In September, Janet, Nathan and I spent five weeks in the United States.
A week in Anaheim, Orlando, Long Island, San Francisco and Kuaui. For the first two weeks and three days of the 4th week, Nathan's cousins, Mathew and Renee, their mum, Joy and her mum, Kim toured with us. The first week was in Anaheim. We stayed at a hotel very close to Disneyland. We visited Disneyland. The kids and the adults enjoyed it and couldn't get enough of the rides. Because we didn't have a car, we had to rely on the hotel shuttle buses, which took people to the shopping centres in the area, but we didn't buy much, otherwise we'd have too much luggage to carry around. We also did a Universal Studios, Hollywood tour and got to see a bit of movie magic.
Next we flew to Orlando, hired a van, which I drove and stayed at a time share resort called the Orange Lake Resort and Country Club which was one big golf course. While there we bougt a four day pass to Disney World, which entitled us to visit Disney MGM Studios, Magic Kingdom, and EPCOT, but we still didn't get to see it all. The rides were the highlight of the trip as well as meeting all the famous Disney characters. We also visted the Disney Village Marketplace which is a place with all types of Disney souvenirs you can think of. Did shopping, but again didn't buy much.
In the third week, we few to New York, then hired a car, and drove for 4 hours to get to Gurney's Inn Resort and Spa, Montauk on Long Island. Now this is a place where old people go to retire. It was so quaint with picturesque New England houses, treelined streets and little shopping villages. But because there wasn't much to do or see for kids, Nathan found it boring. The pace had slowed to a complete stop. The only thing that sticks in my mind about Long Island is the pumpkin fields. Because we were there in October, they were busy preparing for their Halloween festival. Everywhere we drove, we'd pass fields of pumpkins, huge gigantic orange pumpkins and displays of pumpkins for sale. Did not get to see New York City.
Then we went to San Francisco and stayed at Powell Place City Share on Nob Hill. We met up with the cousins and toured the city by bus, trolley car and foot. Visited the infamous Alcatraz Island, tried the clam chowder at Fisherman's Wharf - yum, walked the crookedest street and rode the trolley cars. The weather was okay, but boy does the fog come rolling in, also it can get pretty cold. All I can say about San Francisco is that "the hills are killers". Imagine walking at a 45 degree angle, thats how steep the hills are - it's a great way to tone the butt.
Finally, we stayed one night in Honolulu - did lots of shopping - then flew to Kauai. There we hired a car and drove to Banyan Harbor Resort in Lihue. First we went on a sea tour of the napali coast on a small catamaran. What an experience - majestic cliffs, sea tunnels, rainbows - as well as getting sopping wet from the waves and sea spray. I was close to sea-sickness but managed to survive the tour.
Nathan and I tried our hand at snorkelling on one of the famous beaches with Kauai's snorkelling experts - where we got to meet the fishes face to face. The wet suits were tight as and very constricting. We attended a luau, saw the famous hula as well as other dances and also took a tour of a sugar cane plantation on a horse drawn wagon. In between all those activities, we drove around the island and took in the sights and relaxed on the sun drenched beaches.
