Swim, lunch at lulu's... decompression.
Then sunset catamaran cruise with mai ta'i cruises.
Thursday, July 31, 2008
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
day 21 aloha
Flight at 920am to Honolulu from Seattle Tacoma airport (known as sea-tac).
Dropped off hire car and checked in. At checkin rk bag 10 pounds over limit, so we transfer some stuff over to mine and we scrape under the limits.
Flight was basically empty so we had the whole 3 seat row to ourselves.
Taxi to the hotel and straight to food at the wolfgang puck (with a p) for pizza, then swim at the beach.
Dropped off hire car and checked in. At checkin rk bag 10 pounds over limit, so we transfer some stuff over to mine and we scrape under the limits.
Flight was basically empty so we had the whole 3 seat row to ourselves.
Taxi to the hotel and straight to food at the wolfgang puck (with a p) for pizza, then swim at the beach.
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
day 20 duck !
Lunch at pike market, rk had a really bad crab pasta, which he rated worst meal of the trip, until i reminded him of the meal at the grand canyon.
Caught monorail back to the space needle (as with most monorails, except maybe singapore/japan, it was a complete waste of time).
Went on a duck tour, driver with mucho comedy, such as butterfly was known as caterpillar hosue and the baseball catch outside of ball park.
Apparently down close to the water, they built a lot of the city too low and the bathrooms in the buildings were actually below the water line, so at high tide ... well yer it came back up. So the y had to raise the level of the road and the first floor of most of the buildings is really the 4th floor. But the old side walks still exist 3 floors down, and they run tours thru them at night. We should have gone on one of these tours but didn't have time.
Went up to the top of the space needle, pretty good view.
Good thai much food, 21 zagat rating.
Then back to the space needle for a night view, night view might be better than day view.
Came up with new rule for when on holiday, you should get to the highest point and go on some sort of duck/bus tour the first day.
PS: Earth quake in LA today, 5.4.
Monday, July 28, 2008
day 19 seattle
Drive from portland to seattle, which took about 3.5 hours. Easy drive.
Went through a town called Centralia, which I thought I recognised as the town that was abandoned due to underground coal fires.
We stopped at Wendys and asked if it was the same town the lady there didn't know anything about it. So I guess not. (We discovered later it was Centralia, Pennsylvania not Centralia, Washington). We then proceeded to cause all sorts of confusion with our orders. Monica tried to order 9 nugget meal when there was only a 10 nugget meal. I tried to order the kids burger in a combo meal, the computer locked up and the manager had to be called.
Checked into comfort suites in Seattle (near the space needle) had some GPS issues finding it. (no net in my room, grrrrr).
Booked a table at some thai restuarant but couldnt find it so we settled on pho .... pretty good pho. Then walking home we somehow misnavigated and accidentally circum navigated the entire park adding 3 km to our walk back to the hotel.
Went through a town called Centralia, which I thought I recognised as the town that was abandoned due to underground coal fires.
We stopped at Wendys and asked if it was the same town the lady there didn't know anything about it. So I guess not. (We discovered later it was Centralia, Pennsylvania not Centralia, Washington). We then proceeded to cause all sorts of confusion with our orders. Monica tried to order 9 nugget meal when there was only a 10 nugget meal. I tried to order the kids burger in a combo meal, the computer locked up and the manager had to be called.
Checked into comfort suites in Seattle (near the space needle) had some GPS issues finding it. (no net in my room, grrrrr).
Booked a table at some thai restuarant but couldnt find it so we settled on pho .... pretty good pho. Then walking home we somehow misnavigated and accidentally circum navigated the entire park adding 3 km to our walk back to the hotel.
Sunday, July 27, 2008
day 18 portland
Sunday which means it's poker day, rk plays 8am->8pm straight.
Nai went out exploring ate at anchorsteam brewery.
Went to some grill place on the 30th floor of some building in downtown. Ranier beers are pretty cheap here $1.50 per bottle. Went to a hotel called shanghai something. Apparently in the early days if you weren't too careful you could get too drunk, fall asleep and wake up on a boat to china. There are underground tunnels from pubs like this to the docks and if they needed more people to crew the ships they would just grab you. shanghaied
Final stop before heading back to the hotel was ... Voodoo doughnuts.
Nai went out exploring ate at anchorsteam brewery.
Went to some grill place on the 30th floor of some building in downtown. Ranier beers are pretty cheap here $1.50 per bottle. Went to a hotel called shanghai something. Apparently in the early days if you weren't too careful you could get too drunk, fall asleep and wake up on a boat to china. There are underground tunnels from pubs like this to the docks and if they needed more people to crew the ships they would just grab you. shanghaied
Final stop before heading back to the hotel was ... Voodoo doughnuts.
day 17 portland
Two sets of lost headphones
Back to harley davidson to pickup the notepad
Flight to portland on Southwest.
Waiting at the baggage claim, our bags didn't come out... :(
Checked in at Marriot and straight down to the brewer festival on the river.
Met Monica's friends (Tina/Nick) and to pub after.
Saturday, July 26, 2008
day 16 gone
Lunch at the same italian place, we rated as pretty much the best italian we've had.
More shopping then Dayle leaves flight @ 2240 qantas/american airlines.
Tried jack in the box, not really that good :) didnt expect it to be
More shopping then Dayle leaves flight @ 2240 qantas/american airlines.
Tried jack in the box, not really that good :) didnt expect it to be
Friday, July 25, 2008
day 15 dark knight
Went to the 10am session of dark knight in IMAX. Pretty damn good movie and pretty damn good cinema. Desmonds sitting next to us constantly talking and someone nearby seemed to be constantly "passing wind". Tough conditions.
Sushi for lunch.
Went out to the harley davidson dealer, to get some sunglasses. Little did I know, we'd be back very soon. (Panoptx Bora).
Went to Borders and bought some books, gonna need something to read on the beach in Hawaii. :)
Went to the Golfsmith store, it hurt, clubs so cheap, really tempting to buy a set, but since I don't actually play golf hard to justify.
Mel's diner for dinner after we found 2-3 other places we'd targeted had already closed.
RK stayed in our hotel, room dirctly below us as Monica was staying at her brother's place in San Jose.
We book our flights/hotels in Portland and Hawaii.
Sushi for lunch.
Went out to the harley davidson dealer, to get some sunglasses. Little did I know, we'd be back very soon. (Panoptx Bora).
Went to Borders and bought some books, gonna need something to read on the beach in Hawaii. :)
Went to the Golfsmith store, it hurt, clubs so cheap, really tempting to buy a set, but since I don't actually play golf hard to justify.
Mel's diner for dinner after we found 2-3 other places we'd targeted had already closed.
RK stayed in our hotel, room dirctly below us as Monica was staying at her brother's place in San Jose.
We book our flights/hotels in Portland and Hawaii.
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
day 14 escape to alcatraz
Wake up hungover have to drop ed at the airport 9am and drop car off. Catch taxi back to hotel sleep for a bit then off to Alcatraz!
Walk back thru chinatown to hotel, find best italian food ever (used map from marriot concierge to find good food).
Buy tickets for imax/dark knight.
Walk back thru chinatown to hotel, find best italian food ever (used map from marriot concierge to find good food).
Buy tickets for imax/dark knight.
day 13 let's go giants let's go
Drinking game at pizza place on fillermore st.
Waiter brought out complimentry jug (pitcher) just when we didnt need it, when does that ever happen ? Off to the ball park to see baseball giants v nationals...giants get a rare win.
Checked into inn at union on 440 post st. Nice 30 room hotel, after game drinks at mo's across the st. Then elbo room which was pretty good.
Waiter brought out complimentry jug (pitcher) just when we didnt need it, when does that ever happen ? Off to the ball park to see baseball giants v nationals...giants get a rare win.
Checked into inn at union on 440 post st. Nice 30 room hotel, after game drinks at mo's across the st. Then elbo room which was pretty good.
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
day 12 more san fran
Checkin @ 3am , holiday inn fishermans wharf (darlene military discount)
There was a denny's in the hotel, didnt look that good but ed reckoned it actually looked better than most dennys. Back to tommy's joynt for more coopers they ran out. Ed rang them asked to put more coopers in the fridge, it didn't take long until it was all gone.
Drove over the golden gate bridge, through Sausalito to Muir woods ... big trees, crazy windy road.
Dayle pretends to not want to take the German tourists photo after they took ours, they didn't find it funni. Dont mess with German tourists in the woods.
The super slow motion claw during drinking game at Tommy's Joynt. Drunk dude interrupts our drinking game to explain his drinking game, which he thought was "heaps" better than our drinking game.
Gave all our change to the homeless guy outside... this may have been a bad idea. Parking meters only take coins !
There was a denny's in the hotel, didnt look that good but ed reckoned it actually looked better than most dennys. Back to tommy's joynt for more coopers they ran out. Ed rang them asked to put more coopers in the fridge, it didn't take long until it was all gone.
Drove over the golden gate bridge, through Sausalito to Muir woods ... big trees, crazy windy road.
Dayle pretends to not want to take the German tourists photo after they took ours, they didn't find it funni. Dont mess with German tourists in the woods.
The super slow motion claw during drinking game at Tommy's Joynt. Drunk dude interrupts our drinking game to explain his drinking game, which he thought was "heaps" better than our drinking game.
Gave all our change to the homeless guy outside... this may have been a bad idea. Parking meters only take coins !
Monday, July 21, 2008
day 11 san fran
Lunch at the end of newport beach pier.
When I was driving, seemed to somehow mysteriously leave the I5 and get onto some back road. Slight detour to get back on the interstate.
Arrive in san fran stay at hilton fishermans warf, a darlene booking, darlene ed's friend called 15 hotels to find this one. All the hotels seem to be booked out here.
Randomly walk into a bar called Tommy's joynt which happens to have coopers pale plus pastrami sandwich.
On the way down saw the aftermath of a bad crash on the highway helicopter circling etc.
When I was driving, seemed to somehow mysteriously leave the I5 and get onto some back road. Slight detour to get back on the interstate.
Arrive in san fran stay at hilton fishermans warf, a darlene booking, darlene ed's friend called 15 hotels to find this one. All the hotels seem to be booked out here.
Randomly walk into a bar called Tommy's joynt which happens to have coopers pale plus pastrami sandwich.
On the way down saw the aftermath of a bad crash on the highway helicopter circling etc.
Sunday, July 20, 2008
day 10 san diego
Went to the San Diego zoo gps route was interrupted by the gay pride parade.
Saw the pandas big line up to get in and rk made us go thru twice.
Checked in at the Westin Hotel in gas lamp district, good hotel.
Most of the bars he have issues with our driver licences for ID. It was either you need a passport or a second photo ID or this photo doesn't look like you.
Ate mexican which seemed ok but Ed wasn't happy with it. Watched the hawks v saints at some Irish bar, but all bars close at 2am in California. (although 2am closing saved us on multiple occasions)
Ed started to hatch a plan to go to tijuana to get more beer.
Saw the pandas big line up to get in and rk made us go thru twice.
Checked in at the Westin Hotel in gas lamp district, good hotel.
Most of the bars he have issues with our driver licences for ID. It was either you need a passport or a second photo ID or this photo doesn't look like you.
Ate mexican which seemed ok but Ed wasn't happy with it. Watched the hawks v saints at some Irish bar, but all bars close at 2am in California. (although 2am closing saved us on multiple occasions)
Ed started to hatch a plan to go to tijuana to get more beer.
Saturday, July 19, 2008
day 9 the road trip begins
So Monica's car full of stuff as she is moving to san fran, so we booked a rental car and was told it would be ready for collection from the mirage in 2 hours, debacle ensues:
- walk to mirage, car not there
- catch shuttle to rental office, takes about 1 year for the dude to do the paperwork then about another year for the dude to let us out the car park.
- drive back to the palazzo, check out, walk back to mirage to meet ed
- dollar rental car counter now closed so cant add him as a driver
- drive to airport to the dollar rental place, ad ed as driver
So the road trip can now commence, takes about 5 secs to realise our GPS is shite.
Drive to san diego
- dodgy smoking hotel room
- imagine a room where someone is smoking for 3 years, its not going to smell good
- no rooms anywhere due to gay pride
- first night of the hotel hopping
- gps is hopeless
- walk to mirage, car not there
- catch shuttle to rental office, takes about 1 year for the dude to do the paperwork then about another year for the dude to let us out the car park.
- drive back to the palazzo, check out, walk back to mirage to meet ed
- dollar rental car counter now closed so cant add him as a driver
- drive to airport to the dollar rental place, ad ed as driver
So the road trip can now commence, takes about 5 secs to realise our GPS is shite.
Drive to san diego
- dodgy smoking hotel room
- imagine a room where someone is smoking for 3 years, its not going to smell good
- no rooms anywhere due to gay pride
- first night of the hotel hopping
- gps is hopeless
day 8 beer pong
Bbworld continues and ends.
Cirque du Soleil LOVE. Pretty damn good, one of the best shows I've seen.
Then d/m/r ridiculous sized drinks on the way to oshea, osheas for beer pong, meet ed
In one of those ridiculous moments in world sport, monica/dayle beat two dudes challenging our table with their first shot.
Cirque du Soleil LOVE. Pretty damn good, one of the best shows I've seen.
Then d/m/r ridiculous sized drinks on the way to oshea, osheas for beer pong, meet ed
In one of those ridiculous moments in world sport, monica/dayle beat two dudes challenging our table with their first shot.
Monday, July 14, 2008
day 7 - the blue man group
Bbworld starts with sessions all day.
Had a break for lunch 2 hour window, attempted to go to pool, but it was closed due to thunder ... cmon how often is the pool closed in vegas.
Went and saw the blue man group at the venetian, I hadn't really heard of them until Arrested Development, when Tobias gets a call up.
Went to Jasmine for dinner (pretty HT) saw johnny chan the master there.
Had a break for lunch 2 hour window, attempted to go to pool, but it was closed due to thunder ... cmon how often is the pool closed in vegas.
Went and saw the blue man group at the venetian, I hadn't really heard of them until Arrested Development, when Tobias gets a call up.
Went to Jasmine for dinner (pretty HT) saw johnny chan the master there.
day 6 - dday
We gave our presentation, which went quite well, no technical issues at all.
Bbworld kicks off, with the keynote from Steve Wozniak, who comes in on a segway, drove a few laps around high fiving the audience.
Saw phil hellmuth buying chips at bellagio
Dinner @ noodles @ bellagio
Mandaly bay, light fixation, 66th floor night club, good view of vegas.
Bbworld kicks off, with the keynote from Steve Wozniak, who comes in on a segway, drove a few laps around high fiving the audience.
Saw phil hellmuth buying chips at bellagio
Dinner @ noodles @ bellagio
Mandaly bay, light fixation, 66th floor night club, good view of vegas.
Sunday, July 13, 2008
day 5 - grand canyon
Hummer picked us up from the palazzo, to the hard rock cafe, where we hired a hummer. Drove the hummer via hoover dam to the grand canyon car park.
Helicopter ride down to the bottom of the canyon, then a boat ride in the colarado river.
- attempted lotus restaurant but closed for reno
- ate at grand lux
- bits fell off the hummer, hummer's maybe not that solid
- store pizza, wings and things on the way at some springs place
Saturday, July 12, 2008
day 3
Went to the mirage casino to see the tiger cubs. I can't believe they have zoo at the mirage with dolhpins,tigers,lions for dinner went to in & out burger, saw jay leno there.
day 2 vegas
- hnl -> vegas
- nearly got done by 2 hour checkin time
- dayle attempt to buy chips in vendo
- got 3 seats to ourselves by moving one row back
- take off was around 2pm arrived vegas 11pm
- scary landing due to thunder storms and lightning
- on touch down aussie dude yelling at the back "vegas baby, vegas wohooooo "
- he also mentioned that he was staying at the luxor (the brightest light in the world)
- got to palazzo... pretty nice room
- rk/monica comes over from their room at the venetian
- go for food at the grand lux
- nearly got done by 2 hour checkin time
- dayle attempt to buy chips in vendo
- got 3 seats to ourselves by moving one row back
- take off was around 2pm arrived vegas 11pm
- scary landing due to thunder storms and lightning
- on touch down aussie dude yelling at the back "vegas baby, vegas wohooooo "
- he also mentioned that he was staying at the luxor (the brightest light in the world)
- got to palazzo... pretty nice room
- rk/monica comes over from their room at the venetian
- go for food at the grand lux
Friday, July 11, 2008
day 1 aloha
adl -> syd
syd -> hawaii (10 hours) arrived 7amish (3 seats to ourselves at the back of the plane)
There were a lot of american school kids maybe wrestlers also on the plane, seemed like it might have been a good idea to upgrade, tried to upgrade but it was full.
When we arrived airport seemed deserted and it was a long walk to ATM for our first USD.
Caught the shuttle to our hotel Resort Quest Waikiki Beach hotel, (shuttle bus which was mistake, taxi better). Straight to beach for swim, lunch then another beach swim, breaking the 45 min rule. Catamaran sunset cruise then PF changs for dinner.
syd -> hawaii (10 hours) arrived 7amish (3 seats to ourselves at the back of the plane)
There were a lot of american school kids maybe wrestlers also on the plane, seemed like it might have been a good idea to upgrade, tried to upgrade but it was full.
When we arrived airport seemed deserted and it was a long walk to ATM for our first USD.
Caught the shuttle to our hotel Resort Quest Waikiki Beach hotel, (shuttle bus which was mistake, taxi better). Straight to beach for swim, lunch then another beach swim, breaking the 45 min rule. Catamaran sunset cruise then PF changs for dinner.
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