SoCal

SoCal (yes I am cool enough to call it that, honest). What can I say? I know it gets talked about in the media as being a bit weird at times, but I never thought I would walk past an archery range and see a guy leaving dressed as an elf with his bow and quiver strung across his back.

Ironically, as I moved further north towards LA, things have actually got less weird. Or maybe just more like it is on TV.

I’m very behind with my blog here, so I’m going to update it gradually over the next few days.

It feels as really long time ago now, but my first couple of days were pretty eventful, so it’s worth going back that far.

Firstly, my bike didn’t exactly make it to the US in one piece. Well, to be more precise, it was in one piece. Just one with a few bends and dents that led the guy in the bike shop I took it to for help to respond “Nah, that bike’s totalled. It looks like they ran it over with a truck and then dragged it across concrete.” Having seen bits of how luggage is treated at airports, that wouldn’t surprise me. Oh, and this was after having failed to put the bike on the flight from New York to San Diego, which led to it disappearing for 24 hours and then magically turning up at the hostel in the middle of the night. Just unfortunate that unpacking it was something on a depressing experience.

Anyway, no more on that. I’m talking to American Airlines about compensation, but thanks to Luke and his colleagues at Cal Coast Bicycles in San Diego (hi, if you’re reading), I have a new bike, which I’m very happy with, and was able to leave San Diego on the day I’d intended.

Sorting all that out took one of my two days in San Diego. To distract me from my, at that point, just missing bike, I spent my first day doing what most people I’ve been on holiday with will know I specialise in. Namely walking miles and miles and miles to do some random exploring.

Before seeing the aforementioned elf, I found a random two block street festival. It was meant to be an arts festival, but, on top of some fantastic photography and the expected performance stages (and, well, beer and food), the majority of stalls were an eclectic group pushing everything from Animal Protection charities to laser hair removal to Chinese massage. Oh, and I saw a pug in a leather jacket. I do feel I failed here by not managing to get a photo.

Other than that, it was exactly the kind of Americana I was looking for. One of the stages had a local dance troop. Unfortunately their leader had failed in attempting to burn their music onto CD, but that didn’t stop them!! They just danced along anyway, as she called out the steps and sang. The second song was Take Me Out to the Ball Park and, oh yes, the entire crowd joined in. I know it sounds like I’m taking the piss a bit here, but we’re talking about 10 year old kids on stage. It was actually really nice.

In the afternoon I walked over to the San Diego Zoo, which has a reputation as one of the best in the world. It was definitely pretty good and I’ve got quite a few nice photos. Plus I saw about 10 meercats trying to go down a whole at the same time (I love meercats) and a baby panda. The zoo was huge and I walked round it for hours. Yet some woman seemed to have decided the most suitable way to do this was dressed like Sandy at the end of Grease. Heels included.

Sorry this entry’s been pretty long and detailed. I promise they won’t always be like this. Unless you all like my little stories that is. Next time, San Diego to LA.