Lake Tahoe and Catamarans

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California, Catamaran, Cold, Lake Tahoe, Nevada, USA

Got up late after having a nice cozy bed for a change and saw snow outside.

The group and I wasted the entire morning watching the Never ending story (still find it incredibly surreal) then went on a catamaran called the  Windwalker 2 round the lake.

As you can tell from the pictures it was, bitterly cold and freezing and the wind didn’t help either. We had plenty of drinks on board to try to warm us up and got plenty of pictures of the mountains around the lake.

 

After the trip some of us were dropped off in Tahoe Town itself and we had a walk around. It was absolutely freezing but it looked great place to be in the Winter (if any one has been let me know). We were picked up and greeted with a roast dinner in the cabin by some of the other Brits who cooked it for us . Went for a walk on the beach, and went back in after I could no longer feel my toes as it got too cold.

The route and more pics from today

Sequoias and Lakes

Tags

California, Giant Sequoias, Lake Tahoe, Yosemite

Very cold night again. Luckily no bear attacks. We packed up and on the way we stopped off at the park where the Giant Sequoias are found. If you have never seen them and you think an Oak is big – wait till you see these. These just see to climb off into the sky.

They are enormous and majestic. We spent some time there and headed back on to the road. We picked up another passenger whom we would drop off and we eventually got to out camp site near Lake Tahoe. It was absolutely freezing and I wisely decided to share a cabin as snow was falling outside. Went for a little walk in the evening as the sun set and managed to get these beautiful shots.

The Route and more pictures of the Giant Sequoias

Vernal Falls and Yosemite

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Black Bear, Califonia, Half Dome, Vernal Falls, Yosemite

An absolutely freezing cold night – in contrast to the heat of the desert in Vegas. Unsurprisingly got up early and had breakfast. Back on with the books and then went on a hike round to see the Vernal Falls in the Park (the half-dome hike sounded a bit less leisurely!)

The walk up was pleasant,  at times fairly steep but the weather was great, and once we go to to the top the views were beautiful. Plenty of wildlife as you will see in the pics.

The walk back down was a lot easier The six mile walk can be seen here with the pics – if you click on view in Google Earth you get a good impression of the views. Or click on this

On the way back on the bus I managed to see a baby black bear (only because everyone else on he buss stood up and pointed and cried bear! Sadly I didn’t get a picture off in time)

All of todays pics

The Las Vegas Story

Tags

Guns, Las Vegas, Shooting, USA

Sorry this post is short on photos (I think there are a few on Facebook however from some of the others in the group – if there are enough requests I’ll copy them to here). With “common” agreement the itinery was changed and this was to be an extra day in Vegas. Having got bored of the strip a few of us went and did something that is pretty much impossible in Europe – pay money to shoot real guns ( yes I know there are places)!

The shop we went to (I still don’t think my mum knows about this) would be a gun nuts dream. We all pretty much opted for the  “Coalition Package”, expensive but very entreating. Having a go on a M16, a berretta and a M249 SAW machine gun. (YES A MACHINE GUN!) The target on this was put upside down as the force of the bullets made it fly upwards, and it kept jamming hmmm never mind. I also paid to have a go on a bolt action police sniper rifle. It was surprisingly easy to use. I didn’t;t anticipate the recoil and it bashed me in the head on my first shot . I’m definitely  more of a thinker and a flyer then a fighter. Once out of bullets and money we returned via the laundrette to the hotel.

. Spent the rest of the day in the pool. In the evening got to a free show by “The Mentalist”  Gerry McCambridge (no I never heard of him either). It was a bit like the TV programme of the same name except without the crime solving and all in room in the hotel with a stage.

We all then went for a foul buffet dinner at the Tropicana Casino that looks like a relic from the 80’s (with added Phil Collins background music).

The route and any pictures not here

What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas

Tags

Las Vegas, Nevada, USA, Vegas

Nah, I’ll tell you any way. Maybe not some of the things that happened to some of the group however!

In the morning walked a bit of the strip some of and some of the the group went on the indoor roller coaster in New York New York (I can’t stand roller coasters but I don’t mind doing aerial aerobatics – I think its the screaming and the fact I have no engine). I was content taking pictures.

Saw a few more of the horrid casinos, some a bit less horrid then others and stopped for a drink in the Venetian. All the casinos have no clocks and are all dark and air-conditioned so you can’t look outside and tell whether it is day or night! Went back to the hotel and spent some time in the pool with the rest of the group. Once you see all the Casinos there isn’t really much to do!

In the evening we went to a classic diner in the base of the Stratosphere were all the waiting staff sang Broadway style and classic 50s songs and audience participation was compulsory.

The rest of the group went to throw away their money, I went up the stratosphere alone got some good views and pics. I walked back and took some photos along the route. I stopped outside the Treasure Island Casino to see an entertaining if a “little revealing” show outside the Treasure Island Casino

Yeah the picture above was taken in the middle of the night!

See more pics and where I walked