2014 - Day 3 - Third USA trip - Happy Halloween!!!

Happy Halloween!  It is absolutely mental how much the Americans celebrate this.  It’s like a season long party in this country.  They have Halloween, then Thanksgiving, and then Christmas.  It is all celebrated in a massive way with pomp and ceremony like you wouldn’t believe! 

Today we introduced Nic to “ In and Out Burger”.  This place has the most simple of menus, the cheapest of prices, the most immaculate and enthusiastic staff, and the most impeccably clean facility.  Most of all, this place has the tastiest burgers in America.  They are fantastic. They also use meat that has never been frozen; they hand cut their fries themselves; there is no added sugar in their bread rolls; and they make their burgers to order.  These burgers are ones that really DO look like the burgers as shown in their photo.  Just amazing. 

Today’s visit to “In and Out Burger”  came with a difference.  Thanks to it being Halloween every second person and their dog was dressed in costume.  The streets were filled with wizards and bumblebees, not to mention super heroes and cartoon characters.  This was all well and good….until the clown.  The scary clown.  The hideously scary clown.  Now Nic had a fear of clowns when he was little.  At the time I thought it was a little cute…and a little bit weird.  Clowns are friendly right?  Big happy smiles and noses that you can honk?  Not so apparently.
 

I was with the Bear waiting for our order.  I was looking around as I always do, locking away the images for when I go back to Australia.  I was calm…salivating at the smell of the flame grilled burgers.  And then our eyes met.  Staring back at me was the most evil clown that should ever walk the earth.  I stifled a scream and attempted to tear my eyes away…but it was too late.  The evil clown had me under his spell and it was fairly apparent that I was going to be hypnotised by his evil stare and become a slave to him.  He would have me trained to do awful things to other people when ever he rings a bell. 

 

 

 

Fortunately for me, an end to a possible car chase was taking place just outside the establishment.  Police cars with lights flashing blocked a vehicle from both sides to prevent the driver from escaping.   The clown-monster temporarily got distracted and looked away therefore breaking the stare.   I was fairly sure that the hypnotism had not yet been finished/successful so I was in the clear to run from this dangerous situation.  As we grabbed our order and left the store, I armed myself with a cup of ketchup (you serve yourself in small cups to take with you) to throw at him should he attempt to approach me or resume the hypnosis

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After this we stopped in at a UPS outlets so that I could post a parcel to a friend in Tennessee.  I had brought it with me from Australia as it would have cost an arm and a leg via Australia Post.  Things were done a little bit different to Australia and the parcel will take a little bit longer to reach its destination but all in all it was a very pleasant experience.  The lady who served me was really lovely (as most Americans are) and gave service with a smile.  I just couldn’t quite tell if she was dressed as Old Mother Hubbard for Halloween, or, that it was just her usual attire.   I most certainly wasn’t asking.  I was still shaking from my near death experience with monster-clown.

 

Nothing beats getting over a traumatic event like a visit to Wal-Mart.  It is my second favourite place in the world!  The other patrons of Wal-Mart are notorious for looking daggy/boganish/downright-wrong so it makes me feel incredibly normal.  The Bear bought some clothes, and I got a couple of items. I bought some yummy cupcakes to satisfy a 6 month long craving.  Wal-Mart sell the BEST cupcakes and I can buy 12 o them for $3.  That’s right…..$3!!!   I also did a spot of Christmas shopping.  Of course the purchases can only be things that I am able to get home whether it be because of its size, its fragility, or it’s ability to be confiscate via customs.

Jet lag seems to be a bit of an issue this time around and I am buggered if I know why.  Usually trips to Los Angeles don’t affect me at all but this time I am a little out of whack.  Hopefully I will get my sleeping patterns right so that that I can giddy-up.  Tomorrow we are going to the Space Shuttle Endeavour at the Californian Science Centre to show Nic.  I am fairly sure that he wont be interested in most, but he will love the Space Shuttle….and the Tundra (a brand of pickup truck) that is also on display there as it pulled the Space Shuttle along the streets of Los Angeles on route to its final resting place!