I'd love to go to Graceland oneday. That's probably the only thing left on my list of must do's in America.
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Your favourite things in the US
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The Old Dark Navy's
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It's a good tour. Not too gimmicky.
Very awe inspiring to look at things and think 'Elvis sat here', 'Elvis played that' etc.
You get an audio headset that changes for each room. You can pause it or punch in a number and relisten to the audio for a particular room.
I lost count of the rooms filled with costumes and gold records, but naturally it is the 70s decorating ideas that Elvis himself came up with that win the day. Very unique.
You can take photos without a flash. I have made up a DVD of our photos set to music.
Graceland is not massive but there is enough to see and the area in general is surprisingly seedy. Helps to know that if you are expecting some landscaped wonderland leading up to the old brick and not at all imposing gates.
Fans will love it. Most non-fans will appreciate his impact especially as it is all spelled out before you.
Yeah, I'm more looking to Memphis for the Blues / Elvis side of things, BBQ ribs as well! Big fan of the King and the music to have come from the region so will do all the tourist stuff around that. Gibson factory etc. Will play at an open mic night and try string along the locals that I'm a big deal back home.
Bucks Boy Jett
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Unfortunately for me I was charged with criminal damage after smashing a pub window 14 years ago and it comes under the US's crime of morale turpitude, but thankfully now it is all sorted and I can enjoy the countdown until my trip.
The Old Dark Navy's
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- #330
Whoops. Didn't mean to pry. Yeah, that will hold things up.
Do you have to be interviewed or something? I mean, they can check that you have a clean record since when you apply. I've watched Border Security and know what happens if you do not declare things, but what sort of assurances do they need if you do declare things? 'I promise I'll be a good boy'?
I've heard numerous people say great things about Seattle. It's not one of the cities I would've thought people would rave about. I'll be there for about 7-10 days. Any suggestions on must sees and do's?
Bucks Boy Jett
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Yeah you have to have an interview at the US consulate in StKilda Rd and you also have to supply an Australia Wide Police Report and then your application then has to be sent to the Department of Homeland Security in Washington. All this can take 6-8 weeks.
When I went for my interview I had 8 weeks until departure but I still had to get the police check which was supposed to take 10 days but know some people in the right places I received it back in a week and then I faxed it off to the US Consulate as required. Luckily I decided to email the Consulate the next day with 7 weeks until departure and they got back to me with their fax machine was broken so then I scanned and email to them, leaving me with 7 weeks to get my Visa. In the end the application took 5 weeks exactly.
So as you can understand I had a few anxious moments along the way but it all turn out for the best and this time next week I will be in Vegas.
- Dec 21, 2005
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Of the people that have been to Yosemite has anyone been in Jan?
Worried we wont be able to do or see as much (Glacier Point for example) due to road closures.
Worried we wont be able to do or see as much (Glacier Point for example) due to road closures.
- Jan 23, 2007
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My advice is when booking trips around the US, try and go when there are sports on. For example I live in Vancouver but we went to San Fran and LA 2 weeks ago. The 49ers NFL team were at home in San Fran and then we went to see the Canucks (who we follow) play the Kings at Staples Centre in LA. Both were simply amazing to watch!
Too many people just book without much thought, doesnt even matter if your not a huge fan of that particular sport, to see professional sports wherever you are is an incredible experience. And the US pretty much owns professional sports so there's always plenty to see!
Too many people just book without much thought, doesnt even matter if your not a huge fan of that particular sport, to see professional sports wherever you are is an incredible experience. And the US pretty much owns professional sports so there's always plenty to see!
- Jan 23, 2007
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I found you can do seattle in a weekend, the main things to see is the Pike Markets which are right downtown and quite good. Take a tour of Safeco Field (home of the Mariners) and if Qwest Field (Seahawks) is open do that to. Depends when you go make sure you get to a NFL game.
Space needle is also good for a great view of the city.
They also have cruises in the bay which is good to fill in a couple of hours.
I quite like the city but yeh its not the biggest touristy city I found.
Thats how I planned my whole trip really. Wanted to see the NHL, NFL and NBA and some College games, did some research and planned out in advance where to visit and how long to stay in each place to get the best chance of seeing some sport. Turns out I miss seeing the teams I follow in most places but do get to see the Celtics and Jets which is a great result. While we are in Boston, the Bruins are on the road but there are College matches on so that might be worth a look.
So far have booked:
Memphis v Heat
Celtic v Bulls
Rangers v Penguins
Jets v Bengals
with a wait and see on
Islanders v Rangers
Giants v Jacksonville
Would goto more but there's more to life then sport... isn't there? Can't drag the g/f everywhere
. Wish we could go for longer, and squeeze it all in.
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Will be in Vegas this time next week as well, hoping not to lose my shirt!
I was thinking about it this time around but it's just so expensive! That said, I did go to a Staples Centre game between the Lakers and thr Clippers in 04 and it was great. Kobe dominatated and singlehandedly won the game for them.
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And driving in icy conditions is not fun at all. Take it from me. I don't think I've been so nervous/scared in my life. I'm not sure about the Yosemite topography, but if there is ice on the road and a cliff to your right, you shit bricks, no doubts about it.
Keys
Looking for a cloud to yell at
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- #340
Icy is shit. Drove through the Rockies in Canada in January this year and it scares the hell out of you.
Driving when it is snowing heavily is no fun either - worst I had was getting passed by a truck doing 100+k's an hour on the interstate in Idaho with fresh snow on the road at night. Couldn't see further than 10 feet in front of me so I just hoped the road was straight and there was nothing in front of me.
Do you have snow tyres fitted?
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- #341
No, we've been meaning to buy but never did. We're so inexperienced coming from dry Melbourne as well. We had two really scary experiences last week.
Your Idaho experience mirrors our drive to Cody, WY. We decided to take the scenic route through the Bighorn National Forrest, it was quicker anyways and we enquired before and the weather was fine. That changed very quickly, it got dark and we could not see a metre in front of us. It was snowing heavily and we couldn't control the car properly. I was very very scared. We flashed the first oncoming car we saw and asked them for advice. They had turned around so we did as well and took a 5 hour detour around the mountains. We got there after midnight, very tired, but alive.
The second scary incident happened a few days later (two days ago) which I mentioned briefly before. We were in Yellowstone nearing the West entrance, the roads were pure ice in one section. We saw a park official jacknifed ahead so we slowed down but as soon as we did we lost momentum and we began to swerve, heading into the ditch. We stopped and they called in the park rangers who helped us till the sand truck came. There must have been 50 cars behind us and the same in front that had to stop waiting for the truck. It finally came and cleared the roads and we were off after sitting around for an hour or so.
Also I should say that hiking in the snow isn't so fun either. The paths can becoming unclear very quickly and you really have to be prepared. It is absolutely stunning though!
Off to the desert this week. Had enough of snow to last a very long time
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Things to do, Pikes market, I stayed next door to it, and its very touristy in that there are lots of souvenir type shops, but its also very cavernous as well, but there is a nice pub which brews its beer onsite, Pikes pub I think its called.
If you're a sci fi fan they have a sci fi museum.
The boat cruise I took was a 1 hour harbour tour and it cost 17 bucks, but it was very enjoyable, the tour guide never stopped talking the whole time and was very funny as well. there are other longer boat tours as well, Mt Rainier is a 3 hour drive away, but is very photogenic. Seattle has lots of history in that it burnt to the ground a few years ago and was basically rebuilt on top of the other buildings, I didn't do this tour but they have an underground Seattle tour where all the shop fronts are still there., another tour is a haunted house tour.
Seattle isn't far from Portland so you could try and make the trip down there which would take you past Mt St Helens, Columbia Gorge is beautiful, the Columbia river is the second biggest river volume wise in the US, it makes the Murray look like a creek.
Ho river rainforest gets 15 feet of rain per year.
Seattle gets a lot of rainy days because of the topography, the clouds have to 'rain out' before they will rise above the Cascades and move east, it actually gets less rain than Boston and New York, but it rains on more days.
Even if you don't plan to drive in the US at least rent a car for a day and go for a run down the interstates, 75 mph and yet you still get passed, its like a real life computer game.
justthedukes
Club Legend
Is it easy to get from Vegas to the Canyon?
Would most hotels have bus services that go out there every day?
Has anyone ever heard of a chopper ride that you can book that goes from your hotel to the Canyon? A mate mentioned to me...
Would most hotels have bus services that go out there every day?
Has anyone ever heard of a chopper ride that you can book that goes from your hotel to the Canyon? A mate mentioned to me...
- Dec 21, 2005
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I feel so much better about driving in Yosemite now
There are plenty of tours. I did a hummer tour from Vegas to the Grand Canyon which we booked in advance (although not sure if you have to pre book). I think it was the West Rim we went to...well the one with Sky Walk. There are coach services which I think go to the South Rim. I don't think coaches go to the West Rim as it's quite a bumpy rocky road in spots. I have friends that have done the helicopter tour and booked it when they got there.
Bucks Boy Jett
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Bucks Boy Jett
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Bucks Boy Jett
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Here is another website that help you get an idea of what hotels are what and also how much to bid on priceline.com and hotwire.com. Hope it help you out.
http://www.betterbidding.com/index.php?showforum=32&
http://www.betterbidding.com/index.php?showforum=32&
