I think I have really tested myself over the last 10 days but definately didn't realize that being so disorganiized could create so many difficulties! Got a fantastic deal on a car - my little Bugsy - 300 pounds all in for 28 days! so decided to make the most of it and see as much as possible. No plan other than to drive and see where it took me. Definately wanted to go to Mexico and Las Vegas so started driving South along the scenic route until I got to Long Beach. Got to the Port and saw Queen Mary and decided to go downtown and investigate. Thought Long Beach sounded a nice place and the weather was great so maybe I would stay. As I was drivng it was all getting rougher and rougher. Bars on every window, very high police presence, lots of gangs gathered and very scary. They operated a curfew there so I decided to move on!! Decided to drive on to Oceanside which was so much nicer and the next day San Diego. After getting lost so many times I made San Diego and did a tour bus trip, much easier. The atmosphere was very relaxed and easy and I started to feel confident about America again. Next stage Mexico. When I arrived at the border I just sailed through and took the scenic route to Tijuana. That was a joke! On the left was a fence of corrugated iron with piles and piles of rubbish!! On to Tijuana but feeling more vunerable the further inland I went. Loads of people staring and I felt as long as I kept driving I would be OK. Reached a market where people just descended on the car with there wares and although everyone was pleasant they were very forceful and definately needed my money. The best idea I had was to go back over the border to US and leave Mexico behind. Confidence going again! My whole time there was 5 hours!!! Feeling a little bit wobbly decided to go on to Las Vegas. I arrived and went up and down the strip twice just to get a feel of the place. Very bright, glitzy, sexy, and not for me!! Funny that as I'm sure those words descibe me exactly!!!!!!!! I parked up and started walking and everything is so in your face. People pushing you all the time to come into there place rather than another- people crying! guess they lost - begging, guess they lost too and a general tenseness I didn't like. It doesn't help that I haven't got a gambling bone in my body although I remember the days I did. Everything & everybody seemed so false and I didn't like it one bit. Since it is only me to please I decided to leave and go back over to California via Sierra Nevada range, somewhere I've always wanted to go since Robert Redford was in that film (?? what film??) Anyway off I set again to enjoy the drive. Driving in America is very easy as its fairly slow but I do get lost a hell of a lot! Went on up to Indian Springs and then over the Amarque Range. Lovely scenery and back in the mountains which I love. The time was moving on and was beginning to get dark when Bugsy started making bleeping noises. Not knowing what it was I stopped and realised I was low on fuel, which was a bit worrying but I carried on regardless. It was very cold and it seemed as if I was never going to get to a gas station, it was only then I realised how little traffic I'd seen so now as I was getting very low on gas and when I saw the sign Death Valley I got really spooked. I decided to stop and just stay in the car until someone came along that could help me out. Nobody did and I was pretty scared but just kept saying positive stuff that only vaguely worked. I was really cold, very lonely, frightened and weepy!! I stayed there until daylight and prayed I would find a gas station soon. I went through Death Valley thinking well at least I will be found! Nothing dramatic about me!! and about six miles down the road there was a gas station!! If I hadn't allowed myself to be spooked I would have been fine. Next range was the Sierras and at least I would be back in California where it would be warmer, obviously not the mountains but it wouldn't take long to get over them. 3 Days later!!having travelled the whole length of Sierra Nevada (which was beautiful but I had had more than enough!) I ended up in Carson City back in Nevada!! Generally I found the people I came across in Nevada very abrupt, cynical and intolerant, everything revolves around gambling and the last place I wanted to be was back there. I felt very low and decided to just keep driving until I got somewhere friendly and Sacromento was the place. Very very tired when I got there but so pleased to be back in the warm with (what seemed) much nicer people. Glad I did it but wouldn't do any of that trip again in my life!!