So I got in to LA yesterday afternoon and checked into the hotel around 5. It's a faux colonial spanish embassy suites but they have free drinks and breakfast :) I called Ryan and we agreed to meet for dinner, ad hoc, and I called abigail, aby and molly told them where and when to meet, and they said they'd be there, though they never showed up. hmm. Perhaps it has something to do with the fact that they were planning on visiting me, as they could see my hotel from their's; I realized only later that their hotel was on the opposite side of LAX and they were looking at the wrong embassy suites. So I hopped a taxi to Manhattan Beach trying to catch the sunset, which unfortunately set right as I got there, poor planning on my part, and the stupid taxi driver who wouldn't let me out when I wanted to get out. Still got some good color in the sky so it wasn't an altogether failure.

I realized first hand that LA REALLY ISN'T like Chicago. I thought I'd be cool and walk back from the beach to the restaurant. Got to the street and had flashbacks to far western suburbs in chicago whose streets run from the lakefront out for miles. Hailed a taxi and several miles later arrived at the dinner spot. Yeah not a walking town. But I had fun strolling along the beach. I met two guys on my trip, B.J. from connecticut and Ryan from Minnesota. Pretty cool.

Now I'm gearing up for the 16hr flight, I'm trying to consolidate my pack so I can use the actual backpack straps instead of the woefully inadequate single shoulder strap on the protective bag it goes inside for carrying around the airport. This thing is gienormous, a little over 70lbs. Which is more than half my body weight.