Day 36 - Los Angeles - Free Day

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I found out that Mark had to go to the front desk for help getting back in when I did try and return.

After waking up and whilst getting ready, I tried to call Kylie and Scott’s room for breakfast plans with Zoe, but got no answer.

Down in the lobby I met up with Tanya, G, Graham, Neal, Kylie and Scott and our ride for the day, Julia, as Todd had to go into the office. Julia was a fellow Trek leader who Todd had managed to persuade to act as chauffeur for the day whilst he isn’t around.
Everyone apart from Graham and Neal was heading to Universal Studios for the day, whilst they had persuaded Julia to help them track down the actual hospital used when filming Scrubs.

After Julia was able to get us in for a discount with her Trek connections, we decided to get an early lunch/late breakfast before going any further.
The whole time I was there, I had the Chuck theme music playing in my head, knowing that it is a NBC programme so there should be some reference to it somewhere. I also spend much of the week before I flew out watching most of the Series 2 boxset to catch up before Series 3 was shown.

Shrek 4D was first, despite me having done it when I visited Florida, before deciding to do the Studio Tour which included the new King Kong 360 3-D show which was pretty good at first, but was over quite quickly so was a little disappointing in the end. We had to queue forever for the tour, which meant the sun came out and made the wait a little more unbearable, but the tour was well worth it in the end. Seeing all the sets they used for many different films, as well as seeing the sets of Desperate Housewives, Jaws and Murder, She Wrote.

When the Tour ended, the sun was here to stay for the rest of the day, and there was still plenty of the Park to see, so we headed to NBC Universal and went on the Jurassic Park and Revenge of the Mummy rides, which we found absolutely awesome. Kylie didn’t join us on the Mummy ride but Scott, G and me still enjoyed it, despite me getting a little concerned what was going to happen at one point.
Whilst there I checked out anything to do with Chuck but there was nothing, so left a little disappointed.

The four of us headed back to the WaterWorld show at the front of the park, and witnessed a pretty decent choreographed show. There really is no margin of error, although we were pretty sure that one of the performers fell off one of the jet skis by accident and wasn’t seen for some time.

We had arranged to be picked up about 5pm, so we figured we just about have time to watch the Terminator show before leaving. Sadly the pre-show waiting around went on too long, so when we do go into the theatre, we make sure we get the seats right by the exit. Like Shrek I had seen the show before, but the others hadn’t so I have no reservations about viewing them again.
After the show ended, we sprinted out of the exits as soon as they opened, and ran into the open, only to discover that the rain had come since we had gone inside. No matter, it didn't put us off, as we all ran through the park to the exit, only to discover that Julia was late so we would have plenty of time. Oh well! That’s when we met up with Tanya once more and we compared our days until Julia arrives.

After we got back from Universal, we found Zoe, Todd and Graham out in the patio area with a girl from another Tour starting tomorrow, Lindsay – a fellow Scot. Graham tried to show off by climbing a tree next to us, but seemed to get stuck at one point. Todd then showed him up by climbing up as well as going higher up and back down with such ease.
Then we were joined by Kylie, Scott, Becca, Sarah, G, and Tanya as we headed out for a final meal with the finishers, a nearby Indian.
I sat next to Zoe again who had Lindsay on her other side, and then tells me that Lindsay agreed that there is a term “haud yer wheesht” and that there is no such word as “shush”, a term I had argued with Zoe from the very start. Naturally I dismissed them both and still claimed I was correct!

After a couple of beers and a great meal, we headed back to the Hacienda to our morning song – Bedouin Soundclash’s ‘When The Night Feels My Song’.
Every morning for most of the trip this was the first song that was played as we set off for the day. It was near the beginning that it started but I can’t remember what day.
Like the songs the previous evening, it made everyone a little emotional.

Back in the hotel, I decided it was best to say my goodbyes to Tanya, G and especially Zoe now instead of staying out and get a really emotional and sad hanging around everyone.

As it’s the end of the Transcontinental South and we lose 5 people, I suppose I should do an update on the Tour so far, and of the people who are travelling around with.
Quite simply, the Tour had been awesome, amazing, wonderful, breath taking and awesome some more.
I've seen places that only until 2 years ago I thought I would never see. I’ve experienced new cultures and lifestyles, and in doing so have already started experiencing a new way of life.
I’ve experienced moments that will live long into my memory, and seen so much beauty that America has to offer, and am thankful that I have gone through with this. I will never be the same again.

And I have learned some things about myself, which is what I was looking to do on this trip. And I have no doubt that I will learn so much more on the second leg. A term I have picked up and used a lot is “Will it matter in 5 years time?” And every time I have asked that question, I get the same answer – no.

Quite simply I had just gone halfway across North fricking America with 12 other people in a 14 seater van and trailer for us and our gear in 35 days. Woooooo!
I had made 12 new friends, and through the digital age of Facebook and emails, can stay in contact with them all with such ease.
Though I may not have seen eye to eye with one or two, and may have been caught up in the little groups among the group at times, in the end we have all shared something amazing and wonderful which I will never forget.

And we were only at the halfway point. We still had the top half of North America, with a bit of Canada throwing in to travel.

So endeth the Transcontinental South and the first leg of the Trailblazer tour.

New tour and leg tomorrow.

I have decided to talk about everyone at the end of the Tour and give my final thoughts and opinions on them all.
At this point I am pleased to see the last of some people, and not of others, and look forward to a kind of fresh start to the Tour tomorrow.

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