1976 miles of road trip with 2 weeks... it's damn...

GREAT... GOOD FEELING.

that's my driving mileage in USA (13 Apr to 27 Apr 2009).. from touching down in San Francisco and off to Hertz... driving straight from the airport to next town, Watsonville... *knocked out* very soon (thanks to that JET-LAG).

left-handed driving and speedometer in miles did not improve my understanding of US road conditions for 2 to 3 days.. especially turning right almost on the next road (can be on red light)... keeping to right side of the lane for slow coach (road hogger) like me during the first week...

driving is a definite must to travel and enjoy the trip covering San Francisco (cooling weather but 'freezing winds' along coastal drive), LA (cooling weather) and Las Vegas (hot but dry) and back to SF (passing Yosemite with their snow)... 2 weeks was not enuff.

Places visited (in chronological order):
- Gilroy Premium Outlet
- Coastal Drive along Highway 1 (from Monterey Bay to Hearst Castle)
- Carmel by the Sea
- Pismo Beach Premium Outlet (not recommended)
- Andersen's Pea Soup at Buellton Town (depending on your taste, too salty for me)
- Solvang: Little Denmark
- Downtown Disney, Anahiem
- Disneyland Resorts
- California Adventure
- Hollywood Boulevard (Walk of Fame)
- Beverly Hills (don't go unless you like bungalows)
- Getty Arts Museum
- Desert Hill Premium Outlet (allocate at least 4 to 6 hours of shopping)
- Miracle Mile Shopping Centre, Las Vegas
- Mandalay Bay, Shark's Reef
- MGM Grand, see the lions
- Flamingo, see their flamingoes and mandarin ducks
- Fashion Mall, Las Vegas
- Bellagio, water fountain display
- Mirage, Volcano eruption!
- Grand Canyon (recommended to stay one night if you want to have good photographs)
- Las Vegas Premium Outlet (another 4 to 6 hours of shopping)
- FRYs.com, electronic store (Blu-ray and electronic stuff)
- Forum Shops @ Caesars (must stay at Caesars Palace next trip)
- Ethel's Chocolate Factory & Cactus Garden
- Sunmaid Factory (no tour to public *sigh*)
- Best Buy, Target (the big stores at Fresno)
- Yosemite National Park (allocate a full day including driving there, it was snowing at some parts of the park! 6000ft elevation!)
- Jelly Belly Factory Tour (recommended if you like Jelly Beans!)
- Napa Valley, St Vattui's Vineyard (for wine tasting)
- Old Faithful Geyser
- Driving on Golden Gate Bridge
- Union Sq @ San Francisco
- Lombart St (crookedest st, at least 50deg downward slope and in S-shaped crank course), must drive there to see the night scene!
- Cruise ride on Golden Gate Bridge and Alcatraz Island
- Pier 39 to watch seals and sea lions!
- Cable car @ San Francisco MUNI
- Chinatown @ SF
- Crab House @ Pier 39 (famous for their killer crabs!)

my itinerary will be better on my next visit (pray, pray), going to Las Vegas (for a killing), drive to LA and back at SF... while visiting Grand Canyon and Yosemite National Park again... not forgetting the coastal drive along Highway 1... preferably thru business class SQ.

Photos link (not ending):
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=76027&id=770503070&l=8c31e635d6

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=76094&id=770503070&l=138871f26d

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=76116&id=770503070&l=03ee18241c

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=76431&id=770503070&l=658f23885a

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=76714&id=770503070&l=25d77e659e