Last Stop … Last Stop before Jumping Continent

Hollywood !! Last stop before jumping the continent and hopping into the small island in the middle of the pacific ocean. Hawaii. Four more days. Richie is bunking me in LA couch surfing style.

I did not know my own body limits … or rather I forgot them from time to time. Mind over body. After cycling San Francisco the whole day I went on a 8 hours bus ride, navigated my way to Richie place, no food , went straight to the gym with him where I proceed to swim 50 laps in the pool (it’s a 25m length pool) then head out wondering the streets of Beverly hills for nearly four hours. All the while surviving on one donut, one bagel and one apple pastry plus a bottle of orange juice.

I was walking a few miles on slippers before I knew it. Once Richie pick me up and when we got back I went for a short 13~14 hours nap. Well it was interesting city to walk. LA is huge and the people look like a Barbie doll town where everyone is dress up even the ugly ones. It was all glitz and glamour that is what peer pressure could even do to adults. Appearance alone in LA could sell and service is the big time seller since everyone is lazy but would go to the gym to keep up appearances. Beautiful as it is I would not like to stay in this society. Touring however was another story.

Old Town LA

The next day exploring LA more today gave me another whole new perspective of it. It seems my judgement was skewed to the upscale side since that was all I saw yesterday. Then again I was exploring Beverly hills. Today was a larger picture exploration since I figure LA is way too huge to do it on foot, this time I did it with bus and subways. The day started with UCLA where Richie drop me off hence I got to see the university. Same as every other university but with style. Students well it was in the morning so those I saw were the good bunch I supposed attending lectures.

UCLA

Second attempt to locate Hollywood the famous street of the palm and footprint on the sidewalk took me four hours to find. I am appreciating hostel on a whole new level as they make discovering the basic stuff of a place much more easier.

Last Day Reflection

Last day on this continent. Somehow looking back to the beginning of the journey it all seams so long ago. I mean Greece was an adventure just fresh green footsteps not knowing what to expect. Italy really got me accustom to backpacking since it was the same environment and everything kind of just stabilized. every time I hop new country a new excitement begins. But the longer I travel almost it gets more harder to surprise and keep that excitement going. By the time I reached Germany I had a steady routine.

USA was not the experience I expected. In a way company is hard to find and that’s few moments was reliving. I mean the whole of USA and only in Chicago and Vegas and Albuquerque did I made new friends. Chock was in NEW York, Scruffy in Boulder and Richie in LA but the rest was lonely.

USA is rough. Europe was the easy traveller heaven. Well from tomorrow most of my trip is set in stone. No longer the freedom of changing route finding new places to go and of coz the shear knowledge that you are in more control than ever. After 6 months getting back into work routine now seams alien as when I just started my trip.