Where Are We Sleeping Tonight: Pitch N Ride Campsite, Kanab, Utah
After a restless sleep on what may have been an under inflated air mattress, we packed up camp and set off nice and early. Clare drove around Echo Canyon before we visited Cathedral Gorge. The place is amazing and it looks like the scene from Star Wars where R2D2 is attacked by Jawas. Just think, they went all the way to Tunisia to film when they could have filmed right here!
Next we drove through the Dixie National Forest (although it doesn't look like a typical forest) and then crossed the border into Utah.
Speaking of deer, there are lots of deer signs in test neck of the woods. Back home we have Qantas signs, here they have John Deere signs :)
We drove through our first ghost town today which was amazing to experience. The scariest thing is that we couldn't guarantee that there wasn't someone living there, hiding in the shadows waiting to spring on a broken down motorist or teenage camp councillors...
We drove through some amazing country today, including Zion National Park where we drove through a tunnel built in the 1930s. There was a fake civil war fort gift shop which had fantastic ice-cream and some cheap items I really would have loved to have bought if we weren't already running out of space in the car!
We drove on to Kanab where we set up our tent. It was so much quicker now that we know what we are doing with it. The best thing about camping here is the free wifi - amazing what we can do nowadays!
We checked out this morning and then headed to the local laundromat and did a weeks worth of washing - oh what wonderful way to start my birthday :)
We left Vegas and headed North. We visited a Sam's Warehouse - its like a mega cheap Wal-Mart where you can buy everything in bulk. Sadly you have to have a membership there, so Clare couldn't buy her 10 litre container of cheese balls! We had lunch at Arbys where they use sliced meat like you find at Subway but they put it on a Hungry Jacks/Burger King style bun. They weren't too bad...
Continuing North, we found a woman standing in the middle of the road with a stop sign.
Apparently there were road works ahead and she apologised that she wouldn't be able to let us pass for a while. We turned off the engine and took the opportunity to stretch our legs. After half an hour, she said we could pass.
Now I don't want to sound like a conspiracy nut BUT we didn't see any roadworks. We were however right next to Groom Lake aka 
Tonight we pitched our tent for the first time and I doubt we could have found a nicer place - the Echo Canyon State Park is such a wonderful spot. As the sun set, Clare and I cooked the imitation sausages before retiring to the tent to watch "Paul" on the iPad - technology is wonderful. And this would have to be the best film we could have picked to watch today! An escaped alien from Area 51 finds two international tourists driving around the country... sounds slightly familiar...
After a nice sleep in, we started the day off with a real American brunch - an all you can eat buffet! You name a food and they had it! My brunch comprised of shrimp, sushi, various pastas, numerous different french dishes (including ratatouille) and numerous different yummy cakes from the patisserie. We explored the Paris Hotel a little before jet lag caught up with me and I needed an afternoon nap. This gave Clare the perfect excuse to hit the casino floor (situated under the Eiffel Tower).
In the afternoon, we explored Caesars Palace and it was just like being back in Italy. There were Roman style statues everywhere and a recreation of the Trevi Fountain. I had to do the Vegas thing and buy you're typical Vegas items - poker chips and a 60's style hat. Next we headed over to the Bellagio to watch Cirque du Solei's "O" and all I can say is wow - it is like an Esther Williams musical in reality! I doubt that there is any other show in the world that comes close and although I haven't seen any of their other shows, I am confident in saying that this must be their best!
We checked in to the lavish and wonderful Paris Hotel before driving over to the Rio to watch the brilliant Penn & Teller show. To say it was fantastically fun is an understatement. Sure they had their usual amount of political content, but it was still a treat to see them perform live!
With the Oscar being escorted back to the vault, we all climbed aboard our deluxe tour buggy. Our destination: the backlot. We went through the swamp location where the exterior for the home in "Invasion" is (which also doubles as the diner in "True Blood") and where numerous scenes where shoot for "Chuck" and one scene from "Jurassic Park"; then we saw Lorelei's house from "Gilmore Girls (as well as the Stars Hollow town square), a street where Sheldon & Howard rode on a scooter in "Big Bang Theory", the house from "Gremlins" that saw an old lady flung out from her stair rider, the alleyway where Kirstin Dunst was kissed by an upside down Spiderman! I have learned so many movie tricks on the backlot - I can't wait to apply them!
We ate lunch in the very snazzy fine dining section of the commissary, which is where the producers eat and try to woo big name stars. The cast and crew usually eat next door in the cafeteria part :) The three course lunch was extremely delicious - we are going to gain so much weight on this trip! Next up we visited the massive prop store where we saw so many different props all stored in categories and we even got to go onto the "Friends" set (where they have stored the Central Perk coffee shop exactly as it was). Next up we visited the Clint Eastwood scoring stage before visiting several sound stages (i.e. the front lot). Although our cameras were forbidden, we got to stroll through the house from "Chuck" as well as the apartments from "The Big Bang Theory" - we will have to see if we can get tickets to a recording of an episode!
We visited the movie car museum and saw numerous famous cars, including the General Lee from "The Dukes Of Hazard". The annoying thing was that they had placed a giant orange magnet on the roof to cover the Confederate flag - obviously trying to be PC and not offend anyone. Next up was the film museum which had an entire floor dedicated to Harry Potter - I have never seen Clare so excited! I can't wait to see how she will be when we get to Harry Potter World :) All in all, the WB tour was brilliant and we got to see real film making, rather than just silly rides where a shark comes out of the water next to you...
Next we headed out to Vasquez Rocks, the location from so many films and TV shows, but probably best known as the place where Captain Kirk fought the Gorn. It was slightly further out of LA than I thought it would be, but it was well worth it. On our way back, we visited the Hollywood Bowl and the nearby lookout where we had great views of LA. Back into the city, we headed to the Universal Citywalk and did some more shopping before having dinner at the Bubby Gump Shrimp Company. Dinner was really nice but the shooter glass sampler dessert was evil - I really loved the 'red, white and blue' :)
We started out the day with breakfast at Pat & Lorraines's Diner, as seen in Reservoir Dogs. We tried their biscuit breakfast special... it was like a large dry salty scone. Don't think I will order that again, but at least I am brave enough to try new things. Next up, TomTom sent us the most retarded, backwards way to the Hollywood sign.
We were driving up the narrowest, windiest roads I have every had the misfortune to drive on. I am sure that everyone who lives there are used to it, but Clare and I found it a little stressful. At the end of it though, we made it to a fantastic lookout with LA in one direction, and the Hollywood sign in the other. Not bad for a housing development sign :)
Next up we visited the Van Nuys Water Reclamation Plant and Japanese Garden, or as it is more commonly known, Starfleet Academy :) We wondered the gardens and I half expected Boothby to come around the corner. Keeping with the famous location theme, next up was Venice High School, as seen in Grease.
Outside the Paley Center, some random guy asked us a directions, to which we said we didn't know. Noticing that we didn't sound like Americans, he asked where we were from. After I told him Australia, he said "Cool - say hi to Paul Hogan for me" - classic :) We wondered down Rodeo Drive and found The Cheesecake Factory which was perfected placed to fill our lunch needs. It was basically a large licensed Dome but oh my God - the food was delicious. I had one of the best pizzas I have ever eaten - a Four Seasons. Yum doesn't even begin to adequately describe how delicious it was.
With our tummys full, we had a leisurely stroll along Rodeo Drive and even visited the occasional store - but no, we didn't buy anything. Clare found some expensive shoes and some expensive hand bags that she wished we could afford... it was either a pair of shoes or 3 months driving around America... Back in the car, we drove to the end of Rodeo Drive and passed the Beverly Wiltshire Hotel, famous from Pretty Woman. Having spent several hours in Beverly Hills, we had to do some shopping. So we visited the local Wal*Mart!
As we plan to do a lot of camping on this trip, we need to stock up on camping supplies and what better place is there for cheap camping supplies? My goodness this place is huge - especially if locals get lost in it! I overheard a couple saying they couldn't find the coffee. As I had passed that isle just a minute ago, I told them where it was. The lady thanked me - everyone here is so polite and friendly :) We had a look for coffins that WalMart sell, but we couldn't find them (must be only available online). With our trolley full, we loaded up the Ford, ready for 3 months of driving adventure!
With the sun setting in the west, we decided to head back to our hotel. I got in the correct (left) side to drive but for some stupid reason I reached over my right shoulder to grab the seatbelt! Wrong side stupid! And I still can't get the hang of being able to turn right on a red light - I have seen a lot of car's do it, as well as signs stating when it isn't allowed, but I wonder if it's a California thing, or an entire country thing... I guess if I get stopped in Nevada for running a red light we will know for sure! And to make things worse, I think I saw a dog driving a car!
Too tired to venture out, we had room service for dinner - a wonderful lobster ravioli in cream sauce... mmmmmmmm :) One thing I am loving over here, are the wonderful TV commercials