Western USA in 19 days

Traveled around USA West Coast with girlfriend for 19 days, including a package tour of 8 days. Like any package tour, it starts early and we spent most of the time travelling in the bus. Way too intensive but no choice since those places are inaccessible without cars.

1 Aug (Sat)

- USA border for Bolt buses at Seattle

- Downtown Seattle

- Pike Place Public Market

- Lowell's Restaurant in Pike Place Market

- First Starbucks in the World

- Stayed in Green Tortise Hostel

2 Aug (Sun)

- Seattle Center Monorail

- Key Arena for DOTA 2 The International 2015 (went into Secret Shop!)

- Seattle Space Needle (and brunch in the rotating restaurant)

- Bolt Bus from Seattle to Portland

- Thai Smile Bar and Restaurant

- Stayed in Northwest Portland Hostel

3 Aug (Mon)

- Portland TriMet bus and rail (be careful of old perverts and dodgy guys!)

- Pioneer Courthouse Square market

- Food Trucks

- Voodoo Doughnuts

- Powell's Books

4 Aug (Tue)

- Byways Cafe

- Pioneer Courthouse Square

- Free Walking Tour (includes Mill Ends Park (world's smallest park), Heathman Hotel, etc)

5 Aug (Wed)

- Half day tour to Columbia River Gorge

- Union Station for Amtrak train

- Train ride from Portland to San Francisco

6 Aug (Thu)

- 398 Brasserie cafe

- Big Bus Sightseeing Tour (48 hour)

- Sausalito tour

- Golden Gate Bridge

- Fishermans Wharf

- Walked along Mason Street

- Stayed at San Francisco International Hostel

7 Aug (Fri)

- Port of San Francisco (and public market)

- Pier 39 (include Sea Lion Centre and Alcatraz Island view)

- 7D Experience

8 Aug (Sat)

- 398 Brasserie Cafe

- Union Square

- Macy's and Cheesecake Factory

- San Francisco International Airport

- Fly Virgin America from San Francisco to Las Vegas

- Stayed in Circus Circus West Tower

9 Aug (Sun)

- Breakfast at Trump Hotel DJT Restaurant

- Package tour bus from Las Vegas to Utah Richfield

- Virgin River Gorge

- Stayed in Appletree Inn

10 Aug (Mon)

- Arches National Park

- Colorado River

- Stayed in Courtyard Marriott in Colorado Denver

11 Aug (Tue)

- Crazy Horse Memorial

- Mount Rushmore National Memorial

- Devils Tower National Monument

- Dined at Sapporo in Ramada Plaza

- Stayed in Ramada Plaza Gillette

12 Aug (Wed)

- Yellowstone National Park (met with buffalo crossing twice, no bears though)

- Artist Point

- Fountain Paint Pots

- Grand Prismatic Spring

- Old Faithful Geyser

- Stayed in Montana West Yellowstone

13 Aug (Thu)

- West Thumb Geyser Basin in Yellowstone National Park

- Grand Teton National Park and Jenny Lake

- Utah State Capitol in Salt Lake City

- Mormon Temple in Salt Lake City

- Stayed in Salt Lake City Ramada 

14 Aug (Fri)

- Great Salt Lake

- Walked the 6km Las Vegas strip

- Dinner at rotating Top of the World restaurant in Stratosphere

- Stayed in Circus Circus Sky Rise Tower

15 Aug (Sat)

- Grand Canyon West Rim

- Sundance Helicopter ride to bottom of canyon

- Boat ride along Colorado River

- Eagle Point / Home of the Eagle

- Guano Point / Home of the Hualapai
- Hoover Dam

- Chippendales show at Rio

16 Aug (Sun)

- Ethel M Chocolate Factory and Cactus Garden

- Tanger Outlet Centre at Barstow

- Bus from Las Vegas to Los Angeles
- Hollywood & Highland Centre in Los Angeles
- Dinner at Johnny Rockets
- Stayed in Samesun Hollywood

17-19 Aug (Mon-Wed)

- Traveling around LA. Will include this itinerary in next blog post.

Vancouver in 18 days

This is a brief itinerary of my 18 days in Vancouver, Canada. It is not packed with touristy stuff as I rather explore the city in a comfortable pace. I rented a room in the residential area and get to experience a Vancouverite lifestyle.

15 Jul (Wed)
- Vancouver International Airport
- Canada Line Skytrain Metro from YVR to King Edward station
- TransitLink bus #25 from King Edward station to Mountain View
- Stayed in Mountain View estate at the junction of King Edward/25th Ave & Fraser Street

16 Jul (Thu)
- Downtown Vancouver (Vancouver Public Library, Trump Vancouver, etc)
- Vancouver's Waterfront (Canada Place and Metro station)
- Lions Gate Bridge and Capilano (did not go in to see Suspension Bridge Park)
- Japadog (fusion of Japanese cuisine and hotdog bun)
- Gastown and the famous Steam Clock
- Lonsdale Quay Market and Seabus
- Vancouver's FareSaver Tickets (How to use + Where to buy)

17 Jul (Fri)
- Oakridge Centre (buy Telco Fido Sim Card)
- Science World / TELUS World of Science
- Skytrain Stadium/Chinatown station
- Skytrain Olympic Village station
- Skytrain Broadway - City hall station

18 Jul (Sat)
- JJ Bean Cafe (Fraser  Street and E 27th Ave)
- Fraser Street shops
- Grocery shopping at Dean's No Frills supermarket

19 Jul (Sun)
- Origin Church session at UBC
- University of British Columbia
- Anime Evolution 2015 in UBC Student Nest (a new student centre building)

20 Jul (Mon)
- Basil Pasta Bar at Downtown Vancouver (cheap and good design-your-own-pasta)
- Stanley Park (Prospect Point lookout and Ravine Trail to Beaver Lake)
- Stanley Park trolley (with Honduras driver guide)
- Stanley's Bar and Grill at the Pavilion
- Theatre Under the Stars Hairspray musical (only available in summer time)

21 Jul (Tue)
- University of British Columbia (bought a CAD 28 hoody at the bookstore)
- Beatty Biodiversity Museum
- Nitobe Memorial Garden
- Morris and Helen Belkin Art Gallery
- Museum of Anthropology
- UBC Horticulture Greenhouse
- UBC Botanical Garden and Greenheart Canopy Walkway [should be Braveheart!]

22 Jul (Wed)
- TransitLink bus #33 from King Edward station to 16th Ave
- UBC Quidditch team practice at Carnarvon Park 

23 Jul (Thu)
- Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden
- Chinatown
- Richmond Centre at Richmond-Brighouse station

24 Jul (Fri)
- Aberdeen Centre
- Real Canadian Superstore
- Skytrain Lansdowne station

25 Jul (Sat)
- Jethro's Fine Grub at Fraser Street
- Vancouver City Hall
- Housewarming potluck party at Nicholas Manor
- Vanier Park to view Honda Celebration of Light at English Bay

26 Jul (Sun)
- Origin Church session at UBC
- Doug Mitchell Thunderbird Sports Centre (did not enter)
- UBC Wesbrook Village and Blenz Coffee
- Queen Elizabeth Park
- Bloedel Floral Conservatory (did not enter coz it is like visiting Singapore)

27 Jul (Mon)
- Granville Island Public Market
- The Vancouver Fish Company restaurant at Granville Island
- Island Park Walk and Fishermen's Wharf
- Museum of Vancouver and the Happy Show by Stefan Sagmeister
- H. R. Macmillan Space Centre and Planetarium theatre Star show
- Vancouver Maritime Museum and go on board the original ship St. Roch
- Explore shops at W 4th Ave

28 Jul (Tue)
- Fraser Street Indian Food
- Van Dusen Botanical Garden and guided tour
- Kerrisdale Modern City Chinese Restaurant and Dairy Queen

29 Jul (Wed)
- Vancouver Waterfront Station
- Hop on and off the stations along Millennium Line

30 - 31 Jul (Thu - Fri)
- Stayed in to rest coz down with flu

1 Aug (Sat)
- Chinatown
- Pacific Central Station
- Vancouver - Seattle border crossing