Tour Managers Tales

Hello, that is the laundry in the machine, will soon need to be ironed ... please someone invent permanent ironed clothes .. ..   or disposable ...  Have had another couple of weeks in California, wasn't without its drama though, a breakdown messed up a couple of days with the knock on effect, but eventually managed to get back onto schedule, but can't forget to mention  comment about " I came all this way just to see the shoot out", that was never advertised, not in any brochure, not mentioned anywhere (except on my Destination Daily, which as most of you know, you get the day before !!) and when it happens lasts less than 10 mins .... £4000 for all this wow ...!!!   A week at home now, but the weather is certainly cooler here than it was in Los Angeles, they topped the hottest day ever on Monday 27th - 113 degrees. It was warm.  Hope the temperature doesn't go down too much by the time I get back there next Saturday (9th).  That is it for now, hope ever

Disneyland ®  Park Welcome to the place where imagination is the destination. For young and old, big and small — it's the happiest place on earth! Come build memories with your family that last a lifetime as you discover the wonder of this magical, fantastical world. When you enter one of the Lands that comprise Disneyland Park, stories come to life around you, immersing you in tales from some of your favorite Disney films... Main Street, U.S.A. Main Street, U.S.A.  is the entrance to Disneyland Park. Stroll down the street where turn-of-the-century architecture and transportation recreate a bygone era. Be sure to board a  vintage vehicle  for a ride back in time and then marvel at  The Disneyland Story presenting Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln . Before you leave, don't forget to visit the Emporium, an old-time Victorian general store filled with all kinds of Disney memorabilia. Fantasyland Located beyond Sleeping Beauty Castle,  Fantasyland  is where you can meet the heroes an

Sunday 26 th September Departure to Universal Studios at 08.30 departing from Universal at 17.00 Get Ready for the Ultimate Hollywood Experience! With thrilling theme park rides and shows, a real working movie studio and Los Angeles’ best shops, restaurants and cinemas at CityWalk, Universal Studios Hollywood is a unique experience that's fun for the whole family. First, go behind the scenes on the legendary  Studio Tour  to explore where Hollywood movies are made and experience the largest movie set street expansion in Hollywood history. And don’t miss the all new  King Kong 360 3-D  created by Peter Jackson. It’s the world’s largest, most intense 3-D experience. Here, you won’t just see it, you won’t just hear it: you’ll feel it. It’s 3-D to the next level. Experience our all-new  Special Effects Stage , where you’ll become an expert in Hollywood moviemaking magic as you learn about CGI, stop motion capture and 3-D technology. Face action head on in heart-pounding ri

Saturday 25 th September Anaheim, California Solvang was founded in 1911 on 11,000 acres (4,500 ha) of the Rancho San Carlos de Jonata a Mexican land grant, by a group of Danish educators, who travelled west to escape mid western winters. The city is home to some bakeries, restaurants, and merchants offering a taste of Denmark  in California. The architecture of many of the buildings follows traditional Danish style. There is a copy of the famous  Little Mermaid  statue from  Copenhagen , as well as one featuring the bust of famed Danish fable writer  Hans Christian Andersen . A replica of the Copenhagen observatory  Rundetårn  in the scale 1:3 was finished in 1991 and can be seen in the city centre. Mission Santa Ines , one of the  California missions , is located near the center of the town. Santa Barbara  is a city in  Santa Barbara County situated on an east-west trending section of coastline, the longest such section on the West Coast of the United States, the city lies b

Friday 24 th September Cambria, California The City of Monterey  in  Monterey County  is located on  Monterey Bay  along the  Pacific  coast in  Central California . Monterey lies at an elevation of 26 feet (8 m) above sea level. The city is noted for its rich history of resident artists beginning in the late 1800s, and its historically famed  fishery . First established in 1770 by  Father Junípero Serra  and  Gaspar de Portolà   (governor of Baja and Alta California (1767–1770), explorer and founder of San Diego and Monterey), Monterey served as the capital of California from 1777 to 1849, under the flags of  Spain  and  Mexico .   Pacific Grove  is a coastal town, and is known for its Victorian homes,  Asilomar State Beach , its artistic legacy and the annual migration of the  Monarch butterflies . The city is endowed with more  Victorian houses per capita than anywhere else in America; some of them have been turned into  bed and breakfast  inns. 17-Mile Drive is wi

A free day in this fantastic city, take a harbour cruise, or maybe a trip to Alcatraz, if shopping is your thing head to Macys on Union Square. 

Wednesday 22 nd September San Francisco, California History – Even by the standards of the New World, San Francisco remained terra incognita a surprisingly long time. A few early explorers, including Portuguese – born Joao Cabrilho and England’s Sir Francis Drake, sailed up and down the length of the California coast in the 16 th century, but all of them sailed past the Golden Gate without noticing the bay that lay beyond it. It was not until 1769 that the first non-natives laid eyes on what is now San Francisco; thereafter the area was colonized swiftly by the Spanish, who established missions and presidios (forts). In 1821, when Mexico declared independence from Spain, it became Mexican territory. The Growing City – The first significant boost to growth occurred in 1848, when gold was discovered at Sutter’s Mill in the Sierra Nevada foothills near Sacramento. Hundreds of thousands of prospectors were attracted to California from all over the world, leading to the Gold Rus