Youtwo came up with a plan? You can't match your socks

This blog update is beamed to you directly from Sunny California. Actually, at the moment it's very windy, and parts of LA have no electricity (not us though, we have electricity, that's why I can update).

I left Greenwich behind on Thursday morning, and the as the rain droned against the airport windows, I was quite happy to be ending this chapter of my journey. I was also happy to actually get through airport security. If you have a foreign passport you have to go through an extra security process because you're clearly more likely to be a terrorist. I met some Aussie blokes on their way to Barbados and we had a bit of a laugh at how paranoid the Yanks are. We weren't too loud though, and we didn't say any taboo words like bomb, terrorist, hijack or turban, because we knew we were skating on thin ice with our Aussie passports and all.

Everyone in California that I have met so far is exceptionally friendly. They much more laid back, and while Manhattan Beach is still a very affluent area, you do get the feeling that more than money matters to these people. They smile and laugh and apologise if they bump into you. I know I'll miss the unforgiving excitement that is New York, but a change is as good as a holiday.

Speaking of holidays, one of my big aspirations while in the US was to experience a white Christmas. I won't be doing that this year. I also won't be at home looking forward to the camping holiday at the beach with my family. I will however be in Hawaii. I think I can cope with that. The family also has annual passes to Disneyland, which is good because I like rollercoasters and Mickey Mouse.

The kids are absolutely adorable. Sure, they have all the pitfalls of 3 year olds. Whining, wanting the world to revolve around them, fighting, plus they have the added benefits of being twins, so their plots are twice as evil. They have the cutest smiles and say the nicest things sometimes, you can't help but love them at the end of the day.

Tomorrow is the au pair meeting, where I'll get to meet all the au pairs in the area and make some new friends. It's a scavenger hunt, so it should be good fun.

Well, that's me done and that's you up to date.