Crazy California

Hello from a Hot Hot Hot California!

Well, all things are going great guns here. Been partying hard, tricking my body into thinking I'm 21 again...and it punishes me with snail-paced recoveries (I just wont take a hint though!).

San Francisco is an awesome city, but it is an absolute prick to walk around! Some of the streets are so steep, the footpaths are simply staircases. Walking downhill is probably just as hard as uphill, but you look like more of a dick walking downhill! Lots of homeless here though, bit sad...they all have more possessions than me though, they walk around with shopping trolleys full of bags. Saw one begging today, he got money off a lady, said thanks, then straight to the liquor store! That's my boy!

Food here is insane. They served up free Thai the other day, complete with the following things to put on it, chilli sauce (normal), peanuts (okay fine), orange juice (what the fuck!) and sugar (are you serious!). All the yanks of course swamped their food with the latter two...they love there sweets! Got a slice of pizza and it was over a foot long, and a foot wide, and four of us ordered one plate of nachos, and could not finish them...the size of the food here is staggering...quite happy with the kids meals at this stage!

Went and saw Alcatraz. It was pretty cool, but there was like 300+ people on the island. Wanted to test half of their swimming abilities by pushing them off the edge...fucking tourists! Went with my room mate from Ecuador, Carlos, who runs the biggest nightclub in Ecuador! I have been assured a big night as guest of honour when I go visit....sign me up!

Just got back from LA...crazy crazy place. After catching a bus through the Oakland Ghettos (you think Melbourne Hommies
wear big pants, you should see the Oakland folk!) and then mostly farmland, I arrived at my hostel in Hollywood around 8pm. Just as I was walking through the hostel door, about 50 people were bursting out on a pub crawl...taking me with them! Interesting night out, first bar was an all American bar like on the movies, then at the second bar I met some locals and went out with them and some other random Aussie who wasn't even from my hostel! Everything closes at 2am there which sucks...but was a blessing in disguise I guess...could have been an expensive night!

A few of the boys at the hostel hired a Mustang, so the next day we cruised around LA (the great American Dream!). Went down Mulholland Drive, to the big Hollywood sign, through Beverly Hills and to Santa Monica beach. From there we cycled to Venice Beach. Venice Beach is real bohemian, think Brunswick Street, times 100! They have gyms on the beach too. Rollerblading still seems to be "cool" here too! So too bandannas! Lots of street performers...and homeless begging...one beggar had a big cardboard sign that said FUCK OFF (we gave him a dollar for his troubles, I appreciate his honesty...he loved it!). Another reckons Jesus will be coming down on a white horse on Sunday...shit gonna miss it!



Most the shops in LA seem to be one of two things, Tattoo Parlours or Stripper supply shops! I notice people like to dress up as Movie Characters...without actually "performing". I walked behind "Zorro", and at each set of lights he did the Zorro thing with the sword, saying "Zorro", but he wasn't actually performing...I think he thought he was Zorro! Good on him!

So I went to see a Dr Phil taping! Interesting crowd....mainly middle aged women, some having dragged along disgruntled husbands. Also a fair few very gay men, and then there was me and another guy, Patrick....two Aussie bogans! They tucked us away in the back corner! For me it was cool to see, as production is the area I want to get into, so was cool to see how they put it together. We also went to Warner Bros studios to see a sitcom taping, but it got cancelled. It is a pisser to see security officers at Warner Bros....just cant take them seriously with WB logos on their uniforms and motorbikes, they seem more like cartoon characters!

Well, that's it from me, off to Las Vegas and New Orleans next, sure to be more interesting stories from there, so lookout!

PS...tipping is the worst thing every...and anytime someone reminds me to tip them, I don't! Had a guy give us a receipt at a restaurant, and he wrote "service not included in price" followed by about six exclamation points!!!!!!! He got nothing from us...and he gave us the biggest death stare for it!

PPS....dont worry boys...I got a photo of Chuck Norris's star on the Hollywood pavement!




Well off to a big Halloween Party...speak to you soon

Mossy

Good Bye Mexico, Hello USA

Well starting to get the hang of being a backpacker! Living out of a bag is becoming not just a habit, but a way of life!

Mexico was awesome. Real cheap for everything, colourful, clean and fairly safe really (there are police everywhere, some with machine guns and some with riot gear..one of which I got a photo with wearing his helmet!). Heaps of markets that seem endless, and sell all kinds of weird shit, one lady was selling TV antennas, holding about 50 under her arm (I bought 7!). Lots of buskers on trains and buses, and kids selling DVDs and CDs on the subway, playing them as loud as on their portable stereos (no serenity!)

Some of the highlights have been going to the soccer twice. Aztech Stadium is massive (115000 seats), and is the only stadium to hold two world cup finals. The very same place Diego Maradona scored the famous 'Hand of God' goal, before getting his hands on the saw dust afterwards! Really awesome atmosphere, beats Telstra Dome! Plenty of noise and passion, and the service is brilliant, you dont need to get up for anything, they serve you beer, pizza, ice cream, fruit salad, corn, tacos...pretty much anything right to your seat! Enjoy queuing up for...hahahaha........mid strength...fellas!

Went to the Mexican wrestling as well. Again beers straight to our seats, and the crowd was going nuts! Just so you know, Metallico got up in the end! However, I got most excited when the midgets started wrestling! We all got souvenir wrestling masks outside and wore them outside, on the subway (which cost 20 cents to ride!), and for the rest of the night in the bar of the hostel!


In San Francisco now. It is a fabulous city, with shops to die for and views that just want to make you jump up and down all day and scream! Yes, just added in some local dialect there! Heaps of cool places here though, and lots of bars. Heading to Alcatraz on Thursday, should be interesting!

Mexican Arrival

From leaving Melbourne to now, I have been up 30 hours straight, and its still Monday...what a headfuck!

Well first things first, United Airlines......just a tip, but legroom normally goes down a treat...you halfwits!

Yes well its been a long Monday, I got free internet so thought I''d fire out the first blog! Flight was okay, as above little leg room, not sure if the food was legal, and two of my flights played Harry Potter...I didnt want to watch it the first time! First stop was Sydney, which pretty much involved musical chairs and we were off to LA.

LA has this brilliant system where you have to check into the country through customs with finger prints and the works, even if you are in transit. They are so lazy they make you get your bag and take it to your connecting flight, while they hook into some Krispy Kremes no doubt! The whole process took 2 hours, and I only just made my connecting flight to Mexico!

I did notice a difference in the people in LA....they are either pasty or bright red...and chew gum with a machinegun like rhythm....................

.................................(sorry the guy at the bar just threw a tequila gin and mint slurpee down my throat...where was I...)

Got into the Mexico flight, and there was no leg room, and I had the back seat that could only stay upright as it was against the wall. At least I maintained good posture for 4 hours. The plane took an hour to leave....again I blame Krispy Kreme enticing the crew!


MEXICO CITY

Well got off the plane, had no idea what I was doing or where I was going, so I decided on a whim to get a cab. And what do you know, they are just like Melbourne cab drivers, no idea where they are going, and cant speak English! Scariest 30 mins of my life, trying to guess if Id get anywhere with all my vitals in tact! When showing him the address of the hostel, he seemed not to know where it was, and then proceeded to swear at me in Spanish.....for the 30 mins! I gave him a $1 tip (hey 10 peso sounds alright to me!). I dont think they have road worthys here, his speedometre didnt work, the car belched out smoke, and im pretty sure we hit 200km into a bend. All the cars have smoke pouring outta them, and the buses are about 50 years old! Then the cops drove past, in a big SUV ute, two in the cabin, 10 in the tray with guns...yes, I am definetly somewhere different.

Finally found the hostel...and I can honestly say it is awesome, great people here, its chilled and cheap beer. I am now (after all that) the most relaxed I have been in a year....2.50 coronas of course help with that!

Anyways, it is still Monday, been a long one, Im going to bed!