My 13th July 2016 seemed to go on forever – crossing the international date line and the 17 hour time difference from Fiji to Los Angeles was more than a little confusing. After the seemingly unending queue at border control I was finally in the USA. One bus ride later I arrived in Hollywood where so many young dreamers have flocked for decades.
On my first full day I explored Griffith park – home of the Hollywood sign and Griffith Observatory. The Griffith Observatory sits high in the Hollywood hills giving great views across L.A. and of the Hollywood sign. The Observatory itself has some great exhibits, including some amazing pictures of the sun and a timeline of the universe from the Big Bang to the present day made from donated jewellery.
The next day I set out to explore the heart of Hollywood, strolling along the Walk of Fame spotting stars. I found lots – from Winnie the Pooh to Julie Andrews, Ella Fitzgerald to Harrison Ford, and even next door neighbours Kevin Spacey and Donald Trump #underwood2016. I caught a film at the TCL Chinese Theatre and wandered the Dolby Theatre lobby, home of the Oscars.
The rest of my time in L.A. was mostly spent getting over the jet lag and enjoying being in the U.S. again. L.A. is definitely a city designed for cars, I would love to come back one day and explore other parts of it. Hollywood is a place of contrasts, it has a wonderful weirdness – where else would Mickey Mouse and Cat Woman work together to get tips from tourists wanting photos. Hollywood offers the chance of stardom, but far too many dreamers end up on its streets. The world sees the glitz, glamour and fame, but the Oscars never show the homeless woman who sits opposite the Dolby Theatre struggling to survive, or the many more lining Hollywood Boulevard.
My time in L.A. ends with the last night bus of my wanderings – I’m heading north to San Fransisco.
a wandering almond 