Eight long hours of travel to Los Angeles

October 20, 2017 Friday

When I mentioned to Geoffrey, a 23 year old boy from China who currently lives in Las Vegas, that I am flying to Los Angeles, he told me to just take the bus. He said the tourist bus leaves from Chinatown every 12 noon and ticket is only $40. He said it would only take me 4 hours to reach my destination compared to 6 hours if I fly. I told him I already have a Virgin America ticket.

Geoffrey was right. I should have taken the bus instead.
It took me a solid eight hours travel time from Vegas to my hotel in Anaheim, California.

I headed to the airport at 1 pm for my 2:47 flight to LAX. Ron volunteered to give me a free ride. The good thing about this place is lahat malapit lang. Ron had errands near McCarran International Airport so it was not a big bother to swing by the airport to drop me off.

He was buying food for his two Mexican assistants so we grabbed lunch na rin.
Instead of hamburger buns, I ordered lettuce.

I like her attire. I will buy something like that. Hindi kaya lumaylay ang mga bilbil ko sa tagiliran? Tila pang-teen-ager lang yan.

I’ve noticed there are more street beggars lately. All white, no Asians.

Maybe because Las Vegas is enjoying perfect weather lately. Perfect for outdoor sports or activity like begging for alms. Ron said he doesn’t give to this people because he thinks they are lazy. Parang kawawa rin.
Ron—-“Annnnn wag mong bigyan!”
A——“Kinukuha ko lang sunglasses ko”.

Reached the airport in 10 minutes from In N Out.

My flight was at 2:47 but when I checked in, the plane hasn’t arrived yet.
This is me and my sexy back standing at gate E12 waiting for boarding.

We finally took off at 4:15 pm. It was bumpy during the first 15 minutes then smooth flying after that.
My favorite seat, Main Cabin Select 3C.

It was only a short 45 minute flight from Las Vegas to LA. We landed in LAX at 5 pm.
Loyal Louis Vuitton customer.

I’ve been to Los Angeles many times in a span of 30 years but still I am not so familiar with their big airport.

The other passengers were looking at me while I was taking pictures of this mosaic wall. They were probably wondering what’s with this wall. Aba, it’s nice. The colors are soothing.

It was a long walk from the gate to the baggage claim carousel number 2.

My lock is destroyed.

Hay naku, sira na. This luggage is very expensive pa naman, $39.99 + tax. I was hoping it would last for a year. Parang hindi umabot.

I dragged my luggage to where Uber and Lyft pick up their passengers.

By 6:00 pm, I was still waiting for Uber or Lyft.

But Uber was no where to be found around LAX.

More vehicles that were coming and going were marked Lyft. I tried uploading their App but I didn’t know my phone’s password! Password na naman.

When the sky was already getting dark, I decided to take the Super Shuttle. For $17 the van would take me to the hotel in Buenapark. Not bad. It was a half hour wait before I boarded the van going to Anaheim.

There were vans with only one passenger on board.

Traffic was bad along the freeway and it was aggravated by the fact that the driver had to go farther away to drop off one single passenger.
After more than an hour of sitting in the traffic, I got disoriented, I thought I was in EDSA.

I was the last passenger the van dropped off. Two hours, by the time I got at LAX till I stepped out of the van. Whew, ang tagal! Nirayuma na ako.

Checking in at the Holiday Inn in BuenaPark was a breeze because my sister already pre-paid for the room. It only took the guy three minutes to give me the keys.

I got to room 303 at exactly 9 pm. That was an eight hours pilgrimage. Buti pa sa Budapest na lang ako pumunta.

I was dead tired when I reached my room. It felt like I took a flight from Manila to Honolulu. Imagine a 45 minute flight became an 8 hour travel.

The beds look inviting. Ahh I need to sleep.

I saw the inspection ticket when I opened my luggage.

Aha, you destroyed my lock.

Instead of feeling relaxed after I unpacked, I got so pissed when I started getting rapid text messages from my local PNB credit card charging me $215.48 for Uber rides I never took. Ang bilis nilang mag-charge but ultra slow in reversing unjustified charges.

I had to eat something before taking my medicine. I was hungry and I didn’t have any thing at all. Not even chips or bread. I went over their room service menu several times, ay wala akong magustuhan.

I ordered pasta alfredo and as soon as I opened the food taklob (ano ba tawag dun yung may butas sa gitna?), medyo kinutuban na ako na walang lasa or kulang sa lasa.

Hay nako, kulang na sa itsura, kulang pa sa lasa.