I've had a few complaints about the standard of my blog recently. I guess as time progresses and my rehabilitation continues it becomes harder and harder to lay my soul on the line. I'm over the stage of saying "Hi my name's Stuart and I'm divorced." I think it's a good sign as far as I'm concerned, but can understand how it becomes a less interesting read.
Since leaving Vegas I've found it hard to get motivated in the morning. I haven't slept too well. I've had a lot of dreams and keep waking up regularly. In a way I'm missing the routine of getting up everyday and going to work. Some of that is due to the fact that I see my balance in my savings account diminishing, but it is also the fact that I just miss being settled. I've had at least 30 different beds since I came away.
Money worries or any other reason won't make me return early. If I come home with a little debt it will have been worth it. I have changed significantly over the last 3 months, but I'm concious that the trip to normality is far from complete and there are still many things that I need and want to see.
In some ways I also find it a disruptive knowing that my Mum and Dad and Big Steve are coming out to see me soon. That may sound strange. Obviously I miss them all and want to see them, but I haven't seen anyone from the real world in 3 months. Them coming over makes me think of my own home coming in June and that feels so very far away. Maybe disruptive is the wrong word. Excitement is more accurate, but of a kind that I've never experienced before.
Of course I could be wrong about all of this and my lack of motivation could just be a post Vegas hangover.
San Diego has been really nice. I enjoyed my time. I would say in the main it's a nice, safe place to be and the hostel is placed right in the centre of the happening area.
California does seem to attract all the stoners. I think they are attracted by the sun and in the main are totally harmless and some are quite amusing.
Today I'm on the 8.30 bus to LA. From LA I caught the 11.30 to Hollywood arriving at 11.50. Total cost of $15.
For some reason 'The Littlest Hobo' theme keeps popping up in my head. I guess that's what I feel like.
LA itself is a bit of a concrete jungle and has 19 boroughs. Like most American cities it spreads out as opposed to up and looks a bit daunting to get across. In truth it's a bit of a dump. Hollywood is a little bit nicer. I like the sight of the 'Black and White's - To Protect and To Serve'
I'm staying in the USA Hostel on Shraeder Boulevard for $17 a night. The hostel is ideally situated between Sunset Boulevard and Hollywood Boulevard.
I went for a walk down Hollywood Boulevard where the walk of fame is with all the stars in the pavement. I found myself walking with my eyes looking at my feet staring at names that I mainly didn't recognise. There were fewer names that I did recognise although I'm a bit dubious about the awarding of a star to the 'Rugrats'. 'The Simpsons' goes without saying. It's fair to say that there are more stars than I imagined.
The next thing I knew I was at the 'Chinese Theatre', which was pretty unassuming. This is where the stars put their footprints, handprints and names in wet cement. It's also where I believe the Oscars are held, I'm sure someone will correct me if wrong. It definitely hosts a number of film premieres so I decided to take in the new Tom Cruise movie 'The Last Samurai'. It was good, if a little too Americanized. The American audience loved it needless to say.
As you can imagine LA is filled with many weirdo's again attracted by the bright light's and sun. There are also many more travellers in LA and on the west oast in general. Obviously this is because LAX is a major stop off on the way to and from NZ and Oz.
In the evening I stayed in the hostel for the comedy show in the party room. There were a string of comedians who I felt increasingly sorry for. Admittedly most of them were awful and the racist joke didn't impress the Zimbabwean girl who threw a bottle. It kind of went down hill from there and not one of the comedians could get the audience back. The audience was full of cocky young travellers (mainly aussies) who think they know everything, but in the main were just plain rude.
