It's a California Adventure! (with added Las Vegas) Day 15

[Lizzybear]

Pre-trip
Day 1
Day 2
Day 3
Day 4
Day 5
Day 6
Day 7
Day 8
Day 9
Day 10
Day 11
Day 12
Day 13
Day 14

1st October 2008

Early start today as we were off to San Diego Zoo today. We had breakfast at Mimi's Cafe (french toast with sausage and scrambled egg for me, fried eggs and hashbrowns for Steve and the bill was $22ish) before setting off. Luckily the traffic was very light and we got to the zoo at around 10:20am. San Diego Zoo is really fantastic and though it looks huge on the map (we were doubting at first if we'd manage to see everything in one day) it's only because it's to scale. It is very hilly, though they have a bus you can pay extra for if you want/need it (we didn't) We had a lovely time and got some great pictures (Steve redeemed himself with these *lol*)

Just to add: I think komodo dragons are absolutely terrifying. I remember seeing a video someone had sent in to a TV show once where one of these guys had gone into their mate's tent whilst they were camping.. He ran out screaming but I think I would have just fainted then and there!

 

[Lizzybear]

An interesting cactus..

Elephants at last! They were some of the last animals we saw and I was getting impatient *lol*

Nice bit of unintended composition

SO CUTE!!

 

[Lizzybear]

OK, this is the last picture I promise!

We were done by 2pm and set off for Huntington Beach as we wanted to visit Electric Chair This place is what Hot Topic wishes it was!! I got 2 T-shirts, a cardigan and some earrings and Steve got a wallet to replace his lost one. We continued back to Anaheim and chilled in the hotel for a bit before leaving for dinner at 7pm. On the way we stopped at Target to get some snacks for tomorrow's drive as well as bits and pieces to bring home (I got some awesome Halloween cupcake mix and my standard 'US buys' of facewash, moisturiser and mascara and Steve got a camera case) We arrived at the Gardenwalk and attempted to hunt down PF Changs which proved easier said than done! Not sure what to think of this place really.. The car park was a nightmare: Stop signs on Every Single Junction gets preeetty tedious after a while. What's weird is the car park was really busy even though the complex itself was dead so I can only imagine how it'll be when the place establishes itself a bit! We finally found PF Changs in the only populated bit of the complex and I can't say it was worth a visit.. Oh heck i've already slated the Gardenwalk anyway so I might as well be honest: This place had the dubious honour of being the worst meal of the holiday! Steve had the vegetable spring rolls and aubergine in garlic sauce with rice and I had the vegetable dumplings, orange chicken with rice (which I normally love and before this point had yet to see anywhere/anyone mess it up!) and a side of asparagus. I don't know if we were just expecting too much (I think i've mentioned this in a previous report but mine and Steve's favourite restaurant in the world is the Tai Pan here in Liverpool so other Chinese places have quite a lot to live up to!) or if American Chinese food is usually this stodgy/oddly spicy. It also didn't help that the service was bad: Slow to bring the food, clear our plates and refill our drinks and it wasn't any busier than other places we'd received excellent service at. I can't remember the bill but I seem to remember it being overpriced, though we enjoyed the fortune cookies it came with (as you can see we're not that hard to please =) After dinner we drove back to the hotel to get some sleep for tomorrow's drive to Vegas.

 

[Goofysmate]

Great pictures and you are right the Cactus

 

[natalielongstaff]

Fantastic pictures

 

[mark&sue]

shame about your meal but there always has to be one that is so memorable because its sooo bad.

great zoo piccys


susan

 

[Minniespal]

Another great report with lovely photos.

 

[craigs bride]

great pics !