We didn’t sleep much on Saturday night and getting up at 4:30 a.m. on Sunday was brutal. I can barely remember what we did at the Ottawa airport but we must have got it right because we landed in Toronto at 8 a.m., transferred to another flight and landed in Los Angeles six hours later.
Okay, allow me a two-minute rant about airport security—it’s so bloody stupid and annoying! In Ottawa, we had to go through the full-body scanner. In Toronto, we had to claim our luggage, go through security a second time and check in again, even though we didn’t leave the airport. I took my shoes and belt three times in total and emptied the contents of my bag twice. But on the other side, immigration control was pretty lax and our passports weren’t even stamped. Go figure. In LAX, the luggage claim area is two metres from the airport door and people can come and go as they please. Weird.
Oh, one small rant about Air Canada too: on the flight from Ottawa to Toronto, we had drinks and cookies, but on the flight from Toronto to Los Angeles we had to buy food on board! I had never seen that before. Seriously, it was a six-hour flight, and food should have been free…
I stepped outside at LAX and immediately noticed three things: 1) So many cars! 2) So warm! 3) It felt and smelled like in Latin America, probably because of the ocean. I loved it.
Once in LA, we rented a car and drove up to Hollywood. This was high on my to-do list and after all, we only had 24 hours to spend in the City of Angels.
Here are a few shots… More about Los Angeles later, but for now, we have to fly to Sydney!
Gorgeous. I’d love to visit there someday!
It looks so gorgeous! How many days would you be spending in LA?
Air Canada is too cheap to give its passengers food and drinks for free. I hate AC.
Air Canada is so weird! On flights to Europe they have the best service while on Canada to US or the Caribbeans they have a policy of no service.
Wow, you’re in LA! I’ve only been to Los Angeles when I was a toddler, so no memories at all. It’s not high on my destinations list, but still, I would love to go sometime. Enjoy the rest of your trip and always blog on the road! We’ll be following you!
Yooohoooo Zhu, in Hollywood!!!! I can see that you are packing it in all within 24 hours and this is absolutely exciting 😀
Airport security, what I can I say except that sometimes it all depends who is the one working on shift on that day 🙂
LAX has got to be the *worst* airport in the country! For a hub airport, it’s awful! You’d think they’d renovate it…
I was in Hollywood many years ago. I miss it!
Why the different airports have such different procedures on security baffles me.
Looking at your shots from the Hollywood Hills I’m struck by how clear the skies area. Going into LA off and on since the 70’s I can see how all the air emissions rules have cleared up the sky. There used to be the yellowish grayish smog all the time.
It’s big!
Wow, welcome to LA! I was in the Griffifth Observatory 2 weeks ago. If you guys do get a chance to stop by LA again when you return, try to be there again during and after dusk to see the whole LA at night~~
It amazes me that L.A. seems so deserty from above! Earthy tones and hues. I always have in mind that the city is as bustling as a typical American town.
I thought we sold that place off to the Chinese! Darn it!
Thank you all for your travel wishes and for your comments! I suck at replying these days because I’m trying to…er… enjoy the beach. 🙂
Wonderful! I am so excited about my holiday now…