Universal Studios

Got up early this morning and headed out to IHOP, ( International House of Pancakes ). Joseph was very keen to try true American pancakes...as he does love pancakes for breakfast. Sure enough it did not dissapoint, he had tripple chocolate pancakes and tried nearly all of the syrups...

After leaving IHOP we headed North up to Universal Studio's....The set tour was pretty awesome, a few bits have been added since we last saw it nearly 10 years ago, like bits of the set for Kong, and the set for Desperate house wives, and the 747 crash scene of War of the Worlds ( not the best one to see before a 13 hour flight ).

Joseph really enjoyed the Jurassic park ride, although the poor little man got a big bruise on his back....even after a load of pancakes he is still skin and bone...but he managed to also brave the new ride the Mummy Returns...which I must say was truly awesome although a little bit too quick....Its a rolercoster ride in the dark, as you hurtle inside a tomb...only to discover a series of tiny insects at the bottom, and blasts of air inside the seat give the impression they are actually inside the car....

The special effects theatres are still fantastic, the set of Back Draft and and the Water World show were out of this world. In the Water World show they even crashed a plane in front of you, and for the life of me I couldn't see any wires...

We left the park around 17:00 and checked into the hotel, literally accross the street...The kids gave the Hotel a big thumbs up as the pool was pretty big and heated...

So last true night in the US, before we head off to NZ tomorrow...Catching the 11:15 NZ flight from LAX...