So, I was in Los Angeles for a few days for a nursing conference (FABULOUS event, BTW). L.A. is a LOT bigger than my city size of choice, that’s for sure. But, I went forth with trepidation.

Day one, I had gotten there after an hour flight; sleeping sitting upright because I had worked the night before. Get to LAX, try to meet my Uber driver…huh, well, so I’m like two floors below where Uber drivers pick up. Funny, because there is road here, and cars and taxis here. Just a little input for LAX….SIGNS are a very civilized way of telling me “hey dumbass, Uber is upstairs!” Anyway…..

Get to my hotel, which lets me check in slightly early, because they have a “petite room” clean and ready. OK, so this petite room….it was fine for me and my dimensions that I’m used to, but there is no way that 2 people are going to be ok in this room together! But it’s nice enough, and has a Keurig in it, which is a huge step up from regular in-room coffee makers that I’m used to.

Get an Uber again to the beach, and walk around a bit, get toes in sand and toes in COLD Pacific ocean water. Amazing how 60 degrees feels warm in Reno, where we are limping into spring, but feels cold in L.A., which I was expecting to be 80! Also got a look at Tom Hanks’ star on the walk of fame, so yep, I’m good for the day.

Get to view the Hollywood sign up close and personal and get a quick beach trip the next day after the conference ends in the afternoon. And had some awesome Italian food for dinner with a friend who lives in the area.

The final day, leaving after the conference….Yeah, not a great plan, having to get to the airport (or anywhere) at 5pm. Good thing I gave myself 4 hours before my flight was due to take off! My Uber driver opted to get to the airport via back roads and no use of the freeway….hmmm, bold move dude, and maybe the best. I don’t know, actually; I think that both ways would be fraught with paralyzed traffic. Meanwhile, we go through like 12 different cities on his interesting trip to the airport. I used to think that California town size was based on how many Denny’s it has; now it’s based on Trader Joe’s and Ralph’s markets. I swear we passed by 20 of each.

Oh, the joys of the security check. There is something inherently gross and demeaning about having to march up to a uniformed person with bare feet. And I still protest that the body scan with the arms up position doesn’t count for my annual mammogram.

Why is it that the gate my plan will (eventually) be taking off from is the only one up in a blank, boring corner, with no shops, no food, no bathrooms, etc? Oh yeah, because it’s me!

Getting onto my flight about a half hour later than I was supposed to, I was watching the flight attendants’ half-hearted presentation of the safety precautions, thinking to myself; someday, I just want to see one of these folks say “look you idiots, if you can’t work an effing seat belt, you really shouldn’t be wandering around alone”. What a PITA that presentation must be…over, and over, and OVER………

Home at last, reunited with my furbuddies, and happy to not live in a city with a 5 hour rush-hour traffic window!