Day 3 Friday 13th

`Day 3 Friday 13th.
Collapsed in bed at 7.30 p.m., but woke up at 9.15 p.m., then 12.30 a.m. and was awake for the rest of the night.
Had a wander down to the lobby for extra tea / coffee, etc and then went onto the internet – but having problems with my cutting and pasting.
By the time we got our early call we already had our cases packed and ready for collection. Out and over to the World Trade Centre where we had breakfast at a little restaurant run by an elderly Taiwanese lady, who was fair ticked that we had the greetings etc in Chinese.
Our coach was ready to leave at 0745 and everyone was there on time which pleased our Courier Chris no end.
Headed out and went on a tour of LA, into Hollywood, where we were allowed time for a walk along the street of fame, the stars in the pavement, etc, but were unable to get a decent picture of the famous Hollyrood sign on the hill due to the early morning sea haar. Bit disappointed with the place, but as usual the films and the media glamorise the area.
We took a look into the Roosevelt Hotel , absolutely fabulous, very old world, and has not changed a bit for years.
Coach headed off through the city heading east towards the mountains and desert, making for Palm Springs, the oasis in the desert. The freeway out the city was fine on our side but all teh lanes westbound were jam packed and crawling.
The place is vast – and realistically is one of these places you have to see to believe, the biggest urbanisation in the US.
Out of the city we passed train marshalling yards, with goods trains with hundreds of wagons attached, shopping malls, the lot. Place must be a bit like London where some folks never venture to the other side of the city
As we climbed upwards into the mountains, some as high as 10,000 feet, the air cleared and the views improved, but with tinted windows on the coach photography was difficult.
In the valley / pass as we approached Palm Springs we passed a wind farm with over four thousand generators up and running. With an average wind speed of 25 mph they were always turning.
It was then into the Oasis of Palm Springs, a nice summer day, cool at 100F and very quiet as folks do not come here in the summer – normally it would be an extra 10 / 15 F hotter.
The initial feeling of the heat was fine, but within a few minutes were were looking for some shade and a bite of lunch . Many of the restaurants have fine water mist sprays outside which cool the air around the seating areas.
The main street is very Spanish / Mexican style, all low level buildings and spotlessly clean.

We were stopped by a reporter from the local TV station who, on hearing the strange accents, spoke to us and then asked us all about our views on the superstitions surrounding Friday the 13t
We found the “Village Inn” and had a very nice light lunch and made it back to the coach on time to leave and head East again on Highway 10.
Long run out through the desert making for Pheonix and Scottsdale, it was a long run, of about 200 miles, just sparse desert most of the way, however, every so often we would pass over the canal which runs from the Colarado River, all the way to L. A., also used en route to irrigate the cotton fields which were growing every so often.
It the desert we passed the Pallo Verde nuclear power station, one of the oldest in the US but apparently one of the most efficient.
We also spotted the unusual sight of a “dust devil” a mini tornado, which is very unusual for this part of the US.
The city of Pheonix is the fifth largest conurbation in the US and we were seeing the outskirts of it some fifty miles from the City Centre. The city is increasing in population at the rate of about 6000 people a month !! which has surprised the city developers who had not planned for expansion on this scale.
Eventually made it to Scottsdale where we were staying in the Marriot Courtyard by the Old Town, a smaller hotel, but which turned out to be very friendly and comfortable.
Temperatures during the day topped out at 107F, a bity hot by any standards, and we see that there are severe heat warnings for the weekend..
Dinner in the evening was in the Orchid Lounge, good.