Straight to L.A. New York, Vegas to Miami...etc

I have shamefully stolen a Jennifer Lopez lyrics because it fits. This post will deal with the last section of America and a brief summary. They are all cities in America I have been to, most on this trip.

First off LA. Lets make one thing clear, I did VIRTUALLY none of the tourist sites... no Hollywood Sign, no Avenue of the Stars or anything else like that. However LA was a lot more interesting/nicer than I thought it would be... but if I didn't do the tourist thing what did I do?

We were staying in Santa Monica which is a posh area next to the beach, housing a pier which is the end of the famous route 66.

Route 66

Too knackered from heavy nights in SF we crashed the first night and readied ourselves for walking to Venice (repeatedly over the next 3 days).
Venice was about a 45 minute walk from our hostel along the beach. We even ran it one morning for some rare exercise.
Venice is an alternative/hippy central stocked to the brim with street performers/art/skateboards/bums and anything else you can imagine. Despite this it is really cool. On the last day, if I had worn my skate shoes instead of my Flip flops I would have rented a deck and tried (and failed) to fit in with the skaters at the skate park.

Legal medical marijuana

Performance

Skaters

On the second to last night, I took my rum down to the beach in my camel pack to discretely drink while I watched the sun come down and the tide come in. It was exactly what I needed, a few hours alone to get my head set for the next leg, to reminisce about the trip so far, home, the future and anything else all whilst listening to some music. I also got some good snaps of the ferris wheel.

On the last night we went to a bbq at another one of Welshies friends. We ate some awesomely tasty Bratwurst and cooked some steaks. On the way back we came across a rabbit and 3 chickens just hanging out at the end of the road in LA. Quite surreal end to it all really, one more drawn out day of wandering around Venice and we said our goodbyes and I left for Panama.

America over and done with (for another year) It has been rather enjoyable, a change to solo travelling, with lots of highlights and barely any lows. I've found a new love for the whole west coast, not just California and also warmed to the East.
I've seen nearly all the 'glitzy' cities in America, lost money in Vegas, been lectured about the American victories over the British in Boston, seen Bears in Tahoe, eaten BBQ in Texas, rented a boat in Fort Lauderdale/Miami and seen some incredible natural wonders.

We even had smores... I'll finish this blog with one last photo that hopefully encompasses everything and yet nothing of what the American leg has been...

Fireworks in Chicago(used before but its that good)