15th February 2023

We left the Luxor Hotel on the 7 a.m. airport shuttle. Although our flight wasn’t until 11:15 a.m., we planned to have breakfast at the airport, and an early start allowed for a leisurely meal and stress-free check-in.

We had already checked in online the previous evening, but still needed to print our baggage tags at one of the machines and use the bag drop facility. Thankfully, a helpful staff member was on hand to guide us through the process. It wasn’t long before we stood, slightly anxious, watching our two brightly coloured cases disappear down the conveyor belt, wondering whether we’d entered everything correctly, and whether we’d ever see them again.

Before tackling security, we had a disappointing breakfast at a Wendy’s outlet. Then, after making our way through security, we took a short train ride to our departure gate, which led to a spacious lounge with plenty of seating and a few food and souvenir shops. The flight departed slightly late, but it was just a short 40-minute hop to Los Angeles, barely time to drift off for a quick nap.

Amusingly, as we disembarked, we were met by an airline staff member wheeling a wheelchair down the connecting ramp. He was holding a tablet with Sue’s name displayed on it. It appears that our travel agent’s ploy to secure our preferred seats, by declaring Sue had hearing difficulties, had been misinterpreted by LAX as a full disability requirement. Embarrassed, Sue politely declined the chair and hurried up the ramp. I briefly considered taking the seat in her place, but I suspected that wouldn’t go well with Sue, so I wisely followed her instead.

To our great relief, our cases were among the first to appear on the carousel. As we wheeled them towards the shuttle stop, a hotel bus pulled up almost immediately. Less than five minutes later, we arrived at the Sonesta Hotel, and a few minutes after that, we were enjoying a much-needed coffee in our room.

About half an hour later, we returned to reception to book a sightseeing tour of Los Angeles for the following morning. Wanting to stretch our legs, we set off on foot, heading south along the busy airport perimeter road to explore the surrounding area, mostly made up of hotels and car parks. After walking for about a mile, we came across a Denny’s restaurant and decided to have a very late lunch. The meal was generous, very tasty, and notably served with proper metal cutlery, the first time since arriving in the USA. Plastic just doesn’t cut it anymore, in either sense, and it’s certainly not environmentally friendly.

We spent the rest of the evening watching television, tolerating the constant and seemingly endless stream of adverts that plague American TV.

The next morning at 9:30 a.m., we joined several other tourists to catch our Los Angeles and Hollywood Tour bus from outside the hotel reception. The weather forecast predicted a cloudy day with a chilly breeze, so we dressed accordingly. The first stop was the tour operator’s office, where we paid for our tickets and were joined by a few more tourists, bringing our group to 14 in total.

Our driver also served as our guide, and quite a character he was. With a wealth of amusing anecdotes and in-depth local knowledge, he kept us thoroughly entertained. The drive into the city took us through heavy commuter traffic, but his running commentary, full of lively stories, often ending with a humorous punchline, made the journey pass quickly.

Our first stop was the site where the city originally began as a Spanish settlement, later shaped by the influence of Mexican migrants. We spent some time wandering through the well-preserved streets, now lined with tourist stalls selling all manner of essential trinkets for those wishing to take home a tangible memento. Naturally, we took photos.

We found the Avila Adobe particularly interesting. Built in 1818, it is the oldest surviving house in Los Angeles, restored following earthquake damage in 1971. Not especially old by European standards, but then, neither is the USA.

Next came a brief stop in Chinatown to photograph a statue of Bruce Lee. Unlike many other North American cities, Chinese influence and settlement in Los Angeles have been more modest, so there wasn’t a great deal to see.

We then headed up into the hills to a viewpoint near the LA Observatory, where we enjoyed sweeping views over the city below, and, of course, the iconic Hollywood sign on the hillside opposite.

Back in the city, we were given 45 minutes to explore the Hollywood Walk of Fame, reading the famous names set into the stars and photographing those that interested us. The first stars appeared in 1960; today, it costs celebrities in various fields around $50,000 to have their name embedded in the pavement.

While waiting to cross a road to collect yet more star names for our memory bank, we were unexpectedly joined by a pizza robot. It had smoothly navigated the pavement, deftly avoiding pedestrians, and waited patiently alongside us at the roadside. When the green man appeared, it whirred across the tarmac and disappeared into the distance, once again dodging aimless two-legged creatures. Quite amazing.

Our next stop was the Farmers Market and The Grove. We had a huge choice of places for lunch, and Sue and I opted for a barbecue restaurant. With our stomachs satisfyingly filled, we spent around twenty minutes browsing the market before returning to our coach for a drive through Beverly Hills and along Rodeo Drive.

The influential residents of this exclusive district of LA are far from pleased about tour buses crawling through their neighbourhoods, and there are strict regulations governing how such vehicles may navigate these prestigious streets. Our route passed a number of familiar landmarks, with our driver providing an excellent commentary on the homes, their occupants, and the area’s rich history. Nearly seventy years of influence from the Hollywood film industry lent a strange sense of familiarity to the scenes unfolding beyond the window,  and I almost felt at home!

As the afternoon wore on, we joined the freeway and headed for Santa Monica and Venice Beach. I had visited here once before, back in the 1970s, spending much of that time on the beach. Remarkably, it seemed to have changed very little. The area is known for its roller surfers, skaters, and muscle-bound men and women pumping iron in the open air. However, today was cold and late in the day, and most of the regulars had likely headed home, perhaps to unwind with products purchased from the many legal marijuana outlets now lining the beach road.

Afterwards, we returned to our respective hotels through the usual heavily congested traffic. Fortunately, our driver was well-versed in navigating these conditions and skilfully avoided the worst of the snarled-up roads and lanes. As a result, we arrived back at the Sonesta by 5.45 pm.

The evening was spent repacking in preparation for our cruise tomorrow, while enduring yet more TV adverts, interspersed, occasionally, with some actual television programming.