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Published: August 30th 2005
As I sadly and angrily sit at the check-in counter, I am instructed of what I should do to get a new passport. Unfortuanately I must wait for them to get m bags off the plane and bring them to me. Now I must carry all four of my bags, which probably combined weigh at least 200 lbs. around LA. I go to check in to this “not so good-looking” hotel for the two nights in a very exhaustively manner. It is finally 1 A.M. LA time when my head hits the pillow. The next morning I awake to the sounds and smog of Los Angeles, not the beauty and serenity of Fiji. I am quickly reminded of my predicament and immediately start making calls. First, I call the automated number to the LA Passport Office, which the lady from the Air Pacific counter had given me the night before. After pressing close to 100 buttons I am finally directed to the automated appointment center. I press the number to get the next available appointment and you can imagine my shock when the operator says Friday, August 26th…..yep, one week from today. Of course there is no way that I will talk to an actual human being, so I call my mother and begin what will be a day long of frantic phone conversations. I go ahead and head to the LA Federal Building on Wilshire Blvd. This is not without a rather long stop off at the post office so I can get another ragged picture taken for my passport. Yes, I am still in the same clothes from yesterday! As I approach the Federal Building a light bulb goes off and I suddenly recognize the building. Yes, it is the same building from the movie Arlington Road that gets completely demolished at the end. Right then and there I knew it would be a LONG day, haha…….first, I try to get into the front door. The security guard tells me that no I can not get in because I don’t have an appointment with the Passport Office. I proceed to tell him it is an emergency. He replies with is someone sick or dying…..”well no” Yes, he then gives me a card with a number on it, and yes you guessed it, the same number I had just called that told me I could not get an appointment until the next Friday…hmmm…..Fiji or LA…as much as I love LA, I didn’t think spending a week by myself would be fun for too long. As the hours pass by and I sit right by the door with the same security guard glaring me down, I finally get a call from my mother who has contacted Bud Cramer. For those of you who are non-Huntsvillians, Bud Cramer is the Congressman in Huntsville. (By the way, this was all Jane’s (MN’s mom) idea to contact a congressperson). Congressman Cramer’s office has contacted the LA Fed. Bldg. and told them that an emergency appointment is needed for lil old me. I went past this same security guard, this time able to say that YES I do have an appointment and I can go in the building. Well, I have my appointment, but the guy still does not guarantee me my passport by the end of the afternoon…….as I sit in the very drab room for hours upon hours watching a lot more “less than American” looking people gratefully receive their passports, I dreadfully listen as they call out what will be the last passports given for the day. Yep, I was the last name called!!!! I received my passport! At this point, I have many people to thank…….first and foremost the gracious people at Bud Cramer’s office, my mother, Jane, folks from BUNAC and TravelCUTS. Now that I had my passport, I wanted to really take advantage of all this time in LA. My flight did not leave until Sat. night at 11:30 p.m., so what was I to do. I first decided that taking a taxi was not an option, as I had already been robbed of about 100 bucks for going what felt like 5 miles……so I walked around for a while enjoying the afternoon. I found myself around Beverly Hills and had the brilliant idea to eat at the restaurant Mastro’s Steakhouse (last time we were here, again Jane to thank, we stumbled into Ashton Kutcher and Tom Cruise). Of course first I had to get a decent outfit. I stop into one of my fave places, Urban Outfitters and find quite a cute outfit for around 60 bucks. I only give you the price, because that is usually unheard of and this marks the point when I really feel like things are going my way. I proceed to walk up and around Rodeo Dr. as I am passed by Hummers, Mercedes, BMWs, etc…..feelings of sadness are evoked because last time I was there, I was with my wonderful teammates in what turned out to be one of the best weeks ever!! Anyway, I make my way towards Mastro’s and have feelings of uncertainty of not believing I am actually just going to go up to the bar and eat by myself at the most famous steakhouse in LA. Apparently those quickly pass by, because I walk in like I really belong there and go on up the stairs to the bar. In the end, I end up eating one of the best steaks I have ever put into my mouth and made friends with some nice folks beside me. I end up staying for over two hours and felt quite proud of myself by the end of the night.
I wake up on Saturday with a high sense of relief and excitement as my flight is just a little over 12 hours away. Now that I am an advanced rider with the LA Bus system, I decide to do a bit more sightseeing with my free time. First, I have to run to Kinko’s to make a scan of my new passport. I only say this because as I walk out already haven made my scan, I thankfully remember that my passport is not with me…yep, left it in the scanner….you would think I would have learned the first time. Anyway, after this, I head back to Santa Monica and to the Promenade. After a most delicious lunch at California Pizza Kitchen, I roam around the Promenade watching the dancers, singers, psychic cats, etc. and enjoy every second. For those of you who have never been to the West Coast, I highly recommend this part!!!! After walking around I decide to take the bus back to Beverly Hills. I walk around for another hour down Robertson Blvd. and perhaps my favorite restaurant The Ivy and decide to call it a day. It is finally time for me to head to the airport. When I check-in, the same lady is at the counter and I gladly show her my new passport. As I am writing this, I have officially left the US and am somewhere over the Pacific Ocean headed to Fiji, HOORAY!!!!
Sorry this is so long, and uneventful for some to read, however these last two days have been very adventurous and interesting for myself. The first lesson is ALWAYS keep your passport with you. Finally, I must say how much I enjoyed my extended stay in LA. Although different, I am proud of the fact I was able to completely learn the bus system and also eat by myself at two nice restaurants. I also had the most fantastic time just walking around on my own without a care in the world (after I received my passport). It really put things in perspective for the next few months. Anyway, next time I write, I hope to be enjoying Fiji!!! Oh yea, if you are from Huntsville, please vote for Bud Cramer, haha!!!
**I’m sorry to not report on MN and Lyndsey, but they are in Fiji safely, waiting for my arrival.
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Gene
non-member comment
Unbelievable
This is the coolest thing I have ever seen. I love being able to keep up with you guys through this journal. Please keep writing in it! You probably hate to know this now, but McCall is living in LA, not to far (15-20 min) from all the places you are writing about. I wish we would have known about your predicanment, then you wouldn't have had to do all of that by yourself. I am sitting at work at 0510 in the a.m with nothing much to do, so your entries are definitely keeping me entertained on this borning night--definitely not birthing any babies tonight