Goodbye Spike, Hello LA.

Well, despite being the kind of person who doesn't want to be self indulgent by having their own "blog," I thought I would give this a shot after a few people expressed interest in following my travels (so what if most of those peeps are imaginary?)

Yesterday, I said good by to my dear companion Spike (a 19 lbs. furry cat for those of you not in the know) for 170 days in order to take a six month break from real life and go on a worldly adventure. It was a difficult goodbye.

But alas, the adventure has begun. Yesterday I left and flew TO to LA, not without first being accosted in US customs for what they called "Agricultural Contraband" ie: a banana I bought at the airport to eat on the Air Canada flight where food is only for purchase by major credit card only. I was also reprimanded by a rather rude flight attendant who informed me that I was not to use the lavatory in First Class. I suppose my disgusting self walking through the curtained area is a real bother to those eating freshly baked chocolate chip cookies with real silverware.

Now, I'm in Long Beach staying with my friend Miranda and wearing flip flops-such a difference from snowy cold Ottawa. It was 23 degrees today and Miranda and I went to a private beach in a gated community in Laguna Beach. Miranda nanny's for a rich family that lives there on the weekends, so the security guard gave us the go ahead. The beach was amazing. I was in weather shock.

We stopped by the house where she nannys and they had astro-terf in their backyard. Normal?

I also learned today that Laguna Beach is very "art" centred. They have many galleries and it is the location of "The Pageant of the Masters," where, for those of you who don't know, they re-create artistic masterpieces with people. This has best been illustrated by Tobias, George Sr. and George Michael of Arrested Development. 

Tomorrow night I head to Auckland, New Zealand which should be a real adventure and the first long leg of my trip. (Then Melbourne, Kuala Lampar, Bangkok, Delhi, Mumbai, Nairobi, Cairo, Istanbul, London, Reykjavic, with some other stops along the way).