It is Saturday - the 19th of Feb (Happy Birthday Felice). Helen and Rob left yesterday for New Orleans and the final week of their amazing 3 months of travel. I know this as the piles of Rob (and Helen to a much lesser degree) have disappeared. I won't miss the piles - but will miss the kids. They have been alot of fun - yesterday - we dropped them off at the airport - they caught a flight out to New Orleans where they will spend the weekend with Jessica and her boyfriend. Helen and Jess have been friends for almost 15years - having met when they were both on holiday (vacation for the americans) in Hilton Head back in 96 or 97. Long time to maintain a friendship via facebook and emails - but they manage. After the weekend in Louisiana, they are back for the final 2 days in LA - They have booked a Lakers match as Helen has always loved basketball - so hopefully they will enjoy it.
On Wednesday - Liz from Doncaster arrived. Karen, Helen and Rob went off to the Grand Canyon on a bus tour that day (More from Karen on that later - I will just include a picture to prove that the 3 were there) - I stayed back to pick up Liz at the airport - one would think - especially with Sat/Nav that I had an easy job. Lounge about all day - play a little black jack and then drive 15 min to the airport (which I had already been by taxi to pick up the car) to pick up Liz. But no - nothing is ever straight forward. First of all - I was following the GPS - it was doing fine - going the way that the taxi driver had told me - until we got to Russell Road. Then - it went haywire - kept 'RECALCULATING' which I hate - and had me going in all sorts of directions. I finally turned it off figuring it was better to follow my instincts then to continue to 'recalculate'! Got to some airport signs (Vegas with all it's lights and signage has the poorest excuse for airport signs that I have ever seen!!!) and finally thought that I had cracked it. As I approach - I quickly realise that Vegas has 2 terminals (didn't know that) and no one mentioned in their emails which one they were coming into. I eventually picked Terminal 1 (as I couldn't find Terminal 2 anyway - just a sign for it) and discovered it was the domestic flights - and Liz had already landed at Terminal 2. So the kind information lady told me that my best option was to leave my car where it was and walk over to Terminal 2 - only a 5 to 10 min walk - and catch the shuttle back with Liz once she clears customs. So that is what I did - although I will admit - for the length of time Customs and Immigration kept Liz - I could have gone into Vegas - taken in a show and still made it back to Terminal 2 in time to greet her. Liz must have that 'look' about her or its just that it is an extremely small terminal and understaffed to handle a full plane.
After I got Liz - I received a text from Helen asking that I pick them up at
pm in a location different from where I originally dropped them off. Now I don't know about you - but I think the most logical and SAFE option when in a strange city - is to always have your driver return to pick you up where they dropped you off - that way - you are at least guaranteeing that they have a good chance that they can find the spot again and thus - find you! Another good thing to do is tell them a specific time...not just in the
pm. But sometimes Helen's mind works at a speed the rest of us mere mortals could only wish for...while her texting thumbs skip over the mundane details. So I could only guess what
pm meant (from previous texts and the tours information about the amount of time the trip would take). So - complaining all the way - under protest if you will - I set off with Liz to find the 3 intrepid travelers - and while I didn't hit it spot on - we managed to find them and alls well that ends well.
Thursday was Helen and Rob's last full day in Vegas - so as usual - her schedule was full of all of the things she decided she was going to do. We planned on meeting them for Lunch at the Olives restaurant terrace overlooking the Lake in front of the Bellagio. Got a marvelous seat - right outside overlooking the fountains - and ready for a ringside view when the dancing waters started at 3. The meal was lovely - too much food - but tasty. Karen, Liz and I left the kids to continue their attempt to break the bank at the casinos - and returned to the campgrounds. We always knew it would be an easy day to allow Liz to start to recover from the flight over - and the jet lag she was bound to feel.
Friday came - we shipped the kids off (last seen carrying their over packed backpacks into Terminal 1 of McCarron International Airport) - then the 3 of us took off to see some sites - Valley of Fire National Park, Lake Mead and Hoover Dam. Took alot longer in the Valley of Fire National Park then we ever thought we would - the sights and feel of the place amazing...They have discovered 4000 year old rock carvings that are wonderful. Karen (being the rock hound that she is) found the geological history of the valley fascinating - all in all a great day...Lake Mead was considerably down in the water level - but we think that has due with the time of year. Still impressive - but as Helen would say - it is after all - just another lake...
No comments:
Post a Comment