flashman181

Pretty well stuffed @ 65 to be honest. Time flies when you are having fun but also tends to fly even when miserable:) And so its only a month before my last solo trip to USA until the next one. Lets recap an enjoyable December. Visited with the grand kiddies and also the great kiddies before usual Della gathering for the annual feast and festivities. All was on track for a great two weeks

We planned a quiet Xmas then at Flashman Inc with a catch up with Jas and family on Boxing Day. We sent out the cards to spread the cheer and maybe just the odd scare

Plenty of time to chill in the pool on a very quiet and relaxing few days around Xmas and then a lovely lunch with da boys on Boxing Day. 2023 was ending on a high note. Two Thumbs Up

Plans then were to head home after Boxing Day and return for the New Year weekend when the real partying would start. There was a chance a whole bottle of Champers could be consumed before bed time at 9 pm on NYE. Around Thursday afternoon back home in Maryhole and started to feel a bit of a sore throat and a cough. By next day sick as a dog and yep had caught COVID. A quick check confirmed CLP was also down with it and Jas’s family not travelling well and so hunkered down for a quiet and miserable New Year. No reason not to dress up though eh.

It has now been two more weeks of no golf or gym but still plenty of sweating. The temps may not be that high but the humidity is the killer especially when a bit crook. Here is one I prepared earlier .. at 530 am!

Only one New Years resolution then.

Plenty of time then to put the finishing touches to Routed@66 mid February which is basically a visit to the Golden Triangle on the West Coast which is actually Scalene I guess. Start in Los Angeles for 5 nights, then Las Vegas for 5 nights and then finish in Santa Monica for 4 nights. Being a stress free kinda guy travel down to Sydney day before to hopefully limit disasters of the Qantas variety

Hate the A 330 from Brisvegas as either very expensive Business Class or cramped Cattle class. It also arrives late in day which dont like. So will catch QF 11 (A 380 PE) from Sydney at very acceptable time of 11 am to arrive in LA at 6 am , 5 hrs before I left. Gives me plenty of time to get through LA customs before heading downtown to The Biltmore . CLP is also coming down to Sydney same day and will stay on for 3 days while I jet off. At this stage it is the QF 11 flight that causes most concern, notoriously late and always a chance they change the plane and lose my paid PE seat! Catching American Airlines from LA – LV return and already had 4 plane changes there but all minor and really only a 60 min trip

3 Prong attack then. In LA its tourist, in LV Alcoholic and in Santa Monica its Beach Bum. Have not been to LA for a long time so hope to see the Hollywood Forever Cemetery , Griffith Observatory , A Studio tour etc. A day trip down to Long Beach to see Queen Mary – and hope she didnt bring that clown Frederik with her. Do have a paid ticket for entry to Genesis Invitational at Riviera Golf Club on the Friday. Should be a big day being The Striped One’s own tournament and going on Friday means I see him play before he misses the cut. Also have requested tickets to Jimmy Kimmel but will wait and see, A full 5 days certainly. Of course always best not to read up too much or you would never visit anywhere. There is a big homeless problem in Downtown LA – especially around The Biltmore! In general it is becoming an issue in all the big cities. Also down at Santa Monica when not being harrassed by CD sellers etc.

Visited Las Vegas late 2022 and did many of tourist things like Grand Canyon. This time plan to spend more time on The Strip and actually check out inside the big casino/resorts which are almost like mini cities once you enter. Some off the Strip areas to check on too but only in daylight. May do tour of Allegiant Stadium to get feel for the NRL blockbuster a week later but everything in LV now is very expensive even before factor in lousy exchange rate. Then spend the last weekend - and my 66th birthday – at Santa Monica in my only VRBO accommodation of trip. Its a small room at back of house but seems a nice neighbourhood and plan is to be out and about all day. Vacation rentals are becoming very difficult to source in USA these days.

So, one should be getting a bit excited but has not kicked in yet for a number of reasons. Part of me does wonder if this is the right trip if indeed does end up being last. Always love the cold and snow in February when visit USA but that is on the east coast. As late as last week there was still a chance would change plans and go to NYC for the 14 days instead as got a good offer on Hotel Beacon. Reality though is that did struggle to fill in whole week in late 2022 , admittedly no snow or real cold. Like there is now! If all goes to plan and planes are fine etc then sure will fill in time much better on West Coast then did back in 2022. Weather should be glorious really – like Qld July days hopefully. One of the mistakes back in 2022 was trying to save money on food and drink and as such spent too much time in lodgings. Having spent the money to get there, plan on getting out a bit more and sampling some food and drink. Is harder when travel solo and also a DCM (Designated Chick Magnet).

And finally a health check of the Non Covid Variety. 2022 was severely hampered by poor recovery post ankle fusion 4 months. Since then of course have had another shoulder reconstruction. Odd then, its still the ankle that causes most concern. Wont be any walking cane this time – though never hurts to pack for public transport:) The ankle is not that limiting really but can still cause pain and swelling after extended activity. The new shoulder has not recovered as well as first one which was expected as 5 years older. Again, no great pain at all but some movement is restricted. You know odd things like putting bags in overhead lockers!

And so now we wait and ponder the future and hope no more little brush fires spring up.