Fiji - licious

Ok so you've had a few days to read the last blog so I'll bring you up to date now as we left Fiji last weekend. Here are the pics I hope its not too painful considering the snow!

Well we left LA on Saturday 11th December and after an 11 hour flight we arrived in Fiji on Monday 13th - losing Sunday to the international dateline and they say time flies!

We went west to a group of islands called the Yasarwas and to a tiny little island called Nanuya Lailai

...home of the Blue Lagoon beach as featured in the film of the same name with Brook Shields - beeeeautiful and loads of coral so great snorkelling

We stayed on the other side of the island which was only a 2 minute walk, in a the fab Gold Coast resort with great local people looking after us

This was our cottage or 'bura' with our favourite hammock

..our beach

Our love shack inside

Just us looking happy enjoying 'Fiji time'

That's it - sorry if its rubing it in but hey - we were in Fiji!!!!

Merry Christmas everyone - "I'm dreaming of a white christmas just like the ones I used to know...la la la" Hope you all have a fantastic time wherever you are and we are thinking of you all. Please keep the commnets coming I love reading them, and please follow us.

Lots of love and christmas sparkles xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Los Angeles and Las Vegas

Well its been a while since our last blog as we've been without internet but I'm back to update you on the latest.

We arrived in LA on 3rd Dec to stay with Dave's friend Alex

..took a walk down the walk of fame in Hollywood...

..had a few cocktails....

..and a few more...

Caught up with my uni friend Phil in Venice Beach

and took in Muscle Beach :)

Should Dave visit the cannabis doctor?

We walked along the canals of Venice, yes they built canals back when Venice was first built and now people's houses back onto these canals - gorgeous

Then it was off to Las Vegas

The Parisian hotel...

..the fantastic fountain display to music at the Bellagio.. 

..the erupting volcano at Mirage hotel...

...and of course the gambling, with free cocktails!

No its not Venice its still vegas in the Venitian hotell

Then we took a side trip to the grand canyon - breathtaking, it goes on for miles

 Sunset ....

The back to LA for one evening and one final sunset

and walk along the beach

Next stop Fiji - post to come soon.

Hope you are all feeling festive and looking forward to Christmas, we are missing the festivities - its just not the same in the warm but we aren't complaining. Miss you all xxxx

Vix's Birthday and the Californian Coast

So here's the next installment...

On Monday 29th November - my birthday - we left San Francisco on a 4 day road trip!

As we left San Fran on Monday we headed for the Pacific Coast road called Highway 1 which literally takes you alongside the coast - it's breathtaking! Here is just one of the beaches we passed and stopped to admire.

We stopped for lunch at this kitch roadside farm shop and had homemade soup and free jam tasting.

Enjoyed even more beaches in the afternoon sunshine...

.. and stopped in Monterey to enjoy the sunset on the beach. But wait the birthday celebrations were not over...

Then we stopped in a cute town called Carmel and had a glass of champagne and an oyster shooter (one oyster with hot sauce and salsa in a shot glass!)

We drove through the Big Sur, which is very rural coast and there are no street lights, few shops or places to eat and stay - very rugged. We stayed in this gorgeous log cabin in the middle of a Redwood forest and had scrummy food and wine in their restaurant.

.. then at 1am we went to an Indian reservation to go to the natural hot spring spa right on the beach - it was so dark the stars were amazing (sorry folks no pictures it was a nude one!)

Next day we continued down through the Big Sur and enjoyed more beautiful coastline...

As you can see Highway 1 is literally a coast road - the road is to Dave's right and the beach to his left - amazing driving.

We saw elephant seals, seals, dolphins, whales and this waterfall...

And another perfect sunset on the beach ..... we can see why California is so sort after!

We returned to civilisation on Wednesday evening in San Louis Obispo and enjoyed this local jazz band in a coffee shop of all places. Hot chocolate and Jazz!

We carried on through Pismo Beach and Santa Barbara on the Thursday but it was more of the same - we won't bore you ;)

Well what an amazing birthday and road trip and we landed in LA on Thursday evening, we are enjoiying temperatures of about 15 degrees C and the locals are complaining its cold - we are thinking everyone in ol' Blighty and Canada who are soooo much colder!!

Keep the comments coming - even if they are abusive we can take it!!

Seattle to San Francisco

Oh well what a week, we hav done so much in 7 days that I am going to do separate blogs. So this is for the 4 days in San Fran - birthday blog to follow.

So we left Victoria on Thursday 25th November (Thanksgiving in USA) and got two ferries to Seattle. We saw the Space Needle...

The next day at Pike Place fish market it was so cold we were glad to head south on our flight to San fran :)
"Its soooo cold Dave!"

However, we arrived on Thanksgiving and the only place open in the place we arrived was a Mexican bar - but the locals embraced us!

Sightseeing took us to the 'Painted Ladies' houses, where Mrs Doubtfire was filmed....

The beach by Golden Gate Bridge......

With a great view of Alcatraz.....

All in the delightful company of Dave's friend Leon and his lovely wife, Taryn who we stayed with.

We walked out onto the bridge and back again....

Then went to the west side of the city to see some old ruined baths (from the 1920s not Roman!!) and watched this beautiful sunset...

The next day we went to Chinatown and did some tea tasting and went into a market with all manner of weird animals on sale, including live toads and turtles (no photos don't worry)...

....and Coit Tower - a tower built just for beauty lke lots of things in san Fran...

Creative homeless gimicks are common as there are lots of travellers and homeless people

 We had some freshly caught crab at Fisherman's Wharf

And on our last day we hung out on Haight-Ashbury the scene of the 'Summer of Love' in the 60's and you can still smell it in the air, or is that the cannabis?....

...and drove down Lombard street the windiest street in the world.

Phew! The next installment is on its way.......don't want to rub in the California loveliness too much given the snow in UK!!