The Beginning of the 2 Week Journey to California and beyond!!

[Moogle Pepper]

Index of threads made for the Journey.
The Ending part (http://dgrin.com/showthread.php?p=856294#post856294).I started this journey on June 3rd, as stated in another thread about this adventure. When I got to the Philadelphia Airport, I forgot to take off my belt. First thing in the morning, I had a 7:00 AM flight. So I let the alarm off and the lady asked if I had forgotten to take off my belt, which I have. I went back, as told, and took it off and went back through without setting off the alarm. But suddenly, another TSA agent took that as his queue to search me physically. Patting me all over and then another TSA agent took my gear to swab it. :dunno I asked them is there a reason for that? I went back through the detector clean that time and the agent who told me to go back said I was fine. :dunno No response and they kept on treating me like I had something to hide.

:scratch

After that surprising incident, I was finally on my way to the airplane! I went with SouthWest to go to Chicago and then to LAX. The way to LAX was surprisingly fast! :clap I arrived in Chicago 15 minutes early and was only late to LAX by 20 minutes! Not bad!

And then I met up with my family members and began our trek!

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My travel gear!

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All of our travel gear! :rofl

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I met my nephew first, charging at me like a bull to get me! After we finally got our rental car, we went straight to the hotel where we would be staying for the first 2 days. Quality Inn. It was a pretty small room to accomodate three adults and one child. Of course it was only supposed to fit 3 at the most... but they won't know... :rofl

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After checking into the hotel, which was cheap since it was only 10 minutes away from Disneyland walking, we went to Little Saigon to get some food since we were sooo hungry after the long plane flights! I was to be shown the good vegetarian food around here that my brother and sister in law talk about!

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My brother ordered this hot soup that was in that slow cooker shown above. I had a sweet and sour dish and my sister in law had a noodle dish.

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After eating some food we went to Phouc Loc Tho to try some boba tea and other assorted shakes. The Mango Boba tea wasn't that great...

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Right across the street we went to get some food and I took some snaps of these huge Jackfruits!

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Man those things are big!

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Afterwards we treated ourselves to yogurt. I didn't know California had yogurt chains where you serve yourself yogurt! We went to Yogurt Passion. I don't like them.. no I hate them!!! The yogurt tasted too fizzy, they played really bad music that doesn't go well with yogurt, AND they told me I couldn't take pictures inside! I was snapping photos of my nephew acting like a monkey!! Like I honestly care about the store and their products! :soapbox

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So I took some snaps of the yogurt later :rolleyes.

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I like to document my trips extensively. I am not going to give this "info" to other competitors, I would probably wouldn't have to. As I didn't like their product.

We went back to the hotel to sleep and get ready to go to Disney land!

All the galleries can be found here (http://tednghiem.smugmug.com/Travel%20log/540753). Thanks for looking and these two couple sets don't have any "bathroom shots." :cry

[fire1035]

Sounds like you had a great trip!

The reason for TSA treating you like they did is simple really. Single digit IQs and a triple digit income. My wife and I were "randomly" searched THREE TIMES at London Gatwick in 2004. When we landed in Detroit we were taken immediately to customs and immigration. You literally step off the plane and walk down the steps to customs, no shops, no contact with anyone, NOTHING! We were searched again in Detroit, bags opened up in front of God and everybody and rooted through by the same single digit IQ and triple digit income people. Airport security is out of control anymore....... Better take my two year old's shoes off, he might be packing!

[Moogle Pepper]

When we landed in Detroit we were taken immediately to customs and immigration. You literally step off the plane and walk down the steps to customs, no shops, no contact with anyone, NOTHING!

I would expect that from international travel to go thru immigration and customs, to see what you are bringing home and such. But not the three random searches.

[fire1035]

I would expect that from international travel to go thru immigration and customs, to see what you are bringing home and such. But not the three random searches.

Sorry I should have explained better. I would too. I was just a little irked that it was right there in front of God and everyone when we had no contact with anyone after having our stuff rooted through in London 3 times already. Oh well in this crazy world we live in now...... (there should be a smiley that is pulling it's own hair out!)

[sohotrightnow]

Hey sounds like you had a great trip!

By the way, for yogurt if you ever come to SoCal again, go to YogurtLand. That's probably some of the best yogurt out here. It is about i believe 30-35 cents an ounce. They have nearly 20 flavors of yogurt (Tart and Mango Tart and the best) and there are a lot of toppings. And you also serve the yogurt and put the toppings on yourself. But anyways, hope you had a blast while you were out here!

[Moogle Pepper]

Where in SoCal is Yogurtland?? It is going to be my first stop when I go back, cause I know I need to go back there to visit my friends!

[sohotrightnow]

Where in SoCal is Yogurtland?? It is going to be my first stop when I go back, cause I know I need to go back there to visit my friends!
The original one is in Irvine. It is off Jeffrey on the 5. There are a lot of new ones though, and a lot more being built. For the full list of them, go to their website:
http://www.yogurt-land.com/

The drive to any yogurtland is definitely worth your time.

[Moogle Pepper]

...sounds like a trip back to California is in the works!! Mmmm.. Yogurtland...:eat

[DJT]

...sounds like a trip back to California is in the works!! Mmmm.. Yogurtland...:eat

Let me know when you go back, we'll meet you in Chicago and go with you! I want some of those HUGE jackfruits!

Couldn't figure out why... the house we stayed at in Bin Duong had Jackfruit trees yet they went to the market and purchased some. :scratch

Looks like another part of the great adventure! The noodle dish looked really tastey - I'm hungry now

[Awais Yaqub]

Great trip lovely shots ! :D

[Moogle Pepper]

Let me know when you go back, we'll meet you in Chicago and go with you! I want some of those HUGE jackfruits!

Couldn't figure out why... the house we stayed at in Bin Duong had Jackfruit trees yet they went to the market and purchased some. :scratch

Looks like another part of the great adventure! The noodle dish looked really tastey - I'm hungry now

Yes we should meet in Chicago. Mainly cause my layovers are always stationed in O'Hare airport! :rofl Man that airport needs a serious renovation. And more plug outlets! Imagine trying to blog there!! It is so hard to find an outlet!!

My brother and sister went back there, after dropping me off for my returning flight to buy and bring one of those jackfruits home! TSA was like... what.. is this... Luckily they were able to bring it home safe and sound till they brought out the knife to eat!

@Awais Yaqub
Thanks, Awais!