New Zealand Holiday - week 1 - Santa Monica, Auckland to Russell - 27th January to 3rd February

Getting Down Under and Heading North

Leaving Home in the darkness with rain falling was not the greatest start to our expedition. Things got much worse when we hit the stationary traffic on the M3. Luckily we had left home nice and early so we were not too stressed. The plan was for me to drop TW at Terminal 3 and then take the shuttle from the car depot. There was no time for that. Check-in at Virgin was easy and friendly. We headed for the Virgin Lounge and a very decent veggie breakfast. A comfortable flight followed on a Virgin A350. We landed at LAX on time and immigration went surprisingly smoothly, apart from my confusion when trying too get my paws onto the fingerprint scanner in the correct order. The next challenge, how to get to Santa Monica?

We wanted to go via an Uber Taxi but we had no Internet access in the Terminal. Regardless, we took the Green Shuttle to the pick up point where we managed to logon and order up a taxi. It arrived in a couple of minutes. Great service and we were in Santa Monica in about 30 minutes. We were booked into the Cal Mar on California. The old place had not changed since our last visit 12 years ago! To be honest we were a bit worried about safety and security in town but we were assured it was pretty safe. With fingers crossed, and avoiding any eye contact, we bravely headed into town. Happily, nobody bothered us. We made it home with our porridge and cereal and some pasta for our evening meal. Despite the obvious and unwelcome elements it was actually quite pleasant in Santa Monica. 

3rd Street Santa Monica

Cal Mar - back to the future

Forrest with his Chocolates

The Coastal Strip

The main shopping area in Santa Monica was quite smart. The coastal strip was up-market. We made a pilgrimage to the Santa Monica Pier and dropped into Bubba Gump for a Prawn and Salmon dish, very nice. 

Everything grows

It was Street Market day and the stalls show-cased the impressive range of products that grow in California.

We had time to kill after lunch and say by the pool and chatted to another guest attending a wedding. Overall, our short stop-over went well. It was a no-brainier to call Uber to go back to LAX for our Air New Zealand flight to Auckland. The chatty driver took us via Venice and Marina Del Rey. We were again impressed and learned a lot about Los Angeles. We were really early at LAX so took advantage of the Air NZ lounge. Quite an impressive building, but the food was horrible. We were pleased to get on the flight where we found the food was much better. The service was good on the 777 but the sleeping arrangements were a bit complex. The staff have to set your bed with a very clever manoeuvre which seems to involve turning the seat upside down!  As my turn came an attractive Kiwi hostess whispered in my ear. “Would you like to go to bid”. 

27th January 2024 - Landfall in Auckland

We arrived at Auckland early in the morning, but it was already very busy. Getting into New Zealand with its strict Bio Security is a bit nerve racking but, despite our attempts to declare TW‘s beeswax ointment and my knee cream, we were sent through the fast lane into the real world. We quickly arranged our NZ phone Sims and then suffered a slow and frustrating car collection at Budget. We opted to wait for a hybrid that required cleaning rather țhan take a ready and waiting RAV4. With the gift of hindsight it was a mistake but Hey Ho. Eventually, we collected our car and headed to our first accommodation on the North Shore at Takapuna. The Emerald Inn is just a stones throw from the beach. The owner allowed us an early check-in, which was a wonderful perk for two extremely tired Poms! We had just enough energy for a second breakfast just down the road at the Takapuna Beach Café before returning to our room for a quick kip. Takapuna is a pleasant town and appears to be quite affluent.

Takapuna Beach

Takapuna was a nice relaxed introduction to New Zealand. So much is like UK but with a South Pacific flavour. After our snooze we made the first of what was to become a ritual trip to the New World Supermarket  for the staples of spinach, honey and pasta and, of course, milk, eggs and bread.

Packing up at the Emerald Inn

Whangarai Quay

Lunch at the Quay

Whangarei

Whangarei 

The Whangarei Heads

Taurikura

After two nights we hit the road up to the Whangerai Heads. It's an easy run North up the Motorway. First stop Whangerai and lunch at the Quay, as recommended by Georgie, before setting out along the coast to Taurikura and our little apartment just outside the village. 

The Shores 

It had all the comforts of Home, including a washer and dryer. What’s not to like. We took a pleasant walk along the coast road, past the lovely wooden houses. Many of them have a rusty old tractor sitting outside to pull their boats into and out of the water. 

Taking a rest

For part of the way walked with an English Doctor and her husband and baby. She was on maternity leave from the Whangerai Hospital and was able to give us good info about the area. Our highlight for the areawas the walk to Smugglers Bay, a beautiful stroll through farmland to a deserted beach. It was a bit rocky in the water so we didn't take the plunge but otherwise it was idyllic. In the afternoon we drove along to Ocean Beach which was also very lovely but with no shade and with the sand acting like a huge radiator we could not stay for long. The Heads are, for certain, a lovely unspoiled, and pleasantly rural, coastal community. 

                                                                                        

Smugglers Bay

Taurikura

Russell and the Bay of Islands

The Church in Russell

Every pew tells a story in embroidery

After only two days in the Whangerai Heads it was time for us to leave and head North to Russell and the Bay of Islands. We opted to take the more direct route, which included a 5 minute cruise on the Opua ferry. The alternative would have meant a drive along a winding coastal road. A short drive from the Ferry took us to the Fantail Inn where, again, we were checked in early by a welcoming host.

Dream House

Russell itself had not changed since our last visit. Lovely wooden houses and a relaxed ambience about the place. We drove over to Long Beach, a favoured spot on our last visit, and found a shady spot and had a dip. Our host at Fantail recommended the Boating Club just outside Russell for drinkies. We found it to be really friendly and rustic.  With its great view and keen prices we stayed on for Dinner. I selected one of my favourites, lamb shanks, and TW had a nice steak. 

Our Fantail Inn was about 10 minutes outside Russell and we were happy there. Before we visited we were a bit concerned that Cruise ship passengers might swamp the Russell and we saw a couple of Cruise Ships docked in the Bay during our visit. However, we need not have worried as fortunately the passengers mainly go to to Waitangi or play Golf.

Duke of Marlborough Hotel

The Fantail Inn

Urupukapuka here we come

On our way to Urupukapuka

High on a hill at Urupukapuka

The Otehei Cafe

Desert Island

We booked ourselves on a boat trip for the next day and it made a great start to February 2024. We took the ferry from Russell to the island of Urupukapuka. It cost $60 each and took about 30 minutes to reach the island's wharf. We shared the boat with lots of different nationalities. It was a bit of a hang onto your hat situation as the boat as the boat sped across the calm blue waters. We disembarked and took a walk through green fields up to a Highpoint with 360° view. It was a lovely sunny day so we wandered down to Urupukapuka beach for a swim and a picnic. It was such a beautiful beach backed by green lawns with the sea gently lapping on the pristine sand. There is a Cafe on the island near where the boat docks but loud music was blaring out and it was rammed full of tourists. We found a shady table outside, took in the view, and waited for our return ferry. 

Urupukapuka was definitely the highlight of our trip to Russell and the Bay of Islands.

A bit fishy at the stern of our boat

Returning to Russell

A great discovery was a beautiful boutique vineyard, the Omata Winery, located quite close to Fantail. We popped in for a drink and a wander. Our walk took us through the vines and then onto native bush down to a viewpoint above the shoreline. We bought a bottle of their Red Wine which wasn't cheap but it travelled well. It was eventually consumed several weeks later in Nelson. Harvesting the grapes at Omata is a fun task for local residents. We were told local people are invited to do the picking and it turns into bit of a party with copious quantities of food and drink.

TW at the Omata vineyard

Beer at the winery

At the going down of the sun in Russell at the Fantail

A view to the mainland from Flagstaff Hill

Long Beach - Russell

USA Road Trip - Heading Home - The Epilogue

How the West was done....
Oh what fun we had! We have brought back some good memories after our whizz around the West. We probably tried to see too much in the three weeks but it is a long, costly flight and we needed to make the most of our time on the ground.


Staying three nights in San Francisco was about right, plenty to see and do. The Peitite Auberge was a great place to shake off the jet lag. We should have flown direct rather than fly via LAX but flights to Los Angeles were cheaper. We also originally planned to drive South to North on Highway One.
Adding Yosemite to our itinerary was well worthwhile. It is a stunning place. Where we stayed, near the Park entrance at Yosemite Lodge, meant we could go into the Park early and then leave late to avoid the traffic queues. The Park must be very busy in High Season. Buying our National Park Pass before we left saved us both money and time at the various Entry Gates.
On the coast, travelling Highway One from North to South was the right decision. It was so much easier to swing on and off the road at viewpoints from the right-hand lane. We could happily have allocated more time in the Monterey/Carmel area.
The loveliest part of the coast around Big Sur etc. went by in a flash so we should have spent more time between Carmel and Cambria as well.
It was interesting to see Santa Barbara and our tandem ride was fun but the Peppertree Motel was a bit remote from the Town Centre. However, it was right next to Chucks Restaurant which was a some consolation.
Taking flights to and from Vegas saved driving but was a bit stressful. Getting to an Airport to return a car and navigate security is a time trial best kept to a minimum.  We probably should have driven from Grand Canyon to San Diego with an overnight stop on the way. Two separate nights in Las Vegas was a bit illogical but it meant we got to see the Hoover Dam. The trip around the Canyons to Zion, Bryce and Grand was superb and the places we stayed were all fine. We could have stayed further from the canyons if we had more time and saved on costs. San Diego was a good place to chill out but we would probably stay in La Jolla if we returned. According to the song 'it never rains in Southern California'. Well it does rain and the winds can be cold off the Ocean but worth a look anyway.

Back to LAX and on to LHR

Bahia Resort Hotel

We left the Bahia Resort Hotel with plenty of time, we thought anyway, for a pre-flight break at Santa Monica prior to returning the Honda to Alamo. The San Diego Freeway going North was a race track and it was not a relaxed drive. There is no hiding place on the inside lane as all carriageways rush along at the same pace. Respite came as we got close to LA where we slowed to a stop and then a crawl. We still tried to get to Santa Monica but, in the end decided to make a run for the Airport.
The new International Terminal is very nice indeed and there were no heavy security checks. We queried why there were no bins for luggage, no need to put toiletries in bags, my lap top could stay in my rucksack? Just for today the man said! We made our way to air-side feeling a bit guilty with our boots on and belts fastened. We are so conditioned to accept all the checks and controls that it was rather baffling. Must be like being on day release from prison. Oh well, we now had even more time to kill (no pun intended). Let's have a nice lunch. And, good lunch it was. At the next table were a couple of US Farmers from Bakersfield and time flew by as they gave us the low-down on what, and how, they grow in California. Almonds we knew about but Cotton Candy flavoured grapes? We did not miss the plane as it was slightly delayed but TW had to rush to get her goodies for the flight. Air New Zealand also have hierarchical boarding and we were again the nobodies tagged on the end. I think they should just board from the back. We were punished by having to walk past all the premium passengers settled in their comfy chairs as we headed for steerage. Anyway, it was an excellent flight and I found plenty to watch on the little telly as we headed East into the night. My neighbours were Chinese Americans who sat quietly. TW's neighbour was an outgoing Aussie with a fondness for alcohol and serious man spread. Seemed like a good chap nevertheless. He had a colourful career spray tanning models and he was off to the O2 in London to ply his trade. He had flown in from Brisbane in the morning and after a few bevvies at LAX he was back on a plane. Fortunately he fell asleep. Whilst he headed off to spray bikini models we were off to Southall to pick up our little car and to brave the Friday traffic on the M25.

USA Road trip - Las Vegas to San Diego

Life on the Ocean - Day's 17 to 21

Pelican on the rocks

Up bright and early for the flight to San Diego via Phoenix. We were warned that we needed to be at the Airport with time to spare because of the queues for security. Just as well as we had a bit of a wait, about an hour. We still had time for a good breakfast before boarding. Alamo car return really slick again and our Sonata was gone in no time. I thought it was a Honda but apparently it's a Hyundai, nice car anyway.
Amazing desert scenery as we flew towards Phoenix, there isn't much water around in Arizona. We had a lunch break at Phoenix Airport of about an hour then another queue to check in. American Airlines like to put you in your place. They call you for boarding in a strict hierarchy. Needless to say we were the lowest of the low Category 3 Economy - and now finally all those insignificant twerps who do not fly with us very often and are left handed. Anyway it was a nice flight and there was still room for our cabin baggage in the bulging overhead lockers. A Journalist from San Diego joined our row of three. He was editor of a Mountain Bike Magazine so we had a good chat. He was a correspondent in Chechnya during the trouble with Russia and it clearly had a profound effect on him. He told us about his surfing exploits and told us to watch out for Stingrays if we went in the sea - ooerrr! You need to shuffle in rather than step as you enter the freezing water.

Mission - Our local Ocean Beach

There was a strong cold wind off the Sea every day so we did not venture in! (that's our excuse anyway).
We found our bags at San Diego OK. Always a bit worried on domestic flights that some bounder will walk off with them. Just a Twenty minute transfer by Shuttle to Bahia Resort in Mission Bay. The driver was either hard of hearing or just ignoring us so we did not get any info from him.Not sure if we picked the right location to stay in San Diego but overall it worked out pretty well.
Initially, the locality was a bit rough around the edges near Belmont Park but was fine once we pedalled a short distance along the coastal prom.

Riverboat Cruise Boat

Our arrival was on a busy Saturday and it was a bit of a culture shock. We picked up a couple of bikes for the duration, TW changed her steed twice, she likes the bike to match her outfit and also they need to have a comfy saddle and an upright riding position.

TW's velocipede

Brockton Villa in La Jolla

Pedal power heading North

She ended up on a Yellow Coaster with back-pedal brakes that she took up in the Hotel lift every night. There was certainly a relaxed atmosphere in San Diego which was just what we needed after a couple of weeks of heavy touristing. Our Hotel had its own Riverboat that does short cruises to a sister property on the other side of the Bay so we had to give that a try. Paddling across the lagoon was exceedingly pleasant initially but bitterly cold once the sun went down.

Not too shabby in La Jolla

Beside the Sea 

The main reason we booked Bahia was for the Kitchen in the room. We soon discovered the excellent Ralph's Supermarket in Pacific Beach so our Fridge was well stocked. We still managed a couple of Evening meals out though. The Restaurant at the Bahia was good and we really liked World Famous located right on the prom towards Pacific Beach. A great place to watch the sun go down.
Our favourite pedalling route took us North up to La Jolla (pronounced La Hoyer). Amazing wild life on the coast and some really, really swish properties to cycle past.

Westbourne St.

Pelicans are a favourite, they look a bit scrunched up and out of proportion when sitting on land but are as graceful as Concorde in the air. Loads of breeding Cormorants by the shore as well so there was a distinct fishy pong. Not comfortable at all with the tourists getting close to the seals or sea lions for selfie's etc. Leave them alone! By the way, how to you tell a Sea Lion from a Seal? Well, Sea Lions have little sticky-out ears whereas Seals do not. Also Sea Lions have front flippers that allow them almost to walk on all fours. Seals seem to skid along on their tummies.

Get off my beach!

We had a coffee stop at Brockton Villa, right by the Cove. Lovely place, it was lunchtime but they gave us a great seat on the terrace. TW ordered a Cobbler that took some time to arrive. We were not worried at all as we had a nice seat for Dolphin spotting in the Bay. When the bill arrived the Cobbler was missing from it. We told the Waiter that the bill was wrong but he said it was correct, you had to wait too long! Happy customer became delighted customer. Very strange Contemporary Art Museum Building just to the South, it looks like a warehouse from the outside with no windows towards the sea. Inside might be interesting but not to us. We did have a foray South towards downtown but we were frustrated by closed cycle paths and the rain. The Ocean Beach just South of the San Diego River was a big contrast to smart La Jolla. We enjoyed the nice flat cycle around Mission Bay, I had a pedal there most mornings before my Porridge.
Return to the Alamo
One of the few things we did not pre-book was the final day transfer to LAX.
Our choice boiled down to Train or Hire Car. We had been told at home that the trains did not run to timetable and it would be risky if we needed to catch NZ2.

The Beach at Torrey Pines

So it was back to Alamo for a 24 hour car rental. The plan was to make full use of the motor and have a bit of drive North to Cardiff by the Sea and Torrey Pines.

TW on the beach - no more snake signs

The traffic was awful so we only made it as far as Torrey Pines, a State Park Nature Reserve.
We were a bit underwhelmed by it after the National Parks but we had a good circular walk through the scrubland to the sea and back along the beach. As soon as I saw the first sign telling us to beware of Rattlesnakes I knew it would not a relaxed stroll in the Park for TW. She hates snakes but they seem to like her. Luckily they were shaking their tails elsewhere. We turned for home and back into the traffic. We had a very expensive coffee at La Jolla Shores Hotel on the way, nice view though.
 Where we stayed - http://www.bahiahotel.com/  Mission Beach San Diego

USA Road Trip - Grand Canyon to Las Vegas

Day 16 - From Natural to Egyptian

TW stepping out on the Hoover Dam

With Grand Canyon behind us we headed South on the 50 mile long straight road towards Williams and the long drive to Las Vegas. Just a single carriageway and people in a hurry which meant it was risky drive. A slow vehicle like a Camper Van tends to develop a string of cars behind and they start jockeying to get past.

The impressive Hoover Dam

We came across a six car pile-up at the crest of a hill. We were the first car to arrive from the Canyon direction but were nowhere near being involved fortunately. Makes you think because it happened in the middle of a desert area quite a way from Emergency Services but, happily, they appeared to have phone coverage. Ambulances were already being called but we were some way down the road before we saw them speeding to the scene. We helped clear the road and then got out of the way.

After the Hoover Dam

A hard drive today but we were probably a bit weary. Our lunch stop was near Kingman in very good diner, The Iron Skillet was mainly targeted by truckers and we had a splendid feed. Our waitress was very kind and amusing so worth stopping. Lots of dust being picked up by the strong winds as headed across the desert towards the Hoover Dam. The link between dust being picked up and Hoover is not coincidental. Not sure who invented Dams, maybe it was the Beaver, but they are fascinating. They control the river, store water and generate power so we are big fans. We drove over the dam and parked in a free car park. We had a good old wander, buffeted by warm winds. The Hoover, as previously alluded, to was named after a vacuum cleaner.
 It is an iconic structure with lots of Art Deco decoration and was certainly worth a wander. The brass doors were great and, on reflection, polishing them

Took a shine to these Dam doors

Hoover two

would be a very rewarding hobby or career

Balcony View

Distracting the punters at Planet Hollywood

Rear view

Time for a well earned beer

Now for the tricky bit, getting into Vegas on the increasingly busy roads in what appeared to be the rush hour. Not sure where they were going to, or from, but they Vegans to do it in a speedy fashion. This time our aim was set on the Luxor, a massive, glass clad, pyramid structure. Bit of a relief getting to self-parking, this time without driving down the Strip! The Hotel Receptionist thought we were mad staying just one night and might have been right. The pyramid has around 2,500 rooms so I would not like to be the maintenance man. Window cleaning must be a nightmare. Riding the lifts is a strange sensation as they run at an angle up the inside walls of the pyramid. Our view from the room was the backside of a Sphynx. Open the door and an internal balcony revealed a massive casino floor. A mezzanine floor supported a bevy of different restaurants. We chose the Italian option and had a decent meal of Pizza with a massive salad.

On the wide wide Strip

It was Friday night and the queue at Check-in was now a massive snake. Suppose they are weekenders?
We headed for the Strip and a wander down the busy pavements and into, and out of Casinos. Some interesting sights to distract the punters. We enjoyed an Elvis impersonator who was standing frozen whilst singing in a ventriloquist fashion.
He would jump out on unsuspecting passers-by which we found amusing. Perhaps it was a good job we were moving on in the morning.

Luxor sunrise

Out on the strip

Not sure what to think about Vegas. Its become like a massive cruise ship floating in a sea of sand. Almost every form of entertainment is available. No nice bike rides or places for walks in the country so jury is out for me I'm afraid. I believe you can win loads and loads of money here though and there is a whole industry set up to make it very, very easy.
Where we stayed - https://www.luxor.com/en/hotel.html  Las Vegas