Southern California and Las Vegas trip report

Because my aunts Wei-Jen and Wei-Fang are visiting from Taiwan and had never been to the U.S. before, Dad took us on a road trip down south. Our stops included Las Vegas, two theme parks and several national parks. This was the perfect way to end the year.

Day 1

The first thing we needed was an SUV as we can't fit all our belongings into a sedan. I was still asleep when my parents got back with the rental car. It was then time to pack up and head for Anaheim. Dad stopped at Casa de Fruta in Hollister as it's very popular. I enjoyed browsing the store and even bought some potato chips to share.

The other stop along the way was Bakersfield for dinner. Although we were a little worried because someone had died from the flu here not too long ago, luckily nothing happened to us. Our party arrived in Anaheim a few hours later. Everyone was tired and went to bed after checking into the hotel.

Day 2

They say no trip to Southern California is complete without visiting Disneyland. However, I had been there before with my parents and wanted to try out a new place. Dad agreed and decided to take us to Joshua Tree National Park after dropping his sisters off at the Happiest Place on Earth.

Joshua Tree National Park turned out to be quite far. The park is named for the strange-looking trees native to the area. They were everywhere as far as the eye could see. Of note is that it was extremely windy here. Because it was getting dark — and there was a long drive to Anaheim — we turned back shortly afterwards.

It started raining as we began to leave. The rain was so heavy that the road was wet within minutes. Despite the severe weather, everyone was speeding and going like 80 mph or more. Dad has more experience in these situations, but we didn't want to rouse him from his sleep. Imagine our relief when we arrived in Anaheim after a terrifying two hours. Joshua Tree National Park definitely wasn't as exciting as we hoped it would be. Perhaps we should have gone to Disneyland after all.

On that note, there was one thing left to do: we made our way to the Happiest Parking Lot on Earth to pick up Wei-Jen and Wei-Fang before returning to our hotel. They were drenched in the rain but otherwise had a great time.

Day 3

I woke up to some good news: Dad checked my e-mail and found out I was accepted into SJSU for the fall. This was like an early Christmas present as the decisions generally come much later. At least I have somewhere to go!

The day's focus was Universal Studios Hollywood. Though we had been here too, Mom didn't want to leave my aunts on their own again. I didn't mind as Universal Studios Hollywood was actually pretty fun when we went there eight years ago.

There was a mishap at the Mummy Returns: Chamber of Doom attraction. The walk-through features mummies that emerge from dark corners. I wanted to be an action hero after playing too much Quake and pretended to fight the mummies. But what I didn't realize is that they were real actors. They obviously weren't too happy when I accidentally punched one guy in the face. I still don't know how we didn't get in trouble. *sheepish grin*

One major attraction at Universal Studios Hollywood is the Studio Tour. The tram took us to various film sets and sound stages. The 45-minute tour was interesting and informative. It was just as we remembered and hadn't changed much.

The ride ended just in time for lunch. Everything here was expensive, but we decided to save time and ordered a pizza from Louie's Pizza & Pasta rather than going off-site. I loved Back to the Future as a kid and also wanted to try the chicken tenders from Doc Brown's Chicken. They were a little dry but not too bad as far as theme park food goes.

There were several more attractions that we hadn't seen. T2 3-D: Battle Across Time and Back to the Future: The Ride were both enjoyable. I also liked Backdraft and the 4D films. Long lines aside, Universal Studios Hollywood was the best part of the trip.

Day 4

We headed for Las Vegas after stocking up on groceries. Getting there took a while due to traffic in the L.A. metropolitan area. There was enough time to explore the Strip after checking into Stratosphere Las Vegas. This was relaxing and made for great family time. I mostly played Quake after getting back to the hotel as there wasn't much else to do.

Day 5

It was time to leave for Barstow after a good night's sleep. One stop along the way was a town called Pahrump. I bought some more snacks at a gas station while my parents got prune juice at Walgreens to treat Wei-Jen's constipation. For those unaware, prune juice is a natural laxative and a great remedy when you can't poop. This was something we had been looking for since the trip began. It was a relief when we finally found some!

Pahrump is also a popular spot for fireworks. The selection at the Phantom Fireworks showroom was impressive. They even had a deal where you could buy one and get two free. The only reason we didn't buy any fireworks is that there wasn't anywhere nearby to legally use them.

Our journey brought us to Death Valley National Park — the hottest and lowest point in the United States. It's really a fascinating place. I had hoped to visit Ubehebe Crater as we didn't get to see it on our trip to the Southwest U.S. three years ago. However, this wasn't possible as it was still too far. Oh well.

Wei-Jen started feeling unwell as the night went on. Dad feared she had altitude sickness but soon realized she really needed to use the bathroom. Prune juice works, that's for sure. Only one problem: there were no rest areas as Death Valley is a pretty desolate place. Let's just say we had to make several emergency roadside stops. *whistles innocently*

All craziness aside, the drive to Barstow was largely uneventful. I played some games on my laptop before going to bed. Our room was nice but only had enough beds for four people. I agreed to sleep on the couch to accommodate my mother's back problems, but that wasn't an issue as the couch was fairly comfortable.

Day 6

We left Barstow and arrived in Sequoia National Park four hours later. The giant trees were impressive. The only reason we didn't stay long is that it was freezing outside. The other thing is that I slipped on the ice and hurt my butt near the Cedar Grove Visitor Center. Shit happens.

Dad wanted to take us to Kings Canyon National Park afterwards but found out Generals Highway was closed due to weather conditions. This wasn't a big deal because we had been there. The final stop was our hotel in Oakhurst — the same place we stayed at on our trip to Yosemite earlier this year.

Day 7

Yosemite National Park was just around the corner. Some areas were closed for winter, but we got to see the famous Yosemite Falls and Yosemite Village. Dad also found a perfect spot for a picnic lunch.

Mom saw wolves trudging through the snow at one point and stopped the car so we could get pictures. I started freaking out as soon as my aunts rolled down their windows for a better look because I was afraid the wolves would attack us. Yet they didn't even bat an eye as they passed our car. Being paranoid sucks. I definitely felt like an asshole for yelling at my aunts. :-(

One of our family traditions is to eat at the Kowloon Chinese Restaurant in San Mateo on the way home from a trip. But things weren't the same: the restaurant's name and menus have changed while everything was more expensive. The final straw was finding out the food wasn't as good as it used to be. Mom felt cheated and decided that she doesn't want to come back here anymore. It was sad to see this tradition end.

Conclusions

Wei-Jen and Wei-Fang's company made an already great trip even better. I also had no idea Universal Studios Hollywood could be so much fun. It was certainly my favorite stop. One thing for sure is that the memories from this trip will last a lifetime.

The plan was to go to Grand Canyon National Park after Las Vegas, but my aunts insisted it was too expensive. It was ultimately decided to skip Grand Canyon as we had been there before. This shortened our trip by about two days but also helped us save several hundred dollars. I truly appreciate the consideration.

Currently playing: The Incredible Machine 3