Day 13 – San Francisco and home!!!

The last day of the tour was spent seeing the sights of San Francisco and then preparations for the long trip home. It certainly has been a whirlwind tour and I am looking forward to seeing my beautiful family,my bed and a home cooked meal. I hope you have enjoyed my blog and thank you for taking the time in reading it. Go well.

Day 12 – Geeking it up in Silicone Valley

Well the propellors were well and truly spinning on the top of our caps today as we made our way to Silicone Valley. Cisco systems,Intel,Computer History museum ( where I caught up with some old friends like a VIC 20 and Pacman) and we finished of with San Jose’s Technology Centre which is like the Powerhouse in Sydney on steroids. Now that is a big day!!!!! Tomorrow we need to kill a day before we flight out at 10:30pm – so it looks like a choice of jet boats rides, tours of the SF giants stadium and Transformers 3 – I will be keen for a rest!!!!

Day 11 – Alcatraz and Autodesk

The day began with a leisurely boat trip across the harbor to “the rock” the most notorious prison in the world. I was fascinated by the history of this place and the way in which the self directed tour captured your attention. As you walked round the narration was conducted by ex warders and prisoners. You heard through your headsets the background noise of the prison and for the hour you felt as I you were part of it. The second part of the day was spent at Autodesk ,looking their latest projects and technologies . It made me think of how much I enjoy designing and how little time I have now to do it. Tomorrow is our last full day and we will be spending it at Silicon Valley at Cisco and two technology museums.

Day 11 – Orlando to San Francisco

Well today began at 3:45am with a lazy 5 hour plane flight to San Francisco. It was quite bizarre leaving 35 deg and 90% humidity to cold ,foggy and windy 15 deg. I had to finally drag my jeans out of the suitcase and put on a jumper. Once we landed it was a quick bag drop and then a 4 hour bus tour of the city and surrounds. San Francisco is a pretty city with the famous hilly roads and we even saw the worlds windiest street. Tonight it was an early tea and to bed for tomorrow is Alcatraz and AutoCAD.

Day 10 – EPCOT centre

Well day 10 saw us arriving at EPCOT centre for a day of technology stuff. The best bit was a ride on the GM test track where you are put into a car and go through various tests such as ABS and non ABS to see the difference in car performance between the two,heat,extreme cold and handling tests and the last one which is the best a speed test. In this one you hurtle around the track at over 110kms and hour and then come to an almost dead stop!! I like it so much I did it 4 times. Also went on a simulation ride where you sit in a chair lift type structure in front of a massive blue screen , you then are lifted up and soar all over California- as you go over the ocean you smell the ocean and as you go over orchards you smell oranges- very cool. Tomorrow is the dreaded 3:45am start for the 6 hour flight to San Francisco and the last 4 days in the USA.

Day 9 – Orlando – NASA

Well what a day- less than 24 hours after the last Space Shuttle took off we were standing looking at the launch platform( be it 2 miles away). NASA was too good to describe in this post. Lots of technology ,lots of statistics ( did you know that when the space shuttle lands it has no engine power so it glides into earth!!!!!) and lots of wow moments, the best being a tour of an actual Saturn rocket!!!! We also sat in a NASA control room!!!!!Tomorrow is the Epcot centre and once again Downtown Disney. It is true what they say all meals come with chips and massive ones at that.
Looking forward to going on a diet when I get home.

Day 8 – Boston to Orlando

The day began with a 3:45am start to catch the shuttle to the airport. We then had a 3 hour flight to Orlando which a was a little bumpy but generally okay. With no time to check in we headed straight to Disneyland for 4 hours of rides and fun. We are staying in the park so tonight we are going to dinner a “downtown Disney ” and hopefully an early night as I am very tired. Tomorrow will be sensational as we have an 11 hour private tour of NASA and then more Disney .