We left Ventura our last stop on the Pacific Coast Highway before we get to Los Angeles after filling ourselves up and our bags on a free and full breakfast, we raced (obeying the speed limits) along the interstate to drop our bags off at the USA hostal bang in the centre of Hollywood and drop Sheila Number 2 off at LAX.

We left dropping the car off to Mike and Kev leaving them a couple of hours to return the car whilst we explored in and around the hostel. Before we left hostel Kev came racing back into our the room completely out of breath, almost collapsing with exhaustion to say the car wouldn’t start and the key was stuck in the ignition in a petrol station and we needed to call Avis to let them know. As I got downstairs to make the call Mike came racing in saying the car was working and the reason it wouldn’t start was because the gear shift wasn’t in Park (rookie mistake). They rushed off once again to give back the car, returning later to let us know the little detour had made them 8 minutes late and cost us $60 for another hour.

Another expense added to the PCH, another lesson learnt we started to explore Hollywood! beginning with Hollywood walk of fame towards the Hollywood & Highland Center home to the Kodak theatre where the Oscars are held and one of the places you can see the Hollywood sign from (albeit not the best view, see below), then further along to the Grauman’s Chinese Theatre to compare our hand and footprints with some of the famous names of hollywood past and present.

After enjoying a relaxing strole we were given tickets to a free movie screening at the Mann Chinese 6 Theatre. Although we wasn’t told what it was, we began thinking that maybe we would be part of the audience to a unreleased film and we might influence what scenes are chopped in this good or bad film. We took a gamble and started to get in the queue about 2 hours before the film started to ensure we got a place. We were in luck, it was Ghost Town, Ricky Gervais’ first showing on the big screen. It didn’t disappoint with Gervais being his usual entertaining self and with a more serious tone halfway through. After we watched the film and got money off vouchers to a future film we established we were Guinea Pigs for the adverts before the films rather than the film itself, slightly disappointed with didn’t get to leave our creative flare on the flim but an expected outcome given the film was already available to watch in the cinema.

In the evening we arrived late to the open mic night held in the bar inside the hostel to enjoy some free entertainment and cheap beer, where all the up and coming stars perform.

The following day we decided to head out to Universal Studios where we enjoyed a day of fun after initially waiting in the ticket queue  for what seemed like forever. Though it was definitely worth the wait to get to go on the rides inside, a few we had a go on were:

- The Simpsons Ride, is a simulator that replaced the Back to the Future ride. Before we did it there were reservations it was going to be like the 3D simulator you might get at a fairground. Far from it! It was an  action packed 10-20 minutes that did an excellent job of giving the impression you were on a real rollercoaster with more, it wasn’t surprising this was the ride we had to wait the longest for.

- Waterworld, the most popular show at the park and after seeing it I can see why. From the moment we sat down the actors were there entertaining the audience and really making those people who had sat in the “wet” seats regret that decision. The show was pretty spectacular too with lots of fire effects and a surprising arrival halfway through (I won’t say what because it would spoil the surprise).

- The Universal Studio Tour, gave a nice exposure to some of the sets including Desperate Housewives and Jaws though a little too staged for my liking. The behind the scenes tour would have been more impression but that gives us something to come back for

- Revenge of the Mummy, this ride imursed you in total darkness and put you in a really fast rollercoaster that could go backwards and forwards allowing for some nasty surprises and an interesting ride picture, sorry that one’s not in the gallery!

After arriving back we arrived in time to endure enjoy the free comedy night by the hostel, it was a tough crowd for the comedians - there weren’t many laughs in the house but it was a nice end to the day and allowed to relax with one or two beers.

We couldn’t come to LA without experiencing ‘Muscle Beach’ first hand, so on Jingkei’s final day we headed off to the beach. The gym section wasn’t quite what we were expecting since it was all enclosed and a fair distance away from the sandy beach, plus we must have picked the wrong time of the day/week because it was empty. Further along there was a gymnastic area where there were a few people (including Kev and John who couldn’t resist having a go).

We spent the remainder of the morning sitting around on the beach followed by a walk from Venice Beach to Santa Monica beach in seach of a place to stop for lunch, after which we continued with the tanning process - which was still enough time for Jingkei to get burnt whilst trying and get rid of those T-Shirt tan lines before he headed home from his stint with the Goonies On Tour.

As it was Jingkei’s last day we splashed out on a nasty equivalent of KFC to wish Jingkei bon voyage and once we had waved him off we mourned the loss of our temporary goonie with lots of beer and free shots from the bar staff.

On our final day in LA with spent our time exploring more of the area, heading in the general direction of the RockWalk on the Sunset Strip where you can find more hand and foot prints only this time of famous Rock Stars and Guitar Heros as well as  a shop with some very expensive electric and acoustic guitars. Kev and John looked longingly at some of the ones on show, possibly wishing they could bring one along for the rest of the trip, personally I think I’d prefer my iPod. We ended our final day with a strole back along the Hollywood Boulevard though the very posh looking neighbourhoods all with private security protecting the houses, with streets lined with palm trees and the gardener trimming the hedges continuing onto where the Walk of Fame begins.

On to Miami the last leg of our North America trip.