We’re now in our motel room in Huntington Beach in the L.A. area. We first looked for a motel in Anaheim, but everything was all booked up since that’s where Disneyland is.

We spent 9 hours in the car yesterday. That’s a lot! Along the way, the scenery was gorgeous. I didn’t realize just how colorful the desert can get, what with its pretty clumps of yellow and purple flowers. There was a chain gang doing some type of work along the way, too.

Once we got into the L.A. area, we ate lunch in Santa Ana. Then after what seemed like an eternity, we found a great, cute, and very different motel room and the ocean’s just across the street from us!

I got postcards for Mom, Dad, Larry, Sandy, Jen, Tammy, Lisa, Becky, Sarah, Kim and Andy.

I got another 20 minutes before I can go to the little room just outside the office for coffee.

Anyway, Tom and I took a quick stroll on the beach. The water was pretty cold.

To describe our motel - it’s sort of cottage-like. Where we’re at has only one floor. We’re on the end so there’s no one on 3 sides of us, as well as below or above.

The room is unlike any other I’ve ever stayed in. There’s a small bathroom with a window in it, off of where the foot of the beds is. Also across from the beds are a table, TV, and a little closet area.

Where the bed is, is a regular door with a window next to it (these windows open). On the opposite wall is a sliding glass door with a mini patio and two chairs. There are vending machines and a pool nearby, too, but we didn’t bring our suits.

The most cottage-like feature of our room is the vaulted ceiling with wooden planks. The upper part of the wall where the slant starts is all glass.

So, the room’s been peaceful and quiet, except for Tom’s snoring. We also had a little ant trail in here, but the front desk took care of that.

I don’t know where we’re going today. Perhaps we’ll cruise through Hollywood and Beverly Hills.

It’s been cool and windy, but pleasant, sunny, and gorgeous. It’s not as humid as I thought it’d be for being right on the coast. The weather here doesn’t get as cold in the winter or as hot in the summer as Phoenix does.

Later…

If there’s anything boring about this trip, it’s that you spend 90% of it in a car. Been cooped up in the car and my legs were still and my ass sore, but now we’re back at our motel off of the Pacific Coast Highway.

After I last wrote we went to the office to mail off my postcards and to get coffee and something from the vending machine.

Then we took off for breakfast, then to Venice Beach, which is supposed to be famous.

At Venice Beach in CT, but the shore and waves were much bigger.

Later…

This, as well as last month, has been really screwy. Last month my period was a week late. Earlier I had spotting a week before my period’s due. It’s in reverse of last month.

There was no one next to us last night. There are 6 rooms on this little strip, and I think only one other room was occupied last night at the other end.

I thought I saw some freeloader pass by. Let me guess - they’ll be next to us. Not 2-3 doors down, but right next to us.

Back to Venice Beach. There was a long pier that took us several minutes to walk down. We shot some pictures there, as well as everywhere else we went. I tried to shoot stuff with the names of the cities we’d pass through, so I’d know exactly where they were taken.

The first time I was in CA I took a rock back. This time I took a shell to take back.

We cruised through some of the tourist beach shops where I got a California magnet and a Santa Monica magnet. I also got a colorful towel with palm trees that say California on it, a darker pair of sunglasses, and some sandals. Like an idiot, I didn’t take my sandals, and walking on a beach in sneakers is no fun.

I don’t know if they enforce their stereo volumes here more, or what, but we’ve been fortunate enough to not hear as many of those here.

I picked up 5 more postcards. One’s for Tammy and the girls. One’s for Larry, Sandy, and Jen. One’s for my folks. Then Kim and Andy will each get one.

Today I got tampons and liners, in case I have more than just a few spots before I get home. Also, panties, two sundresses, and mascara. I got black mascara and clear mascara, which is supposed to give you that wet look. Got a huge pink hair clip so I can clamp all of my hair in it after twisting it at the back of my head. I got some musical nail decals, too, but I ought to let my nails grow out more before I use them, so they’ll look better. Normally, I just keep my nails short cuz they fan out, have bad ridges, and look terrible.

We also checked out a computer store where he got a computer game and I got colored paper.

Anyway, California looks a lot like Phoenix, but its roads are awful. They’re old and beat up. The traffic jams are horrendous, but there sure are lots of pretty, colorful wildflowers.

Today we drove through L.A., Hollywood, Beverly Hills, and more.