Shipping agent - massive disappointment.

STILL NO BLOODY BIKE. Contacted Marty and customs still had cleared the bike. She thought tomorrow might be the day. Cynical about that - oh yeah.

Return to L.A.

Morning spent walking on already weary legs. Caught the bus back to LA. Short stay only because there is a chance I will have the bike cleared by customs tomorrow and I want to get going.

The bus broke down at a rest stop in the middle of nowhere. But there was a burger 'restaurant' and they are everywhere.

Arrived late back at Santa Monica.

Walking the streets of San Francisco

A day to do the tourist thing. Up and about before 7am. Walked up Mason Street - and I mean UP. They don't have cable cars without a reason - the hills are steep. I was headed toward Fisherman's Wharf.

Walked to the top of Nob Hill and what do I find but a Nude Male Review theatre. Nob Hill/nude male - I thought it was funny anyway.

The cable cars are driven by cables surprisingly. They run under the road and there are motors driving those cable every few hundred metres. The reason I am going into this is because of the constant noise. The residential areas are very pretty but the noise!!!!

Saw Alcatraz, Golden Gate bridge from a distance. Ventured into Presidio Park and rested my weary legs. That done moved on again along the foreshore passed all the piers. Most are set up for tourists with shops, etc.

San Francisco bound.

Crossing the Sierra Madre mountains to the north of LA there was the remnants of the snow that fell on the day I arrived. En route to San Francisco just to have a quick look around. Booked into another hostel in the CBD.

Long bus trip ( seven hours - 650kms) but very interesting to see the huge feedlots for beef cattle and intensive use of the land for agriculture. These feedlots had ten of thousands of head in them - just huge. The number of burgers sold the Americans would need them and more.

Impressive sight as the bus passed over the Oakland bridge coming into San Francisco. The Golden Gate bridge in the background.

Arrived at the hostel late afternoon and went for a walk for several hours. The first district I encountered (closest to the hostel) was the 'Tenderloin'. If you are interested in buying prostitutes or drugs that is the place to go. "OC's" were cheap - whatever they are.

Moved on into Union Square and place was humming. Cable cars, shops, restaurants, coffee shops and tourists.

I like San Francisco better than LA by a long way. It has a cosmopolitan, bohemian and friendly atmosphere to the town.

Walked through China Town. Enjoyed the walk but once again the panhandlers were a bloody pest and every few minutes you are approached with a sob story and request for money.

America do something about your mentally ill and destitute people.

L.A. Police

Christmas Day. Merry Christmas everyone.

Came across one of L.A.'s finest sitting in his patrol car. Young fresh faced Pedro was very friendly and went out of his way to show me his patrol car and equipment.

Interested to learn that they have only had their Motorola Computer Aided Dispatch and GPS for about eighteen months. He was rapted with the system. He showed me the list of all the cars on patrol. Some of the information available was such things as who was in a particular patrol car and what work they had done for the shift.

Automatic rifle, shotgun, hand gun, taser, pepper spray, collapsible and graphite batons were just some of his tools of trade.

Spent the day with all the other Aussies (about 75%) staying in the hostel. Told some lies and listened to some as well. It is a dry hostel but Aussies will find a way. The hostel have tried to give the placve the Christmas feel.

No bike until after Christmas. Christmas in Santa Monica.

NO THE BIKE WILL NOT BE READY BEFORE CHRISTMAS.

Christmas Day in Australia. Rang the family and missing them all - not a good day to be by yourself.

Day before Christmas here so the streets are very busy.

Stuck in LA for a few days watching everyone spend up big. Santa Monica has a big, flash shopping precinct. Spend the day checking out the book stores.

Another big walk along the coast.

Customs delay!!!!!!

Contacted Marty and she is friendly and sounds positive but no news on the bike being cleared by customs. She promised to contact customs throughout the day and check. There was a reminder, from her, that there is only two days before Christmas and customs are very busy.

If only the bike had arrived on the 12th December as arranged. Think good things. Think good things. Think good things.

Will seek out BMW motorcycle shop today and source a couple of bolts I need to secure the top box. Waiting for that call.

Cold and wet so probably a good day for laundry and a bit of reading.

Contact made with shipping agent - delay!!!!!!

Contacted Marty from MMI Logistics. The ship has arrived overnight. Supposed to be here on 12th December on the Cap Spencer BUT somehow the bike is on the ship Chiwli?????? and it arrived now??????

Marty sent me all the customs forms to be signed. Did that and returned them. Had to find a FedEx Kinko's store to send them off - that is a whole other story.


Still not sure whether I will receive my bike before Christmas but Marty was upbeat and said that there is an 60/40 chance in my favour. Hope she is right I want to get on the road.


Might spend the day waiting for Marty to ring me with news on the bike. Might also send for a car to show me around Hollywood - if only.


Did Hollywood, Disneyland and Universal Studios with the kids so not real interested in doing that again. Might hang out with George Clooney and the boys - once again if only.

Update -
George spending Xmas at his little place on Lake Como, Italy, so had to content myself by taking a bus to Malibu and Zuma Beach where Baywatch filmed.

Huge and beautiful big homes up in the hills. The bus went through some of the residential areas - very nice and beyond the average man's budget.

The only other people on the bus were Hispanic workers, domestic and labouring types probably servicing the big homes. Friendly, laughing and happy group.

No call from Marty regarding the bike - come on Marty I want ot get moving.

Venice Beach

Beautiful weather with the sun out. Decided to walk to Venice beach. All the beautiful people were out roller blading, biking, jogging and strolling down the walkway that goes for miles. Some might say that Venice Beach is interesting, alive, colourful and edgey but I found it to be sleazy, dirty and disappointing.

Hollywood and Beverly Hills sight seeing

Up early again and got stuck into the free breakfast. I was reserved compared to some of the young ones. Don't know if that was going to be there only meal for the day but they got stuck in.

Took the bus to 'downtown' LA. The bus went via West Hollywood, Beverly Hills and down the Sunset Boulevard. The later being very run down and dirty.

Union Station very nice and the foyer area large. Taking the Metro rail to Long Beach (where my bike comes in). Not a problem finding the right train and only one change at Metro Central.

That is where the 'nice' or even 'safe' finishes. The movies often make mention of 'South Central LA' well I was going through the center of that area. Very poor and low quality housing. Didn't take any photos didn't want to stand out any more than I already was.

I was the only white person on the train. No threats were made by anyone but the young guys all looked like the typical 'gang bangers' types. One big, and I mean big, black guy sat beside me and had a conversation that went like this -

Q "Where you from?" A "Australia" Q "Australians rich, right?" A "Some are but not me" Q What you doing here?" A "Travelling - having a look around" Q "Never been - either got to be a bum or rich to travel right".

Conversation came to an end when two LA Sheriffs (Fare Enforcement) came into the carriage. The men including my inquisitor (my friends) got off the train.

An hour later I was in Long Beach. The transit mall and downtown was dirty and crowded. The foreshore is very clean and safe. Heaps of tourists off the cruise ships and flash hotels. Queen Mary dwarfed by some of the other ships.

Went to the wharf where my bike is being off loaded but the area is just to big. No chance of getting up close to the ship carrying my bike - not sure if it has berthed yet or not anyway.

Made it back to the hostel in one piece. The bike has to be picked up from Compton which is the epicenter of gangland LA. Better start enjoying rapping and find a better hiding place for my money.

Santa Monica - Moved into hostel

Up early and walked back to the LAX bus terminal. Found the right bus to take me to Santa Monica where I booked into a hostel. The hostel costs $25 a night v's $100 a night at the hotel but the downside is that I have to share the room with five other guys.

My first begger approached me. Called 'panhandlers' by the locals. A young black American who said he was a student/actor and left home without his wallet - just wanted a couple of bucks. Apologised and moved on. Many more to come.

Got on the slow, slow bus to Santa Monica at a cost of 75 cents. An hour later I arrived at Fourth Street and the hostel is in Second Street. A two block walk. Pleasant surprise but the place is quite flash or at least better than I expected. Friendly young bloke booked me in and gave me a swipe card.

My room mates were all sitting around the room. Yoshi from Osaka (early twenties, pleasant, polite but somewhat overwhelmed young Japanese), Alex from England ( 30+, very well travelled and been on the road for over a year and heading towards Mexico), ? (30+ Canadian who was a bit anti-social but talked about himself enough to learn that he had just arrived from Asia where he had been for the past six months), Cameron (early twenties, Australian, splashing money around, paid $75 for taxi to the hostel when the rest took the bus), Rick (late twenties, another Australian, waiting for his three mates to arrive from Australia).

Needed a feed and a look around. Streets of Santa Monica clean, tidy and safe. The hostel one block away from the beach and pier. Great location for anyone considering travelling to Los Angeles.

Wandered down to the beach and there were hundreds of 'bag people' (panhandlers) enjoying the sunshine.

Day One - Los Angeles, California

Woke up to heavy rain and snow!!!!!!! Yes snow in southern California??????

Turned the television on and sure enough there was snow in the hills surrounding Los Angeles. Glad I didn't go to Ohio as originally planned becuase it was 15 degrees below there.

Put what warm clothes on that I had and braved the weather. Walked to Westchester shopping precinct for a feed. A 'Ihop' fast food restaurant was open and doing great business. I was the only white man in the place the rest being Hispanic or black American. Well sorry Mr 'Ihop' but the food was shit. The area is very run down and half the shops empty.

Back in my room in the warmth - another sleep -well it is the middle of the night back home and I am catching up.

Sleep interupted by the porter telling me I had received a parcel and he was bringing it up. (A chance for another tip I guess) He arrived with a huge carton from Adam Emswiler in Ohio. It contained my top box, tent and other items. The porter pointed out that the box weighed at least sixty pounds and was "...ver heavy...". To his disappointment I gave him a $1.00 (Well if I get that look for $5.00 I may as well get it for $1.00)

Went to Sizzlers for evening meal - sorry but again it was shit.

Saying my goodbyes

Busy social week spent in Melbourne saying goodbye to friends and family. Great that everyone was able to get time off work and have a meal and a few drinks with us.

Adam took a week off work and it was great to have him around for most of the time. Watched him sky dive. Not something I would do but he seemed impressed and was making enquiry but training for a solo jump. My mother was there as well and she tried to talk him out of it.

Used the Police Association apartment in Dorcas Street, South Melbourne. Great view out of the loungeroom windows of Melbourne central business district (downtown).

Shirley I will see next mid-February (which is long enough) but maybe a couple of months longer for Adam, Jason and Gabrielle. Miss you all already - love Dad.

Departure Day

Family saw me off from Tullermarine. Air Pacific was the service I selected to get to LAX. I thought that breaking the trip by a short stop an Nadi, Fiji would be a good idea and less tiring. Still jetlagged when I arrived. The next time a flight right through will be the go.

How is this for fate. The second leg of the trip (Nadi to LAX) I sat next to two Australians who immigrated from Central America. Carlos and Gabrielle. Carlos was born in El Salvadore and Gabrielle in Venezuella. They were interesting to speak to and gave me plenty of advise. They were going to spend a month in Venezuella travelling by bus. Carlos asked me to be very careful as he thought travelling alone in Central America is very dangerous.

Arrived LAX only to find the Homeland Security computer had broken down. Huge numbers waiting for clearance. Someone eventually gave the instruction to go back to the manual system. The customs officer asked why I had no ticket to leave the country and what my intentions were. Told him I intended to leave USA at El Paso and enter Mexico on a motorbike. He said, "Don't go it's dangerous." Asked if he had ever been and he said that he hadn't but he watches the news.

The sun was out so I decided to walk the 1.5 kilometres to the hotel. Couldn't find a pedestrian walkway out of the airport. Asked police and volunteer helpers. No one knew and they thought it strange that someone would want to walk when free shuttle busses were available.

My first experience of tipping, this trip, the porter at hotel wanted a tip eventough I carried my own bags into the hotel but he picked them up and carried them to the lift. Gave him the smallest note I had $5.00 and he looked at me as if I was tightarse. Thats Australians for you.

Got myself a meal (more tipping) and went to bed. I arrived before I left due to the time zones.

Counting the sleeps

Had my work Christmas function, that also doubled as my retirement party, last night. Got home at a reasonable time but it was a very good night. Nick (my boss), Brian (President of Police Association) and Ian (social club) told some terrible lies but they and all the others in attendance gave me a yet another wonderful memory to treasure. Must admit to missing the boys and girls at work.

No going back to work now that I have got the gifts and handshakes.

Starting to cross off the few remaining things left undone on my checklist. Visited the doctor and got all the shots, pills and potions. Have to start on the Malaria tablets a week before going into southern Mexico.

Spend the next week with friends and family. There are a few people I would like to catch up with before I go - might be a while till I see them again.

Probably will not make another post until I get to LAX.