Got the metro (new subway) to the train station then a taxi to the Greyhound station this morning. The station is in a very dodgy part of LA; when Dan went outside an old black car pulled up with some homeboys inside, one of whom asked if he wanted a taxi - which I presume translates into "Do you want to be mugged?" Sohe quickly went inside. We'd heard that the scumof the earth ride the Greyhound and that it'd be pretty scary - but it was fine. No worse than National Express in England! The journey from LA to Phoenix in Arizona took about 8 and a half hours and my cousin Chris and his girlfriend Mary were waiting for us. They took us backtoChris' in south Scottsdale. His house is lovely; with all the homecomforts we have been missing since February! They have two dogs,Ryler and Mr Pugglesworth (puggy is ugly and cute at the same time - if that's possible) We dropped our stuff off and went to a place called the Devil House for food and beer, both of which were delicious. Chris then ordered a hookah from the Hookah Lounge next door. Now, I have to be honest, these look totally ilegal,butthey'renot. It's basically a glass chamber with water in that leads up to a metal 'plate', on which lit peices of flavoured infused tobacco are placed. There is a long bendy pipe which comes out about half way up and thats how you inhale the smoke. Its very mild flavoured air really. They're quite Turkish looking and we've seen similar things being smoked on the streets of southeast asia, although I doubt it was with something as harmless as strawberry tobacco......! Anyway, it was nice and felt quite decadent. A random drunk American guy had an England shirt on and started ranting to us (after he realised we were English) about the World Cup and 'Queen and country' (!?!) He'd just got back from London and was very enthusiastic,if not a little strange; he bought us beers for being English!