Hi all

Have arrived in LA, well in Santa Monica about 30 mins ouside of hollywood. Really nice here lots of busy streets with shops bars and restaurants. Hostel is nice again got to go in a single sex dorm tonight but have a private room for the next 4 nights which is good.

Went to Universal Studios for the day was amazing got to see where Jaws and Pirates of the Carribean were filmed and the sets are still there, got to go on the set of Desperate Housewives and saw the motel and house on the hill of the set of Psycho! Was really good but kind of strange cos when your watching a film you think its all real and to see that they only film on a few metres of ground is disapointing but kinda crazy!!!! We went on some rides there which was really good, there was a 4D animated shrek film which was good the seat moved and when things were wet on screeen you got wet, then we went on a mummy returns rollercoaster...havnt been that scared since the cave incident on the kayak was really scarey and then a jurassic park one which was like a log flume got soaked but nevermind! Also saw jaws and that came out at us to scare us when we were along a river in the studio tour, saw how all the special effects were done which was good! Quite expensive to get in but all the rides were free and we were there all day!

Have also been down to Santa Monica Pier and the beach, along from that is the famous muscle beach where everyone is working out even though its late November the californian sun is still ever shining, me and Jono tried to blend in but i dont think we did a good job being really pasty and really quite pathetic on climbing the ropes and trying to do chin ups etc but was fun! Then we walked 2 miles along the promenade to Venice Beach which had all little shops and street performers which was good and walked back was good day lots of walking again but you need to do some exercise to work off all the food the portions are so big its ridiculous! Its just like you imagine though everyone rollerblading, skating and riding past on the piers and promenades bet its lovely in the summer cos its even warm in late November! Tomorrow is supposed to rain so we will try and find an internet cafe to upload the rest of the pics from usa, unfortunately there is none of me on the kayak as we couldnt take the camera but some people we met doing that tour took some from a waterproof camera and are going to send us them

We went into Hollywood and my god what a dump, we got dropped off on Hollywood Boulevard and then had to catch yet another bus to the Chinese Theatre where all the stars on the floor are, LA really isnt good for toursists its really hard to get around unless you have a car. Anyway the stars on the floor are good and some famous people have their hands and feet in plaster on the floor but thats about it really was quite disapointed, the area is surrounded by rubbish shops and is really rundown! Then we got offered free tickets for a live recording of a tv show that night The Late Late night show with Clive Ferguson so we thought why not lets go, so off we went to the CBS Studios where they also film Americas next top model, survivor and American Idol which was quite impressed with, we queued for ages and got in the back row but was good to watch, the presenter was scotish and interviewed William Shatner and some famous american football star but it was good and we were on tv even if it was for only a split second!!!

Our last 2 days have just been spent by walking along the beach and window shopping and getting all in the festive spirit as all the shops are playing christmas songs and our hostel is all decorated but it does feel strange being nearly xmas and its really warm not quite the same!!! Off to Cook Islands today flight will take 11 hours which im not to pleased about but looking forward to exploring a new place and getting a tan...well hopefully!!!