California highlights 240810 (and Wild Western & LA to the Bay) - trip outline

Day 1 - tuesday
Met at Harrahs lounge at 4pm - with 7 others, all female. We were greeted by Adri (Awesome tour leader!) and informed of the 'rules' etc., and the night's plans. We then met back at 6pm in the foyer, dressed for dinner, a show, a limo and entry to Moon niteclub at Playboy Hotel (ie Palms).

We were the 3rd and final group to join the tour which began with LA to the Bay and was then joined by Wild Western. There were around 50 people on the tour, mostly Australian, a few Italian, Canadian, English and Norwegian. Majority female, majority 21 - 26.

The group new we were new and a few friendlies greeted us but it took a while lol! Anyway, we then walked to planet hollywood for dinner Cheese Burger - an burger joint that is delish - they take group photos for free too (in the form of a postcard) and formal photos for US $12. So try and sit with your buddies. We then went to The Variety Show (with fast wally) for $52 (contiki optional) and it was spectacular. Clever, funny, shock worthy - very very good. Afterwards, there were 3 hummer type limos (incl. under ages so you can BYO) for $9 pp that took you down the strip, finishing at Playboy hotel. We got free entry to Moon and another club (not the underages - sorry - strictly ID). Girls got 2 free drinks. The views are amazing, the music lively and the atmosphere friendly. Remember that the contiki group arrived the night before - they also had the Contiki group photo before we joined at the Las Vegas sign so if you are on California highlights - go to sign yourself.

Day 2 - to Bass Lake

7.45am departure and a 6-7 hour drive. Broken up by a 45 min stop at 10am in the middle of nowhere at a large Discount Shopping District (Guess, Old Navy, Michael Kors, Coach, Sunglasses Hut etc., ) it was hot (40degrees?) but awesome. Snack and water. Lunch stop at 2pm at a Walmart grocery store - amazing food choices though - american supermarkets are just amazing! Finally, we arrive at Pines Resort, Bass Lake where we are told of our quad room share partners. Rooms: 2 floors, with 2 x doubles below and one fold out sofa above and a roll out bed in most of the cabins. Cabins are pretty awesome really but hot. Coin toss for bed choice. Some ppl had bedbugs, some ppl had dirty sheets but majority happy. I had no complaints. The lake is awesome and for you Twilight fans - you can boat accross the lake and go to Falls - yep - right accross the Lake . Dinner included consisting of pizza, salad, soft drink and chicken wings. Yum. Drinks by pool. A few shops - locals with their big 4x4 type cars. Option to do Yosemite next day or stay at lake.

Day 3 - Yosemite

I chose Yosemite- they say it is 2 hrs and it is windy, but really only an hour, taking on board the curvy journey and getting into Yosemite - nature and views amazing - squirrels, chipmunks, coyotes - just amazing. Others stayed at lake and 8 ppl shared a boat, tube & petrol for 5 hours for $75 ea. Skis extra. Pontoon to swim and lie on. Washing machine available ($2) plus dryer $2 - quarters only. You are given $10 for b'fast on each day so that is $5 each day - spend how you wish.

Dinner incl and consists of hotdogs and burgers. We had a marker party in the pub - and let in through 2 police and one sheriff who are always there when contiki are there. Our marker party was us wearing white shirts and ppl writing - very fun, most of us got drunk and we had a night of karaoke. Majority in pub: Contiki plus a few locals. Do not draw a penis on them - they dont like it!! Sherriff and police friendly and tolerant - play all you want

Day 4 - to San Francisco

7.45am departure and 5-6 hour drive. Stop twice incl. a 1 hr lunch at Walmart in a small country town but you have subway, mcdonalds etc., Arrive San Fran to Fishermans Wharf - relax, you can go back again! It was v. cold and windy so we all bought $20 SF jumpers lol. Then a bus journey through san fran before getting to our Whitcomb hotel. Bad areas around - but catch a cab either way to the good parts. Internet $5 an hour. lifts slow. Goodbye LA to the Bay

Day 5 -

we did bike and roll - mostly flt, but there are hills and bridge not that easy. it was $40 - worth it? mmmm not sure. I did htis and then the Napa valley wine tour (next day) so missed out on a few good bits - wish i had just gone round San Fran as you dont do that on the bike - you just ride to and accross bridge and only in Sauslito for 40 mis before you have to board ferry with bike to rtn. Quick run hotel, no shower as time to meet in foyer for night out - i say, put in for cab after bike and roll so you can go to the Chinatown walk ($30). The info. was same provided to us on bus and by contiki guide but you get to see quirky fortune cookie shop. Chinese is chinese food and there is lots of it. Expensive really for chinese but atmosphere was good. Everyone then went to irish pub.

b'fast incl but double check time - voucher said 9.30 tour guide said 10 but actually ended at 9am - good brekkie. either the Sat or SUn for brekkie and bythe looks of it - compared to Sunday - saturday was better (with eggs and bacon etc.)

day 6 -


i did napa valley wine tour - $61. Loved the wine, but it was long and could have been condensed. No regrets but i do regret not seeing more of San Fran .

dinner incl. in Castro at The Sausage Factory. choices: mahi mahi (fish) with tomatos, capers, pasta and veges. salty but ok. Lasagne - big portion, some disappointment there and brocoli pesto pasta - again some disappointment. But good atmosphere amongst us and the night out in gay pub as Castro predominantly gay area - good fun though

day 7 - to Santa Barbara

3-4 hour trip and less 19 ppl from LA to the BAY - so ppl had 2 seats to one on bus which was nice. Gorgeous views, sit on right side of bus. We stopped at Monterey only for an hour. there is a cinanmon bun bakery shop - smell better than they taste - o different to elsewhere but still . . . just really nice. Got to santa barbara best western around 4.30. damn nice hotel actually!! i had a spa and then dressed for inc. dinner which was really nice and filling!! I had the steak sandwich - one of the best I have had!! Says they have a cocktail bar but no actual cocktails. tell him what you want and hopefully he has ingredients. music by radio so make your own fun. kinda the last real night on tour and pretty ****e really - bar does close / stop serving. not close to santa barbara to enjoy night life really.

day 8 - last day (Tuesday)

go to santa barbara - really nice, spent mot of time at pier, saw a seal in a boat, really cool, relaxing - nice weather

drive to Hollywood Blvd. We all had 3 hours there and few of us enjoyed it. Touristy and crap. YOu can pay contiki for a $38 movie star home or get your own for $30. it kills time so do that unless you like postcard after post card shop.

tour ende with a few of us saying goodbye and staying there near our hostels whilst the rest returned to Kyoto Grand - about 40 mins out of Hollywood. lucky them I think.

the next day i did the hop on hop off - but not enough time really as bus ends at 7pm - so just do rodeo drive and santa monica route. Santa monica cool and windy (coastal) but ok, did not get a chance to get to venice beach. Rodeo drive was ok but melrose place shopping strip awesome. went that night to The Blues House on Sunset - AWESOME!!!!!! went past The Viper Room. meh - over rated is Hollywood methinks - pay the money and stay somewhere nice and close to either Venice Beach or Rodeo Drive otherwise it is ****.

We stayed at USA Hollywood Hostels - very clean, nice, atmosphereic an all you an eat pancakes in morning (make your own).

have fun guys!!