As I’ve mentioned before, America had never really been on our travel bucket list. Our goal was simply to reach Europe from Australia in time for Christmas—without flying—and, at the time, travelling through the United States was the only route available.
Rather than seeing it as just a stopover, we decided to make the most of the opportunity and enjoy places we’d never imagined we’d visit. If you’re new to Flightless Tales, you can follow our complete journey on the Our Journey page.
Sometimes the destination isn’t the dream… it’s simply the road that gets you there.
Getting from A to B
We arrived in Long Beach, California, on 5 November 2024, stepping onto American soil for the first time. We then had just under a month to make our way across the country to New York City, where our next cruise would depart for the United Kingdom on 3 December.
And, of course… we wouldn’t be flying.
First things first—we’d asked our experienced godson to organise a hire car before we left Australia. He warned us we’d need a credit card to collect it.
We forgot.
Neither of us normally uses a credit card, so it simply slipped our minds.
Sure enough, the hire company refused to release the vehicle, even though we’d already paid for it. Thankfully, another company in the same building was able to help us. Two hours later—and after a little stress, some reorganising and a few deep breaths—we were finally on the road.
Lesson learned. If you’re planning a similar trip, I’ve shared a few more practical tips on the Lessons Learned page.
Driving on the “wrong” side
We’ve both been driving since we were teenagers, but there was no way I was about to sit on the wrong side of the car, drive on the wrong side of the road and pretend to be confident.
Luckily, Russ actually prefers driving.
The freeways weren’t too bad once we got going. It was the intersections, roundabouts and city streets that kept us on our toes. More than once I found myself reminding Russ to look in the direction he wasn’t expecting traffic to come from.
Thankfully, we survived California’s roads without adding an accident report to our travel diary.
Los Angeles
Leaving Long Beach, we headed towards Los Angeles, where we’d booked two nights’ accommodation.
Before checking in, though, we made a beeline for the famous Santa Monica Pier. After all, it marks the end of historic Route 66—although for us it felt more like the beginning.
I’d also always wanted to see Beverly Hills.
For some reason, my childhood memories immediately started singing:
“…old Jed’s a millionaire…”
Yes… The Beverly Hillbillies!
Maybe I felt a little like them myself—coming all the way from the Queensland bush to Beverly Hills.
Russ, meanwhile, was in his element.
He’s always loved big American cars and has owned several over the years, including his current 1988 Cadillac. Driving along sections of Route 66—even those that now seem quiet and forgotten—was something he’d looked forward to for years.
Hollywood Dreams
We didn’t quite make it to the Hollywood Sign itself, but we got close enough for a great view.
The lookout was high enough for me!
Our accommodation was on Sunset Boulevard, and after checking in we wandered down the street looking for somewhere a little different for dinner.
We found exactly that at Saddle Ranch, complete with a mechanical bull. We were entertained watching one enthusiastic dad have a go while his young sons cheered him on.
Russ wisely declined the invitation.
We’d heard Americans don’t do things by halves, and our first Mexican meal proved it. The plate looked more like a serving platter than a dinner. We joked that if every meal was going to be this size, we’d need to buy a bigger suitcase for the trip home! There was no way either of us could finish it.
Being former café owners, though, we were still determined to experience a classic American diner or two.
The following evening we found Carney’s, a quirky little burger and hot dog restaurant built inside an old railway carriage on Sunset Boulevard.
Now that felt like America.
Playing the Tourist
Of course, we couldn’t visit Los Angeles without strolling along Hollywood Boulevard.
We found another diner, complete with little jukeboxes at the tables, and couldn’t help thinking of Happy Days, Richie Cunningham and the Fonz.
As we wandered along the Walk of Fame, we suddenly found ourselves watching what looked like someone receiving a Hollywood star.
For a few minutes we thought we’d accidentally stumbled onto a celebrity ceremony.
Later we discovered it wasn’t an official Walk of Fame presentation at all, but rather a private event using a replica star.
It was the perfect Hollywood moment.
Because in Hollywood, you never quite know what’s real… and what’s simply part of the show.
Los Angeles may never have been on our bucket list, but it certainly gave us plenty of stories to tell. And with nearly 5,000 kilometres still between us and New York, our American adventure was only just beginning.
Continue the Journey
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