Hyggehejsa! :)

Det er en total underlig følelse at være så langt væk, være 9timer bagefter og vide at man skal være det de næste to måneder.....men hvor er det bare fedt herovre!!! :D

Lad os starte fra begyndelsen...

Vi fløj fra Billund tidlig mandag morgen, mellemlandede i Schiphol Amsterdam og fløj så til Los Angeles. Turen herover gik rigtig fin og føltes slet ikke så lang som frygtet. Men med mad og gode film kommer man jo rigtig langt :)

Da vi landede skulle vi igennem border control. Vi valgte selvfølgelig den kø, hvor der ikke skete en disse og ventede i en eeeevighed. Heldigvis blev vores flynummer råbt op og vi overhalede hurtigt en kæmpe flok asiater - YES! Officeren der kontrollerede mit pas og papirer var godt nok det mest usympatiske menneske jeg har mødt, og jeg kom nærmest i krydsforhør - GRRR! Efter Mr. Stoneface havde fået min halve livshistorie og var overbevist om at mit pas var ægte nok, blev jeg godkendt og vi kunne hente vores rygsække inden vi skulle finde vores lejebil. Med en shuttle kørte vi fra lufthavnen til Hertz. Den super rare mand, som selvfølgelig viste sig at være et røvhul, prøvede at lokke os med ekstra forsikringer og opgraderinger osv. Vi gjorde begge meget klart, at vi ville holde os til det som var aftalt hjemmefra, men alligevel prøvede han at snyde os....dog var han ikke stået tids nok op til at snyde B&D (Bang og Dedenroth) :P Vi fik til sidst nøglen til en lille super fin hvid toyota yaris. Men det var først nu at problemerne startede for alvor. Jeg havde en GPS app på telefonen, som vi skulle køre efter indtil vi købte en GPS. Det viste sig, at denne app ville opdateres og derfor ikke kunne bruges. Så vi kørte efter en lille vejbeskrivelse, to ikke særlig gode kort, vores gefühl og hjælp fra 1-2 lokale. Og præcis 4 timer efter vi landede fandt vi vores Hostel i Hollywood - ARGHH! Det ligger super centralt her i Hollywood, med blot 20m fra Hollywood Blvd og Walk of Fame (med stjernene i gulvet). Vi sover i køgesenge på et pigeværelse med plads til 6. Selvom det ikke er særlig privat, er det fint nok, da vi stort set ikke opholder os her. Det første og det eneste vi lavede på ankomstdagen var at købe en GPS :)

Efter ca. 11 timers søvn, stod vi op, fik morgenmad, pakkede tasken og kørte til stranden i Santa Monica. Vi startede med at ligge på den fineste sandstrand, slikke sol, se på surfere og nyde de bay watch-agtige omgivelser. Et par timer senere besluttede vi os for at gå hen til den berømte Santa Monica Pier. Vi spiste på en slags sportscafe, hvor jeg kunne nå at se det meste af anden halvleg af Real Madrid vs Bayern München ;) Molen er stor med butikker, restauranter, forlystelser og karuseller for børn og det er også her Route 66 ender. Efter at have lavet lidt work out på "The Muscle Beach" ved siden af Santa Monica Pier, gik vi hen til Venice Boardwalk og kiggede på de mange lettere alternative mennesker, gadesælgere og små butikker. Herefter kørte vi tilbage til Hollywood.

Hjemvendt fra stranden besluttede vi at tage på en 2timers guidet bustur, hvor man fik de kendtes huse at se, kom tættere på Hollywood skiltet og ser Rodeo Drive osv. Vi kørte med åben minibus op i Hollywood hills, hvor der var en fantastisk udsigt over downtown LA og andre LA bydele. Vi kom forbi hjemene til JLo, Meryl Streep, Ryan Gosling, Sylvester Stallone, John Travolta, Katy Perry og mange mange flere. Derefter kørte vi igennem Beverly Hills, Rodeo Drive (de riges shopping gade), Bel Air, inden vi kom tilbage til Hollywood.

I dag skulle vi have startet med en guidet tur i Dolby Theatre (der hvor Oscar Awards bliver holdt). Desværre var de alle aflyst, så vi gik på Madam Tussauds voks museum i stedet. Vi fik taget en masse billeder og selfies med de store stjerner og hyggede os. Efterfølgende gik vi forbi Chinese theatre, hvor en forskellige stjerner har lavet hånd og fodaftryk i cement gulvet. Ved siden af fik vi da også kigget lidt butikker.

Over middag besluttede vi os for at tage til Farmers Market, som er et sted med butikker, mad markeder og restauranter. Dette viste sig at være en succes. Efter at have købt et par sko i Nike Store, kunne vi ikke lade være med at købe et stykke cheesecake-to-go i "The Cheesecake factory" - low carb vel at mærke. Mums :P Aftenen har vi tilbragt på hostlet med at planlægge de sidste to dage her i LA.

Nogle små facts:

Vejret er bare lækkert herovre. Ca. 25-35C grader. Solen står højt og ingen skyer.

Vandet fra vandhanen smager af klor.

Der er rigtig mange skæve/underlige/uhyggelige mennesker på gaderne.

Der findes ingen toilet børster.

Håber alt er vel derhjemme - vi har det i hvert fald fantastisk herovre. På nær Bang, som trods sol creme er blevet pænt svitset :/

Godnat fra mig i Hollywood :)

//

Hello hello! :)

It is a very strange feeling to be so far from home, being 9 hours behind and knowing it is going to be like this for the next two months....but it is just awesome over here!!! :D

Let us start from the beginning...

We flew from Billund early monday morning, had a stop-over in Schiphol Amsterdam and then flew to Los Angeles. The flight went very smoothly and it didn't feel as long as I had feared. But food and good movies helps a lot :)

When we landed, we had to go through border control. Logically we picked the queue that didn't move at all and thus we waited an eternity. Luckily our plane number was called out and we got to skip the queue in front of at lot of asians. The officer, who looked through my papers and passport was really unfriendly and I felt I was being interrogated. But after Mr. Stoneface was convinced that my passport wasn't fake and I had told him half of my life story, I got to pass and we went to pick up our bags before getting our car. We drove with a shuttle bus from the airport to Hertz. The very nice man there, who of course turned out to be an ass, tried to sell us extra insurances and upgrades. We both made it very clear that we wanted to stick with what we had booked from home, but anyways he tried to trick us....however he wasn't clever enough to trick B&D (Bang and Dedenroth) :P At last we got the keys to a small super nice white toyota yaris. But now the real problems started. I had a GPS app on the phone, which we were supposed to use until we could buy a proper GPS. However it turned out that this app needed an update and thus couldn't be used. Therefore we had to rely on a small description, two lousy maps, our common sense and help from 1-2 locals. And exactly 4 hours after landing in LAX we found our Hostel in Hollywood. It is located very central in Hollywood, only 20m from Hollywood Blvd and Walk of Fame. We sleep in bunk beds in a 6 female dorm. Even though there is no privacy, it is ok, since we don't stay here very much. The first and only thing we did on our day of arrival was buying a GPS :)

After 11hours of sleep, we had breakfast, packed our bags and drove out to the beach in Santa Monica. We started out by laying on the finest sandy beach, sun bathing, looking at surfers and enjoying the bay watch-like surroundings. After a couple of hours we decided to walk to the famous Santa Monica Pier. We ate lunch on a sort of sports cafe, where they showed Real Madrid vs Bayern München :) The pier is large with stores, restaurants and merry go around and other games and entertaintment for children. The pier is also where route 66 ends. After some work-out on "The Muscle Beach" next to Santa Monica Pier, we walked to Venice Boardwalk og looked at the many slightly alternative people, street vendors and small stores. Hereafter we drove back to Hollywood.

In the evening we decided to go on a 2h guided bus tour, to see some of the famous peoples houses, come closer to the Hollywood sign and se Rodeo Drive etc. In an open minibus we drove up in the Hollywood hills, where there was a fantastic view of downtown LA and other LA districs. We passed the homes of JLo, Meryl Streep, Ryan Gosling, Sylvester Stallone, John Travolta, Katy Perry and many many more. After this we drove through Beverly Hills, Rodeo Drive (where the rich shop) and Bel Air, before getting back to Hollywood.

Today we wanted to start the day with a guidet tour of the Dolby Theatre (where the Oscar Awards take place). Unfortunately they were all cancelled, therefore we went to Madam Tussauds wax museum instead. We took a bunch of pictures and selfies with the big stars and had a blast. Afterwards we walked by the Chinese Theatre, where some of the stars have made a hand and food print in the concrete floor. In between we checked out some of the stores on Hollywood Blvd. In the afternoon we decided to go to "Farmers Market", a place with stores, groceries and restaurants. It turned out to be a success. After having bought a pair of Niks shoes, we couldn't resist buying a piece of cheesecake-to-go at "The Cheesecake Factory" - low carb of course. We spent the evening in the hostel planning the two last days in LA.

Some short facts:

The weather is really great. From 25-35C degrees. Very sunny and no clouds.

The tap water tastes of chlorine.

There are a lot of weird/creepy/strange people on the streets.

There are no toilets brushes.

Hope everything is good at home - we are great over here, except Bang, who despite sun screen, got badly burned :/

Goodnight from me in Hollywood :)