02.09.09 DAY 10 - SANTA MONICA

Drove through, Ventura, Carpinteria (could not see anything exciting there), then through Mailbu and Zamba beach.

Malibu - We were a bit disappointed by Big Houses and a beach but it did not live up to my expectations. The surroundings were not as nice and elegant as I would have imagined!

SANTA MONICA
We stayed here for 4 nights, some dogy motel. Good location by the Pier but argggghhh, first night nearly all of the hotel were out in the courtyard, because about 4 of the rooms had found bed bugs and the owner was refusing to give them their money back! urrggghhh itching again now just thinking about it! I'm room seemed to be all clear, but I used nearly a whole can of insect spray used in case ha ha! It also had a crimey pool, looked like the one out of Karate Kid, dirty small and you would not want to be swimming in it!

We loved Santa Monica. Again I did not think much of the surroundings, for some reason I thought it would be like Santa Barbara like, chic, rich! But it wasn't!

Venice Beach - Really cool place. Pete described it like Camden on the beach. Really weird and wonderful people. Some a bit too weird, lots of homeless, arts and crafts, freak show attraction, muscle beach (Bit disappointing, was expecting to see loads of hunky men, but there seemed to be a lot of down and outs. Very tacky, oh and there were people trying to sell Majuana through doctors that prescribe it like a chemist, very odd! But one to tick off the list! Great vibe, went to a drum dance on the beach. People just bring their own drums and start improvising on the beach. Pretty cool, although again there were a lot of strange people! I probably fitted right in ha ha!

We hired bikes and lovde cycling along the beach. It is a 20 mile stretch; no I didn't ride 20 miles...come on you know me!

Nights Out!!!!
Had some cool nights out, free concert on the Pier - Patsy Smith and Flee out of the Red Hot Chilli Peppers, went to a few clubs, bars. Loving the RnB dancing scene. Again met some really interesting cool people and more crazy American women. More house parties, dancing, nice men! he he We are definately getting into the partying mood now! It's great meeting all these different and interesting people.

FINALLY LETTING MY HAIR DOWN!!!! - Don't worry Mum not too much! mwah