SAN FRANCISCO

We arrived later to San Francisco than we thought but we found the hotel without too much hassle and although all their parking was gone there was a space out front we just had to be out by 9am. I wasn't planning on it after the long drive the day before but needs must I suppose.

Since one of the most iconic things San Francisco is named for is the Painted Ladies, I must go and see them. We saw the ones near Alamo Square and the detail on them is incredible. I am impressed in the talent of the people that built them.

 

I'm a fan of Full House although I only watched it a few years ago since I wasn't born yet back then, I needed to find the house that is represented as the Tanner's residence. I wasn't the only one there as you can see by this woman not wanting to move out my way!  
 

The Golden Gate Bridge is definitely the thing you think of when San Francisco is mentioned. How could I not go and see it? I'd seen a photo taken on a beach with the bridge in the background at sunset and I needed to find it. Unfortunately it wasn't at all sunny when we were there but still perfectly clear. I'd found out the beach we were looking for was Baker beach. We found it and about a hundred different fishermen. It was still awesome though.

 

I'd also heard of a place called Battery Spencer that sounded like a perfect viewpoint. I made the most of my satnav that served as a wifi hotspot and realised the time back home would mean my parents would be home. I thought I'd surprise them. I attempted to face time them and when they answered on the 3rd attempt I held my phone as close to my face as possible so they didn't know where I was. I said I had something to show them and I turned the camera and just watched the smiles grow on their face. Other than a couple messages saying I had made it to the states this was the first time since I'd left home that they had heard from me and it couldn't have been any better.

 

Finally though it was time to get some proper food so before we had to head to the airport and return my car (sobs), Denny's was calling my name! I did the total American thing. I got the burger and milkshake. I regretted after when I couldn't finish either but it was damn good.

 

Next stop Seattle.

Toodles for now.

PACIFIC COAST HIGHWAY - Los Angeles to San Francisco

November 3rd. Today we are driving out of Los Angeles and making our way up to San Francisco via the beautiful Pacific Coast Highway. This is one of those roads, like Route 66, that I feel I just have to drive along.

It was around 9 am when we left our hotel in Los Angeles to start the journey hoping to get to San Francisco not too late in the day with the stops we would like to make on the way. The first thing though is to get out of the busy LA city and to the beach. I wanted to see Santa Monica and the Pacific Ocean. I live in England and have only been to places around the Atlantic Ocean. I knew it would look exactly the same but it would give me a feeling. The realisation of where I am in the world. Somewhere I never thought, only hoped, I would get to.

Once we got to the beach we headed north along the coast. We had the windows down, music up, the sun was shining. It was like a dream.

Going through Malibu I just had to hear Miley Cyrus' Malibu song. I am absolutely in love with that song and I don't think there was a better place to hear it. Like I said, it felt like I was in a dream.

The Big Sur was definitely the number 1 stop I wanted to make because for one Bixby Bridge is a gorgeous piece of architecture and also I promised a friend I would take a picture there for him on his birthday and I don't break my promises.

 

 

 

The entire way up to San Francisco the views were incredible. This was something I definitely wouldn't forget. It took my breath away constantly and I'm glad I got to drive an awesome car in the process.

Driving the Pacific Coast Highway was a dream. I don't remember anything else so beautiful. The beach and the ocean is my happy place. If I wasn't certain before, I definitely was now.

Next stop is San Francisco.

Toodles for now.

LOS ANGELES

We arrived into LAX around 7pm on November 1st and first thought was it was insanely busy! We didn't get out of the airport for a good 3 hours! All we had to do for the rest of that night was find our rental car and get to the hotel. So that's what we did and then just went to sleep really, ready to start fresh tomorrow.

1st proper morning in the USA I could finally look at my car (since it wasn't dark anymore) which was gorgeous! A lovely red coloured 2017 Nissan Altima. It was lush. I was in love. Also the hotel, well it wasn't really a hotel. It was more of someone else's house that you rent rooms from, but it wasn't air b'n'b, I used Booking.com. It was really lovely apart from being small and apart from the random people you bump into every now and then. We had a bunk bed room which was good until there was a cockroach! A little one but it weren't half noisy! Luckily we were only staying for 2 nights. The bed was comfortable I had the top bunk because who prefers the bottom. I have a fear that the top bunk will fall on me. Always choose the top.

Still being on UK time and 7 hours behind at this point (US clocks hadn't changed yet but UK ones had which was great because I got to have 2 days with an extra hour in bed!) I woke up early like insanely early and hungry but we hadn't gone to the shop for supplies yet. That sucked!

First stop for Los Angeles was the Hollywood sign. I couldn't be there and not see it and after a minor detour which our satnav gave us and a small hike we thought there should be an easier way than this. Driving up and down the Hollywood hills was interesting, I'm so thankful my car was an automatic! But eventually we found the sign. 

Next stop is the Walk of Fame and our goal is to find Ellen DeGeneres' star. Typical that when we got there and went one way down the street walking for ages and not finding her I ask a Police man and he tells me it was all the way in the opposite direction. We found her though! And a couple others we were quite excited about. 

Last stop that I definitely want to see is the Griffith Observatory. Mainly because I discovered in the opening sequence of Dancing with the Stars season 23 but also because the view looks stunning and I wanted to see it in person. If you don't know it yet you will eventually realise I'm all about the view.

Target! I love a target! By this point we thought it best to get some food. Don't want to pass out at the start of the trip! Still had 20 days and 8 more stops to make on the trip. The store was huge! It was the target near Paramount Pictures. Stocked up on few essentials and decided to take it easy this evening with a frozen pizza for dinner. We didn't see too much of Los Angeles really but so far the holiday is good and couldn't wait for more!

Next is the Pacific Coast Highway.

Toodles for now.

The longest flight of my life! LHR-LAX 11.5 hours

This was the longest flight I have ever taken. It wasn't as bad as I was imagining but I can't say I want to make it a regular occurrence. I flew from London Heathrow to Los Angeles International on a day time flight leaving at 3.30pm UK time and because of the time difference got to LA by 7pm!

When I got onto the flight I had already been sat at the airport for around 4 hours so was really hoping for some good entertainment and comfortable seats. I was in luck for 1 of those at least; the seat needed some more padding.

The first couple of hours went by quite quickly. I watched Annabelle: The Creation. Don't worry I did look around for any children that could have a view of my screen and there wasn't any so I went ahead. That film was alright. I mean the parts I saw were alright I took quite a nice little nap in the middle. I wouldn't call it scary though. Next was Wonderwoman. That was an awesome film; I can't wait to see more. Throughout the flight I also saw the first 4 episodes of Pitch (I've been meaning to see it for ages but haven't had the time) and then Baywatch, another I had been meaning to watch and was definitely as good as I was expecting. Who doesn't love a bit of Zac Efron. He is definitely aging well.

Lunch was a choice between a chicken curry with rice and green beans or beef stew and if you know me you'll know that I definitely skipped the stew! Pudding was salted caramel ice cream but the caramel was a little too solid. Would've been better a bit softer as all it did was get stuck in my teeth.

I had chosen an aisle seat when I booked the flight mainly because I'd rather have to move for the people next to me than make those people move so I can get out. The guys seemed nice but they hardly said anything. And plus the guy in the window decided to go to the loo while the middle guy did so we all only had to get up the once.

After another nap with some music by Thomas Rhett in the background and then after an hour of just wishing it would end, it was over. I had survived the longest flight of my life. Even better than some of the other incredibly short flights compared to that one! I'm sure you'll hear more about that at a later date.

Toodles for now.

Leaving Mexico! - Trip day 16/17

The final leg of the trip. For the last time we had a walk around the town of Akumal where we were staying and took in all that we had experienced there.

 

And just like that it was time to make our way home. The coach picked us up around 11 am and took us straight to the airport. When we got there we still had a couple hours until our first flight from Cancun to JFK so we just went around some shops and got some last minute items. Mostly treats. The first flight went alright although it was a bit slow and where the plane had 1 TV for every 10 rows you basically had to put up with what's on, on a TV 5 metres away and 10 inches wide or you had nothing.

(Landing at JFK)

The second flight wasn't until around 11pm from JFK back to Heathrow. Some people had a cheeky McDonald's and others, including me had nothing. Once we boarded the flight and took off it was around midnight so all we wanted to do was sleep. The crew had other ideas though. At around 1 am they decided to bring around dinner. A curry of all things. It was nice but not something to eat on a plane at 1am. Arrival was safe and we quickly collected our bags but due to the times of the National Express, we had to wait a couple hours until we could leave the airport. The rest of the journey though was alright. We had a nap on the coach on the way to the ferry and once we got on that ferry, we knew we were home. My parents and my brother were there waiting for me. I had an awesome time but it was so nice to be home!

(Final flight home)

 

Toodles for now.

Our final full day in Mexico! - Trip Day 15

I got up at 7. I just couldn't stay in bed any longer. But everyone else seemed to still be sleeping so I very quietly left the room to get myself breakfast. Watermelon, scrambled egg and they graced me with my favourite of French toast. My morning was filled by a couple hours at the beach before our last dive at 11. We had to wait for a storm to pass but once it had, we ventured out for the very last time. We ended it all with a barracuda and some turtles.

Our final lunch was a ham and cheese sandwich and chips. Some people after lunch volunteered to do some turtle blood testing. This would've included trying to catch the turtles in the first place and they are very strong. I passed on that one. Instead I went for a snorkel around the bay and saw a ton of turtles. Great way to end the trip.

I showered for the final time in Mexico and we finished the evening with an ecology quiz with dinner. This trip has been amazing. I am so glad I experienced this.
Toodles for now.

Lionfish dissection -Trip Day 14

I woke up at 6.30 after sleeping for 10.5 hours! Cornflakes today with a lecture on threats to a coral reef and then 9 am was our Open Water Diver Theory test. You needed 38 out of 50 to pass and I got 46 so I definitely passed! I went and bought some gift items then headed to the beach for the rest of the morning.

Lunch was hot dogs and egg and potato salads. I started to pack a few items which I knew I didn't need any longer on this trip and then made my way back to the dive centre for the last dive to complete the practical side of the divers course. We had to take our mask off fully an put it back on again, lower and only float up and down by natural breathing and then use a compass to navigate our way through the ocean. Once that was done, we did a bit of a fun dive since we had plenty of air left in our tanks and saw a turtle and a lionfish. Then at our 5 metre stop we all held hands and did the Mexican wave to celebrate finishing the course.

After our dinner of shepherds pie and veg we had a lecture and talk on lionfish and Rachael did a lionfish dissection demonstration to see how much it has eaten, whether it's male or female etc. It was kind of gross but cool at the same time.

 

It also happened to be one guys birthday so we got to have ice cream cake for his birthday which he didn't know about. I videoed his reaction whilst Rachael brought the cake out.

 

It was then an early night for me. I'm beginning to become old.

Toodles for now.