Thursday 18 July
We set an alarm for 7am this morning, determined to make the most of our LAST day in the USofA! After the free breakfast in the hotel lobby, we set off to Grauman’s Chinese Theater to show the kids the handprints and footprints and more stars on the Walk of Fame. It was such a good move – being there so early in the morning, we did not have to compete with crowds in the area. Hop on hop off tours start there, but not before 9am, so we didn’t have to push through any crowds until we were leaving the area.
The older kids found Hugh Jackman’s star and wanted to take a photo of me with it, but I declined as I left the hotel without shower or makeup this morning! I arranged for us to have a later checkout of 12pm, so we could explore and then return to our room for a shower before we head to the airport. The boys think it is great that we can’t then shower for another 25+ hours…
Next to the Chinese Theater was a souvenir shop called the $10 boutique – and they had a $5 sale! Everything in the $10 shop was $5 if you put it in a blue carry basket, so we did, and picked up some last minute souvenirs. We then drove down to Melrose Avenue to a specific store Ross had been directed to for a certain souvenir for a workmate he wanted to get, and then returned to our room to shower and pack for the final time.
Zac – in true Zac fashion – has now suddenly decided he is finished here and just wants to grab the bags and get straight on a plane! (Side note: we once took him to the zoo because he wanted to see a zebra up close. We made it around to the African animals exhibit about halfway through the day. He got to stand next to and have a photo with a zebra, and his response was “that’s great, lets go home now”…!!!) What is really cute is the way today the kids are suddenly talking about their friends. They have mentioned friends and family they are missing during the trip along the way, but knowing we will be home in mere hours, they are mentioning them a lot more today and working out when they can see them. (Side note 2: is it rude of me to say I also miss friends and family, but the person I really can’t wait to see is our GP!) 😉
Once we checked out of the hotel, we toured Wilshire Boulevard and Rodeo Drive. If we had more time and healthy children, I would have liked to do a sightseeing tour around LA, but it is just something else to add to the next time list! From there we drove to Santa Monica Pier. It is a beautiful day here, so we had pizzas for lunch from a cafe on the beachfront, wandered the length of the Pier, and while Ross and the girls returned to the car, the boys and I went and put our feet in the water. Belle didn’t want to because she wasn’t feeling well, and Abi didn’t want to get sand all over her!?!
Jarrod made an interesting comparison on our walk towards the water. At the Kennedy Space Centre, one of the IMAX movies we saw there interviewed some astronauts before they went on a mission, and they all separately talked about their final days and how nice it was to be able to walk along the secluded beaches near the Space Centre. Accommodation is provided there for the astronauts and their families to give them some quality time before they “lift off”. They all talked about how they appreciated this time and also the chance to spend some reflective time on the beach alone, preparing for what lay ahead and enjoying the feeling of the sand beneath their feet before they left the earth. Jarrod compared this to our opportunity to enjoy Santa Monica Beach before we leave this country, so we also decided it was our quality time and relaxing time together before we head home. Deep, but I loved the analogy!
Ross, the thoughtful man, drove the car to the edge of the sand so we could get back into the car without having to cross any hot paths or roads. From there we drove through Venice Beach, and were aiming for Muscle Beach to show the kids the locals, but the crowds were big being a nice summer’s day, so instead visited another fire station for Ross to chat and swap some shirts. We then stopped at a cafe in Marina Del Rey for afternoon tea before heading to the airport – Starbucks frappucinos and leftover snacks and fruit from Walmart shopping!
By the time we put petrol in the car, returned it to Hertz and were driven to our terminal, it was a little more than three hours before our “lift off” – I guess it is because we have done five flights in the last eight weeks that this goes so smoothly, but it still amazes us every time that there are no hiccups!
We are now more than half way through the flight home. Seeing as we will never see the 19th July 2013 (we left on the 18th and arrive fourteen hours later on the 20th), I thought the 19th would be a perfect date for a postscript summarising everyone’s feelings/experiences/opinions about the trip. As I reflect on this, Abi has just approached me crying saying she feels like vomiting and has a sore throat!!!!! Round 4 begins…
Thankyou for journeying this with me through these posts (sometimes, essays!). I will see everyone once I am sure we are all healthy again! Cue the BlackEyedPeas song: We’re coming home!! Xx