American Roadtrip Tauranga residents Kay and Mike Travelling America on a Harley Davidson

On the July 20 we arrived safely into LA airport only to be herded into a holding room as Customs was brimming with people trying to get through.

An hour and a half later we picked up our rental car and left Los Angeles at 3pm on a Friday afternoon headed to Phoenix to pick up our Harley Davidson we purchased over the Internet.

Kay in Utah.

Travelling on a five lane highway we crawled for five hours and travelled about 80 miles, we were rewarded, however by stumbling across the most gorgeous hotel called the Mission Inn a historic building built in 1876 it had a Spanish influence.

A six hour drive to Phoenix we finally got to see our beloved Harley, Mike's second love, a 2010 Road King.

After staying the night with the folk we bought the bike from we headed to Las Vegas in 42 degrees desert all the way.

What an experience Vegas was, fascinating place, we had the bike broken into in a secure basement, reported the missing articles only to find them next morning several metres away by the rubbish bins, miracles do happen.

Our highlight in Vegas was the Cirque Du Soleil Elvis show - it was amazing.

Mike and Kay in Las Vegas.

After three nights and happy to be on the road again, we headed to Utah the Zion and Bryce Canyons, spectacular scenery, red rock, colours change depending on the light and time of day.

Next stop Provo to the amazing Harley store made out of old steel and timber, where we bought a new seat for the bike as my bottom was finding the current one too hard, .

Next day we crossed into Idaho after six hours on the bike in the scorching heat and more desert landscapes we pulled into a town called Bliss pop 300.

On our seventh day we arrived at Boise, a pretty town full of trees and greenery.

After our first week we have found Americans to be very friendly and helpful and have had some interesting conversations from gun laws to politics and the economy.

We have found it hard to get used to tipping, 15 per cent is the minimum.

One waitress we spoke with was paid $2.15 an hour and also had to share her tips with three other staff higher up, and also pay tax on the tips.

I prefer our system.

So far the weather has been great with no sight of rain, averaging about 40 degrees, I guess we shouldn't complain.