#31 pacific coast highway and 232s

Hey hi hello,

I'm in Los Angeles! Well, the Southern part at least, in a city called Torrance. 

America is fun! People are nice, and the women say "dude" all the time. Things are relatively cheap, but my breath still catches after the conversion rate. The weather is hot like back home where the sun is borderline scorching, but the wind compensates. My first meal when I arrived was at Yoshinoya where I had rice and chicken teriyaki and Panda Express for dinner. Asian food on both occasions and it felt strangely normal. 

Torrance is actually pretty far from Downtown LA or the more well-known areas. It would take about 2-3 hours and a few transfers between bus routes to get there. I'd have to drive through the free way and a cab would cost about $60+. Will probably go down to Long Beach instead, before heading down to San Diego on Monday morning. 

Here are some of the first few shots taken. More to come!

I'm just taking in all the sights and sounds that are foreign yet warmly welcoming. I went on a tiny adventure on my second day here, while waiting for Sofia to arrive, to Del Amo Fashion Center by taking the Metro buses. I saw things like convertibles blasting Usher and Gangsta's Paradise and huge men on huger bikes. There was an old homeless man who came by the bus stop to have a conversation with me on how he just exited the hospital and that doctor told him to stay away from double cheeseburgers and KFC. And he dispensed this information to me twice, as if I didn't hear him the first time round (although I did reply). Strangers went out of their way to help me find my way around. A guy whom I asked for directions from doubled back while I was waiting at the bus stop to give me his bus route map that he had since he first arrived in Torrance. Such nice people. Everyone just wants to have a conversation with you. 

Some thingamajigs I bought at the mall.

I'm not sure if the fact that I'm finally in America hasn't sunk in, or it has and I didn't notice. I feel like the foreigner that I am yet there's a peculiar sense of belonging. Anyways, I've got myself an American number, but I'm reachable via Whatsapp on my Malaysian number. Drop me a message if you'd like my number :)

Till the next post.