Does anyone remember Deek?

[NoName]

Loving this trip report so far!

 

[Noel Mugavin]

Next day was at Six Flags Magic Mountain, more of a roller coaster park than a themed park, although there was a little tie in with the Loony tunes section of the park. Quite a bit of a drive there and back, did get to see a sheriffs bus transporting prisoners, back to the hotel quite late, and still no room mate. Do note that Grayline doesn't offer this attraction anymore.

Following day was the one I was really looking forward to




Straight to the back lot tour


Previous King Kong attraction, lot different to the current one. Believe it was burnt out in the fire a few years ago


Psycho House.
Messed up my timing with the Jaws photo, something I didn't get to rectify until my third visit in November of last year.
Some very good attractions, with ET, Backdraft, Terminator 2 and Back to the Future not there anymore


View over the back lot.
Returned to the hotel to find I had a new room mate, Marty from Melbourne.
Marty was in his mid thirties and had rewarded himself with a trip to the US for straightening his life out. Marty was rough around the edges, but a good bloke, he ended up being my room mate for the 23 day tour we would be embarking on, and once we sorted the smoking in the room issue out we got on fine.

Next day took a shuttle to some markets which were a bit ho hum, then in the afternoon decided to walk to a post office to send a couple of things back home. The walk took me around the perimeter of Disneyland and took a good 3 hours to get there and back. No much in the evening.

To the Saturday prior to the tour leaving, again a shuttle to some shops in Fullerton, just a bit of wandering. Tour group had a meeting in a bar a couple of properties down from the hotel. Mostly Aussies and Kiwis, good mix of ages, couple of Canadians, Dutchman named Mick who immediately picked up the nickname Dundee.

Really enjoyed travelling with this group, lot of fun

 

[Noel Mugavin]

Headed out from Anaheim on the 23 day Grand Southern Tour, headed to our first stop of Las Vegas. A short stop at Barstow on the way, then arrived at Las Vegas in the early afternoon. Bit of free time and people scattered before meeting back for check in at the Rodeway Inn and Suites, which I believe don't exist anymore.
Dinner at the Luxor buffet, then on the bus to downtown to watch the Fremont St light show, back on the bus and a highlight of the trip, visit to the Graceland Wedding Chapel where an Elvis impersonator conducted a fake marriage ceremony between a couple of our group.



Bus then dropped everyone off at the Riviera, where you could go and watch the show Splash. I decided not to, so separated from the group and did my own thing for the next few hours and eventually caught up with everyone the next morning.

Next day, a few heavy heads and some pretty good stories, was a big night for a few of our group.We were headed for the Grand Canyon, not before a stop at Hoover Dam, and a short stretch of the legs at Kingman.

The Grand Canyon was not somewhere that was a must see for me, but it certainly was a huge wow factor when I first saw it, so extremely pleased it was included in the itinary.
Accommodation was the Maswick Lodge, quite decent and did the job. Quite night for most people.

Next day was free, and left to explore the canyon on your own. I started to walk a trail inside the canyon, but after the second switchback realised it wasn't for me, as not a great one for heights. Walked along the top of the rim for the remainder of the day, and took heaps of photos, however no photo ever gives it justice.


Late afternoon a few of us pulled up chairs outside the cabins and started to have a bit of a drink. Couple of others in our group asked if anyone wanted to come and watch the sun set. All a no from everyone in our group, I did return 15 years later to get the sunset shots though.
Anyway, couple of quiet ones turned into lots of large ones. Very seedy the next morning.

Big driving day, another stop at a viewing spot of the canyon, then off we headed to our stop of Gallup. Stopped at in Indian Reserve, through the Painted Desert and Monument Valley, unable to stop though as a sand storm was blowing through. Stayed at a Best Western Inn at Gallup, few quiet ones in the hotel bar.

Heading off today to Santa Fe. Tour of Acoma Pueblo.

Arrived in Santa Fe early afternoon, able to get to the public library for free internet to check emails, wandered around rest of the afternoon. Liked Santa Fe a lot, big fan of the adobe buildings, and mountains surrounding the city give it a nice feel.

Staying at a Holiday Inn, was a madhouse in the foyer. Wildfires in the state had evacuated a heaps of people and hotels in the city were putting them up. People, bags and animals everywhere, had a chat to a couple who were amazingly upbeat despite the circumstances they were in.
Tex Mex dinner at the hotel, a group were going to the cinemas to watch Gladiator, rest of us had drinks in one of the hotel rooms, pretty quiet night

 

[Noel Mugavin]

Headed across the border and into Texas.

I'm in there somewhere. The Mickey Mouse wizard hat was for the wally of the day (not me wearing it)
Visited the cadillac ranch, then to our stop of Amarillo and The Big Texan Inn



The hotel rooms, which were very comfortable.
There is an eating challenge, have an hour to eat a huge steak and sides and free if you do


We threw in a couple of bucks each, and my room mate Marty took up the challenge.

He didn't make it.

Was a good meal and afterwards we headed to a club called the Midnight Rodeo. Had a great night, was a Friday and rocking. A favourite local hangout, cowboy hats everywhere, even some bootscooting.
Ended up with a bit of a room party back at the hotel.

 

[Noel Mugavin]

Very ordinary start to the next day as we were on our way to Dallas. A stop at Wichita Falls and were in Dallas early afternoon
Bit of a walk through the city centre, and a visit to Pioneer Park





Checked in to our hotel, the Dallas Grand Hotel, in the city centre on Commerce Street and again a hotel that doesn't exist anymore. We're warned not to use the laundry in the basement as they get some dodgy types hanging out there.
Went to a rodeo that night, very ordinary

Early and quiet night for me

 

[Noel Mugavin]

A tour of the since demolished Texas Stadium. Unfortunately there was a private function on, so unable to get on to the field or in to the locker rooms




Did get a bit tiresome hearing the fella giving us the tour keep referring to the times the Cowboys were World Champions. No doubt teams from other countries would have had no chance of beating them, but we don't go around calling Richmond World Champions.

Back into the city proper and a visit to the Book Depository Museum. This was absolutely outstanding and spent a few hours here.




A wander around the grassy knoll, having chats with people with all types of different conspiracy theories.




X marks the spot

Late lunch at some burger place, bit more of a wander.
Headed out with the group to Dallas Alley, a bit of an entertainment district, but being a Sunday night it was pretty dead.
All headed back fairly early and spent the rest of the night having quiet ones in the hotel bar

 

[Noel Mugavin]

Continued driving east, bit of a stop at the border town of Texarkana, before a longer stop at Little Rock.


Arkansas Capitol building
Late afternoon 1st glimpse and crossing of the Mississippi into Tennessee


Straight to the hotel and check in - Best Western, now called Holiday Inn, directly opposite The Peabody and 1 and a bit blocks from Beale Street. Stayed there when I returned in 2015

Dinner at Elvis Presley's Memphis, since closed and now a Hard Rock Cafe, with a Lansky Brothers store attached.




Had the ribs which were great, as was the banana pudding, and by this stage of the trip was well and truly addicted to ranch dressing.

Moved over to BB Kings Blues Club where a brilliant band was playing, and a great night was had.

 

[Noel Mugavin]

Off to Graceland


Did the mansion tour, and one positive change is that now you are able to take pictures inside the house.
Was struck at how small the mansion actually was


Back of the mansion

 

[Noel Mugavin]

Back on to the bus and a stop at the Lorraine Motel, or the Civil rights Museum as it was and is now.


We didn't visit the museum, rather spent the time listening and talking to Jacqueline Smith, lady who has been living on the street over the road since 1990, in protest at the hotel being the site of the museum.


Next stop was Sun Studios where we did the Studio Tour





Million Dollar Quartet

Rest of the afternoon was free time, I intended to head over to Mud Island, but after getting a bad vibe around Front Street, turned around and explored Beale Street. Remember searching for the Elvis Statue and not being able to find it, obviously didin't look too hard as it's really not in an out of the way area. Both the Mud Island and statue issues were resolved in 2015.

AS a group went and watched a baseball game, the stadium is located about 2 blocks from Beale Street. Spent the night at Alfred's and as a sign of a good night, a group of us, including our tour leader, found ourselves at the top floor of the Peabody stairwell, unsuccessfully thankfully, trying to get a look at the famous ducks.

 

[Noel Mugavin]

Headed down the I55 to New Orleans, a lunch stop in Jackson, then over Lake Pontchartrain and on in to the Big Easy


Hotel was the Prytania Park, located in the Garden District. Dinner was at a brewery restaurant, then stayed and took in the ambience of the French Quarter



Late start for me the next morning, large portion of the group had gone on a swamp and gator cruise, I jumped on a street car and again headed in to the French Qaurter. Down to Cafe du Monde for beignets and coffee. Beignets were over rated for mine, ended up giving a couple of them away to some english bloke.
Strolled along the river walk, then splurged and purchased myself a new camera. My old clunker was on its last legs, and this one looked a beaut, compact, big zoom, you ripper.

Dinner on a paddle steamer and cruise down the Mississippi


This wasn't it, the one we were on was the Creole Queen

Good night again in Bourbon Street.

Next day again east towards Florida and Pensacola. Stop in Mobile along the way.



Flash new camera with the date stamped on the pic.
Afternoon spent on Pensacola Beach, the checked in at the Seville Park Inn, dinner, bit of a chat and then an early night for me

 

[Noel Mugavin]

Next up was 3 nights in Orlando, staying at the Days Inn Lakeside, which as the name suggests was situated on a lake, however once again the hotel does not exist anymore.
Was starting to develop a sore throat, so wasn't looking forward to the next few days. However a night sitting by a campfire by the lake sipping on some bourbon and cokes did the trick and was right as rain the next morning.
Group of about 12 of us hired a van and drove to Daytona Beach and spent the day having a swim and sitting at one of the bars they have on the beach.



On the way back dropped in to the Daytona Racetrack, unable to get inside but took a few pictures outside.





Most people went to one of the theme parks the next day, I'd had enough of theme parks at the start of the trip, so a day catching up with washing and chilling around the pool. Good night at a few pubs/clubs at Universal Citywalk. Had to say goodbye ta about a dozen people on our tour who had only booked a 16 day tour not knowing it was part of a bigger 23 day tour. Stranger still, 7 or 8 newcomers on the bus the next day doing a 6 day tour. Would have been hard for them coming into a group that had already been together for a couple of weeks, but there were really good people on this tour and i'm sure they were made to feel welcome.

Set off to a highlight of the trip - Kennedy Space Centre. It was amazing.

 

[Noel Mugavin]

After the Space Centre continued on to St Augustine, staying at a Ramada Inn.
Spent the afternoon wandering, got a haircut and just took it easy.







A night walking ghost tour, it is an old place and a little spooky, bit of fun.


Supposed to be a ghost in the window

Next morning a tour of a Budweiser factory before arriving in Savannah

 

[Noel Mugavin]

Savannah is a very attractive city; the waterfront had been cleaned up and was the action part of the town, but its the parks and old buildings that give it its charm.


No pictures or postcards or any of the parks unfortunately
Dinner at this place, followed by a night at the bars on the waterfront


Next day was the drive to Raliegh, stopped at South of the Border, kitschy place between the 2 Carolinas. Contest on board as to who could buy the corniest souvenir. Placed.
Notice the light on the photo below from my great new camera

Dinner was at some buffet, and some ten pin bowling that night.
Next day we would be heading to DC

 

[Noel Mugavin]

Wasn't a long drive and soon enough we were at Arlington Cemetery. Was a changing of the guard ceremony starting shortly, so being young and fit back in the day was able to get there for the start by putting a run in.






Got over to the Iwa Jima memorial, then a bus tour around the streets of DC.
The hotel was a little out of DC, but close to a subway station, so easy enough to get back into town.
However, the contiki bus took us back in tonight for dinner, and then dropped us at the Lincoln Memorial to see the monuments with the night illuminations.
Korean monument my favourite of the lot, very haunting


This is where my mood turned. Was alternating between my two cameras, and got to the end of the roll of my new camera, when to my frustration, it didn't rewind itself. So here's an issue, and not happy.

Anyway for the next couple of days used my own camera while visiting the sights of Washington, and brought myself a lead bag, made sure Marty stayed out of the room for a few minutes while I turned all the lights off went into the bathroom, camera in the lead bag and manually rewound the film. New York in a few days, would find a repair shop and get it fixed there.

Anyway, Smithsonians, Holocaust museum, Goergetown, and a huge party at the hotel for our last nifght together, and we would be heading off for our last destination of New York

 

[Noel Mugavin]

Some very ordinary heads on the bus as we had a stop at the Annapolis Naval Academy, then through to a stop at the Spectrum to get a photo with Rocky, which is now located at the base of the steps of the Art Museum.



Onto the New Jersey Turnpike and another wow moment when the Manhatten Skyline comes in to view.

Before long we were at the end of the road, the Hotel Beacon on the Upper West Side. Goodbyes were said, as people scattered to their next adventures, I was staying for the next 4 nights where we stopped. We did however organize a dinner for those that were still in New York, and about 30 of us headed to dinner at Dallas BBQ. Had a new room mate, and gratefully was one of the blokes on the bus who I got on really well with. We, along with about a dozen others, were doing a 3 day tour group of New York with contiki, mainly booked for the accommodation.

Was a good last night, even helped out one of the blokes who was unsure of where he was going to stay, we let him sleep on the couch in our room for the next 3 nights.

1st day of the 3 day mini tour, on the bus down to Battery Park, and over to the Statue of Liberty, where I climbed up to the crown. Very small space, very windy staircase, and a tiny viewing platform at the top of the crown.




Back on the ferry, a walk around lower Manhatten, then on the bus for a driving tour up to Harlem then back to the hotel.






There was a dinner for the the New York tour group, I and a few others who had come from the 23 day trip met up, went to dinner then jumped on the subway up to the Bronx to Yankee Stadium for a Yankees v Athletics game. Can't say I enjoyed the baseball that much, there was a fight in the crowd, and I can say I got to see Derek Jeeter play

 

[Noel Mugavin]

Came back to the hotel that night and a new room. Was a terrible dead rat smell when we returned that afternoon, told the front desk, no problems they said, have your bags packed and we'll move you to anew room. Brilliant service, bags had been moved for us, no hassle when we spoke to the front desk initially.

Next morning was up to the top of the Empire State building.






Next up was a tour of Madison Square Garden







More free time in the afternoon, took the opportunity to find a camera place and get mine repaired. Job done, apparently, I put a 12 roll in and just clicked off the roll. Not fixed. Said to the fella repair hasn't worked, his reply - 'Should have bought a better camera sir'.
Told him to go forth and multiply and off I went.

Went to one of the libraries to catch up on some emails, then that night just had a bit of a stroll down to and around Times Square. Pretty sure we walked past Fabio on the way,

 

[Noel Mugavin]

Next morning was a walking tour of Central Park


Dakota Apartments



More wandering in the afternoon, lunch at Toms, and a few more Sienfeld sights along the way





Group dinner that night, no idea where, then a night at a comedy club which was brilliant, again can't remember the name of it, but was close to the hotel.

Early departure for me the next morning, Amtrak to Niagara Falls.
Pleasant trip, but made a big blue when Niagara Falls was called on the PA. I of course got off, train left, I realized I was on the US side, hotel was on the Canada side. Costly cab ride, then avoided being ripped off by the driver who wanted me to check it was the right hotel and leave my bag in the boot while I did it. 'No mate, I'll be right'. Lazy night in watching the NBA finals

 

[Noel Mugavin]

I had 3 days at Niagara Falls, way too long, and to be honest was quite melancholy the whole time I was there.
My first view of the falls was when crossing the bridge from the US to Canada, and was a bit meh. Wasn't until you get up close and experience the power of them that you understand why they're such an attraction.
Just wandered for a few days , did the Maid of the Mist.
Bit of an anxious time when walking over to the US side form Canada that a border guard took way too much interest in my Russian visa, to the point of taking it out, unstapling it and having a thorough read. Didn't really want to lose it or have it interfered with in any way that would cause me problems later on in my trip .

















Lundy Lane on the Canadian side, extremely tacky

Back on the train and into a rainy Toronto, late afternoon. Cab to my hotel, and a message given to me when I checked in, 3 of the lads that had been on the Contiki where at the hotel.
Quick shower, to their room, out for dinner, then ended up at some Goth nightclub. Was a big night, and just what I needed to get out of my funk and recharge myself foe the next few months ahead.

Next day was very slow, late lunch, internet cafe, then to the airport for my flight to London.
Didn't see much of Toronto unfortunately, but a reason to get back.

 

[Noel Mugavin]

Overnight on a what seemed to me very new British Airways 747. Lot less than 50% capacity on the plane, early morning arrival and breezed through immigration. On the tube to Russell Square, peeved to see a bloke selling bags on the road for 10 pound. I had purchased one in Niagara for about $70, believing that everything in England would be a lot more expensive, If I recall correctly the Aussie Dollar was getting about 34p. I did end up buying one of the bags later in the trip, still going strong now, one of my best ever purchases.
Checked into the hotel, The Generator, absolute dive, and then I was off to explore.
Where else would cricket tragic go? Straight to St John's Wood and Lords.




From the press box


Visitors room


The old urn

Back on the tube and to Wembley Stadium to do a tour before it was to be demolished. Unfortunately a private function was on, so no tours that day.
Had 4 days in London, spent wandering, cleaning and organising aspects of my future travels.

 

[Noel Mugavin]

Headed off next morning on the 46 day Ultimate European. More of a mix of nationalities, with again a lot of Aussies and Kiwis as well as Americans, South Africans,Canadians and a group of about 8 Mexican girls, who were all sisters and cousins, and very well off. Came to light later on in the tour that among other business interests, one of the girl's fathers owned a professional soccer team.
Unfortunately 1 of the girls got seriously ill about 2 days in and had to leave an go home.
Not the same togetherness with this group, quite a few cliques developed but I guess that's what occurs on such a long trip.
Through London, past The Oval and eventually to Dover, on the ferry and to Calais



Into Paris late afternoon, bit of a driving tour, then to our camp ground to settle in for 3 nights. Trip was a mixture of cabins in campgrounds and hotels, the cabins here on the outskirts of Paris were quite basic, capsule sleeping 4, bunk beds either side of a shared toilet and shower.





Next day back into the city, got to the top of the Eiffel Tower



Went to Notre Dame, strolled the Champ de elysees, then eventually got to the Louvre where sat and people watched for a while. Not tempted to go in, i'm a very black and white person, and don't get, nor appreciate art, unless it's a Ricky Ponting pull shot or a Brian Lara cover drive.



Out to the Palace of Versailles the next morning





Back into Paris, to and to the top of the Arc de Triomphe.


Did attempt to get a panaromic shot of all 12 avenues

More strolling and people watching, and although I don;t appreciate art I did and do appreciate what a beautiful city Paris is.