Yes We Did

Ok, this really is it!!

We are at the Airport (albeit we got here almost 4 hours early - I mean who the hell has a flight departing at 10:30pm!!).  Anyway, of course we didnt want to be late and we did have to drive through SFO at peak hour drop the car off and get the shuttle train thingy to the airport, so we did allow a little room for error.

So turns out we did it all withe ease and we are 4th in the queue to check in and the flight hasnt even opened yet.  Perhaps as a result, we've been upgraded to premium economy, we are both a little unsure exactly what that means, but it sounds terrific.

Briefly, on the day that was, we stopped in a little village called Pescadero, and headed up into the San Mateo State Forest.  It was recommended to us by this lovely couple we met on the beach yesterday.  Some big Redwoods there and that was great, because to be frank, Big Sur, whilst grand and epic in scale ,did not deliver the larger style of tree that we were expecting.  The pictures dont really do it justice, but here they are:

oh yeah and we saw Rocky Raccoon

Then on to San Francisco proper and a drive through Golden Gate Park (something we didnt get to do in our first few days).  The De Young Art Gallery looked great but we didnt really have time to stop (well, OK with hindsight we did, but hey...)

The viewing platform at the top of the Art Gallery was amazing - a great perspective on the City.

 

Followed by (with a newfound confidence in driving the Pontiac) a drive down the Streets of San Francisco (<laugh> I've always wanted to say that - fair to say though that the speed was a little slower than Karl Malden in the show by that name or Steve McQueen in Bullet).

We drove down the windiest street, and visited the famous Coit Tower (recorded on the otherwise unused HandiCam),

and before we drove here to SFO, did we get some Obama T Shirts

YES WE DID!!!

Last Post (well probably)

Unless we get some time at the airport tomorrow night, this will be our last post.  Thanks for the 3 of you that stayed the distance, its and interesting and cathartic exercise writing a travel blog, and if nothing else i have enjoyed it.

Nothing much happened today, well except of course the winds of change swept through American Politics.

We watched the inauguration live and then engaged in a little retail therapy - i found a shop that sells the shirts that Charlie Sheen wears in that TV show - Nat Naster shirts - quite nice!

Saw a Luminor watch that was $20,000(AU), decided not to get it though

A quick trip to the shops at Monterey (its all art galleries and restaurants in Carmel)  and we saw our first real Monster Truck, sure there have been plenty of awfully big pickups (i thought the F150 was big - we parked next to an F350 today).  But then this was just plain silly...

 

Then, after a rather large, but none too shabby burger, and as the reality of work approached i caught a little blackberry time (anyone at TH please show this to Shane).

 

Oh and yes, i went for a swim...

 

Bloody cold!!  About 56 degrees F (13C) seems to be the consensus.

That might just about be it.

Drive to Big Sur

A quieter day today, but we did drive down into Big Sur, which was Epic in its scale...

 

Also managed to give the Visa a belting - eeeek!  Then had some Champagne on the balcony watching the sunset - nice!

Decided to try Mexican food tonight, delicious, but probably our most significant encounter with portion size.  Large portions were something we had heard about - and there is little doubt that we have probably both gained a pound or 2, but crumbs.  We ordered an appetiser and an entree and couldn't finish that.  (David - i promise you a photo tomorrow of the leftovers Simone couldn't eat!)

The trip is drawing to a close with only one full day left and then the journey home begins.  I wont wax on, but i am trying to think of a fitting stupid thing to do - If the weather holds, i think a dip in budgie smugglers in the pacific in mid winter is the ticket - will be interested to see if (a) I have the kahuna's to do it and (b) how the lovely peace loving people of Carmel will take to it!!

That is all...

A good decision...(day 7)

Wow, only a week has passed, what a journey and the rate of photos goes up exponentially

Last night we realised there was just too much to do here in Monterey County and our trip to Yosemite was going to take a whole day with little accomplished.  So another 2 nights in Carmel it is.

The weather continues to be amazing so after a slow start we were out all day.

Started at Carmel Mission - truly beautiful

 

 

OK that was a sample of the 100 photo's we took there, then on to Monterey.

Well I can't say we weren't warned it was touristy....and it sure was

 

OK, enough of that...our attention span didnt last much longer either...

Then on to 17 Mile Drive and Pebble Beach.

 

 

Thanks Lisa and Gis for the recommendation for lunch at Pebble Beach, I'd never have chanced it in jeans and a T if I didnt know they actually dont mind (and they were right).

Fortunately I wore the "New Zealand, 100% there for the taking shirt", so all the locals thought i was a Kiwi - no harm done.

 

And finally for those of you with the perseverance to still be reading, I have changed the settings on Comments, so hopefully anyone can comment now.

Old Friends and Carmel (Day 6)

Talk about coincidences.....  We  agreed  to meet our friends Phil and Lisa with their kids Mat and Georgia for dinner, they bring another friend who's in town, who of course happens to be another SCEGGS Mum, Jules Maxwell who also happen to know.... small world. 

 

So that was fun, and the we said goodbye to our nice little Hotel and to SFO....

 

 

Followed by a great drive with lots of photo opps...

Then we arrived in Carmel and put simply, its delightful, and far too much to see and do in a day and a half.

 

At this stage it looks like we'll stay in Carmel for the rest of our trip, and skip the Yosemite bit.

Day 5 - We must be back in San Francisco

So the trip to Dry Creek Vineyard in Sonoma County and the dinner were the reason for the trip.  And the meal lived up to expectations - just stunning food in a fine restaurant in downtown Healdsburg.

After an outstanding meal at the Dry Creek Kitchen last night with (of course some outstanding wines) we had a great night's sleep in our hotel up early and a hearty country breakfast.

Our host then took us on the scenic route back in to San Francisco via Sausalito and the lookout across the Golden Gate to the city.

 

Then came the moment of truth, was i courageous enough to drive down to Palo Alto and see the Loral satellite facility....(see below).

Turns out our car (a Pontiac) is a weekly rate, so i incurred no charge to pick it up a day early, I just have to work out how to park it now!

Dinner with old friends tonight.  Looking forward to it!!

Change of pace for day 4

Today was wine country day and a total change of pace.

We were picked up at about 10 at the hotel by our host Antonio and travelled over the Golden Gate for the first time.  Antonio was very entertaining for the journey up, and didnt seem to have too much regard for minor traffic regulations - so the shot below was taken at the bus stop on the approach to the Bridge (right up until the SFPD pulled up behind him and he "encouraged" us to hop back in).  But that's OK he made up time speeding up the 101.

The Journey up was through beautiful country (well after a  bit)and the Dry Creek Winery is just nestled in the midst of a valley full of vineyards.

Have to say tasting 6 wines before lunch was always a risk.  Fantastic wines!! must make a point of getting some when we get home (i'm already brining back more wine than allowed - albeit they are all gifts - i dont want to be the one to explain that to Customs).  However we decided not to take the camera in (a little too touristy), so no pictures of that.

We did meet Kim, daughter of the founder and still integrally involved in the business and she was great value.

Lunch was a delicious roll at a very quaint little general store and then (no surprise) an afternoon nap was in order....

Our Hotel tonight is in a place called Geyserville (what else would it be called but the Geyserville Inn) and Antonio really looked after us, with the deluxe rooms out in a separate building right amongst the local vineyard.  Although getting Wayne in to help us with the satellite TV was interesting (apparently Direct TV is WAY better that DishTV that we have ).

Internet doesn't work here, so not sure when we'll post this, but dinner tonight is in Healdsburg - marginally larger but i suspect equally sleepy. So this post wont appear for a few days.

Day 3 Wednesday

Pretty much pure tourism today:  Civic, Alamo and the Painted Ladies, Haight Ashbury and a walk around Chinatown, Nob Hill and the Cable Car Museum (OK Simone wasnt there for the last one) camera in hand.

Of note was the first decent cup of coffee in a tiny coffee shop in Lower Haight - just lovely.

Dinner out tonight up at North Beach.

Lots of press about the upcoming Obama Inauguration.  We we get  some Obama T Shirts - "Yes We Will".

Off to Sonoma tomorrow - no idea if we'll get Internet, might be a day or 2...

 

(simone) Another beautiful day - sunny and blue skies. A bit jet lagged today.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

...oh and before we go a quick thank you to the Hilton Hotel who's pay for use internet connection was down the whole time we were here  (ie free internet!), so we decided to just throw pictures at Y'all today.