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I'm finally in the US of A! I left Jo in Auckland at 12noon on Sunday 1st November, and arrived here in LA at 6.30am on Sunday 1st November. Yes, this trip does indeed involve a little time travelling!
The flight wasn't too bad, and surprisingly I'm still not tired yet! Had 2 awkward hours of sleep in my window seat as I struggled to twist my legs around the heavily reclined seat in front of me! Qantas were really good to fly with: got dinner, ice cream, a hot chocolate (with marshmallows nonetheless!), and a snack bag before a breakfast. No need to eat for days!
The queue at LAX was not so amazing; it took about an hour to get through the queue for security, not fun. The bloke doing my cheques wasn't amused by my answers to some of his questions either: apparently when they ask the purpose of your visit they don't want your whole itinerary. Oh.
Got to the hostel just off Hollywood Boulevard at 9am to be told I couldn't check in, so wandered said boulevard for about an hour looking at all the stars. It really does lack that glamour you expect of it: Jack Lemmon sits outside an empty building, Johnny Cash beside a souvenir shop with a homeless man in the doorway, and Frank Sinatra at the end of my road beneath a row of crumbs. Nice. I've heard it's lit up at night, and it did get better as I got further up the road toward the Kodak theatre where the likes of Kermit, Tom Hanks, and Sandra Bullock sit. I now understand why Claire said LA was dirty: it is.
I walked the length of the boulevard, both sides, and enjoyed/sweltered in the sun after not really seeing too much of it for the past few weeks. I even had to tie my hair up! Although wearing all black probably wasn't the best idea, it's these kind of things that happen when you're not allowed to check into your hostel!
I wandered back to get a book and was blessed with an audience to check-in, so I was able to view my 8 bed dorm and select a locker. We have a bathroom attached so I shouldn't moan too much! So that is LA so far for me, although I have also see the Hollywood sign... in the distance. The old moustached Mexican shuttle driver offered to drive me around after his shift finished at 12. I politely declined.
One more day to kill in LA, if only I was flying to Chicago tomorrow!
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