A few years ago I set off on a dream road trip. I'd planned it for months and months down to a ludicrous level of detail. It was the first trip I blogged, despite having travelled quite a bit before that, including Fiji, PNG, Solomon Islands, New Caledonia, three prior trips to America, and Europe. I wish I'd started blogging sooner. It's fun! So if you like short, sharp, humorous little adventures, peppered with respectably good photography (at times), please follow, stay tuned and upvote!
Part 1 - Arriving in Hell-A
Hands down this is always the least enjoyable part of any trip to America. Crawling through customs hall. That probably applies the world over though, so I won't hold it against America. At least this time the customs guy was friendly and even pretended to be impressed with my itinerary. Possibly more impressed that I could recall its frightening level of detail after 14 economy style hours on a 747, but I'll take it. It's quite an improvement on the absolute grilling I received from customs on a previous trip to Seattle. I got the impression that time that no one in their right mind goes to Seattle for ten days just because. I surely had to be green card shopping. Or something. I have never been asked so many questions about my job in a three minute period! But I digress. The line in customs hall was offensively long and I privately cursed everyone carrying a US passport who skipped merrily through the 'citizen' line. I shall have my revenge when I return to Australia.
Customs Hall. Strictly no photos allowed.
Upon clearing customs, I jumped a hotel shuttle to the Beverly Hilton. Inside tip - $16 shuttle ride versus infinite cost of a cab in peak hour LA traffic. Bit of a no-brainer. Of course I'm not staying at the Beverly Hilton. This time. I just sailed through the lobby like I own the place, out the side door and onto Wilshire Blvd. For my next inside tip, if you are a coffee whore, the only place to go is the Euro Cafe on S Santa Monica Blvd. A comfortable ten minute stroll from the Beverly Hilton, just short of Rodeo Drive. Hands down the best latte I'd ever had in America - until that point. No, I haven't been everywhere in America, but I've been around a bit now (even Seattle, the supposed coffee capital) and I speak with confidence. This place does great coffee. Right down to the superior European attitude. I consider this worth the fare in and out of LAX. I will murder a few pleasant hours here then perhaps hit Rodeo Drive before drifting back to LAX for my flight to Vegas. It's a tough gig but I'm glad I'm doing it.
Caprese salad to go with my latte.
Stay tuned! The hop to Vegas where I pick up the mother of all muscle car rentals is next!