from San Diego to Los Angeles and back home - Wild Wild West - USA 2022 - 9
08-10.03 - from San Diego to Los Angeles and back home
After an hour's drive, I reach Temecula [↗]. I was looking for a place not too far from the airport so I wouldn't have to worry about traffic jams, and on the other hand far enough away from the negative effects of the Los Angeles suburbs.
I read about Temecula in another blog post that it has a beautiful western-style old town. So why not go here? I was expecting something like the old town of San Diego, but it is much nicer. The whole main street and some others nearby are built up with old-style wooden houses. Of course, it is very touristy and most include restaurants and bars along with various stores. Nevertheless, it is very nicely done.
Because of a traffic jam, I leave the interstate earlier than suggested, which was good, because I find that my hotel is only half a mile from the old town. So I leave the car at the hotel and walk. But first I have to move all my belongings from the car to my room. Tomorrow morning I have to pack everything.
After everything is in the room, I grab my backpack with the camera and walk through the city. After an early dinner (less good than hoped, but with a good Margarita) I return to the hotel.
On my last day in the USA, there is not much to do. I have breakfast later than usual, get my things together for the flight, and leave the hotel a quarter before the latest check-out time. Theoretically, it's only a 90-minute drive to the airport in LA, and indeed the traffic isn't too bad today. Also, the return of the rental car is without problems and so I am quite early at the check-in. But I know that it is already open because the flight to Frankfurt takes off 2 hours before mine.
The rest is routine: I get the boarding pass, go through security, and into the lounge for something to eat and drink. Boarding is on time, and since it is a night flight, this flight feels much shorter than the outbound flight.
Nevertheless, the long return trip is not exactly conducive to a sore back and so it drags on for several weeks until I am halfway pain-free again.
