I got to Hollywood with Sarah and went off to Banana Bungalow while looking at all the names on Hollywood Boulevard. It certainly does distract you from carrying two rucksacks a mile down the road! I had time to drop my bags and get picked up by Angie - a travel friend I met in Poland a couple of years ago - to go to Universal City for iFly freefall and food. It was great to see Angie and her new husband again and it was fun to hang out. It was so lucky that Angie was anywhere near LA as she was just dropping someone at LAX airport that evening!

The next morning Sarah and I wandered Hollywood Boulevard checking out the Walk of Fame and I bargained down a cheesy Hollywood bus tour from $40 to $15 through a series of lies and old fashioned buying technique. Just like that. We grabbed dinner afterwards and looked around the shops, then went back to the hostel to find somewhere to go out that night. I chose the Piano Bar, which turned out to be a great choice! Loads of great live music, fairly priced drinks and a bunch of regulars who were asking me which local I'd met who'd recommended this place. In truth I'd just used the Yelp app on my iPod. The best download I've used in the USA so far! I even had a bit of a dance and chatted with more locals. I also sorted out a lift to Vegas for Thursday. A successful night.

On Wednesday we joined up with Aussie Jimi, went to Santa Monica and met up with Brian who was staying there. We did Santa Monica pier (start of Route 66) and walked the promenade. Lazed on the beach for a few hours then went to a pub or two for drinks and food. Back at the hostel, they were having a party which involved several shots of beer from a keg, table football, table tennis and karaoke. Eventually it became a bit of a local-fest so I called it a night.

We actually had an unwelcome intruder in our dorm overnight which was not nice. Sarah forced him out after apparently the reception staff had "accidentally" let him in. Something smelt fishy.

I had a long time to wait on Thursday for my lift to Vegas, so it was another admin day for me. The joys of travel!