LA last of the trilogy

6^th day magic mountain

If the previous day was the perfect weather for an outdoor day in a theme park this was the opposite, the sky was grey and foreboding in the morning so that just as we waited for the park to open the rain came down and it didn't stop. We went on a few rides which although the weather was bad were still great fun, this has some of the best roller coasters in the world however with the weather how it was many were closed and after a few hours the whole park followed suit and it was time to try and get home.

7^th day miles

The last full day and LA and the last of the trip, in New Zealand we met loads of people including some Americans and amazingly a few that live near LA, one of which had returned before us and had agreed to meet up and show us around. It was great to see miles again, he came with a friend steffie and they took us for a drive in her car, it couldn’t have been planned much better, we were being driven along the Pacific coast Highway in a fastback ford mustang. Miles pointed out sites on the way giving us great stories and info as we went, far more interesting than any of the tours that you could book and not just seeing celebrities houses either.

We saw beaches from point break, restaurants from the fast and the furious along with other films, the tattoo parlour from LA ink and even a cash machine that dispenses cupcakes. From the moment Adam and Miles had found out we were stopping in LA they said we much go to “In and Out Burger” however these seemed to have been evading us and difficult to find so they took is to one they knew of and we stopped for lunch, the burgers are quite good however I still think that Ferg Burger in Queenstown have been the best on the trip. After seeing everything that all of us could think of including miles' house and husky we headed back to the hostel where we said our goodbyes and packed for the flight.

8^th day home

Up awake, showered and downstairs for the usual pancakes and fruit. A short little wander around and then off to the airport, after hearing all the stories about American security and waiting times I expected a lot of standing around and waiting in queues however I was pleasantly surprised, there was almost no queues and we shot through security, the only thing they seemed to have a slight issue with was all my bracelets being under the impression that I had snuck something in underneath them.

After going on so many flights recently I was almost becoming accustomed to the whole experience which has allowed me to notice the advantages and disadvantages of each airline, this time we were with BA and one of their most modern planes, Large touch screen TV’s with loads of choice. Overall decisions were: BA had the most comfy seats and on the last flight the tastiest food, however when we flew with Quantas they were continually offering more food and drinks whatever time in the night they did bring round ice creams which is just plane awesome.

LA Part deux

5^th day Universal studios

The idea of shaving dressing up smartly, calling ahead and pretending to be Rupert Grint did cross my mind however we awoke with not much time spare so headed straight there, just 1 stop away on the train so nice and easy to find. On arrival it looked fairly like a usual theme park but with no big roller coasters up in the sky, however as we approached I saw that the buildings were actually a small town with all types of shops and that you had to pass through part of this to even reach the entrance. A huge red carpet with a Universal globe rotating at the end began the entrance with the magic slightly lost by the security checking your bags then through the entrance and into the adventure, there are loads of different things to go on some being fairly standard however many of them are spectacular. The only ride that is fully outside is the Jurassic park ride, it's like the tour on the film crossed with a log flume, really good with some dinosaurs on the way with a bit of a story to send you down a big drop through a waterfall.

Then there is The mummy ride, an indoor roller coaster that goes forwards then backwards then forwards again. The 3d terminator experience, a cross between a stage show and a 3d movie with the characters really jumping in and out of the screen. The special effects stage where you are shown many methods to create an environment or place a character somewhere from using a picture painted on glass to a green screen and motion capture.

The best parts of the day for me had to be the studio tour and Waterworld, the tour drove you around the sets with demonstrations as you went and videos showing the clips from films and tv shows in which they were used, even the bus itself had some cameo roles. This was all a big build up to the new King Kong section, you were driven inside a huge room and then a 3d 360 degree film began, it was the fight scene of Kong and the dinosaur with you as the target, the carriges moved, water was sprayed, it was an amazing experience, wherever you looked there was something happening.

The other show that I was equally astounded by was Waterworld, here you are in a small amphitheatre however the stage is water and all around is a wall and towers, it looks exactly like a set from the film and except for the audience interaction from the characters it almost felt like you were watching a film live, explosions, jet skis, boats, guns, fighting and then the most suprising part, the say they accidentally hit their planes and it comes crashing through one of the walls into the water. Truly awesome a day that I would highly recommend to everybody.

LA

Los Angeles

Unlike the rest of the places on the trip with LA I didn't research here at all before I left the UK, while travelling we have met a fair few Americans and some from the LA area which told us things to do, where to go and what to see.

The hostel where we stayed is nice, there are not many in LA so it was quite an easy choice – USA hostels, just off Hollywood Boulevard, everyday they have some kind of even running such as free walking tours or a shuttle bus to the beach. Every morning they also have all you can make pancakes, a little different to our pancakes but after a few goes you get the hang of making them.

The first day and for the first time I seemed to actually suffer from the jet lag, pretty tired we just stayed around Hollywood Boulevard finding all the stars on the floor and then going to a 50's style restaurant called Mells diner.

2^nd Day, Fairly uneventful and still feeling a little off from the time change we still stayed near the hostel, heading left this time on Hollywood Boulevard, which was much nicer than going right and how I had pictured holly wood, palm trees lining a road of lights, theatres and cinemas with souvenir shops everywhere. Outside the Kodak theatre we checked out all the hand and foot prints trying to see how Guiness book of records & Mexican restaurant, hand prints and other way up the Hollywood strip.

3^rd day and time to check out he beaches, the sky was blue and the sun was out when we left the hostel however Santa Monica and Venice can have very different weather to LA, sea mist filled the town and the thin layer of clouds above was enough to stop the sun from burning it off. The beach is pretty amazing, just how you would imagine it, surfers out waiting, skateboarders in the huge concrete skate park, muscle beach and courts one end and all along the promenade small stands line the shops opposite with anything from street performers to artists trying to make it their way.

The path leads all the way from Venice to Santa Monica and it's pier, one of the first thing you reach as you arrive is a group of big steel frames that on nearer become clear that they are almost an outdoor gymnastics gymnasium with ring and bars to throw yourself between as well as a line of rings spaced apart so you can practice your gladiator training. We use a couple of buses to return to Hollywood to find out all about the LA traffic we had been warned about taking 2 ½ hours to do the 20 minute journey.

Auckland to LA

6500 miles of 1 seat, usually when we have been on flights we have travelled with BA and even been upgraded so had a fairly comfy journey however Quantas seats did not seem quite so comfy this time, maybe I had become too used to coach seats and they were not the same. However they did bring food around every hour which was rather yummy, even an ice cream so that did make up for the lack of sleep. The plane had to slow down a little as we approached LA because the airport is not open for so we would have had to wait on the tarmac. Arrived and on the shuttle bus we soon check in to the hostel and a week in Hollywood begins.