My recent USA business trip (sorry, this is long!)
@RawBill1 (8531)
Gold Coast, Australia
May 15, 2012 3:18am CST
Some of my friends here have been asking me about my recent trip to the USA, so I thought I would start a discussion about it. 
Being Australian means that any trip to the USA is a pretty expensive trip as flights and the logistics of such a trip can add up to a huge amount of money. The trip was something that we had wanted to do for a while, but due to the expense and having young children, we put it off. But when we worked out that we could make the trip a business trip with a family holiday on the side, then it suddenly became affordable. And with the kids at an age where they are now able to appreciate it, we decided to do it. 
We went in March and flew out on my birthday which was an amazing present! We flew into Los Angeles where we spent 3 days visiting lots of tourist spots. We then went over to Anaheim where the work part of our trip kicked in at Expo West which is a very large natural health trade show. Luckily the expo had child care, so the kids were looked after on site while we spent 3 days catching up with our suppliers, mentors and scoured the place for new products. We then spent a day at Disneyland (how could we miss that when the expo was next door?) before starting our road trip.
We rented a huge Chevy SUV for the trip and after negotiating this beast through the traffic snarls of LA, we headed north along the coast through Big Sur (amazing) to Monterey for a night and then San Francisco for two nights. After San Fran, we headed inland to Yosemite National Park which is one of the most amazing places I have ever visited. This was my second visit there, but this time it was far different to the first. We drove in under clear conditions but woke the next morning to a blanket of snow! My family was amazed as they had never seen real snow before and we all had a ball playing in it for the day. After another night there, the snow theme continued as we drove to the ski resort town of South Lake Tahoe where I once lived and worked in a ski resort. We were there for 3 nights where I went snowboarding again for the first time in 12 years since I moved away from the cooler states. My kids also got to experience the ski resort as well with some more snow play and tubing. I also caught up with an old friend there a few times. See my snowboarding video here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HwumrmXRrRo
(Beware: Video is long and boring, made more for my own memories that anything else) LOL ;-)
We briefly left the snow behind after that and headed into Death Valley which is the lowest altitude (below sea level) place in the USA even though the surrounding mountains are higher than any in Australia! Incredible! One night there, then on to Las Vegas for a night before heading to Hoover Dam and then reacquainting ourselves with snow again at the Grand Canyon. The Grand Canyon was a highlight of the trip as we took a flight over it, followed by a tour of another canyon and a boat ride down the Colorado River. An incredible day! After our second night, it was a mad day long dash back to Anaheim for our last night before a business meeting, then more sightseeing at Venice Beach before flying home. We were originally meant to stay a night at Lake Havasu before getting back to the LA region but had to change plans for our business meeting.
All up, we were in the USA for 21 nights, stayed in 10 different hotel rooms, visited 3 states (California, Nevada and Arizona) and drove an unknown amount of miles! It was an amazing but very hectic trip. Next time we will take it a little easier! 
Have you visited any of these places and have something to share from your trips? Perhaps you even live in this region?
Also, have you ever combined business trips with family trips? Or do you prefer to keep them separate?
Being Australian means that any trip to the USA is a pretty expensive trip as flights and the logistics of such a trip can add up to a huge amount of money. The trip was something that we had wanted to do for a while, but due to the expense and having young children, we put it off. But when we worked out that we could make the trip a business trip with a family holiday on the side, then it suddenly became affordable. And with the kids at an age where they are now able to appreciate it, we decided to do it.
We went in March and flew out on my birthday which was an amazing present! We flew into Los Angeles where we spent 3 days visiting lots of tourist spots. We then went over to Anaheim where the work part of our trip kicked in at Expo West which is a very large natural health trade show. Luckily the expo had child care, so the kids were looked after on site while we spent 3 days catching up with our suppliers, mentors and scoured the place for new products. We then spent a day at Disneyland (how could we miss that when the expo was next door?) before starting our road trip.
We rented a huge Chevy SUV for the trip and after negotiating this beast through the traffic snarls of LA, we headed north along the coast through Big Sur (amazing) to Monterey for a night and then San Francisco for two nights. After San Fran, we headed inland to Yosemite National Park which is one of the most amazing places I have ever visited. This was my second visit there, but this time it was far different to the first. We drove in under clear conditions but woke the next morning to a blanket of snow! My family was amazed as they had never seen real snow before and we all had a ball playing in it for the day. After another night there, the snow theme continued as we drove to the ski resort town of South Lake Tahoe where I once lived and worked in a ski resort. We were there for 3 nights where I went snowboarding again for the first time in 12 years since I moved away from the cooler states. My kids also got to experience the ski resort as well with some more snow play and tubing. I also caught up with an old friend there a few times. See my snowboarding video here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HwumrmXRrRo
(Beware: Video is long and boring, made more for my own memories that anything else) LOL ;-)
We briefly left the snow behind after that and headed into Death Valley which is the lowest altitude (below sea level) place in the USA even though the surrounding mountains are higher than any in Australia! Incredible! One night there, then on to Las Vegas for a night before heading to Hoover Dam and then reacquainting ourselves with snow again at the Grand Canyon. The Grand Canyon was a highlight of the trip as we took a flight over it, followed by a tour of another canyon and a boat ride down the Colorado River. An incredible day! After our second night, it was a mad day long dash back to Anaheim for our last night before a business meeting, then more sightseeing at Venice Beach before flying home. We were originally meant to stay a night at Lake Havasu before getting back to the LA region but had to change plans for our business meeting.
All up, we were in the USA for 21 nights, stayed in 10 different hotel rooms, visited 3 states (California, Nevada and Arizona) and drove an unknown amount of miles! It was an amazing but very hectic trip. Next time we will take it a little easier!
Have you visited any of these places and have something to share from your trips? Perhaps you even live in this region?
Also, have you ever combined business trips with family trips? Or do you prefer to keep them separate?1 person likes this
8 responses
@pjha1975 (214)
• India
15 May 12
Wowww!!! Your trip brought back some really wonderful memories from my college years... I spent my college years in "The Grand Canyon State" - ARIZONA.... And I will fondly remember those years.
I had numerous road trips there. I have visited CA, UT as well as Las Vegas while I was there in AZ. Loved every second of it especially my hiking & camping trips with my buddies. We visited "Tonto National Forest" where we camped for I guess 2 nights. This was some time in November. I can't remember the exact year but it was freezing cold!! Originally, we had plans to camp for about 4 days. But, chickened out when we felt the sting of the winter at night.. :D. On our way back to Phoenix, we stopped at a beautiful lake - "Woods Canyon lake".... That was just beautiful. I used to even travel to San Diego every two - three months... Aaah.. Memories!!!! :D
@RawBill1 (8531)
• Gold Coast, Australia
15 May 12
There are definitely some amazing places to visit in that region. But yes, they do get pretty cold as soon as the sun disappears. 
We were quite cold watching the sunset at the Grand Canyon. Most people here in Australia have no idea that it can snow in those desert regions as our deserts here are all low altitude. It is only the highest peaks in Australia that are around the same altitude as the rim of the canyon. I would love to check out more of that area. I have not seen any of Southern Arizona or New Mexico, but I have been through Utah and loved Moab and Arches National Park.
We were quite cold watching the sunset at the Grand Canyon. Most people here in Australia have no idea that it can snow in those desert regions as our deserts here are all low altitude. It is only the highest peaks in Australia that are around the same altitude as the rim of the canyon. I would love to check out more of that area. I have not seen any of Southern Arizona or New Mexico, but I have been through Utah and loved Moab and Arches National Park. 
@veganbliss (3895)
• Adelaide, Australia
15 May 12
Neat video! Look at all those "stationary" skiers you passed, eh? 
I've never been to the US - not even planning to go, even if our dollar takes off again against the Greenback.
It must have brought back memories for you! I thought you were more the "caravan park" family or "pitch a tent" type, but maybe the weather wasn't favourable & you never know when a tornado is going to think about ripping through the place up there.
How did the Chevy handle? How did you find prices? How did you go with tipping? How did you find the people? Did you motivate them all to go & vote in the November election? How was the poverty & the unemployment? Did you get attacked by wild animals?
More ignorant questions: did the dunny water swirl in the opposite direction to here?
I've never been to the US - not even planning to go, even if our dollar takes off again against the Greenback.
It must have brought back memories for you! I thought you were more the "caravan park" family or "pitch a tent" type, but maybe the weather wasn't favourable & you never know when a tornado is going to think about ripping through the place up there.
How did the Chevy handle? How did you find prices? How did you go with tipping? How did you find the people? Did you motivate them all to go & vote in the November election? How was the poverty & the unemployment? Did you get attacked by wild animals?
More ignorant questions: did the dunny water swirl in the opposite direction to here?
@RawBill1 (8531)
• Gold Coast, Australia
16 May 12
You don't mind asking questions do you!
Try finding a caravan park in the USA. They just do not exist in the same way that they do here, there is nothing like it. Cheap hotels and motels for most of the way was our only choice. No kitchen facilities in most so we were making our smoothies with our very cheap blender in the bathrooms! No tornadoes in the part of the USA that we were in. We were in the Earthquake area!
The Chevy was awesome. Prices for most things were cheap compared to here, but not as noticeable as the last time that I was there. Fuel was still cheap at around $4 per gallon compared to here, didn't stop them complaining about it every time I filled up though! Fuelling up is different. You have to pay before you fill up there, so lots of little what if scenarios to work out! Tipping is not too hard, I had done that before. Most of it is worked out electronically these days with credit cards.
Everyone over there was super friendly, but I have been told that this may just be a California/West Coast thing. The poverty was out in the open for all to see as there are homeless people everywhere in every city and even country towns. But I was told that this is again a California phenomenon during the colder months as homeless from other states congregate in the tourist areas in California to escape the bitter cold of winter in their home towns.
I did get mauled by a rabid squirrel in LA. 
No just kidding, had to keep all of our food and toiletries in a bear proof locker in Yosemite though. Even though it was snowing, they do not hibernate there. I guess the water did do that, but I paid no attention. They do like to fill the dunnies up to the brim with water though. Don't really like that at all!
Try finding a caravan park in the USA. They just do not exist in the same way that they do here, there is nothing like it. Cheap hotels and motels for most of the way was our only choice. No kitchen facilities in most so we were making our smoothies with our very cheap blender in the bathrooms! No tornadoes in the part of the USA that we were in. We were in the Earthquake area!
The Chevy was awesome. Prices for most things were cheap compared to here, but not as noticeable as the last time that I was there. Fuel was still cheap at around $4 per gallon compared to here, didn't stop them complaining about it every time I filled up though! Fuelling up is different. You have to pay before you fill up there, so lots of little what if scenarios to work out! Tipping is not too hard, I had done that before. Most of it is worked out electronically these days with credit cards.
Everyone over there was super friendly, but I have been told that this may just be a California/West Coast thing. The poverty was out in the open for all to see as there are homeless people everywhere in every city and even country towns. But I was told that this is again a California phenomenon during the colder months as homeless from other states congregate in the tourist areas in California to escape the bitter cold of winter in their home towns.
I did get mauled by a rabid squirrel in LA.
No just kidding, had to keep all of our food and toiletries in a bear proof locker in Yosemite though. Even though it was snowing, they do not hibernate there. I guess the water did do that, but I paid no attention. They do like to fill the dunnies up to the brim with water though. Don't really like that at all!1 person likes this
@veganbliss (3895)
• Adelaide, Australia
16 May 12
What?!? They're just not trying hard enough to cater for Aussie tourists, Bill! Most of my knowledge about the USA is from movies & the news. Did they used to have caravan parks there & I should update my USA movies to the last twenty years?
And were you also sprouting your sprouts in your backpacks? How was the food there?
Some petrol stations here at night require us to pre-pay. I'll bet you got some looks when you went "four bucks a gallon - wow that's cheap!". 
My goodness! They continue to constantly evolve those dunnies every time! I can still remember from Crocodile Dundee when Mick said, "Hey - some n!tw!t put two dunnies in here!"
Most of my knowledge about the USA is from movies & the news. Did they used to have caravan parks there & I should update my USA movies to the last twenty years?
And were you also sprouting your sprouts in your backpacks? How was the food there?
Some petrol stations here at night require us to pre-pay. I'll bet you got some looks when you went "four bucks a gallon - wow that's cheap!".
My goodness! They continue to constantly evolve those dunnies every time! I can still remember from Crocodile Dundee when Mick said, "Hey - some n!tw!t put two dunnies in here!"@veganbliss (3895)
• Adelaide, Australia
16 May 12
Oh yeah – and we need you to expand on “everyone over there were super friendly”. Is that referring to the people on the streets that you met or in small businesses? And some examples too please. Bearing in mind that customer service in small businesses on the Gold Coast is like “hello, is anyone going to serve me? I’ve been looking around your store & waiting for five, ten minutes or more already!”. And to be fair, small businesses in Adelaide serve you immediately & are in-your-face the whole time you are there & just can’t leave you be… “just looking” as an excuse, just doesn’t seem to work & you find yourself constantly subject to up-selling in a more-or-less blunt & ‘rude’ manner, open to interpretation.
Bearing in mind that customer service in small businesses on the Gold Coast is like “hello, is anyone going to serve me? I’ve been looking around your store & waiting for five, ten minutes or more already!”. And to be fair, small businesses in Adelaide serve you immediately & are in-your-face the whole time you are there & just can’t leave you be… “just looking” as an excuse, just doesn’t seem to work & you find yourself constantly subject to up-selling in a more-or-less blunt & ‘rude’ manner, open to interpretation.
@MsTickle (25180)
• Australia
20 May 12
It sounds like a fabulous adventure tour Bill. I don't get to travel much these days and if I did, I wouldn't know where to start. I have no-one to go with either so I reckon I would be bored stiff.
I think it was good that you had experienced living there previously as that would give you a bit of a feel for the place and maybe some idea of direction that you otherwise would not have. What a great experience for the children too. 
@RawBill1 (8531)
• Gold Coast, Australia
21 May 12
It was a great adventure. The kids experienced so many new things and got to see how similar but very different it is over there. Lots of little things that they take for granted here just do not exist there and vice versa. It was definitely easier having been there before as I was comfortable right away driving on the "wrong" side of the road and knew my way around most areas without having to consult maps or a GPS device.
Maybe you would be more suited to an organised tour where you could meet fellow travellers and have it all organised for you.
Maybe you would be more suited to an organised tour where you could meet fellow travellers and have it all organised for you.1 person likes this
@maximax8 (31046)
• United Kingdom
16 May 12
It is lovely to hear about your business trip combined with a vacation in the USA. I have flown to LA in California three times. The first time I was there I went to Anaheim to go to Disneyland. I stayed in Venice Beach on my second trip there. The other times I stayed at Santa Monica and San Pedro.
In March and April for 28 days my family traveled in South America. We visited Argentina, Chile, Brazil and Uruguay. It was lovely to meet up with a dear friend of mine in lovely Chile. Whilst seeing the waterfalls we chatted to a family that were on a combined business trip and vacation. They had two little boys. My trips are for my own enjoyment and not business.
@elmiko (6630)
• United States
16 May 12
wow, you have visited more places in the u.s. then i ever have and i'm a u.s. citizen . i really don't consider a vacation a vacation if its hectic. it just seems more like a job to me. i prefer to just concentrate and enjoy one destination at a time. i do realize you came from Australia so i can understand why you did so much while you were here. that's quite a long trip just getting to the USA.
@RawBill1 (8531)
• Gold Coast, Australia
16 May 12
I have visited way more places in the USA than just those places. Back in the 90's I was there for 5 months and after working in the one area for four months, we drove right across the country for a month. Starting in San Francisco and ending up in New York City.
Along the way we went through California, Arizona, Utah, Colorado, Nebraska, Iowa, Illinois, Wisconsin, Indiana, Michigan, then into Ontario Canada, before going back into the USA in upstate New York, then on through Pennsylvania and New Jersey before reaching New York City.
Yes, the reason for packing so much in was due to the long distance that we travelled to get there. Next time, it will be different and we definitely do not do that style of trip at home!
Along the way we went through California, Arizona, Utah, Colorado, Nebraska, Iowa, Illinois, Wisconsin, Indiana, Michigan, then into Ontario Canada, before going back into the USA in upstate New York, then on through Pennsylvania and New Jersey before reaching New York City.
Yes, the reason for packing so much in was due to the long distance that we travelled to get there. Next time, it will be different and we definitely do not do that style of trip at home! @RawBill1 (8531)
• Gold Coast, Australia
16 May 12
Yes, I would do the south. Would love to see that part. We tossed up between the north route and the south route to New York, but we had more free accommodation in the north, so we went with that.
@veganbliss (3895)
• Adelaide, Australia
16 May 12
Would you consider the South, Bill? I hear there's a direct link now from here to Dallas airport; I'm sure if we have one, then Brissy should have one too.
@allen0187 (58582)
• Philippines
17 May 12
hi rawbill.
this discussion is indeed a long read but it was very well worth it. it sounded like you had a great time in the states and it was well worth the expenses and the effort. it was great that you were able to mix your family vacation and business trip together. i guess that made it easier for you to go through with this. anyway, what's important is you went through with it and had a great time doing so.
haven't been to a vacation in a long while. its been so long i feel that i'm due one. lol!
i did go to a beach for a weekend last month so maybe that was a mini-vacation. what i'd very much want to do is to travel overseas like what you did. looking at a couple of spots already. in my short list are hongkong, macau, and cambodia. hongkong is a no-brainer because it has disneyland and i want to bring my daughter there. the trip to macau will really be a gambling trip. i'd hit the casinos and their sportsbooks and play poker and blackjack most of the time. cambodia seems to be an off center choice but it really interests me. don't have a timetable yet for these trips but it'll be great if i can do it this year.
it'll be great if i can sneak in some family time during my business trips or vice-versa but given the choice i'd keep the two separate.
i did go to a beach for a weekend last month so maybe that was a mini-vacation. what i'd very much want to do is to travel overseas like what you did. looking at a couple of spots already. in my short list are hongkong, macau, and cambodia. hongkong is a no-brainer because it has disneyland and i want to bring my daughter there. the trip to macau will really be a gambling trip. i'd hit the casinos and their sportsbooks and play poker and blackjack most of the time. cambodia seems to be an off center choice but it really interests me. don't have a timetable yet for these trips but it'll be great if i can do it this year.
it'll be great if i can sneak in some family time during my business trips or vice-versa but given the choice i'd keep the two separate.
@allen0187 (58582)
• Philippines
19 May 12
yeah, i'll definitely try to push through with that trip to vietnam. maybe later in the year or early next year. i'm including that in my bucket list. lol!
wow! talk about six degrees of separation. small world indeed especially if you are travelling.
lol at your comment about children and gambling!!!
i would definitely think twice about bring my daughter to a casino. perhaps when she is of legal age, we can cap games together and place bets. talk about a peculiar father-daughter bonding activity.
wow! talk about six degrees of separation. small world indeed especially if you are travelling.
lol at your comment about children and gambling!!!
i would definitely think twice about bring my daughter to a casino. perhaps when she is of legal age, we can cap games together and place bets. talk about a peculiar father-daughter bonding activity.@allen0187 (58582)
• Philippines
17 May 12
vietnam is another country i want to visit. my former boss is staying there for awhile since she started a business with a couple of her friends. she had invited me before to go down and see if there's a chance i'll work with her on her business there. haven't given her a definite answer yet but i did mention that if i had a chance, i'll visit her and stay for a vacation.
the trip to hong kong and macau could be packaged as one. from hong kong, one needs to take a ferry to get to macau. far more affordable than flying straight to macau. although, i doubt that i can gamble as much if i have to take my daughter with me to macau. lol! i'm planning a macau trip by myself. most likely during the staging of the f1 race there. can't say that i'm a degenerate but gambling, poker, blackjack, and all those things appeal to me. yes, las vegas would be an ideal place for me. hahahahahahaha!!!
i understand what you're saying bill. taking a vacation is costly and one needs to be smart so as not to break the bank when going on a trip.
i'm planning a macau trip by myself. most likely during the staging of the f1 race there. can't say that i'm a degenerate but gambling, poker, blackjack, and all those things appeal to me. yes, las vegas would be an ideal place for me. hahahahahahaha!!!
i understand what you're saying bill. taking a vacation is costly and one needs to be smart so as not to break the bank when going on a trip.@RawBill1 (8531)
• Gold Coast, Australia
18 May 12
I think that you should jump at that chance to visit Vietnam!
I had no idea that Macau was so close to Hong Kong. My same friend that went to live in Vietnam last year also used to live and work in Hong Kong during his IT career. I also used to know someone that used to live there while they flew as a pilot for Cathay. I actually met an American pilot for the company while in the USA and he actually knew the same person from when they were in Hong Kong together! Small world!
Yes, gambling and children generally do not mix well together!
It was funny when we stayed in Vegas as we went through several gambling areas with or kids. It felt weird as children cannot even enter the casino floors here in Australia, but there we had to walk through them to get to our hotel room!
I had no idea that Macau was so close to Hong Kong. My same friend that went to live in Vietnam last year also used to live and work in Hong Kong during his IT career. I also used to know someone that used to live there while they flew as a pilot for Cathay. I actually met an American pilot for the company while in the USA and he actually knew the same person from when they were in Hong Kong together! Small world!
Yes, gambling and children generally do not mix well together!
It was funny when we stayed in Vegas as we went through several gambling areas with or kids. It felt weird as children cannot even enter the casino floors here in Australia, but there we had to walk through them to get to our hotel room!
@shaggin (72234)
• United States
15 May 12
I'm sorry to hear that your trip was hectic but I'm glad that it was amazing as well. I think anytime we get to travel to a new place and see new things it is wonderful. I have only been out of the united states once and that was to canada. There are many places I would love to travel to but do not have the money.
@Janey1966 (24170)
• Carlisle, England
15 May 12
Awesome! One thing I want to know though..which hotel in Las Vegas did you stay in and why didn't you invite me lol.
@RawBill1 (8531)
• Gold Coast, Australia
15 May 12
We stayed at Hooters casino which was really close to all the action and very cheap. It was only about $30 for the night. Well worth it.
You can come next time!
You can come next time! 