Best of the West

Ok, it's been one week since I came back from the States and it's time to blog before I forget about it.

Dec 03. First day, reached the airport at 7.30am, flight 9.40am. Delayed for about an hour. Left at about 10.30am. Stop-over at Tokyo Narita, second time I've been there this year. Then to Los Angeles. Slept about 2 hrs on the plane. Reached LAX at about 11.45am local time. By the time we cleared customs, about 1.30pm. Then went hotel in Fullerton, near Anaheim. Wyndham Hotel Anaheim Park. Then went shopping for some water and foodstuffs at the nearby Henry supermart. Then went for dinner at a Chinese Restaurant. Untypical Chinese food.
Second day, Disneyland Park Anaheim and California Park. Hopping Pass. Went for some famous rides, such as the Indiana Jones. Then went over to California Park, another theme park by Disney but not about Mickey Mouse and friends, but about other stuff like Bugs Life and anoynmous stuff. More rides. Then went back Disneyland for more rides and the Fantasmic + fireworks show at 9pm. Got there at about 8.40pm. People waiting there since 7pm. Then they cancelled it. Because of strong winds. No show. Nothing. Then went back hotel.
Third Day, Universal Studios Hollywood. Not much, Jurassic Park water ride, Mummy Ride, some other rides, shows and 4D shows. Everyone's favourite was either the water show or the Shrek 4D. Other stuff, nothing much. Then another Untypical Chinese Dinner in Los Angeles Chinatown.
Fourth Day, Sea World San Diego. Two hour ride there. Reached there 11.15am. Saw the Shamu show and some other water animals shows. Cool. Hyped up over Shamu. Went for some rides which were outright boring. The only nice ride was a 4D show about the Haunted Lighthouse by RL Stine. Left at 5.15pm back for LA. Slept.
Fifth Day, bus to Las Vegas. Left at 8am, stopped over at Barstow for 1 hour to shop. Reached Vegas at about 2pm. Stayed in Stratosphere Hotel. Walked into casino first thing I reached there. Big one. Smelly one with cigratte and cigar smells. Open Concept. Had to walk past casino to get into hotel.vRested the whole afternoon. Night went for dinner at a so called food court but when we got there, there was only a McDonalds, Mexican food (Cali Cantina), some pizza and a prezel shop (Wetzels Pretzels). Ate the Mexican. Not to my liking. At night, went night tour where we looked at free shows from 8 to 10.30 at all the hotels cum casinos. Short ones, about 4 to 7 minutes only per show.
Sixth day, woke up at 4am to go to Grand Canyon. Got to a private Scenic Airlines airport and took the 6am flight. 19 people (all from our tour group, thankfully) squeezed in a small plane. Took 1hr10 or 20 min to get there. About -8 degrees C there. Then got onto bus and went to Grand Canyon. View was magnificant but the wind made it very cold. Had hot chocolate. Then went to another place for another view before having buffet lunch. Then took the same flight back. Reached Vegas about 1pm. Then went hotel to rest for a while. Then went casino hunting to look at the different hotels. Took a bus, the Deuce, runs along Las Vegas strip. Whole day ticked for 5 dollars. Expensive compared to Singapore's. Then came back to hotel and sleep.
Seventh day, Took Southwest Airlines dimestic from Las Vegas John Mc Carran airport to Oakland. Reached there, crossed the Bay bridge into San Francisco. Went to Chinatown for lunch. More typical Chinese food. Went for some sightseeing (Fisherman's Wharf, Golden Gate, where I walked on the bridge, Twin Peaks, Civic Centre, went past the Gay and Lesbian street (I think Castro) where had lots of 7 colours flag)and then went hotel and then took a walk along Market Street and nearby. Then went for dinner (at Chinatown again) and then, I got fever. No choice but to walk and so went shopping a Macy's and more shopps before going back to the hotel and sleep.
Eighth day, took the cable car for 5 dollars a way (Powell and Hyde line) and got sick (stomach problems, fever) on the tram. Stopped at Lombard (crooked street), then walked down to fisherman's wharf. Didn't take bay cruise. Had clam chowder in a sourdourgh bread bowm before taking a F trolley (tram, name is F) back to hotel. Slept on a very comfortavle couch in the hotel lobby and slept from 3.30pm to about 5.30pm. Then woke up and went for dinner at a Thai restaurant in O' Farrell road. Food was nice, had soccer showing on the TV. Then went to di last minute shopping and then went back to the hotel and left for the airport at 7.30pm. Reached San Francisco International Airport at about 8pm and then checked in, had a small snack at the food court (proper) and then went inside for duty-free shopping before heading back to Singapore via Hong Kong. Reached Singapore at 11.30am (around there) on Dec 12. Had a nice trip.