Hollywood Boulevard

I don´t know what all the fuss is about. Hollywood´s a dive, and driving anywhere in LA is risking your life. We drove from Santa Barbara through Malibu along yet another amazing stretch of Californian coastline and stopped in Beverly Hills for a wander around the pristine streets, to check out Rodeo Drive and work out how on earth to get to Hollywood. Maybe I´d underestimated it a little, but LA is inconceivably huge and surely the most decentralised ´city´on the planet. The freeways are nothing short of maniacal and I´ve never been cut-up so many times as I was in LA. That said, it's quite fun once you get used to it.

Sometime mid-afternoon we had found our way along Santa Monica Blvd, Sunset Strip and onto Hollywood Boulevard, all of which seemed remarkably seedy compared to the dripping, glittering wealth apparent in Beverly Hills.

So after a stroll along the Boulevard, consoling Ad (unable to find any Adams and definitely no Daines´ for a cheesy photo opportunity) and a drink in Hooters we headed for Venice Beach. This was more of a challenge than anticipated, and after ending up north-bound after following a sign that definitely said south, we were back on track, trying as best we could to survive through LA´s rush hour and endless boulevards. Time for some relaxation, tanning and maybe the odd beer or two...