Making It in Hollywood

It was a long and expensive ride, but I finally made it to Hollywood! Another winter storm trailing through the American Midwest and Southern Ontario delayed my flights out of Pearson and Kennedy, but I still count myself fortunate none were cancelled. I didn’t notice the delays so much anyway as I had several naps on both planes before they took off.

Leaving home was more difficult this time. That’s because I now know how hard it is to be far away for so long. This trip will be further and longer than any other I’ve been on, but I’m grateful for the sadness. It’s what I hope to feel when I leave Macau in five months.

I will spend a few more days in Los Angeles, take a flight up to San Francisco, and then head down to Australia for the rest of January. There will be a lot of living out of a suitcase, so I’m already looking forward to settling down in Macau.

The hostel itself is nice, though I’m pretty fed up with always getting the top bunk. It’s impossible to put the sheets on properly. I arrived around 3 am after waiting for a shuttle bus that never came. Instead, I sucked it up and paid $80 for a taxi. Most occupants were either sleeping or still out partying, so the receptionist only gave me a quick tour, which still happened to include where to buy cheap drugs.

Today, I was hoping to sleep in, but my jetlag had other plans. After a breakfast of buttered toast and a banana, I got access to the hostel’s wifi to contact home. Following that, I left without much of a plan.

Being quite close to the Hollywood Walk of Fame, I did that first. I continued along Hollywood Boulevard and then turned north into the Runyon Canyon Park. It was a long, hot walk in jeans, but still worthwhile. There were tons of runners and dog-walkers, all of whom came off as very friendly. I heard conversations on relationships, fad diets, and theology. It’s still hard to believe this place actually exists.

Los Angeles from the top of Runyon Canyon Park

After the steep descent, I followed Sunset Boulevard and then Santa Monica Boulevard into Beverly Hills. I had some mind to go all the way to the coast, but after four hours of walking and an estimated two hours to the beach, I decided I had enough. Maps can be quite misleading. I refuelled at a Starbucks which was surprisingly reasonable and much closer to the chain’s ideal image than what I’ve found in Canada. Heading back, I took a detour through some side streets of Beverly Hills to admire the beautiful houses surrounded by high hedges and higher palm trees.

Back at the hostel, I took a power nap and then went out for an early dinner at a Los Burritos. I met a UCLA PhD applicant and went out for a second dinner (tea) at another restaurant. He gave me a brief history of China and I tried unsuccessfully to relate Canada’s past. We also discussed books, travel, and family, which made the day worthwhile.