Today, we left this –

…for the sunny clime of California.

Our flight was at 10 a.m., so we woke up at 5:00 a.m. (although I hardly slept a wink all night), took Sharky for a walk, finished packing, then caught an uber to a surprisingly busy airport.  We arrived a little after 7:00 a.m., almost three hours before our flight because, well, that’s what you do, right?  We breezed through security, had no problem with U.S. customs, and arrived at the gate 2 hours before our flight was scheduled to leave.  And, of course, it was delayed.  Another TWO HOURS.

Sharky was surprisingly great, quietly snoozing in his little sherpa bag beneath the seat for the entirety of the 5+ hour flight.

By the time we arrived at LAX, we were exhausted.  While waiting for our luggage, I made my first L.A. purchase –

Whereas most airpots I’ve visited offer these trolleys for free, LAX charges $8.  And then expect you to return them!!!’

One of the things I love about LAX is how confusing they make it for people to find ground transportation out.  No information booth or explanations.  A few poorly worded signs here and there.  Akemi had to consult ChatGPT for directions to the taxi stand.

By the time we checked into our hotel, it was about 4:00 p.m., and we were exhausted.  We dropped off our stuff, then walked the five blocks to Petco where we made a terrific purchase –

This fantastic pet stroller that will save us much time and effort – and also save both our backs as we won’t need to carry Sharky around when he stubbornly refuses to walk.  Which is most of the time.

Our hotel is very pet friendly, so Sharky ended up joining us for dinner at the hotel restaurant which proved surprisingly good for a hotel restaurant.  We thought the home baked cookies served warm to end the meal were a nice touch.

Tomorrow, we check out the neighborhood, perhaps meet some friends, and I’ll review the notes from Friday’s writers’ room session.  But right now, really looking forward to an calling it can early night.