Santa Monica

July 27th, my first full day in L.A. and I was awake and about 05.30 am so I knew that I was going to suffer from jet lag. I had been really lucky when I returned to the U.K. and hadn't suffered from jet lag at all. Although Darrens normal rising time was 05.30, so I may not have noticed that I couldn't sleep late as I didn't have the chance!
I got up and went to have a shower rather than wake up everyone in the dorm. A drawback of sleeping in a room full of strangers. Breakfast was included in the room price, which is always a good thing for me. I hate having to go looking for a place to have breakfast, especially in a new place. During breakfast I got talking to an Australian couple and then an Australian girl called Laura. She was at the end of her holiday in the U.S. and it was her last day. She was just going to wander around Santa Monica and agreed to let me tag along. I was still feeling wobbly about being in L.A. and a nights insomnia hadn't helped with that. She told me that if I learnt how to handle L.A. I would probably be fine although I would still get a shock each time I arrived into a new town. Not the most comforting of thoughts.
We went to 3rd St promenade and down to the pier. Santa Monica is beautifully clean and feels safe, the beach is wide and empty because it's so huge. It was hard for me to take in that I was actually here and would be in the U.S. for at least 3 months. I still hadn't done any planning, not even a tentative schedule. I was still hiding from my trip, probably not a good idea! I spent my first night in L.A. in the hostel after a trip to a local supermarket. Although things aren't hugely different to the U.K. there are enough differences to make me feel uncomfortable in my new surroundings. This wasn't helped by me having given myself panda eyes by wearing my sunglasses all day. I had thought that the tan I had would help me avoid this affliction, but no. The panda eyes were in addition to a deepening farmers tan. Oh joy.
The roads are way wider, the cars generally huge and of course, on the wrong side of the road and the sun shines. Santa Monica looks all freshly scrubbed and shiny and some of the locals don't look much different. Some people look as if they've been dipped in sunshine and buffed with money.A far cry from how I was looking and feeling. My pessimism had kicked in full force and I couldn't see anything good in my situation, not even that it was a Monday morning and I wasn't working. It never does any good to compare my situation to other peoples, I can never see the positive, only the negative. Another reason why it was so good to travel with Betsy, she was always positive and kept me buoyant with her good humour. Now I would have to rely on myself and so far I wasn't doing too well. I mean it was my first day and I was already feeling sorry for myself. How pathetic!!!
My second day and I woke up even earlier, at 04.30 am. This being too early to shower and start my day I went to the t.v. lounge and found two other insomniacs and watched the news. Both guys were willing to talk, one of them a huge fan of England,declaring his intention to move there and enjoy an upper class life style. For all this guy knew about the U.K., having lived there previously, he really believed that he could become a member of the upper class. For all that I am English there are some things that I can never be, some things in England you have to be born into. And even if you are born into it, you can't pull your parents in with you. They will always remain outside. Sad, but true. The other guy, Tony, was more measured, probably from being older and less idealistic.
After breakfast I walked down the boardwalk to Venice beach. I passed Muscle Beach but there weren't many muscles on display. Another illusion bites the dust! The beach is about a 500 metres width of soft,yellow sand and virtually empty as it is so long. The boardwalk a place for cyclists and in line skaters, where a skateboard is a form of transport and t-shirts are optional. I felt overdressed. As I got further from the pier I noticed a change in the surroundings and people. Behind the boardwalk in Santa Monica the buildings are all nice apartment or office buildings, the people well off looking and/or tourists. There are lots of public toilets along the beach and no traffic. Venice is totally different, the buildings are all old houses and apartments with lots of "for rent" signs. Tattoo and souvenir shops mixed in with restaurants and diners.The people are lot less well off looking including a fair mix of the homeless fraternity. I had been warned not to come to the beach at night, including the early morning, as it wasn't safe. I have to be honest that I didn't feel safe in the bright light of mid-morning. This was nothing to do with the people and everything to do with me. I was feeling unsettled and out of my comfort zone. I guess I was "growing"!
I headed back to Santa Monica and a coffee date. Before arriving in L.A. I had tried to set up a couchsurf, but no joy. Everyone was either busy or full. I had,however, received an offer to meet a couchsurf host for coffee. I thought it would be a good opportunity to meet a local and maybe pick up a few tips. I caught the bus towards UCLA and walked to our agreed meeting point and waited. And waited. Hong didn't turn up and I headed back to Santa Monica. I wasn't too disappointed, I had got myself out and about and used the buses which did a lot for my confidence. The buses are great, cheap and easy to use. I had been worried about their existence full stop, all the guidebooks stated that you needed a car to get around L.A as public transport was non-existent. Not is not only not the case, but you can also take your bike on the bus. Every bus has a foldable bike rack on the front, this is such a good idea.
I checked out of the hostel and caught the bus for my cross town trip to Jessie's house. Jessie was a girl I had met in Hokkaido and who now lives in L.A.. She had been really kind and invited me to come and stay with her in North Hollywood, so off I went. In fact I was feeling horrible and totally negative. What if we hated each other on sight? What if "everything" went totally wrong? I can't stress how terrible I was feeling on the bus ride to Jessie's, my heart was like lead. All I could think of was leaving L.A., I didn't think I could have a good time here.
Despite this I managed to successfully navigate the L.A. transit system and arrived outside of Jessie's apartment building and buzzed her to let her know I had finally arrived. She came to the gate and let me in, as she led me thought the apartment courtyard I saw the pool and started to smile. After half an hour I was feeling a lot more cheerful about the whole trip.So ended the second day of my trip.