Los Angeles round 2

Sitting at gate 26 for AirChina I think I'm just beginning to comprehend that soon I'll be in Bangkok, across the globe. Our 24 trip to LA felt like a vacation already, early morning drive to Reagan airport in traffic, flights with crying babies, an interesting but incredibly talkative passenger next to you that doesn't pick up on the social cues of "nice meeting you, can we continue this conversation in approximately 3 hours after a nap"? Always meet interesting people on planes though, you just never know when you want to open the conversation floodgate because we are in 3 inch proximity of one another and escaping the conversation isn't always possible or polite!
Arrived in LA, sunny, 70-80 degrees and beautiful as is always guaranteed, Abbie picks us up and we're off to the beach side of LA to get some drinks and lunch by the water. We stop in at Cabo Cantina (I hear it's Stef Weaver's favorite LA go to!) get 2 delicious key lime and melon margaritas to share with lunch and get to enjoy the weather catching up outside.. Then to Venice beach boardwalk, seeing fisherman and surfers.. Then to Santa Monica pier to ride the ferris wheel to get the incredible view from high of the LA coast.. Malibu , Santa Monica, Venice, Hermosa, Long Beach.. All the beaches visible and follow a few miles of coastline and each with different personalities and "clientele" i guess you could say. Then walked a few canals of Venice beach, incredibly beautiful homes and makes me think of Long Beach NY and the Martinos, and makes me wish to see the real Venice!

Later that night we decided to go out for drinks at Cat & Fiddle in West Hollywood. Down the Sunset Strip, which seems to be never ending with traffic, pedestrians, lights, restaurants, bars, and shops. Makes me think its LA's style of Time Square. A really neat British pub style restaurant with an outdoor beer garden with a fountain, lights throughout the trees, outdoor heaters (because 65 is too cold for californians, I don't hate it either!!!) and the outdoor seating. By then, I am EXHAUSTED! Practically falling asleep at the table as I had gotten 5 hours or so of sleep before waking up at 530 am to drive to the airport and now it was 3 am our time.. Feeling incredibly happy I got to spend more time with Abbie, see more of the city and appreciate it more!

Next morning we wake up at 7 am... Knowing we'll be stuck sitting for 16+ hours on our flight, Nick went for a run, I did some yoga on the balcony, then we want for a walk around the neighboring blocks. A smoothie stop on our way to the airport, and here we are! Now it's about time to board, and I'm surrounded by a language I do not in the faintest sense understand.. Chinese? Flying to Beijing first, so I assume so. My first trip truly feeling as though I can't communicate, we'll see how quick I can learn!