The end of an era

Hello hello it’s been a while, ridiculously too long and so much has been going on…

Loz and I have made it to Maui and I can’t believe our California leg is over! Time really did fly those 8 weeks and we both feel pretty down about leaving. We’d fallen into the best house in the best area with amazing friends and loved the way of life…maybe a second Long Beach visit will be added next summer. Maui should be what we need though, a detox from the fairly unhealthy way on life we’d been living, too many burgers and far too much boozing!

On that note, a couple of Friday’s ago we decided to go for a more local night out, i.e something not in Hollywood that would cost a fortune so ended up at Long Beaches finest the Shore Ultra Lounge. It was a messy but very fun night with Chris, Kerin, Roman, Diana and Loz. A couple of the kite guys from the beach came along too and seemed happy to buy us drinks so that was all good!
Photographic evidence the next day told us a better story than our memories did and apparently we’d been playing with Chris’s selection of drunk paraphernalia at 4am, things like a trombone, accordion, recorder and the infamous turkey hat.

On the Saturday morning I felt less than ok but got a phone call at 8.30am ordering me to get up and ready to go to Malibu with the Naish crew! Better to do that than sit wallowing in a hangover so in an extreme amount of effort I got ready.
I’d been told that Malibu would test me with much stronger wind, narrower beaches and kelp beds in the water which you have to avoid running into. But going there that day was the best decision ever and I broke through a barrier which has got me up to speed for Maui’s conditions. (I did get stuck in the kelp once and it felt like I was in a scene from Harry Potter, being pulled under by fat watery tentacles.)

Sunday was our leaving do brunch at Spagatinis, a posh jazz club with an unlimited 5 star buffet and drinks. Unfortunately neither Loz or I had truly recovered from Friday and couldn’t really take advantage of the free champagne. There were 7 of us and we had a great day eating in the sun and listening to the music.

I can’t believe I haven’t even written about Magic Mountain and Disneyland! Ok sooooo…..last Monday Chris and I went to MM together. It was exactly what I’d been looking for, hardcore steel structures and twisted metal rising from the ground ready to throw me around. We spent the entire day there from 11am till 10pm and cheated the corporate money grabbing system by taking our own packed lunch which we ate in the 105 degree heat. It was absolutely boiling during the day as MM is inland and doesn’t receive the coastal breezes so was actually more pleasant around 5pm when the park emptied out and sun went down. That was my first time riding coasters in the dark and it was awesome, UK parks should do it, not just once a year on Halloween but everyday.
I remember seeing a program on a weird channel 5 or 6 years ago called ‘Extreme Rides’ and have always longed to ride the acid green loops of ‘Riddlers Revenge’ and there I was standing underneath it! It’s a stand up coaster so you’re actually standing in your harness while doing huge loops, twists and inversions, very cool.

Other favourites were Superman where you’re propelled forwards and vertically up into the air way above the desert, Tatsu where you’re literally flying and X2, their newest ride. X2 is the closest you’ll feel to being completely out of control and facing near certain death….love it!

The next day (last Tues) I went down to Belmont to kite and bumped into Nudge who was doing a lesson with somebody. The pressure was on as this was the first time he’d seen me kite and luckily my trip to Malibu meant I impressed him woohoo! That evening Loz and I popped into our neighbours apartment to see their 2 day old baby. When we met them Sarah was 8 months pregnant so it was crazy to actually see the baby.

On Weds I went kiting again and at the end of the day went to the local greek restaurant for some drinks with Hank and Brittney which was really nice. I’d really enjoyed chilling at the beach with them and was sad to be at our ‘last supper’ together. And later that evening Brian had invited us round for his last supper and prepared a gorgeous pie (his own secret recipe). We got a tour of the Watson crib, drank wine and chatted into the night.

Then it was Thursday which was Disney time…There must be something infectious about the excitement of Disneyland because although I like the films I’ve never particularly longed to visit the park. However, the night before going I found it hard to get to sleep and then I woke up on the hour at 6am, 7am and 8am!
Kerin picked us up at 9am and we took a mini detour to the coffee house (I’ve developed a fairly serious addiction to frappuchinos out here) before heading out to the land of happiness and magic.
It was another scorching day and the park was more crowded than I’d have liked even though it was a weekday however I’m told that Disneyland is ALWAYS crowded. I found myself having to seriously adjust my theme park radar because it’s about as far from the Magic Mountain fear levels as you can get but it was very fun and I can see how it’d be a dream come true for kids.
Part of me wishes adults could once again achieve that truly lost in the moment, all consuming wonder and magic that only a child’s undeveloped brain can access…but I was more concerned with how much a cheese and ham sandwich had just cost me.

We met some of the characters, rode most of the rides (ran out of time at the end even though we stayed till midnight) and watched the extremely extravagant fireworks and water show which put London’s New Year ones to shame (and Disneys happen every single night!).

…But I do have to admit, as Micky waved his wand and Goofy, Buzz Lightyear and the seven dwarfs floated by on a big white boat singing about the power of imagination I felt pretty damn good.

The next day was to be my last down at the beach kiting and I made the most of it by staying in the water for hours. Todd even gave me a cd with the pictures he’d taken of me kiting back in Malibu which I was very grateful for. That evening we threw a going away party and had around 25 people come over and cause much mayhem. The night ended at 5am with the karaoke machine out and me wailing ‘Let it Be’ into the microphone.

So that brings us to last Saturday. We’d booked Harry Potter tickets for the IMAX 3D experience and were all pretty excited about going, the only problem was that it turned out only the first 5 minutes were in 3D!!! WHAT A CON! I hate false advertising.
Yeah the film was good but we’d paid $17 to see HP in 3D and it wasn’t! Simpson was fuming.
Luckily there was a women giving out feedback forms about the film outside the exit and you can be sure I vented my opinions onto it, oh yes I did.
Loz and I spent the rest of the day putting together a little present for Chris. We’d had 4 photos from different points in our trip developed (Grand Canyon, Vegas, Hollywood) and put them in a frame for him. It was a nice way to end the day and the trip.

I’m going to split this gigantic update into three entries so part 2 about the road trip coming up…