips from all the passengers! This did cause some discussion amongst the passengers as it had taken them a little by surprise? The. Tour guide will get his envelope tomorrow before A and L head off to Muir Woods!

So, as everyone got off the bus there were hugs and hand shakes as everyone said their farewells. I think to everyone's amazement the grop had really got on well and everyone tried hard to make it a great trip and to mix and get on with each other. Some of us then went to the bar next to the hotel for a drink before heading to bed. I think I had a little too much to drink though!

 

By the end of the holiday I was quite well known and people were asking where I was and if I was getting my photo taken at the places we visited! I have had a great time and I have stil almost three days to go yet.

Here are the photos from tonight! We are at the restaurant and looking at the city skyline and......eh....I had a beer!

 

Oh dear! One was one too many! But I'm on holiday!

 

 

 

 

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Day 14: San Francisco

Today was another early start but they did not seem to want to get up! Today they were going to prison! They were off for a spell at Alcatraz! Alcatraz is the old prison that is situated on an island in San Francisco Bay. The bus arrived for the group at 8.40am and this was the last time the whole group would be together as the only other activity planned for tonight will not be done by everyone. So it was with a little sadness they all set off!

They were dropped at Pier 33 which is The Alcatraz tour stop. Once again they joined a queue and waited to board the ferry out to the island. The boat was busy as it was one of the first sailings of the day. The island lies about 1.5 miles off the coast of the city. The oat bobbed it's way out and people vied with each other to get the best view of the island, the view back to the city and a view of the bridge. However, the bridge was really too far away to get good pictures. The view of the city skyline was amazing and you certainly get an idea of how hilly the city is when you see it from the water.

The boat arrived at the island and they all departed. They all wanted to check that they had return tickets and I was really worried as I had NO ticket and so if I was caught I would be done for!

This is a lovely location for a prison. The views are spectacular all round. You can see beautiful views of the city and of the bridge. You can see across the bay at the rest of the Bay area and if you had to spend years in one place cooped up then it could be a lot worse!

We climbed up to the entrance and they got their audio tour to listen to as they went. This really helped bring the tour to life and pointed out a lot of information and stories about life in the prison. There were not many cells in the prison - as this was a prison where the real hard liners were sent to once they had created problems in other prisons. The cells were bleak and were about 7 feet by 5 feet in size! They had a mattress, a chair, a small table and a toilet and sink. There were no luxuries here. Prison means prison here!

They visited cells, the solitary confinement block, the dining room, the library, the recreation area and the prison admin wing. It was basic and stark and is what you think a prison should be like. I was worried when I was placed in a cell for a photo incase I was left! I also got to see what it would be like to have a visitor by looking through the glass partition to see them.

It really was a great visit and it is amusing to think the most popular place to go in S F is an old, disused prison!

They went to the shop as ever and then made their way back down to the quayside where they got the boat back to the city! After this they had the rest of the day free. They spent it wandering around Pier 39 which is one of the most popular attractions in the city. They went shopping, had crepes for lunch and then got the bus back to the hotel at 4pm.

 

Now they are getting ready for the Farewell Dinner. Around 27 are going on this and then to more they celebrate their silver wedding by going on a visit to Muir Woods. This is north of the city and will let them drive over the bridge!

Oh...and before I forget! I met two famous guys today! The Chuckle Brothers! I got my photo taken with them and it was all very funny!

Check them out below!

Oh, and L thought she saw her Dad! So she took a photo of him! What do you think?

 

 

 

 

 

 

Me with The Chuckle Brothers!

 

L's Dad? You decide!

 

 

 

 

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Day 13: Sonora to Sacramento to San Francisco!

Today was the last real travelling day as they ended up back in San Francisco where the started!

Another early start in Sonora! Up at 6.30 to have bags ready by 7am! Set off time was 8am but first we had to have breakfast! Now, this was the oddest breakfast yet! The breakfast items were laid out in the hotel lobby but Craig had suggested that we take it back to our rooms as there is no seating area there! Well, they went across and had a really wide choice...cereal or toast and tea, coffee and fruit juice! So with juice, coffee and toast they set off back to their rooms but decided to be really European and eat it beside the pool!

Soon they were off again and today they were heading to Sacramento. It was about a 2 hour journey there. Sacramento is the capital city of California and if you asked most people they would probably pick one of the large, major cities as the capital! This was to be another short visit. They wee going to the 'Old Town' which has been preserved as it would have been in the 1800's. The streets are wide and the shops and buildings have the wooden board walk pavements that you would expect to see in a cowboy film! There was a wide variety of shops and businesses. They also went to see the Sacramento River which ran past the old part of the town. Amongst the boats that were on the river was a paddle steamer which obviously runs river cruises up and down the river. The railway also ran alongside the river and in and around the station there were quite a few people dressed up in costumes from the 1800's! They mingled with the tourists and added a real touch of authenticity to the proceedings!

After a look round they had to be back to the pick up point by around 11am! This was so they could get a group photo to keep as a souvenir! A had asked if there was a chance of getting a grip photo and the guide had said we could do one in Sacramento! So 41 people lined up along the side of the bus and the driver and the tour guide had a large collection of cameras laid on the pavement in front of them and one by one they went through each camera and took a photo! I decided that for once I would go n a photo with other people and had one of my very rare photos with A and L!

Back on the bus they were now on the way to San Francisco? As the bus made its way along the freeway Craig went over the details for the next few days so everyone was aware what they would be doing. Today they would end up in the city and would have lunch in Union Square. After they were picked up after lunch they did a short tour of the city! They saw the federal district with the government buildings and museums and then went to have a drive along the waterside where all the piers are located. These piers are full of tourist shops and cafes and on a Sunday they were just moving with people. Hopefully tomorrow they will be quieter once everyone is back to work! They then moved on to visit the bridge! Well, this was a bit of a amble as San Francisco is famed for its mist - especially along the seashore. You could see the mist in the distance and Craig said that if it looked like a ate of time then they would give it a miss. This was not what they wanted to hear as if you are in S F you want to see the bridge and take some photos!

They got there after a few minutes drive and the car park was full of cars and buses. Aaron. Ads his way in and slowly inched round the car park until he got a spot where he could park. Craig said they could have 15 minutes but was not sure it was going to be worth it! Well, about half of the bus got off and ventured down to see the view. After all, you cold not make it this far and NOT go to see! However, the mist was down and you could see it swirling round the bridge and round the view point. However, due to the strong winds they kept catching glimpses of the bridge. People frantically snapped away and tried their best to get as much of the bridge in their pictures! However, they still never saw the far off tower of the bridge despite the fog swirling about and revealing patches of the bridge as it moved! However, they got some good photos and I managed to get a good one with me in it. It is Alcatraz tomorrow and hopefully it will be clearer and they can get pictures of the whole bridge!

After leaving the bridge area they headed round some of the city areas to see some examples of the Victorian buildings that are located in the area. We also skirted past the most expensive street in the U.S. in Broadway and Pacific Heights.

By this time people wanted back to the hotel and we finally arrived there about 4.15pm. They had time to sort out some of their luggage and get down to the lobby for 5.30 when there was a drinks reception for the visitors. A lot of the group were going on a visit to Chinatown for a Chinese meal and A and L, who were not doing this optional, hitched a ride on the bus and joined the group on the tram down to Chinatown before leaving them and heading off to Union Square for a meal.

The tram ride was great fun! The tram picked them all up and made its way along California and up Nob Hill towards Chinatown! The wine from the reception must have kicked in as everyone was in a joyful mood and were enjoying the journey up and down the streets of San Francisco on the tram! On the way they passed a wedding group getting photos taken and cheered them as they went past and then wondered why there was suddenly so much security and police in the vicinity and even TV News vans moving about! Then they remembered that Craig had told them that Mitt Romney, the Republican Presidential Candidate, was in town this afternoon for a visit and he was holding a special dinner for supporters in the area! Seats were supposed to be selling for between $10,000 and $20,000 dollars each! He is not expected to do well in California but needs to visit to drum p as much support as he can in this area.

They arrived in Chinatown ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinatown,_San_Francisco ) and they left the group and headed off on their own. They ended up in Union Square and went to Macy's for their meal. Although the shop was closing they were going to go to 'The Cheeaecake Factory' (http://www.unionsquareshop.com/pages/macys.html ) which is on the 8th storey of the Macy's shop? They got up to the correct level and the place was heaving with people. We asked about a tale and were told we would have a wait of up to an hour before we would get a table. S they said yes and went for a look round the shop. The surroundings and the decor was lovely and the only thing that could have made it better was a window seat!

After their meal they headed back to the hotel and met a group of their fellow bus companions in the bar next to the hotel after their trip to Chinatown. They joined them for a whole before heading off to bed!

Tomorrow: Alcatraz Island followed by a free afternoon and then the farewell dinner tomorrow night. They are happy to have the two a extension will not be picked up till 4.30pm on Thursday to go to the airport!

Me on the banks of the Sacramento River!

Wild West Ted! All I need is a gun and a holster?

A and L and their travelling companions! Can you see me ok?

The Golden Gate Bridge!

At least you can see me!

Oh, getting better! But still no sign of the other side!

San Francisco's Painted ladies and the city skyline behind!

More tomorrow!night!

 

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Day 12: Yosemite National Park

Here is a short snippet of video from Yosemite!

 

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Day 12: Mammoth to Yosemite to Sonora

Early start today! But well worth it as today was possibly the best day of the whole trip! Added to this with the rotation system on the bus it meant that A and L moved up three seats today as usual - but that took them to the FRONT seats for what turned out to be the best drives of the trip so far!

They were up at 6.15am as the bags were being collected at 7am and then the bus was leaving at 8am. Breakfast was in Rafters, next door to the motel in Mammoth! They had a lovely breakfast and were raring to go by 8am!

They had a short stop at the service station at Lake Momo! Aaron, the driver, dropped us all up at the viewing point looking over Lake Momo at Vinning. Then after taking photos of the lake we walked back down the hill to the service station to visit, yes you guessed it, the shop before heading off to Yosemite!

It was further to Yosemite than they had expected! They had to drive to the park boundary and then drive through the park to get to Yosemite Valley where they were stopping. But the journey up to the park had more breathtaking scenery and it was only going to get better as the day went on. The bus started to climb and at the highest point they were at over 9900 feet. They stopped at Elery Lake and got the opportunity to take some photos. Then the entered the park. Because it was a Saturday it was busier and we had to queue for a while. The bus entered the park at The Tiogo Pass entrance. The bus was charged $300 for entry to the park. The road they were entering by is often closed for a few months of the year due to the snow and wi try conditions. However, in the summer it is supposedly one of the best ways to see the wider area of the park as they made their way to the main Bally. So the bus continued on its path and they would have around 60-90 mi utes of driving to make it to Yosemite Vally. The scenery was spectacular and today WAS the day to have the front seats.

After some stunning views the. Us made it to the main valley by 11.30am. They had signed up to go on the 'Tram Tour' which was $25 each although they did not know about this optional until yesterday. The tram would take them round the valley area for some great photo ops!

The first thing they did was go for lunch! Time was limited so they felt an early lunch would get that out of the way and allow them time t take the walk to the Lower Yosemite Fall. Lunch was a sandwich and a coffee and then it was off for a walk! The weather was great - blue skies with some light clouds but the temperature was very high and so walking in the sun for any length of time was hard going!

The most difficult thing to describe is he sheer size of the mountains around you once in the valley, the valleys were created during the ice age and they were carved out by vast glaciers flowing throu the area. However, what makes it more impressive is that the rocks in the area were solid granite and were among the hardest rocks in the world. The mountains rise up into the air almost vertically and at some points can have sheer cliff faces of between 3000 - 4000 feet from the valley floor. You feel very small as the rock towers above you and trying to photograph it is so difficult due to the vast size. But after a short walk they made it to the vantage point to see the waterfall.

Now, at some times during the year the waterfalls cascade per the cliff tops with incredible power and force, the water all comes from the melting snow that falls over the winter. These falls can continue to flow until August or even September. The waterfalls were flowing but at a very reduced rate. Last year had been a poor snow year, despite snow falls of up to 20 feet, but they had about half the normal average this year. But there was water falling from the cliff tops and it still looked amazing. It would be great to be here. Spring time to see them at full flow. The water was falling hundreds of feet and due to the small amount of water falling the wind easily blew it off vertical and it looked amazing as it fell to the rocks below. Everyone was taking photos and were looking for the vest view point.

As the tram was leaving at 1pm they had to be there by 12.50 to make sure they would get on. So they had to make it back to the centre and also visit the gift shop when they had time.

The tram was really a trailer being pulled by a truck! The trailer had about 12 or 13 rows of benches which would hold about 5 people each. Once the precious 'trammers' had got off the trailer it was a free for all to get on and get a seat. The trailer was open so it did not really matter where you sat as you would be able to see all around you easily and take photos as you went.

The heat was intense and luckily there was a breeze, even though it was very got, and the route took you along the roads in the Bally which were often lined with trees which provided some much needed shade. A National Park Ranger was put guide and he sat in what seemd to be a cross between a phone box and a tennis umpires chair at the front of the trailer. He faced us and had a microphone and gave a running commentary along the way. We got information about the history of the park, the geology of the park and a few amusing anecdotes along the way. As with most Rangers they appeared to live and breathe the national park! Our guide was a retired man who came up and lied in the park over the summer so ha could do the tours. His enthusiasm was such that you could tell he loved his job.

So we wound oils way round the valley and as he spoke people took photos, videos or just started in amazement at the views we had of the surroundings. Every so often we stopped and were able to Geoff to take photos of the most stunning views. We went past 'El Capitan' (which Captain Kirk climbed, and fell off, in the movie Star Trek V) which is the worlds largest granite outcrop. The sheer cliff rises almost 4000 feet into the sky from the valley floor. We also saw Cathedral Rock, Glacier Point, Half Dome Rock and many other amazing landmarks.

The highlight for everyone was stopping to take photos right down Yosemite Valley - a view that many people who ha never visited would recognise from photos taken of Yosemite.

After almost two hours we returned to the visitor centre and to a man everyone agreed that the experience had been one of the highlights of the trip to date. The combination of the weather, the scenery and the experience of being there will mean that it will be a long time before people forget their time in one of the most stunning places in the whole world.

With a heavy heart they all made there way to the bus so that we could move on once more. However, we had about two hours to go to get to Sonora and for much of the way the scenery continued to offer amazing views and contrats.

One of the highlights was descending from around 8000 feet to a couple of thousand feet on one of the windiest and impressive roads they had ever seen. This was a road that Top Gear would use on one of their special reports for the TV programme. Even the driver seemed to enjoy this part of the drive. They had to take the 'new' road that had been built as the original road was too steep for buses or lorries to use due to the gradients. However, the new road descended a vast height over 5 miles of road and they lost count of the number of hairpin bends that the bus had to manoeuvre round to get us down safely.

This had been another amazing day. A and L will never forget the visit to the Grand Canyon - but this visit will run it very close! A thought that this had been the highlight of the whole trip. The scenery was truly awesome while the fact that you were 'in' the scenery as opposed to looking down at it as with the Canyon meant it felt very special indeed.

I loved the visit - but the highlight for me had to be seeing a 'wild bear' run past the tram as we went on the tour. Suddenly from the trees a brown bear appeared and made its way through the trees. Pedestrians were walking yards from it and it did not seem perturbed by this but it also did not attempt to make for the people. It was a young bear and it seemd unphased by the number of people about.

So, it was on to Sonora for the night. Now, this motel really does not match up to the standard of the others we have stayed in but will do for one night. A and L walked in to town and had a lovely mean in 'The Diamondback Diner' which seemed to be very popular with the locals. It was busy and the staff appeared to be very nice.

On the way back they bumped in to the Knight family and they walked back to the motel. They met another family there too and they really wished the motel had had a bar they could all sit in and chat about the holiday. But there was no bar so they ended sitting in the poll area where there were some seats. By the end of the evening there were 14 of them sitting there having a great time! However, they were evicted from the poolside at 10pm as it was time to lock it up for the night. So everyone drifted back to their sparse rooms to get ready for the last day on the road tomorrow. Tomorrow they visit the capital of California, Sacramento, and will be back to San Francisco in time for lunch followed by a tour of the city.

More tomorrow from San Francisco!

Ted

Swim or no swim? That is the question!

Yosemite Falls - just behind me! Springtime is the best time to see it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Day 11: Vegas to Mammoth!

So today was time to move on from Vegas! I think it is fair to say that everyone was ready to head on to the next place on the tour! It seems that there is a limit to how much of Vegas you can take! Well, certainly from the ones on this tour! Me, I would love to have sneaked out and spent a night on the casino floor seeing how much a bear could make in the tables! I wonder if they would have taken my Masterbear or American Bear cards?

Anyway, it was another early start. Bags were collected at 7am and the bus was leaving at 8am. Today was going to be a predominantly bus day again. They had a long way to go to get to Mammoth. Mammoth is back in California but we had a few hundred miles to do. They left Vegas and the tour guide asked about some of the different things people had done. He asked about the shows people had gone to see. A few had been to The Legends, a number had gone to see Jersey Boys and more than half had been to The Rat Pack Show. The Knights had been to see Penn and Teller and had really enjoyed it. Angela and Rob has been to see The Divas! Apparently it is a show featuring lady singers but they are all played by men! Why? I can't see the point!!! And no, that show girl WAS NOT a man! I don't care what L says! Then he asked about where people had eaten! Some had been to some posh places (The Bellagio) while some had made it to Denny's!! The. Came the big question! Had anyone made any money gambling! Quite a few had spent NOTHING at all in the casinos! Mind you, my two had spent all of TWO dollars! Last of the big spenders! But the majority had lost very little or nothing and one had even made $70 from a $1 bet!

Now they were off to the desert once more. The scenery was great once more. We had two landed stops - Beatty and Tonopah. Beatty was a cross between a rest stop and a snack stop. It took about 90 minutes for them to get there from Vegas. They had stopped at 'The Death Valley Nut and Candy Co' but it was an odd stop! The shop sold a wide variety of sweets and nuts, as you'd expect, but this was interspersed with an odd selection of tat! There was also a couple of food counters that sold an eclectic mix of food. However, the whole stop was organised the ladies getting to the toilet! There was obviously two or three toilets but the fact that there were ladies from two bus tours trying to get in at once meant that some of them spent the majority of the stop QUEUEING for the loo? A had to get a postcard from here as it was really one of the highlights of the journey!

So, back on the bus they went and they had 2 hours to the next stop - Tonopah. Now, the added excitement of driving between Vegas and Tonopah was the scenery and the odd brothel dotted along the highway! Nevada is one of the states that has legalised brothels but they appear all to be in the middle of no where. Now, you wonder who visits there? Because they are so far out in the desert away from all settlements it means if you leave your car outside you are kind of giving the game away! But, let's leave it there and move on! There was to be no stop at 'The Shady Lady Ranch'!

So, after more desert scenery and some more music from the guide we arrived at the last casino in Nevada! Tonopah is a bit of a run down place and seemed to be able to offer some cheap real estate possibilities! But they were stopping at The Ramada casino and inn for lunch. However, they had to make sure that people sat in groups and not couples as they don't like all their tables being taken up by small groups! So, they had a pleasant lunch and they were able to compare notes about Vegas with the others at their tables. Then it was a quick look at the 'casino museum' before heading off once again! Mind you, museum was stretching it a little - it was more of a display of some of their older casino equipment! However, the casino was not quite on the same scale as we had been used to and looked a little more like Cadonas than Vegas!

They had another three hours on the bus to get to Mammoth! They crossed the state border near Mt Montgomery (7200 feet) which offered views of Nevada's highest mountain, Boundary Peak, which stood over 13000 feet tall!

The driver took the scenic route past Crowley Lake and the views were among some of the best we had seen. We arrived in Mammoth Lakes, which has no mammoth lakes as far as I can see, at around 5pm. They are staying at the Sierra Nevada Lodge which is very quaint. The lobby area very nicely decorated and the rooms are very nice! Perhaps not the nicest rooms we have had but very comfortable. After getting their room they went for a walk round the town and they got some great views of the mountains round about them. Mammoth reminds you of Aviemore and there appeared to be a nice range of cages, restaurants and a few shops! One shop, another pet shop, had a display outside the door of the shop. It can't just be a city thing - obviously in the mountains there are people who are looking for prams for their pet dogs! Who? Who? Who really wants to be seen pushing a dog about in a pram sitting there like doggy royalty? Mind you, it might be better than being squashed into a camera bag and being produced when a suitable photo op appears! I rally need to speak to the tour guide to see if there is anything I can do about it!

So, they bought some things for their tea in the local supermarket and enjoyed a picnic in their room before heading out for a drink in 'Rafters' the bar next to the motel! As it was Friday night it was very busy and there was even live entertainment! However, as they up have an other early start tomorrow they soon called it a day and headed off to get some sleep!

So, all in all a quiet day today! A real change from the excesses of Vegas - but great scenery and some interesting sights! Tomorrow is an early start as they are off to Yosemite! I wonder if they will see any 'wild' bears? Oh, while I remember this place is full of bears! Every place we went to in Mammoth had models or sculptures of bears! I must see if I can get some photos tomorrow before we go!

More tomorrow from Sedona!

 

 

 

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Day 10: Las Vegas and the Showgirls!

Today was their first free day of the whole holiday! No early start, no bags to have ready, no departure time and no optionals to be ready for! What would they do?

Well, first on the list was a lie in! But this was more difficult due to the fact they are up early every day so they waken about the normal time and doze!

Second: go to the pool! Not A's first choice but L was determined to try and get some sun...even though we would not have long and despite the high temperatures! So, off they went! The pool was on the second floor and American pools are are just like European - you have to be there early to get your towel down to book your place! However, this is a pool with a difference! There are 'beds' round the pool that are reserved foraging customers! Double beds! Well, there were no takers at all n the time we were there! Also there were 'gazebos' you could hire that had plush chairs and loungers and also had their own flat screen TV mounted on the wall! And then there was the blonde in the bikini who was the waitress going round getting drinks for the sunbathers who could not manage to go the 5m to the bar to get their own drink!

The pool was crowded with people of all shapes, sizes, colours and language! You could see the ones who thought they were the 'beautiful ones' who strutted round looking cool! Then there were the ones who should know better and NOT dare to venture out in a bikini or swimsuit or trunks! Anyway, after an hour or so and a while in the pool they went off to get ready to go out into the jungle of Vegas!

Today's itinerary was: Visit the Parisian Hotel and go up the Eiffel Tower, go to Caesar's Palace, go to the Mirage Hotel, revisit The Bellagio to buy something Linda had seen in one of their elegant shops, go to Fashion World to try to get a wifi signal and then go to Downtown Vegas to The Freemont Street Experience and...oh yes....go for an all you can eat buffet in our hotel! Simples!

They headed to the Fashion Mall to try and get a wifi signal at the food court. They had a crepes and a drink..but struggled to get a good signal! On the way in there they had met the couple who elaborated their 25th anniversary yesterday and we heard about their day rafting down the Colorado River from the Hoover Dam and then going to The Rat Pack at night! We had slid a card under their door the night before and were thrilled to have got a card on the day! Having eaten and given up on the wifi hunt A suddenly thought they should go to the Apple Store in the mall as they would get a signal there! They did but could not get hold of Kelsey! They spoke to Lauren for a while..but I don't think she asked if they were having fun! But they told her they were anyway!

By the time they got back to the Hotel to drop off the iPad they decided to go for their buffet. This is the signature offering of the hotels and casinos! All you can eat and drink buffets for a reasonable price - so that you will hopefully spend money in the casino and also so you do not have to leave the casino to look for food or other attractions! As they had been to The Legends concert the night before they had got a discount on the price of the buffet! The buffets run all day but are priced differently according to the time of day! The breakfast one runs from midnight (!!!!!) to about 10am, then the lunch one runs from then till about 3pm and the it is dinner from 3pm on till about midnight!

It is NO wonder America has such an obesity problem! They encourage people to go on holiday and sit in darkened rooms gambling for a week or two while drinking cheap alcohol and eating excessive amounts while doing no exercise! The buffet was amazing! Now the Harrahs buffet is nothing special compared to some of the others hotels! They went in and paid their money and were shown to a table! The waitress came with your chosen drink, in this case soft drinks (but for an additional $10 you could drink as much beer or wine as you liked!) and you set off to the buffet to start your feast! L started with some salad! Then it was the man course! You could choose from the meat section, the seafood section, the Chinese section, the Italian section and the salad bar! Then if you wished you could back and fill up once again! In the meantime you could be plied with soft drinks or alcohol as you go! Then there were the desserts. The array of pies, cakes, pastries, cookies, ice cream and a huge selection of exotic looking dishes meant you could literally kill yourself with an overdose of sugar! They both enjoyed their buffet and left feeling totally stuffed but in fact they had been very restrained co pared to some of the people they saw with plates overflowing with food. The waste must be extraordinary and when you know there are so many who go without proper food everyday it was quite depressing in a way.

They headed off and bumped in to one of the couples on the tour in the casino! Well, it took 30 minutes to exchange all the news and stories of the previous two days! They were in the casino while their daughter who is under 21 was showering! They had just returned from their helicopter trip! They went from Vegas to Lake Mead, across Hoover Dam and on to the Grand Canyon before landing in the canyon for champagne and a snack before returning back to Vegas and flying along the Strip. 90 minutes in the chopper - a real experience for them!

So, they headed for Paris and goth heir tickets to group the tower. Luckily it was quiet at this time and they got right through! The tower is about half the size of the original tower in Paris and the fact that the tower is built into the casino and is located right next to the Arc De Triumph (??) made it very interesting. We got into the lift and travelled up to the viewing deck! They got a great view of the Strip and the rest of the city and the surrounding mountains in the desert! You also got an idea of how close the main airport is to the Strip! It literally is about half a mile denied the strip! They took photos and video but because of the wire mesh it was difficult to get a photo of me up there with an interesting background! But I enjoyed the view..but was worried looking through the small peepholes incase I tumbled to the ground below!


Then it was off to The Bellagio! They had been there before but L had seen a very nice bowl in one of their exclusive shops that we were going to buy with some money we had been given to get a present when we were away! So, not only did we get the bowl, but L got to spend Theresa of the day with her exclusive 'Bellagio' bag on display as we went!

Next it was Caesar's Palace! Now this hotel is VAST! It is one of the biggest hotels on the strip and looks like a building from Ancient Rome that you would see in an Asterix book! Again everything was vast and the paintings and sculptures were very classical! L was also taken with the escalator that went down from the higher levels in a spiral! Then we hit the casino area! As ever the machines and tables stretched far into the distance in each direction! They had to walk from one side to the other to get out and on to the next one! So A counted the steps he took just to cut through the middle of the casino! From side to side it was 300 steps!

Now the plan was to go to Downtown Vegas to visit the Freemont Street Experience! This is a little more raw than The Strip but they were told it was well worth a visit? It is too far to walk so they have to take the Deuce Bus! However, it shows you how you fall in to old habits! They eventually get to a stop and stand for a couple of minutes before realising they were n the wrong side of the road! Because they knew they needed to go in the direction they were facing they forgot of course that the vehicles wereon the wrong side of the road. Just habit!

Anyway, they got a bus and got off ate of the last stops! Downtown is a little more 'shabby' than The Strip and the casinos are a little more ' oldy worldish' ' and for the first time in the trip they felt a little bit more cautious! This area is a bit more raw and there were signs of a more 'adult' type entertainment here! Also this was the venue for the worlds largest video presentation screen. A whole street, some 200-300 metres long was covered over with a curved canopy and when evening falls this suddenly becomes a huge screen which bombards the visitors with adverts, information and videos! It was certainly very impressive and eye catching! Added to this was the selection of casinos, shops, street artists and street entertainers! Every sense was bombarded with competing noise and visual mages and there was a very diverse crowd of people to view!

A and L finally succumbed to the temptation of gambling! L needed a seat as it was so hot! So they went in to a casino to get a seat and she played the slot machines! Yes....she put her DOLLAR bill in the machine and played till the credit ran out! In act she cashed in her winnings and has a credit note for all of 19 cents! They decided to keep it as a souvenir instead of going up and asking for the 19 cents! A also had a go in The Golden Nugget casino but he was not quite so lucky with his dollar. But, you win some and you loose some! But in Vegas we think you certainly loose more than you win!

Anyway, they carried on down through the experience! People were crossing their heads constantly on a death slide that ran right along the street. It was 30 or 40 feet in the air but just under the huge canopy that ran along the street with the light show and video presentations! I wanted a shot but there were no other volunteers!

However, the highlight of my night was getting my photo taken with a couple of locals! Up and down the street there were a large number of people dressed in a variety of different costumes for people to have their photos taken with! There were super heroes, muscle men, drag artists, characters from films such as Buzz and Woody or Mickey and Mini Mouse! However, there were some more risqué ones also! They steered clear of the, but there were tow rather nice 'Las Vegas Showgirls'! Well, this was a challenge I could not pass up! Nice again I got A Togo up and ask if I could have my photo taken with the lovely girls! They rooks shine to me and though I was very cute and were delighted to have their photo taken! However, the $5 donation also seemed to help. But, whatnot care! I have my photo with these lovely local ladies! One of the great things about travelling is getting to know the people in the places you visit and I feel that in this situation I proved to be a great ambassador for Scotland! Oh....and they were very cute as well!!

After this they got the bus back to The Strip and had time to visit one more hotel They had not seen yet inside! This was The Mirage and again it was very plush inside! However, the draw to this one was the fish tank in the hotel reception! When I say fish tank, I mean aquarium! The tank was about 40 metres LNG and went from the floor to the ceiling and had thousands of tropical fish swimming in the crystal clear water!

Well, that was enough for them and me and they went back to their room! It was time to get packed up nice again for the off tomorrow! A break of three nights from constant travelling had been great! And three night is Vegas had been an experience! But, they really feel they have had enough here and want to get. The road again. Vegas is everything you are told and expect t to be! Loud! Bright. Brash! Indulgent! Exuberant! Over the top! But, it is interesting and you would never go a minute without seeing something extraordinary or amazing or down right odd or curious.

Would they like to live there? Definitely not!

Would they like to spend longer there? No!

Would they go back again? Probably not!

Would they like to have missed Vegas out of the trip? Certainly not! It has been great fun, tiring, exhilerating and expensive! However, being the typical Aberdonians they are they spent three days in the gambling capital of the world and gambled exactly $2! Oh, and with the credit slip for 19 cents it was really only $1.81!

As they were told on arrival by the tour guide - coming to Vegas to gamble is like taking money and slowly flushing it down the toilet bit by bit!

Well, they have been there, gambled and are ready to move on!

I will update the blog with a selection of photos when we get to Mammoth! Oh, and I will certainly nclude the one of me with the lovely two local girls I met while out in Freemont Street!

Ted!

 

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