Universal Studios tour and theme park took up pretty much the whole of our last day in LA, and what a thrill ride it was. We started our day on the studio backlot tour, seeing historic sets built over 100 years ago for the many Westerns shot here and still in use today, alongside some of Universals most iconic films - Jaws, Psycho, War of the Worlds, How The Grinch Stole Christmas- whose sets and props are now part of the tour. We also enjoyed being attacked by dinosaurs, experiencing an earthquake and a flash flood (which made us all homesick), and being a part of a 3D Fast and Furious car chase that left everyone breathless.

From the tour to the theme park, where the most popular attractions proved to be the Minions Mayhem and The Mummy rides along with posing for photos alongside Scooby, Shaggy, Kevin, Stuart, Bob, Shrek, Fiona, SpongeBob, Bumblebee, Homer, Marge and the Universal Monsters - Dracula, Frankenstein and The Mummy (who ended their meet and greet session with the cry 'come on, guys, back to the castle!).

In the evening, we prepared ourselves for the sensory onslaught of Star Wars: The Force Awakens in IMAX 3D - though the day's exertions saw everyone (including, sadly, your author, dear reader) have a little snooze before the end credits rolled.