SMA PLT RETURNING TO HOME ARPT BECOMES DISORIENTED AND STRAYS INTO CLASS B AIRSPACE. REQUESTS ASSISTANCE FROM TWR AFTER THE FACT.

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I TOOK OFF FROM EL MONTE ARPT AND HEADED W TO VAN NUYS ARPT TO PICK UP ONE OF MY FRIENDS. I DID NOT HAVE MUCH TROUBLE THOUGH IT WAS MY FIRST TIME LNDG AT VAN NUYS ARPT; IN MY 6 YRS OF FLYING. THE CEILING OF APPROX 3000 FT; SCATTERED; AND VISIBILITY OF 3-4 MI DIDN'T REALLY BOTHER ME WITH THE HELP OF THE CTLR ALONG THE WAY. WHEN I HEADED BACK TO EL MONTE FROM VAN NUYS ARPT; I TALKED TO VAN NUYS TWR AND BURBANK TWR AS I FLEW ALONG. I FELT PRETTY RELAXED; BECAUSE I FIGURED THAT SINCE I HAD MADE IT TO THE VAN NUYS ARPT; IT SHOULD BE EASIER FLYING BACK TO EL MONTE. THE DEV BEGAN WHEN THE TWR HANDED ME OFF AND TOLD ME TO RESUME MY OWN NAV. I FIGURED I SHOULD BE ABOUT 10 MINS W OF EL MONTE WHERE MY AIRPLANE IS BASED AND STARTED TO LOOK FOR THE LANDMARKS SUCH AS THE FREEWAYS; LARGE SHOPPING CTRS; ETC. I WAS CRUISING AT APPROX 1800 FT MSL BECAUSE I WAS AWARE THAT THE CLASS B (TCA) AIRSPACE IS IMMEDIATELY NEXT TO MY R-HAND SIDE SINCE THE CEILING IS LOW ANYWAY. AS I FLEW ALONG; I DIDN'T REALIZE THAT I WAS GRADUALLY DEVIATING TO THE S. AS I RECALL; I BELIEVED THAT I CONCENTRATED TOO MUCH ON LOOKING FOR THE LANDMARKS AND HAD NOT XCHKED WITH THE NAV INSTS AVAILABLE TO ME. I ENDED UP DISORIENTED BECAUSE I COULD NOT FIND ANY LANDMARKS FAMILIAR TO ME. WHEN I SAW A BIG JET FLYING LOW JUST A FEW MI AWAY; I DECIDED TO GET HELP FROM EL MONTE TWR AND SQUAWK 7700. I HAVE NEVER SEEN A JET SO CLOSE IN MY ROUTINE FLYING! MY INSTINCT TOLD ME THAT I WAS TOO CLOSE TO LAX. I FINALLY FLEW BACK TO EL MONTE WITH THE HELP OF THE CTLR. IT WAS A HORRIBLE FEELING TO BE DISORIENTED THAT CLOSE TO A BIG ARPT SUCH AS LAX; AND I BELIEVE IT WAS CAUSED BY TOO MUCH RELAXATION AND NOT XCHKING WITH OTHER NAV DEVICE AVAILABLE AT THE TIME. I BELIEVED THAT SINCE I WAS SO CLOSE TO BASE; I WOULDN'T NEED IT. THIS INCIDENT HAS TAUGHT ME THAT UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES MUST YOU CHEAT PROCEDURAL STEPS; AND RESPECT THE WX.