Diary Entries From 17 February to 10 March 1982
The USA Travel Diary series starts HERE.
Wednesday 17th of February
Caught a cab into downtown Dallas. We saw the Ewing Boulevard but not any Cowboys. Dallas is definitely not as glamorous as it is made out to be on telly.
Date: 18/2/82–21 –/2/82
Place: Dallas – Los Angeles
Weather: 70° F – 86° F and humid
Thursday 18th February
We took a tour to Southfork Ranch. Which was great. We took some photos by the pool and in front of the house. We saw Larry Hagman’s house. Most of it was covered by trees. We went to the Prestonwood Shopping Plaza which was beautiful and big. There was an ice rink in the middle. We watched people ice skating while we ate lunch. It was very relaxing.
Sunday 21st February
Time to leave for LA. We flew out at 1 pm. I left my dressing gown behind. I’ve nearly left something in every city in the USA. We arrived at LA International airport at 2 pm LA time.
It was all just too real it was unreal
We were met by Anne and Frank Wijnhamer, their son Stan and his fiancé Jan. As we left the airport we were caught in the middle of a big protest march. It was crazy. It took us 45 minutes to drive to Ann’s house in Pasadena. LA is very smoky but also very beautifully green with foothills everywhere.
When we got to Ann’s house we met her 17-year-old son David and her 22-year-old son Jim, everyone was very friendly. Toni and I had a bit of a laugh about the house. It’s so old and extra messy. They have five dogs, three birds, one cat, two tanks of fish and a dead alligator on the wall.
Jim gave us his room which is sort of separate to the house.
Date: 21/2/82–23/2/82
Place: Pasadena, Los Angeles
Weather: beautiful
Tuesday 23rd February
We caught the bus to downtown LA and were quite surprised when we arrived in one piece. The driver was a maniac. We felt like we were on a rollercoaster. We went to the visitors information centre where we picked up a few brochures. Then we went to the Bonaventure Building which is a shopping plaza and hotel. It was beautiful, fountains and ponds everywhere with the restaurants right on the water. It was very classy.
We bought some T-shirts there. We got home alright and later we met a couple of Jim’s friends, Tony and Bo. They asked us to the Holiday Inn to see a band they liked. We went and had a really good night.
Date: 23/2/82–24/2/82
Place: Pasadena
Weather: cool and cloudy
Wednesday 24th February
Jim had the day off work so he took us to Universal Studios. While we were waiting in line to get in we met Frankenstein. He looked very real.
Once in we got on these trams. We saw the stars dressing rooms, the sound stages and the gigantic back lot. We were held captive by Zylons but were saved by Buck Rogers. He shot the Zylons with a laser gun. It was super.
We saw Jaws and we went through the Red Sea and over a collapsible bridge. We went through a Western town and an avalanche and we were nearly caught in a flood. It was all just too real it was unreal.
We saw a Western stunt show which was funny, and an animal show and we visited Dracula’s castle.
Then the funniest part was we were able to apply to be in a screen test for Airport 77. Jim was picked as a passenger. He had to scream and run around like a mad man. It was so funny. The only disappointment was we didn’t see any stars and the souvenir shops wasn’t too crash, either.
After leaving Universal Studios we went to Hollywood Boulevard and Mann’s Chinese Theatre.
We spent about half an hour there checking out the stars’ footprints and names. Being here really made me feel that I was actually here in Hollywood.
We then drove to Chinatown and had our usual sweet and sour Chinese meal. I shouted Jim to dinner as we had had an absolutely great day with him.
My Fortune Cookie:
Don’t curse the darkness – light a candle
Note from GM in 2023: By the time I met Trenna she was obviously well over Sweet and Sour Pork. I don’t think she EVER ordered it in the half a lifetime we were together.
Date: 24/2/82–27/2/82
Place: Pasadena
Weather: fine and warm
Saturday 27th February
We got up early today. Jim and his friend Tony had planned to take us to Magic Mountain which is a gigantic amusement park. We got there and the first thing we saw was a rollercoaster called Colossus, “the biggest rollercoaster in the world”, I had butterflies in my stomach already.
The first ride we went on was The Roaring Rapids. Stan had already told us we might get a bit of a splash on this ride but boy were we in for a surprise. By the time we got off we were drenched. I look like a drowned rat, thank God it was a warm day. It took me all day to dry out.
Our next ride was The Revolution which would have to be the most scariest ride I’ve ever been on. It’s a rollercoaster and you go upside down. I had my eyes closed but my mouth was wide open screaming the entire ride.
We have had one of the most fun days ever
My legs felt like jelly when I got off. The guys thought it was a great joke to see Toni and I in such a nervous state.
We went on ride after ride. We also posed for an old fashion photo. The guys bought us one and they kept one. Our last ride was the Clolosus and although it was frightening it was also exhilarating. I kept my eyes open the entire ride. I loved it.
We left Magic Mountain at 6 pm and went to the County Jail for a steak dinner which was superb, after our meal we went to the bar next door and listened to a country in the western band. Toni and Jim paid for the meal and drinks. By the time we left we were all just a bit drunk and extremely merry. We have had one of the most fun days ever.
Date: 1/3/82–3/3/82
Place: Pasadena
Weather: rainy – sunny
Monday 1st March
We caught the bus to Hollywood and we went to the Farmers Market. The bus ride took an hour and a half. We spent about an hour checking out the shops and the oddballs. We had an Italian lunch at about 4 pm. We then caught the bus home. It rained the entire day. Stan picked us up at the bus stop.
Wednesday 3rd March
It was Jim’s day off again so he took us to NBC Studios. We had a tour through there but it was a bit of a disappointment. We couldn’t take photos. After leaving there we went to Griffith Park Observatory which is high in the hills.
We saw the Hollywood sign on the mountain and took photos of LA. After having a quick lunch we drove through beautiful Beverly Hills.
I’ve never seen so many mansions in one place. We saw Debbie Reynold’s house, Paul Newman’s and a list of others. Alfred Hitchcock’s house really suited him it, was covered with trees. It looked like it was haunted.
It was dark by the time we went home and the view from the hills of LA was magnificent.
Date: 3/3/82–5/3/82
Place: Pasadena
Weather: warm-ish
Friday 5th March
Jim, Tony, Bo, Toni and I all dressed up to go to this nightclub called the Red Onion. We had a good time there drinking and dancing. I had a ‘friendly’ argument with Jim. We left there about 2 am and went to eat and have coffee at a place called “The Spicemill”. One of the guys there just loved Toni’s Shoes.
Saturday 6th March
About 6:30 pm a big group of us went to dinner at Pizza Hut then we went to the Laserium at Griffith Park Observatory. The show lasts an hour. We watched lasers making designs and listened to music.
I can imagine what you would feel like if you were on drugs because I even felt spaced out by the time I left there. We went a Bo’s apartment and got stuck into some wine. Well did I get drunk. Poor Jim had to help me to the bathroom and hang around while I threw up over and over again.
We stayed at Bo’s until 5 am, then somehow made our way home. I thought I was on my deathbed.
Date: 6/3/82–8/3/82
Place: Pasadena
Weather: spring time
Consequently there were arms and legs everywhere…
Sunday 7th March
It took me until dinner time to recover from my hangover. I sure can’t handle wine. We had satay for dinner. It was yummy.
Monday 8th March
Jim, Tony, Toni and I went to the drive-in. We saw three gruesome movies about cannibals. We went in Tony’s car which is like a matchbox. Consequently there were arms and legs everywhere apart from not being too comfortable we had a good night especially Toni as she is pretty keen on Tony.
Date: 10/3/82–12/3/82
Place: Los Angeles – Las Vegas
Weather: humid
Wednesday 10th March
We went for a very long walk to Pasadena Mall and did some shopping. We caught the bus home because we were exhausted.
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