West Coast Trip

A few months ago, I had the pleasure of visiting California for the first time. It was a trip I wanted to take my whole life. The experience was something I'll always remember.

Being a true Floridian, our skyline consists of clouds and flatland. Upon arriving in California, I immediately noticed the mountains in the horizon. The sight was truly amazing. It gave me an inside look at something so massive created by God. The mountains alone were enough to remind me that I was no longer in the Sunshine State!

In addition to the mountains, the weather grabbed my attention. You see, it rained the night before our arrival and the high was a whopping 55 degrees!! I was shocked because wasn't California supposed to be about sunshine like Florida??!! Didn't the Weather Channel predict 70 degree plus temperatures??!! I had not packed for this type of weather! Needless to say, part of the day was spent shopping for "winter clothes"; in a state known for its hot weather and beautiful climate this was somewhat difficult, but became manageable.

I've heard so many stories about the driving in California that I was literally a little apprehensive about getting on the roadways there! The driving aspect of the trip began with going to the car rental place and becoming acquainted with one of the most unfriendly workers I've met in a while. It got to the point where when my friend and I picked up the car, it was the wrong make, model, and size. It definitely was not what we paid for. So in returning to the customer service desk, we met a worker who knew what he was doing and provided us with the correct automobile and we were on our way!!! However, the original worker did do something right, he rented us a GPS system. There was no reason to get lost or to be afraid of the California highways. During the journey, I realized the traffic was not as bad as I imagined it to be. In my mind, I began to think that if someone can drive in Miami, he/she can truly drive in Los Angeles!!!

I was definitely on the lookout for movie stars, models, and the like, but ran into no one!! The only stars I saw were on billboards and the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Once I realized that this part of my trip was not going to happen, I began to see Los Angeles as an everyday place where people do everyday things. Television will hype up anything, but this did not take away from my experience; it allowed for me to have the opportunity to see the Golden State in another light.

Being exposed to the various cultures and backgrounds in Los Angeles was great for me; I loved seeing the differences between California and my home state. I definitely took advantage of this by being shown the different dialects, clothing, nationalities, and more. Because, believe me, you will without a doubt hear "ya'll" from a Southerner, but not so much on the West Coast! And many people were surprised to see a Florida Drivers License when I presented it as identification. I guess the impression was "you came all the way from over there!"

Lastly, I have to mention the parking situation in Los Angeles. One basically pays to park everywhere; from the hotel to the store to the beach. It was a complete surprise for me as I was not accustomed to this back home! Be on the lookout for this if you plan on taking a major trip; ask about parking costs!!

Los Angeles and other parts of California are on my "to do" list for the future. I feel that there is much more to see and to do. This Southern gal will absolutely take more trips to the West Coast.