Last night I meant to meet up with a couple of the other 9 composers - but I couldn't get through on the mobiles, so no pre-project meetings - but hey - today I meet the whole ensemble...really looking forward to it!!
One thing I did do last night though - that was probably a really stupid idea of mine - was after landing, getting through customs, finding the bus to the hotel (which was probably one of the most confusing things I've ever done - LAX is SO big, and the roads around it are even bigger! In fact - I had to donate to a missionary who was lurking around the airport volunteering as an Airport steward to get some help finding the particular phone I had to use to call the Travelodge to come and get me...he then told me where to pick up the bus which was, "You see the signs above us?" They were all green and virtually unintelligible. "Well," he continued, "just walk that way..." He pointed somewhere in the distance to my right, his left. "...And when that sign goes red, cross the road...that's your stop." I would've pressed further, like asking what kind of 'hotel-hopper' would I be looking for...but he may have asked for more money - on a student budget, I can only be so charitable!
So, I got to where the signs went red...check. I then realised there were more than one red sign, all of which had 'hotel pick-up' written on them...useful! I then saw that there was more than one bit of road to cross...again useful!
So I made an arbitrary decision and tried to make myself look as visible and 'Travelodge-heading' as I could - not easy when you're only 5 foot, and it's dark...!
I waited. Then thought of another question I could've asked the missionary, at some expense... "How long should the bus take to arrive?" Yeah, that would've been helpful!
I waited.
I could have gone to the Hilton and Wooky Park about 5 times while I was waiting - and to be fair to those bus drivers, by about the third time they drove past me, they did look appealingly at me with a facial expression saying, "You absolutely sure you don't want to come to the Hilton?"
I declined.
I waited.
Finally a very jolly Travelodge man drove by me and I waived like I have never waived before! He stopped, took my luggage, opened the door, I got on and met an equally as jolly Scottish guy who'd been travelling around the airport circuit with the jolly driver a number of times...quite why, I do not know!
Anyway, we got to the hotel - and Travelodges in LA are so different from the ones in the UK...! Palm trees and balconies to start off with!
It was an idea of mine to keep awake for as long as I could to try and combat jetlag - I'd already stayed awake the entire flight...but I thought if I tire myself out excessively, then I should sleep well on my first night, and it'll feel like bedtime and I'll sleep well.
In order to do this I had to find somewhere to have a drink, maybe some food etc. etc.
So I did.
This was the stupid idea which I only realised when I was doing it.
Walking the streets of LA, close to LAX (which is really dodgy apparently), not really knowing where I'm going, alone, at night time...well done Nat - what a grand idea!
Still I did it and had the most massive Coke I think I've ever had - which of course...woke me up!
Anyway - I must dash as I'm catching my bus to Idyllwild now - and I get to meet the ones who were staying at the hotel last night in a moment too - yey!!
Bye for now
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