Santa Monica Boulevard

Finished the hike and then back down the PCH to LA. Got to the bottom of Santa Monica Boulevard and headed up to hotel on Sunset. OK so bad time to hit LA around rush hour: took us 2 hours to drive up it to West Hollywood! Argh! LA traffic is notorious but nothing we could do about it - not driving in LA no more it is a nightmare. So checked into hotel a bit frazzled but place is nice so headed out for the night. :)

Turns out Santa Monica Boulevard is the place where it's all at so took a walk back down for a few beers. The natives are friendly! :)

Mugu Peak

Climbed to the top. Fab views of the pacific coast and the highway. 4 hours waking and well worth it :)

Plant life

Cacti all around! Found this one all ripe and fruity.

Point Mugu State Park

Drove back down the Pacific Coast Highway to Point Mugu where we set off into the hills for some hiking. Really dry arid place - the "waterfall" was a trickle - does it ever rain here?!? Sun was full force - a day we'd be proud to have in June at home and this is their winter? B*****ds!

Clocktower Inn

Woke up a little hung over and had our deluxe (sic) breakie. Took a walk around Downtown Ventura to get packed lunch for our walk today. Enjoyed our stay in Ventura: a bit grungy but all the better for it. For some reason everyone we speak to thinks the place is a dive which it is but we really liked it! Californians are a bit weird so what do they know, but then again I come from Trowbridge so each to their own I guess :-/

Down Town

Found a kinda alternative motel in downtown Ventura. Grungeville chic!

Fab meal in town and then back to our motel bar where there were local bands playing and all the alternative Californian people were hanging out. Dude!

Whales!

Out by the islands spotted 2 grey whales as they were migrating South. Watched as they spouted and then dived and then came up again for air. Wow! Quite exciting as they did all the classic whale things :) quite a trip! The islands were amazing too.