City of Angels (take one)

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7- 8th October 2007
Auckland, NZ to Santa Monica, Los Angeles, USA

After the final countdown of list writing, contingency planning, panic attacks and minor tantrums it was a huge relief to actually be on the plane and on our way to start the next chapter of our lives on the mighty blighty, England. Infact, with everything having gone so unbelievably according to plan and with many LAX horror stories ringing in our ears, we were almost (almost) disappointed to find ourselves being rushed through the retina scan, finger printing and customs checks before we could even say ‘stored on a database for the rest of our lives’.
The taxi ride from the airport to the hostel in Santa Monica came with a free commentary about LA politics from our Spanish driver and gave us our first taste of freeway driving - something we would become quite accustomed to in the weeks ahead. After the chaos of travel planning and execution, Santa Monica was a welcome respite. The razzle and dazzle of the pier provided rejuvenation to all the senses while the beach at sunset was surprisingly quiet and peaceful, allowing us to gaze out across the vast expanse of Pacific Ocean and contemplate how far we had traveled in the past 24 hours, and how far we still had to go. Santa Monica’s pedestrianised main streets were a familiar sight for two Wellingtonians and provided an introduction to stores that would become old friends on our California trip, such as the local 7 Eleven. Attempting to sample some of the American culture (at least, that’s our excuse), our first stateside meal was provided by the aptly named ‘Fat Burger’ chain, and was an experience that wasn’t to be repeated on our trip. Desperately trying to ward off jetlag-induced slumber, we visited the local cinema to partake in more cultural submersion by watching a Hollywood produced, pro-military, anti-terrorism piece that literally put one of us to sleep, but not before realizing that we were watching a Hollywood produced blockbuster in the vicinity of Hollywood! Oh, the irony.
Day two; we work up slightly jet lagged and decided on a whim to navigate the LA bus system to get to the Getty Centre, where some of the most amazing art and sculpture from around the world is displayed - how hard could that be to find? After an hour and a half of 2 horrendous bus journeys, we found ourselves surrounded by 4 lane roads and had to admit that we didn’t actually know how to get to the Getty Centre by bus. The combination of jet lag, the LA heat and an infamously underdeveloped public transport system was overwhelming, but we persisted by flagging down another bus to find out which bus to catch, and where to catch it from. After another half hour on a bus riding through Beverly Hills, we found ourselves outside the Getty Centre and then actually walking through the gates, only to be stopped by a security guard telling us the complex is always closed on Mondays. We heard ourselves pleading ‘But, can we just walk through the gardens..?” before taking our place at the bus stop to head back down the hill. To make the most of the rest of the day, we headed towards Hollywood via Sunset Boulevard to the corner of Hollywood and Vine to find the Capitol Records building and the start of the stars walk of fame. We were surprised to find this infamous part of Hollywood quite dilapidated and even the main strip of Hollywood Boulevard lacked the shimmer that the name invokes. We were accosted outside the Kodak theatre by a Captain Jack Sparrow look-a-like before heading into the restaurant complex for California-style sushi (noting the NZ mussels on the menu). We caught the bus back to Santa Monica and had a last look at the beautiful beach before heading back to the hostel to dream about bus riding through concrete jungles.

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Photos

Roller Coaster on Santa Monica Pier
Hmmm, are you sure that's structurally sound?

Santa Monica Beach
Fresh off the plane

Capitol Records
They make music there, don't they?

Walk of Fame
Britney's biggest fan?