Today was my uncles wedding, so we had a good sleep in and then wandered out to the next man v's food challenge which was hash house to go go.
We had the chicken benedict and between the two of us we couldn't finish it.
We then went over to the local Harley Davidson dealership to see if there was anything good in there, nothing that jumped out and said buy me.
We then swung by a drive through atm as the idiots at 28degrees have put a hold on my credit card for suspicious activity, even though I called them two weeks before flying out to let them know we were going. This is the second holiday that they have done this, so I will be putting in a complaint with the ombudsman when we get home and finding a different travel card to use.
We checked out a gun shop which turned out to be a gun repair shop, and then stumbled upon a store called nothing but skulls and also a costume store. We found an awesome costume for Nando as a woopie cushion.
It was getting time to get back to the hotel to get ready for the wedding, we got a limo ride to the wedding chapel, then the brides choice for wedding dinner was the buffet at Caesars palace.
Now buffets are always a waste on us, but it was great, it was the best buffet I have even been to it went on for miles and we didn't get to try everything, although I ate soo many crabs legs it wasn't funny.
We then headed back to the hotel and I took the little cousins over to New York New York to check it out and see the roller coaster.
I dropped them off so they could watch their movie and Nando and I hit up fat Tuesdays to get some alcoholic slashes with an extra shot for $1.
We decided to grab the car and go for a drive around town as we still had a heap of petrol left and have to return the car empty.
We went down to the casino and I tried to play a Michael Jackson poker machine and lost $19.95 of my $20.00 and cashed out my last 5c lol.
The uploading of pictures is a long and drawn out process as you have to sit there and stop the tablet going into sleep mode.
This is our second last night here in Vegas, although we have to check out at 2am on the morning we fly out to Cancun.
I still haven't decided on what camera I should get for diving yet. Nando still thinks its a waste of money, but I really want to capture my diving.
Well need to get some sleep as its nearly 1am here.
Although no pcs I am getting my blogging done yay. Downside is that we are not sure what access we will have when we get to Cancun.
Trip Countdown
Thursday, 31 October 2013
Wednesday, 30 October 2013
lots of shopping
So the first couple of days we have been hitting the outlets buying stuff we need now and scouting out what we are going to buy on the last 4 days here in Vegas.
I'm currently sitting here and local time is about 1:20am. I am loading all the pics into my drop box. It will be 1 drop box hour till it will be ready.
After our Grand Canyon tour we hit up hot and juicy crawfish that Sian saw on man v's food, it was really good, even though it was of f season for the crawfish so they were frozen and a lot smaller than those that are in season. We got bibs and plastic gloves. And grabbed 1 pound of crawfish and 1 pound of fresh prawns.
We hit up super target and tried out a bunch of Halloween stuff then hit up on of the outlets followed by my favourite meal at I hop, soo much food we had a take away box of left overs and that was just ordering one main and an entrée to share.
Next day we hit up the outlet on the other side of the strip, and had a sampling for the local food court for dinner of pizza, tacos and Chinese. Not to bad.
Yesterday, Nando and I went to a tailor to get his new suit altered, wandered around the shops and grabbed some discount tickets to see cirque de sole zumanity. My uncle and his family arrived yesterday as well, so we went to the buffet for dinner in the hotel, the most expensive meal to date at $30 a head. Naturally I couldn't eat much as it was all full of capsicum.
After dinner we took a little stroll down the strip, then headed back to get ready for the show. Love the free pouring of the barmen over here, then afterwards, I really wanted a hot dog and do you think I could find anywhere that was open... nope , subway it was.
Today we hit the laundry mat and the venetian for gondola rides and to watch the light show at the Bellagio. That was really disapointing
I'm currently sitting here and local time is about 1:20am. I am loading all the pics into my drop box. It will be 1 drop box hour till it will be ready.
After our Grand Canyon tour we hit up hot and juicy crawfish that Sian saw on man v's food, it was really good, even though it was of f season for the crawfish so they were frozen and a lot smaller than those that are in season. We got bibs and plastic gloves. And grabbed 1 pound of crawfish and 1 pound of fresh prawns.
We hit up super target and tried out a bunch of Halloween stuff then hit up on of the outlets followed by my favourite meal at I hop, soo much food we had a take away box of left overs and that was just ordering one main and an entrée to share.
Next day we hit up the outlet on the other side of the strip, and had a sampling for the local food court for dinner of pizza, tacos and Chinese. Not to bad.
Yesterday, Nando and I went to a tailor to get his new suit altered, wandered around the shops and grabbed some discount tickets to see cirque de sole zumanity. My uncle and his family arrived yesterday as well, so we went to the buffet for dinner in the hotel, the most expensive meal to date at $30 a head. Naturally I couldn't eat much as it was all full of capsicum.
After dinner we took a little stroll down the strip, then headed back to get ready for the show. Love the free pouring of the barmen over here, then afterwards, I really wanted a hot dog and do you think I could find anywhere that was open... nope , subway it was.
Today we hit the laundry mat and the venetian for gondola rides and to watch the light show at the Bellagio. That was really disapointing
Saturday, 26 October 2013
Made it to vegas
just a quick post while i wait for the pics to load on here from the camera, then copy them to drop box.
We have made it to Vegas.
Picked up our rental car found the t mobile store, we cannot get the t mobile pack with the international data roaming pack, so we just got a $3 a day plan for the time we are here in the states.
We strolled the strip, did some shopping, ate dinner at twin peaks. Nando had extra protine in his drink yum yum HAHA.
We came back at about 3am local time and slept like good babies.
good thing I set an alarm or we would have missed our Grand Canyon tour.
We got ready and wandered out to grab a bite to eat grabed some subway and a Wendys shake, realised the time and had to run to our meet spot, but kept getting pointed in the wrong directions. Needless to say the subway is still in my bag as we couldn't eat on the bus.
Grand Canyon. WoW it is a must do if you ever come to the states. I will uploadsome pics later, but it is just wow and sooo big.
Just got back to the hotel and discovered "the underground" with a place called fat tuesdays or something.. $1 jello shots and margarita and 151 rum slushies as far as the eye can see.
Ohh and you can drink all down the strip in vegas, people all over the place walking around with drinks in their hands.
We are heading out to Hot Juicy Crawfish for dinner tonigt. A man v's food challenge...
Then will hit up some shoppng..
We have made it to Vegas.
Picked up our rental car found the t mobile store, we cannot get the t mobile pack with the international data roaming pack, so we just got a $3 a day plan for the time we are here in the states.
We strolled the strip, did some shopping, ate dinner at twin peaks. Nando had extra protine in his drink yum yum HAHA.
We came back at about 3am local time and slept like good babies.
good thing I set an alarm or we would have missed our Grand Canyon tour.
We got ready and wandered out to grab a bite to eat grabed some subway and a Wendys shake, realised the time and had to run to our meet spot, but kept getting pointed in the wrong directions. Needless to say the subway is still in my bag as we couldn't eat on the bus.
Grand Canyon. WoW it is a must do if you ever come to the states. I will uploadsome pics later, but it is just wow and sooo big.
Just got back to the hotel and discovered "the underground" with a place called fat tuesdays or something.. $1 jello shots and margarita and 151 rum slushies as far as the eye can see.
Ohh and you can drink all down the strip in vegas, people all over the place walking around with drinks in their hands.
We are heading out to Hot Juicy Crawfish for dinner tonigt. A man v's food challenge...
Then will hit up some shoppng..
Thursday, 24 October 2013
Groundhog day
Today is the day. We are packed ready to go, sitting at the Jolimont Centre waiting for the bus to depart.
Feeling like I have forgotten something.
Missing the noisy kidlettes already.
I didn't have my early night as I wanted I was running around cleaning the house,then decided to fix the cupboard that has been annoying me for months.
Sunday, 20 October 2013
4 more sleeps
With all the final booking done I am into packing mode. Nando is only taking one change of clothes and I have about 13 kg packed. I need to cut that down.
We get a free wedding with our stay in Jamaica but need to find something else to wear. I tried on my Charlie Brown gown that I bought 3 years ago with the intent of renewing our wedding vows on our 10 year anniversary, somehow it came up and it didn't happen. It still fits but as I have put on weight it doesn't look as good anymore. Back to the closet it went.
I have also downloaded the blogger app for my phone so can now blog on the go. Although spelling and auto correct will be a pain in the ass.
On some better news, T mobile are changing their plans that we usually buy whilst in the states. We were thinking with the change of our plans we would not bother with the SIM as we would not be in the country enough to use it.
I logged into their website to have another look and as of the 22nd October new customers have unlimited internet added to the plan that can be used in most places around the world. So this means we can skype the girls whilst in mexico, Haiti and Jamaica.
Stoked
Wednesday, 16 October 2013
How things change
So the US is still in shut down mode and travel insurance saying they will only reimburse for tours unable to be complete, I said last week that I would leave it till the week before we fly out to decide if we change our plans.
On the positive the grand canyon has been reopened and will be run by the state, so we are still scheduled to attend that depends on the day how the operator will be due to the current dispute with the CC company. But overall the government is still in talks.
thus, we made the decision to spend what would have been our drive across America and see the sites portion of the trip, in Jamaica soaking up the sun in an All Inclusive resort. So far it has worked out really well, as we are staying at the Sandals Montego Bay Resort, which was having 65% off so instead of paying a whopping $10,416 ( making this a resort that we would never be able to set foot in) we scored an Oceanfront Honeymoon Club Level Room with whirlpool for $3,831.00.
The bonus of this is it includes everything as well as unlimited scuba diving ( this is what sold me), so I will be getting in as much bottom time as possible.
I got multi city flights going from Orlando to Montego Bay to Las Vegas for the final leg of the trip and Nando has picked THE Hotel Mandalay Bay to stay in for the final leg. We managed to get a nice suite room with two bathrooms for $381 for the final 4 nights and it includes parking.
We will be hiring a car for the last stint so I can get all my last minute shopping in.
well that is the latest and with going to bed at 3-4 am for the last 3-4 nights so I can call the states. I'm going to call tonight an early night at 12:30am.
On the positive the grand canyon has been reopened and will be run by the state, so we are still scheduled to attend that depends on the day how the operator will be due to the current dispute with the CC company. But overall the government is still in talks.
thus, we made the decision to spend what would have been our drive across America and see the sites portion of the trip, in Jamaica soaking up the sun in an All Inclusive resort. So far it has worked out really well, as we are staying at the Sandals Montego Bay Resort, which was having 65% off so instead of paying a whopping $10,416 ( making this a resort that we would never be able to set foot in) we scored an Oceanfront Honeymoon Club Level Room with whirlpool for $3,831.00.
The bonus of this is it includes everything as well as unlimited scuba diving ( this is what sold me), so I will be getting in as much bottom time as possible.
I got multi city flights going from Orlando to Montego Bay to Las Vegas for the final leg of the trip and Nando has picked THE Hotel Mandalay Bay to stay in for the final leg. We managed to get a nice suite room with two bathrooms for $381 for the final 4 nights and it includes parking.
We will be hiring a car for the last stint so I can get all my last minute shopping in.
well that is the latest and with going to bed at 3-4 am for the last 3-4 nights so I can call the states. I'm going to call tonight an early night at 12:30am.
Sunday, 13 October 2013
US Government Shut down :(
With the US government still in shut down mode, I made a call to the travel insurance to see what can be done.
Travel insurance have said they will reimburse any tours that we can no longer go on due to the shut down, but we are unable to postpone the trip until things have reopened.
So we have been waiting and waiting to see what will happen as majority of the trip is the drive back across the country stopping in various locations along the way.
with 11 days until we fly out, we have made the decision to pull the plug on the drive and spend the time in the Caribbean somewhere and then fly back to Vegas on the 25th to spend Nando's birthday in Vegas and do my final lot of shopping.
Funnily enough that works out a lot cheaper than the original plan, so more spending money.
We are looking at another Adults only resort in the Sandals chain in Jamaica, they are all inclusive and even include up to 3 scuba dives a day, they also have a sister resort called Beaches which is family friendly, so has awesome looking water parks in their resorts, which we can access. So we can go over use the water park and then escape to the safety of no screaming kids in the Sandals resorts.
Bonus is that they have 65% off at the moment as well so is a crap load cheaper again. Makes planning a lot easier as well, I can transfer the car booking deposit to get a car while we are in Vegas for all our shopping, then all I need to do is decide on the resort book that and book accommodation for our last days in Vegas.
I am starting to think about what I want to pack, but with not being able to do the grand canyon and red rock canyon stuff, I now have 2 days that I can go shopping on to buy clothes for the trip.
I want to get some more swimmers as I learnt on my last cruise, that one pair is not enough lol.
Travel insurance have said they will reimburse any tours that we can no longer go on due to the shut down, but we are unable to postpone the trip until things have reopened.
So we have been waiting and waiting to see what will happen as majority of the trip is the drive back across the country stopping in various locations along the way.
with 11 days until we fly out, we have made the decision to pull the plug on the drive and spend the time in the Caribbean somewhere and then fly back to Vegas on the 25th to spend Nando's birthday in Vegas and do my final lot of shopping.
Funnily enough that works out a lot cheaper than the original plan, so more spending money.
We are looking at another Adults only resort in the Sandals chain in Jamaica, they are all inclusive and even include up to 3 scuba dives a day, they also have a sister resort called Beaches which is family friendly, so has awesome looking water parks in their resorts, which we can access. So we can go over use the water park and then escape to the safety of no screaming kids in the Sandals resorts.
Bonus is that they have 65% off at the moment as well so is a crap load cheaper again. Makes planning a lot easier as well, I can transfer the car booking deposit to get a car while we are in Vegas for all our shopping, then all I need to do is decide on the resort book that and book accommodation for our last days in Vegas.
I am starting to think about what I want to pack, but with not being able to do the grand canyon and red rock canyon stuff, I now have 2 days that I can go shopping on to buy clothes for the trip.
I want to get some more swimmers as I learnt on my last cruise, that one pair is not enough lol.
Sunday, 6 October 2013
11 more work days left
With the final plans now loosely laid out. It is 18 days until we fly off for our little adventure, which equates to 11 more work days. An as many from work know, the countdown timer has pride of place on my desktop.
I find myself struck down with the flu, so forever trying to keep the husband away from me so he does not catch it and then give it back to me.
I went to my doctor to get a script for my medication and also the maxalon for my cruise, that was a bit of a saga with the numpties substituting all my meds for some other brand. I called them on it straight away and they told me not to worry it's the same stuff, and if it doesn't work I can bring it back.
After a week of taking my regular medication I find that no it's not the same and I am getting symptoms that it's not working, so I take it back to the chemist who tell me they will not take it back because it has been a week. Now It has been a very cranky two weeks at work, so I am not in the best of moods, then I have the flu on top of this and thus not sleeping well.
I started out calmly explaining what I had been told last week, and them saying I can buy a whole new prescription, which pissed me off further as I never asked for a substitute in the first place, back and forth this went for about 10 minutes and then I really cracked the shits. Needless to say I left with my right medication.
I also popped into the cheap shop to get a bag for a present and found these little whiteboard stickers. Brought a pack of them as they are much lighter than the whiteboard we purchased.
The Aussie souvenir shop was having a sale on little koalas with boomerangs, so I grabbed a few packs of them.
The US shutdown has become a bit of a pain in the ass, as they have shut down all the websites along with all the national parks etc... so makes it hard to find opening hours
I find myself struck down with the flu, so forever trying to keep the husband away from me so he does not catch it and then give it back to me.
I went to my doctor to get a script for my medication and also the maxalon for my cruise, that was a bit of a saga with the numpties substituting all my meds for some other brand. I called them on it straight away and they told me not to worry it's the same stuff, and if it doesn't work I can bring it back.
After a week of taking my regular medication I find that no it's not the same and I am getting symptoms that it's not working, so I take it back to the chemist who tell me they will not take it back because it has been a week. Now It has been a very cranky two weeks at work, so I am not in the best of moods, then I have the flu on top of this and thus not sleeping well.
I started out calmly explaining what I had been told last week, and them saying I can buy a whole new prescription, which pissed me off further as I never asked for a substitute in the first place, back and forth this went for about 10 minutes and then I really cracked the shits. Needless to say I left with my right medication.
I also popped into the cheap shop to get a bag for a present and found these little whiteboard stickers. Brought a pack of them as they are much lighter than the whiteboard we purchased.
The Aussie souvenir shop was having a sale on little koalas with boomerangs, so I grabbed a few packs of them.
The US shutdown has become a bit of a pain in the ass, as they have shut down all the websites along with all the national parks etc... so makes it hard to find opening hours
Final Itinerary plotted out
I keep
saying that I need to rework the itinerary, particularly the driving component.
Then all that is left to do is plan out Las Vegas and Cancun although Cancun
will be more of a bum around the resort and maybe do a ruins tour. I would love
to get some more diving in but Nando isn't soo keen.
And now that I have done toe loose plot just need to have an idea on where to stay for each of our stops. Hopefully the US government shut down will be over and we can continue to do the national park type stuff that makes up the majority of our drive, or I will be pissed
Final Itinerary
·
Thursday 24th October – Arrive in LA and Las Vegas.
o Check into MGM Grand
o Get T Mobile sim card
o Stroll the strip to get the feel
of where everything is and find out what time all the shows etc are on
o Gondola ride at the Venetian
hotel
o Bellagio Conservatory
o Fountains at Bellagio (every 15
minutes from 7pm – midnight)
o Dinner where ever we fancy
o The Aquarium at the Silverton
Hotel – free – open 24 hours
o
·
Friday 25th October – Shopping and Grand Canyon
o First morning of shopping, scout
out and make lists of what I want to buy
o Grand Canyon tour in the
afternoon (if the dodgy tour group go along with the plan)
o Contingency if the grand Canyon
tour does not happen – all day shopping
o A show of some description
depending on the information obtained from the night before.
·
Saturday 26th October
- Motorbike riding morning
o Hire some Harley’s
o Pictures next to the welcome to
Las Vegas sign
·
Sunday 27th October - Area 51
o Tybo
Ghost town
·
Monday 28th October -
·
Tuesday 29th October -
·
Wednesday 30th October
- Marv and Monie Wedding – afternoon/ evening
·
Thursday 31th October -
Shopping
and Halloween party.
·
Friday 1st November - Fly to Cancun – Resort 1
·
Saturday 2nd November
– Resort 1
·
Sunday 3rd November – Move to second resort
·
Monday 4th November – Second resort
·
Tuesday 5th November –
Second
resort
·
Wednesday 6th November
– Second
resort
·
Thursday 7th November
– Second
resort
o Shopping for local things
·
Friday 8th November – Second resort
·
Saturday 9th November
– Leave Cancun
o Check in Orlando Airport Marriott
·
Sunday 10th November –
Board Caribbean Cruise
·
Monday 11th November –
Cruise
·
Tuesday 12th November
– Cruise
·
Wednesday 13th
November – Cruise
·
Thursday 14th November
– Cruise
·
Friday 15th November –
Cruise
·
Saturday 16th November
– Cruise
·
Sunday 17th November - Get off boat 7am ish,
Pick up the car about 9 am and start driving. (total of 1009 km of driving)
o First stop
§ Tallahassee, FL - 430 km
quick lunch stop and obligatory pictures
o Second Stop –
§ Pensacola FL - 316 km
§ Flora-Bama Lounge and oysterbar. (Local recommendation) - early dinner
17401 Perdido Key Drive, Pensacola, FL, United States
§ Visit the beaches of the Gulf
Coast
oGulfport, MS - 134 km
- Brief fuel and break and obligatory pictures for being in a different
state
oNew Orleans, LA - 129 km.
arrive about 8 pm if we get the last ferry or 10 pm if we miss it and have to
go via Mobile.
oDinner and explore Burbon street
and the main city
oCemetery tour/ voodoo Tour
oFood tour
oCocktail tour
· Tuesday 19th November - Driving day start at 7am
oBreakfast in Baton Rouge - 129km
oLafeyette, LA - 96km
- -Brief fuel and break and obligatory pictures
oHouston, TX - 350km
- Aiming to arrive around lunch time
§ National Museum of Funeral
history
§ Water wall
§ Beer can house
oSan Antonio, TX - 300km arrive
about 6pm. (total 875km day)
§ Majestic Theatre - Night time
§ River walk & dinner -
Night time
§ Buckhorn Saloon - Night time
§ Hemis Fair Urban Park (Tower of
Americas) - Night time
§ Ripleys Haunted adventure -
Night time
· Wednesday 20th November - Explore San Antonio
§ Mission San Jose
§ Mission Conception
oNatural Bridge wildlife park (
driving zoo)
oEl Mercardo
oBill Miller Bar B Q
· Thursday 21st November –
oAustin TX, - 126km
- Cowboy boots
- Allen’s Boots - South Congress,
close to downtown
- Sheppler's
- Not too far from downtown
- Cavender's has two
locations in Austin
- Capitol Saddlery
- Saltlick BBQ joint (Driftwood)
- Barton Springs
- Bats at sunset (Ann Richards Congress Ave. Bridge which is over Lady Bird Lake)
· Friday 22nd November -
oWaco, TX 166km
§ Texas Ranger Hall of Fame and
Museum
§ Dr Pepper museum
oDallas, TX 153km
§ Texas school book
depository & Grassy Knoll
§
Keller's
Drive-in - Northwest Hwy and Abrams Rd, Dallas, TX
§ Swiss Avenue Historic District
§ Pegasus Sign - 401 Commerce St,
atop the Magnolia Hotel, Dallas, TX 75201 (Downtown Dallas)
oAmarillo, TX - 588km – Stay the
night
· Saturday 23rd November –
- Amarillo
- Cadillac Ranch - Interstate 40, Amarillo, TX
- Route
66
oRoswell, NM 346km
- Roswell UFO tour – 1pm
- Alien
Zone Store - 216 N. Main, Roswell, NM
oAlbuquerque, NM - 318km
- Breaking bad tour
- Route
66 Casino
- Route
66
· Sunday 24th November
oFlagstaff, AZ - 522km
- Grand Falls
- Grand Canyon South Rim
- Arrive Las Vegas - 409km
· Monday 25th November -
Shopping
in Vegas
· Tuesday 26th November - Shopping in Vegas
· Wednesday 27th November - Shopping in Vegas
· Thursday 28th November - Shopping in Vegas
Friday 29th November - Fly Home
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