17/9/2011 - "Jumped off the plane at LAX...

with a dream and my cardigan." 


+5 points if you know what song that is. Then -10 for knowing it.

I did indeed jump off the plane at LAX, about 5 hours ago. I didn't have a cardigan, but I did have a hoodie.

My last couple of days in Houston were good.

Thursday day time I went into school with Nancy. Greentree Middle School is such a nice little school. I say little, it was pretty big actually. I spent the morning in Nancy's class, just watching and talking a bit about me, then I went to specials with them, which was IT. It consisted of a film about internet safety, and was actually a bit much for 8 year olds I thought, but oh well. After this I went into 2nd grade, Miss Spencer's class, and played some maths games with the kids in there. It was getting near lunchtime by then, and Nancy wanted me to eat lunch with her. So I followed her lead into the cafeteria and we both ate our packed lunches. We went outside to recess after this, and soon had a crowd going - "Nancy, is she your cousin or something?" - but all the kids were sweet. Except one. No, that's mean, I can't say she wasn't a nice kid, but when I mentioned that I didn't have a religion (big mistake, should have just said I was Christian), she proceeded to tell me "Well y'know... if you don't love God, he hates you.", excellent. But she was 8, it was hardly going to be her full opinion. After lunch, Nancy's class had a substitue teacher, so I spent the afternoon in 2nd grade music, where I got to play the piano, and 1st grade art, which was crazy! Everyone at the school was super nice, it was really good to do something different.

Last night, Marie and I went to the Kingwood High School football game.
It was an away game, and we got a little lost getting there, but when we did the stadium was unbelievable! It was the first time Ellie was marching in her full uniform, and they all looked really good. The marching was good too, although Ellie said it was really bad, it wasn't obvious to me at all. It was North Shore's homecoming game, so they paraded their homecoming king and queen nominees at halftime, then announced who had got it. All this homecoming stuff confuses me a little, but after some help from Google, we found it was to welcome alumni back to the school. The football was again not really the reason we went, but it didn't seem like Kingwood were doing too badly, really. This prediction is made with my very limited knowledge of football albeit. Done my final packing last night.

Up at 6am this morning, lucky I'd packed the night before really. My last cup of real tea, probably until Christmas, and we were out the door. Marie took me to the airport, and it was still dark when we left, but not by the time we got there. Very glad I had done online check-in... there were 50 odd people in the check-in line, but only 5 in the online check-in baggage drop. Got through check-in and proceeded to security, where everyone was having to go through the full body scanners, like the one's that caused a controversy at Heathrow last year, maybe this year? So basically, a TSA agent saw me naked, and then winked at me as I left, cheeky git! Probably a case for harassment there somewhere but whatevs.

Found my flight, sat down, panicked because my boarding pass said I was at the wrong gate, relaxed because I found that I was looking at the wrong boarding pass. Boarded and found myself on the smallest plane in the world. Okay probably an exaggeration but still... it was cosy to say the least. Volunteered to swap seats so that a husband and wife could sit together, and was rewarded with free snacks from the air hostess. Some pringles and granola later, I was sitting between two guys who were nice enough and we talked about my trip, and one of the men, probably in his late 30s, was telling me how when he was travelling in Cambodia, he got a lift with some people in their pick up truck. They got to a bridge that had been washed out and they just left him there! Lesson: Don't get lifts in pick-up trucks. Saw my backpack get unloaded and they said they were impressed with how little I'd packed.. still felt pretty heavy to me.

Got off for my transfer at Phoenix and headed across the airport to terminal A, which I'd been told I was departing from. This was wrong, so I then had to run all the way back to terminal B. I know, they're only one letter apart, but in airports this doesn't mean they'll be close. Got onto my second flight and was pleased to find that it was a lot roomier. Got some really good pictures of the Arizona desert since there was absolutely no cloud.

Landed in LA, still not too excited. Made my way over to the next terminal which was the pick-up point for my hostel. Sat myself in Starbucks and tried for an internet connection so I could call the hostel and let them know I was there. Pick-up wasn't until 2pm... couple of hours away. I really got messed up on time today, because I was in Central time in Texas, then Mountain time in Arizona, now Pacific time in Cali. But in Arizona, I was put back by.. 2 hours I believe, so it was as if I hadn't flown at all, but then when we got to Cali I jumped forward some hours again.. weird. I couldn't find any internet, so spent a good amount of time trying to convince the Starbucks people to change my dollar for quarters so I could use the pay phone. Dialed the wrong number twice and lost my quarters, then found out the phone took credit cards! Finally got through and had to call another number, which I then forgot halfway through and had to call back. All in all a calamity. But I got here, I'm here.

Anyhow, this hostel is real nice. It's massive though! Went and made my bed after being shown around, pretty sure I woke up the guy on the bunk under me, but it was 5pm for heaven's sake, that's his problem. I think something's been lost/stolen from my backpack... it was jam packed when I done it up this morning, it was a struggle to shut the zip. However, when I picked it up after sitting in Starbucks, it was open a little and a lot easier to do up. I haven't investigated yet, since it won't be anything important... I'm not silly enough to put those things at the tp of my bag. At worst the thief would have a shirt of mine... probably a dirty one. It's a little annoying if that has happened though. Another explanation may be that things moved around so much on the flights that more space was somehow created as things got squashed... we'll see soon enough, I'll look in a bit. Tonight there's a $5 dinner here at the hostel, so I'll probably have that, then chill here tonight. I'm tired from travelling so I'm not going to venture out. Tomorrow though, Venice Beach is mine!