Back to the Mainland, and home.

My flight left Hawaii at 11:45 pm. Let me give you a tip if you fly out of Kona: Don't plan on hanging out at the airport for several hours before your flight. I had to check out of the hotel by 5 pm (the longest extension they would grant)
and thought I'd simply go to the terminal and read. The federal TSA does not like people to get to the terminal 7 hours or more before their flight, so they wouldn't let me into the terminal until 9 pm. Fortunately, there was a cafe across from the terminal building, and I spent 3 1/2 boring hours watching vehicles and people come and go. I did get to practice night shots with my camera, but I won't bore you with those here.

After entering the terminal, I discovered that all of the shops had closed for the evening save one "convenience store." Fun. I sat and read until the gate call to board the plane.

Arriving in Los Angeles at 6:45 am, I proceeded to try to collect my bag - and my $200. That took until 10:30 because the luggage had to clear American customs - which meant the bag had to be opened and inspected yet again. I then had a marvelous experience with the shuttle into Santa Monica - it was cheap! Only $11! I couldn't believe it!

I stayed at a hostel 3 blocks from the beach - which to say 3 blocks from the cliff above the beach. This hostel is a converted hotel with very good security, and over 200 rooms. Interestingly, it was the first hostel I encountered that limited a stay to 2 weeks, cumulative, in a calendar year. After asking about this, it's to prevent homeless people from securing a room there.

Third Street is famous as a pedestrian mall, with its share of street performers and homeless sleeping on the benches at night. And it got cold at night - in the low 40's.






















Yup - someone had put detergent in these fountains, also.






















Very California.



























The Santa Monica Pier, with it's mini-carnival.













































Cedars along the palisade.








































I stopped in L.A. to visit with my daughter, who is standing on a box in this photo :-).






















Thus, we come to the ending of this journey and journal. In the beginning, there was ...






















... and in the end, sandal marks and bruises.