USA

Friday 16th August
DC 10 to Los Angeles. Sit next to Kiwi girl who is just setting off on her first trip going to London and Europe. Watch the Philadelphia experiment, which she describes as a man's movie, full of supporting female roles.
Dramatic descent over Los Angeles at dusk, vast acres of suburbia with twinkling free ways and a rim of hills peaking through the smog. Spanking new Airport, I’m first through customs, the guy says “have a good one” as I walk through. Ronald Reagan’s photo and welcome to USA. Meet a German guy from the international hostel touting for business at 8 dollars a night and a free lift, he finds 4 others and we’re off. Its in Venice on the corner of Venice and Lincoln boulevard, six bed dormitory’s.

Saturday 17th August
Catch the bus for the one hour ride downtown with Kiwi called Chris. Main street is full of tramps and bums selling everything from nail clippers to coke. Ride up and down in the frightening outside lifts of a futuristic hotel. Get a bus ticket to Tijuana for 10 dollars. All banks shut. Forget about MCO which I am planning to use for flight to Colombia. Spend the evening in the hostel bar drinking German lager.

Sunday 18th August
Set off fairly aimlessly with Chris again. End up spending the day at Notts farm, another vast amusement park started 30 years ago by a farmer's wife who made famous chicken dinners. Curiously the main object of the rides seems to be too empty your stomach, for instance Montezuma’s revenge propelled us at high-speed through a loop the loop. Takes about three hours on the bus to get back to Venice, Los Angeles really sprawls. Hot and smoggy, downtown is rather sinister at night.

Monday 19th August
Have booked a ride in a car from the hostel to Disneyland 18 dollars for the one hour ride and then 16 dollars admission to Disneyland. Some good rides, more exciting than gut wrenching. Great attention to details in the theme. Ride the Mississippi steam boat, the animated robotics of Abraham Lincoln are impressive, as nearly 20 years old. The technology of this place triumphs over its tackiness. However it is stuffed with people all stuffing themselves, every 10th person is grossly obese. Endless queues for everything. August is the peak holiday season. Some of it seems a bit dated, rooted in the Sixties.