The City of Angels

OK, so I have been really bad at writing anything lately about my trip. I think because it was such a good time and we did so many things that choosing to write about any aspect of it is a little overwhelming!

Everyone is interested in LA I guess, so that's what I'll talk about. It's not as great or as glamourous as you would think. Don't get me wrong, I loved it, and there are so many cool things to see and do, but it's a bit of a pain to visit as a tourist, everything is massively spread out, and if you don't know where you're going, you're screwed. And Hollywood Boulevard is pretty tacky. I wasn't expecting the streets to be lined with gold or anything, but I was a little disappointed at how cruddy bits of the city were. But then there are the glamourous bits too - Rodeo Drive (great to wander around and pretend you can afford stuff), Orange Country (not technically LA but close enough), Santa Monica (verging on tacky but quite nice still) and lots of beautiful little boutiques (once you know where to go). I think LA is the kind of city you would appreciate much more if you actually lived there - it's quite difficult for a tourist to fall in love with in a few short days.
Although when I was sipping a Mai Tai cocktail in the lavishly decorated Ashton Kutcher-owned Geisha House, I definitely felt my affection growing. We didn't make it to Disneyland unfortunately, instead choosing to head to Orange County for some gorgeous beaches and cruising with the top down. It was actually at the next beach around from Laguna Beach (of MTV fame) that I took a proper plunge in the ocean for the first time in the holiday (everywhere else was too cold and I just froclicked by the water's edge like an idiot) and it was wonderful to feel that exhilaration you get from swimming in the waves. That feeling is definitely nowhere to be had in London!