Scenic Beginning

Picture-heavy first post from the other side of the world.
 

I have arrived in California. The 26th came around and with great difficulty I got packed. How do you know what to wear for the next 6-8 months?!

I flew Norwegian directly to LAX. I saw Fantastic Mr. Fox and Song of the Sea (FINALLY). Song of the Sea really should have won that Oscar - it was breathtaking.

The planes are brand new and the windows had sunglasses instead of blinds! So you could set 6 different light settings... This is the future.

 Credits: Michael Studinger, NASA’s Operation IceBridg and http://amongstlovelythings.com/ and google maps.

It was wonderful flying over Greenland and Canada. I have never flown over ice like that. In the beginning when I saw the mass of white below I thought it was clouds - but then cracks in the ice started appearing. 

When we passed over Rocky Mountains something in me clicked. It kind of dawned on me what I was doing. It really is crazy. Adventurous and fantastic, yes, but massively mind-boggling as well. Something in me panicked for like half an hour. But it's going to be great. I am looking forward to this experience.

At LAX we (other Dane and myself) queued for an enternity going through customs. But I finally got out of the terminal and A was there waiting for me. We then drove to their home. It was so great getting picked up and not having to worry about being alone.
We drove past the Encounter and once again something clicked in me - this time because of LA recognition.

I failed miserably at trying to stay awake and ended up awakening at 6 in the morning. Did give me a nice view of the golden light going through the mountains and orange trees.
My hosts actually like the liquorice I brought them! The kids even more. So that was a Danish success.

 

 I got a pretty good telephone subscription. Normally it's not odd to pay around 50 bucks but mine is only 30 a month - and it includes unlimited everything, even international texting.

A took me for a drive around LA. Through Burbank and all the studios to Hollywood. It was pretty surreal seeing everything with my own eyes...

 Star Wars is playing at all the Hollywood theatres which apparently never happens. It is a major cinematic event so it makes sense. Breaking all records and all.

I saw the Hollywood sign in glimpses. And we drove down town (which is the only place with skyscraper type buildings in LA), through Beverly Hills (I immediately though of Totally Spies) and then round to campus. UCLA is bloody huge.

We took the scenic ride home. Along the coast and then through the pretty mountains.

 And yesterday we went to look at apartments. One of the girls ended up not being able to come and give me a showing but it was fine. My first priority was able to show me around and the apartment was even nicer than I had initially thought. So I committed to that and she even gave me her keys. It was so nice getting that under control - now I can relax more.