Watch this space for photos....

[tonyt]

Thanks for the update Wotto. Man, that main counter looks more like a stand at a flea market than the reception area. Incredible how you could have that much invested in machines yet pay little attention to the detail like the entrance and signage

[Wotto]

Continuing on with our crazy US holiday.......

I will jump back to our last night in Vegas - (Tuesday night ) when we caught The Duece , public bus , to Fremont St - it was great and only took ONE HOUR to get there

As usual - crowds were down again....



Seriously , you cannot take ONE step ANYWHERE in this town without people ALL AROUND you

Let me say that Fremont St is not for the faint-hearted......it is GREAT for the old style neons , but there are numerous ice-junkies etc around the place.....my daughter was not happy here but we stayed for a couple of hours....

Here are some shots....

The main entrance - also you can see the roof that has 12 million lights in it to provide the endless light show...



In this shot you can see the people on the zip-line.
We were dead set lined up for this but our son Jake got a bit crook so we didnt do it.
It would have been VERY cool and was only $15.00 each.




Hmmmmmmmmm




Met these dudes too - really - it was REALLY them ......isnt it Nino ?



Another one.......



On our way back on The Duece there was this REALLY drunk dude that looked like Jack Nicholson - he was non stop jibber talking and was directly behind my daughter,  I could honestly tell he was harmless ( he thought I was a golfer named Phil Nicholson and kept asking how my game was going ) - but my daughter was just a little petrified - hahahahaha -U can see his forehead in the right of this shot.



For those that havent been to Vegas here is the intersection of Las Vegas Blvde and Tropicana ....




To give you an idea as to the size of these 'hotels' - this is the check in section of The Luxor where we are staying...




And here is inside a couple of casino's - they all look much the same and I swear they make it insanely difficult to find your way out !

Inside The Venetian



Inside MGM Grand



We left Vegas and got this shot on the way out - I swear there is this chick that stands there and you tip her a buck for the photo with your own camera - it NEVER ends - she would make a KILLING - CASH!




So we leave LV and head off for a 3.5 hour trip to The Grand Canyon.
A lady at work tells me we HAVE to try the 'pies' at a country restraunt in Williams on the way to the canyon - so we take a stop for lunch at this place.....



This town is on the famous Route 66



Here are the 'pies' she was talking about.....



Note the super cool T shirt I bought in Vegas ( UFC fans please )



Now you HAVE to get some perspective on these behemoth things they serve up...
Here is an Aussie 50c and one dollar in front of it....let me tell you that this is WITHOUT DOUBT the GREATEST thing I have EVER EVER tasted in my entire life...my daughter and I shared it and could not finish it.....it is at least 6 or 7 inches high.




More soon guys ......

[Caveoftreasures]

Re the Pinball hall of Fame, the counter area gives a definate bad first impression just like u said.

** Re Popeye, It grows on you like the mother in law. IT takes time.lol  I have a Popeye and i actually really enjoy this title ! * I must admit, it wasnt until i watched the factory promo video, that i really began to understand how to get the most out of this machine. In the slim chance that you might play Popeye again one day Wotto,i have included the factory promo video. Get past the first 90 seconds of cartoons, and Its actually a good watch.lol

The PHOF photos and post about the place was excellent.   Re the other places everywhere, could you imagine paying the electricity bills for all the lights !
From all the photos, u would never think the USA is in a real bad financial situation. The place looks like it is booming.  

[Wotto]

Yeah Cavey I thought the same thing ( imagine this place in a GREAT financial time if THIS is one of it's lowest points )


Now- apparently Spring in the Grand Canyon is about the equivalent to us being on the black run in Thredbo on a mid winters day in the middle of a blizzard......15,500 kms around the planet to show the kids the Grand Canyon.....here it is....



Look again - look behind them to the left of shot on your screen  - U will see it.
MAGNIFICENT isnt it.


OK OK - maybe this is a better shot ?



Here was our car this morning....



In all seriousness we did get ONE good day there yesterday....here are some shots.
We have been here before ( twice ) - it is a really tranquil place and is IMPOSSIBLE to show it in ANY photo - you do have to see it for yourself to understand its immense size....






It would appear that I have overcome my fear of heights




Here are some shots at Mather Point.



And also at Mather Point on the day we were there was apparently the Worlds most responsible parents - this kid was about 3 years old . :o




More soon guys.....hope U R laughing.
We are off to Yosemite National Park tomorrow.
Bears and squirrels - YAY

[Pintoxicated]

As good as the machines look in the PHOF, that place really is a disgrace.  I envisaged playfields and backglasses hanging on the walls, TV's running movies like TILT or some sort of pinball history docos, a mini diner/milk bar inside etc etc etc.  Don't get me wrong, hats off for at least having what they do have but it could be sooo much better, especially if they took a bit of pride in the place.

Love the pics Wotto....keep 'em coming.

[Wotto]

Yes mate - I too thought there would have been 'some' effort put into the place.

Look- I am certainly not complaining as it would be a huge task to keep the machines running and at a decent standard and it is DEFINITELY, most definitely worth a look if you are headed over to the USA - I probably sound like I am complaining 

--------------------------------------

Drove to Yosemite National Park today.
Longest day on the road - 6 hour drive plus stops - but the roads are FANTASTIC so it is no big deal.

Saw another Australian driver here in California - not sure how he will go with his rental deposit return 

[Wotto]

Ok - so here we are at a small country town called Oakhurst - it is 'the gateway' to Yosemite National Park and it's a little less populated that Las Vegas.
Very roughly it is about 3 hours north east of Los Angeles.

I want my kids to see Yosemite as it is a beautiful National Park.



I met the family living above us tonight too - they are travelling as well - here they are.....



OMG it is like there are 150 people up there 




Now todays WTF moment comes from within this hotel.

" Hello room service, I need a big brown muffin"
Make your own they said .............



We went out looking for a place for dinner - I saw the sign and was too scared to go in....




And they reckon we aint getting ripped of in Australia !
Petrol is anywhere from 92c - 1.03 a litre here - and then there is this....yes it is for a case....




Anyone like big cars?
The one on the left of shot is like our Holden Rodeo size.
Dude told me he paid $40k for this 'truck' - 8 years ago.




Also had a decent chinese feed tonight - Large rice , 3 dishes, 2 cokes, 1 lemonade , 1 Budweiser and they gave us all free deserts - total - $39.59 - yeah aint Australia just GREAT 

Amazing.

[Pinfan]

I think this is fantastic what you're doing here Wotto ! A big  !

I for one would like to say thanks.

I was out in the states in 97 and basically traveled in the same locations to where you've been. Beautiful place to visit and you've inspired me to start saving to get out there again....

Of course its a ripper of a time in regards to the $$$ exchange, when i went it was @ .75c.

Please keep the updates coming mate.   

[Wotto]

Hey Pinfan

Happy to share and inspire  - thats why I am doing this - also I dont want to sit in a hotel watching crappy TV each night so I do the images and PC stuff daily and keep you entertained....

So we drive off into Yosemite National Park today.....just a little snow for the Hyundai Sonata rental to handle.........





Ok - like the Grand Canyon this is a place that no photo on the planet can ever do justice to - this is a spectacular National Park - I will show you some shots for those that havent seen the place - these are sheer granite walls thousands of feet high.

Once in the park via a nice 50 mile drive on a twisting snow covered mountain road you are surrounded by what you see below.











I so highly recommend a visit to this park if you come to California and have 2 days to spare - get here once in your life.



We went for a 'hike' to Vernal Falls - the 2km trail was paved but SO BLOODY STEEP.

There is no way of capturing steepness in a photo ( that I know of ) but here is a look at the path on the way back....it is a lot steeper than it appears in the photo




Half way there I was wondering why I did this to myself earlier today...



And we didnt even get to the falls as they closed the trail 50 metres from the bloody end - AFTER we clambered up ice packed slippery trails in our best hiking shoes - Nikes and Converse runners

I have ZERO balance capabilites so my Mrs thought it would be hilarious to photgraph me 'trying' to crab back down the steep icy trail like a pensioner - I was SO trying to avoid that centre ice section as the Mrs had already done the slip dance down there and I knew I would be on my arse if I attempted it and there was about a 30 foot drop off that left side onto rocks.



GREAT day in the park regardless and again GET HERE if you can when in California.

[Strangeways]

Awesome photos, Wotto !

Far less people than Vegas !

[ktm450]

Great stuff mate, were you guys expecting to see so much snow on your trip?

[Wotto]

Great stuff mate, were you guys expecting to see so much snow on your trip?

I expected NONE at The Grand Canyon.
I did expect 'some' at Yosemite as I know the roads here are often closed due to it apart from only a couple of months of the year.
It is at around 6500 feet elevation.

We got SO LUCKY today - roads that were closed yesterday were cleared today and the weather in Yosemite Park ( a valley ) was PERFECT - then it got bad as soon as we left the park at around 3.30pm.

Off to LA ( north ) for 4 days tomorrow - 6 Flags Magic Mountain and Universal Studios ahead 
Fly home Friday night 10.30pm LA time.

[pinnies4me]

Sensation shots Wotto!!

Not sure I'd ever use a phone in the toilet though, I'm guessing there's some Glen 20 nearby you applied liberally before picking up the handset??

[pinnies4me]

Oh, and glad you had your pants on for that shot.. ..

[Wotto]

Oh, and glad you had your pants on for that shot.. ..

Haha - I thought about it mate dont you worry - then I chickened out