Santa Monica

Hello everyone for the last time on this trip!!

Last night I did end up going to a bar with the girls from my room. I dug out a very crinkled dress and away we went. Tali, Zoe and Bec have been travelling together for two months, three weeks of which was a Physio placement in New York. We went to a place called 'Bungalow' which was a bar but it was set up like it was a house party. It had a very cosy vibe! We had some not very nice sangria and then headed back to the hostel as we all agreed we were wrecked and wanted a good night's sleep before we flew home. 

This morning I packed up for the final time and then headed off to the beach. The weather was a complete contrast to yesterday - bright and sunny with not a cloud in sight!! At this stage it was only about 8.30am so there was pretty much nobody around. I walked along the sand to Santa Monica pier. Apparently the original carnival on it was built in 1916 but due to economic difficulties it closed by 1930. Today's theme park on the pier opened in 1996 and has been there ever since. The views of Malibu and the beaches were stunning today!!

I set off down the path towards Venice Beach. The done thing here is to hire a bike and ride the path but due to being alone I decided it was easy to walk because I wouldn't be able to leave my bike anywhere. Also it was $20 and I had no cash left!

I recreated a photo up on a beam that Adam and I were in in 2005. This was a difficult feat being alone, because not only did I have to ask a random person to take my photo, I had to get them to stand in a specific spot and wait until I hoisted myself up onto the beam. It's higher than it was in 2005 so it was a bit tricky!!! But I got there in the end :)

The walk was lovely but once I hit the Venice Beach area it was pretty tacky if I'm honest. Dodgy people everywhere smoking and selling weed, trying to force CDs in your hand and at one point a group of men yelled out to me complimenting me on my backside - how charming. In went the iPod headphones and up went the speed of my walking! 

I walked a little past Muscle Beach and then turned around and came back. When I got to Santa Monica beach again, it was now packed full of people. Apparently there was a beach frisbee tournament on! I sat on the pier and watched for a while until a bird shat on me, but luckily only a tiny bit. I'm hoping it'll be good luck meaning all goes smoothly with my flight this evening!!

I headed up the pier to the street and there were even more people walking around up here. That's when I realised that there was a huge protest against Donald Trump in the city today, so locals and tourists probably came out to Santa Monica to seek refuge from that. 

Then I went to a cafe that mum and dad took us to last time, Cafe Crepe. I had an absolutely delicious crepe with chicken, Mayo, mushroom, bacon and tomato. Afterwards I decided that since I had so much time up my sleeve, I should have a bit of a look in the shops. I went to H & M and Forever 21 and bought two tops and a skirt. 

Now I'm back in the hostel, it's only 3.30pm and I'm not leaving with the other girls for the airport until 5.30ish. But the wind has really picked up so I did another quick walk to the beach before but it's becoming pretty unpleasant! I've had a shower and changed and I'm just going to relax and watch some TV until it's time to leave. 

Thank you so much to all of you for reading my blog while I've been away! I've had such an amazing time and this month has flown by. While I've experienced so many things and really enjoyed myself, truth be told I am absolutely knackered and I am really looking forward to proper fruit and veggies and a cheese and veg sandwich tomorrow! There is a lot to look forward to in 2017 including new challenges at work, but in terms of travel: Indonesia in April and China in July. Catch you all then!

Love to all

Claire

Xoxox

No Knott's

Hello all,

I got up and left my hotel today and got an uber to Knott's Berry Farm. Annoyingly, my driver dropped me at the back entrance, so I had to traipse in the pouring rain with my suitcase and backpack around the perimeter of the park. When I got to the main entrance, no one was around. I called out and a lady appeared who told me that the park was closed for the day due to inclement weather. Which is understandable, but why did they not put this on their website?! Luckily for me they refunded my ticket and refunded a few families who arrived as well.

In the end it was a blessing in disguise, because once I got in my uber the rain became so heavy that visibility was terrible. My driver was Cathy who was a lovely (but very chatty, about 10 times more than me!!) 64 year old woman who only started with über a few days ago. She used to work at Disneyland and we (mostly her!) chatted for the entire hour and a bit to Santa Monica. By the time we arrived the wind and rain were so bad that we both had trouble opening the doors of her car. The gutters were overflowing! They really need this rain here though, they've been in a pretty bad drought of late. 

I arrived at my hostel but couldn't check in so walked to Chipotle and had some lunch, then went and bought a movie ticket at the nearby theatre. The rain subsided a tiny bit, enough that I was able to walk around without fear of being saturated once again. So I walked a little while along the beach. Grey ominous clouds loomed above Malibu in the distance so I knew it would rain again soon, but in the mean time I had a very quick look at the pier and down on the beach. I recognised an area that we walked when I was a kid, but didn't take many photos today as tomorrow is meant to be sunny and beautiful and I plan on walking it properly then. There were massive puddles in the car parks and ducks were swimming in them!!

On the way back I had a look in Bloomingdale's, but everything was sooooo expensive! I'm going to have a look in some shops in my price range tomorrow. 

I came back to the hostel and checked in, then headed out to the local supermarket. You know you've been in America a while when a proper fruit and vegetable section excited you nearly as much as the rides at Disneyland. I can't wait to have some decent fruit and veg once I get home. 

Next up I headed to the movies. I saw the kids movie 'Sing' which was pretty seats were recliners so it was very relaxing. My back and hips have been pretty sore of late so I suppose this was a better alternative for those than roller coasters anyway. 

Now I'm in my room. I'm sharing a dorm with four other people from Melbourne. We've all had a bit of a chat about how we can't believe what happened in Bourke Street yesterday. Three of them and me are flying home within an hour of each other tomorrow evening so I think I'm getting a cab with them to the airport. I might be going to a bar with them this evening but can't decide. I think I'm the worst excuse for a 24 year old around. I would so much rather sit in bed and watch Netflix than head out to a bar this evening. But I probably should go as it's my last night. We shall see!!!

I'll post again tomorrow after my day in Santa Monica and before I head to the airport. 

Love to all

Claire

Xoxox

Final day at Disneyland

Hi everybody, 

I woke up this morning sad that it was going to be my last day at Disneyland. The forecast had said it was going to rain all day, and sure enough it was when I left my hotel! 

The lady on Tuesday really hadn't validated my early entry, so I was allowed in at 8am for my second Magic Morning. By this time the rain actually stopped, and it had been a blessing in disguise as there weren't too many people around at all!!

I headed straight for the some of the classics that have longer queues later in the day. My first stop was the Dumbo ride where I went for a nice flight. Then I went on the monorail and did a lap on that (the railroad is closed until summer). 

I passed the Matterhorn and there was hardly a queue at all so I went on it, then same for Splash Mountain. The lady told me I was the first to ride it for the day and let me stay in the same carriage by myself for two rides in a row! And to think people ask why I travel in the winter - in summer she said you could wait up to 2-3 hours for one ride!!

Winnie the Pooh had no queue so I went on that, and same with Pirates of the Caribbean so I got to ride up front! I went on Thunder Mountain twice, the second ride I was in the back seat which is by far the best (you go faster)! 

I walked through Sleeping Beauty Castle and then got my picture taken with Mary Poppins and Bert. It was a bit cooler today so I was excited to wear my new Disneyland jumper!! However the all day rain forecast was incorrect, it ended up being sunny and beautiful despite being cool!

I went on the Astro Orbiter (a bit like Dumbo) and then headed to something that had been closed when I was here in 2005 - 'Great Moments with Mr Lincoln'. I checked out the gallery while I waited and read about how Walt Disney created Disneyland as he wanted parents and kids to have a place to have fun together, instead of just a few rides like a carousel or something like that. He loved railways and there were photos of old railcars that he had refurbished for the Disneyland railroad. Apparently the Disneyland in Japan is the only one where the railroad doesn't circle the park, because by Japanese legislation this would mean it counted as public transport and they would have to pay more tax on it. 

Before the speech itself, a short video showed explaining about the civil war and Lincoln's early life. Then the curtain opened and the Abraham Lincoln animatronic was right in front of me. Walt Disney paved the way for this sort of technology and continued to use it on many other attractions too. It was very lifelike! Almost as if Lincoln were actually speaking to us in a public hall. 

I continued along Main Street and popped my head into a theatre where I watched the first ever Mickey cartoon, 'Steamboat Willie' which was first aired in 1928. 

I went on the Alice in Wonderland ride but sadly the teacups was closed. By this time it was barely 12 o'clock and the longest I had waited for a ride was 5 minutes!! So I got a fast pass for Space Mountain which had a 60 minute wait and went and had some jambalaya for lunch - it was delicious!!

I was front row on Space Mountain which I enjoyed heaps more than Tuesday! Then I headed back to Indiana Jones and got straight on in the front seat next to a lovely group of three kiwi girls. 

After a successful morning on the Disneyland side, I wanted to go on my favourite California Adventure rides one last time. The wait for Soarin' was only 10 minutes, and in the line I got talking to two men from California who told me it swapped from the California to Around the World footage in May last year. Apparently it was filmed for the new Shanghai Disneyland that only opened in August. 

Next up was the Cars ride. A 70 minute queue, but not for me! I was the only one in the single rider queue and I walked onto it twice. I went back on the Ariel ride and then California Screamin'. Then it was time for the only ride I had missed in this park - Midway Mania, a new 'Toy Story' ride where you play 3D arcade games. I was sat next to a man named John who was super nice, and I beat him by 15,000 points - muahaha!!

I headed back into Disneyland and caught Mickey and Minnie just as they were starting photos, then stumbled across a band playing the national anthem. 

I was so lucky with how today turned out, Indiana Jones was closed when I came back so it was lucky I had already been. I went on Pirates one last time and when I exited they had closed it for the day!! I went on Thunder twice and Splash again and then began to leave the park. 

It's always a weird feeling leaving somewhere that means a fair bit to you. I remember being so upset upon leaving as a kid that I actually cried. I didn't cry today, but I did feel a bit sad! A weird thought struck me too - the next time I'm back here I might have kids! Who knows. 

My final ride for my visit was one last jaunt on California Screamin'. I ate a foot long hot dog on the way home and now I'm having an earlyish relaxed night. Tomorrow I check out and head to Knott's Berry Farm, but it's meant to pour rain all day so I've no idea if anything will be open. But I've been so lucky with the weather so far, so that's ok. 

Tonight the Main Street Electrical Parade is returning to Disneyland, but it's the premiere before it returns for five months starting tomorrow. Tickets cost $95 US and I just couldn't justify it after already paying $300 US for three days. Apparently the tickets sold out in five minutes anyway. I was lucky enough to see it as a kid, and in Hong Kong last year I saw the remixed version 'Paint the Night'. Aside from all that, I've done 32,000 steps today and my hips feel like they could snap into bits, not entirely sure if I could stand and watch a parade anyway!!!

So in summary, I've had an incredible three days at Disneyland. It's not often in life you get to revisit your childhood, and I'm grateful I got to here!

Love to all

Claire

Xoxox