Driving down the 101

Our next day in LA was our day to collect the van, so we took two buses out to near the airport. When we got there, we had a choice of a few different vans and we picked one with a wave and flower design (a bit girly, but at least not an offensive Wicked van slogan!). After a lot of form signing and licence photo copying, oh and giving them all our money, we had a quick practice around the car park and then set off.

Cruising through Hollywood

We had left our big backpacks at the hostel so we had to drive back and pick those up first, then we went to the supermarket, so by the time we got on the road for real it was past midday. We drove out towards the coast and then started north. It was VERY busy, it is public holiday this weekend and great weather so the roads along the coast were packed and we didn't get chance to stop much to see anything!

Driving on the right wasn't too bad. We just had to keep reminding each other not to drive up the curb because it is strange to have all that car on the right side of you.

LA traffic

America...!

It was almost dark when we got to our campsite. Rosie heard something big get hit by a car near our camp when I was in the toilet! When I got back she made me go and look at a dead deer. Then we had dinner (not deer).

We met some Swiss campers who were finishing their trip so we got lots of free food and camping supplies.

I slept great - the new van bed is very comfortable. and I think the jet lag is gone..finally :-)

Making the van bed

Day 2 on the road. We continued north along the 101. Traffic was much better now we're further from LA. We stopped at a few beaches and seaside towns and I took us on a hike with no map and no water. Well, I kind of had half of a map that was on some weird non-scale! We made it back eventually anyway.

We tried out the camp stove for the first time (last night it was too late/dark for us to attempt it).

This is more the kind of road we're used to!

A deer (alive this time)!

Lost...

...with the worst map ever!

Beach sunset at San Simeon, CA

I never thought it would happen but we miss our old van a little. We had everything we needed and everything set up just as we liked it. We're still adjusting to this one. We keep thinking of things that we're missing and having to improvise and work things out.

I know that it was like this in our old van as well - it definitely took me 3 or 4 days to adjust to life on the road last year. So I know I'll be OK this time too. I just hope Rosie hasn't abandoned me at the roadside for being a drama queen before then!


Day 3: Continuing North: We set off early and stopped to see some elephant seals lounging on the beach.

Later we took a hike to a coastal waterfall - McWay Falls. The coastal scenery is spectacular here. We stopped for giant burritos in Big Sur. Our stomachs told us it was lunch time because all of our electronics have no battery left after 3 days on the road. It was actually 11.35am - close enough.

In the afternoon we continued along the coast for a while and then took a mini detour inland to buy food and head torches - we have been struggling with a tiny lantern and the van lights for the last two nights.

We drove back out to the coast to camp at Half Moon Bay. The campsite was full but we asked nicely and got a space anyway -we're only little!

There is no power here - Rosie sat in the toilets for 10 minutes to charge my laptop so we could finish the blog - hope you appreciate it!!

This is Hollywood

The first stop on our USA tour was Los Angeles, California.
We arrived in middle of the afternoon on Thursday, earlier than we had left Tokyo - a nice bonus when flying across the Pacific. :-)

We went out straight after we had showers to explore and to get some sunlight - I had read somewhere that this is good for jet lag (it didn't work).

Our hostel is right in the centre of Hollywood, just off Hollywood Boulevard-which is good for sight seeing but I'm not sure that it's a very nice area otherwise! That first time we went out we had only gone about 100m before we saw a man tasered to the ground with about 12 police and security guards around him! Two more doors down the street and we got offered some medical marajuana. We don't really look like we have any medical issues so I don't know what that was about...!

There are also a lot of people on the street selling tours and bar crawls. You would think that we'd be used to this after 3 weeks in Vietnam but the way they sell here just seems much more agressive. In Vietnam the hassling is persistent but kind of relaxed-a chilled out form of hassling!

Maybe it was just all too much after a 10 hour overnight flight with no sleep and a 16 hour time difference! We didn't stay out for long. We went to a Mexican restaurant for enchiladas and smoothies and then retreated back to the hostel. Tomorow is another day! We were both asleep by 8.30pm. No bargain bar crawl for us!

The next day we took the bus to Warner Brothers and went on a tour of the studios.
We went around the outdoor sets, streets and jungle etc. It is pretty amazing that they can make so many different movies and TV shows from the same tiny area. Even all of the office buildings there are used for filming, they all have blank facades so they can be dressed up however they're needed.
We also got to go into some of the sets and sound stages and to the museum of old costumes and props but unfortunately we weren't allowed to take any pictures in most of these places.

Car from Harry Potter

Batmobile

Us in Central Perk!

We stayed at the studio that afternoon to watch the live filming of a new sitcom. We had gotten free tickets online last week. We couldn't get any for a show we'd actually heard of, they all sell out straight away. So we picked a new show called Mom. It's made by the same people as Two and a Half Men (hate it) and Big Bang Theory (never watched it) which are both super popular so we thought it could be the next big thing. Or it could get canceled after a few episodes....either way we'll be able to say we saw it!

There was a bit of an over the top security operation around entry to the set and it took about an hour and a half just to get in there. I'm not sure all the security was worth much because I pretty much broke every rule they had written on the ticket and they still let me in...I didn't bring any ID, I brought a backpack, a camera AND a cellphone -oops! It was worth it in the end though. Mom was actually very good, and we didn't have to fake our laughs at all...much. Listen for our mwah hah hah evil genius laughs if the show ever makes it to the UK or Australia...episode 3 (or 4!)

We also got free pizza, bottles of water and as many escorted trips to the toilet as you want! Not bad for a free ticket.
It took about 3 and a half hours to film the 22 min episode! So we didn't get back to the hostel until almost 11. I tried to go to sleep.. and failed. Stupid jet lag kept me awake until 4am!

The next morning our hostel was offering a free bus to the beach at 10am. So, after breakfast and an emergency pharmacy trip (deodorant crisis) we headed to Santa Monica. We walked along the pier and the beach. We didn't swim-the water was freezing!

Rosie made me do laundry when we got back to the hostel. We had to load it ourselves and everything. We have been spoilt laundry-wise in Vietnam- why can't I just give in my smelly clothes and get them back later all clean and nicely folded!

Tomorrow we'll be picking up our camper van and hitting the road for real once again!!  Stay tuned!