If I add items on my Google calender from a laptop/desktop and it does sync perfectly via iCloud, but when I look on my iPad calender I can't edit the details.

I assume it's normal, not everything is two-way?

You have two types of Google calendar accounts. Read/Write and Read Only. I believe yours is in Read Only.

Side note, Google Calendar does not use anything from iCloud. It is done with push technology thru either a Google email account or an Exchange email account.

thanks! how do i get the read/write? is that a paid account?

Thankfully you don't have to pay for anything. I believe it is just a setup issue. Try following these directions Setting up Google Sync with your iOS device - Google Mobile Help

That is the exact setup I have used on 4 iPhones and 3 iPads with 100% success.

thanks again - i did that exactly with my company email on exchange.

weird thing is on my macbookpro with lion, i can fully edit google calender appts, just ipad is limited.

I use Google Sync instead of iCloud for my contacts and calendar on my iPad and I can edit/add both calendar events and contacts (then they appear on my iPhone). You sure you're not trying to sync both Google AND iCloud?