And another long one as the Bishop said to the actress. Better nights sleep but still not jumping out of my skin which is odd as feels a bit looser after last two days .
All things seem on track for QF11 at 11:10 am. It is one of the more notorious late leavers but usually makes some time “up in the air “ #Seinfeld.
Time then to get the Kleenex ready as bid farewell to CLP. I assured her no need to come to train with me but she seemed keen to ensure I got on it 🤓 I will head to Qantas club while she heads out for a leisurely morning at Bondi while the weather is good. Weather should be ok today for Sydney but gets worse after that and she flies out on Thursday back to Flashman Inc, Sunshine Coast where at least there is a statue of me she can look at each day.
Have organised an 11 am check in at Biltmore in LA as do arrive at 6 am all things being equal . Having paid $50 USD for it can almost guarantee now plane will leave or arrive late 😏Train was on track – boom boom – for arrival at 7:15 am a mere 4 hrs before flight is “scheduled” to leave. Check in easy and was tarmac adjacent by 735 am. Qantas Business lounge not too crowded and one of the better ones around . Common sense prevailed at this stage with significant snout in trough in near future. For 14 hrs .
One of the reasons happy to be on West Coast this year was usually glorious weather in SoCal ( I talk the local lingo already) . I can tell by all the golf I watch at this time of year – Pebble Beach, Phoenix…. You know the two tournaments almost washed out 2 weeks in a row ! Forecast then for LA is around 10-20 with clouds at time and Las Vegas maybe 8-18 also cloudy at times. Hope get one blue day in each city at least . Having monitored the two major suspects A 380 wise last 36 hrs confident both in Sydney and one should be used for QF 11. All will be revealed when Flight Radar confirms Call Sign a bit before 11 am. Then I might relax…. I remember the good old days when you knew nothing before hand and just rocked up to airport carefree and ignorant😂 COVID changed everything and Qantas is struggling to populate A 380 routes at present . Unlike Brisvegas though, Sydney-LAX seems important to Qantas
Flight boarded on time, left 10 mins late and arrived 15 mins early. Pretty well the perfect flight if there such a thing for 14 hrs ! Excellent food and plenty of drinkies made the first two hours fly by . Then it was jammies time ….. not that I sleep . In extra knob kiss no one next to me
Using the new Mobile Passport App at LAX was through in 5 mins and at same time my eSim was activated. Bag was out in another 5 and so it was pants around the ankles and bed flute pointing north. Then realised it was only 630! Paid for early check in at 11 am and was really stuffed by now so sucked up the $80 taxi fare and was at Biltmore by 7 am . And in my room and unpacked by 730! As I knew the hotel itself is magnificent but rooms a bit dated and only on 4th floor so a bit of street noise
Even though stuffed no way going to sleep so time to test out Tap card on trains and buses and headed up to Santa Monica Blvd for the Hollywood Forever Cemetery . Lot of walking involved so ankle starting to give grief as well. It’s a large place with some notable names
The Paramount Studios are another 15 min walk but thought best to have a look while in area if only to get a photo of Water Tower. Only entrance is through a studio tour and when heard it was a group of 7 in a long golf cart sounded a good idea. It was interesting too and there are certainly some massive movies been made there . It was a 2 hour tour and now dead on my feet and still need a 30-40 min trip home on a bus
The bus was slow but at least had a seat. Back home by 130 pm so picked up a roll for lunch and a salad for dinner. It’s been a rough 36 hrs and just needed something to eat and doubt much more will be done today except probably a drink somehow near by. I fear the noise around here could be a problem, time will tell. Probably over tired now so still can’t sleep
Went down for a sherbert at the hotel bar around 430 pm and of course very elegant and fancy . Finished of first day being a tourist in LA
And now we start adjusting body clock. I fear it could be a restless 5 nights here. Man don’t the yanks love a fucking horn 😡Of course the two things you always notice in US hotel rooms – no clocks anywhere and no kettle . Plan tomorrow is probably head down to Long Beach for the morning if weather is good.
flashman181 