HOMEWARD BOUND

Hello folks last blog we left off leaving San Diego , trying to decide where to celebrate July 4th in the great USA. Every city had there own style of celebrating this great country but where or where should we want to be ?...............Well just so happens that Vegas is on the way to our next stop the Grand Canyon so it just made sense . Oh I know what your all thinking, were sooooo bad ,19 days wasn't enough? No it wasn't , besides the strip is the best and throw in July 4th weekend and your guaranteed to be entertained! Leaving Vegas for the final time(at least for a few months )we spent the day in the Grand Canyon it was beautiful and after a few hours we carried on up north to Yellowstone National Park.This place is huge we spent a day driving through this amazing park stopping in at most view points to enjoy the scenery. After driving through Wyoming, Montana and North Dakota we said goodbye to the USA and have made it safely back across the border over week ago. We started off this road trip almost 2 months ago visiting with friends and family and were ending it with more visiting slowly making our way back to B.C. We have been blessed on this trip in many ways ,we have done everything we wanted to do and have seen everything we wanted to see. We will return home soon ,back to the reality of everyday life and playing catch-up with the long list of things waiting for us.... but its all good. Cheers everyone Terry and Laurie

"30 days" and counting.............

It's been 30 days since we started out on our road trip now its more than 1/2 over . We've been most everywhere we wanted to go , seen everything we've wanted to see and we managed not to get ourselves into too much trouble. Last time we blogged I believe Terry was still on his golf trip in Phoenix he arrived safely back in Vegas and we continued on our "poker Marathon" meeting up with old poker friends and making new ones unfortunately no "big" poker wins to write home about. We did end the 19 day poker Marathon placing in the money at most tourneys that we played at Caesars Palace, which by the way has always been one of our favorite poker rooms. Vegas in the summer is great and surprisingly after a couple weeks you totally get use to 43 degrees dipping down to 30 degrees on your walk home at night!
After leaving Vegas we headed to Lake Havasu checking "another place to see" off our list . Shortly after arriving with temps even hotter then Vegas, we realized that if you didn't own a boat this wasn't the place to be,we spent one night there then took to the road again.
We drove down to Yuma Arizona (a place my dad use to spend his winters) then continued the drive along the Mexican /California border to San Diego were we are now on our 3rd day here. Today we drove up the coast to explore the smaller communities between here and L.A stopping off to have some beach time and even taking in an Open house that we drove past on our way home. They were only asking 6.9 million which I'm sure was worth 12 million before the USA market crash.... so I must say its"a great deal" !
So where are we off to tomorrow ? We don't even know, we've totally covered the coast from Vancouver to San Diego we're heading out of California, that we know for sure and we're heading towards the grand canyon so as long as Vegas doesn't draw us back in for a couple days will end up somewhere like Sedona.... thats the plan anyways. Cheers everyone

Extra Extra read all about it ..............

Leaving the sandy beaches of Santa Monica and Venice to go up into Hollywood was filled with good times ! We decided to book into a hotel for two nights this time ...plant our feet so to speak and take in Hollywood "Hawman style" It had been a long while since Ive spent anytime there and there were a few things I wanted to check off my "Hollywood to do list". Number one , stay close to "The Grove "and "farmers market". These two places are great combination of fantastic shopping/dinning and a fresh food marketplace in a sort of upscale fantasy type setting. Its a must see for anyone coming up into Hollywood . Hanging out here was a great stress reliever after driving down the coast for over a week.
The morning we were leaving the grove we had an unexpected bonus , when we were asked to do a interview with Mario Lopez (hottie!!!) on daily entertainment show "EXTRA! Ummmmmm let be think ...me... camera... center of attention.. Yes! final answer yes! The reason for this segment was the fall that Shania Twain took at the CMT awards the night before.What they wanted was our most embarrassing moment that we could speak about on camera ( well that eliminated a few). Terry couldn't come up with one so with only a minute to choose it was left to me to go through my rather long list of "special laurie moments". I decided to share this moment with America It was the " taking my kids shopping and falling down a rather lg set of stairs ( on my butt all the way down) only to find both kids vanished before I reached the bottom.... in embarrassment I suppose?
So check list The Grove/ farmers market done off to the next one, hang out at the "Ivy" for those of you that don't already know the restaurant "The Ivy" is the place that celebrities go when they want to be seen ... but don't want to be seen ... I think it's an American thing.The quaint little street side cafe was full so Terry and I walked around only to find the TMZ crew with cameras staking out the place so what we do? we hang out it them it was perfect ! We saw Dog the bounty hunter enter for a quick bite but that was about it. So off to the final Hollywood must do, take a drive up into the Hollywood hills . Sure there's tours that take up there but that's not the Hawman way now is it ? Just before sunset we set off not sure where we were going, just up . The views were great, Hollywood sign...multi million dollar foreclosers and way too much SMOG! We did a little hiking and we were off ... check list done!
Its been 7 days since we arrived in Vegas, now as a rule 7 days is usually all a person can physically and mentally handle in a place like this but I think were doing ok... although Im by myself right now (Terrys on the golf tour) so I have no one to judge me .. ummm come to think of it when did I eat last ?.... and when was the last time I made my way out to the strip? and why do all the poker dealers know my name ? Just kidding were going to be fine here for another week I'm mean seriously we wake up, work out ,go to pool then play poker who wouldn't luv it !!! The Aria Resort is so incredible your close to everything here and the Service is unlike anything we've experienced on the strip before everywhere you turn there is someone to help you and the rooms don't even get me started 5 star all the way baby!
Well this blog was a little long winded I must sign off now... Vegas is calling.

" Across the border"

Its been a week since we wrapped up our marathon of visiting friends, thanks goes out to all of you that put us up for a night or two. . Over the past few yrs Terry and I have spent many off our vacations playing poker, not complaining we luv it, but its really nice to catch up with some old friends this time around.
Our last stop before going across the border was Vancouver Island were we had a great time visiting and checking out the shopping and sites in Victoria.
Funny thing happened while coming across a street vendor at the harbour that designs hand made glass jewellery. I was admiring her pendants when she showed me one the she called " A road less travelled "if you recall that was the name of our last Blog! I just thought it was super cool that she said that to us and yes I bought the beautiful pendant.
Driving down the Oregon coast was nice, we found a little charm of a place in Bandon to spend the night (just before California's border) Weather had not been great so far but the next morning we woke up in our apt on the beach to an incredible sunny day and a zero tide(rare) There was abundant of ocean life to see and endless beaches to walk ... it was a good day!
We have been in California for 5 days now, first stop was San fransico were we met up with an aunt and cousin of Terrys then Malibu/Santa Monica and Venice beach area, all great places to see all with there own unique style . Today we are up in Hollywood stayed here last night and will stay here tonight . We have to be in Vegas on Friday "that" we are looking forward to! Hotel hopping is getting old, will be nice to stay in one place for a while. We are booked into the Aria resort for 19 glorious poker filled days ! Terry leaves for a bit of that to golf with the boys in Phoenix and yes he's leaving lil ol me on the strip. If the poker gods are with me ill cash in a couple little tourneys while hes gone and pay for some of the trip.... making my man proud!
So to sum up the trip so far we've had some less then desirable weather, driving has gone fairly smooth, the GPS rocks! We have had a few wrong turns and some " not too sure were we should stay" moments , but all worked out in the end and that's what counts. Ok followers that's all for now, we are off the explore Hollywood, Hawman style!

"A road less travelled "

Its been 8 days since we began our road trip and so far so good. We spent 5 days in the Okanagan visiting friends. Kamloops to kelowna then kelowna toVancouver staying off the beaten path and taking the back roads every chance we've had .

After staying 2 nights in Richmond partying it up @the Rock with friends we departed for the island. Chillin out here for a couple days getting in more visiting with old friends. We plan to leave here Wednesday taking the ferry to Seattle then its "straight down the coast baby" ! Staying @ B&B'S ,hotels and maybe even pulling our tent out.
We have 10 days before we have to be in Vegas so lots of time for adventure. Its been a long while since we've been on a road trip, taking a road less travelled is something different and that's what this trip's is all about. Take care everyone and be sure to check in soon the next part of our trip down the coastline is sure to be full of wonderful photography. T&L

blog ready to go ......................

Before our journey begins another"to do" crossed off our list. Terry and I will be blogging frequently during our 2 month adventure . Hope you all enjoy.