Hopped Off the Plane at LAX...

One of my first views of LA

5 AM Flying out today to LA for a little vacation before flying to Australia! Not feeling too great, and getting up at 3:50 AM with two hours of sleep doesn't help. My suitcase was overweight; I guess packing lightly isn't so easy for 4 months abroad. I had to pay $49 extra to check it. I'm going to try to separate it into two bags before I go to Australia. Security seemed even tighter than usual, as they thoroughly searched both my dad's and my carry on luggage.

Side view of Santa Monica Pier

10 AM? The world is filled with fear it seems with all this terrorism, and earthquakes too. I'd like to say fear is something new, but it isn't. There's always something we fear whether it a disease, or terrorism, or...bears. A new fear each year, but I got too much places to see to be crippled by fear. You have to keep living I suppose. Besides, there's something peaceful about flying, all the clouds lulling puffy by, and me in between land and sky. Everything is so small down there. Tiny villages look like nothing but miniscule models for a child's play. Everything is spread out so clearly before me, and it seems much more purposeful than usual.

A beautiful home hidden away from tourists

11 AM Hopped off the plane at LAX. Took a complimentary shuttle and rented a car. We turned down a GPS (10 dollars extra per day) in favor of maps. My family is notoriously known for their hatred of the "GPS". I often attribute that to a fear of technology, but my older sister summed it up on the phone today properly. She explained that sometimes getting lost is a good thing as you discover places you never would have if you went from just point A to point B.

Right from the airport, we tried to find Hollywood and ended up in Beverly Hills out of the touristy area. There's some amazing houses out there, Colonial and Mediterranean alike. Some of these architectural marvels are selfishly hidden closely by their owners. One building even blended right in with its environment like a camouflaged soldier. Why are the rich allowed to hide such architecture? Oh yeah, they are rich.

Santa Monica Pier in the distance

We eventually wound up in Santa Monica (no GPS needed). The famous pier jettisoned out before us in the distance meeting nothing but hues of blue. The cool 63 degree weather combined with a soft breeze that nudged me along toward the pier. Needless to say I recommend a visit. My dad and I were starving by the time we were done walking the pier so we went to eat at a nice Mexican restaurant in a equally nice (but beggar filled) pedestrian area. After this we finally drove to Oxnard where we'll be staying. It is a quaint little beach area about an hour or so from LA, that is often overlooked by the tourist masses (much like those areas of Beverly Hills).

Turns out the place has a jacuzzi, and I just might be using it soon...

Keep it level!

Jonathan De Costa

P.S. I do obviously have access to the internet for now.



At the end of the Pier
The pedestrian area