Down to the pointy end??

The last few days of the kids' trip are spent around Los Angeles. Trevor drives us everywhere - he is a star!

Mind you we are exhausted after our day at Disney's California Adventure... and we only went one day! The kids were there for 2 days. The next day we visit Disneyland Downtown looking for souvenirs and purchases for the kids. We then go to Walmart and have some success in their Disney section!!

Kim and Finlay are still eager to shop for clothes so we find a couple of large shopping malls. Kim also finds a great book store where we could both have spent much longer! And a boot store!! What is it about boots and the Pedler kids??? We decide not to visit Universal Studios - I think they are 'theme parked out'; but we will drive to Beverly Hills and Hollywood.
We know their time with us in US is almost over. This is not one of those 'good to see them come; good to see them go' visits. We won't see them for another 6 months!

We have a moment of panic on Thursday. One of Mace's 'to do's' is to see the Space Shuttle Endeavour which is now retired and on display at the California Science Centre. How could we have forgotten? I think that Kim remembered at the same time. Plans for Friday are quickly expanded to include a tour of the Shuttle.



The exhibit at the California Science Centre opened on 30 October 2012.

Kim, Finlay and I visit Hollywood Boulevard.

Trevor drops us off mid morning; he and Mace look for the shuttle. I don't think it is an easy exercise for them. The first Science Centre they find is not the one that houses the shuttle. It takes them more than an hour to find the right place. From all accounts it is well worth the visit.


At the same time the 'gals' are having a good time exploring Hollywood Boulevard, one of the most famous streets in the world with its glamorous history.
The Walk of Fame is set with more than 2,500 polished marble stars; it is said to be cleaned 6 times a week.
The famed Grauman's Chinese Theatre (now the TCL Chinese Theatre) which opened in 1927; the Clarion Hotel Hollywood Roosevelt; the restored El Capitan Theatre; they are all here.

We find an Amoeba Music store on Sunset Boulevard. It is a Hollywood landmark and one of several  stores in an independent music chain in California. I find 2 CD's of Furry Lewis and 2 of YoYoMa.

Lunch at California Pizza Kitchen, Hollywood Boulevard and, after some more exploring, a drink at the Hard Rock Cafe.
It is fun!!

Trevor is a bit harrassed when he picks us up! Friday afternoon peak hour traffic in Los Angeles is not his idea of fun.

We take the kids out for dinner to the Outback Steakhouse in Anaheim - just to get them in the frame of mind of going home.

Then it is The Day!! As their flight doesn't leave until 10.30pm we plan to spend most of the day at Venice Beach. The Venice Boardwalk is said to be an essential LA experience - it is on Kim's list anyway.

There are some luggage issues!! Kim and Finlay can't fit everything back into their bags. We give them one of our larger bags to take home. Then we can't get all the bags into the rental car with 5 people!  After some reorganisation it all fits and so do we!

We reach Venice Beach in the early afternoon.

If there's a beach in LA where it's as much about the spectacle as it is the surf and sand, Venice would be it. In fact the Venice Boardwalk upstages the scene on the sand. We are prepared to see the rubber-snake wrangler; the metal-ball-rolling, Speedo-wearing bodybuilder; the chainsaw juggler and a raft of palm readers, folk artists and other colourful characters.

Numerous dogs dressed and colour coded with their owners wander the boardwalk; people looking at other people; many stalls selling souvenirs for tourists and of course food.

We do last minute shopping for presents for them to take home.

We end up the afternoon with icecreams while we watch several games of high level streetball being played on the basketball courts.

Great entertainment!











And then it's time to go ... to LAX.

We continue spotting number plates as we drive the last few miles to the airport.
We wait while they check their bags. Last goodbyes - and then up the escalator they go.

We don't talk much on the way back to Anaheim and the motorhome.

If I didn't say it while you kids were here, we had the best time and enjoyed showing you some of the US.

We thank you for your encouragement and involvement in our travels. Kim ... I don't know what we would do without your help in keeping things ticking along at home!

We love you guys!!