We landed at Los Angeles in the early afternoon. Because Air New Zealand uses Terminal 2, the manouvering and parking for the large jet was tight, so it is normal to have the aircraft towed to its final position. But it seemed strange that the aircraft was being towed with its engine roaring.
Once we had stopped moving and the ventilation turned off, I realised the roaring was from the ventilation. Despite all that hiss and roar, the flight had felt too warm and inadequately ventilated. [Edit: I realised in later years that I had gotten used to flying the A330 can be quieter inflight than a B777 during taxi, largely due to the ventilation hiss and roar.]
After a quick exit through immigration and baggage claim we were kerbside. We waited nearly an hour for the shuttle to Howard Johnson Hotel nearby. We weren’t staying at the hotel but had organised a car pick-up from a really budget (borderline dodgy) agency at the hotel reception that Kim uses all the time while here as crew.
There was no paper-work to be done for the car. The agency was closed and they had left the key for us. It was an easy drive to Northridge where we stayed with friends, the Papenbrooks, their two big dogs and four cats.
We chatted with them, then drove to Costco to pick up pizza for dinner. After dinner, we relaxed and chatted by their fire place before retiring around 2030.