Day Three Monster Mall Malarky

Well I slept a tiny bit better and only woke up at 5am but I figure that's the time I often wake up in Blighty so maybe it's not too bad. By the time I fly back I'll have my vacation head on and fail to wake up for my 7am Chrimbo Eve start!!

Today is Monster Mall Wednesday (for those of you who love your alliteration I'm sorry it's not a Monday!!). As if to bless the event the weather has taken a downturn - or maybe it's the cursing from everyone in the UK for the nice weather I wrote about yesterday, anywho the temperature has dropped 10 degrees and rain is forecast. Seeing as they only get about 35 rainy days per year in LA it's a bit of a bummer. Tomorrow is set to be a wet one too which could be a tragedy as I was planning a morning at the beach before my flight. We'll see, perhaps the weather Gods will smile!

Skipped brekkie and made the walk to Pershing Square and hopped on the Metro to Union Station. LA Union Station is like all the train stations you see in the Movies - shiny floors, wooden benches and lines of people queuing for tickets to familiar destinations. I'm loving it!!

Got my train, the 304 on the San Bernadino line, am sat upstairs with a good clear view, next stop Rancho Cucamonga!!! Yeah, I know doesn't exactly slip off the tongue does it!!

Gosh I thought British Rail was slow..  I think my grandmother could have run faster than this train!! It's proving an interesting journey so far, the guy behind me is talking about having to go to "Narcotics Classes" as part of his bail conditions. Think we've just gone past the place where the car race in Grease and a car chase from one of the Terminators was filmed! Strange mixture of tinsel and grime this train ride!!

Well a quick two mile walk and I hit the Mall. Divided into 10 "Neighbourhoods" each a little shopping heaven. Have only a couple of factory outlets I wanted to check out for presents for the nephews and other family members. How long can it take??

The hard sell stall holders were out in force as I got suckered into a few conversations where I politely tried to use being foreign and having to travel light as an excuse not to buy anything. I almost ended up buying a nail kit that I already own (got "charmed" into buying that one from a suave chap in the shopping centre in Guildford!), but managed to get away by saying I'd think about it and come back. Had to spend the rest of my Mall Mania head down avoiding eye contact!

After 3 hours I'd pretty much seen all I wanted too, got sick of having to dodge pushy stall chicks and maxed out my credit card so I high tailed it back to the railway station only to watch from across the car park as the train pulled out of the station!! I blame this partly on being weighed down by heavy bags and partly on all of the traffic lights - they take forever to change to green and then after 10 steps change to flashing red, giving you a further 10 seconds to complete your crossing of a 4-6 lane road, now I'm relatively fit but anyone overweight or over 70 is a goner for sure! Having said that, in the two mile walk each way there was a maximum of two other people on the pavements. When they sang "LA is a great big freeway" they sure weren't kidding!! The car is king here even poor people and fitness freaks don't walk!! Fortunately I picked the hour with two train departures so only had to sit nervously for 30 mins waiting for the next train. I say nervously as the station is fairly remote, but apart from one guy on the opposite platform commiserating with me for missing my connection, "loving my accent" and wondering if the Southwest was close to Sheffield, I had relatively little bother.

The rest of the train and metro journey was uneventful and the evening was spent trying to cram all the goodies into my bags. Just envisage all the bad comedy films with people sitting on their suitcases desperately trying to zip them up and you get the idea. Tried to check in for my flight and failed miserably so suspect I'll be middle if the row stuck between a screaming kid and someone who snores louder than I do!!

Fingers crossed for no rain in the morning and then I might be able to do some last minute ............
............................. Sightseeing - admit it you thought I was going to say Shopping didn't you!!!

Hasta la vista amigos!!!!