A week in california is a long time...

actually, I lie... can't believe it's gone so fast! and not with out drama

left heathrow on Monday after an emotional farewell to the folks it was mad dash for the gate (not having proof of onward travel within 90 days in the USA can lead to problems getting on a plane to the states) and on to the plane (Virgin planes - the people are so nice, I kept asking, "are you sure I don't have to pay for this (insert beer/food/blanket/pee)". Clearly scores of  Ryanair flights have left me cynical.

touched down in LA and on to possibly the skankiest hostel in Venice. I admit I had no comparisons to make, but suffice to say I am some who can bum it big time, but that place just had some kind of parasite lurking...beneath the sheets, in the oven, and definitely in the fridge... There were somethings the hostel couldn't help such as the weather being cold... I know, colder than London which was rather upsetting, thankfully the sun has rained down upon me with furious sunshine and left me nice and brown...

Venice is ok, the old canals are quaint and there's an urban/arty/underground vibe which is surprisingly comforting and in stark contrast to the LA depicted in the likes of "Dogtown and Z-Boys",and Pulp Fiction". The beach is resembles Leicester Square but with a bit more reggae tat on sale plus a massive beach full of tramps... met a very nice one called Bob incidentally. There was some swell but nothing spectacular, maybe waist high lefts and right on either side of the pier. Further north was the graffiti park - a massive skate park and open air gym (bunch of show off americans!). Cycling along a very cool (and possibly one of the world's longest ) bike paths north to Santa Monica there's less tat but still a nice mellow vibe. Be warned, it;s best to figure out that the bikes brake by  peddling backwards before you get on them, I think I managed to incur some cycle-roadrage from the mellowest state in america!

Hit the Getty Centre the next day - I'm not an art buff, but it's super cool. The photography and architecture and gardens are spectacular and I recommend you check out the pics when I get then up. The whole site was free and the views azcross LA were amazing. As lets be honest the rest of LA is pretty shite.

Got in the sea for a few hours the day after - hired an 8 ft foamy and surfed the waist to chest high waves at the breakwater. the lefts were pretty good, although this put you nearer the end of the breakwater and I think the water quality (although improved in recent years) still looked a bit suspect. My recommendation from the locals was more Vitamin C!

Met up with Gordon Investigates that evening for some super plush fancy living at the rather swanky-pants hotel Shangrila. I go from thinking,"did I catch a disease in that last place?" to, "Oh my God there's free champaign in this place!"

The next day Sarah had sorted cycle hire and we made it to down town Santa Monica to take in some art gallaries. Bascially a lot of,"thats's art?" and a lot of "how much?" but still very cool to see that LA has quite a lively art scene (as previous - everything else including hollywood, sunset strip is pretty shite...)

The 5start treatement continued the next two evenings with  free drinks at a prelaunch party for the Glow festival and then the next evening for a posh dinner with the PRs (who organised Sarah's trip). I ate for Britian at the thought my next feeding could be a while away (I think there is definitely a hotel service waiting to be devised for carrying overly fed partrons from their chair to to a taxi - especially in America)

One Glow festival later ( a lot of really stupid and lame attempts at art installations) but still a shit load of people all over Santa Monica beach - (like the old Fat boy Slim party on Brighton Beach but with a bit more space and fewer fatalities) we managed to get back to the luxurious hotel, the next day I headed to Santa Barbara and Sarah off to Newport Beach for a go at Stand-up paddle boarding... I know.... SUP... blashemy

I'm now in Santa B typing from the world's crapest PC but I think I've waffled for long enough

prologue: Countdown to the off

"Rich, have you got everything?"

"Erm..."

Now all packed with a surprisingly small bag I'm heading off to California, C.America. S.America. NZ and maybe even the Philippines (need to bag me a wife) taking and back sometime next year.

I fly out tomorrow, pretty nervous especailly after a near miss in the car on the way down to my folks (fingers crossed the clio makes it through her MOT). Just leaving the quaint countryside of Hawkerland (Nr Exeter) behind for the picturesque town of Woking before heading to LA via Heathrow tomorrow morning...

I'll miss you all but I'll be uploading photos, my encounters with Yanks, Latinos, kiwis, Philippino's and probably most of the other twenty-somethings from London running away from the real world, so I'll be pestering you all enough over the coming months.

Hasta Leugo

Rich