California, Nevada, Arizona

20th May - finally in Hollywood after a very long journey.

It was a pain having to be out of our villa at the Blue Lagoon at 10am and then wait around for 3 hours for the ferry. There are 30 people leaving today so the staff are very busy. We got chatting to the young couple that are going around the world for six months and turns out he is a GP. As he's a locum he can take as much time off as he likes. He's only been qualified 8 months so obviously raked in the money quickly!

The ferry does the whole 4 1/2 hour pick up and drop off routine all the way back to Denereau and there's a lot of luggage to offload at the port. System is that you wait, as a crowd, on a patch of land and they unload the bags onto it and then you walk around to find yours. Luckily our two big cases stand out amongst all the backpacks. Our driver is waiting to take us straight to the airport and he's a nice guy and gives us a commentary on the way. Check in is quick and then another wait for the flight which is at 21:40. It's only ten minutes late taking off. By the time we'd had dinner and watched some TV it was midnight so tried to get a bit of sleep.

Flight took 10 hours to Los Angeles and as long flights go it wasn't too bad - we arrived at lunchtime local time. Would fly Fiji Airlines again.

LAX is extremely busy but there are loads of booths at immigration and we only queued about twenty minutes. Having got the luggage we had to get a shuttle bus to the Avis rental building which was manic. Again, quite a few staff working so we didn't wait more than half an hour or so. Bit of confusion about what we'd booked, on their side, so agent tried to allocate us a compact size car but when I queried it he upgraded us to next size up with no fuss.

The LA traffic is horrendous so it was slow going but we eventually made it to our Best Western hotel in the Hollywood Hills area late afternoon. It's only a five minute walk from Hollywood Boulevard and the 'Walk of Fame.' Quick shower and change and we went straight there. Hadn't realised that there were so many stars laid and that I wouldn't have heard of most of the people honoured with a star! It's really busy and really hot - about 30 degrees with the same forecast for tomorrow. We got a table at a very busy Mexican restaurant where we could sit outside. Most disgusting margarita cocktail ever, just tasted of salt! Food was good although obviously, being the US, the portion sizes were ridiculously large and we couldn't eat it all.

Back at the hotel I managed to book a tour online for Hollywood and Beverley Hills for tomorrow morning and we're being picked up at 9am.

21st May - the hotel doesn't have its own restaurant but there's a place called the 101 cafe next door so we went there for breakfast before being collected for our trip.

It was a great tour starting on Hollywood Boulevard taking in the Chinese Theatre where all film premieres take place, the Dolby theatre where the Academy Awards are held, the Egyptian Theatre where the first ever film premiere (Robin Hood) was shown and the El Capitan where only Disney films are shown.

Additionally, as we drove around the area the guide pointed out various hotels and restaurants that had featured in films including the cafe where we had breakfast! Next we drove along Mulholland Drive (named after Irish engineer that designed the water supply system in Los Angeles) and up through the hills to Griffith Park and the Observatory. This is the best viewpoint for the Hollywood sign on the hill. Spent 30 minutes there visiting the Observatory and taking photos of the views all over LA and Beverley Hills. Driving down back down through the park we passed the Greek Theatre which is a small open air venue that hosts music concerts and then the Hollywood Bowl which is three times the size and gets top bands playing there. This area was also the start of the celebrity homes part of the tour, both Keven Spacey and Kiefer Sutherland live close by. We then drove several miles up and around the hills while the guide pointed out houses owned by the rich and famous - to name a few,

Robert De Niro, Denzil Washington, Charline Theron, Meg Ryan, Cameron Diaz, Ben Stiller, Justin Biedermeier, Gwen Stefani. We mainly saw closed gates and roof tops but it was still fun!

Next stop was Rodeo Drive for a bit of window shopping, every top designer has a store here.

Finally, back towards the tour start via Sunset Strip and all the while the guide is telling us who owns which restaurant, bar or club and which celebrity died where!

This afternoon we walked back to Sunset Boulevard to a famous guitar shop that also has rock band memorabilia. They also have Elvis's blue suede shoes! All in all we walked around for about 3 hours only stopping at Ghiradellis for ice cream. It's really hot again so we headed back to the hotel to cool down, shower, change and then out again for dinner at an Italian near the Dolby Theatre. It's busy but quieter than last night. Nice to see all the street entertainment going on and it's a good atmosphere.

22nd May - on the road by 09:30 travelling north for 200 miles to Lone Pine. The journey out of LA was busy for the first few miles but once we cleared that area the road was fast. Some tricky interchanges but Google Maps came good and we didn't go wrong!

The scenery is mountainous and impressive, although Derek prefers this sort of thing more than me. There are some very long, very straight roads. We made a few photo stops where we could but it was so hot we were glad to get back into the car for the A/C.

We got to Lone Pine at lunchtime and drove into the Alabama Hills which are a range of hills and strange rock formations near the eastern slope of the Sierra Nevada. Stunning views with snow on the peaks of the Sierras which looks so strange when we're melting in the heat!

There have been hundreds of films made in the area, predominantly Westerns starting back in the 1920's when silent movies were being made.

Back in town we visited the Lone Pine museum of film which is where we learned all the facts about the films that had been made and the

actors that featured in them. They have a great collection of memorabilia.

Checked into the motel and relaxed by the pool in the shade. Unfortunately we're just a bit too far to walk to the high street where the restaurants are.

Dinner at Toto's cafe, friendly staff and nice atmosphere. Food was OK. Bought a bottle of wine to take back to the motel and relaxed.

23rd May - loudest A/C in the world, could not stand the noise so had to switch it off to get to sleep and then couldn't sleep because it was too hot!

Unusually for the US, breakfast was included in our rate but it wasn't up to much.

The drive through Death Valley was spectacular. Hard to describe the scale of it. It was about 100 miles to get to Stovepipe Wells and we watched the temperature gauge in the car go up and up until it hit 108 degrees (43C). Stopped there to visit the general store/gift shop, there's not a lot else there apart from a small motel and bar. With the

heat there was no incentive to hang around outside admiring the scenery. There were periods of long straight roads but also windy steep roads from time to time which was good to break up the drive. Carried on to Furnace Creek and then saw several tour buses, it must be the tours from Las Vegas. There is a hotel here that we had considered booking but it was too expensive. Really glad we didn't stay there now as in that heat I'd just have to stay inside.

Next was Death Valley Junction where we turned off for Las Vegas via Pahrump and Mountain Springs. Scenery still fantastic.

Derek was nervous about driving in Vegas but it was easy. Got to the Carriage House mid afternoon and our room was ready. We're one block back from the main strip and it's only a couple of minutes walk. The room is great with a little kitchenette area and looks out over the pool and tennis court. Seems nice and quiet, can't hear any traffic.

Picked up some info and a map from the concierge and walked down to the Bellagio to see the famous fountains. Went inside the casino and it was impressive - not many players yet, too early.

Tonight we had dinner at the Rainforest Cafe, food not great and expensive for what it was. Managed to sit outside although it's still very warm despite the sun going down so we could watch all the action on 'the strip'. Traffic is manic. The lights begin to go on and street entertainers started to appear. Walked back to the Bellagio to see the fountains again by night but disappointingly they weren't all lit up in colour as I'd expected. The 'show' is every 15 minutes after 8pm but there was an extra one as a commercial was being filmed so we stayed to watch that.

Visited Caesars Palace casino which is huge and walked past The Mirage and into Tresure Island. At this time there are a lot more people at the tables and the pavements are crowded with tourists. We found an outside bar advertising cocktails so decided to sit and people watch. Rude barman, obviously didn't want to be there, actually yawned in front of us - the vodka cocktail was vodka and orange... It's very noisy, loud music everywhere but I love the atmosphere, don't think Derek likes it so much.

24th May - Spoke to the concierge this morning and managed to get discounted tickets for the High Roller (similar to London Eye but bigger) - she recommended going on it at around 8pm to get the views at dusk as the lights are going on.

The Planet Hollywood complex, full of shops and restaurants, is opposite our hotel so went there for breakfast and tried to get more cash. ATM declined card and so did the coffee shop so bit worrying. Worked OK last night.

Walked down to The Paris to buy our 24 hour bus tickets, tried the card again and it worked perfectly, very odd. Tried the ATM again and managed to get cash. Carried on down past Flamingo, The Linq, Harrahs, The Venetian, The Palazzo and Wyn. The Venetian was my favourite especially seeing the gondolas on the canal and the shops are lovely. Crossed over the road and caught the bus back to Luxor and had a look around there (amazing) and then got the free tram to Excalibur. From here there are good views of New York, New York, The Monte Carlo, MGM Grand and Tropicana casinos.

Had a little retail therapy and bought some new trainers, about £10 cheaper than in the UK.

Back to the hotel for a break (and get some washing in)!

Brilliant night out! Dinner at The Rock Bar (very loud), and decided to just have a starter as the main courses are just too big for me. I couldn't even finish the starter!

Walked down to The Mirage at about 8pm to see the 'volcano ' erupt at the front of the casino. It was done well and to music - glad we saw it even if it was a bit Disney. Afterwards we walked over to the High Roller and were absolutely delighted to get a pod to ourselves (each pod can hold 40 people). It lasted about 30 minutes and at the highest point is 550 feet above the ground. The views were amazing! And we timed it perfectly to see the fountains show again at the Bellagio from the air. Unforgettable experience and definitely a trip highlight!

From there we caught the bus to Fremont Street entertainment area which was heaving with people and had so much to see. The best bit was the light tunnel which stretches 1500 feet and is allegedly the longest screen in the world. There was a light show to music that lasted around six minutes and was amazing. There was also zip lines running the length of the tunnel so people were whizzing past above us screaming. Rather them than me... in addition to the usual street entertainers we saw three live bands who were all really good. Casinos, bars, restaurants, clubs - it had it all. By the time we'd caught the bus back to the main strip and then walked back to the hotel it was nearly midnight, well past my bedtime.

25th May - I was sad to leave Vegas, Derek probably less so.

We detoured slightly on our way to Kingman to go and see the Hoover Dam, very interesting place. Took five years to construct (started in 1931) and was finished two years ahead of schedule and under budget - bet they couldn't do it now! It supplies domestic water to 20 million people, hydroelectric power to 1.3 million and irrigates more than a million acres of crop land in America and half million acres in Mexico. A few good views of the water and watched another helicopter take off for a tourist trip, at one point there were four helicopters buzzing around.

The drive South through Mead National Park was nearly as spectacular as Death Valley. More long, straight roads through miles and miles of dusty plains and huge, craggy mountains and canyons each side. It was also slightly cooler, only 107 degrees compared to 108 degrees yesterday! One piece of road called Veteran Memorial Highway had stretches dedicated to the veterans of various different wars like Vietnam and Korea, the final sign was dedicated to the

Global War on Terrorism. Crossed the stunningly blue Colorado river at one point and there were a few jet skis and boats about.

Got to Kingman which is on the old Route 66 early afternoon and checked in before driving back in to town to find the tourist information office. Tim was incredibly helpful- if only he'd answered our questions instead of plying us with a zillion leaflets and booklets! Good job we did speak to him, however, as it has made us change our minds about going to the Skywalk at the Western Rim of the Grand Canyon. It would have been a three hour round trip in the wrong direction, and it's very expensive.

So we've decided to drive more of Route 66 (in the right direction for where we are staying tomorrow night) and spend more time at places along the way. We'll do a full day at the Grand Canyon on Saturday.

26th May - shared a table at breakfast with a very chatty couple from Orange County. They were driving to Atlanta - long way but they were doing a 3 month trip to finish up their goal of visiting 50 USA States. Gave us a card and said to look them up if we're ever in their neck of the woods in the future!

The drive from Kingman to Williams is the longest stretch of Route 66 remaining. The guy in the Information Centre in Kingman had recommended a visit to the Grand Canyon Caverns a few miles east

of Peach Springs so we decided to stop. From the outside it didn't look appealing but I am so glad we went in - it was fascinating (and Derek got a discounted 'Seniors' ticket as he's over 55 which amused me). We had our own guide, Chris, and he was excellent. It's the largest dry cavern in the US and has a constant temperature of 57 degrees which makes it ideal for preservation. To this end, during the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis the U.S. government deployed enough water and food rations to the caverns to support 2,000 people for up to two weeks. The supplies remain there today and can be seen by visitors. A more interesting fact is that the supplies are still as ready to eat and drink as they were when deployed due to the constant dryness and cool temperature of the air inside. Eleven weddings have been held in the caves and there is also a motel 'room' that can be booked by the general public to stay overnight in the middle of the cave. The room has two beds, TV, fridge, microwave, toilet etc. Food can be ordered from the restaurant above the caverns and will be delivered by a guide. The guide also stays above ground all night in case the guests require assistance in the night! Once the lights go out there is zero visibility. Cost is $850 per night!

Stopped briefly in Seligman for petrol and obligatory gift shop visit

and then on to Williams which is a much larger Route 66 town (the last to be bypassed by the I-40).

As soon as we got to Tusayan we headed to the tourist information to buy our Grand Canyon park tickets. $30 for a seven day pass which we thought was good value. As the entrance to the South Rim is only 5 miles away we decided to go and get our bearings. The strange thing is that from the approach there isn't any clue about what you're about to encounter. Having parked we walked to the closest view point which is Mather Point and my jaw dropped. Nothing could have prepared me for that first sight! Really looking forward to tomorrow and spending the day there.

Checked in to the Red Feather Lodge Motel, OK but not as nice as most of the places we've stayed at. Dinner at the Mexican next door, pretty awful. Once again I ordered a starter and could only eat half.

It was cool when we got outside! First time I've been cool since reaching the US. This area has hot days and cool nights so at least we won't have the A/C rattling all night.

27th May - we've just been sat in a bar debating if this was the best

day of our three month trip. The Grand Canyon is phenomenal and the Americans have got this place just right - respectful of the natural beauty but made it easy to get around. But I'm mindful that we've only seen a fragment of the 270 odd miles of the Canyon, who knows if they've got it right everywhere?

We got to the car park at 9am and it's busy already, a lot of people arrive in time for sunrise. Having parked we took the free red route shuttle bus towards Hermits Rest, the beauty being you can hop on and off anytime and walk various sections of the Southern rim. I think Derek has taken more photos here than anywhere else we've been. We brought breakfast pastries with us and I don't think we've ever had breakfast anywhere more stunning!

Just completing this small section took us until lunchtime and then we returned to the Bright Angel Trailhead which takes you down to the bottom of the Canyon. There is a very potent sign that advises against trying to do the walk down and back in one day - even if you're fit! Apparently 600+ visitors are rescued every year because they don't heed this advice...we went about 200 metres down and it

was tough. Loved the sign that said 'going down is optional, going up is mandatory!'

Back to the car and moved East so we could catch another shuttle bus to Yaki Point, South Kaibab Trailhead and Pipe Creek Vista. From there we walked back to the main Visitor Centre and I had to avert my eyes as Derek ventured out to a very dodgy view point!

Sore feet so back to the hotel for a shower and change and off out to eat and here's the amazing thing - Tusayan has nowhere decent to eat at all. Derek had a bad pizza and I refused to eat. I'd rather be hungry than eat dreadful food. I had a bag of crisps in the motel room.

Long drive tomorrow and we have to go back on ourselves, maybe we should have paid more attention to planning our last two days.

28th May - on the road at 8:30am to get to Kingman but took the I40 instead of Route 66 this time.

Stopped in Williams for breakfast at a typical American Diner and ordered pancakes and maple syrup. There were 4, each as big as a

tea plate. Sticking with form I only managed 2 1/2 and Derek ate one for me! All the restaurants are busy and we realise that it's Memorial Day weekend so a public holiday tomorrow.

As we walked back to the car we noticed an old zip line running down next to the street and two young girls rode it while we watched. They were pulled up backwards in their chair to the top and then released to come whizzing down to the bottom.

Pit stop at Kingman before heading South on the 95. The temperature is going up and up and we're back in the world of 100 degrees plus.

The reason for driving back towards LA on this route is to stop at a place called Lake Havasu City to see the original London Bridge which was bought by an American in the 1960's and shipped to Arizona. It now links an island in the Colorado River to the main part of Lake Havasu City. The area around the bridge is a popular holiday resort and it was really busy with loads of boats and jet skis on the river and people walking along the edge. It's so, so hot again and couldn't wait to get back into the car and the A/C.

The rest of the drive to Parker mainly followed the river, we detoured slightly to see the dam but shouldn't have bothered, it was nothing compared to the Hoover Dam.

We're in another Best Western hotel tonight and the receptionist said

they were busy but we haven't seen another soul. He said everyone's out on the river. Sat by the pool for a while in the shade but still too hot.

Another pizza restaurant tonight just around the corner from the hotel - nothing fancy but the staff were really good and friendly, looked after us. Shared a pizza and it was properly made - no soggy bottoms here!

29th May - it's about 160 miles to Yucca Valley and there was nothing to see except a straight road, vast expanses of desert type land and surrounding mountains. The traffic is a bit busier due to the public holiday today.

Derek got chatting to a guy when we stopped for a break - he was towing a boat when the trailer got a flat tyre. He was staying with the boat in the middle of nowhere, in unbelievable heat, while his wife did a 3 hour round trip to get a new tyre.

Drove through Joshua Tree National Park for the last 30 miles of the trip. Got a map from the visitor centre but it was actually another 3 miles on to the entrance to the park where you discover its a $25 fee to go in!

Interesting, huge rock and boulder formations and a place called Hidden Valley which is a one mile loop walk. Lots and lots of Joshua Trees!

Checked in early at the hotel (deja vu, it's so similar to the room we

were in last night). In the shade again by the pool and then early dinner at a place called La Palapa where we both had steak. It came with vegetables and no chips. Heaven.

So, last night of the trip....better open a bottle to celebrate surviving a cyclone in Australia and that bloody van in New Zealand!

30th May - left the hotel at 10 am minus split trainers and a knackered pair of sandals! Good journey back to LA, traffic got busy quite early on but kept moving. We dropped the car off at Avis at 1pm, 2 1/2 hours early for check in. Lots of waiting around, birthday present bought in the Duty Free Shop!

Flight thankfully took off on time and 10 hours long, as usual any chance of a peaceful flight ruined by whining little boy in the seat behind. Watched La La Land - what a load of rubbish!

31st May - Home! 90 days, 7 countries, thousands of miles and many memories. The End.