California

The plan was to start in San Diego and drive up to San Francisco where we had arranged to stay with Jerry and Winnie.

Things started badly - When I went to collect the hire car I found that I had left my driving licence in England. This necessitated me calling Jill in the hotel and asking her did she have one - fortunately she did! So we got a big SUV with GPS and off we went. After a day in San Diego, we took our time stopping in Redondo Beach, LA, Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo, Hearst Castle and Monterey. The weather was superb, so apart from the LA traffic we had a great time.

Our first stop after San Diego was Long Beach to have a look at the old Queen Mary - she is now a (jus about) floating hotel & was looking very sad both outside and in!

The bridge and the funnels were the only bits that looked half decent

Our first overnight stop was at Redondo Beach - Jill was very demanding - she wanted to eat at Joe's Crabs so that she could sit on Joe's big deck! (At least that what I think she said!)

The next day our target was the Getty Centre (although the GPS thought we meant the Getty Museum and it was only when we were nearly there did I realise we were heading the wrong way!)

It was our 2nd visit, and we spent almost a full day there, yet we still haven't seen everything so Jill's already planning another visit.


Les amongst the nudes		Jill amongst the impressionists (To compare with todays garden click here)

Looking south from the Getty Centre the smog layer over LA looked distinctly unhealthy so we headed North

"CALIFORNIA HERE WE COME"

Our 3rd night in California was spent in Santa Barbara over looking the harbour (Left). After a pleasant lunch on the harbour we headed north to San Lois Obispo. Jerry had recommended the "Madonna Inn". You couldn't miss it it was alongside the Interstate. The sign would have put us off had we been looking for somewhere to stay - however, I'd booked and paid so we had to go.

Jerry was right - when in San Luis Obispo you have to stay there! It is gauche in the extreme - just what you'd expect in the USA, but don't normally get! Well here you get it! Amongst all the other gauche things every room decorated and furnished differently. They range from a sober period theme (like the one I chose) to a cave! The San Luis Obispo itself seemed quite sophisticated and had very nice shopping centre.

The restaurant & hotel entrance

Our bedroom

The bed room Jill fancied

In the restaurant it was all pink and over decorated

An interesting fire place

A world famous urinal (apparently?) - Its a waterfall!

Hearst Castle

The next place Jerry recommended was Hearst Castle (the former home of newspaper billionaire William Randolph Hearst). Les didn't fancy it saying we had castles coming out of our ears in the UK so why see a pseudo American one. In the event we decided to stop as we were driving by on Highway 1. It was pseudo - a combination of several forms of European Architecture, mostly church architecture to match the contents that Hearst had amassed. He has an abundance of church ceilings and furnishings. Nevertheless it was well worth a visit - if for no other reason than to see his two swimming pools - outdoor and indoor!

Left - The front of the house - house?

Right - Looking up to the front balcony

Below - The outdoor heated swimming pool

Below Right - The indoor heated swimming pool

Highway 1

The final leg of our drive north was along the coastal Highway 1. A truly spectacular drive of around 100 miles from Morro Bay to Monterey.

Centre - A typical streach of Highway 1

Right - Jill overlooking the Ocean on 17 mile drive

We arrived at Jerry and Winnie's on day five of our Californian expedition and stayed just one night before heading out on a two day trip to Yosemite National Park and the “Big Trees”. This trip was awesome. Jerry tried to cross the mountains to show us Lake Tahoe, but unfortunately the road was closed.

Jerry BBQing dinner & just a few views from Yosemite

We stayed overnight in the Awanee Hotel, Yosemite, famous because the Queen stayed there - and I think we got her bill!

Our hosts Jerry & Winnie in the Awanee Hotel

A local inhabitant of the woods

The view from our hotel bedroom

Another

After Yosemite we headed off to the "Big Trees" stopping Mark Twain's place for a drink - he was out!

Left - Jerry & Les enjoy a few pre-diner drinks in the Awanee

Right - Mark Twain's old log cabin (At least a copy of it the plaque says

Bloody Big Trees

Lake Tahoe - we never made buit we did get to see it (from 36,000 feet)

Dallas & Fort Worth

We had also arranged to stay with Gunnar and Mona in Dallas, so all too soon we were on our way South again. The weather was still good so we got a good view of Lake Tahoe after all – from 36,000 feet! We were met at the airport by Gunnar and entertained royally. The first full day was “Thanksgiving” and we very honoured to celebrate it with the Rizk-Finne family. Whilst in Dallas our hosts took us to the site were John F Kennedy was assassinated. The “Book depository is a now a very didactic museum. We also visited Fort Worth’s old stock yards were we watched a Rodeo – the bulls definitely won – at least 2 cowboys were carried off!

Jill standing on the spot were Kennedy was shot in November 1963 - something we all remember

Right - Les shows his fearlessness with horses by entering the Rodeo!

After our very enjoyable stay with Gunnar & Mona we returned to San Diego to join a cruise to Hawaii. This where we were at the time of writing – 4 days at sea (each way) gives you plenty of time to relax and write – at least it should – but alas not in our case! Before the cruise we took time to visit the USS Midway a retired aircraft carrier moored near the cruise ship.

Moored across the bay were two of the most powerful ships in the world - the nuclear powered aircraft carriers USS Nimitz and USS Ronald Regan

An F4 Phantom on the flight deck of Midway

Right - Jill is not impressed with the accommodation

Les gets to drive a carrier?

After several years trying different cruise lines, we had decided to return to Holland America since we reckoned that their food was the best in their price range. As a result we had booked 3 cruises with them, one in late November from San Diego to Hawaii and back, a New Years Cruise based around Central America and a late January cruise from New Zealand to Australia.

Unfortunately, the Hawaii cruise was to be marred by trying to sort out radical changes in our New Year cruise. In essence Holland America changed the itinerary back in August (2 months before they received our final 90% payment) but didn’t tell anyone. The cruise changed from Key West and some interesting ports in Central America to 3 very small boring Eastern Caribbean islands, one of which is a desert island owned by the company! (We have been there - it is a waste of space!). We only found out about the change by accident, in early November, when Dick & Shireen decided that they would like to join us, but couldn’t find the cruise. We naturally complained and suggested alternatives. The reply was take the cruise or lose your money! We wrote to Holland America’s President and 2 other senior executives in the USA, requesting that he interceded to solve the problem. He did not reply so we wrote 2 further letters without a response!

When we arrived on the first cruise, we badgered their customer relations department until after 7 days of confusion they agreed to return our money. We have now booked another cruise with a different cruise line, Royal Caribbean, but sadly one which is still part of the Carnival Corporation. We are now organising a class action to sue the company.

After our Australian cruise we shall not be doing any others with this Corporation – they have a virtual monopoly of the cruise market and are obviously exerting their monopolistic powers! For example prices for drinks and other services have risen so that they are at least 2 to 4 times the norm!

Anyway apart from all the hassle, which we do without, the cruise did at least give us time to wind down. It was 4 days out and 4 days back with visits to 4 ports on 3 Hawaiian islands, one of which was Honolulu which we had visited before and is just like any other US city resort. The other islands were more interesting. In particular we got to see a few volcanoes, one which was active and had spectacular lava flows at night. Luckily, by chance, the cruise had been booked by about 600 jazz enthusiasts who had brought along 3 superb jazz groups so there was plenty of good music to listen too.

With 8 days at sea we had to find something to keep us occupied - Jill soon found two Scrabble mates (above) ad got into all the sports including tennis, table tennis, basket ball and shuffleboard

Left - Jill goes for a basket

Right - Shuffling on a wet deck

Looking into a volcano

Right - A lava tube from the outside

A lava tube from the inside

Les (the old bugger above) decides to have a go at parasending from the back of a boat - the parachute got to 800 feet before they let it descend into the sea - Verdict "a nice view but a bit boring!"

Jill sits on the beach watching te activities.

Right - Les finds an Irish Pub

Above - Les snorkling - as you can see the variety of fish was fantastic

Right - Jill swimming (well paddling in deepish water!)

Hawaiian night on board ship

Right - one of the Jazz bands on board ship -

without them the entertainment would have been very thin

Our final stop on 13th December before heading home was back in San Diego - far left is the "Peace Bell" which is a symbol we wish you all the coming year

We wish you a happy & healthy 2007

and finally a poster we spotted whilst changing 'planes Minneapolis airport - and I didn't have time for two!

We returned from the Hawaiian cruise on 14^th December and leave for a family Christmas in Luxembourg on 20th. Danielle is playing host this year. Chris is joining us for a few days before returning to his busy schedule and Lauren’s parents are coming for Christmas day.

On 29^th December we leave Luxembourg for our winter round the world trip. 2007’s is via Frankfurt, Philadelphia, Tampa (and the rescheduled New Year's Central American cruise), Orlando, Charlotte, LA, Auckland, cruise from NZ to Oz , Sydney, Canberra, Singapore, Dubai, Frankfurt, Luxemborg & home. We’ve had to shorten our trip because of business commitments so we will be back in mid February. This however, is likely to be our last RTW trip since we are fed up with the hassle caused by outside influences!

The good news on the Central America cruise is that Dick & Shireen managed to get a last minute booking and will be joining us so we should see the new Year in at least 4 times - French, English, Rockall, & Caribbean!!

And many thanks to everyone throughout this small world of ours who has contributed to making it a very happy and memorable 2006 - 2007 can't possibly be as good - can it?