Turn the world over on its side and everything loose will land in Los Angeles.

I’m not sure about all the connotations that the title implies but I am at a loose-end and shortly to end up in Los Angeles.

Presently I’m in Auckland airport and pondering the knock-on effect that caused me to start rolling on this mini-adventure.

The blame lies fairly and squarely with Air New Zealand’s Grab-A-Seat website. A website I visit regularly so I can drool over the low low priced flights to Whakatane or Hamilton. Usually when something good comes on there, such as return to Sydney or something, I get all the way through the booking process, enter my credit card number and get told that “Oops” someone has bought that ticket before me. It’s frustrating and makes me angry. I get Booking-Rage!

So when LA came up on the site for 7 days in 2 weeks time, I booked it unthinkingly. I really didn’t expect to get the ticket and so when it came back and said “Booked” I was thrown. Not only did I not have time off work i really had no idea what I was gong to do once I got there!

“Oh it’s ok” I thought, I have a couple of mates there and a client so I can turn it into a business trip and have people to hang out with. Sorted.

Not sorted. They are all away for the time I am there. Bugger.

So I’ve ended with a trip to LA and no one to play with. It’s ok, I’ve done this before and I have no problem travelling on my own. I’ve got my cameras and plenty of things to take pictures of, but this time I thought I would take along a travelling buddy to keep me company.

His name is Ralph.

He eats glue.

So Ralphy-Boy and I are off on a tour of California. We’ve got a gas guzzling SUV and no idea of the road rules.

Our flight is about to leave…