SpringHill Suites by Marriott Hesperia, CA

Hey friends and loved ones!

I am leaving for Japan on November 2nd this year. I am just verifying that you still want to be on my blog address list. If you wish to have your name removed, let me know and I will see to that!

When I leave I will be with out internet for a couple of days so don't expect any fun news or exciting adventures until around the 6th of November. I'm looking forward to another great year, and I love sharing my stories with you!

Peace,

Mark

... of a tool called an electric lock pick gun? These are used to open pin tumbler locks, which make up a huge majority of locks sold in America. These guns contain metal needles that vibrate the pins upward and are valuable to the security profession.

A clutch-headed screw is not a silly pet name for a friend. It's a threaded screw that allows fixed clockwise action for wood or metal. Although other screws are used in locksmithing, this one ...

... a flight at 8 Sunday morning to Philadelphia, with a 3 hour layover before going on to Wilmington, arriving there at 8 pm. I went ahead and told her to book it, even though I suspected that they still wouldn't have a plane available at 8 in the morning. In the meanwhile, Greg had come in and found me in the terminal, and said he would take me to find a nearby hotel that had an airport shuttle, before he continued ...

... and most importantly, looked nothing like my passport, but vaguely looked like my drivers license signature, a coincidence that would help me get money on several occasions. Well, this is turning out to be more than I expected. I thought I would write a few lines and the Turkey trip would have been done. I have gotten myself from LA to Philli, where I hooked up with Bree. I have also gotten us from Philli to London where we are eagerly trying to get our ...

... it was excruciating. In the end I jumped in while they were both huddled over the camera having an extended lens twisting session! And they had the cheek to give me a look as tho I was the most inpatient rudest english person in the whole world ! After this we then went off into posh LA for the homes of the stars. I saw Britney spears, Elton John, Mick Jagger, David Schwimmer, the fresh prince of Belair J Lo and Posh Spices new home. Then it was on to a stop at Rodeo Drive ...

... wind and hoping my credit cards can play catch. As I only bought my ticket Monday, I suppose my anxiety and ill-preparedness can be somewhat excused. I've been working with a pretty good To Do list, and I hope that I make it into an Excel checklist for the next time I set off on a big excursion. But I don't think I'll ever actually get a good night's sleep before a flight. After spending almost all of this Summer of Unemployment on my ass in front of the ...

... but not up for visitors unfortunatley. After the mansions we then hit Rodeo Drive. Finally somewhere beautiful and clean. I forgot to make my appointments though so got turfed out of a couple of stores I tried to have a look though, quite funny actually, wish I had a photo of it. Off to Vegas tomorrow to see if I can increase my travel money. Dad you may get a phone call to pay for a fast tracked flight home for me if I loose it all...

... the steep San Francisco hills. In the evening we stayed in a small town called Mariposa a.k.a. the Halloween town from hell. We arrived just as every kid in town, and a worrying number of adults, were trick or treating down the main road and nearly all of them wanted to walk in front of our car!!!! We didn't run any down despite the huge temptation. We got to our hotel, quickly popped out to get some food and locked ourselves in our room. We survived ...

Well, here I am on Day 2 of the trip. I'm sitting in a great cafe called 'Figtree's Cafe' with my pancakes - - just had a phonecall from Simon. He can get away with calling the Staes from work because he's been deaing with them. Very cool. It's really nice to talk to him about mundane things going on on the house. ... my ...

... bed for at least a couple of hours. It seems surreal that this morning, I was saying goodby to Simon at Acton Town tube! Had an amusing moment at the airport this afternoon. There was the 'no parking the red zone announcement' that they have at the start of 'Airplane'. Very funny. That, or I'm easily amused. :) I think I'm going to have to get myself a notepad to keep a journal in. This is all very well working away on my phone but it's not that practical and a bit conspicuous.