HASTO

		Los Angeles

The flight
We started from Oslo Airport Monday 6/23 0.05 PM 2003, with a transit stop at Heathrow, London. Over Nordsjøen there was a cloudy blanket, and I sat wondering about things I did not bring with me, and that I might need. Then the clouds split up over Iceland, and I got a glimpse of some magnificent mountains. I was not quick enough to get a picture, but from then on I sat by the window, excited and full of expectations.
Jetlag
We arrived LA Monday 6.20 PM local time, after a long day of 15 hours travelling. At home i used to be late at night, usually in bed after midnight. Here I was changed to a morning person who fell asleep before ten at night. That was OK for a change..

Driving in LA
We had booked a car in advance. We went to AVIS coach service at the airport and was brought direct to the cars. We got a medium 4-door Pontiac. LA is an extreme car dependant city, all transportation is based oncars. Distances ar wide. We drove for hours, and still we stayed within the north-western part of the city. The car had a satelite navigator systeme, that was wonderful! I could write what I wanted to go for, a kiosk or a museum or whatever, and a pleasant female voice explained all manouvers I had to do. When I did a mistake she first said: "Make a legal U-turn if possible!" I seldom tried that, she thought half a second and then started nicely to direct me a new route to my destination. Best of all, - she was allways calm and polite -
Hotel
We stayed at Four Point Sheraton Hotel which was close to AVIS and the airport. It was OK, and the price was fair, 600 NOK ($100) per night for 4-bed room..
We might preferred to be closer to the beach -.

	The flight route was far to the north. Here is a glimpse of Baffin island in Candada.

	First dinner at the hotel, Four Point Sheraton.

	Venice Beach had one long street with shops offering T-shirts, sunglasses and tatooes.

	The training senter for the strong men at the beach.

	Some boys playing at the molo

	Red sails in the sunset - way out on the sea -

	Santa Monica pier

	On the street in Hollywood, the Walk of Fame, greeting Chaplin.

	Chaplin also turned up as a mechanic doll, - or a statue. He was satisfied with a dollar

	Big cars in Holywood

	A picture of the new star. In the hill in the rear theLangt bak i åsen kunne ein sjå bokstavane HOLLYWOOD. Opplevelsen av å sjå dei i naturen var like stor som å sjå dei på et postkort -

	The third day we were at Universal Studios.It was placed on a mountain ridge. Here is the view. We are looking down at a town which was all side scenes for films

	We had a ride on a sightseeing-train through the area, and experienced a helicopter crash, a bridge that broke down, a storm and a river that flooded.

	The farewell in LA was in dramatic western style. President Bush was in the area, and there had been a bomb threat, so all the terminal had to be evacuated, - a 6 hours delay.

	The prairienear Edmonton, Canada. Alle properties are square, with borders going north-south and east-west. Like that also was most all over USA.

	Venice Beach

	Venice Beach, taking pictures

	We watched a team shooting some film scenes.

	A bird and a boat at the beach

	Sun

	Watching the sunset.

	Fishermen on the Santa Monica pier

	Famous footprints and hands

	Rambo was also there. He was well armed. Rambo liked to be photographed. At the airport I had tried to take picture of a custome officer. He did not fancy that at all. He got mad at me.

	Hollywood in a sort of mirror, - a nice portrait of my nose and camera

	We drove to Universal Studios guided by the satelite navigator, and parked in a parking house. From there we first walked through Universal Citywalk. It is free, and nice. Then we came to the entrance of Universal Studios. We got some discount coupons at the entrance and paid $37 per ticket.

	Shrek 4D was a very funny experience. There were all sorts of effects and surprises, - also real tactile sensing

	We did not see the bicycling police at the beach. But here at the airport we saw one, - together with a lot of other police and firemen.


Sist endra: 11.08.2005	© Harald Storaker	E-post: hasto @ online.no