It’s Monday morning, time to leave the hostel and pick up my car. After I’ve packed all my bags and done a bit of work, I take the bus to the center. A bit early I arrive at Hertz where I’m greeted enthusiastically by Melisa, the manager. We catch up for a bit and then she hands me the keys to a minivan. A Chrysler Pacifica as usual. I drive to Walmart to do the usual shopping: air mattress and sleeping bag, cooler, tent, plates, cutlery, towels and a lot more. Again I notice that prices have gone up here, even Walmart is not as cheap as it used to be. I’m thankful that the dollar is so low, that makes it all more affordable. While shopping, I video call my mom to show her how big the stores are here. It’s nice to catch up with her and dad for a moment while I’m getting the things for my roadtrip.
I throw all things in my car and drive back to Pannikin Coffee. I make a few more stops, one of them at Barnes and Noble to get a book to read. It’s already in the afternoon when I’m at Pannikin and it’s a lot quieter than the morning rush from the other day. It’s easy to find parking and I sit down at one of my usual spots at the terrace. I enjoy some reading, a cappuccino and a pastry and after two chapters decide to continue driving. I want to follow the coast to Los Angeles which takes more time than the Interstate, but the goal of today is not to get far or go fast, but to enjoy the ride. Following US Coastal Route 101 and Highway 1 leads along the small beach towns between San Diego and LA. I make a stop at Laguna Beach where I go for a walk at the beach and to dip my toes in the Pacific Ocean. It’s a nice break from the driving. When I reach LA it’s getting dark and I first make a stop at an In-N-Out Burger place. Despite everything going on in the world, they’ve managed to keep their prices the same throughout the years. You can get a good burger and fries and a drink for just 12 dollars. I’m glad I made a stop here, because I was getting quite hungry. I don’t like driving in the dark so much, but at this point there is no other choice. It’s about an hour more to Hollywood, where I stop at another Walmart for food for breakfast and to make my camper sleep ready. I make the bed in the back of the car and when it’s all set up I drive to a neighborhood in Hollywood where I’ve been parking the past few years. My usual spot in a street up in the hills is free and I park my car. It’s about 11pm now and it has been a long day, but I’m happy that the roadtrip has started and that it went all well and that I’m back in Hollywood. Tomorrow I hope to hike up to the Hollywood sign and visit the movie studios.
