Ok sorry for the long delay but it has been hard to find decent cheap internet. The trip so far has been amazing. I can’t believe how much fun it has been. I wish I didn’t have to come home in New York. I think i have given up on the budget. When you last had me post it was the same day as arrival. Had a pretty relaxing one that day and just chilled out. Next day chilled in the morning till Met up with Bianca and Julie and went down to the Angel’s Stadium to get some tickets to the game that night. I had real mexican for lunch with Michelle and Kenna and it was great catching up with them again. It has been over a year since we last saw each other.

That night was my first ever baseball game. Anaheim Angels (owned by Disney) vs Texas Rangers (owned by George W Bush). Twas a good game, had my first hot dog and also experience a Corona Bomber which is pretty much the equivalent of a Tallie (700ml) in a plastic cup. I had a Pacifico (better version of a Corona) and it was pretty damn good. It was pretty hot at the game. Didn’t cool down much at all. The heat over all on the West Coast was pretty hot.

So the next day was Day 1 of the tour and that meant the bit I was most looking forward to. LAS VEGAS!!!!!!!!!!!! We got in around lunch and I had to find myself some shoes as apparently they are pretty strict with dress codes (later to find out they weren’t). Behaved myself pretty well, had an awesome slice of pizza at Caesars Palace and road the Vegas monorail (which in itself is like a party with DJs on the stations). Bit of a bad weekend to come to Vegas as it was Labour Day weekend. 3 Day Weekend and everyone was going to party. Went out that night to see the Blue Man Group at the Venetian and it was fantastic! I couldn’t believe it. After getting out of the Venetian we had to make our way to the other end of the strip in like 15 minutes. Felt almost impossible. Found a Doorman to give us a hand and they arranged for a Cadillac Escalade to pick us up and take us to the other end of the Strip for $45. The driver was awesome. He sped us to the other end in 10 minutes, probably broke several road rules to. Went out to a club called Rum Jungle at Mandalay Bay Hotel & Casino and it was unlike any club I have ever seen in Brisbane or Sydney.

Word of advice. If you come to Vegas, Tip the bar staff $5 on your first drink. They will love you after the first drink and they free pour in vegas and they were pouring my Grey Goose on the Rocks very heavy (probably about 3 or 4 standards). After 3 of those I was very gone and staggered back to the hotel.

Sunday was pretty relaxed. Went out to some outlet malls in a Stretch Escalade and tried to find my pats jersey but didn’t have any luck so ended up getting a Texas Longhorns Hat. In the afternoon chilled out in the room and did some laundry. Through a football around a bit in the car park of the hotel. It was a good afternoon. Wasn’t feeling very well that night so took it easy. The new shoes i had bought turned out to have given me a very large blister so my feet were aching! Saw the bellagio fountains and also checked out New York New York and the Casinos are so over the top. Bought some souveneirs being 3 $5 chips from the Belaggio, MGM Grand and The Palms. Had a quiet night and then an early wake up for our road trip to the Grand Canyon.

On the road for the 2nd time on this trip as we headed east towards arizona. First stop Kingman Arizona and for the first time…. WALMART! This is like a Woolworths, Big W and a BWS all rolled into one. Even has a Gun Department in the Sporting goods section selling not only real guns but Paintball Guns and Airsoft Rifles (was tempted but didn’t want to freak out the Tour Manager). It was so huge. Also tried In and Out Burger. Its such a simple looking place and their burgers were so cheap. One thing to remember over here is that the food is HUGE. Easily feed two people off one meal in some places. I have yet to be able to finish a full meal. Also talking about food and drinks, In Walmart the booze is cheap. Picked up a dozen Pacificos for $12 and decided against the 2 litre bottle of Skyy Vodka for $21.

Arrived late afternoon to the Grand Canyon. This place is amazing and breathtaking. I couldn’t believe it! You look out at this gaping big crack in the ground and see the colour changes in the rock and also the occasional tree and then way down below the Colorado river. Today woke up early for our heli flight over the Canyon. I was already looking forward to this part of the trip but was even happier when I was told to head to the helipad with the EC130 sitting on it. If you haven’t seen this helicopter before here is a picture. They are so comfortable inside and much nicer than a boring old Bell 206 or 407. It was a fantastic flight and I took around 200 photos.

Just walked along the Canyon rim and later on tonight heading to a sunset vantage point. Really wish I had brought my Tripod with me. Anyway i best get off this net and let someone else use it, I shouldn’t be mean and hog the free internet.

Talk to you all soon. Love you all lots.
Mal

Current Location: Grand Canyon National Park Library
States Visited: 3

Ok im safe and sound on the ground in LA. Internet is expensive at the hotel (69c a minute). Will update later. Flights were good. Packed for both of them. I tell you what its been a while since I have done such a long flight and bugger me AVOD is a god send. Anyway im gonna go find somewhere cool to sit cause its hot as hell and im tired as all buggery (ive been awake 24 hours).

To everyone at work, not missing you a bit. To everyone else… miss you heaps!

Well if you look above I am now into the Single Digits of days left to go. My ears should be good to go (ive been popping them several times a day), My flu is almost gone and I now have everything ready.

I was a bit dissapointed to find that I am only allowed to take one piece of carry on luggage as I was hoping to be able to take my Camera in its brown camera bag. But sadly no 🙁 I wish I could as it would make things so much easier, to be able to carry a back pack and a camera bag but i highly doubt I will be allowed. O wells. I’ve done all the final purchases, the special TSA approved lock, some toothbrush covers (im leaving the electric toothbrush behind), the power adaptor and also a multi tool (impulse buy).

I am really looking forward to the trip at the moment. So many sacrifices have been made to put this trip into place, working extra hard, no leave etc. I drove my body into the ground and have spent most of this month sick, never doing that again thats for sure.

This time next week i’ll be partying in vegas, exploring and enjoying myself. Anyway i best be doing something constructive with my day. I think some BF2 is in order (i finally made staff sergeant).

Next update… Anaheim 😀

Wow. I cant believe it. In just over a month.. I’m to be going to Dallas to watch “Gods team” play. It may cost me quite a bit ($115AUD) but I just don’t care. This is something that will be a once in a lifetime thing for me. I am going to an NFL game. Brendan will be jealous (till he finally gets to see a packers game that is) but I know deep down if I did not do this. I would leave the USA feeling like I had not done something I could of done.

I know that this one night (its a sunday night football game) could possibly be the best night of my life. I will finally get to see the game that I enjoy so much. I would love it even more if it was the Patriots but I can’t have it all. This holiday is going to be amazing. So much fun and so many new experiences. Partying in Vegas, watching football in texas, seeing the Grand Canyon from a Helicopter, Seeing the Giant Golf Ball at Epcot. Touching the WW2 Memorial in Washington DC, Seeing the Enola Gay and then Seeing Miss Liberty herself in New York.

I pick up my tickets tommorrow, so there is no way I can back out at all. Its all go and no turning back. Kinda like a Kangaroo or an Emu, neither can move backwards only forwards.

Next week is stars so will post more about that when I get back. It will be interesting I’m sure.

Well its now official. There is no turning back. Today was the cut off for final payment for my USA tour. I had paid friday but today it was official. The final payments have been made on this trip and its all on now. So its about time I actually told you what I was doing. I am doing two Contiki tours. The first is the 24 Day Grand Southern (link) which goes from Los Angeles (Anaheim really) to New York. Now this tour is something that I have wanted to do for quite a number of years now and I have not had the time to do it or ever really justify it. The 2nd tour I am doing is called Big Apple Explorer and is simply a 4 day tour of New York (link). This tour should give me a total of 28 days on tour. I’ll give you a quick run down of my itinerary.

28th August – Last day at work
29th August – Packing, Final run around etc
30th August – Fly out of Brisbane – Air New Zealand – NZ6 BNE-AKL-LAX (YBBN-NZAA-KLAX). Arrive same Day into Los Angeles and check in for two nights at the Best Western Stovalls Inn.
31st August – Free Day, probably catching up with Elm, Kenna, Michelle, Robin etc
01st September – Grand Southern Tour Departs Anaheim
24th September – Grand Southern Tour Arrives New York – Over Night Hotel Beacon New York City.
25th September – Big Apple Explorer Starts
28th September – Big Apple Explorer Finishes – Say goodbye to all my new friends – Start Flying Home – United Airlines – UA27 JFK-LAX Air New Zealand – NZ5 LAX-AKL
30th September – Arrive Home in Brisbane on NZ135 AKL-BNE

It will be a torturous ride home being on the move for 2 days but I do not mind. I have already started getting to know some people coming on the tour and in my mind this will make for a fantastic month off work. It will be a trip of a lifetime for me. I can guarantee I will come back with some good close friends again. This time it will be easier to stay in touch as the big majority of the tour I believe will be Aussie.

I am a touch scared though. Deep down the one thing I am worried about are the flights. I mean I love flying however this is the first time I will be flying alone for so long. I guess I will have to just relax and try and sit things out. Anyway I’m tired it has been a long day. More about the trip in coming weeks.

I know that i haven’t posted as of late (I have been slack) and I thought it a fitting time to finally release the full plans for my trip to the USA. I will not post a day to day itinerary as yet but I will reveal the overall plan.  On the 30th of August 2007 I will be leaving this country on my own (for the first time) and heading over to that wonderful place East of here (or is it West… stupid International Date line), the United States of America.

I will be heading over for my 2nd ever trip to the Country but this time I won’t be 13 and I won’t have my mum or grandmother telling me what I can do or see (not that I didn’t enjoy my last trip).  The trip is planned around 2 Contiki Tours, Grand Southern and Big Apple Explorer.  Grand Southern starts in Los Angeles (really Anaheim) and finishes 24 Days later in New York.  Big Apple Explorer is a 4 day Tour of New York City (the Big Apple).  I will be spending a couple of days pre tour in Anaheim visiting Michelle, Elm and Kenna as I have not seen them since July. It will be good to catch up.

Along the way I get to visit some places like Dallas, Las Vegas (oooooo yeah :D), Memphis and Washington DC.  A couple of things I am hoping I will get a chance to see on this trip will be:

• American Football (whether it be College or NFL I don’t care.  Would love to go to a real game).
• Shuttle Launch (there is one scheduled for “Some time in Fall” which means they don’t have a date
• Meeting plenty of new people
• Getting Drunk in Vegas
• Eating a Hot Dog in the street in New York
• Visiting the Smithsonian in Washington DC.

This is a trip that I think I have put off for so long, probably since I was 18.  I have made the decision to do it and I am going.  Work has approved my leave, flights are paid for in full (way back in November when i booked), Deposits have been paid.  Now the countdown begins.  This will probably be a trip of a life time for me (and possibly my last Contiki for a while).

At the top of my site from now on a Countdown will show with how long till I leave (30th August).  I will update as time goes on (though for the moment it could be quite boring as not much of the trip is happening although closer to the date it will begin to pick up as more preparations begin.  At present full blown saving is in effect (cept not this week it seems, as I’m going to Gold Coast tommorrow, Whitsundays on Thursday and then Sydney on 24 April (like 10 days away).

Let me know if you think of anything specific I should do in the USA while I am there!