Thank you and please feel free to 'go on' as much as you like!

Food really good and included crab, shrimp, prime rib and sushi.

You're making me drool!

Pippy

I agree with Pippy, please feel free to "go on" as much as you like! I can't get enough of LV trip reports. Looking forward to the next instalment.

Remember to leave a review of your hotels on our review site.

luci

Thanks for posting your review Jannerlily - I can't wait to read the rest (to get me in the mood for our trip to Hawaii/Las Vegas in September!).

U2fan

Loved your report so far. Another please go on as much as you want from me too.

If you have any specific information about Chicago airport please let me know as we are due to fly through there in November and have never done it before. I will have my parents with me so I'm more concerned than usual.

pebbles ...... Chicago was fine, no problems at all. When you get off plane, just follow the crowds and signs to Immigration. One queue for US Citizens and another for the rest of us!. The queues were huge. Luckily we were in the right spot in the queue when the opened the US side for us as their queues had gone. Finger prints and photos at Immigration and handing over of Visa Waiver Cards. Then onto baggage hall to collect bags. Bags collected (no free trolleys, $3. Not sure if you get a return on these as didn't use them as didn't need them). Handed in Customer/Agriculture form and followed sign to Connections. This was literally outside the door to Baggage Reclaim. Like I said previously, we had to put the whiskey and perfume purchased at Duty Free in Heathrow into our hold luggage at this point as we could not take liquids through to Domestic Departures. Suitcases handed over and we walked through to International Arrivals. Then took escalator upstairs to the monorail which took us to the Domestic Terminal. Had to go through security procedures again, x-ray machine, shoes off etc. Monitors obviously tell you which gate you will leave from. When you check in in UK, you should be handed your boarding card for both legs of your flight so you won't need to check in again in Chicago.

All very easy and no problems. Hope this helps.

Actually, one line is for US residents and the other for non-US residents (you don't have to be a citizen). A minor point I suppose but a big one when using the US-resident line saves a lot of time!

Part 2

23/01/07 - Up at 6am for early pick up for Grand Canyon Helicopter Ride. We had free return limo pick up to airport. Have done helicopter ride before, with breakfast at a cowboy ranch. This time we opted for the champagne breakfast in the basin of the canyon. Trip booked through Look Tours and we flew with Sundance. Disappointed at the automated narration on this trip. Our previous trip with Heli USA, the pilot narrated which also gave us chance to ask questions. Landing in the basin though more than made up for it. It was a glorious sunny day and the view was just stunning. Paid $289 per person with a $20 fuel surcharge. Flew back via the strip.

Bob not feeling great now, has a bad cold and gradually getting worse. He decides to have a lie down so the rest of us take a taxi back to the outlets on Grand Central Parkway for the bargains we missed yesterday! Back to the IP for an hour chill out time and boys go to see the Auto Collection at the IP. I give it a miss as seen it before. They enjoyed though.

We were going to get the monorail down to The Sahara when it dawns on us that it's actually cheaper to get a taxi as there is 5 of us. Went to eat at the Nascar Cafe there as we had to be there for a show. Never again! The place was near on empty but the service was terrible, extremely slow. They got mine and Bob's order wrong but said it was what we ordered. James ordered pizza with no onion, it came with onion. Jodie had salmon which had been cooked for a week it was so dry. Jon's was ok. We complained and they knocked 2 meals of the bill and then gave a 20% discount on the balance.

Jodie and I went to see Trent Carlini in The Musical History of the King. Am a big Elvis fan and this guy was awesome. Made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. A must for any Elvis fan. Whilst we were at show the boys walked across to the Stratosphere had a go on the Big Shot. Taxi back to IP.

24/01/07 - Last day in Vegas. We enjoyed the buffet at The Flamingo so much we decided to back their for brunch. $13.95 per person. Again, good food and value for money. We then took a walk up the strip to wander in the other hotels we had yet to see ... Paris, Mandalay Bay, The Luxor and New York New York. Unable to ride the Manhattan Express as closed for renovations (shame!!). Walked down to The Bellagio for the fountains and caught the show to All That Jazz. Went to the new Aladdins Passage at the Aladdin, a brand new shopping arcade then took a taxi to the Hard Rock for meal.

Back to IP and earlyish night for me. Bob and James decided to go down to casino for a late one. Arrive back, rather worse for wear and probably a few quid lighter!! Early hours of the morning I am awoken by a knock on the door. I answer bleary eyed to find James outside in his boxers and socks! He'd been sleep walking!! God knows where he'd been or for how long but he was oblivious to what had happened. Thank god he turned right at the end of his bed and not left as that would have taken him to a 10th floor balcony.

Review already submitted for Imperial Palace

25/01/07 - Limo ride back to airport at 7.30am for short flight of 1hr 30 mins to SF. Transport to hotel had already been organised with Bayporter Express. $120 return journey for all 5 of us. Quick phone call to them to let them know we had arrived and for them to tell us where to meet. 30 min journey to the Radisson Fishermans Wharf (please can you add so that I can review, thanks). Had read some mixed reviews on this place, most saying the rooms where shabby etc. Was therefore pleasantly surprised. Thought rooms were fab with Sleep Number beds (you can make them as hard or as soft as you want them).

Bob still not any better. He takes to his bed and the rest of us wander down to Fishermans Wharf and Pier 39. Hotel has it's on access right onto the Wharf which is handy. I would say that the Wharf is probably the most 'touristy' area of SF but we quite liked it. Lots of street entertainment, shops selling tat and eateries. We liked Pier 39 and the resident sea lions. You hear and smell them before you see them. There are also great views of Alcatraz. Very foggy day so views of Golden Gate Bridge not great. Had a buffet at the North Beach Pizza Place on Pier 39.

The first thing that really struck me about SF was the homeless/drunks that seem to be everywhere you turn. We had heard on the news whilst there that the number of homeless in SF is becoming a real big problem for them and they basically don't know what to do about it. You can't miss the homeless. They are carrying all their worldly goods in a shopping trolley, normally full to brimming with empty cans and plastic bottle which they can return and get 5c a piece. The drunks generally stand outside stores begging for your change when you come out. It's very sad and I realise that these problems exist worldwide, I just don't think I have seen so many unfortunate people in such a short space of time.

Part 3 to follow .........

Unfortunately, a large homeless population is often the result when you get a liberal-minded and left-leaning city like San Francisco. Santa Cruz has a similar problem.

BTW I can do a good sea lion impression but it's too bad we can't upload audio clips here.

janerlily wrote:

All very easy and no problems. Hope this helps.

Thank you so much for that . It puts my mind at ease. One more question though, how long do you estimate it took you from the plane through immigration and ready for the next one.

(Sorry if i'm being a pain.)

Thanks so much I am really enjoying this.

You hear and smell them before you see them

Ah, happy memories!!

Very interesting report. I'm looking forward to the rest of it. I just hope Bob's cold improved- such a shame.

Pebbles, you aren't being a pain, am happy to help if I can.

If I am honest, I don't really recall how long it took, sorry! However, because we had acres of time, we had no need to rush. We had about a 3 hour wait before next flight. Unfortunately our flight time out of Chicago had been changed after booking. Now we originally had 1 hr 30 mins and I do remember saying to my OH that if time hadn't changed it would have been tight.

I think the real problem with time is at Immigration. If you arrive at the same time as a few other international flights, then obviously the queues can be huge. Just the luck of the draw I guess. However, I guess your connecting flight must allow a reasonable amount of time for you to get it? Whats the difference in time between your 2 flights? I am sure you will be ok

If it's any help, we arrived at Terminal 2, the international one, in Las Vegas at 12.25pm and it took exactly an hour to get through immigration and that was with a plane load of UK residents.

luci

Part 3

26/01/07 - Breakfast at IHOP situated on the corner of the Radisson. Caught the F Line streetcard to The Ferry Building on the Embarcado ($1.50 per person - exact change) for the start of our City Tour. Booked in UK with San Francisco City Tours. Now it hadn't rained in SF for a month, until today. Typical! We boarded a ferry which took us across to Sausilito, a small town across the bay. Our tour guide Jason was very enthusiastic and knowledgeable. Sausilito was a quaint little town. Would be lovely in the summer. Sealions were playing in the water. Had a 1 hr stop here before getting on the bus and heading across the Golden Gate Bridge. Stopped at the other side for photo's. Short stop in Golden Gate Park to view the new De Young Museum. Drove through the Presidio area and off to Alamo Square. A stop to see 'Postcard Row. Visited Grace Cathedral and a walking tour through China Town. Also visited the Cable Car Museum (which is free anyway). Here you see how the cable cars work as this is also the places that houses the steel cables which continuously turn to work them. Dropped back to the Ferry Building so streetcar back to hotel. Really enjoyed the tour, just a shame it was raining. Ate at Rainforest Cafe on Fisherman's Wharf. The most expensive meal so far!

27/01/07 - Brought an all day cable car ticket ($11) and took the Hyde and Mason cable car to Union Square. Very busy and a lot of activity as there is an Anti War rally planned that day. There are loads of shops from the ordinary to the very upmarket. Spent an hour or so having a look around. The 'turntable' for the cable cars is at Union Square and it's very busy. Decide to walk up a few stops and catch the Hyde and Powell cable car to Lombard Street 'The Crookedest Street in the World'. Walked down it and back up again - exhausted!! Took cable car again to Ghiradelli Square which is end of the line for Hyde and Powell. Some lovely street crafts in this area. I loved the cable cars. Sat inside, outside and hung onto the side. Great fun!

Have Clam Chowder in a Sourdough bowl at Boudins. Devine!

Off to Pier 33 for our night time tour of Alcatraz. Last tour of the day with a 4.20pm departure. As we approached Pier 33 we saw a very large crowd gathered, with lots of shouting and wondered if we had come to the right place. There was baracades and police and we just didn't know what was going on or how we could get to where we needed to be. They were protesters with banners and shouting ....Do the right thing, don't get on the boat .... Well we finally found a way past and into the entrance and had people shouting '''Shame on you''''. Took my printed internet reservation to the box office and got our tickets. As we joined the queue to embark I asked what was going on. We were told that in September 2006 the ferry company that had the contract to take passengers to Alcatraz (The Blue and Gold Fleet) lost it to Hornblower Ferries. Apparently Hornblower did not take on the previous fleets employees. There was also something to do with unions, but not quite sure what.

The ferry took us right around the island with a narrated tour. As we boarded the dock, we were split into large groups and had our own Park Ranger who told us about the place. We started our tour just sa the original prisoners would have done once they had docked. Up over the hill and into the shower room where they would have received their prison clothes etc. Apparently this is reasonably new, it's only recently started at the shower room. Into the cell block then for the audio tour. It is fascinating and the tour is so informative. An absolute must. The cells are really quite small and very grim. In the last 3 months they have also opened the hospital wing to the nighttime tour only. Saw the room where Robert Stroud (Birdman of Alcatraz) spent 11 of his 17 years on Alcatraz. It was freezing by the time we left and pitch black. Quite spooky. Definately my SF highlight.

28/01/07 - Last day in SF. Bob no better and decides to stay in bed to be rid of this cold once and for all. We decide to walk down to Pier 39 again to see the sea lions (again) and watch the street entertainers. It was a beautiful day and we had fun watching them. We decide to go visit a submarine (can't remember it's name) but find out it's in dry dock. End day with a meal at Hard Rock Cafe.

29/01/07 - Up at 5am for flight to Maui. Turn on light, nothing! Phone reception to find there is a power cut over 4/5 blocks. Someone quickly arrives with 2 torches. Panic to get ready in dark. Shower by torchlight, now thats something I haven't done before! In mayhem, Bob leaves a new 'designer' t-shirt on the bed (have emailed hotel for it's return but they say it hasn't been found - very dishonest housekeeping me thinks!!). Have to use stairs to take down suitcases, which incidently have now almost doubled in number. Stairs don't take to me to reception, but out onto street. I walk to reception with the obscure mutterings of a vagrant on a bicycle. The mutterings are aimed at me. My last memory of SF!

Bayporter Express arrive on time to take us to SF airport. Self service check in again. Getting a dab hand at this and even manage to change our seats. Flight left on time. Amazed, it was less than half full (Boeing 777 which is 2-5-2 configuration). There was acres of room. Quite a bit of turbulance.

Arrived Maui. Arrivals hall is out in the open, no windows etc and we notice the winds are high and no sunshine. Catch courtesy bus to Dollar to collect our car. A 7 seater. We upgrade to a bigger 7 seater to accommodate all our luggage!

We are staying at a place called Papakea which is in West Maui and in the area of Ka'anapali. I booked the condo through http://www.vbro.com. It's a privately owned condo. Easy drive of 50 mins to our destination. You really can't get lost and there are too few roads. There is only one road in and out of Ka'anapali. The condo is fantastic. It's been newly remodelled with all the mod cons and everything you could wish for, and some. We are oceanfront so the view from the lanai (balcony) is just stunning with 2 other islands, Molokai and Lanai within view. We head straight down to the beach where there is a monk seal asleep! Shoes always left outside front door, an old Hawaiian custom.

Unpack and head straight to Star Supermarket for groceries. I can't believe how expensive it is. Now I have shopped for food in Florida and always thought how cheap it is, but not here. A bag of lettuce is £8.00!!! We just get essentials for now.

Could not fight sleep any longer so bed by 9pm with the sound of the waves crashing. Awesome!

Will bore you all with part 4 shortly.

Cooked dinner whilst having a fantastic view. Don't mind cooking at all with a vew like this.

Enjoying it so far. Looking forward to Part 4!

luci

Hi Luci, are you able to put the Radisson Fishermans Wharf onto the hotel reviews so I can post a review? Also Papakea in Maui?? Thanks

Radisson requested Do you have an official link to the second property?

Pippy

looking forward to part 4 as well

Pippy .... only link I have is http://www.vbro.com/36070
This was company I booked through. There is also a link there to owners own website. Thanks