Trip Report - USA

[jastel]

If only the speed limit was a bit higher, driving would be even better. In California it was 70mph (112 kph) and Arizona it was 75 mph (120 mph). Yes, most people were doing 80mph - which is nearly the European limit of 130 kph - but I worry about speeding in foreign countries.

The only things I bought over there were 12 SP4 chapsticks which I can't find over here any more, and northern hemisphere planisphere to nut out the constellations overhead that weren't making too much sense to me. I'm not fussed by clothing either because I only wear Farrah Casual trousers when travelling (since with a little trick I can make sure my wallet can't be picked) and Gloweave Modal shirts (since I can wash them and have them not crease).

But my wife is another issue.
Regards,
Renato

I did see a freeway stretch of 85mph legal somewhere...plenty of open spaces in Nevada to let the 'stang loose, and as you say cops dont worry unless you are doing something real stupid.
East coast is a little more congested and restricted...much like Australia I suppose.

 

[dragonman]

Sorry - I won't let you get away with that.
I was talking about a designated smoking area in a park, and you have changed it to designated smoking area in a room.
You KNOW that you would be totally unaffected by a designated smoking area in a park, unless you grandiosely believe that you have a right to stand in the middle of that designated area and breathe in the smoke by standing almost face to face with a smoker.
Cheers,
Renato

P.S. - I own nine Creed scents for men, check them out on the internet. Cheap they are not.

i believe I have a right to breathe air un-polluted by your stinky cigarettes. Anywhere.

 

[irv]

Aussies just don't get service in shops like the US does.

In our experience in the larger US cities, particularly NYC, the service was absolute rubbish compared to where we live in regional NSW. Capital cities, I am glad I don't need to compare.

 

[irv]

I had a sit down hamburger meal in the Deli establishment at The Mirage casino. Cost US$20.
Result - I had to go across the road and had a quarter pounder and french fries at McDonalds for another $10.

Amazing how our experiences vary at the same location.

I am starting to wonder with all these contradictory responses about food serve sizes if there is a big difference between Melbourne and Sydney food serve sizes - though I never noticed that when I was regularly visiting Penrith for work many years ago.

I keep wondering how avid shoppers like my wife and I are, could have entered so many stores and not found any big bargains. We're such avid shoppers that in Washington DC we abandoned seeing the sites on our Hop-On Hop-Off bus tour in favour of shopping at the Pentagon Mall, and the sort-of-outlet stores across the road.

There's two types of homeless over there - a huge proportion seem to spend all day talking to themselves.
Regards,
Renato

So we stayed at MGM in Vegas, the cost was probably the same but we could not say we were not full, and without any direct comparisons my large meals maybe different to yours. We discarded public transport and walked everywhere, we were not huge shoppers but found so many interesting to places to visit as opposed to driving by, even if we did not purchase heaps if there was a bargain, we were happy to purchase.

 

[irv]

Slippery slope - next step - no right to wear scents and perfume.
But a guaranteed right to wear stale body odor.

Also, your view is that the entire park is yours and yours alone, and that if there is a designated smoking area, it should not be there because you demand the right to go and stand there.
Cheers,
Renato

You are right, you are able to stand in a legal smoking area and enjoy your smoke, but if you can't withhold the cigarette smoke in that area, why do I have to breathe that, I think it cuts both ways.

 

[suze2000]

Clothes in the US are still very cheap. You just need to know where to look and how to work the coupons/internet sign up vouchers.

Any info on this? I'm heading over soon and hope to hit the shops in SF.

 

[drron]

First you really need to research when the best sales are on.Usually on public holidays.we often go early September for the Labor Day sales.But post Christmas,President's day.Memorial day etc.
Then look up the major Dept.stores websites to see if they have sales when you are there.
Outlet stores are good value for aussies as they have sales at season's end-which for us is really the start of our season.
For major outlets-
https://www.outletbound.com/outlet-malls/san-francisco-ca
Usually need a car for these though.no problems for us as we love US driving holidays.

Then ask at department stores if they have foreign tourist discounts.Many do with Macys the best known.
Some online coupon sites-
High End Department Stores Coupons, Promo Codes, Deals, Discounts - Goodshop
https://www.retailmenot.com/coupons/departmentstore

 

[Renato1]

I did see a freeway stretch of 85mph legal somewhere...plenty of open spaces in Nevada to let the 'stang loose, and as you say cops dont worry unless you are doing something real stupid.
East coast is a little more congested and restricted...much like Australia I suppose.

85 mph stretches would indeed be nice. It is such a delight to drive over there without being over worried about being a few mph over the limit, and speed cameras.
Regards,
Renato

 

[Renato1]

i believe I have a right to breathe air un-polluted by your stinky cigarettes. Anywhere.

Grandiosity.
Cheers,
Renato

 

[Renato1]

So we stayed at MGM in Vegas, the cost was probably the same but we could not say we were not full, and without any direct comparisons my large meals maybe different to yours. We discarded public transport and walked everywhere, we were not huge shoppers but found so many interesting to places to visit as opposed to driving by, even if we did not purchase heaps if there was a bargain, we were happy to purchase.

We walked 400 to 500m from the MGM Grand across and down the road to Luxor, and it exhausted us - temperature was 46C. There wasn't much shopping wise in the MGM Grand, but I could see shops down the road, but the heat was such that walking there was out of the question. I think you went there at a better time than we did. The shops in the Venetian place and Caesar's forum were plentiful, but no real bargains to be found.
Cheers,
Renato

 

[Renato1]

You are right, you are able to stand in a legal smoking area and enjoy your smoke, but if you can't withhold the cigarette smoke in that area, why do I have to breathe that, I think it cuts both ways.

Disneyland has over 100 acres, and has two spots on it of about 20 square meters each where smoking is permitted.
If you were there, would you really say that the smoking areas affect you?
Regards,
Renato

 

[Renato1]

Any info on this? I'm heading over soon and hope to hit the shops in SF.

You would need detailed information from someone who knows the place, because wandering around Union Square, Westfield and Fishermans Wharf isn't likely to throw up good bargains.
Though my wife found some a good designer backpack at Marshalls in SF.
Regards,
Renato

 

[irv]

Disneyland has over 100 acres, and has two spots on it of about 20 square meters each where smoking is permitted.
If you were there, would you really say that the smoking areas affect you?
Regards,
Renato

Only when I walk past. I do not like passive smoking, it is one of those things you can't avoid. I support your right to do it, I don't support the right of smokers to affect other people when they have to breathe in what they don't enjoy, and maybe putting smoking areas outdoors is not the most sensible way to go. Food for thought.

 

[irv]

We walked 400 to 500m from the MGM Grand across and down the road to Luxor, and it exhausted us - temperature was 46C. There wasn't much shopping wise in the MGM Grand, but I could see shops down the road, but the heat was such that walking there was out of the question. I think you went there at a better time than we did. The shops in the Venetian place and Caesar's forum were plentiful, but no real bargains to be found.
Cheers,
Renato

We had similar temperatures in September 2015, prefer the dry heat to the humidity, and plenty of air conditioning to recover. Hope you got out and had a look at Hoover Dam which is a great bit of engineering, in my opinion you can shop anywhere.

 

[Renato1]

We had similar temperatures in September 2015, prefer the dry heat to the humidity, and plenty of air conditioning to recover. Hope you got out and had a look at Hoover Dam which is a great bit of engineering, in my opinion you can shop anywhere.

Yes, thanks. We briefly melted while having a look at Hoover Dam.
Regards,
Renato

 

[Renato1]

Update:
While in the USA, I bought my wife a matching Guess handbag and wallet that she really liked. But there was another really nice flowery summer Guess bag that she liked in Macys - but no room in our luggage for that one, and besides, I wasn't going to buy her two handbags on the one trip. Also, that summery Guess bag wasn't to be seen discounted at the Guess outlet store in Tejon.

So yesterday we went shopping in Frankston, and wandered into Strandbags. Guess what? There was the summery Guess handbag at 70% off and matching wallet at 30% off. Which I bought for her.

I think there is a moral in there somewhere.
Cheers,
Renato

 

[Denali]

.....- but no room in our luggage for that one, .....

Theres always room! Or you go to Walmart and buy a cheap bag for more shopping... or is that just my husband that does that (hes the shopper, not me).

For the OP, Im meh. You sound a bit like the tourist that goes to Greece and then complains how people speak a foreign language and you hate the sand. When travelling, you've got to adapt and find the joy in whats different or not as expected.

I will say for the homeless situation, the US is the only place that Ive gone out of my way to buy a meal or give money to a person that obviously was living rough. Here, I live in a work>home>work bubble so I don't see it much but I know it happens.

 

[Renato1]

Theres always room! Or you go to Walmart and buy a cheap bag for more shopping... or is that just my husband that does that (hes the shopper, not me).

For the OP, Im meh. You sound a bit like the tourist that goes to Greece and then complains how people speak a foreign language and you hate the sand. When travelling, you've got to adapt and find the joy in whats different or not as expected.

I will say for the homeless situation, the US is the only place that Ive gone out of my way to buy a meal or give money to a person that obviously was living rough. Here, I live in a work>home>work bubble so I don't see it much but I know it happens.

She did buy another big piece of luggage at Macys - and that one was filled to the brim. There was no way I wanted yet another piece of luggage full of stuff to take home - since I was the one who had to handle my suitcase, my bag and her newly acquired suitcase in and out of hotels and airport, as she couldn't handle it and her big and little suitcases.

I've been all over Europe and don't complain about differences. If anything, my complaint about the USA is that while it was good fun, it wasn't different enough.
Regards,
Renato

 

[UP4014]

Thanks - but we seem to have visited two completely different USAs!

My wallet started hurting from Day 1 on the food department.
Cheers,
Renato

For many meals I love eating in diners, good service and good price.

You must prefer more upmarket stuff to me.

 

[UP4014]

Any info on this? I'm heading over soon and hope to hit the shops in SF.

Hit the shops on Powell St Union Square, plenty of things we don't get here and not outragious pricing.