It was time to be moving on, no day of rest for us but our next flight wasn't until ten to midnight so we had a whole day to fill. Before leaving home I had looked at the "things to do in LA" website and wasn't very inspired. My last visit to LA was with all the family in 2000 and we had all felt like LA was rather dirty, scary, intimidating and not somewhere we wanted to be so revisiting wasn't really because we really had to get back there, it just happened to fit into the itinerary so when in LA, do Disney or Universal Studios - what else is there? I looked at the Universal Studios website before leaving home and noticed a "VIP Experience"! Oooh, I thought, that might be good and my other half isn't with me so I might get away with that! When I mentioned it to Becky, she reverted to her 10 year old self and got very excited - "yes, that's a good idea, I think we should". "Oh, ok then!"
Because the taxi fares so far had been quite high, we asked at reception about getting a bus to Universal. The nice english lady had told us which bus to get and that it would be two buses and only $1.50 each for each bus - bargain - but we would need to catch the 8 o'clock bus! Not such a good idea as the tickets I'd booked the day before were for 11 o'clock! During one of my awake spells in the night, I had laid there thinking it might be easier to get a taxi after all, giving us time for breakfast and a more leisurely packing up ready to get to the airport later. So after being rudely awakened by next door, I ran this idea past Becky and also, what's the point in doing a VIP Experience and turning up by bus - well, it just shouldn't be done!
We got packed up ready for another long flight, went to IHOP for breakfast, and then left our bags with the hotel and checked out after asking them to order us a taxi. All good so far! Then the taxi arrived and when we asked to go to Universal Studios, he didn't seem keen - what's the matter with these drivers? Then we noticed he was still wearing the dinner shirt that he was obviously wearing when he went out last night to do his other job, whatever that might be (I'm thinking hit man but I keep quiet!)??? As we drove through a very busy LA, having thought the rush hour would be over by now, we noticed the driver had a really bad sniff - I'm guessing he had a cold coming!! Becky thought he liked Coke or Pepsi or something! Eventually we got there and it was only $60, good job I left John at home I thought!
The sun is shining, we're in Universal Studios LA and we're VIP's for the day - cooool! I'm impressed even if no one else is! So we make our way through, get a picture taken with Marilyn Monroe, thank you very much, and go sign in for the VIP experience. Shown to the VIP Lounge, we realise what a mistake we made by having breakfast at the IHOP as there's a delicious selection is pastries, muffins, fruit and cold drinks as well as coffee and tea. Damn!
Not only all that food, but free wifi too. Look family at home, see where we are and what you're missing!
So the Tour started at 11 and the group we were with had a couple of the usual weirdos that we manage to attract but we tried to keep away from them and overall we did better than usual today! The great thing about the tour was that we didn't have to keep checking the map and see where we wanted to go next, we were led from ride to ride and taken to the front of the queue by our guide, met when we came off and taken to the next one. Brilliant! After a few very exciting rides, including the Simpsons and new Transformers ride, (I know I'm too old to be excited by all this but, I'm sorry, I was, and I remembered how much I love it!) we were taken to a Parisian restaurant for the most beautiful buffet lunch and desserts, which we couldn't really do justice to but it was yummy. So yummy in fact that we just dived in and only realised too late that we didn't take a photo for you! Sorry! Try imagining a beautiful buffet and it was better than that ok?
After lunch, we had the Studio Tour which took us to film lots not usually seen on the normal Tour and after that a couple more rides before the park closed. We were taken to the House of Horrors which we haven't done before and I expected it to be like the Disney ride where you go through a scary bit, then get a ride, but no, we walked through black corridors with dangling threads in our faces. It all seemed a bit tame to start until verrry scary ghostly film characters came out of the darkness at us and came so close without quite touching us that we were soon clutching each other and screaming at everything, even the man walking through in front of us! We walked through with hands out in front of us to fend off the scary creatures, which didn't really work, and were very relieved to get to the end, me still alive and not having had a heart attack, and Becky still having a voice because she'd screamed so much. It was good but I don't think I want to do it again!
Park closing time and we head for Guest Relations to see how to get that bus home. It should have triggered that alarm that we don't seem to have yet when it took the girl about 20 minutes of looking at her computer screen with a frown on her face before finally writing down what we needed to do - it all seemed fairly straightforward - what could go wrong? We got the shuttle bus to the bottom of the hill, didn't have to wait too long and all seemed to be working out well! Got off at the bottom of the hill and could see no sign for the underground - o-oh! I asked someone and she said that's where everyone's heading so we followed the crowd and we got to the station, got tickets and the train arrived. This is easy! The train was going the right way, we needed to get off at Santa Monica / Vermont and it was on the right line and yes, the train stopped there and we got off, easy! Now we're on Santa Monica Boulevard, that's where we wanted to go so we've done it, we just need to get the 704 which we'd seen pass the hotel regularly and how hard could that be? We emerged onto a very busy junction and looked at a bus stop with no idea what we were looking at! Fortunately, a normal and quite nice looking young man asked where we were trying to get to, checked his phone app and told us we were right and did need to be on the other side of the road BUT the next 704 wasn't due for half an hour, but it may be wrong he said! That's ok, we've got plenty of time before our flight and we're on Santa Monica Boulevard.
We stand and wait and several no 4 buses come and go, picking up all the strange people that keep gathering. When I say strange, you think how strange can they be? Let me tell you, you ain't seen nothing 'til you've waited at one of these bus stops! We thought the bus to Vegas was bad but really? After about half an hour, as the very nice man had predicted, the bus arrived and we fought with the crowd to get on and Becky, the only one of us with any money, tried to pay with a $20 note. We'd been told they give change but the young female black driver (it was dark and she was black, all we could see of her were ten blue well manicured fingernails dancing around, like one of those blacked out puppet shows!) remonstrated about no change, and pushed us away from the machine. "We asked, and they said you would and they didn't tell us and we checked and the man in the shop told us we couldn't get tickets from him and we had to buy from the bus and and and". The poor woman waved us through the bus wondering what these two strange foreigners were jabbering about I think! Phew, at least we're on the bus, but we haven't paid, but its only $3, but still we feel that good old British guilt! I say to Becky in a hushed tone "do you think we'll know when to get off?" "we'll get off after 21st 'cos the hotels on 20th mum!" (Of course, silly me, but it is dark out there!!). We sat quietly looking at the bright lights along the street, oh there's 3553 and our hotel is 1920 - not far to go! O-oh, there's 3793, - um the numbers are going up not down??? We sneaked a look at each other, nothing was said! We could just feel each others panic, but it was the right bus, wasn't it? We were going the right way, weren't we?
After ten minutes or so, and a few drops and pick ups, the numbers were heading for 9757 - maybe they go back down after 10,000, that'll be it! No, 11357, bright lights, Hollywood, signs for the Walk of Fame, nice bright lights and dingy, seedy areas, we were seeing it all. The tramp that got on and sat next to me, shuffling with his sleep mat under him, was a bit scary and I didn't want to catch anything and couldn't move any further up the seat, so I kept quiet when he stepped on my toe whilst fidgeting around but fortunately he soon got off, then Steve got on in his wheelchair with his friend. A lady friend of his (they all know each other apparently) got on at the next stop and they discussed his nice new trainers passed on from his brother, who sounds like he's done alright for himself and doesn't have to catch these buses (bad luck Steve!), and compared notes on their friends. Me and Becky took sneaky looks at each other "help!" They soon got off again! The bus seemed to take a slight turn and I panicked - are we still on Santa Monica Boulevard? Oh, there's a road sign, yes we are! How long is this bloody road, it's like a built up version of the M1! At least the American system of numbering blocks and hanging road names at each junction kept us slightly informed on it all but we were up to 15379 and still going. "HELP!" We've got a plane to catch! We asked the quiet lady next to us if the bus really was going to Santa Monica - she just nodded! Oh. My. God! Will we ever get there? I think we were both near to tears when suddenly, the house numbers changed to 3567 and started going down instead of up. The area started to look a bit nicer again and then we saw it - 26th then 25th - YES, we're nearly there after about 15 miles and at least an hour! Thank God! NEVER AGAIN! Taxi to the airport, get me outta this damn country ...
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