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Sleep Is For Wimps
May. 9th, 2009 02:01 pmIn a cheap hotel room near LAX. The Travel Lodge in fact.
For the record: I hate Los Angeles already. And LAX in particular.
My body clock thinks it's about 7AM. I haven't really slept for about 24 hours - could almost get comfortable in the economy class seat on the plane, but there was just enough low-level turbulence that it was hard to do more than nap fitfully. On the plus side, in the row of four seats there was only me and another guy on the other aisle. So we spread ourselves out, camped quite merrily.
I have another flight at just after 10PM tonight, so I booked this hotel room so I can have a rest and a shower. Which was a BRILLIANT IDEA after roughly sixteen hours in the air.
Customs was less onerous than I had been lead to expect. They were actually quite friendly... whilst finger printing me and taking my photo. They were a bit interested in the dried cranberries I'd brought with me as a snack, but that was about it.
Gave up waiting for the shuttle bus to this hotel after waiting at least forty minutes. Of course I book the one hotel here which isn't on the regular shuttle bus route - a little blue bus pops into LAX every five minutes for the larger hotels. A nice bloke in a taxi brought me here, and I tipped him because damn it I was sick of airports!
And just to solidify the American experience I have already a) been to a Denny's b) watched some of "American Gladiators" c) been pan-handled by a seemingly helpful charity worker at the airport. Apparently I do look like a sucker! Note to self: avoid talking to people at airports who don't work for a freakin' airline!
This hotel reminds me of a place I stayed in in Echua once. Damn, I really am doing the American thing.
Another observation: this country seems to be full of Americans......
For the record: I hate Los Angeles already. And LAX in particular.
My body clock thinks it's about 7AM. I haven't really slept for about 24 hours - could almost get comfortable in the economy class seat on the plane, but there was just enough low-level turbulence that it was hard to do more than nap fitfully. On the plus side, in the row of four seats there was only me and another guy on the other aisle. So we spread ourselves out, camped quite merrily.
I have another flight at just after 10PM tonight, so I booked this hotel room so I can have a rest and a shower. Which was a BRILLIANT IDEA after roughly sixteen hours in the air.
Customs was less onerous than I had been lead to expect. They were actually quite friendly... whilst finger printing me and taking my photo. They were a bit interested in the dried cranberries I'd brought with me as a snack, but that was about it.
Gave up waiting for the shuttle bus to this hotel after waiting at least forty minutes. Of course I book the one hotel here which isn't on the regular shuttle bus route - a little blue bus pops into LAX every five minutes for the larger hotels. A nice bloke in a taxi brought me here, and I tipped him because damn it I was sick of airports!
And just to solidify the American experience I have already a) been to a Denny's b) watched some of "American Gladiators" c) been pan-handled by a seemingly helpful charity worker at the airport. Apparently I do look like a sucker! Note to self: avoid talking to people at airports who don't work for a freakin' airline!
This hotel reminds me of a place I stayed in in Echua once. Damn, I really am doing the American thing.
Another observation: this country seems to be full of Americans......