Disneyland is actually the happiest place on earth!!! It's just simply magical, a whole different, wonderful world! Those three days we spend in Disneyland and California Adventure Park was the most fun days of this entire trip, just because everything in the theme parks, every ride and attractions, is so enjoyable!! Another contriburting factor to our fun was finally having the compnay of other people..the Walkers! :) It was SO great seeing them and enjoying Disneyland with them. We meet up in Downtown Disney, a open shopping mall that runs up to the parks. We ate and watched the fireworks that first night and then was straight into it the next day!
Now, I are not going to go threw every single ride detail because, well, there are heaps of them and we went on almost everyone! Basically, Disneyland itself is brooken up into 5 'worlds', each with different rides. There are the disney rides, like Snow White, Little Mermaid, Alice in Wonderland, Mr Toad's Wild Ride, Pinncohio, and Winnie the Pooh, which were the ones where you hop in a buggy and get taken through the story. Those rides were actually one of the most enjoyable as they are so cute and entertaining! Some of the best rides that everyone loved were the really interesting, not too crazy rides, like Pirates of the Carribbean, Soarin over California, Star Tours, Jungle Cruise, Its tough to be a bug etc.
We all LOVED the water rides! Splash Mountain is one the most thrilling, exciting rides ever, and we couldn't get enough of Grizzly Mountain, white water rafting ride, as we went back a total of 4 times! Us kids adored the out of control semi-rollercoasters, like Thunder Mountain, Space Mountain, Goofy's sky school and Indianna Jones; God!!!, they were the best rides and we kept going on them! And then so of us crazier people went on Terror Tower, we you were dropped in an elevator over and over, then flung back up only too go down again! It was sheer madness and our stomachs were extremely up and down after that! Though the madness didin't stop there. No, the terminally insane of us, ( Maria, Jack, Rebekah and I ), went on California Screamin, a full loop the loop rollercoaster! It was suprising fun and I actually really enjoyed it, though the scars I have on the plam of my hands from my nails digging in while I clung on for dear life doesn't really show that!!!
The thing with Disneyland is that there was always something to look at, something to watch, or you can simply just sit there and absorb that amazing energy the place holds! We watched the disney parade, World of Colour all together and when the Walkers left, we watched the Fantasmick show and did the car driving ride, ( I don't think I will be getting my licence anytime soon!!!!!!!).
It was really sad too leave as it was such a wonderful place, like really wonderful! The vibe, the music, the characters, the rides, attractions, everything was magical!!!! A whole different, incredible world!
Monday, 11 July 2011
LA
After our night in Santa Barbara we drove in LA, down Sunset Blvd, and Beverly Hills, looking at star's houses, including Madonna's. Then we went onto Hollywood Dr, where we walked down, looking the star's stars on the path. We spend the rest of the afternoon at the Warner Brothers studio, doing a VIP Tour! It was fantastic. We drove round the studios, looking at the sets and the recording studios, prop houses, transportation museums, sitcom studios, learning about how the make certain movies, who was in them and how they shot them...brilliant! We even went on the set of Big Bang Theroy and was shown how they film sitcoms like that, and the set of Central Perk, from Friends, where we sat on the couch. It was a great tour and really worthwhile. After that very brief visit to LA it was off to Anaheim and Disneyland! Now that is another ball game! ;)
Sunday, 10 July 2011
San Fransico
San Fransico wasn't as hot as Las Vegas, actually the same kind of temperature as Christchurch summers, with that cool wind. One thing that suprised us about San Fransico was the amount of homeless people. Far more then any other place we had been too. The first night we went to the show Billy Elliot which was so funny and extremely entertaining.
The easiest way for us to get around was by hop-on-hop-off bus. So we got on that and drove round, getting off at the Golden Gate Bridge. We walked that, looking at the great views of the bay and Alcatraz island, then got back on the bus round to fisherman's wharf. It was hussling and bustling and smelt of fish, very smiliar to wellington harbour I thought. Early night that night as the next was 4th of July. The first person to say "happy independence day" was a drunk old lady but o well! ;)
We travelled round on the bus again, getting off at the botanical gradens where we ate lunch while watching a band play some american songs. Went up the observation tower at the art museum and saw the fog come in over the foggy part of town and swallow the golden gate bridge! Back to fisherman's wharf, with a walk down crookest street in the world, ( no, not wall street!). We took a crusie out around Alctraz Island then went to the aquarim by the bay. The fourth of July festivities were well underway, with live music and crowds of people! The fireworks display was amazing and lasted over 20 minutes, it was fantastic! It was scary walking home though as lots of strange people had illegal fireworks and everything so that was frightening but we survived! :)
Drove down the coast to LA the following day. Dad and Mum say it was a beautiful drive but I don't really remember it as I was asleep most of the way, tehe! ;) We stayed the night in Santa Barbra, where Wills and Kate were just days after! Then drove into LA!!
The easiest way for us to get around was by hop-on-hop-off bus. So we got on that and drove round, getting off at the Golden Gate Bridge. We walked that, looking at the great views of the bay and Alcatraz island, then got back on the bus round to fisherman's wharf. It was hussling and bustling and smelt of fish, very smiliar to wellington harbour I thought. Early night that night as the next was 4th of July. The first person to say "happy independence day" was a drunk old lady but o well! ;)
We travelled round on the bus again, getting off at the botanical gradens where we ate lunch while watching a band play some american songs. Went up the observation tower at the art museum and saw the fog come in over the foggy part of town and swallow the golden gate bridge! Back to fisherman's wharf, with a walk down crookest street in the world, ( no, not wall street!). We took a crusie out around Alctraz Island then went to the aquarim by the bay. The fourth of July festivities were well underway, with live music and crowds of people! The fireworks display was amazing and lasted over 20 minutes, it was fantastic! It was scary walking home though as lots of strange people had illegal fireworks and everything so that was frightening but we survived! :)
Drove down the coast to LA the following day. Dad and Mum say it was a beautiful drive but I don't really remember it as I was asleep most of the way, tehe! ;) We stayed the night in Santa Barbra, where Wills and Kate were just days after! Then drove into LA!!
Las Vegas
I really have no idea how people live here! I mean it is so so so so so hot! The days we were there it was around 38-42 degrees!! Thank god for air conditioning I say! :)
Las Vegas is a cool but crazy town. When you look at it, it looks so fake and like all the buildings have just been dumped in tghe middle of a desert, which of course, is completely correct. We arrived in at 10.30pm, after a horrible flight with Air Canada, ( they were bad staff, keep running over Dad's feet with the trolley, you had to pay for headphones and all food!) We ordered a shuttle to our hotel and guess what turned up to pick us up......a stretch limo! So we drove through Las Vegas in a stretch limo! How cool is that. :)
Happy Birthday Mum was the first thing we said the next day as it was the 30th of June! It was a scorcher of a day, so after a massive breakfats a Dennys, it was straight into the hotel pool. After the tanning/burning was done, we wandered down to the strip and the MGM Grand. We did this TV show survey thing where we watched a rated a new show coming out. Then the CSI experience, which was really cool as we solved the murders and pretended we were CSI agents!
That night we went to Cirque du Soleil KA, which was out of this world amazing! It was the most incredible, unbelieveble, outstanding show any of us have ever seen. Dad even had slight tears in his eyes! We walked down the strip that night and saw the bright lights of Las vegas, which, to tell the truth, weren't as bright as New York. But still groovy! After watching the Caesar Palace's fountain display, we went to bed.
Dad hired a big american car with smooth leather seats and so much room and drove us into the desert. Its funny how we were driving in the middle of a city one moment then the next, driving the desert, with rocks dry grass and cacti stretching for miles. We stopped at the Hoover Dam then the Grand Canyon. Unfortunately the canyon was private property and cost $76 per person to look at it! We saw it from a distant though. That night it was back to the strip, down to treasure island and the venezia/paris part.
We flew from Las Vegas to San Fransico the next morning.
Las Vegas is a cool but crazy town. When you look at it, it looks so fake and like all the buildings have just been dumped in tghe middle of a desert, which of course, is completely correct. We arrived in at 10.30pm, after a horrible flight with Air Canada, ( they were bad staff, keep running over Dad's feet with the trolley, you had to pay for headphones and all food!) We ordered a shuttle to our hotel and guess what turned up to pick us up......a stretch limo! So we drove through Las Vegas in a stretch limo! How cool is that. :)
Happy Birthday Mum was the first thing we said the next day as it was the 30th of June! It was a scorcher of a day, so after a massive breakfats a Dennys, it was straight into the hotel pool. After the tanning/burning was done, we wandered down to the strip and the MGM Grand. We did this TV show survey thing where we watched a rated a new show coming out. Then the CSI experience, which was really cool as we solved the murders and pretended we were CSI agents!
That night we went to Cirque du Soleil KA, which was out of this world amazing! It was the most incredible, unbelieveble, outstanding show any of us have ever seen. Dad even had slight tears in his eyes! We walked down the strip that night and saw the bright lights of Las vegas, which, to tell the truth, weren't as bright as New York. But still groovy! After watching the Caesar Palace's fountain display, we went to bed.
Dad hired a big american car with smooth leather seats and so much room and drove us into the desert. Its funny how we were driving in the middle of a city one moment then the next, driving the desert, with rocks dry grass and cacti stretching for miles. We stopped at the Hoover Dam then the Grand Canyon. Unfortunately the canyon was private property and cost $76 per person to look at it! We saw it from a distant though. That night it was back to the strip, down to treasure island and the venezia/paris part.
We flew from Las Vegas to San Fransico the next morning.
Saturday, 2 July 2011
Niagara Falls
This town is nothing like you would expect it to be!! When we were on the bus to Niagara after a flight to Buffalo airport, I was imagining what it will be like. I was thinking, the falls with a few hotels and eating places. Well blow me down with a feather. It is the opposite! Yes there are hotels and millions of eating places but the main street is like a carnival, complete with rides, lights, haunted houses, mini golfs, target games on the side of the road....everything! It was crazy!
Our hotel was really nice and had an indoor swimming pool, spa and sauna!! So of course we swam and swam and swam!! We did go see the falls, which were fantastically spectacular! But the boat ride was incredible! We got absolutely soaked as the spray from the impressive falls was so strong and intense! It was like being on a ride The water was churning so fast and we were getting forced backwards by the super dense spray! You couldn't help but laugh hysterically, it was so awesome!!
The falls at night were beautiful, all light up and stunning! The next morning we went to The Guinness Book of Records museum were was entertaining. Then we caught a bus to Toronto. We did see Toronto as after the bus we went straight to the airport for our flight to Las Vegas, but what we did see was very busy and lots of skyscrapers!
Our hotel was really nice and had an indoor swimming pool, spa and sauna!! So of course we swam and swam and swam!! We did go see the falls, which were fantastically spectacular! But the boat ride was incredible! We got absolutely soaked as the spray from the impressive falls was so strong and intense! It was like being on a ride The water was churning so fast and we were getting forced backwards by the super dense spray! You couldn't help but laugh hysterically, it was so awesome!!
The falls at night were beautiful, all light up and stunning! The next morning we went to The Guinness Book of Records museum were was entertaining. Then we caught a bus to Toronto. We did see Toronto as after the bus we went straight to the airport for our flight to Las Vegas, but what we did see was very busy and lots of skyscrapers!
Boston
Boston is a gorgeous little seaport town. We were only there unfortunately for one full day so we only scratched the surface but it was still lovely. We wandered round the center and wharf following the freedom trail and played in the fountains, ate lunch on the harbour and had good ice-creams. Then we went to the public gardens and basked in the warm sunshine, before taking a swan boat round the pond. Cute. ;) Boston is a beautiful little town!
For dinner we went to Sally Best's house, Christine Walker's mum. It was so great to finally meet Ma Best along with Christine's lovely sister Helen, and her aunt and uncle. We now know where Christine gets her welcoming-ness from. They welcomed us into their hme like we were family. It was so lovely to put names to faces and see where darling Christine grew up! After a delicious american meal of hamburgers, hot dogs and ice-cream, it was time to say goodbye. Thank-you ever so much Best family for your wonderful hospitality! :) xx
For dinner we went to Sally Best's house, Christine Walker's mum. It was so great to finally meet Ma Best along with Christine's lovely sister Helen, and her aunt and uncle. We now know where Christine gets her welcoming-ness from. They welcomed us into their hme like we were family. It was so lovely to put names to faces and see where darling Christine grew up! After a delicious american meal of hamburgers, hot dogs and ice-cream, it was time to say goodbye. Thank-you ever so much Best family for your wonderful hospitality! :) xx
New York!
Yes!!!! That is right! No your eyes are not playing tricks on you, we were actually in New York! The city that never sleeps! The Big Apple! And this city, with its high reputation, did not disappoint!
When you walked the streets, you felt like you were in a movie! It was exactly like you see it on television! Our apartment was in West Harlem, a real cool neighbourhood! We were really near to Central Park. The first place we went to in New York was, of course Times Square! God it was magical! Massive television screens everywhere, billboards, flashing shop lights, just basically lights and bright, moving things everywhere! And shops! Gosh everywhere you turned there was something new to look at! We spend a lot of time in Times Square as that was where 42nd and 5th avenue was, so the heart of the city! As we had a New York Pass, it meant we could hop on a tour bus plus get free entry into most attractions. Went to Ground Zero and saw that they are building a new World Trade center. There was a memorial center which was very moving.
We also went to the Harry Potter exhibition, in which we saw props used in the movies and how they made the movies etc. It was so awesome! That first night we went to Mary Poppins on Broadway! It was such a great show, so different from Wicked in London but just as fabulous. The set was incredible and the singing exquisite.
The weather wasn't too fantastic as we cruised out on a boat to see the Statue of Liberty. That was also smaller than it looks on television but still impressive. After some shopping at shops including Macy's. It was cloudy but we were beside the Empire State Building so we went up. It was unfortunately zero visibly so we couldn't see anything beside the buildings below us. But not many people could say they have been above the clouds on the Empire State Building.
Central Park provided a lovely walk to the Natural History Museum. We saw the amazing dinosaur skeletons in the museum then caught the hop-on-hop-off bus and crusied round Harlem then onto 5th avenue. After window shopping, we went up the Rockafellar Centre to see the wonderful view of Manhattan. It was a sunny day so we could see for miles. A cool dinner at Planet Hollywood was followed by a magical bus trip round Manhattan and Brooklyn at night! It was stunning and brought tears to your eyes! When we returned to Times Square that night, well lets just say that it was brighter than in full daylight I would hate to be the person paying the power bill! But also the people was the thing that amazed us! From the top deck of our bus, we couldn't see the street due to the sea of people walking around! It was like nothing I have ever witnessed in my life!! :)
Unfortunatley,it was our last night. :( But we still managed to sneak in on last activity before boarding the bus to Boston: a session at the local gospel church. That was a service like I have never been too before. You sat in a theatre with two levels and watched the choir sing. They had the speakers turned up so loud, you couldn't hear yourself think! There was no formal standing and sitting, no terrible, droning songs, just passion and loud worship singing. Bloody brilliant! The people were so passionate and emotional, it really brought you to tears. In fact most of them were in tears after the priests sermon. They were exclaiming and praising God, standing up and clapping when they agreed with what the priest was saying. The priest was so involved with his sermon, he was sweating like crazy! The whole experience was just really moving and enlighten all of us.
Goodbye New York! Thanks for a wonderful time!!! :)
When you walked the streets, you felt like you were in a movie! It was exactly like you see it on television! Our apartment was in West Harlem, a real cool neighbourhood! We were really near to Central Park. The first place we went to in New York was, of course Times Square! God it was magical! Massive television screens everywhere, billboards, flashing shop lights, just basically lights and bright, moving things everywhere! And shops! Gosh everywhere you turned there was something new to look at! We spend a lot of time in Times Square as that was where 42nd and 5th avenue was, so the heart of the city! As we had a New York Pass, it meant we could hop on a tour bus plus get free entry into most attractions. Went to Ground Zero and saw that they are building a new World Trade center. There was a memorial center which was very moving.
We also went to the Harry Potter exhibition, in which we saw props used in the movies and how they made the movies etc. It was so awesome! That first night we went to Mary Poppins on Broadway! It was such a great show, so different from Wicked in London but just as fabulous. The set was incredible and the singing exquisite.
The weather wasn't too fantastic as we cruised out on a boat to see the Statue of Liberty. That was also smaller than it looks on television but still impressive. After some shopping at shops including Macy's. It was cloudy but we were beside the Empire State Building so we went up. It was unfortunately zero visibly so we couldn't see anything beside the buildings below us. But not many people could say they have been above the clouds on the Empire State Building.
Central Park provided a lovely walk to the Natural History Museum. We saw the amazing dinosaur skeletons in the museum then caught the hop-on-hop-off bus and crusied round Harlem then onto 5th avenue. After window shopping, we went up the Rockafellar Centre to see the wonderful view of Manhattan. It was a sunny day so we could see for miles. A cool dinner at Planet Hollywood was followed by a magical bus trip round Manhattan and Brooklyn at night! It was stunning and brought tears to your eyes! When we returned to Times Square that night, well lets just say that it was brighter than in full daylight I would hate to be the person paying the power bill! But also the people was the thing that amazed us! From the top deck of our bus, we couldn't see the street due to the sea of people walking around! It was like nothing I have ever witnessed in my life!! :)
Unfortunatley,it was our last night. :( But we still managed to sneak in on last activity before boarding the bus to Boston: a session at the local gospel church. That was a service like I have never been too before. You sat in a theatre with two levels and watched the choir sing. They had the speakers turned up so loud, you couldn't hear yourself think! There was no formal standing and sitting, no terrible, droning songs, just passion and loud worship singing. Bloody brilliant! The people were so passionate and emotional, it really brought you to tears. In fact most of them were in tears after the priests sermon. They were exclaiming and praising God, standing up and clapping when they agreed with what the priest was saying. The priest was so involved with his sermon, he was sweating like crazy! The whole experience was just really moving and enlighten all of us.
Goodbye New York! Thanks for a wonderful time!!! :)
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