A big test for Dad today as he had to drive a long distance for the first time in America and barring almost reversing into a car as we left the carpark this morning he did very well. Dad thinks it's ironic that we've gone all the way to America (Home of The Automobile) and we end up with a heap of Japanese shit! Hopefully it will last the trip. The SatNav has been a lifesaver although it does leave it late sometimes to give out instructions. We managed to accidentally get off the freeway and ended up lost in a very seedy neighbourhood - it's never a good sign when you pull into a street and you can't see any of the houses through the 'Police Caution' tape around the front gardens!

Stopped off on-route at Desert Hills, an out of town shopping outlet that had every designer label under the sun. Us not being the designer types, I ended up leaving with a Bates Motel 'Phsyco' T-Shirt.

We arrived at Palm Springs around 1pm and headed for the Visitor Centre who advised us to take the Aerial Tramway to the top of the San Jacinto Mountain. It was a long way up there and the actual cable car rotated 360 degrees which prompted many over-the-top reactions from our American co-passengers.

The weather in the morning had been pretty cool and Dad had expressed his disappointment. Little did he know that as we moved away from the coast it becomes bloody hot - they say 105f, I say bullshit! They even said that it would be 40degrees cooler at the top of the mountain but that was in no way the case!

We checked into our hotel and then went shopping, Dad bought some alcohol and wasn't asked for ID, unlike yesterday when he tried to buy some cough medicine. I've also discovered an addiction for Frosted Animal Cookies - I'm sure to be bringing back many packets of these!

We couldn't decide where to go to eat but fancied a Steakhouse - so as we have a SatNav we decided to let it choose where we went. We ended up at Ruth's Chris Steak House...

Words cannot describe how out of place we were in this restaurant. The service was immaculate - bordering on the obssessive. Never before have I been so informed about was has happened to my steak from birth through to plate - and very hot plate at that ... it burnt through the table cloth!

Got back to hotel at 10:15, I was asleep by 10:15:30.

Scottsdale next ...

Our very own Toyota

Well Hello ...

You wouldn't believe that we've just walked a 15mile hiking trail in 120f!

He's Got A Pineapple ...