Our travels
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About us
Western USA On 12 april 1989 we take flight TW815 at 11:30 to NewYork. There we have to transfer to San Francisco. we are just boarded when the purser tells us the plane will make a detour through Copenhagen, Denmark. That detour is to long for us to catch our flight in NewYork. We get a ticket to St.Louis where we have to transfer to San Francisco. We are exhausted when we finally arrive. We collect our rental car and check at the first hotel we see.  The next day we drive to downtown SF. From Pier 39 we see Alcatraz and decide not to go there. After a short walk through Chinatown we go to the Golden Gate Bridge.  Along Highway 1, the beautifull coastal road we go south. We sleep in Santa Cruz. In Santa Cruz County we see our first sequoias. Enormous trees that are than 1000 years old. More to the south you will find Monterey. Famous for its cannery row. A street, where they canned fish, playing apart in a book from John Steinbeck. Cannery Row is not what it was anymore. There is a great aquarium now. But closeby is fisherman's wharf where you will find all the sealife there is. Maybe not as wild as you want... 
 The sealions are begging the tourists for food. While seaotters are relaxing in the sun.  
After all this nature it is time for a little noise. To Laguna Seca Raceway where the moto GP is being held. We took our tents with us and after a little hassle about own spaces, we camped at the circuit. It is sunny and warm on raceday, but then we find out the circuit is not that ideal located. The cold gulfstream at the Californian coast means the fog can come in in minutes. 'The fogmonster' is unpredictable and chilly. Sweaters on again.  We move further south on Highway 1. There are many 'viewpoints' and it takes us a long time to get to Malibu. The motel we stay in is not exactly what you imagine thinking about Malibu. Everything is old and maybe even rotten. We eat in a restaurant where all filmstars of the USA have been, at least if you believe the pictures on the wall. The next day we move on to L.A. We donīt like the city. We visit the Queen Mary and the Spruce Goose, the only historic things in the area.  And we decide it is better to go Disneyland tomorrow. After a great day we want eat something nice tonight. A chinese restaurant in the neighbourhood, so... Tonight is buffet night. All the dishes are only noted in chinese caracters. And if we look around we are about the only white people in the restaurant, that promiss nothing good. And indeed. Everything we try is much to hot. But we wonīt give up. at the end we had a bite to eat, but bot much and absolutely not good.  Time to discover the real wild west. We go to Calico. Once a booming town, but when the gold ran out, the town was deserted. The town is now restored and became a tourist attraction. This is not the real wild west. On to one of the seven worldwonders then, the Grand Canyon.  To see the entire Grand Canyon we booked a helicopterflight. It was very exciting, to ensure a safe flight we were distributed by weight and had to watch a safety video. But it was worth it. A great experience. After the Grand Canyon we move towards Las Vegas, Nevada. It is too far to do in one day so we stop for the night in a small village along route 66. Ashfork, Arizona, Only 20 houses , 2 motels, 1 truckstop and 2 streets. Then we encounter a car that is signaling us, there are two streets but both are oneway !  After a long boring ride we want some excitement, luckely we have reached Las Vegas. We try to get a room in hotel/casino Circus Circus, but all 2800 kamers are gone ... We are referred to Palace Station. Nice hotel but a little from the Strip. The Strip is the main street full of casinos. Death Valley 
Searching for a little bit more. In the USA everything is the biggest or the best,
but they also have a depthpoint. Badwater in Death Valley is 282 ft under sealevel.
In summer it is very hot here. And looking at the peole living here, you understand
at what temperature brains get overheated. Some of the staff of Furnace Creek Ranch, where we stay for the night, are infected.
There is a tense atmosphere in camp. Dark clouds on the horizon.
Could the rain come.... No way. In the mountains surrounding
Death Valley it is very bad weather. People are returning from there because they
canīt go through. But in Death Valley it stays dry and warm. Indeed a climate to get crazy in. The Highway Patrol... just wait .... Untill they stop filming.... 
We have to go back to San Francisco, but we have some time to visit the natureparks.
The first one is Sequioa / Kings Canyon. As the name says it is full of the big sequoia.
This trees can grow over 1000 years old and are only found in North America.After that Yosemite. A park known for its famous rockformations and waterfalls.  Back to San Fransisco to catch flight TW800 via New York to Amsterdam. We are happy not to have delays like 3 weeks ago. It was a great trip and we will be coming back to the USA. |