On arrival at Manchester airport we were delayed for 12 hours by a power cut and then a problem with immigration in Chigago.
Collecting our bags at O’Hare we cleared customs eventually as I forgot to declare our youngest's Gluten free food, but as it was all on prescription there was no delay. We were rushed through check in and quite literally shoved on the next flight to Las Vegas.
We were off loaded within a few minutes as the plane had a puncture and we were able to get some drinks and have breakfast.
Two cases were missing when we finally got to Vegas at 4am, some 16 hours behind schedule, collected our hire car and checked in at The Sahara on the strip.
Thankfully both the cases that were missing contained the tent and camping gear which we didn’t need till the following week and were delivered to the hotel the following morning.
Thankfully both the cases that were missing contained the tent and camping gear which we didn’t need till the following week and were delivered to the hotel the following morning.
The following 2 nights we spent at Circus Circus, an absolute favourite with all the kids, they could go to the pool, visit the funfair and play the slots in the children’s casino.
The next two days were spent exploring Las Vegas, The Hoover Dam, the hotels and Downtown Vegas.
Leaving Las Vegas we started our 3,700km trip to San Francisco, up the coast to Eugene in Oregan to stay with my aunt, uncle and 4 cousins for 10 days, before driving back to San Francisco to stay with a cousin for 2 nights then back to Vegas via Death Valley for a few days before flying home.
On our return to Las Vegas on Labour weekend, we arrived late and as our hotel had double booked, we lost the 2 rooms for the night. It turns out all of Vegas was full so we found a room off the strip for 1 night before returning to Circus Circus for the last 2 nights of our holiday.
Our flight home was also eventful making an unexpected landing in Denver after a passenger had a heart attack on the flight and his wife stood up, just like in the moves and cried 'Is there a Doctor on board?'
On our return to Las Vegas on Labour weekend, we arrived late and as our hotel had double booked, we lost the 2 rooms for the night. It turns out all of Vegas was full so we found a room off the strip for 1 night before returning to Circus Circus for the last 2 nights of our holiday.
Our flight home was also eventful making an unexpected landing in Denver after a passenger had a heart attack on the flight and his wife stood up, just like in the moves and cried 'Is there a Doctor on board?'
To say we had the most amazing holiday with the 4 boys aged 18, 15, 12 and 8 would be an understatement. I dread to think how much money we actually spent, 6 flights, hotels, fuel, car hire, food, entertainment, attractions and shopping, other than it was a once in a life time holiday.
The children talk fondly of the holiday at any and every opportunity when we meet up.
Las Vegas
Hoover Dam
Driving to San Francisco we stopped off at Baker and saw the World's Tallest Thermometer and just prior to arriving in Baker we found this road sign. It actually is a real road but I have no idea how it is pronounced.
We drove through an oil field full of nodding donkeys
We spent a couple of nights in San Fransisco, where our eldest turned 18. We lost the youngest child when he came out of the toilets before his brothers and turned left and we caught up with him almost half way across the Golden Gate Bridge and the second youngest disappeared on Pier 39 after leaving the submarine and wandering off for half an hour. The kids were so absorbed on watching a skunk in Ghirardelli Square, they were obvious to everyone fleeing the park at speed, including us adults. They loved riding the trams and hanging onto the outside.
We drove the Big Sur and stopped at various places along the way including Carmel and Monterey. The boys were more interested in the chipmunks than the Elephant Seals.
We stayed the night in Trinidad in a Red Wood Forest
We went to Legget but our car was too tall to drive through the Chandelier Tree
And onto Piercy to see the World Famous Tree House, which was sadly closed.
We then left California for 10 days with family in Oregan near Eugene, on the Umpqua River, where the kids camped, they went shooting, fishing, swimming and we explored the coast with a visit to the Sugar Shack in Reedsport on the coast,drove up Crater Lake, saw some amazing waterfalls and went Dune Buggy racing in Coos Bay.
Crater Lake was cold, wet and very windy.
Sisters
Waterfall at Watson in Roseburg
Sugar Shack, Reedsport
Mono Lake - I often wonder if our sticker is still there.
Death Valley - Our first experience of high temperatures
Las Vegas
So that's it, the end of 3 weeks in America with the 4 boys in 2007 and it's your turn now.
Do you have an old or new family holiday you could link up with Time Traveller, leave a comment, and feel free to grab the badge and Maris World will be back hosting her linking after the summer school holidays for 2015 end.
Do you have an old or new family holiday you could link up with Time Traveller, leave a comment, and feel free to grab the badge and Maris World will be back hosting her linking after the summer school holidays for 2015 end.
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