Safety is super important. Always be cautious when walking alone at night and buy pepper spray.
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Rideshare Apps are your best friends. Uber and Lyft come in handy as public transport is so unreliable.
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It’s much harder to spot celebrities. They’re very good at disguising themselves with caps and oversized sunglasses, blending in with us ordinary folk.
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I had been living in Los Angeles for just under a month before my eldest brother came out to visit me. I wanted to make his 2 weeks in the US worthwhile so in our classic family style we hired a car and took to the road, attempting to visit a number of National Parks along the way.

We were staying in Las Vegas when we made the decision to spend a day exploring one of the largest and driest national parks in the United States, Death Valley National Park - approximately a 2½hr drive from Vegas (or a 4hr drive from Los Angeles). The night before we left to go on this spontaneous adventure we had come up with a brief list of things to see and do, not really knowing what to expect. All we knew was that the original Star Wars films had been shot in a few of the park's locations. And as big fans we had a feeling the day ahead was bound to be exciting. 

There is so much to see and do at Death Valley National Park. Incredible volcanic colours are pasted across the landscape, there are stunning views of snow capped mountains, creepy ghost towns to explore, and abundant adventures to undertake; from hiking to sand-boarding.

Although we only had one day it was still worth the trip as we got to see most of the touristy sites - the benefits of going in February. But I’d highly advise spending more than one day, it'll give you time to relax and explore further sections of the park up north. And always go during the winter months - weather for us reached about 25°C (77°F ) which then rose subtly when walking through the canyons.

Here is a list of the best places to see in Death Valley National Park.

Staying home and binge watching brain-dead television may sound appealing to some but after awhile even that can turn into a monotonous routine. Below I've put together a list of the best and most unexpected places in Los Angeles to relax. 

​I worked at the swan boat rentals at Echo Park Lake for about a month when I first moved out to Los Angeles. It was such a chill job, and being able to spend my lunch breaks resting on the grass, enjoying the warm sun whilst people watching was so relaxing. ​Take a short stroll around the lake and listen to the wildlife around you, afterwards you'll feel completely refreshed. 

Growing up I was obsessed with art and crafts, storytelling, and making d-grade movies (clearly not worthy of the b-grade notability) on my mum’s JVC camcorder. I was always a visual learner and steered towards the arts and humanities subjects unlike my science and mathematical counterparts. Naturally I didn’t quite fit in. When I finally spoke to the careers advisor about wanting to be a film director he simply told me to “be more realistic” and focus on a grounded career path like teaching... Fair enough. I didn’t know the first thing about being a director but, at that stage I was not going to let some middle aged man with a receding hairline, coffee stained shirt and a crooked back from slouching at the computer tell me what to do with my life.

I know what you're thinking, how could anyone visit Yosemite National Park in just 2 DAYS?

My dad frequently spoke about the grandeur of the surrounding cliff faces and peaks, commenting on how Yosemite Valley is almost too beautiful to be real. So naturally Yosemite had always been on my bucket list growing up. And despite the little time I did have I was so glad I got to experience the park in person rather than on the back of an old postcard.

Visit Alcatraz
Ride the Hyde Street cable car
Visit the Golden Gate Bridge
See the giant Redwoods, Sequoias, or ancient Bristlecone Pines

Fakeness is HUGE - and I'm not just talking about those fake titties. There is really no authenticity to a lot of the people here. Unfortunately, many will use you for their own personal gain.

​I've had strangers give me the side eye at the grocery store for purchasing regular milk over the standard cashew, almond, or oat milk...

Although it can be difficult to form solid friendships and relationships once you find your people through social events like sporting groups, church groups, work, creative networking etc, you'll discover that there are still genuine people who are just like you trying to navigate this crazy city that is Los Angeles.