I really really wish I could be somewhere else
Than here
You give me everything I need
but I really really wish I could be somewhere else
Than here"
We went to California over the weekend to visit the whanau, because my Auntie is here from The Philippines which means I don't get my room for a whole week and have to sleep on the couch. It's fine, really. The laptop is close-ish right?
So, we left Vegas on Friday night around 7. Right after papa finished work. Right after. Like we literally got everything ready in the afternoon, and then went to pick him up at "The Mirage" (oooohh fancy shmancy) and then he got in the drivers seat and started the 4 hour drive to Los Angeles, or to be more exact El Pueblo de Nuestra Senora la Reina de los Angeles de Poriuncula. Hell yeah, I got maad skillz.
Arrived at my Uncles house around 12-ish. I went straight to sleep after sucky "Maps" singing on Rock Band. On Saturday we left the house at 10 and drove almost an hour or two to Santa Barbara. Or at least, thats what I think we went. Correct me if I'm wrong. We went to the beach (as you'll see soon enough) and I had tons of fun and felt right at home in the wind. The whole trip I had the most bizarre feelings of deja vu, like I've been here already. The beach looked like Petone beach, the Coastline looked like Kapiti Coast or whatsit and the vineyard that we went to later in the day looked like Palmerston North. I missed everything.
When we got home it was almost 10pm and one of my lil kiddy cousins fell asleep smack-bang in the middle of the couch. It was tres adorable. Then we had a wonderful dinner consisting of lobster, which my Auntie brought over from Boston, and steak my Uncle made, and this shrimp-ish thing my papa cooked. Then I went outside and enjoyed petting my Uncle's dog Rocky. This HUGE, gigantic, big, fluffy, sweet, darling thing of a dog. He had the most beautiful eyes and we stared at each other and I found myself kissing his wet nose multiple times. That dog sure does need a bath though.
My Uncle is immensely into photography. He has this humongous digital SLR that must have cost him thousands. My Mama told him that I'm taking photography at school and he showed me some of his pictures and I must say that I'm quite proud of the guy I used to, and still do, call "Daddy". The reason being because he is my Mama's little brother and he kind of felt like a father figure to me when I was smaller. Or so they say. Now, I don't really know. But back to the photography business. He wants me to be good at photography, so that if he ever decides to start his own business I can be his right-hand-man.He wants me to be better than him. I would like to please him and make my uncle proud and I do really want to try my best at being his prodigy.
Sunday, we went to the L.A. Zoo. It was fun, although I got kind of sick of the walking. I saw an elephant, a tiger, a rhino, an orangutan, gorillas, flamingos, komodo dragons and a hippo! None of which you could find at my favourite zoo, Wellington Zoo. I got me grape and bubblegum shaved ice and boy is that shit good.
After the zoo we went to my Papa's long lost cousin's place in Glendale, CA. Teeny tiny apartment with TFC. I laughed at how pathetic Filipino television is. Then by the time 5 o'clock came around it was time to bid Au Revoir to the California whanau and head on home to stingy 'ol Vegas.
I stole some red bull out of the cooler which caused me to naturally, need to pee, and so we stopped at this rusty, empty, old gas station off the motorway. It looked exactly like ones you see in the movies where the shopkeeper is some estranged pedophiliac psychopath who knocks out lone travelers and uses them to shoot Saw 6 in the basement. Yeah, something like that. But it wasn't and I got out of the bathroom fine and bought me some Pringles and my papa got a hotdog (that pig) and then the shopkeeper (who was actually this strange chick who was on the right side of cuckoo) did something wrong on the money machine and made our Pringles and hot dog equal to a total of $243.57. It was funny. And then we left and the lovely lady wished us a safe trip. This made me sad for her that she had to work in this rank place all by her self where horny truck drivers could go urinate.
When I saw the heavenly glow of Vegas and the strip I remember thinking "Oh, Thank God. We're finally home" and then I remember being angry at myself for calling Vegas home when it obviously isn't. I'm still convinced that forever in America isn't too long and eventually we'll be going back to NZ but I know that America is permanent and that my way of thinking is the only thing that is temporary. I hope I'll get over it soon.
So here's the video. Which was taken at the beach in Santa Barbara I think. It was windy and cold. Perfect for me, really. Enjoy the pathetic attempt at trying to be artistic. Although I couldn't figure out how to make certain clips fast and like, yaknw super speed fast forward. Sucky sucky iMovie.
Ma, I'm sorry you got hurt by reading this blog. That post was not a "hate letter". It was my way of not exploding and staying calm. But, if you'd rather I went and yelled at you about fine. I don't write to you because I don't want to hurt you. But, you've read this now and obviously you've gotten hurt. I do aplogize but this is my way of staying sane.
everything should be fine and dandy,
ina