Pilgrimage to California

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Hi everyone, I'm new here and still figuring out the site.

I was diagnosed three years ago, at the age of 33, after which I struggled to make sense of what autism is and how it has impacted my life. I have done some exploring, and I'm currently reading NeuroTribes by Silberman - which is giving me a much broader perspective, and has sparked a dream in me. Before my diagnosis I had never thought about the word autism, and had never heard of the term neurodiversity, even though I was diagnosed with ADHD at age 21.

This might sound strange, but for the last few months a dream has started growing in me to go to California on a type of 'pilgrimage'. I'm not sure what I expect to find, but something in me is telling me I should do this. Perhaps it is my way of trying to understand my perspective as a South African. Here, neurodiversity is a word that seems to have surfaced only recently. I guess I am coming to this site to get other perspectives - has anyone else had this urge? It just seems that a lot of autism-related things have happened in the USA and particularly in California, and that ought to be explored.

I can't explain why, exactly, but I have this deeply personal desire to go on this journey. But maybe my perceptions are warped? I'm asking because it wouldn't be easy for me to go, I can't just hop on a plane. It would take a lot of planning, overcoming fears, and raising of funds. I just have this hunch that such a trip may be worth the effort, over and above just from a 'tourism' perspective.

I was hoping to start a thread where I can discuss such a journey, and maybe get advice on where to visit, what to see, or who to speak to.

I live in Australia and I have been to Ca. 3 times.
The only other distant place I have seen as often is London.
I'd say DO IT!
Just gearing your head for the journey will probably change your life.

Edit.
Oh...and welcome to WP

Zephyr SpaceBoy, Welcome to Wrong Planet.

I guess if your inner voice is telling you to go to California to visit, then to California you must go. There are many places to visit in California. I use to live there around 50 years ago. Perhaps your inner voice is leading you on a journey. It may guide you along the way. Sometimes you need to be strong, brave, fearless, unstoppable to make this happen. But if you go you may learn more about who you are and your hidden strengths.

It does sound like you need to go on a pilgrimage.

Welcome to Wrong Planet!

The US is an awful place and about to become even more awful. I would never advise anyone to come here, but if you want to, California is probably one of the better places to go.

There are other South Africans on this site. The most prominent had the username envirozentinel then his account got messed up and he has a new username I don't recall. You might want to PM him before setting forth on a potentially quixotic mission.

I took advantage of the favourable exchange rate in Sep/Oct 1981, to do a tour of the south western states of America with a college friend, landing at LAX and hiring a car (so much cheaper than in the UK!). We then meandered eastward towards Fort Worth where a cousin lived. We basically tried to visit everywhere we’d ever heard of, mostly from watching westerns, whilst sticking to a tight budget.

We saw the Grand Canyon, of course, and the far more impressive Death Valley, from Zabriski Point. Yosemite Park was another standout, especially as we arrived at twilight, for a truly magical experience ; other than having to dodge deer for the entire drive through. Good times were had at El Passo and Alberqurquie (we were warned to stay away from the strip, but it was the only place we could afford a motel room, but no matter ; it introduced us to mechanical bulls and wet teashirt dancing, so quite a laugh, really).

After 2/3 days at Vegas I came away a 100$ better off, then back on the long boring straight roads they have there.

Some lasting impressions : People in LA dressed as if they were going to be the centre of attention, and then ignored each other. It’s about this time I started going off the idea of looking for a job there ; that we really are different cultures started to take hold. Most of the people we met were fine ; we got a lot of drinks bought for us, as it wasn’t long since the SAS hit the Iranian Embassy.

We somehow got in with a bunch of people singing « Well you’ll never get to heaven » which I suspect I’ll remember longest. My contribution ? In a Platex Bra… won’t stretch that far.

Then it was back in the plane to cross over the Arctic Ocean once more, and I can tell you ; on neither flight did I see any open water there, though the Arctic seas are at about their warmest at that time ! Those satellite photos that purport to show otherwise are fakes; someone has altered the dates (which is also indicated by the suspiciouly good quality of the photos).

I find commercial flights utterly boring, so I doubt I’ll go again, but I’m glad I went.

California, is expensive....over budget financially for the entire trip.. btw Welcome to Wrong Planet ...best wishes on your pilgrimage. The beach in Santa Monica. at dawn or at Sunset is a treasure. Any time of year.. While there on the Weekend , might take a stroll through the over populated Boardwalk there, Good tourist trap. Walk the entire boardwalk,Perhaps bisit Graumans theatre enile there, And it is not too long of a walk. And lots of creative people there. If you cant afford a hotel on the beach area, Arrive very early ..there. Then there is Griffith Observatory. During the day , has a beautiful veiw , With optional Lazer light shows inside the telscope do e on weekends .And you must come up the back side from the Greek theatre there, Which often hosts big name music groups schedule is online. Also that area has Hollywood blvd. Another tourist trap but very interesting and you can look at the Star shaped places on the side walk all along Hollywood blvd . Of all the actors/ actresses, that have beenso honoured to get there names on that walk.
If in that area. Please be alert when out in public, lots of hard people out there . lots of homeless in those area.
if you choose those areas. Similiar to San Franciso.
Points North can be beautiful too . Santa Paula ,Ojia , and Fillmore area, are a bit nicer overall for scenery. Northern California feel. All slong the Coast in the early days of Calif. the Jesuits set up a series of Missions all along the Coast.
Nice to visit , Santa Barbara, it a nicer upscale area .. but fairly important if you fo rent a car . The freeways/ highways, turn to mudd for driver from 6 am to 9 am,then again from 3 pm to 6 pm..And still that is no guarantee that the freeways will be moving . Last time there the 101/ Ventura freeway. Was jammed day and night .
If you go inland from the beach to the San Fernando freeway . Just a hill away from Hollywood is The San Fernando
Valley home to another Mission at Cahuenga , almost across the street from it is the Universal Studios Attraction.
Farther up the street is the St Charles church, much more Cathedral like inside, Many actors have had their funerals there over the years. Open certain hours only. Hope this helps you with your journey to there

I never made any recommendations.
1. California was only a partial destination, a fascinating place to visit on the way to somewhere else.
2. Car rental may be cheap, but we discovered driveaway companies, you tell them where you want to go and they give you a car to drive there, and a time limit to arrive. You just pay gas. (We got a mustang convertible from El Paso TX to Gulfport Mississippi, but it had been thrashed and needed brake fluid, steering fluid and oil too, but what a cool ride! It was a repo delivery and we still have the front license plate over the fridge)
3. The Green Tortoise hostel in SF. Quirky as hell and the owners made a real effort to make sure everyone had a ball. They had a sleeper bus that did strange tours. We met many interesting people at their parties.
4. The entire coast road between SF and San Diego is picturesque.
5. LA was somewhere you had to be on your toes if you don't want to be ripped off, but there are a billion interesting things to do there.
6. Don't bother with Disneyland unless you want to spend hours in queues with annoying kids. If you want rides...Knotts Berry Farm.
7. In LA, don't stare at the lowered Cadillac peppered with bullet holes next to you at the lights.

Welcome to Wrong Planet!

I've never been to California, so I unfortunately have no opinion, but my family and I have an acquaintance who lives in San Diego with her husband and their son.

However, the Priest of my Catholic church did grow up in LA, so I'm going to try and ask him for his opinion.

There's a lot of really cool stuff to see in CA, I'd personally give Disneyland a miss, but if you're in the LA area, definitely consider seeing Universal Studios for the studio tour, the one at WB is also quite good, and I haven't personally had a chance to see the one Paramount does.

There's also a bunch of other cool stuff to see in and around LA, and it's probably got the most stuff you've seen in the movies with NYC probably being the runner up.

There's also a bunch of other areas, if you're coordinated, it's probably worth giving surfing a try. Not to mention the Redwoods and the various national parks.

It is an extremely long state though, so you'll probably want to stick to a segment of the state. There's cool stuff pretty much all the way from north to south.