California - Los Angeles & San Diego

Monday morning - the house empty! Just me left behind. Aunty, uncle and Balu off to LA. Goodbyes and miss you's. And I left for work. 

Wednesday night- my flight was to be at 9:30pm and reach 12. Early evening around 3:30 pm emails poured in calling in for delays - 10:15 pm and then 10:30 pm and to reach post 1 am. I informed Balu about it. And he suggested to call the airlines and push the flight timings to Thursday morning. I was okay. A better plan 'Coz he could exchange his rental car and it wouldn't disturb our sleeps. 

Thursday morning - 7:30 am I called the cab guy- lyft. And reached early for my flight that was actually 9:30 am but delayed to almost 11 am. Reached 1:30 pm. Met Balu and his parents. 

Oh! I forgot to mention! This is my first time traveling hands- free! Believe me! Just phone and boarding pass ticket on me. (My phone case stores my purse ingredients -id and credit cards and I dropped my house key into it too). 

So then we went to the car rentals - hertz! Balu went in to do all the procedures to get the car- he was missing for a while. Meanwhile I ate some food, Aunty packed for me. Then we got the car. And started driving to SAN DIEGO! 

B- Balu and A- me (Aki) 

B - hey put the address... 

A- GPS isn't showing the route to i -1 -- pacific highway. Take the pacific highway. We need to get the awesome view. 

B- wondering how to get on there. Meanwhile some traffic on highway I - 405 south.  

A- we must get on that highway somehow. I don't know how to set the GPS that way! Lol 

B- figured it out. He skipped the toll part and reached the pacific highway. 

A- hooray! We hopped on the highway! Beautiful roadway. Pacific Ocean view! 

B- we stopping next on Laguna beach! 

A- (distracted) this street looks wowwww.... Lots of shops , palm trees and other nature! So beautiful. I missed clicking a picture. 

B- you want to go to beach or not?

A - I want both. Stop here. I need a picture of that tree- it had beautiful bunches of red flowers. 

Anyways, there was no parking space. We went to Laguna beach. Balu and I dipped our feet into the Pacific Ocean. 

Next stopped by another beach on the way- Aliso beach. 

7 pm reached hotel at San Diego after a short stop at Starbucks. Next dinner and then bed. 

Friday- 10 am started out to SeaWorld. SeaWorld is open from 10 to 5 pm. Time spent perfectly - eating, watching shows, uncle and Balu went on a roller coast ride with a water slide, we went on a sky tower ride that shows 360 degrees on the park, walked a lot, visited a lot of aquariums, again uncle and Balu witnessed a 4-D movie to the arctic on a flight, lots of fun, videos and pictures. But nothing like visiting the place directly. Awesome time we had. 

Out of SeaWorld, we headed to Coronado Bridge and beach. Right in time to see sunset. And all of us dipped our feet in the Pacific Ocean there. Saw the Mexico border from a distance. 

Saturday - 10:30 am started back to Los   Angeles. Drove back a straight stretch. So hot, so tired after the tiresome Friday program. Reached an Indian restaurant for lunch. 

From there pondered if we shall go the room- rest for a while or just tour around  and get back. 

Next it was Griffith observatory and the Hollywood sign. An hour drive. 

Then again pondered - beverly hills or universal studios (just from outside- not buying tickets) or Santa Monica beach or some random actors houses. Lol. 

Next it was walk of fame. Just drove across the streets. 

Eyes half open. I said lets get back. Aunty and uncle told Balu pity aki.. See her eyes. So we started back. One hour again to reach hotel. On the way back, Randy's donut shop randomly caught my eyes on the map. I in exclamation said lets stop there. It's on the way. 

6 pm were in hotel. Wrapped up like a burrito. 

Sunday- no one would call this Sunday. 3 am we were all awake. And 4 am at airport for 6 am flight. Now uploading pictures and videos to friends and family. 

Neighboring state- Oregon

Finally one long weekend. He gave us all his time. No work! No stress! A good family time with his family. 

Day 1- We started a little before noon. Packed food! And started on the road. A long drive, around three hours. Halted at Mount Saint Helens. A volcano observatory! Beautiful scenarios and landscapes! We watched a short video on the devastation that happened in 1980! And how that affected and changed the landscape of what's today known as a national monument. 

Drove a scenic path 1 hour to the Mount St. Helens, stopping by a couple of view points on the way. Stopped at a picnic spot for lunch. 

Then drove out another hour plus a hour to reach the hotel in Portland! 

Day 2- Started our day at Starbucks with coffee and snack sized breakfast! 

Then debated our plan - either to wait and have lunch before we hit the road for a 40 minute drive to the Bridal Veil Falls, or to start off to the falls and find something on the way. While I wasn't sure of what we would find on the way, we wandered around downtown. Right then was a gloomy weather with light showers. Still wondering what to do! We stopped by downtown pioneer square. Clicked a few pictures. 

Ah! Plan was made- Chinese to go! Picked up some Chinese food and drove to the falls. It was a short trek of less than a mile, but strep and narrow for the parents. A beautiful falls in the end! 

Then drive out, by chance found a scenic location called Vista House. Before stopping there, quickly stopped to fill our tummies. 

On the return to the hotel, again stopped by downtown Portland, a mall, I wanted to do some shopping, not to forget it's a tax free state! 

Day 3- July 4th - Independence Day! 

Me on a shopping spree. 

Back home! Tired even after such a relaxed vacation! 

Its Vegas! Wohooo!!!

A happy ending! ;) I so miss Vegas! A super cool city in Nevada! It’s even more different than New York City and Seattle put together (a little comparison with the places I have been to). So I would call this 

The largest city in the state, 

The hugest street to walk by, 

The greatest well build and planned city, 

The most happening place in the country, 

The wowest architecture and design, 

The craziest crowd even off season, 

The best pedestrian friendly location ever seen.

I loved the themes of the hotels and resorts (mostly outdoors), while B loved the gaming place (of course indoors). I was running out of battery to click pictures, while he was running out of cash to play with! LOL. 

And if we parted in two ways for too long, you did know we got lost in the maze. These hotels are purposely build to keep us engaged in either gaming or shopping or dining and/or gazing around. The exits are nowhere to be found. And with us- with contrast taste buds in all walks of life! No doubt- the hotels are sure to win! 

Anyways back to the actual story: 

Wednesday evening we started from home to the airport. Parked the car, b told me to check-in the bag- we packed our stuff together into one big bag. I had one little handbag and b had his office backpack! It was partially an official trip. I reached the check-in counter, couldn't find the confirmation number, so asked the airport assistant at the counter to help me out, handed over my boarding pass and my ID. She got it done in a jiffy. 

Then we stood in the long security lane. And then parted to different gates, yup, b had his tickets officially booked and he booked mine later. So we had different timings too. But he managed to find similar tickets - matching up the time as much as possible. So I reached one hour behind him. He was waiting for me at the airport. As the flight was approaching Las Vegas, I looked out of the window, it looked all deserted. Then towards landing, I could see a couple of building. Looked like a pretty small city. As I got off the flight and entered the airport, wow... From that point everything was different and unique compared to the rest of the states. The airport has slot machines and gaming lounges. 

Then we met at the baggage claim area. Waited for our bag. All the bags ran though the belt, a couple of rounds and then stopped. Our bag wasn't there. We walked around, to double check. Nope it wasn't there. Then I quickly pulled out the baggage tracking slip and we headed over to the baggage claim office. The officer there, checked my slip and asked if I was Diana? What?! Obviously no! Then he said my baggage was in Sacramento. We were surprised. And he said he will redirect it as soon as possible and would be back to the airport by later that night and they would bring it over to our hotel, early the next morning. That lady who was supposed to help me, had actually swapped the baggage tag! Errrrr.... 

We caught a cab and went to the hotel tired. B had work the next day and he needed shoes. He went over to buy them. And we ordered pizza for dinner. I slept off early, b had severe cold since afternoon I guess. He was sniffing and sneezing all day. Definitely not a great start. But we were still excited about being in Vegas! And I was positive I would get my bag soon and could take a shower! Ha ha. 

Early the next day, I called up the airport guys about the status of my bag, they said the guy the previous day was all wrong. It was still in Sacramento. Upset was I, then this lady was actually working on it. She said she will resolve the problem asap. Every 30 mins I called her for updates and she did have good updates. Finally she called back with good news. And by afternoon we had the bag in hands! B sick, but still went to work, then they sent him back soon, too sick u know. Came back. Took medicines and rest. 

I got ready, walked out with all my energy and excitement. Walked towards the strip. Walked all of downtown. Not much inside the hotels, took the escalators, crossed the roads, clicked pics and selfies, walked and walked and walked. 6 hours I walked! And finally lost my way, caught a cab and got back, intact. Lol I was so broken, legs so weak, soaked myself in the tub- hot water! And quickly caught some Z's.

Friday morning we checked-out of this amazing hotel and went to a hotel on the other side of the strip! Before that, we were called for a small tour of the big group of hotels and a program to get us into trouble. Lol. At the end of rejecting the crazy offer, we were handed in 4 -$25 dining coupons that could be used at a list of selected restaurants in less than 10 hotels! And also rides to and fro the tour in limo cars! 

The next hotel was at the corner of a huge junction and on 4 corners of the junction were big beautiful hotel resorts. And they were all connected by escalators and bridges for easy pedestrian access. The city is so pedestrian friendly! So by afternoon we headed to one hotel for lunch by cab. Then from there we hopped in and out of many hotels on the strip. Hoping to walk back all the way to our hotel. But nope, we actually walked the wrong direction. So we were even far away, no other go - caught a cab and got back! 

Saturday, again we walked down for lunch- cab- another hotel- used another coupon. And then a couple more hotels- this time more organized - i was sure not to lose directions- Though super tired - still I didn't give up and neither did I let b to. We walked back to the hotel. On the way back, b got 2 tickets for a magic show. It was super awesome!!! That was Saturday! 

Sunday- we checked out- got a cab to the airport- car rentals- rented a car, drove to Hoover dam. Took the tour, ate, and then drove to the bridge above, parked there, walked and then drove back to airport, on the way back stopped by DQ for icecream. Dropped the car back, took the shuttle to the airport, 10 mins away. Then it was time for his flight. He left. I pulled myself and the bag .  Changed to comfortable clothes and then checked-in my bag in kiosk, tagged the label to my bag, double-checked the name and destination. Then handed it over at the counter. Then went towards my gate, through the security check. Had 3.5 hours to while away. Did my best. Got the flight. Net worked in the flight too. Surprise! But not much charge on phone. Had to save it to call b on reaching sea-tac airport. 

Yup I was counting my charge left as I was in air, landing, at the gate, got my bag, at the pick up zone! And then my mobile switched off. Called from a strangers phone. And then he found me. We got back home!!