Category Archives: California

Australia, Home, Los Angeles, Melbourne, USA

Los Angeles to Melbourne to Perth – Day 43 of 43

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We moved out of the WorldMark Suites at around  9:00am and moved into the Hilton Garden Inn across the road from the Qantas Freight area at LAX.

LAX from our hotel window.
LAX from our hotel window.

Stayed for the morning then off to the Westfield at Culver City where we shopped and had lunch.

Westfield, Culver City, Long Beach LA
Westfield, Culver City, Long Beach LA

Then back to the hotel in the afternoon and evening. We were lucky enough to arrive early enough for breakfast.

Left LAX around 10:30pm on Saturday.  The flight was 14.5 hours and then we landed in Melbourne. Got two movies in, St Vincent, and Hot Pursuit.  The second one was a popcorn movie – my classification, derived from the assumption that you could eat popcorn all the way through, even crunching over dialogue, and it would not detract from the conversation on screen.  Good fun, not very credible but it was entertaining. image The other was terrific with Bill Murray and Melissa McCarthy, also Naomi Watts was enjoyable as a grumpy Russian prostitute. In fact it had a surprising, high quality cast,  and I would recommend it.image

All good fun.  Business Class is fun too.  See you all soon.  Boarding in two minutes. Catch ya out west.

Los Angeles, USA

Los Angeles – Melbourne Day 42 of 43

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Yesterday we sat around and read, slept, packed, blogged, watched TV and a DVD – “Duff” – fun movie. The other movie we watched was Kingsman which started well and turned into gratuitous violence and it was just so silly.  The gadgets were cool though. And the cast was terrific.

LAX - the airport is across the road.
LAX – the airport is across the road.

So today we have checked out of the Wyndham Resort and have moved across town to another room across the road from the LAX airport – from where we fly at 22:30 tonight.  So we are indulging in some R & R just killing time.

We went to Westfield at Culver City today and did some last minute shopping.  There were sales on everywhere – oh joy.  I think I have bought enough clothes for the next 5 years. Very pleasing.

Westfield, Culver City, Long Beach LA
Westfield, Culver City, Long Beach LA

So we leave tonight and head home and I suspect that will be the end of my blog.  I will add to this next time I go away and also in reminiscing about trips I have made in the past.  Stay tuned or not.  If you follow this blog I expect you will get an email next time I post.

So looking forward to coming home.  I have missed my dad and my furries and the chooks and the garden. Sigh.

Bye for now.

Anaheim, California, Disneyland, USA

Anaheim, California – Disneyland – Day 40 of 43

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Yes, they exist Yay!
Yes, they exist Yay!

Finally, Disneyland.  Always wanted to see it.  Glad I have.  Some of the music made me cry! I’m just an emotional person I guess.  And I saw Rapunzel! my all time favourite fairy story.

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I didn’t take my proper camera because I thought it would be a problem to carry all day so these pics are from my iPhone.

The number of people there was phenomenal. The strollers, the fat people, the balloons, mouse ears, cleanup teams, the smells from the restaurants.

The Mark Twain
The Mark Twain
Buy Buy Buy
Buy Buy Buy

We caught the ART – Anaheim Resort Transport bus number 6 from Katella Ave just near our resort at WorldMark by Wyndham Resort. Katella Ave was named after Kate and Ella whose parents had been early settlers in Anaheim.

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Kate and Ella

The bus ride took about 5 mins and it drove right into the Disneyland lot.  The were stops for about 20 buses which circle constantly around the resorts every 15 mins from rm 9am-12midnightish.

Anaheim, California, Disneyland, Indio, USA

Scottsdale to Anaheim Day 39 of 43

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Inside Gainey's Hotel - Sottsdale, Arizona
Inside Gainey’s Hotel – Sottsdale, Arizona

Scottsdale to Anaheim took about 6 hours in all with stops and driving and eating and shopping.

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The drive was good, I felt a little stiff each time we got out from sitting still for so long.

The day got hotter and the clouds became more impressive as the day wore on.
The day got hotter and the clouds became more impressive as the day wore on.

It got hot.

Up to 41 degrees on the road.
Up to 41 degrees on the road.

The landscape was ever-changing and interesting.  Beautiful mountains and hills and roadsides of great variation as we journeyed west on the 506 (I think) I was not driving so did not have to worry about navigating.

Crossed the border into California and went through an Agriculture Checkpoint, we were waved through without stopping.  No Mexicans on board.

Walmart, Indio, California
Walmart, Indio, California

Had lunch in Indio and collected some stuff from Walmart and Petco.

The drive continued for 6 hours approximately and the countryside was amazing, wonderful, beautiful.

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Love the outdoors.  We had a great drive, fantastic stuff.