Los Angeles
LA was a whirlwind stop on the way home to avoid a very long stop over at LA airport from San Francisco. We have been here 3 whole days and are at this moment packing to get ready to catch the plane for the long trip home tonight at 10.30pm.
We leave here 10.30pm Tuesday night and arrive home at 7.30am Thursday as we cross the International Date Line from the west of the line so therefore we subtract a day from our year. Immediately to the left of the IDL is always one day ahead of the date or day immediately to the right of the IDL in the Western Hemisphere- for all those who were curious.
We arrived very tired from San Fran and had two very big days already booked for the Sunday and Monday so we decided to get an idea of LA and Hollywood by taking another tour - yes we did another touristy thing.
This tour drove up and down the famous streets of Hollywood, Beverly Hills, Belaire and Homby Hills where the house prices range 3.5 to over 80 million and of course these are the homes of the rich and famous. Various homes of celebrities were pointed out and we also went to downtown LA. This tour finished in the Farmers Market where you can buy any type of food available in America as well as fresh produce. Next to this is a very popular place to shop called The Grove with every up market store but we were a little shopped out from NY so didn't venture into The Grove. It is said that it is a good place to celebrity spot but we didn't catch any glimpses.
Sunday we had a tour booked to Universal Studios. This was a very interesting and enjoyable day. We got dropped to the front door at 9am and let loose until either 3.30 or 6.30 pickup. The tour of the 'back lot' takes you through the sets of many famous movies and has an unbelievable 360 3D experience of King Kong. We saw many unbelievable special affects shows and rides that just were fantastic such as - Shrek 4D, Jurassic Park ride, Terminator 2 :3D, Special effects stage, The Blues Brothers and Water World. Thank heavens the day was hot as we had great viewing seats for Water World BUT they were also the seats that the occupants got soaked from water thrown by the actors or from water guns and also from jet skis turning so fast as to create a wall of water. By the end of the show we were very wet. Fantastic Day.
Monday another long but fabulous experience. We went to Disneyland. Had a wonderful day being big kids on heaps of rides. Disneyland is all you imagine it would be and more. The dream, forethought and inspiration of Walt Disney to create this land is shown with the quality and diversity of every piece of Disneyland. We went on rides that took you to another place and time in the future, to rides from the wild west, to adventures in the jungle, to Matterhorn bobsleds, to splash mountains, to Nemo submarine voyages and of course to fantasyland.
We had so much fun.
Lots to see and do here in LA but it will have to wait till another time.
The past 3 and a half months have been a wonderful adventure and I want to thank Mez for all her hours and hours of organisation and planning, for Eli and the boys for looking after the ranch and for everyone at school making it possible for me to leave it all in safe hands especially Cath and Gracie.
Its been a blast.
I
rill coaster,Jurassic Park® - The Ride and Shrek 4-D™the Revenge of the Mummy thrill coaster,Jurassic Park® - The Ride and Shrek 4-D™e Revenge of the Mummy thrill coaster,Jurassic Park® - The Ride and Shrek 4-D™
LA was a whirlwind stop on the way home to avoid a very long stop over at LA airport from San Francisco. We have been here 3 whole days and are at this moment packing to get ready to catch the plane for the long trip home tonight at 10.30pm.
We leave here 10.30pm Tuesday night and arrive home at 7.30am Thursday as we cross the International Date Line from the west of the line so therefore we subtract a day from our year. Immediately to the left of the IDL is always one day ahead of the date or day immediately to the right of the IDL in the Western Hemisphere- for all those who were curious.
We arrived very tired from San Fran and had two very big days already booked for the Sunday and Monday so we decided to get an idea of LA and Hollywood by taking another tour - yes we did another touristy thing.
 |
| What would Hollywood be without it's famous sign? |
 |
| Stars along the walk of fame |
This tour drove up and down the famous streets of Hollywood, Beverly Hills, Belaire and Homby Hills where the house prices range 3.5 to over 80 million and of course these are the homes of the rich and famous. Various homes of celebrities were pointed out and we also went to downtown LA. This tour finished in the Farmers Market where you can buy any type of food available in America as well as fresh produce. Next to this is a very popular place to shop called The Grove with every up market store but we were a little shopped out from NY so didn't venture into The Grove. It is said that it is a good place to celebrity spot but we didn't catch any glimpses.
 |
| Only in America a bakery just for dogs- at the Farmers Market ( Cath thought you would love this place they were selling pup cakes unbelievable) |
Sunday we had a tour booked to Universal Studios. This was a very interesting and enjoyable day. We got dropped to the front door at 9am and let loose until either 3.30 or 6.30 pickup. The tour of the 'back lot' takes you through the sets of many famous movies and has an unbelievable 360 3D experience of King Kong. We saw many unbelievable special affects shows and rides that just were fantastic such as - Shrek 4D, Jurassic Park ride, Terminator 2 :3D, Special effects stage, The Blues Brothers and Water World. Thank heavens the day was hot as we had great viewing seats for Water World BUT they were also the seats that the occupants got soaked from water thrown by the actors or from water guns and also from jet skis turning so fast as to create a wall of water. By the end of the show we were very wet. Fantastic Day.
 |
| The red carpet and entrance to Universal Studios |
 |
| Icon of Universal Studios |
 |
| Building facades of the back lot of the studio in the foreground |
 |
| We were sitting right near the black rail at the bottom of the pic any wonder we were soaked by the end of the show. |
Monday another long but fabulous experience. We went to Disneyland. Had a wonderful day being big kids on heaps of rides. Disneyland is all you imagine it would be and more. The dream, forethought and inspiration of Walt Disney to create this land is shown with the quality and diversity of every piece of Disneyland. We went on rides that took you to another place and time in the future, to rides from the wild west, to adventures in the jungle, to Matterhorn bobsleds, to splash mountains, to Nemo submarine voyages and of course to fantasyland.
We had so much fun.
 |
| Entrance to Disneyland |
 |
| Big Thunder Mountain Railroad |
 |
| Mad Tea Party |
 |
| Its a small world after all |
 |
| Mickey's Soundsational Parade above and below |
Lots to see and do here in LA but it will have to wait till another time.
The past 3 and a half months have been a wonderful adventure and I want to thank Mez for all her hours and hours of organisation and planning, for Eli and the boys for looking after the ranch and for everyone at school making it possible for me to leave it all in safe hands especially Cath and Gracie.
Its been a blast.
I
rill coaster,Jurassic Park® - The Ride and Shrek 4-D™the Revenge of the Mummy thrill coaster,Jurassic Park® - The Ride and Shrek 4-D™e Revenge of the Mummy thrill coaster,Jurassic Park® - The Ride and Shrek 4-D™
