Diary Entries From 12 March to 1 April 1982
The USA Travel Diary series starts HERE.
Friday 12th March
Got packed for Las Vegas. We went to The Suburban Mr and Mrs Wijnhamer, Jim, Tony, Toni and me. It took us about five hours to get there. When we arrived we couldn’t believe our eyes, the entire place was a mass of beautiful lights it looked like one big gigantic carnival.
We booked into our motel at about 11 pm and then headed for Circus Circus a gigantic casino. It was fantastic. I cashed $20 into silver dollars and started on the dollar slot machines.
Date: 13/3/82
Place: Las Vegas
Weather: didn’t have time to notice
And in less than a couple of hours I had made about $300. Boy was I hot or what. Jim decided he was taking charge of my money and both Tony and Jim pretended they were our bodyguards.
We left Circus Circus and went to Union Plaza where my good luck on the slot machines didn’t let up, I won another $150. Then we went to The Mint where I didn’t do so well. I tried out the poker machines they were fun but didn’t pay up to much.
After The Mint we went to the Silver Slipper where I shouted everyone to breakfast, then we hit the blackjack table. There, the manager gave Toni and I a deck of cards each as a souvenir which I felt was very nice.
We finally decided to go to the hotel for some sleep at 7:30 am. My eyes were killing me but I was passed being tired. I had had one of the most terrific nights of my entire life.
Saturday 13th March
We stayed in bed for three hours. I had my eyes shut but I didn’t sleep. We got up and went to The Mint and had lunch. Then to The California where I won another $150, but that’s where my luck ran out.
Date: 13/3/82–14/3/82
Place: Las Vegas
Weather: warm-ish
We then went to Union Plaza where I lost about $300 on the slot machines and about $30 on the blackjack table. Went back to the hotel at 5:30 pm, changed into our best clothes and went to The Sahara for a very nice dinner.
Then it was back to Circus Circus for a soon found out my luck hadn’t changed I lost $200 in a very short time. I decided I better go on the blackjack table. I lasted a long time there but eventually lost $20. I had a few drinks and by 1 pm I was ready to go.
Sunday 14th March
Went back to the hotel and changed into our jeans and then went to The Treasury. I drank more than I bet here and I decided I couldn’t afford to lose any more money. We left about 4 am. I can’t even remember hitting the pillow.
We got up about 7 am, packed. We had breakfast at Silver Slipper again, this time Toni shouted. Then we went and bought $150 worth of souvenirs. Then hit the road for LA. Everyone had lost but we had all had an absolutely wonderful time.
Date: 14/3/82–19/3/82
Place: Las Vegas – Pasadena
Weather: heavy rain
Monday 15th – Thursday 18th March
It rained heavily every day so we didn’t do much at all at night. We played poker but I should have given up because I kept losing.
Friday 19th March
Stan and Jan, Jim and Shirley, Tony, Toni and I all went to dinner at Redondo Beach Pier at a restaurant called The Lighthouse. It was beautiful. After our meal we walked around the pier which is full of shops and arcades. Then we decided to cruise through Hollywood.
The beginning of Sunset Strip was closed as there was too much traffic so after sitting in the jam for half an hour we went up Santa Monica Boulevard.
We then turned into Sunset Strip and saw untold hookers. Toni was taking photos and the last photo she took the hooker got really angry and called her a fucking bitch. And did we take off. We also saw two guys get busted.
It was a fun night.
Place: 20/3/82–21/3/82
Place: Pasadena
Weather: humid
Saturday 20th March
Dave was playing with Lt Schrank in the school play West Side Story. We all went to watch it. It was fantastic. The kids really did a good job. The girl who played Maria had a fantastic voice. They got a standing ovation and the kids were so pleased they all screamed.
When we got home we played poker. I lost again.
Sunday 21st March
We went to Swap Meet where I bought a suitcase and a few more souvenirs which we packed.
Date: 24/3/82–29/3/82
Place: Pasadena
Weather: warm – rainy
Wednesday 24th March
We caught the bus to LA. We went to Bonadventure Boulevard where we bought some more souvenirs.
Friday 26th March
Bo took us to Westwood at night which is a really ritzy shopping area. Man did we see some expensive cars that night. We window shopped at watched some street acts, then we went home and played poker for a while.
Monday 29th March
Went to Hollywood by bus. We saw the Hollywood sign close-up on Hollywood Boulevard but we didn’t have a camera. We bought a couple of winnies.
We had lunch at PasadenaMall, then went home. We closed up our suitcases after saying goodbye to Jim, Shirley, Jan and Tony. We left for Burbank Airport.
Our plane left at 7:30 pm. We said bye to everyone, we had a great time in LA.
Our flight to San Francisco only took an hour. When we arrived we didn’t know who to look for. All we knew was that it was Anne’s cousin and his wife. After waiting about 15 minutes we were paged. We met Wilma and Stan, we had a laugh getting the luggage in the car. Wilma and I squatted on the back seat surrounded by luggage. By the time we arrived at their house both of our legs had gone numb.
We talked for a while and went to bed. The house is absolutely beaut. We met Mark and Yvette their kids and José a friend of Stan’s.
Date: 30/3/82
Place: San Francisco
Weather: raining still
Tuesday 30th March
José picked us up at 10:15 am. First went to Qantas to fix our tickets then we drove to Chinatown where I bought a few things. We also had a lunch there.
Then we drove to Fisherman’s Wharf where we parked the car and caught the cable car for a very up-and-down ride. We got pretty wet because we were on the outside. So we got off at Clancy’s and had an Irish coffee.
Then back onto the cable car for Pier 45 on Fisherman’s Wharf. We bought some more things and then headed home. José stayed for dinner.
Date: 30/3/82–1/4/82
Place: San Francisco
Weather: it’s still raining
Wednesday 31st March
It rained heavily all day so we stayed in. We went to the local shopping mall with Wilma at night.
Thursday 1st April
Rain heavily in the day so again we spent the day in. For dinner we went to Chuck & Cheese Pizza place which is like our Funtime Pizza only bigger with a giant arcade on the second floor. We went there as both Mark and Yvette had received good school reports.
We dropped the kids at home then Stan, Wilma, Toni and I went and saw Absence of Malice and Seems Like Old Times for $1.50! Cheap hah.? We got home about midnight. Wilma made us hot choccy with brandy! Hik!
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