BlueAquarius

Nanjing was very easy to navigate. They have an excellent subway system that connects right to the train station. I printed out some maps beforehand and marked all the places I wanted to visit. I stayed pretty close to the subway line all day and saw all the shopping areas, the Confucian Temple,and got coffee at Starbucks… mmmm,four months without real coffee made it just that much better :) I will probably see more of the historical sights when I go back in the summer.

I’ve been to Idaho several times, visiting relatives, camping, family reunion, more camping… blah

I’ve been to Hawaii twice. The first time I stayed in a condo in Maui for a week. I went to the Maui Ocean Center, took a helicopter tour of the island, went snorkeling, walked around the shopping areas, and drove the road to Hana. It was incredible! This last time was even more fun as I was on a cruise boat! I was on the Pride of Aloha (Norwegian Cruise). We started in Maui, where I again went snorkeling (and saw two giant sea turtles!) and visited the Maui Ocean Center. The next day we were in Honolulu. We took a tour to Pearl Harbor and downtown Honolulu. Our next stop was Nawiliwili, Kauai, where we walked around the tourist-y shopping area and then went on a hike to the river where we got to canoe! After that, we cruised by the Napali coastline, gorgeous! Day 5 we visited Hilo, where we drove to Volcanoes National Park. We saw huge craters there and walked through a lava tube. We also visited the Mauna Loa factory and the Rainforest Zoo. Our second to last stop was Kona, where we took a dolphin boat tour and did some more snorkeling. The snorkeling here wasn’t very good. The beach was super crowded, the ground was rocky and jagged, and the tide was strong. Our last stop was back on Maui where we disembarked and rented a car. We drove along the beautiful coastline and took lots of photos. Cruising is definitely the best way to see a lot of Hawaii’s beauty in a short time.

I visited Mesquite on my way home from Las Vegas last September. My husband and I found a $3 blackjack table at one of the casinos in the middle of the afternoon. We played for a few hours and did very well! The dealers were all very friendly and gave advice on how to play. The other players were also friendly, and many of them appeared to be regulars. I would love to go back again, but it’s quite a drive from Salt Lake City (5 hours). Out of all the gambling destinations I’ve been to, this has been my favorite. The rooms are very affordable on weekdays ($25-$40) but I haven’t stayed there yet ;)

I’ve been to Wendover several times, since it’s the closest place to gamble to the Salt Lake area. It’s fun to go for a night with friends and the rooms are super cheap on weekdays ($30-$40) However, it’s a tiny town and once you’ve blown your money, there’s not much else to do besides check out the Salt Flats. I used to be a fan of Wendover until my last trip in September. I visited about a week after I’d gone to Vegas and the difference in the dealers and game play was astonishing. It just didn’t have the same vibe. The dealers here are not very friendly and they don’t give tips or make conversation. Don’t get me wrong, this place is here for a reason (no gambling in Utah) but if you’re wanting to come here from over 200 miles away, don’t bother. Try Mesquite or even Las Vegas.

I have been to Las Vegas three times. The last time I went was in September for my honeymoon. We stayed at the El Cortez Hotel and Casino on Fremont Street (downtown Vegas). Their prices are the best in that area ($30-$35 for the basic room) and it was newly remodeled. We saw the new Cirque du Soleil show “Love”. The show was incredible and I recommend it to everyone, especially those who love the Beatles’ music. We sat in the front row which was pretty cool, but we probably would have had a better view in the second or third row. Besides seeing the show, we didn’t spend much time on the strip because everything is so expensive. Our favorite place to hang out is the $3 blackjack table at the 4 Queens on Fremont St. If you like to drink, stick to beer in this area, as the free mixed drinks they serve are sickening!

I cruised Alaska about 12 years ago. It was beautiful! It was extremely cold while on the deck of the ship in July. I wore 5 or 6 layers. It wasn’t quite as cold on land. We stopped at Anchorage, Ketchican, and a couple other cities I can’t think of at the moment.