Monday, August 02, 2004

Aloha! I am finally back from my trip to California and it was a fun one. Yeah, you could say I'm a little old for Disneyland, but I could also just stick a raccoon in your pants. Okay, maybe I can't...

The following will be a recap of my week in California. Just a straight forward account of what I did, nothing more and nothing less.

Anyways, we drove out around 4 am on Sunday morning, leaving on the 25th of July. It was an uneventful ride to the airport. Then we carried our bags, checked in, and made our way to the security checkpoint. Yay, I didn't get strip searched. Anyways, we head onto the airplane. Now, earlier before we found out that my family got split up. However, we did ask for window seats which of course we were bound to get because the plane was a small one, seating 2 seats on each side. Unfortunately, due to some shitty luck we had no window! the seats and windows weren't lined up so we got stuck with airplane wall. Weee! Great view!

The flight was a smooth one, but I was hungry the whole time. See, I mentioned I left at 4 am but I also didn't eat breakfast. My tummy started eating itself )= *Oh yeah, I'll use emoted faces as periods from now on* We finally touched down to La La Land and were finally on our way to vacation!

We arrived around 11'ish in Cali time, and went to Anaheim. Check in time for the motel was at 3, but at least we were able to drop off our bags. We walked around the area, first picking up information about various tours in the area. We weren't renting a car and didn't know enough about the public transportation at the time to be able to travel to the theme parks we were going to, so we would be booking seats on a tour bus. After that, we decided to head to Downtown Disney. Of course, we didn't know the entrance to that place, we figured we'd just stumble upon it. After a few miles and sunburns we got in around back. I have a few pictures but basically it was similar to how Bourbon Street looks like in West Edmonton Mall. Of course, replace all the clubs with more Disney-friendly places and there you go. Once we got bored, we left to our motel to get into our room.

I can't remember what time it was, but since we didn't want to waste our time we decided to walk to a place called the "Anaheim Marketplace." Man, that was a wash. We basically headed out to mini Mexico. It was really uncomfortable being in there because we seemed so out of place. My family decided to head out and we walked back to a place called Panda Express to have dinner. It was near our motel, and we would get to know them pretty well over the week.

Monday = Disneyland!!! Disneyland!!! Disneyland!!! Disneyland!!! heehee!

For those who don't know, the area we would be visiting was Disneyland, and across from it was Disney California Adventure (DCA). In between was a main street if you will, which led out and in the other direction led to Downtown Disney. We grabbed park hopper tickets which allowed us to go into DCA and Disneyland. Yes, those are two separate theme parks right across from each other. Ah well... Disneyland opens at 8 am, and DCA and 10 am. We had an unsatisfying meal at McD's (which we would also get to know) and lined up around 7:30 am. It was friggin Disneyland! They counted down the opening and then let us in. Yeeehaw!

First, we headed out to Indiana Jones Adventure. Yeah, the Temple of Doom!!! The anticipation of getting there, and also having our family there was great. After a quarter mile+ walk to the actual ride, we got in. We were also lucky enough to be in front! It was really cool to have my parents in there, as they aren't exactly thrillseekers at their age, but wanted to share the experience with me and Keith. We also got lucky, getting seated in the front! It was a cool ride and we got to dodge the blowdarts, and run from a big boulder about to crush us. What did you do on Monday hmmm?!

Afterwards, we went on Pirates of the Carribbean. Not exactly an exciting ride, but soothing and more to my moms liking. Not much to it, we sit in a little boat, and travel around watching pirate mannequins do pirate mannequin things. No Cap'n Jack Sparrow of the Black Pearl )=

Next on the list, the Haunted House! It was cool, we move into this octagon'ish room and there they get into the atmosphere. Afterwards, you get into this egg-like vehicle for the ride. You also sit in pairs. Reminder, never go on the rides in Disneyland alone. You'll feel like the loserest loser in the whole wide world of losers. It was a cool ride because they kept projecting out ghostly images and in the end, they would have you and your ride mate face the mirror, and project a ghost in between us. Would have made for a cool picture (=

Splash Mountain! We lined up but it wasn't too long of a wait. My parents weren't exactly thrilled beause of the steep slide at the end, but they got in. We've got a picture of it too (= We were going to go on the ride next to it, which was the Winnie the Pooh ride. However, I kinda vetoed it because that ride is for babies. We did go on more rides but I don't think I need to state every single ride. Well, I could, but I'm lazy. After a while, we rode the train.

Now, while on the train, the girl next to me nudges me and says, "Hey, I hear this station is in need of some new TRAINing." WTF?! Heh... heh! She kept talking and as it turns out, she worked at Disneyland and played characters. You remember that picture you took with Aerial the mermaid? That would be her! Or someone that looked like her! She had and showed me pictures of her as Snow White, Aerial, and Cinderalla. She also told me what rides to go on while at Disneyland and DCA (= After Snow White left, my family decided to split up. Me and Keith headed out to DCA to go on more rides while my parents would rest. We went on some more rides and saw Aladdin in a condensed 45 minute play. I must note one of the things we went to, which was the "A Bug's Life" theater. It was a 3-d show and we got honourary bug glasses. It was one of the best shows to sit in on. There would be a bug on the screen shooting "acid" at us, and we would be getting sprayed with water. A bug would "fart" at us and they released some kind of smell. They even unleashed bees at us, and if you were sitting up straight, your seat actually poked you to simulate the stinging. Those kind of things happened, and at the end we were to wait to let the cockroaches out first. Then our seats bulged as though bugs were running by us! It was great!

Afterwards, we went back to Disneyland and unfortunately, Keith and I missed out on the parade. We were wandering Adventureland. Anyways, we did get to watch the Laser show "Fantasmic." I don't really know how to describe it. Maybe when I figure out how I can, I'll put it in this blog. But for now, take my word for it, it was great! Scheduled next was the fireworks show. The lights flashed and the sound was loud, also great. We finally headed back to our motel after all that time with Mickey Mouses in our eyes. One of the first things my mom said when we were in Disneyland was that it seemed to surreal, and that it was a world that was fake. Yes, it is a fake world, but despite that she enjoyed it and said it was a place where you are not allowed to think about the troubles of your life. Yeah, the sights are plastic and fibreglass, the costumes tacky, but expect us to be there next year. I could still go on and on but I don't think I should in this same blog. Damn, I didn't even get to Tuesday.

Yes I've got pictures and I'll be showing to whoever wants to see. Also, as I said to Dev, I didn't buy too much Disney stuff because most of the shops there are glorified "Disney Stores" that are at Kingsway and WEM. Besides, what am I going to get? The red Tinkerbell keychain, or the blue one? Disneyland is great, and the way I'll remember it was because I was there.

Next up: Seaworld, Tuesday!


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