Greetings from Los Angeles

Hello my few yet highly valued loyal readers. I'm sure you'll be relieved to hear that I made it to LA in one piece! I've been here for just over a week so it is a perfect time for me to reflect on what has happened so far.

I'm regretting not turning this move into a 'great american road-trip' to find myself or whatever you're supposed to do while driving across the country. I am beating myself up for not going slower, not stopping to take pictures, getting off the interstate, whatever. But on the other hand; it was August, I was driving a severely overloaded car through the desert, it was over 100 degrees Fahrenheit, and I just wanted to get here. So that's that. I'm not sure I believe in this mythological ideal of the road trip that so many people seem to have. I guess the best I can do is to promise myself that I'll enjoy all trips more in the future.

The biggest unknown in this whole crazy endeavor was the city of Los Angeles. And I have to say so far I like LA. Sure there are some very annoying things that all residents have to deal with, but I think as long as you stay away from the freeways if you can avoid it, you'll be surprised by what an interesting place this city really is. It certainly isn't as bland as it had been made out to be. My first impression is that it is very much a city where lots of ordinary people live- it has a very casual, 'lived-in' feel, but is next to incomprehensible to tourists. This will be a city that reveals itself slowly, to those with the patience to notice.

So even though I've seen some pretty cool things so far, I'd like to keep it fresh. If anyone reading has a secret list of must-see LA attractions, please spill!