Downtown LA

Well I am here - at last. I left the house at 7am on Friday morning for the flight at 10:20am. Way to early but checked in and then headed to duty free to buy a camera (waterproof, shockproof, iceproof, la, la, la) and then through security. Only to discover we were boarding late. Finally got on (3 changes of seat on the way) and then proceeded to sit there until 1:30pm because a little light was on in the cockpit. By this time I had made friends with a girl called Renee (Zoologist from WA) and when we got chucked off again we stuck together and moaned over our Pot Noodle (yes, that was what they provided me with for lunch, yum).
Finally we got back on and the flight took off at 3pm, nearly 5 hours late.

The flight was fine, watched Iron Man (V good), Lars and the Real Girl (V sweet) and St.Trinians (v crap) and got a few hours sleep. Food was as cack as BAs but staff were nicer - I even got to assist in the safety demo, lol.

Flying in over LA is mad, its huge, but very low, apart from a small spike in the CBD, which is were I was heading. The love a q here in America. We got off the plane and then waited an hour to get through "Homeland Security" and then got our bags and q'd for someone to take a customs form and then q'd for a taxi. Finally underway I realised I could not use either phone to let Keith know I had arrived ok - never mind use t'internet I thought.

My room wasn't ready (I was dying by this time, bearing in mind I had been in the air 17 hours and had landed before I left) so I minced around, looked in Macy's, generally sussed a few blocks out. By the time I had had a $6 burger at Carlos Jnr (that's 3 pounds for the Poms and about $7.50 for the ozzies) which was the size of my head, my room was ready.

I tried to hook up the net but discovered the arse computer work had given me had no disc drive - so couldn't. Great - so that's how I find myself paying through the nose in the business centre....thanks, guys. Apart from that room is fine - bed, shower, windows, TV, what can I say its a hotel room.

I then ducked back out to Radio Shack to get an international adaptor (the hotel don't have any, how grim) and also stocked up on the much cheapness toiletries. Mostly hair stuff and sun tan lotion (its hot here, about 27C) and also got stuff for Keith as so much cheaper than Oz. On the way back I stopped at an Irish Bar for a beer but it was all guys and I felt weird and despite the bouncers being friendly I didn't hang about - felt odd - need my fella with me!

After plugging in my camera and stocking my mini fridge (complimentary) with water I headed down to the reception to book a Grand Tour of LA tomorrow - I will be heading to Hollywood, Mann's Chinese & Kodak Theatre, Walk of Fame, Beverly Hills, Rodeo Drive (pretty woman time), Olvera St, where LA started, China Town, Venice Beach and Fisherman's village amongst others. It lasts all day so it means I don't have to think to hard to amuse myself and I see everything in the short time I have - see why I needed to charge my camera?

I walked round to the cinema (sorry, movie theatre) but there was nothing on I wanted to see (The Mummy 4 anyone???) but what I did notice was the contrasts of this place. People eating out of bins and people driving Maserati's. Loads of Gyms and joggers matched with a load of fatties and fast food joints. Steps up a hill, escalators too.
Its a very soulless place, Downtown LA, all concrete and glass. Nothing of architectural merit. The Westin Bonaventure Hotel wouldn't have looked out of place at Normandy circa WWII - awful.
The streets are wide, the cars are huge, the people aren't particularly friendly (and the majority of them are Hispanic (not that that is a problem, just an observation)) and the only white people walking are tourists (its the cameras that give them away). Its making my pine for Sydney - and that isn't exactly an architectural masterpiece. Of course whose there might have something to do with it too - travelling on your own is no fun really......