I'm back. :)

US so rocked. Universal Studios, Disneyland and California Adventure were typically all fast rides and fun. Disneyland is gorgeous. It's all... I don't know, shimmery and magical. The one in Japan pales in comparison. I know it's merely picture-perfect, but when you're surrounded by castles and trees, and Minnie Mouse is standing right beside you, you kind of lose the cynicism bit and go around all starry-eyed and bouncy.

Day 4 was my day- shopping! Haha, my mom and I kind of just abandoned my dad and sis somewhere (they hate shopping- I just don't understand it) and went off on a spending spree. I'm now officially too broke to venture into the xmas sales. :(

The Grand Canyon was lovely! Absolutely majestic. It was also freezing up there. Walked around snapping photos till I couldn't feel my hands and nose, but it was totally worth it. It's this sort of thing that makes me regret not taking Geography. (I just paused blogging for breakfast. Good ol' Singapore food, how I miss thee.)

At Las Vegas, we stayed at the Riviera. Vegas is wonderful at night, but boring otherwise. Decadent much, but so entertaining; there's so much to see. The 'sirens' at Treasure Island were pretty damn good. Don't know how they can stand prancing about in the cold wearing only little bits of cloth, though. I can't believe they had a white tiger in The Mirage. And lions in MGM. I mean, how can they be kept in hotels? The light show in the Old Vegas was pretty boring; the best part of it was standing in the middle of the street sipping hot chocolate from Starbucks. I noticed that they love alternating fire and water in their shows. It makes a stunning combination.

There was more shopping on the way to Fresno. I bought a black hooded pullover, which I've been wanting for ages, from Gap. The inn there was small, but all quaint and cosy. The rooms had prints of paintings, including Monet's. :)

The 17-Mile drive (on the way to San Francisco) had really pretty scenery, especially that of the Pacific Ocean. We fed squirrels! Or at least, they did, while I walked around squealing 'so cute!', trying to get as close as possible without freaking out. :) I love taking pictures of scenery. My parents said I was wasting precious memory card space.

I adored San Francisco. I think I'm just attracted to cities. We took a forty-minute cruise, which I loved. I have this thing for cruises. It's just the water and wind and all. The ship went under the Golden Gate Bridge, and past the Bay Bridge and Alcatraz. Later the bus took us up to the twin peaks, where we had an amazing view of the city lights. That was our last night in USA.

The plane ride back was horrid. 18 hours of torture. Usually I love plane rides but this one was just bad. Long-haul is very, very bad for my back. And my mood. Watched 'Before Sunset' on the plane, and fell in love with it. Also watched 'The Princess Diaries 2', which was entertaining but not all that good. Aah well, I'm glad to be back. The weather in US was very dry, very bad for my skin. Also freezing, to the point where bathing was a challenge.

Now, I have a whole long list of movies that I plan to watch, either in the cinema or on vcd/dvd, before school reopens, including:
National Treasure
Before Sunrise
Finding Neverland
Ocean's 12
Closer
The Polar Express
Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason