17.09. - Flight to Frankfurt

After a wonderful flight over the Swiss Alps there was an unexpected break in my journey. Because of a spare part being late our flight was delayed for around 23 hours. That meant that they had to cart all of us away to a hotel for the night - unfortunately there was some sort of convention in Frankfurt at the time and all hotels in the nearest vicinity were booked out. That meant that they had to take us on a two and a half hour ride all the way to northern Bavaria! Many people were not amused and became downright frustrated in the course of this expedition.

18.09. - Flight to San Francisco

After a night spent in the lovely town of Bad-Kissingen and another two and half hour trip back we finally took off. The flight was wonderful. I got some good shots of the Rocky Mountains San Francisco and its surroundings.

After I checked in at the Green Tortoise youth hostel, I went for a walk down to the Embarcadero and the piers, all the way down to tourist trap Pier 39 and its seals.

19.09. - A day at San Francisco

First I took a stroll through the business district and took a look at the Civic Center and the United Nations Plaza.

Then I walked down to the Mission and took a look at the "Mission de San Francisco de Asis" Church and at its museum and graveyard before continuing down Dolores Street and past the Mission Dolores Park.

I walked to the 24th Street and then down Noe street to the Castro. I even got a good look at Twin Peaks. Then I took a tram back up Market Street. One of the tram drivers was rather wierd and talking and swearing to himself all the time..

After listening to a rather nice concert on a small plaza I took a walk through Yerba Buena Gardens. It was a nice little park with some interesting sights (of which some only Swiss people will understand). And then I quickly had to recover at the shopping mall - to my dismay I had blisters already! Serves me right for walking that much with bad socks and bad shoes!

After a short stroll down to the Embarcadero I went back uphill to the hostel and ended up walking through wonderful China Town, filled with all kinds of shops, selling jewelry, clothes, strange food (such as really smelly fish) and all sorts of kitsch.

And finally, in the evening I went down to the bus stop and boarded the Green Tortoise bus. Our first journey would be a night ride over the Bay Bridge and, driving all through the night, to Las Vegas.

20.09. - Hiking in Zion National Park

My first look at Las Vegas was one at an ugly and strange daylit city. We filled our stomachs at the Buffet at the Circus Circus Casino and ended that short visit there by moving on.

Zion National Park was wonderful! After getting some water and refreshments at the tourist center we took a shuttle and hiked Angel's Landing. It was a truly spectacular hike and the photos don't do it justice at all here.

21.09. - Bryce Canyon

After we had packed up our stuff at Zion National Park, we moved on to Bryce Canyon. Even on the road we could see the first messengers of this fantastic landscape already.

I think of all the canyons we looked at, Bryce Canyon was my favourite. The landscape had this kind of outer-planetary surreality to it I really enjoyed. As you can see on the map we hiked the Queens Garden (called like that because of a rock formation looking like Queen Victoria on her throne) and then the part of the Navajo Loop with a switchbacked, but still steep path. I didn't make it all the way to Bryce Point (supposedly the view is great from there). My feet just felt too blistery and I was too tired.

22.09. - Arches National Park, Moab and some petroglyphs

After a night drive, we arrive at Arches. Personally I had to struggle with my blisters the most on this hike. Arches was like a small museum. You just went from arch to arch instead of from painting to painting. Look at the map to see the names of the arches on Devil's Garden Trail, the trail we took. Wall Arch actually fell this summer, so we only saw its remains.

After Arches we went to the town of Moab for lunch. This town is strange in a way that it consists mostly of outdoor shops and eateries. It seems that it has adapted to its surroundings in a way as there are, apart from Arches, a lot more hiking and climbing oportunities out there all around it.

On our way to our campsite we also got to see some petroglyphs.

23.09. - Bathing and Goose Neck Canyon

We took a quick trip to Moab again, and then went bathing and swimming in a wonderful lake. After that, we were off to Goose Neck Canyon where we stayed the night.

24.09. - Monument Valley in Navajo Nation and then Karaoke in Page

First off today we went horse riding in Navajo Nation. I didn't take a lot of pictures there. Later we went to a shopping mall in Navajo Nation and that mall looked like there was a lot less money around here than in Moab. There are wild horses everywhere on this Native American land and one was even on the parking lot, feeding on the plants there!

After we left Navajo Nation we went bathing in Lake Powell near Page. In Page itself we went to the worst steak house ever, but after that, fun was the word of the evening as we went for a Karaoke night in the Windy Mesa (And Kyle, you were great!).

25.09. - Grand Canyon, first Day

After another night drive we arrived at the Grand Canyon. On my first day I took it easy. I phoned my boyfriend (for two hours!) and tended to my blisters. Then we took a stroll along the rim (there is a lot of wildlife here, mostly elk and squirrels) and later on watched the sun set over the canyon. We prepared for our big hike in the evening and Claudia tended to her two buddies (Moa and me) like a doting mother. :D

26.09. - Grand Canyon, second Day.

We hiked down to the Grand Canyon, to the Colorado river and then half way back up again to the Indian Gardens camp ground. It was good, but long and tiring and I drank about 6-7 litres of water that day, it was so dry down there.

27.09. - Grand Canyon, Seligman and, finally, Las Vegas again

I hardly slept that night, since a tiny mouse had gotten caught in one of the food boxes and rattled around terribly. I released it, of course. On our hike back up the Canyon I just wanted to get out of there as quickly as possible and practically didn't take any pictures at all.

On our way to Las Vegas we passed the strange town of Seligman, made of broken down houses with sometimes very strange decorations. We ate lunch there in a small restaurant (and it looked so "typical" too).

On the drive from Seligman to Las Vegas our bus broke down in the middle of the desert and we were stuck there for at least half an hour. It was ok though, as we had enough to drink.

And then we finally were on our way to Vegas and since we wouldn't see those people ever again, we took a lot of farewell pictures of each other. Vegas meant good bye and I felt kind of sad - but somehow I didn't have time to mourne for too long. I had to check in to my motel and dive into the night.

And what a long night it would be. I met up with some people and then we took a limo to some club on the Strip. I actually only took a limo, because all the busses were full and it would be a longer walk to the Strip. And then I set my eyes upon the madness of the various casinos. " Paris" with its Eiffel Tower, the "Bellagio" with its musical fountain, "Ceasers Palace" and finally the "Venetian" with its indoor Gondola and canal. At the end of the night I just had to sit down and let that sink in for a while over a drink and some company and the motel.

28.09. - Las Vegas, second Night

In the morning I had to sleep in, and the day was in one word: hungover. I got some laundry done and did some shopping walking down the streets in the great desert heat. And then I dove back into the world of the casinos again. Again I stopped at the " Bellagio" and looked at its Ent Garden, then went to the Forum Shops at "Ceasars Palace" and finally I walked almost all the way to the end of the Strip, to the South and took a look at the casinos there. I ended the night with the free "Sirens of TI" pirates show at "Treasure Island".

29.09. - Trip to Los Angeles

I figured that one more night in Vegas would probably kill me and so I took the Greyhound to LA to meet up with Drew in Chino.

30.09. - A taste of Hollywood

The first thing I did in LA was going to the Hollywood Boulevard and take in all the sights there. And then I went to a live recording of Jay Leno's tonight show! Finally I also went around to the Financial District of the city and also took a glimpse at Mullholland Drive.

02.10. - Disneyland

After Drew and I finally got in we made our way down the Main Street to the Jungle Cruise and then to the Indiana Jones Adventure in Adventureland, then we went through New Orleans to the Haunted Mansion that was occupied by none other than Jack Skellington. :) After Splash Mountain in Critter Country (where Drew lost his new hat!) we took it a bit slower on the Mark Twain Riverboat and then a bit faster at the Big Thunder Mountain Railroad in Frontierland before we treated ourselves to some lunch.

After a small stroll through Fantasyland we arrived at Mickey's Toontown, which was, visually speaking and design-wise my favourite place of all Disneyland. Next was Tomorrowland with Star Wars, Space Mountain and all the rest. In the end we went on the good old Pirates of the Caribbean ride and in the evening, we saw the Disney Parade, which I liked a lot as well. And then, as a glorious end to a wonderful day, you could still go on a shopping spree in a huge Disney Store after the park was closed!

03.10. - Venice Beach

I basically went to Venice Beach and back on my own. That was a long enough ride and and was much to see so I didn't do much else.

04.10. - Window Shopping

Drew and I went to this place that sells all kinds of second hand things. It was mainly stands in a warehouse but it was nontheless great since it sold all kinds of stuff that was mostly for nerds and collectors like the two of us. After that we went to a big mall. In either places I didn't buy anything but it felt good to go there just to look at stuff.

05.10. - E for All

Thanks to Casey, a friend of Drew's the three of us got into the E for All Games Convention for free. It was in the LA Convention Center. I have to say though that I thought the convention was mainly ok. I found it interesting to be there, since I've never been to a game convention before, but if you weren't into Guitar Hero, Rockband or Gears of War, which I wasn't, it was only interesting for the independet games you could try out. It was still ok though.

06.10. - Trip back to San Francisco

It was time to say goodbye to Drew and also to Geneva, his mom, who I really liked, and the rest of his family (including 9 pomeranian dogs!). I had to head back to San Francisco. On this day I pretty much rode the train all day (the train was two and a half hours late too). Here are some impressions.

07.10. - Another day at San Francisco

This time around I went for typical sightseeing. First Fishermen's Wharf, then San Francisco Bay and then crooked Lombard Street. I also couldn't miss out on taking a stroll on the Golden Gate Bridge. And finally I made my way to the beach to dip my feet into the Pacific Ocean for the first time.

Later I took a walk through the Golden Gate Park and to the Park in front of the MH de Young Memorial Museum and the Japanese Tea Garden.

08.10. - Alcatraz and the Trip Home

I guess everyone has to do it when they are in San Francisco. And so I too spent the amount of $26 to get to the Rock. Since I've never seen a prison from the inside before (and hopefully never will) it was an interesting experience.

Later that day I got to the airport and got back home...