A creaking door opens and dust flurries hit the air. Well, it’s been a while since we were last here! Hope I can remember how to do this!

Welcome to our 2019 American Adventure.

This blog will be a little different as we are not visiting lots of different places as we’ve done in the past. We will actually be doing what I guess would be called a ‘two-centre plus’ holiday. We will be starting off in Las Vegas before travelling via Salt Lake City to Grand Teton National Park and Yellowstone National Park before driving back, again via Salt Lake City to Las Vegas.

We’ve been to all these places before but never grow tired of visiting them. Vegas is like coming home to an old comfy pair of slippers whilst the Tetons and Yellowstone are beautiful places to visit with spectacular scenery and wildlife. There’s always something new to see and discover.

I hope I can make the first part of the blog interesting enough for you all. It’ll be difficult to make pool lounging, eating and shopping sound very exciting but I’ll do my best! To pass the time you could of course, always check back on our previous adventures.

Problem with this type of holiday is choosing what to pack! Vegas will be very hot whereas it’s going to be a lot colder when we reach the Tetons and Yellowstone. In fact it’s been snowing this week in the Tetons and more is forecast. For someone who finds it difficult anyway trying to keep packing to a minimum, this will be a challenge!

Now I know that Las Vegas to many is like Marmite ……….. you either love it or hate it! We’ve been visiting Las Vegas since 1988 so I guess you could say we kinda love it. Mind you, when we first started coming here it was a whole different ball game. Not at all like it is today. Lots of families visit now and there are many great restaurants, good shows and fabulous shopping.

Also, back in the 80’s of course there was no such thing as the internet. Back then you had to write to or telephone the local tourist office and they would very kindly post you a ‘Visitors’ Pack’ consisting of a hotel booklet, local information and a trusty road map! We weren’t able to visit Trip Advisor to read people’s thoughts and criticisms of the hotels, restaurants, things to do or to make bookings way in advance. You just had to make a choice and hope it was the right one. Either telephone ahead for a hotel reservation or just turn up and hope to get a room.

Funny story here! I remember on one visit to the west coast of the U.S. one of our stops was going to be in San Francisco. Well, armed with our trusty paper guide we decided on a hotel and telephoned ahead to book a room. There was a vacancy but thought it strange when we were not asked for a credit card to guarantee the room but didn’t ponder on that for too long.

When we rolled up and parked outside the hotel we started to have our doubts. It was in a rather dubious neighbourhood and didn’t look very welcoming. It turned out that it was the kind of hotel you book by the hour!!! Needless to say we didn’t bother to get out of the car!

We headed instead for the local tourist office and a very kind lady made us a booking at a motel next to the Golden Gate Bridge so it all turned out okay in the end. It was a lesson learned.

When we arrived at the bridge it was lovely and sunny and Simon said about stopping to take photos. In my wisdom, I said we could do that the following day! Well, anyone who has visited San Francisco will know about the famous fog that rolls in over the bridge. Needless to say, the next day and for all the days we were there we never saw the bridge again!

Also, back then it was a case of take your trusty camera, together with lots of rolls of film and cross your fingers that once you returned home you would end up with a few good ‘snaps’ of the jolly holiday.

I guess you could say it added to the excitement back then but I say “thank goodness” today for the internet, mobile phones, laptops and digital cameras!

So, we look forward to ‘travelling’ once again with family, old friends and hopefully a few new ones too, on this year’s adventure. It all kicks off on Monday 3rd June.