If you are reading this, then I have managed to sort out my computer problems. I had a big screed of news all written, and then lost it somewhere in cyber-space. Technology is NOT wonderful. Ah well, I’ll try again.
It’s not too traumatic. I am currently sitting out on my balcony, in the sunshine – the temperature is a very pleasant 26 degrees, and there’s a breeze. Well, maybe a bit more than a breeze, but nice all the same. I’ve got myself a table and some chairs, so I just need a barbeque and I’ll be all set for summer. Seemingly June is the time for the rainy season in Shanghai. The humidity is 90 degrees and the temperature gets into the 30’s. There is so much moisture in the air that your washing doesn’t dry. I’m not looking forward to that. Mind you, there has been no rainy season here for the last 3 years, so I may be lucky!!
So how was Las Vegas?? It was great, we’d a fantastic time. The day I flew out was a bit bizarre. I left Shanghai at 3pm, and arrived in Los Angeles at 11.30 the same morning. This International Date Line thing meant that although I’d been flying for 11 hours, I arrived before I left. In fact, at the same time as I was leaving Shanghai, I was lying on the beach in Los Angeles. WOW!! My hotel was just next to Venice Beach – just like in Baywatch. The difference was that I had the beach virtually to myself! The poor lifeguard was so bored, he kept driving past to see if I was OK, but I hardly moved.
I wasn't quite alone at Venice Beach
One thing that really struck me when I arrived in Los Angeles was how BIG the Americans are. Mind you, the first people I came into contact with were the Immigration people and that might have been deliberate! After spending months being one of the tall people, it was quite a surprise to be ‘shorty’ again! Another reason they are intimidating is to perhaps stop any rioting in the arrivals hall. I know I was nearly ready to start rioting before I got into America proper. I had joined a queue to get through immigration, and had been standing there for 20 minutes and then the desk shut and the bloke went for his lunch. I don’t grudge him his lunch, but we were made to join the end of another queue. Fine, OK, it’s annoying, but I understand. At least I did until it happened for the THIRD time. I was all ready to get on another plane and head back to China. Eventually I did manage to speak to an Immigration person, and felt as though I was being interrogated. I know that the USA has tightened up on its Homeland Security, but I just was to hang out with my pal and have some fun. I’m even going to spend some money! It’s much easier to get into Russia or China!!
So my next big adventure was my drive to Las Vegas. I had printed out my instructions for Mapquest, and they’d suggested 4 hours 18 mins to do the trip. I set off from Santa Monica about 2pm, and joined the traffic jam out of LA. THREE hours later I was still in LA. No, the car hadn’t broken down; I hadn’t stopped for a cup of tea or anything else. The traffic was just moving so slowly that it took me 3 hours to drive 50 miles. Then just like traffic jams everywhere, most of the cars just disappeared..... and I still had 220 miles to go until Las Vegas. SEVEN hours later, I managed to make it to Las Vegas, find the hotel (which wasn’t hard as it was on the Las Vegas Strip, and I’d stayed across the road last time!!!), check in and have a shower before heading off to the airport to meet Sheila. As the airport was across the road from the hotel, and our room overlooked it – not hard to find!! OK, OK, the terminal was on the other side, and with the 10 minute walk to the hotel car park, 5 minutes to find the car (We did manage to completely lose the car one day – our little VW Beetle convertible was hiding behind a big truck.), then parking at the airport and walking to the terminal. It took nearly half an hour – and we could almost tough the planes from our hotel room!! After completely missing each other to begin with, Sheila and I did manage to meet up and head back to the hotel. After cups of tea and blethers, we decided we were hungry and headed off for something to eat. It was 1.30 in the morning, but that was one of the reasons we went to Las Vegas. It was no problem. In fact, the restaurant was over half-full... at 1.30 in the morning!!! Very strange!
View from our hotel room - we could nearly tough the planes
Anyway we managed to amuse ourselves very well over the next week. We visited a shark reef; went to see Mamma Mia; ate in a French pavement bistro, overlooking the Bellagio (I had moules frits!! Ahh); visited the conservatory in the Bellagio; did some shopping and even managed a couple of afternoons hanging about at the pool. Except the pool was a river. There was a current, so you didn’t need to swim to do a circuit. Pretty impressive!
Me up close with a Sting-ray - Sheila took the photos!!!
The Conservatory at the Bellagio
The neighbourhood cat at the MGM Grand
We managed to meet up with some famous folks. We were wandering through the lobby of our hotel one morning, and it was full of people. The boxers Mayweather and De La Hoya were due to make an appearance before their big fight. So we hung about for a bit and saw them. In case you don’t know, Mayweather won, and he was much nicer to our crowd too!!
The Lobby in preparation for the Big Match
Mayweather
De La Hoya
After a week, I had to drop Sheila off at the airport and then head back to LA (where the traffic jam just lasted for 1 hour this time) and enjoyed my last sunset over the Pacific before coming back to Shanghai, and heading into work. Time to start planning my NEXT holiday!!!
Sunset over the Pacific
