Anaheim

It was a very strange train run this week. We were only a short distance away so the train moved during the day while the show was still on and everyone caught the circus bus back to the train in the new town. A few of us not involved with the actual show did ride the train though and it was definitely the quickest train run ever. It was also quite odd as we went into Anaheim because the train tracks went right down the middle of a road. It is very strange looking out the vestibule and seeing cars racing you. We always lost!

I liked where we were parked this week. We were still in a dusty ol' train yard but just a short walk and you reached a road that led to civilisation. A mile in one direction led to the building, with a few shops and restaurants and bars along the way. I had a classic moment walking to the building one time and crossed where I wasn't meant to without realising. Now I did this in front of a policeman, in fact I walked straight at him so quite obviously was unaware of my mishap. He sarcastically pointed out my mistake once I was 'across' the road and made me cross back to cross at the correct place.

A little further on from the building was an entertainment plaza type thing with a cinema (movie theater) bars and places to eat. It was very handy having a cinema so close the week Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince was released.

And a mile or so in the other direction from the train was Disney, with more shops along the way there, including Garden Walk shops with another cinema and a Lush.

We first went to Downtown Disney as it was a day when we didn't have as much time. There is all the usual Disney stores and a few others, and another cinema. This one had 23 screens and at 12.01 the day/night that Harry Potter came out they sold out completely. We went the next night at another venue and watch in a near empty room.
Disneyland said to be the 'happiest place on earth' I don't like being told I have to be happy, though a good time was had by all. One of the rides we hadn't been on before was 'finding Nemo' which Willow loved and Tweedy took the chance to nap.
We spent more time in Disney's California Adventure since we have already been to Disney world at the start of the year. Toy Story Mania was good fun and Tweedys gun seemed to be broken 'again' as I retained the champion status on these types of rides . Grizzly River Run was lots of fun too though every little splash of water seemed to have my name on it which amused everyone else no end. Soarin Over California was really good though did make me feel a little sick, though not as sick as Tower of Terror, which I didn't like at all and Willow liked even less.



Knott's Berry Farm was Americas first theme park and is home to Snoopy. It isn't as clean and sparkly as Disney but I liked it more, it seemed more relaxed. It also had loads of stuff Willow enjoyed and in camp snoopy there were rides she insisted she went on her own. The Calico Saloon Show was lots of fun and Everyone Loves Snoopy Ice Show was also good, though I may have enjoyed it more if there hadn't been annoying teenagers behind us (think I'm getting old) Even though we have never been here before Willow recognised a lot of the rides from a TV programme called 'Brain rush', though wasn't very impressed that she was an inch to small to go on most of them.

Ann and Jack's hotel window faced Disney resort and from there you got an amazing view of the fireworks. Willow watched them loads of time from there and when we weren't watching them we could still hear them from the train. Willow stayed quite a lot at the Hotel, hanging out with her Grandma and Grandda in the swimming pool. They even managed to get to the beach a couple of times too.

There have been a few places when one week just isn't enough and I thought this would be one of them, one week may not have been enough but two weeks was to long. It wasn't helped with Willow being ill at the end of the last week. Being stuck on the train for 3 days when you have ever changing scenery is enough to make you go a little stir crazy but being stuck indoors for 4 days not moving is enough to drive you just little bit crazier. Luckily Willow was a very good patient, so it wasn't as bad as it could have been and it did mean I was pleased to move.