Travel pages

Saturday, October 5th, 2002 From my home to Schiphol Airport is a direct two hour train connection, that is, normaly. Offcourse today, when I have to go to Schiphol, the line is closed for maintenance so my wife had to bring me to the airport by car. Around six PM I can check in at the Air France flight to Paris and a few hours later, after a short flight with an Airbus A321 and a shuttlebus ride, I arrive at the Radisson Airport Hotel in Paris. Airbus A321 at Schiphol Airport Sunday, October 6th, 2002 I programmed the alarm clock to wake me up at half past five but at five AM I woke up by a terrible sound. Fire Alarm!! I jumped out of bed, dressed as quick as possible, took my suitcase and ran to the door. The the alarm stopped and I saw people going back to their rooms so I went back too. Just a minute later, the alarm started again. Again I walked out of my room, closed the door and then the alarm stopped again. I wanted to go back to my room but I left the keycard to open the door, in the light switch that also needs the keycard :-( so I could not get in. I went to the desk in the lobby and just when I got another keycard, the alarm started again so the elevators didn't work so I couldn't go to my room. Fortunately there was a table with coffee in the lobby so I took a cup of coffee and waited for the alarm to be switched off. When I finaly got to my room and wanted to take a shower the alarm went off again and now I had enough. I packed my things, checked out and took the shutlebus to Charles the Gaulle Airport. Concorde at Charles the Gaulle Airport At half past nine, boarding started and after spending eleven hours in a Boeing 777 with beautifull clear views on Canada and the US I arrive at LAX LA International Airport. Somewhere over the UK View on the road between LA and Las Vegas With a shuttlebus I drive to my hotel, the Anabella Hotel at 1030 West Katella Avenue in Anaheim. The Anabella Hotel I am a member of the GWRRA, the Gold Wing Road Riders Assosiation and in the weeks before I went to LA, I had an email conversation with John, the Chapter Director of the local GWRRA chapter. He gave me a lot of tips for the trip I wanted to make and invited me to call him when I arrived to show me around the area. When I arrived at the hotel, I called him and an hour later he picked me up for a tour in his car around Orange County. Sightseeing Orange County, Los Angeles We went to a friend and fellow GWRRA member for a beer and to watch a game of the Anaheim Angels. Then John showed me places like Newport Beach and Laguna Beach. Laguna beach is a beach like so see in the TV series baywatch with "babes" playing beach volleyball in the sunset. Newport Beach Here I'm standing next to the Laguna Beach lifeguard station Close to the beach is a nice bikers bar with Harleys parked at the curb good music inside and people dancing (and smoking because that's not allowed inside) on the sidewalk. After a visit to a nice art gallerie with beautifull pantings of dolphins and other sea animals we went to a very good Sushi Restaurant, "Oami" at El Toro Road, half a mile East of the I-5 freeway in Lake Forest, Orange County, CA. I never had sushi before and I liked it very much. After this very good meal and before John drove me back to my hotel, we went to John's house to have a look at his Gold Wing GL1500 John and his GL1500 Monday, October 7 to Friday October 11, 2002 Monday is the first day of the conference I'm attending. After a nice breakfast at the "Tangerine" I walk to the Anaheim Convention Center, on the same block as the hotel to register for the conference and at eleven o'clock, the first session started. The Anaheim Concention Center After the first day, I walk to Downtown Disney, just across the street to have dinner and buy some souvenirs. Downtown Disney is like Disney Village in Paris in France, with souvenir shops, restaurants and toy shops. I walked around Downtown Disney, bought some souvenirs for the kids at home and admired a giant LEGO giraffe. Giant LEGO giraffe in Downtown Disney After a nice Turkey Panini sandwich and a cola at "La Brea bakery Cafe" I walk back to the hotel. It is a surreal environment. All the palmtrees are illuminated and the bushes have little "christmas" lights. In the evening, hidden nozzles, on the ground between the bushes, water the trees and plants. The next few days I'm bussy with the conference with a nice Conference Attendee party at Thursday evening in Disney California Adventure. Disney California Adventure, right across the street from the hotel The whole conference is a giant operation with thousands of participants and a lot of activities every day. I was impressed with the organisation of the lunch. All those people that want to have a good lunch at the same time and it was running so smoothly. Lunch in the Anaheim Concention Center Between the sessions of the conference, I walk around, seightseeing the area. In the distance I could see the Christal Cathedral. In the Netherlands you can see the services in the Christal Cathedral on TV. I am very happy with my hotel room. It is a very big room with two big beds (although I only need one), a big bathroom and a coffee machine. People who know me, know that I need a coffee before I really wake up so this was perfect.

On Friday, the last conference session ends at half past four. John and Bobby (John's wife) had invited me for dinner on Friday night so I call John when I'm back at the hotel and then we go to Joe's Crab Shack, the nicest and funniest restaurants I have ever seen. John and Bobby in Joe's Crab Shack We start with a drink, Joe's Fish Bowl. A big fish bowl, filled with ice, rum and bananajuice and three strows to drink from. Realy nice! Bobby and I drink from Joe's Fishbowl After the first fishbowl that we drink at the bar, we get a table and we have a great dinner with all kind of seafood and great service. When I explained that I never had crab before, I got a bib from the waitress and then she helped me eat it Great service ! Every 30 or 45 minutes, all the staff starts dancing and when they found out it was someone's birthday, they invited everyone to sing "Happy Birthday". It was a very nice and funny evening and a great start of my USA trip. Dancing staff at Joe's Crab Shack Saturday, October 12 2002 Today is the day! At nine AM I can pick up the bike at the rental company. I get a taxi from the hotel to drive me to USA on Wheels in Hawthorne and after filling in some forms and getting the last instructions, I'm on the road in the USA! First I have to find my way on the freeways of LA to get on Interstate 15 to Las Vegas, my destination for today. The roads are very good with good signposts so it's not to difficult to find the way. Because it is Saturdaymorning, the traffic isn't to dense and after getting used to the BMW R850R, I feel comfortable driving the freeways. .....and finally, I'm on the road to Las Vegas From Hawthorne I get on Interstate 105 East to Norwalk. The I get on Interstate 10 East to Highway 60 East and finally I turn North on Interstate 15 to Las Vegas. Stopped for a drink on a parking on the Interstate 15 to Las Vegas The road crosses some mountains and then I drive in the Mojave Desert. In Barstow I stopped to fill the tank of the red BMW and get a drink. Getting the tank of a motorcycle filled with gas in California is hard work. Gas stations in California have an "anti polution" device on the nozzle that may work nice on cars but is very hard to use on a bike. You have to pull back a rubber cover from the nozzle to get the pump started and as soon as you let it go, the pump stops. A straight road to the horizon Thru the desert I drive on to Baker, with some "drink stops" in between. In Baker I stop at the Burger King to get some food and drinks and then I drive on to Primm, a small gambling town in the middle of the desert, just across the Nevada state border.