US Trip- Aug 15th 2022-Aug 31st 2022

Day 1-Aug 15- Flight from Heathrow to Los Angeles

Landed in LA airport. Virgin Atlantic. 11 hour flight. Went in shuttle to Rental car park- Alamo. Drove to B&B in Pico Rivera area. Exciting and anxious first time. Drove to nearby shopping complex and ate at America’s own creations- subway, Mc Donalds. Plus Indian dinner too. 

https://photos.google.com/share/AF1QipNsobcHo3IcGJtrxczXVDsgwGgyGqOadRyJw_FHHiD41LA06vhE4_hzgfCgrGQimA

Day 2-Aug 16th-Universal studios
Drove to Sanjana's flat in downtown LA. Picked her up and went to Universal studios. Drove through Sanjana's college at night. Night- Sum was sick with vomiting. We all slept at Sanjana's house. Tan and Sanjana went in taxi and bought Chipotle.

@Universal studios: Studio tour, Harry Potter castle, Flying experience, Butter beer ( was much better in UK HP), Olliwander wand shop where Tanmay was chosen for the show, Waterworld, Dreamworks-KungFu panda show, Jurassic world -The ride

https://photos.google.com/share/AF1QipMU3b0d58CGzVU9gk3REGlQjE6ACgJM2zIa7z1aGcOP9Wm30pgp0wZw7TYWykIigQ

Day 3-Aug 17th-LA sight seeing
Morning-We 4 drove back to our B&B. Got ready and I drove to Griffith Observatory. Hollywood sign hill. Drove to Hollywood walk of fame. Vibrant area. Ate at MacD. Drove to Beverley hills and Rhodeo drive. Met Sanjana in Rhodeo drive. Had dinner at Sanjana's house. Annu chaaru.

https://photos.google.com/share/AF1QipOJaqGRBwwz0krg7aHanOnpJViWR5RlxpcdD_4ZwQReDdvTYBUYrKCB-Ph6yWTqlA 

Day 4-Aug 18th-Disney land
PIcked up Sanjana from her house. Went to Disney land. Dropped her back in the night. Was very late. Dinner in Chipotle near Sanjana's house. I drove back.

@Disneyland- Space Mountain, Tale of Lion King show, Big thunder mountain rail, Indiana Jones Adventure, Fireworks, Laser and fire show on water, Electrical parade.

https://photos.google.com/share/AF1QipMJSCPE0RWbPdj18u2-OuPlGjiZXzf23L8zf_5PvUc-OYstYMQk4lQcjbOIb59X6Q

Day 5-Aug 19th-Drive to San Diego
Vacated B&B at Pico Rivera. Drove to Sanjana's. Boys swam in the pool. We left late noon. Missed sunset view during drive to San Diego. Stopped by the ocean for few min. Reached Holiday Inn Express . Dinner - we went to walmart on the way and bought burgers, cheese. etc and prepared sandwiches at hotel room

https://photos.google.com/share/AF1QipN3-DWK1F4YhFrSTf8AK8hGPDXZ_uIxD0yEjVEki2ZO5ruvHvbGD33jF9HuW8R8PA

Day 6-Aug 20th-Sea World
Had bf in the hotel and drove to Sea World. Sanjana's dinner treat in Chennai Dosa opp to Qualcomm

@Seaworld- Sea lion show, Sharks under water tunnel walk, Dolphin show, Manta ray touch, Orca show

https://photos.google.com/share/AF1QipPFCGYfsFrW7d5mkj-82ectzAj7Lkck4aLJNz1GTsa47RvRC35tjUYF9qKmqqhhhw

Day 7-Aug 21st-San Diego Zoo

https://photos.google.com/share/AF1QipOGYVrUA6MSrGscAQNDqxq-b4rKp05cgAEX4uG5j91CQaAGSsaEf55UB9o9yJyY7g

Day 8-Aug 22nd- Flight to Sacremento
Drive to beach. Bread nutella in beach, ice cream in petrol station, chipotle for kids. Flew to Sacramento in South western airways. Suresh Nagashree and Isha had come to pickup.

https://photos.google.com/share/AF1QipMJPvPq5eoRfi2mLAqldiKT2B9FhS9HzY9LMKfYs18QJIvJNo8nSZmsQIALjCvypw 

Day 9-Aug 23rd- Local sightseeing
Saw Isha’s school while dropping her off. Went with Nagashree to Costco, local shopping mall- what was it called? Dinner at Sum's friend Manu's house.

https://photos.google.com/share/AF1QipPQZmkanqObj5kvH06myY4GS7LfCeTK8qa0WYCdc3coysrhlRsSbS_YJX7_rP2u2A

Day 10-Aug 24th- Red Wood trees
Drove 2 hours. Nagashree gave packed lunch- onion rice, fruits, etc.Dinner at home

https://photos.google.com/share/AF1QipOxnVz8IKRtYFxZxF6AhwH2skJjtDj9QSMOmNH_AjeFxZ4w3wdiSDAVdTivHEZ8BQ

Day 11-Aug 25th-Sunita's house
Sunita's house, sfo golden gate bridge on the way. Drive was very steep in mountainous SFO. Different looking city: Gherardelli ice cream. Went to city centre by mistake in search of Gherardelli but was good to see busy and vibrant city centre. Trams on roads. Dinner at Sunita's. Pullav, chaaru, payasu.

https://photos.google.com/share/AF1QipP35H_M40V2a48FlFRF-ExDPm0aP985V3TgqTu7mJsDTMLxMCVM81Aa0vOTGfAmNQ

Day 12-Aug 26th-Silicon Valley 

Ate Dosa at Sunita's house, walked around their area, saw shopping center, Aarabhi and Anirudh's school, walked on the bridge on motorway. Drove around Silicon Valley- Apple, Google, Facebook offices, Stanford University. Dinner at Paulo Alto city. Then to Sum's friend's house Manoj in Pleasanton. Drove back to Folsom.

https://photos.google.com/share/AF1QipOOEm7tV_IiRK9AjzumQ30vdSdnHZqIKoLrNNJbpLm4W8BIl3AYIdmD3RrUtSTJYA

Day 13-Aug 27th- Bowling and dinner with Suresh family.

Dinner at BJ’s- American restaurant.

https://photos.google.com/share/AF1QipPnPj6_c1AamNk5uB8BW7yuVqRNfUNE3s6YjrvdhD3v5T_gmX4jBCo6w3Ee0FXTzw

Day 13-Aug 28th- Sun splash water world with Suresh family.
Sun splash. Best water ride as per Tanmay was stealth. Pizza and chaats for dinner . Veg puff was good

https://photos.google.com/share/AF1QipN9xhSU6juLx3Afie4ykDy0vlbLqVOJ_6jJAVbt8YWnOyP_bh8Kfqyta4OCmFONsg

Day 14-Aug 29th-Yosemite
Took extra puffs for lunch

Drive- scenic. Huge Rocky Mountain and waterfall. 

https://photos.google.com/share/AF1QipOqhVw4tUvHE9OxZjbJyl6ippCl_y6Bk4on6rNh09qfx6MPJuTWbCa4lWHzRpA3jA

Day 15-Aug 29th-Gowri Ganesha pooja at Folsom
Pooja in the morning. Festival good with kadubu. Went to Folsom town center in the evening. Then took Krish for a walk.

https://photos.google.com/share/AF1QipOqhVw4tUvHE9OxZjbJyl6ippCl_y6Bk4on6rNh09qfx6MPJuTWbCa4lWHzRpA3jA

Day 16-Aug 30th-Gowri Ganesha pooja at Folsom

https://photos.google.com/share/AF1QipPu5_yY5UkxtMUIg3A2MgvpqPWSGI4UKDM_eHRpPNW8ceyiyTG_ouZZOHEHqRI6lw

Day 17- Aug 31st-Fly back to UK home
Drove to SFO Golden Gate Bridge second time. Clearer view. Dropped off car

https://photos.google.com/share/AF1QipNkcuZd4dPHYpjcY8jFpAY47xnSBKNDRB-4f6lD5tHhZo8F-NsD9w0gn88pf7RcgA

Differences between UK and US

Bike lane in the middle of the road - seen in Pleasanton

Free way- train in the middle of road

Gas station- black is petrol.green is diesel. Petrol is called gas. Diesel is called diesel.

Toll - open gate. How do we pay?

Few vegetable sizes massive- onion, watermelon, beef tomatoes, cucumber

They eat donut for breakfast. So Donut shops are open early in the morning 

People friendlier

No roundabouts, 

more lanes in freeway, 

more exits, 

separate lanes for cars with more than one person

Free right turn 

No Hiya. Not apologetic..ie saying sorry often

Thank you on road- no

 flashing to give way- no

Keep clear Vs Clear keep

Upto 7 lanes on motorways 

Rental car- take whatever you want and drive away

No uniform brick buildings like in US

Apples, watermelon, Onions- much bigger 

Buildings offices sky scrapers - have names of companies. 

Ground floor starts from 1, not 0

Bikers with music 

Switch- on off is opposite