Disneyland Photos - Christmas 2013

Disneyland Photos

Merry Christmas everyone - 

from the Ahearns!!!

LA & Anaheim - December 2013

LA & Anaheim

22nd December 2013

We left Tokyo at 9.10pm on Sunday 22nd December and arrived in LA 2.05pm on the same day.  We did manage to get some sleep during the flight, so we were feeling pretty good, especially that we had finally arrived in USA.

The size and cleanliness of LA International Airport was impressive. Everything was clearly signed and we made our way towards the immigration counters (after a brief stop at the toilets).

There was no delay - we were questioned at immigration as to our reason for travel and whether we had any Tim Tams with us!!  We were wished a happy holiday and we were on our way.

We proceeded to collect our luggage only to find that one of the wheels of Col's brand new hard shell suit case had been snapped off.  Oh well, he will only be able to wheel it using the 3 wheels left! 

We headed out of the luggage claim and onto the very busy streets of LA Airport.  I had already booked a shuttle to take us to our hotel in Anaheim, and we only had to wait a little while before our shuttle arrived - already loaded with tourists!  And we were off!!

Tokyo Photos - 22/12/2013

Tokyo - December 22nd 2013

arriving at Narita Airport

sun rising over Narita Airport

Kash & Col in Tokyo

checking out Tokyo - so cold!!

crazy Tokyo - so busy - so expensive!!

KL - Tokyo

One Day In Tokyo

Flight No :	MH9778 (Malaysia Airlines)
Departing :	Sat 21 Dec 13	at :	23:05	from :	KUALA LUMPUR Intl Airport, MALAYSIA
Arriving :	Sun 22 Dec 13	at :	06:55	into :	TOKYO Narita Airport, JAPAN

We arrived in Tokyo at around 7am in the morning – it was a very long but interesting trip through Narita Airport between where our plane landed and immigration.  We stopped for photos along the way as the sun was just coming up. 

It took us about 40 minutes to get through immigration, which was not a problem as it was still early in the morning.  Luckily we did not have to worry about our bags as they had been checked through to LA, so we headed to an information counter to find somewhere to store our hand luggage while we were in Tokyo and an ATM so we could withdraw some money for the day. 

I had done some research about how to get into Akihabara – the IT centre of Tokyo – so we headed to the Skytrain.  It was quite cold while we were waiting for the train.  The train trip to Nano was relatively easy.  I was quite shocked that the buildings/houses along the way were not more “Japanese” looking, everything seemed quite “normal”

The train ride was nice, about 45 minutes.  Each pair of seats had a usb port and an electric charger.  Kash slept the whole way – none of us got much sleep on the flight over so we were all pretty tired.

When we arrived in Nano, nothing had prepared us for the mayhem and the crowds that awaited us – trying to get from the Sky train station to the main Nano train station was CRAZY!!!  There were people everywhere and while there were signs, it was quite difficult to work out where to go. 

We bought our tickets from the machine and headed into the labyrinth of corridors that was the Nano train station.  We asked a few people for some directions but no one spoke English.  Luckily a nice Japanese man saw that we needed help and asked us where we wanted to go.  It seems he was heading to the same place, so he accompanied us all the way and told us where to get off.

Akihabara was freezing cold and very, very busy.  We walked in and around a few IT shops.  Everything was expensive and we did not see anything that we couldn’t buy in KL.  It was a bit disappointing actually.

We decided to eat at KFC.  It wasn’t that good and was quite expensive, however, all of the public toilet seats I had been to were heated – which was very interesting.

We decided to head back to the airport early – using the Skytrain, which in hindsight at $150 round trip for the 3 of us was probably the most expensive transport we used over our whole trip.

It was a long - but exciting - wait for our next flight:

Flight No :	MH 92 (Malaysia Airlines)
Departing :	Sun 22 Dec 13	at :	21:10	from :	TOKYO Narita Airport, JAPAN
Arriving :	Sun 22 Dec 13	at :	14:05	into :	LOS ANGELES International Airport, USA

Bali to KL - 21/12/2013

Bali – KL 21^st December 2013

We flew Malaysian Air from Bali to KL.  This was nice and easy as our flights from KL to LA via Tokyo were with Malaysian Air as well.  The booking staff in Bali checked our luggage straight through to LA which saved us the hassle of having to collect it when we arrived in Tokyo.  I had a bit of a panic when the airport staff asked for our electronic visas – OMG – I hadn’t printed them out!!!  I made a mental note to get the details of them from my emails while we were waiting for our flight. 

The new airport is lovely, but again, very slow to get through security.

Arrived in KL on time.  Leaving the plane I walked ahead of Col and Kash, we were almost the last few people off the plane.  At the exit of the plane I waited….. and waited….. the hosties came out and asked who I was waiting for because there was no one left on the plane.  

Me being me, I started to panic.  where could they have gone????  I decided to head out and as I was walking down the gangway, I saw 2 people to my right.  Thinking it was Col and Kash I turned to walk over to them, and SMASH!!!!  I walked straight into a plate glass door.  WOW!!  I hit it hard with my full body weight! 

It wasn't them anyway, so I headed toward the exit.  There they were.  I saw them and the relief I felt was overwhelming - that combined with my incident with the glass wall meant I was very emotional and I just started crying. 

It was then I realised that I had hurt my wrist quite seriously and I was in a considerable amount of pain.  It felt so bad I thought I might have fractured it.  Not a great start!!!  Anyway, we had to find somewhere to report it just in case I had done some serious injury and I had to get it fixed while we were away.  

Col got me some ice from Burger King (where we had a quick meal) and some painkillers.  He also got a bandage which he strapped my wrist with.  I was in quite a bit of pain.  My wrist was so sore I barely gave a second thought to my face which also made serious contact with the glass.

In Bali Now 19/12/2013

Here we are!

La Walon - our favourite place to stay in Bali.

Slept in until after 11am  - oh how I love being on holidays.
Going to walk up to Centro by the beach to see what is going on.
The weather is absolutely stunning - as usual.

Off to Brazilian BBQ tonight.

All good here.

USA & Canada - Our Grand Adventure Begins!!! 18/12/2013

Bali - our first leg!

Well, this is the beginning or the Ahearn's Grand Adventure - 5 weeks travelling around the USA & Canada.

Today was the last day of the school year - and very emotional I might add.  Happy when the final siren went this afternoon meaning I was officially on holidays.  Yeah!!!

Flight to Bali was just after 8pm.  Magical Trevor picked us up from home and dropped us at the airport.  All checked in, a quick feed of Red Rooster (becoming somewhat of a tradition) and then into the departure lounge.

Flight was with AirAsia.  We landed at about 11.30pm in the new International Airport.  How impressive it is - absolutely huge, but what a major let down that in this beautiful new airport they have simply transferred the same slow/inefficient visa/immigration/customs services.

The lines through immigration were ridiculous, which were nothing compared to the customs line.  Two lines servicing all arrivals, and ALL bags had to placed through the scanner/xray.  

The whole process probably took an hour and a half.  
When we got out of the airport it was probably about 1am.  Heading left to catch a taxi only to be told the usual 50 000Rp fare to Kuta was now 100 000Rp due to the time of the arrival - first time that has ever happened to us, and then the taxi driver wanted us to pay more for having bags - yeah right!!!! Not gunna happen!!!

Arrived at our home-away-from-home in Bali - La Walon, Poppies 1, Kuta.  

Room was prebooked, ($50/night including breakfast) so they were expecting us.  Even though our room was on the 3rd floor (it is the room just to the right of the top of the pool gazebo) it was really big and they had put an extra bed in the room for Kash (even though I slept in it - better night's sleep that way).  

Very thirsty, so Col and I headed over to the 24hour 7/11 to get some cold drinks, then back to the hotel for a much needed sleep.

Loving our holiday already :)