On to Hollywood!

19 August 2008; 2228hrs Los Angeles, California (USA)

I’m in Hollywood! But before I begin stories about this place, I have to recant my experiences on the journey from Las Vegas to Los Angeles.

We were expecting to take a bus run by the train company Amtrax but when we arrived, the bus was simply... the infamous Greyhound! I survived! Without getting decapitated! It wasn’t as bad as I imagined it to be, but even the cab driver this morning kept stressing on the dangers of the bus and for us to be careful. Long distance bus services in the West Coast is supposedly much more dangerous than the East Coast, most probably an income issue.

But at least I survived with my head intact. The journey was spent mostly talking to the lady (60+ years old) next to me. She was from Malaysia, and moved to the US in 1963 after the racial riots situation then. 40 over years here in the United States! She has been through a lot; broken marriage, racial prejudice, cheated by con-artists, etc. But she survived mainly due to her will power to provide for her children. I’m impressed. My problems (already mostly forgotten and buried; finally come to terms) are simply a drop in the big ocean of hers. Now, her daughter has been diagnosed with a tumour in her brain. It’s not known yet if it’s benign or otherwise. I really wish her all the best.

Ok... that was my Greyhound experience.

Hollywood is not all that it seems. So far, the streets along Hollywood Boulevard cannot compare to the strip in Las Vegas. Not only is it less bright, it is a lot more dangerous! This evening (~2130 – 2230hrs) along my way back to the hostel alone, I saw (1) a huge lump of human faeces on the pavement, where the names of famous people are placed, (2) black teens shouting and honking their hones at me, (3) black guys stopping me to ask if I want in (in on what???), and (4) crazy homeless people crawling in front of me. Oh my goodness! It’s a good thing I’m back in the hostel safe and sound. My bag was also opened, unknowingly, by another. It’s a good thing my money wasn’t in that compartment. Really scary. If it weren’t for Universal Studios and Disneyland, I wouldn’t be here. Or perhaps I would have chosen a more expensive hotel?

Actually, the hostel per se, is nice. Good clean rooms, excellent toilets, pleasant interior, good service. It’s just the immediate surroundings at night leaves much to be desired.

Oh! The hostel is also directly opposite to a Gay and Lesbians Centre! It’s amazing to see such an open culture here. Compared to them, we in the Little Red Dot are freakishly conservative and intolerant of alternative lifestyles.

Ah well... I’ll finally be leaving the US soon. Another three days and I’ll be in a plane to Shanghai. Another six days and I’ll be back at home!