hey, blogger got all funky...cool!

so...Using the amazing power of wireless, i'm writing this in a barnes and noble cafe, sipping coffee and wondering what to do tonight.

and a bird attacked me on the way here.

so, america then. Los angeles, e3, san-francisco. it's time for: 'HARRY'S ADVENTURES IN AMERICA-LAND!'

The flight
The woman behind me fainted and vomitted. Calls for doctors went out, paramedics turned up. Offers to set down in hawaii were made.
In the end, turns out she was just tired and hadn't eaten anything.
Didn't stop her getting through 3 tanks of oxygen though. Good job there wasn't another emergency. I'd have clubbed her and stolen it. She's old. I have my whole life ahead of me (well, except for the plumetting, burning plane.)

LA
Filled with homeless people. And crazy people. And homeless crazy people. They're everywhere. Shouting at every street corner, slouching in every public chair, holding up little placards. Best one i've seen so far was: 'Why lie? I want beer.' Hotel was ok, but it's an odd town. Really sprawling, you can't get anywhere without a car. public transport is almost non-existent.

Saw hellboy. I wanted to like it, i really did. But it was too stupid :( Parts of the character stuff were great, but overall it just didn't work for me. Shame.

Went to universal studios. Shrek ride is cool, terminator 3d thing is cool, van-helsing maze was ok. Back to the future is a really, really good ride!
The studio tour was pretty good as well. Turns out they were shooting some of the 'ring 2' stuff on one of the soundstages. Closest naomi and i shall ever come: Same zipcode.

Saw van-helsing. Shit-helsing more like. One of the worst films i have ever seen. Definately up there with all the real girls for the bottom (top?) spot.

e3
The best description i can come up with for e3 is this: Imagine one of those crazy flashing simon machines you had when you were younger, now imaging a giant one with you inside, turned right up to the highest difficulty. That's what e3 is like. it's all loud music and flashing lights; slightly skanky women and big fat nerds; free t-shirts and endless meetings.

still, there were some cool games on show, and everything looks really polished. As someone pointed out: looks like the industry is finally maturing. Well, in everything except project management :)

San Francisco
Thanks to my friendly agents at STA i ended up with a hotel smack bang in the middle of the worst neighbourhood in town. Thanks guys. I figured i could ride out the week, but the screaming outside my window last night forced me into finding a much more touristy hotel on the other side of town.

The cab driver laughed his ass off when he discovered that i was moving somewhere better! He said it happens all the time, people booking shitty hotels through agents and then having to move.
The receptionist at the new place seemed genuinely shocked when i told her where i'd been...hurrah :/

Feeling much more relaxed now though, staying in a little place in north beach, close to the wharf and financial district.

The interesting thing about san-francisco is how compact it is. I've pretty much walked everywhere (i have some insane blisters to prove it) I'll probably need to get a train to check out golden gate park, but apart from that, it feels like a pretty small city.

The views along the streets are incredible though, especially if you get up to the top of one of the hills and look back along the incredibly straight roads.

Saw a documentary called 'Supersize me' about this guy who ate nothing but mcdonalds for 30 days. It's really sickening (and incredibly funny) Hopefully it'll get a general release back home.

Also saw troy. Dull, dull, dull! Avoid it, and watch ROTK instead. The battles are heaps better.

alrighty, 3 days to go...still got alcatraz, golden gate park, and maybe yosemite to go...