Crazy, Yes We Know!
The current Malaysian Airlines fares are just too good to be true — so, crazy as it seems, we’re heading back to the USA, departing Perth on 31st October!
We don’t usually travel later in the year because of my cricket association commitments, but I’ve got permission from the committee — so away we go!
Flight Details:
31st October
- MH 126: Depart Perth 2:30 AM → Arrive Kuala Lumpur 8:00 AM (Airbus A330)
- MH 94: Depart Kuala Lumpur 3:15 PM → Arrive Los Angeles 6:05 PM (Boeing 777-200, 1 stop in Taipei)
21st November
- MH 95: Depart Los Angeles 11:10 PM (Boeing 777-200, 1 stop in Taipei)
23rd November
- Arrive Kuala Lumpur 12:15 PM (Boeing 777-200)
24th November
- MH 125: Depart Kuala Lumpur 9:40 AM → Arrive Perth 3:00 PM (Boeing 777-200)
Saturday and Sunday
Our last couple of days at home have been very pleasant.
On Saturday, the Hartman men — who between them have played 572 games of cricket for Kenwick Cricket Club — played in the same team for the first time. A great honour for me. Scott, flying home from LA, beat the Qantas strike by minutes and came straight from the airport to play.
On Sunday, Ryan, Chelsea, and our friend Freddry came over for a very pleasant lunch. Later, Scott joined us for dinner, and we chatted about his trip. It was the best Sunday I’ve had in years. Poor Rayls had to pack — funny how you have months, then weeks, then days, and still end up running around with minutes to go.
Anyway, we are about to leave for the airport — watch this space.
Monday 31st October
We made it to Kuala Lumpur OK. Took off at 2:59am and landed at 8:00am — flying 4,276 kilometres.
Scott took us to the airport; we arrived around 12:30am. Boarding was slow and didn’t start until 2:30am, the original departure time. Not the greatest departure area at Perth.
The flight was fine, though the TV screens were ancient and of poor quality.
Finding the hotel inside the airport complex took some effort. I had thought there’d be free internet, but alas, no.
The room is OK. We have about 6 hours here before our flight to Taipei at 3:15pm, and then onward to LA.
The flight’s maximum speed was 1,028.2 kph and the average speed was 841.84 kph. I’m sorry…… I enjoy trivia like that!
Arrival in LA
We made it to LA safely, landing a bit after 6:00pm (9:00am Tuesday back home).
The flights were long:
- Kuala Lumpur to Taipei: 3,460 kilometres, 4 hours 21 minutes.
- Taipei to LA: 11,173 kilometres, 12 hours 41 minutes, with a 1 hour 52 minute layover.
Malaysia Airlines were good — service was fine and the food was as good as it gets on a plane. The entertainment was via small seat-back screens, though the show selection was fairly average.
On the KL to Taipei leg, we flew over Vietnam, right above Ho Chi Minh City. The Taipei to LA flight went just south of Japan, making landfall in the US just south of San Francisco above Monterey. It was dusk when we landed.
It took an hour and a half to clear immigration and customs. The immigration officer had family in Melbourne, so we had a nice chat, much to the frustration of others waiting behind us. Our bags took about 15 minutes to arrive. We were flagged for a customs check due to some food we declared, but it was a quick process.
The shuttle bus to Alamo Car Rental took about 20 minutes with stops and traffic. Halloween was in full swing — lots of people in costume. One Alamo staffer was dressed as a fairy, another as a hippie (very sad).
The car rental process was surprisingly painless, though they charged for a full tank of gas upfront — which is fine if you’re driving far, but we’re only in LA for 36 hours and won’t be going far.
We managed to find the 405 freeway fairly easily — first time driving on the right side at night, but we did OK.
Checked into the Sheraton in Garden Grove, then headed across the road to Target for some essentials.
After a light meal at Wendy’s, it was back to the room.
Lots of football on TV — four channels showing football and two featuring someone called Kim Kardashian, who seems to be a big deal here.
Anyway, we’re safe and sound in LA. It’s now 2:33am and I can’t sleep, so here I am typing away.
LA Area
Not a great night’s sleep — just too tired, I guess.
We were on the road a bit after 8am and headed down Chapman to iHop for breakfast. I had the 2x2x2: two pancakes, two eggs, and two strips of bacon — $4.99 each.
Next stop was Cerritos and our regular visit to the AT&T store. I got a SIM for my phone so I can do unlimited texting, even back to Australia, for just $2 a day. There’s also a data package so I can surf the internet on the phone.
Back in 1980, when I was in Europe, I had to hunt down a week-old Times newspaper in some far-flung town just to get a cricket score from Australia. Now, we’re as up to date as anyone can be.
The AT&T store had a Walmart next door, so we checked that out. The clothes were totally different since they’re heading into winter here. Prices seemed a little higher, and there were fewer bargains. The shelves were empty in many stores as they clear out Halloween stock. Christmas decorations are already out.
One thing that caught my eye — bananas were 19 cents each! That’s way cheaper than back home, where bananas are ridiculously expensive due to storms and flooding. Must be around $1.50 each in Perth.
Sorry — got distracted by that vital info!
After Walmart, we stopped at Kohl’s. No bargains there — I only buy bargains.
Then we hit some fabric and quilt stores. The first one on Beach had Rayls spending about 10 minutes there; not so good. We tried three more stores and had success at only one, a fabric warehouse where we spent about 30 minutes. Rayls insists our Quilt Shop count is zero because the stores only sold fabric, not quilts. Not sure what the difference is, but never argue with the wife! Still no Walmart trucks sighted today.
Around 1:30pm, we headed east to Fry’s Electronics on La Palma, where I bought a cover for my new iPhone. Of course, we got distracted by all the gadgets and goodies on the way to the checkout.
Back at the hotel a bit after 3pm, I tried to catch up on cricket work, but the network was slow and frustrating. We both had a nap — probably not the best idea.
By 5:30pm, refreshed (well, sort of), we went to Denny’s further down Harbor for dinner. First Denny’s of the trip, and it was a good one. We were greeted with a big smile from a lovely young lady named Lidia who took us to our table. She had an accent — originally from Poland — and is in the US on a student visa. We chatted while she served us, and exchanged email addresses. Hopefully, she’ll read this little story.
After dinner, we left with big smiles and headed back to the hotel. The internet was still as useless as ever, so I came down to the Business Center (American spelling) and caught up on most of my cricket work — it was a busy weekend. Now I’m working on this website.
All is good. Meeting people like Lidia is what I love about the USA.
So far, I’ve only taken one photo on the trip — the one Scott took of us at Perth Airport. See below.
Tomorrow, we fly to Houston via Phoenix.
Orange County
The day started in our hotel room at the Sheraton in Garden Grove. We were up at 5:00am to get ready for our planned 8:40am departure from John Wayne Airport.
When we stepped outside, it was dark and very foggy — making the drive from the hotel to the airport quite tricky.
Returning the rental car was no problem, and it’s just a short walk to check-in. Both check-in and security were a breeze, and we arrived at our gate with over an hour to spare. The only problem was the fog. Our plane was coming in from Sacramento but couldn’t land. The Southwest staff kept us informed, doing a good job considering the situation.
Orange County Airport
We eventually took off two and a half hours late — missing our Houston connection in Phoenix. The flight to Phoenix was fine, 55 minutes in the air covering 566 kilometres. Once there, we were directed to gate C3 for new boarding passes to our next flights — to wherever and whenever, nobody knew.
The staff at C3 had boarding passes for a flight to Albuquerque, New Mexico, and then from there on to Houston. This was becoming quite the adventure.
After an hour on the ground in Phoenix, we flew to Albuquerque. The plane was crowded and Rayls and I were separated at the rear. It was a 50-minute flight covering 536 kilometres.
We had about 30 minutes to wait for our 4:00pm departure from Albuquerque. Once on board — again a full plane, but this time Rayls and I sat together — there was a 30-minute delay due to a problem closing the cargo door. There was much banging and crashing beneath us, but eventually, the duct tape held and we were on our way to Houston.
Rayls had tickets for the Preview Night at the Quilt Festival starting at 7:30pm, but after landing at 7:25pm, followed by shuttle and car rental time, that was missed. There’s always next year, Rayls.
The flight from Albuquerque to Houston was 1 hour and 35 minutes, covering 1,258 kilometres.
Our bags were already on the carousel when we arrived, and the shuttle bus to Alamo was quick. Getting the car was easy, though everyone here speaks with a broad Texan drawl — y’all!
It was just a 3-minute drive to the Days Inn hotel, which is rated number 1 out of over 300 hotels in Houston on TripAdvisor.
After settling in, we headed to Denny’s just a couple of hundred metres away for dinner.
Back at the hotel, we were asleep by 10:30pm. It had been a long day.
Now it’s 3:30am, and I’m awake typing this.
Houston — 3rd November 2011
Today, Rayls achieved one of her dreams by attending the Houston International Quilt Festival.
The morning drive along Highway 45 was pretty easy, taking about 25 minutes. We stopped at Subway so Rayls could grab something for lunch to avoid wasting time buying food at the Festival.
The Festival opened today, running for four days from 10:00am to 7:00pm.
We arrived at the Convention Centre just after 9:00am. I dropped Rayls off and headed a little north of Houston to Fry’s Electronics, though I didn’t buy anything. Then I drove about 40 kilometres back to the hotel.
I checked movie times and saw Moneyball with Brad Pitt — a good film. Afterwards, I visited Walmart, tried (unsuccessfully) to get a donut at a Shipley’s Donut shop that was closed, then found another open 24/7.
Back at the hotel, I had a snack and took a nap — see how wisely I’m using my time here in Houston!
At 6:15pm, I drove back into Houston, picked up Rayls, and we headed back to the hotel via James Coney Island, a hot dog place highly recommended by our friend Amy. The food was great, though the bowl of chili they gave me to try wasn’t quite to my liking.
Now we’re back at the hotel, and Rayls is going through her haul.
As for Rayls… the Quilt Festival was everything she expected and more — another bucket list item ticked off! Hundreds of amazing stalls and quilts. She had a sensational time and is looking forward to more tomorrow.
Houston — 4th November 2011
Another day down, and Rayls is exhausted after two nine-hour days at the Quilt Festival. Part of her wishes she could go for a third day, but most of her says that’s it — too sore and tired to continue. Yes, you read that right: too tired to go quilting. It’s a miracle!
This morning, we left for the Festival a bit later since we now know the layout. Still, she arrived 45 minutes early and was happy with that.
I headed back toward the hotel and ended up in a Sears store in Pasadena. Cheap clothing there, and I bought five shirts.
Back at the hotel, I caught up on cricket stuff before heading to a 12:20pm session of the movie Abduction. I was the only one in the cinema when it started, but two couples arrived during the previews and spoiled my party. The movie was okay, probably aimed at a younger audience.
Back to the hotel around 3pm, then off to pick up Rayls at 6:15pm. There was a lot more traffic around the Convention Centre. Nearby is Minute Maid Park, where the Astros play. I tried to book a stadium tour, but it was all booked out. The Toyota Centre, just over the road, was causing traffic issues due to a Guns N’ Roses concert. It was funny to see quilting ladies pouring out of the Convention Centre by the hundreds, while younger people streamed toward the concert.
Houston is a big city — the largest in Texas and the fourth largest in the USA, with a population around 2.2 million. That probably makes it about a third bigger than Perth, but it certainly has a lot more sports venues. Minute Maid Park, where Rayls, Scott, and I saw the Astros play in 2001; the Toyota Centre, where Scott and I saw a wrestling event three years ago; Reliant Stadium, which holds 80,000, where Scott and I watched Wrestlemania; plus a football stadium next to Reliant, and various college venues. Meanwhile, Perth is still struggling with plans for a new footy stadium with very limited parking. Anyway…
Saw something like this in Boddington a few weeks ago — Overkill…
Rayls says she had a mind-blowing, awesome time at the Quilt Festival — everything she dreamed of and more. She has tons of photos and a sore body from too much walking and carrying stuff.
This trip was a bit of a shakedown cruise for a second trip next year, when we’ll bring some of Rayls’ quilting friends with us. Good news: this hotel is perfect — cheap, comfortable, and just a 20-minute drive into downtown Houston. Rayls is thinking three days at the Festival next year, but that’ll need to be discussed with the gang: “You’re not getting any younger, ladies!”
Tonight we had dinner at an IHOP — something light. I just had a bowl of fruit.
Tomorrow (Saturday) we fly to Las Vegas via Denver. Hopefully, the flights will be smoother this time. We should land in Vegas around 2pm and have a concert to attend at 7:30pm.
Houston to Las Vegas — 5th November 2011
No problems with our flights today, and we arrived in Vegas right on time.
The day started a bit rough with a burst pipe at our Houston hotel, leaving us with very limited water. We made do and left just after 9am for the short 4-minute drive to return the rental car. The shuttle was already waiting, and by 9:30am we were at the airport. Check-in and security went smoothly, and we were at our gate (43) shortly after 10am.
No direct flights to Vegas from Houston today, so we routed through Denver. Boarded around 10:55am, took off at 11:08am.
The first leg to Denver was nearly two hours — 1,480 kilometres. After an hour on the ground, we boarded the second flight, a 1 hour 32 minute hop covering 1,030 kilometres to Vegas.
Flights were good — that’s eight flights so far on the trip, one more than planned.
Baggage claim was quick, and the shuttle bus to the car rental was waiting. The car rental process was easy, and we got our Dodge Avenger without fuss. I looked for a car with the steering wheel on the right (Australian style), but alas — none available.
Navigating to the MGM Grand was straightforward; that big green building with the MGM logo is hard to miss.
Checking in took longer than expected. The walk from parking to the check-in counter felt endless, and I got a bit cranky with the process. After checking in, I asked where to collect our concert tickets for tonight’s Eagles show. The lady directed us to the Concierge desk, where I waited 20 minutes only to be told I needed to go to the box office. After struggling with bags and asking for directions, I finally found the box office, got the tickets, and reunited with Rayls.
Finding our room in the West Wing was a maze — no nearby elevators, and lots of long corridors to navigate. The room itself was small but comfortable.
We unpacked and went shopping for camping gear since we’re heading out with Steve and Amy soon. We had very little of what they recommended — who even owns long underwear? Time was tight, and we didn’t have much luck with camping gear, so we’ll try again tomorrow.
Dinner was McDonald’s as we headed back to the hotel.
Thankfully, the hotel has water, so we had a much-needed shower before heading to the Eagles concert.
The MGM Garden Arena is very similar in design to the old Perth Entertainment Centre — maybe a bit bigger. We were seated well back but enjoyed the show. I saw the Eagles last December in Perth with my son Scott and thought that concert was a bit better, but this one was still very good.
Back in the room by 11:00pm (1:00am Perth time), tired after the long day.
For those tracking it — Wal-Mart truck count remains zero (I spotted four solo but that doesn’t count) and quilt shop count is zero too. (Apparently, the Quilt Festival and fabric stores don’t count as quilt shops. I’m not arguing.)
Las Vegas — 6th November 2011
Good news: one Wal-Mart truck and one quilt shop spotted today!
Bad news: much of this entry, especially the evening part, may be boring.
We woke up a bit confused about the time. The room clock and my phone showed different times. After some digging, we realized the clock was an hour fast — the phone was correct. Daylight saving ended last night, but we hadn’t seen any news about it. At least it explained things.
After our usual morning routine, we headed to the suburbs for some camping supplies for our trip with Amy and Steve.
Breakfast was at McDonald’s, and then we fired up the GPS. Unfortunately, it took ages to start and defaulted to German! It took about an hour to switch it back to English — so much for that hour we just gained!
We visited about four stores over a few hours and got most of what we needed, including long underwear. Still missing sleeping bags.
On the way back to the hotel, we stopped by the Paris to collect tickets for tonight’s show.
We had no lunch but an early dinner at IHOP.
Back at the hotel around 4:30pm, still adjusting to the time change and early darkness. To avoid being late, I called the front desk to confirm the time — the clerk confirmed the clock was wrong, the phone was right, and daylight saving had ended.
At 6:30pm, we drove to the Paris hotel. My knee was badly swollen, and Rayls had new shoes, so walking was out.
Now the boring part:
Two Barry Manilow stories!
- Back in May 1983, we had tickets to see him, but our son Scott was born on the same day as the concert. Rayls stayed home with Scott, and I went alone — cashed in her ticket. Rayls never got to see Barry until tonight.
- On our 2003 trip through Canada and the USA, we only had one CD in the car — Barry Manilow’s Greatest Hits, which we must have played hundreds of times. Hearing a Manilow song still takes us back to that drive.
Tonight’s concert was sensational — a real show with a great band and music. Funny to see the older fans struggle up stairs to their seats — made me remember my own sore knee.
Back at the hotel by 10:00pm — Manilow fans need their early nights.
I’m glad Rayls finally got to see Barry and enjoyed the show.
Side note: This site is getting hits — 4 online now and 184 hits for the day! Wish I knew who you all were.
To Cedar City — 7th November 2011
We were out of the MGM by 6:30am, heading north on I-15. After stopping for breakfast at a McDonald’s just outside Vegas, we drove an hour and a half to St. George, Utah. There, we stocked up on some last-minute camping gear before continuing the final 45 minutes to Cedar City.
A few miles outside Cedar City, the snow started falling—and by the time we reached Amy’s house, it was coming down pretty hard. A beautiful sight, especially since snow is such a rarity for us.
It was wonderful catching up with Amy and Steve again. For lunch, we went to my favourite spot, Market Grill. The toasted ham and cheese sandwich was good, but the banana cream pie was absolutely magnificent.
Back at the house, we started the final preparations for our upcoming camping trip, which kicks off tomorrow. Amy has done 95% of the work—thank goodness!
Valley of Fire — Camping Adventure Begins!
For those who know us well, camping isn’t exactly our forte. Amy and Steve, on the other hand, are seasoned campers, going out many times each year with their camper trailer that sets up in minutes—and yes, it even has a kitchen sink!
So back to Tuesday, the day our camping adventure began.
We were prepared with the sleeping bags and long underwear we’d recently purchased. The rest of the gear we borrowed from the Robinsons, including their old tent and some warmer outer layers. We definitely wanted to be ready for the cold nights ahead.
On the way out of Cedar City, we made some important stops: fuel, firewood, ice (yes, 11 bags of ice despite snow on the ground), and Starbucks for a caffeine fix.
The drive to Valley of Fire State Park took us 260 kilometres south along I-15, back toward Las Vegas, following much of the same route we took the day before. Along the way, I spotted 7 Wal-Mart trucks, keeping our count ticking over.
The Valley of Fire is Nevada’s oldest state park, established in 1935 and covering 34,880 acres (14,120 hectares). Named for its fiery red sandstone formations—which formed from shifting sand dunes during the age of dinosaurs—the rocks glow intensely under the sun, appearing to be ablaze.
We arrived at the park around 2:00pm (an extra hour thanks to crossing back into Nevada).
Setting up took a while—pitching the tent, setting up the camper trailer, and arranging the “kitchen” gear. We took a walk around the campsite to admire the stunning rock formations.
Sunset was at 4:37pm, and darkness fell quickly after 5:00pm. Strange how early it gets dark here! We lit lanterns and a campfire, then had an early chicken dinner.
I was wiped out and in my tent by 6:00pm, while the others stayed up for some classic camping fun—making S’mores before bedtime.
Sleeping was okay—not as cold as expected, maybe around 5°C. Luckily, I had my Kindle to read by flashlight in the dark.
Wednesday — Exploring the Valley of Fire
We were up early for a fantastic breakfast of scrambled eggs, bacon, and sausage.
During the day, we explored several highlights of the park:
- Atlatl Rock: Featuring ancient Native American petroglyphs, including images of the atlatl—a notched stick used to throw spears, predecessor to the bow and arrow.
- Petrified Logs: Fossilized logs and stumps washed into the area from a forest dating back 225 million years, now turned to stone.
- Visitor’s Centre: A great spot to learn about the park’s history and geology.
- Mouse’s Tank: Named after a renegade Native American who used this natural basin as a hideout in the 1890s. The water basin collects rainwater, sometimes for months. We took the one-kilometre round-trip trail from the parking area to see the petroglyphs along the way.
- Rainbow Vista: A favourite photography spot with panoramic views of the multicoloured sandstone. I even got mobile coverage here and received a message and some email.
- White Domes: Stunning sandstone formations with brilliant contrasting colours.
It was a fantastic day full of hiking, climbing, and exploring some amazing natural wonders.
Dinner was cheeseburgers, and I managed to stay up a little later to enjoy some S’mores with the gang—still asleep by 7:00pm.
Cedar City — 11th November 2011
A quiet day today.
We spent some time unpacking leftovers from the camping trip and worked on the website and some cricket-related tasks.
For lunch, it was just leftovers from the trip. In the afternoon, Rayls and I had our Wal-Mart fix—got to keep the count ticking!
It’s Veterans Day here in the USA, and nearly every house displayed an American flag on the front verge—a nice show of respect.
Later, we went to the movies to see Tower Heist, which turned out to be pretty good.
We planned to have dinner at Applebee’s but it looked busy, so we ended up at Pizza Factory instead.
Homeward bound for a TV movie and then bed.
Cedar City — 12th November 2011
Rayls and Amy drove the 80 kilometres to St. George to visit the Tuacahn Fair. The fair was pretty impressive, showcasing quality crafts at reasonable prices. The venue was a bit out in the middle of nowhere but nicely set next to a theatre.
The fair was well advertised; we saw an ad for it during the movies last night, which prompted their trip.
While in St. George, they also visited Coldwater Creek, Harmons, Costco, and Scrap Apple Quilts.
Meanwhile, I stayed in Cedar City, checked out a few stores, and had lunch with Steve at the Main Street Diner. Later, I browsed at Ace Hardware—a quirky place that sells firearms alongside fabric, which made for some interesting shopping!
Everyone was back home by mid-afternoon, where we relaxed before picking up Applebee’s curbside dinner and renting two movies—Bridesmaids and Crazy, Stupid, Love.
Cedar City — 13th November 2011
Today was another picture-perfect day in Cedar City—such a shame it’s our last here. I especially love this place!
Rayls spent the morning packing and helped Amy with a craft project, while I focused on cricket administration.
Lunch was more leftovers.
In the afternoon, we went back to the movies to see J. Edgar, which was good.
Afterwards, Amy prepared a lovely salmon and rice dinner, and we watched The Shining on TV—a 31-year-old classic that Rayls and I had never seen before.
As usual, we’ve enjoyed our time with Amy and Steve in Cedar City—fantastic friends in a beautiful part of the world.
In our week here, we’ve experienced snow, camping, two movies, and plenty of good company.
14th November — Back to LA
Up fairly early to say thanks and goodbye to Steve, who had the last week off and wasn’t keen to go back to work.
After Steve left, we finished packing and spent about an hour chatting with Amy before following her to her workplace—the Heritage Theatre. She was working in the box office today, so we got a quick look before saying our goodbyes. Amy has become like a sister to us; it’s always hard to leave. Hopefully, we’ll see her again soon.
There was plenty of texting between Amy and us as we drove to Barstow—even while she was at the dentist later that day!
We left at 10am, stopping an hour later in St. George for some shopping at Roberts, JCPenney, Sears, and grabbed lunch at Jimmy John’s. We spent about an hour and a half there.
After that, it was about 1 hour 45 minutes down I-15 to Vegas, specifically Henderson, where Rayls checked out Quilteque Quilts and a bead shop. Approaching Quilteque, I drove like a true Aussie—forgot to keep right for a few seconds, which scared us all!
A bit over two hours in Vegas, then back on I-15 toward Barstow. Driving west into the setting sun was painful; the speed limit was 70 mph but for about half an hour we crawled at 50 mph while blinded by the sun.
It was a four-state day: Utah, Arizona, Nevada, and California. We gained back an hour crossing from Arizona into Nevada. We arrived at our stop, Days Inn Barstow, around 5pm, checked in, then went to Denny’s for dinner.
Today’s tally: 547 kilometres, top speed 140.41 kph, average speed 99.83 kph. Tomorrow, onward to LA—just over two hours away. Wal-Mart truck tally now at 51.
15th November — LA and TV Show Taping
We got an early start, hitting I-15 toward LA just after 8am. The drive was uneventful, but we decided to detour to the Richard Nixon Presidential Library in Yorba Linda, an outer suburb about 40 kilometres from downtown LA.
The Library is more of a museum, built around the house where Nixon was born. Fascinating visit. Nixon and Pat Nixon are buried on the grounds. We toured the house, and the volunteer guides provided excellent information.
One of the highlights was stepping aboard Army One—the presidential helicopter used by Kennedy, Johnson, Nixon, and Ford. It’s been fully restored and is on permanent display.
We spent a couple of hours exploring and could have easily stayed longer.
Afterwards, we drove down I-5 past downtown LA to Glendale, where our hotel is. It’s a budget spot but clean and comfortable.
After a rest, we headed to Studio City to attend a taping of Last Man Standing at CBS Studios. The show stars Tim Allen (of Home Improvement fame) and hasn’t aired in Australia yet.
A quick overview of the show: Tim Allen plays Mike Baxter, a marketing director and family man dealing with his female-dominated household. The show explores the clash between his old-fashioned views and his daughters’ more liberal outlooks. The Outdoor Man store, where Mike works, sells guns, jerky, and camo recliners—a testosterone-fueled man cave.
We parked and queued up, striking up a conversation with a lovely couple—Boyd from Alberta, Canada, and Hayley from LA. Hope they find this site and get in touch!
The taping was great fun. There was a comedian host, Robert Lee, who warmed up the audience with jokes. Rayls and I were the farthest travelers in the audience. Robert had me up front for a few minutes—out of my comfort zone, but I managed to get some laughs and applause! Rayls also got to talk quilting briefly.
The episode was a Christmas special with a surprise guest: Nick Jonas! The young fans around us were thrilled.
We ended the night with an autographed photo of Tim Allen.
A special mention to one audience member, a veteran seriously injured in Iraq in 2005 who’s had 60 surgeries since. His story was sobering and humbling.
All in all, a great day.
16th November — LA
A quiet day today.
We slept in a bit, then had breakfast at Maccas. After some shopping, we visited our friend Scott McKenzie in the Hollywood Hills. Scott has been unwell for some time, but we enjoyed a pleasant walk together, chatting as we went. For those who don’t know, Scott had a hit record in 1967—San Francisco (Be Sure To Wear Flowers In Your Hair)—and it’s been our pleasure to manage the Scott McKenzie website since 1998.
In the evening, we headed to the Staples Center in LA for the Kings vs. Ducks hockey game.
What a great game—went to overtime and then a shootout, won by the Kings.
The Kings put on a great show, including recognition of a returned soldier during the national anthem and the game. A memorable night!
17th November — Reagan Library
Started the day again with breakfast at Maccas, then headed north to the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, about 65 kilometres northwest of downtown LA.
These “presidential libraries” are really more like museums, but fascinating ones. The Reagan Library chronicles his life—from childhood in Dixon, Illinois, through his film career, military service, marriage to Nancy, and political career, including his presidential campaigns. Highlights included his inauguration suit and a White House Situation Room table. There’s also news footage of the 1981 assassination attempt and exhibits on the Strategic Defense Initiative (aka “Star Wars”).
A full-scale replica of the Oval Office is a centerpiece, with expansive grounds that include a portion of the White House lawn, a piece of the Berlin Wall, and an F-14 Tomcat.
The largest exhibit is a hangar housing the Boeing 707 Air Force One aircraft used during Reagan’s presidency—and by six other presidents from 1973 to 2001. It was retired in 2001 and is a fantastic photo opportunity and fascinating to walk through.
A very interesting place to spend a few hours.
Lunch with Scott McKenzie
Later in the day, we had lunch with Scott, who was well enough to come out. We picked him up and went to Astro’s Family Restaurant, a popular spot with lots of police officers. We were seated next to eight LA SWAT officers and other cops—a real badge of honor for the restaurant!
Scott’s humour and spirit were as strong as ever. We thoroughly enjoyed catching up.
Two and a Half Men — Warner Brothers Studios
After dropping Scott home and resting at the hotel, we went to Warner Brothers Studios for a taping of Two and a Half Men. Another fun night. Like the previous show we saw on Tuesday, this was a Christmas special.
In this episode, Ashton Kutcher’s character Walden finds out from his mother (played by Mimi Rogers) that his childhood imaginary friend was actually a real gorilla named Magilla. Strange but hilarious!
19th November — Glendale Christmas
A really good day, aside from the Kings losing (but you can’t win ‘em all).
We started with our usual Maccas breakfast, then headed into LA for a 1:00pm Kings game against the Detroit Red Wings. The arena was full of Red Wings supporters. We arrived early to soak up the atmosphere. The Kings scored a short-handed goal that nearly brought the house down, but the Red Wings quickly equalized and went on to win 4-1. Still, it was great to be there supporting the Kings.
After the game, we returned to the hotel for a short rest, then went to Glendale to see 50/50 at the cinema. The theatre was busy, especially with the recent Twilight craze, but our movie had only a handful of viewers. It was a good film—both happy and sad.
Exiting the theatre after dark, we were treated to an incredible Christmas light display at the Americana at Brand, a large outdoor shopping center designed like a city center.
The centerpiece was a 60-foot Christmas tree and a musical fountain that performs every hour. The entire area was beautifully lit and perfect for wandering around.
We ended the day with dinner at Applebee’s. It was a bit of a drive, but the food and service were excellent.
20th November — Last Full Day in LA
Our last full day was quiet, mostly because rain interrupted our plans.
We arranged to meet Scott for a walk at 11am but stepped outside to persistent rain—proving Albert Hammond wrong; it does rain in Southern California!
Determined not to let the weather win, I switched the GPS from quickest to shortest route. The GPS did not appreciate this and proceeded to take us on every back street and detour possible. It took us 15 minutes longer to reach Scott’s place than it should have!
Scott called ahead wondering where we were. Given the rain, we decided to skip the walk and went to lunch at Astro’s again. The food was fantastic, and Scott’s stories from his music career were a joy to hear.
Back at the hotel around 2pm, we headed to a 4:40pm movie in Pasadena—Ides of March with Ryan Gosling and George Clooney. Another great film.
Afterwards, we visited Macy’s and Target before grabbing KFC for dinner on the way back.
Tomorrow we check out by 11am, with a late flight at 10:30pm. Not sure how we’ll spend the day—maybe another walk with Scott or a movie.
We arrive back in Perth at 3pm on Thursday afternoon
Last Day in the USA — Griffith Park, LA
Our last day in the US was always going to be a bit tricky. Checking out by 11am but not flying till 11:10pm left a 12-hour window to fill—probably closer to 10 once you allow for airport arrival times.
The weather was beautiful; the recent rain had brightened everything up. We met up with our friend Scott around 11:15am and went for a lovely walk. Scott knows so many people along the way, so we kept stopping to chat—friends, neighbours, even the mailman. Plenty of dogs were being walked too, all rescue dogs, so we had lots of fun patting them.
After saying goodbye to Scott, we had breakfast/lunch at Astro’s. There was a slight delay when Rayls lost her glasses (a story she tells me not to mention here!).
Lunch was good: I had fruit salad, which was very nice, and Rayls had a toasted cheese sandwich.
The Flight
We settled in an area where I could recharge my phone, which had gone flat from nearly 1,000 texts exchanged with Amy during the past three weeks—lots of fun!
Boarding MH95 was smooth; the plane was only half full. We took off a few minutes late. The 14.5-hour flight felt quick for the first seven hours but dragged for the last seven. The in-flight entertainment was the same as on the way over, so I ended up watching sitcoms.
Taipei was a bit odd—we had to get off the plane with all our hand luggage, go through security, and then re-board.
The flight from Taipei to Kuala Lumpur was a relaxed 4.5 hours. Now we’re here in KL for 21 hours—18 of them in this day room
24th November — Home
Here I sit in my lounge room. Another trip has come to an end, and we’re home safe and sound.
Happy Thanksgiving to our American friends!
Last night we slept OK in the KL airport day room. We had to check out by 7:00am and did a last-minute wander around the airport—breakfast at Burger King. They didn’t have a breakfast menu, just their usual burgers. I asked for a Diet Coke and got a warm can from the shelf, so I had to ask for a cup and ice to cool it down.
We walked over to Gate C1 and waited about 45 minutes for security to open.
Our flight was scheduled for 9:30am, but boarding was delayed about 10 minutes due to technical difficulties. The delay was brief, and we took off about 15 minutes late. The flight was fine—no worries with Malaysian Airlines, very top class.
We landed in Perth around 2:50pm. Immigration was a breeze with the new e-passports, but there was an issue with luggage: one of our four bags was still in KL and will be on tonight’s flight. They’ll call us Friday morning to arrange delivery.
Ryan was at the airport to meet us and drove us home.
Another trip done. I’m hoping for another in April, but Rayls is determined it will be November. We’ll see.
Wal-Mart truck count ended at 72. I was still on the lookout during the drive home from the airport, but saw none.
It was a good trip and I look forward to the next one. See you next time.
Gaz
