#L2YP News
Written by - Emmy Greening
It’s a party in the USA! Or rather a Bassaleg visit.
We are thrilled to be reporting about a recent trip that a group of our students (myself included!) took towards the end of February to Los Angeles!
The trip was centred around the creative subjects of film and media however was later offered out to the english department for GCSE students. This trip to America was an action packed brilliance that the students who went will cherish for years to come.
The itinerary was tight but the 5 days in sunny California were topped with amazing sights and most importantly…studios!
DAY 1 - ARRIVAL
The day had barely begun, for the students were tasked to meet at the school for a shocking 3:30 AM! Parents saw us off onto buses that took us to Heathrow airport. There we made our way through security and onto a very large and rather fancy plane. And we were lucky it was comfortable as we spent a great big 11 hours flying!
Upon reaching LA, the sunny skies and warmth was soul-lifting! It was a notable difference from the less-than-lovely weather that defines us here in Britain. The hostel we stayed at (HI Los Angeles Hostels) was nice and welcoming with comfortable beds and leisure spaces downstairs.
As the sun began to set, we were able to go and find food in the various restaurants that painted the Santa Monica streets.
It was like walking through an actual film set!
DAY 2 - WALKING THROUGH AN ACTUAL FILM SET
On the second day, we were met with a lovely complimentary breakfast in the hostel but an early jump back on the coaches to prepare for a full day out. We were joined by a tour guide that walked us through the unbelievable sights of Hollywood Boulevard - Yes! With the stars and all!
And luckily due to the time of the tour, we were able to see the Dolby Theatre being decorated in preparation for the famous faces of the Oscars ceremony! Very exciting.
Lunchtime was spent in the Farmers Market on the way to our first studio stop, Sony Studios! Sony was a very grand sight to see, and with each of the group having their own tour guide, we were able to engage greatly with the brilliant sights and learnt a lot about productions and their making.
We finished the day with a visit to the ‘Motion Picture Museum’ which held fantastic original props and costumes from Hollywood classics. Come sunset, we were all on the rooftop dome overlooking the amazing views of Los Angeles. Undoubtedly the greatest view I have ever seen!
DAY 3 - THE GREATEST VIEW I'VE EVER SEEN
Scratch my previous comment, the greatest view I have ever seen has to be the Paramount Gates! We took a tour through Paramount in the morning of the third day and it did not disappoint! The backlots were iconic and the water tower was a fantastic sight. We discussed the roles of different stages and their functions in productions.
And of course stopped in the prop workshop!
But that wasn't all, for we next went to Warner Brothers for a tour through their studio and I could almost cry at the news that we would do this tour by bus as all of our feet were crying out from overuse!
We saw sets from iconic album covers, shows and cult classics such as Jurassic Park along with hearing the inner gossip of how and why these movies came to be.
Lastly, a detour to Beverly Hills couldn't hurt, right?
DAY 4 - ROLLERCOASTERS? IT DEPENDS, HOW FAST?
This was the question I asked as we prepared for our final full day. This day would be spent entirely in Universal Studios and the weather was beautiful!
We had the option to go on any of the many rides (but a highlight for me personally was the interactive studio tour!).
The consensus from those I spoke with was that this day was one of the most popular days.
For good reason!
DAY 5- VENICE BEACH
Early start and early pack. It was a rush to get out of the hostel and back on the coaches. Our main stop before LAX was Venice beach where, due to it being around 24 degrees, most of us rushed to get a cold drink or ice cream!
This was the perfect spot for a nice souvenir as the beach was lined with gift shops.
But the beach was the real treat!
Before we knew it, the trip was up and we were lounging in the belly of a Britain-bound plane.
We’d like to thank all the staff involved with the organisation of this fantastic trip that will go down in Bassaleg history as an amazing experience for all!
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