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| LA 2009 |
Los Angeles. The place where money, glamour, a miniature dog and an abundance of Botox is essential in order to survive the cut throat societies that lay deep in the LA valleys- well at least that’s how they make it seem in The OC.
I had waited a long time to visit the LA and couldn’t wait to roam around Beverly Hills and skate along Venice Beach. I had always pictured myself staying in a 5 star hotel tottering around in hot-pants and heels just living the dream. However, the reality of backpacking at 18 is somewhat different. On a student budget once again a hillbilly hostel was all we could afford.
Arriving at Backpackers Paradise Hostel my dreams were quickly shattered- almost every shop and restaurant in the area was protected with a sheet of bulletproof glass. Local residents quickly warned us against leaving the hostel after 6pm, and advised locking our doors at all times- you know just in case we got shot. Backpackers Paradise was in fact in a ghetto town called Inglewood, nowhere near the glam beaches and bars I had pictured.
So a piece of Bex FYI: whilst I applaud spontaneity, in America it’s almost essential to book accommodation in advance. It's also advised to do a quick google map check to see exactly where it is and how close it is to where you want to be. If you do not follow this advice you may end up in some bad ass neighborhood where fears for safety are rocket high. No no, if you do this expect an adventure that certainly will have your folks back home biting their nails to the quick.
To console ourselves from the mistake we'd made, myself and the girls ravaged the free popcorn and Mountain Dew in the hostel. We then lapped up the sun by the poolside whilst trying to ignore the floating (and used) condoms in the pool.
But it wasn’t all bad; BPH did offer free rides to the beach (meaning they squeezed 20 of us into the back of an old rickety van) and offered bus tours of LA.
On day one we decided to chill by the beach after our death ride drop off and soaked up some sun.
Day two we wanted to get out there and see all the sites. We embarked on a bus tour which, although $75, took us to all the hotspots. Red Rooster Ryan, our extremely enthusiastic tour guide, gave us snippets of info in between performances of his own songs. We picked up earplugs around about the third stop.
The tour took us right up to the luxurious Beverly Hills where marbled mansions and tree-lined paths held the homes of the rich and famous. Cue a big sigh here for the realisation that I’m probably never gonna own a five storey, 2000 acre, barn converted, forest covered, gold plated pad.
Next onto Hollywood for some essential pics of the Hollywood sign and the Walk of Fame. The Dolby Theatre, Rodeo Drive and Venice Beach are all other must-see locations on the tour. I felt like one of the Olsen twins just cruising around in a blacked out mini bus wearing my over-sized specs.
Now everyone knows that I'm a big advocate for a good bus tour and whilst I acknowledge that some places are better off explored on foot, LA is not one of those places.
A tour bus is 100% advised and is worth the extra cash, even with the annoying guide. I’d recommended staying in LA at least a week if you want to get to know it well, 3 days certainly wasn't enough for me. Being over 21 is probably pretty vital as well if you want to experience some of the nightlife.
LA is an amazing place and is everything you think it will be but there’s a hundred things I’d love to go back and do so I can't quite cross it off my list yet.
When I next go I've decided I will be a bit more prepared though. I will A) wait till I’m a successful professional so I can afford to live it up B) book a nice hotel in advance that is pretty central and C) pre-print Channing Tatum’s address so I know exactly where to find him.
This picture marks one of the best weekends of my life and, the many more to come in NYC.
After a raucous and exhausting few months stashed away in Pennsylvania’s deepest valleys, 150 camp counsellors are dropped in the heart of Manhattan’s jungle; Times Square. You can only imagine the energy and excitement that catches like wild fire among young and eager counsellors; like animals being let loose.
New York City became my favourite place as soon as I stepped off the bus. Aside from partying on hotel rooftops, eating copious amounts of pepperoni pizza and hardcore celeb spotting, of course I hit up all the tourist hotspots. The iconic monuments you see in movies and the infamous landscapes painted on posters are all there for you to feast your eyes upon.
“It’s just like in the films. Like really, just like it. I feel like I’m in a Hollywood movie,” I remember shouting to my mum down the phone as I stood somewhere between west 34th and broadway. I think those first few hours knocked the wind right out of me. I remember feeling overwhelmed and crazed with wonder. My eyes couldn’t take in all the magic before me. I know you’re thinking what a cheese-ball but I’m afraid when it comes to NYC it is the love of my life.
So what to see and do...The city is so big and there is so much on offer that it can be hard to know where to start but this is where I introduce tip number one. In every city I am a true travel geek and get myself on a tour. Usually, if you’re staying in a hostel they provide free walking tours (always the better option-more personal, more info and less money.) A tour bus is a quick fire way to learn about a new place, get your bearings and decide on exactly you want to see during your stay. It’s also a speedy tool to help boost you in the culture vulture stakes. My grandparents always think I’m so intelligent and well-cultured when I drop in the tour I did here and the one I did there. It helps if you can rattle off a few well rehearsed bites of info too
The NYC tour bus costs around $64 and whilst it is hard on the pocket it allows you access on 2 routes across 3 districts over 2 days and nights. It takes you past all the main attractions allowing for some good photo ops. Union Square, Radio City, the Empire State, the Golden Bull, Brooklyn Bridge, China town, Little Italy, everything you never believe truly existed.
A tour bus makes it a little easier to decide what you want to see and do however, after 3 visits to New York I still have a 2 page long list that needs ticking off.
However, some of my highlights include the free boat that takes passengers from Manhattan over to Staten Island where you can see the Statue of Liberty. Although you don’t get to see the statue up close, if you time it well you can see the statue amid a Manhattan sunset.
The 9/11 memorial museum is another of the main attractions that I insist needs a visit. It is only $10 to enter and the experience you take away from it is harrowing but something you won’t forget.
And there’s always a toss up between the Rockefeller or the Empire State. Which one to climb? I have only ever been up the Rockefeller but there are 2 reasons for this. Number one being that if you go up the Rockefeller your pictures will have that oh-so-famous backdrop of manhattan’s skyline with the Empire State Building clearly visible. Number 2 is that the Rockefeller is the bigger of the two so if you are an adrenaline junkie like me, you get a little kick knowing you’re as high as you’re gonna get in the best city in the world.
To be continued...
