Friday 21 November 2008

A day in LA

I'm at LAX - far too early for a plane that will be leaving at least 30 minutes late. It's time for the early evening news though my body thinks I am too old to be awake at 2 am!

As I said on earlier post, lots of new experiences today..........

  • Biscuits and gravy - salty bread roll and something that looked like mayonnaise and I still don't know what it's made of! I passed on the pancakes and syrup!
  • A country where anyone can carry a gun but there's a big notice at the restaurant desk telling you that alcohol can harm you - and they didn't just mean that it cost 9 dollars for a glass of wine!
  • American news - cars, sport, sex and murder, in that order and very insular. Nothing beyond the USA.
  • Being a tourist in LA - took a bus tour of the city - beaches, Hollywood, homes of the stars and Rodeo Drive. Glad I have seen it but it's a long way from home and not just in miles. Not one sheep to be seen!
  • There were two English people on the bus happy to meet a Scottish union official - dad and brother have long been T&G activists and branch sec of London Underground branch.
  • But best of the lot was my conversation with the hotel concierge. On hearing where I was heading for and what for, he told me that there have been attempts over several years to get recognition with the hotel. There was a ballot of staff in 1998 which failed. For the last 3 years the union has been trying to build membership to achieve recognition by way of individual sign up but it's been hard as staff turn over is high - as it always is in hotels. There is usually a TU demonstration outside the hotel each Thursday but they called it off today to prepare for Thanksgiving! The hotel is actually privately owned - Hilton is a kind of franchise - so tu recognition is for local determination and this management is hostile. It was a great conversation for being unexpected.

And I've realised that I do 'lose' a day on my way to New Zealand. I'm leaving LA at about 10pm on Thursday on a flight that takes 13 hours. I arrive in Auckland at about 8.30 am on Saturday. which will be 7.30 pm Friday UK time. Confused? I am!!

More soon..................

1 comment:

Caroline said...

Hi Glyn
Are you all on your own? OMG you are so brave. I hope you have an expense account if drinks are so expensive ha ha. Go girl. Luv C.x