There is no way Chris will be out of bed before noon and I have given myself an extra hour's sleep, until 9am. I have a few ideas for today of things I want to do so sit tight this is a huge day!!!!
First up I walk into town and I come across a window displaying beautiful old stagecoach. It is an original Wells Fargo postal coach. I go in to take a photo and discover it is actually a museum and free. What a job that was back in the day with the long hours and travel time!
My next stop is the Railway Museum which is small but interesting to read about the different streetcars they have. I saw one in action that was painted in green and yellow with Melbourne on it. They do this with all the cities that have streetcars (trams).
I move towards the centre of town and go to a mall looking for a spiral escalator I have read about. I find it and ride it but it is a non event. It is too big to really notice you are moving in a spiral but I think it's a novel idea. I am suckered in by one of the shops in the middle of the walkways, you know the ones where they come at you with a sample of something so great you won't know what you did before it came along!! This is one I have bought before, the Dead Sea lotions and potions. I don't mind being stopped, the girl is lovely and we have a great time, she laughs at my jokes while exfoliating and moisturising my hands. We chat about Australia and the harsh sun and I know she is working up to the sale but I have already decided I will buy something. She will start at the value of all 3 products being $250 and work her way down to me buying 1 for $50 and then 'ssh, don't tell anyone' giving me a free gift of the second. The piece de resistance is the staff price on the third item so I can have the set but I really have to 'ssssh, she isn't supposed to do this but she is a trainer so she can'. I spend around $90. It is actually good value as these products do last the 15 months or so they say they do. Jen even gives me her personal email to let her know how things are going and if I have any questions. I am so lucky!!!
I need to get going, I didn't factor in this time waster. On my way to the Cable Car Museum I am distracted by 4 fire trucks that come speeding towards me, well to the homeless man lying semi conscious on the ground. This distraction costs me a very steep walk up Nob Hill and I am the knob because I just have to walk down the other side!! The museum is terrific with the actual cables and sheaves that the cars run on. It doesn't seem real.
My next stop is the area of Fort Mason (suburb by the water) so I head in the right direction intending to take the bus but it's too close so I walk. The scenery is just gorgeous and so summery. The bay, sunshine, tourists, attractions, me and a general relaxed attitude.
I need sustenance and a toilet break so I go into Safeway. I buy a red banana (which is purple) from Mexico but I pick one that isn't ripe and it tastes like any other banana.
Moving on I aim for Fort Point which is underneath the Golden Gate. This is where Hitchcock filmed the scene where Kim Novak dies in Vertigo. I planned to take the bus but the walk is so lovely and the houses amazing I can't stop. This is the Marina area and this lovely walk is to become my enemy as I am getting tired now and my legs are aching. I get side tracked again by an extraordinary building housing the Exploratorium. I don't go inside as it is just like Scienceworks and I don't need to re-acquaint myself with experiments and facts that I can remember anywhere. It's the structure outside the museum that I am drawn to as is everyone else. There is a wedding going on and I hear the bagpipes which are not being played particularly well.
I feel like I should be wearing a toga and am transported back to Roman times. I wonder how this structure survived the 1906 earthquake and what are the Romans doing here anyway? I find the info I need and it tells me it was built for the Panama Pacific Exposition in 1915. So it's not as old as I want it to be.
I take the bus the remainder of the way and arrive at the bridge at 4.45pm, the Fort closes at 5pm. I still have to find my way down the hill and the signage is terrible. I am sent in different directions by various people and I am not happy now. When I get there I just get a few photos and imagine what it is like inside. When we walked the bridge we caught a glimpse inside.
Desperate for a chardonnay I am seeking a cafe to sit in for a while but it's all park and beach, no shops. I am tempted to walk the The Presidio area but decide it's really not a good idea given the pain I am starting to feel. The Presidio is the area once occupied by the Marines as you would expect with a name like that. It is now one of the wealthiest areas to live in.
I have got to get to the bus stop before I collapse and after a mix up of bus numbers and finally accidentally coming across the shops, I am on the home stretch. This bus will take me within minutes of my front door.
I pop in to Enrico's at 6.50pm. I have time for a happy hour mojito. I have been out since 10am and figure I have been walking for 8 of the 9 hours.
Time for a well earned shower and then it's out to dinner and to relax. I go around the corner to an Italian restaurant. My meal is delicious - roast chicken with zucchini mashed potatoes and broccolini. My cab sav is yummy! I really like being on my own, listening and observing. Americans are very loud, we have established that and it is well known. I am loud and often feel self conscious when I catch myself. Here, there is no catching of one's self, it is the way you are.
Couple A in front of me are competing for my aural attention and all I want is to eat my vegetables. Couple B next to me are not trying to be subtle. She is disturbing me because she is shaking her legs with nerves or maybe she has a chill. My peripheral vision is awesome at the worst of time so this is just killing me and I can't turn away far enough in my seat to avoid seeing her without looking strange. Besides there is a mirrored wall on my other side and I do not want to look at myself.
I have sometimes thought I would fit in with America society given the volume I can speak at and I can be brash but geez I hope I do not come across like this. It hurts my ears it is so loud. The shaky legs are still going and I want to smack her as she takes a photo of her calzone.
Couple A man is getting louder and louder. The waiters are not attentive to my wine levels and I wonder if this is a safe drinking tactic or they are just slack. I decide they are slack! Some restaurants love to wait on a single female diner - others don't! I can't wait to leave so I can go elsewhere for dessert. Maybe I should let everyone leave before me and then I can avoid them. Plan!!
Couple C - oh no, another leg shaker! I think they are on a date. Threesome D has a foot swinger, female B is still going - is she dizzy? I'll make her dizzy. Oh, couple A has left the building. I hear someone many tables away say "ssh". I'm like, yeah shut the hell up everyone. Couple E have been eating so slowly, drinking the same wine, corporate clothing - let's meet after work Friday type of meeting. I can't hear the words coming out of their mouths, just sounds. The body language tells me everything. I know these things and there is no one here to tell me I am wrong.
Finally I leave and I am hanging out for some tiramisu. Staying in Little Italy the options are plentiful. Unfortunately I choose the wrong place. I struggle through my coffee and dessert with a constant grimace on my face.
Time to go home to bed. It's the last night here and I am wrecked.
N.B. I know there are some typos but I can't be bothered to fix them. I must really be relaxed!!!
Friday, July 3, 2009
Thursday, July 2, 2009
Thursday 18 June
San Francisco Part 1 didn't actually exist so I should apologise for any confusion by my headlines. I thought about that afterwards but didn't bother changing it.
So onto Thursday. First thing to do is to book Beach Blanket Babylon so off we go to the box office just down the road. We sidetrack to the post office to send our postcards. Okay, tickets booked and we head off to the Haight, hippie headquarters. We detour to Alamo Square and the Painted Ladies for a photo. To say I am underwhelmed is an understatement. If I didn't come I would have wondered and been disappointed. I later manage to find some painted ladies that show the meaning and actual aesthetic of these houses.
Down to the Haight itself now - after I direct us in the opposite direction - and we are starving so set our sights on finding sustenance. It's not easy as we would prefer not to have pizza, but pizza it is. Chris finds himself a Dr Who t shirt in an op shop and simply must have it.
Changing course we mmove on to the Castro District - Gay Central. We soon decide to go separate ways and I take a walking tour through the Mission District. This is the main Hispanic area and has many murals painted on houses and walls. At first I am intimidated as I am the only white person in the vicinity or rather the most obvious! Oh well, I try to forget about that and soak up the atmosphere. Some of the murals are stunning and I think the photos won't really do them justice, especially the Women's Building. My walk lasts over an hour and I am weary but the day is not over. I make my way back to town taking various photos along the way.
Back at the seaside I walk almost the length of Fisherman's Wharf and the promenade. I stop at Fisherman's Alley to pick up a crab sandwich for dinner and I am hanging out for a beer to go with it. I have 1 left in the fridge back at the hostel. I am wrecked.
My beer has gone - not down my throat - I mean stolen!!!! I have to trudge down the stairs again and go to my local for another. It goes down exceptionally well with the crab. I have to hurry as I need a shower and we are meeting Daniel at 7.15pm for Beach Blanket Babylon. It is now 6.30pm. Of course the clothes I want to wear don't fit me so I throw them back into my case and choose again. Ready in a flash! I grab the Tim Tams and Vegemite for Daniel and we make our way down to the theatre which luckily is only a 10min walk.
BBB has been recommended to me and it sounds like a great night. It is the longest running revue in the world at 35 years telling the story of Snow White searching the world for love. She is taken on a whirlwind tour around the world meeting notable characters and celebrities such at The Godfather, Michael Jackson, Beyonce, Parisians, South Americans etc. I must say I am very disappointed and do not think it is as good as it should be. The hats are a famous part of the show and indeed they are incredible but it is not enough ot satisf my entertainment desires. It hasn't helped that a couple have arrived just as the show is starting and we all have to get up to let them in. Of course they need drinks but the waiter has gone and they talk and talk and talk. After a while she gets up herself and on her way back she walks over our seats in defiance, then continues to talk and talk. I am ready to punch her lights out.
After the show we head back towards the hostel and settle down with $5 mojitos at Enrico's next door. Yum! Daniel and I convince Chris that he should go out with Daniel in the Castro as it's now or never on this trip. I am happily drunk and ready for bed.
I don't know what time Chris gets home but he is really drunk and I am confident he has had a good time.
So onto Thursday. First thing to do is to book Beach Blanket Babylon so off we go to the box office just down the road. We sidetrack to the post office to send our postcards. Okay, tickets booked and we head off to the Haight, hippie headquarters. We detour to Alamo Square and the Painted Ladies for a photo. To say I am underwhelmed is an understatement. If I didn't come I would have wondered and been disappointed. I later manage to find some painted ladies that show the meaning and actual aesthetic of these houses.
Down to the Haight itself now - after I direct us in the opposite direction - and we are starving so set our sights on finding sustenance. It's not easy as we would prefer not to have pizza, but pizza it is. Chris finds himself a Dr Who t shirt in an op shop and simply must have it.
Changing course we mmove on to the Castro District - Gay Central. We soon decide to go separate ways and I take a walking tour through the Mission District. This is the main Hispanic area and has many murals painted on houses and walls. At first I am intimidated as I am the only white person in the vicinity or rather the most obvious! Oh well, I try to forget about that and soak up the atmosphere. Some of the murals are stunning and I think the photos won't really do them justice, especially the Women's Building. My walk lasts over an hour and I am weary but the day is not over. I make my way back to town taking various photos along the way.
Back at the seaside I walk almost the length of Fisherman's Wharf and the promenade. I stop at Fisherman's Alley to pick up a crab sandwich for dinner and I am hanging out for a beer to go with it. I have 1 left in the fridge back at the hostel. I am wrecked.
My beer has gone - not down my throat - I mean stolen!!!! I have to trudge down the stairs again and go to my local for another. It goes down exceptionally well with the crab. I have to hurry as I need a shower and we are meeting Daniel at 7.15pm for Beach Blanket Babylon. It is now 6.30pm. Of course the clothes I want to wear don't fit me so I throw them back into my case and choose again. Ready in a flash! I grab the Tim Tams and Vegemite for Daniel and we make our way down to the theatre which luckily is only a 10min walk.
BBB has been recommended to me and it sounds like a great night. It is the longest running revue in the world at 35 years telling the story of Snow White searching the world for love. She is taken on a whirlwind tour around the world meeting notable characters and celebrities such at The Godfather, Michael Jackson, Beyonce, Parisians, South Americans etc. I must say I am very disappointed and do not think it is as good as it should be. The hats are a famous part of the show and indeed they are incredible but it is not enough ot satisf my entertainment desires. It hasn't helped that a couple have arrived just as the show is starting and we all have to get up to let them in. Of course they need drinks but the waiter has gone and they talk and talk and talk. After a while she gets up herself and on her way back she walks over our seats in defiance, then continues to talk and talk. I am ready to punch her lights out.
After the show we head back towards the hostel and settle down with $5 mojitos at Enrico's next door. Yum! Daniel and I convince Chris that he should go out with Daniel in the Castro as it's now or never on this trip. I am happily drunk and ready for bed.
I don't know what time Chris gets home but he is really drunk and I am confident he has had a good time.
Saturday, June 20, 2009
Rewind
I forgot to mention the single woman that came into Zoetrope and sat near me. She had one drink and when the waiter brought her bill over he said, "I have taken care of your check, here is my number if you ever feel like giving me a call." I thought, "What the hell is wrong with me?" Daniel brought me back to reality and said that "she probably was 'somebody' and he recognised her so was trying to make a contact. I "could" have been somebody, sittiing here writing in my journal with a confident air about me. He wasn't to know that I was writing holidays notes, I could just as well have been writing a script! Yeah!!!"
Friday, June 19, 2009
Thursday 18 June
Sorry, too tired and a bit drunk to post today's adventures! They were very interesting though.
Thursday, June 18, 2009
17 June
We are up early so we can book into a tour for this afternoon. We have breakfast and then head into town to have a look at the shops. I'm not getting into it, I can't seem to justify spending time shopping when I am on the other side of the world. I thought the shops would inspire me, but no. Fashion here is just as crap as fashion in Melbourne. Chris and I part ways as we are not interested in the same things for obvious reasons. I stroll casually around which is just lovely after charging around with Chris. I look at the buildings, the people and create my life in my surroundings. Soon I have had enough so grab a coffee and something "to go" for lunch and head back to the hostel.
A bus collects us for our tour to the Winchester Mystery House in San Jose which is about an hour's drive south. The bus driver is great giving us heaps of information regarding the city and surrounds. The AT & T building which is where they play baseball has a giant coke bottle that Coke had installed for $1million. The San Andreas Fault Line is filled with water that keeps the people quenched with fresh drinking water. The fog acts as a natural air conditioner for the valley. In the movie The Graduate, Dustin Hoffman is driving across the Bay Bridge and he is actually going in the wrong direction for the background!!!!!
We arrive at the house and start our tour with Molly. She is fabulous with just the right amount of corny attitude to her jokes. To describe this house would cause brain injury so you should look it up on the internet. It has staircases going to the ceiling, doors that go nowhere, cupboards that are walls inside and a seance room with secret exits. It is completely fascinating as a house that was constantly being built around the clock for many years and never completed. There is a movie called Red Rose which is based on the house. 4o odd bedrooms, 6 kitchens, 13 bathrooms and 1 shower. The number 13 is an auspicious number and features constantly throughout the house in various ways. The stained glass windows are exquisite Tiffany designs. I listen to every word Molly says and buy the book at the end of the tour.
We hit the road for home and part ways again. Chris goes off to the Castro to see a movie and I go down the street to Cafe Zoetrope. This cafe is in the Sentinel Building which Francis Ford Coppola owns and it houses his production company Zoetrope. I enter through the revolving door and the whole place looks at me. Do they recognise me from We Can Be Heroes? Oh, maybe it was my RACQ ad they saw when they were all in Port Douglas for the last film shoot. I feel confident but alone. That's okay, I have my journal, my book and soon I will have a glass of wine. There are some very loud people nearby and 2 guys in particular are talking at such a volume that I must listen to them. But wait, someone else's conversation is struggling for my attention. All I can hear is film talk and only half of it at that as the din of restaurant talk is blurry.
I stay here for quite a while, listening and looking around occasionally. Some men come in late and sit at the bar asking questions about Francis. How old is he, when does he come here bla bla bla! Well, when he is in town he comes in twice a day and once at night! This gives me good inside information for the next few days. I mention in passing that I will try to come in tomorrow for a coffee. I leave a good tip!!
I am to learn later that Francis was sorry that he missed me as he had an emergency on set that he had to attend to.
A bus collects us for our tour to the Winchester Mystery House in San Jose which is about an hour's drive south. The bus driver is great giving us heaps of information regarding the city and surrounds. The AT & T building which is where they play baseball has a giant coke bottle that Coke had installed for $1million. The San Andreas Fault Line is filled with water that keeps the people quenched with fresh drinking water. The fog acts as a natural air conditioner for the valley. In the movie The Graduate, Dustin Hoffman is driving across the Bay Bridge and he is actually going in the wrong direction for the background!!!!!
We arrive at the house and start our tour with Molly. She is fabulous with just the right amount of corny attitude to her jokes. To describe this house would cause brain injury so you should look it up on the internet. It has staircases going to the ceiling, doors that go nowhere, cupboards that are walls inside and a seance room with secret exits. It is completely fascinating as a house that was constantly being built around the clock for many years and never completed. There is a movie called Red Rose which is based on the house. 4o odd bedrooms, 6 kitchens, 13 bathrooms and 1 shower. The number 13 is an auspicious number and features constantly throughout the house in various ways. The stained glass windows are exquisite Tiffany designs. I listen to every word Molly says and buy the book at the end of the tour.
We hit the road for home and part ways again. Chris goes off to the Castro to see a movie and I go down the street to Cafe Zoetrope. This cafe is in the Sentinel Building which Francis Ford Coppola owns and it houses his production company Zoetrope. I enter through the revolving door and the whole place looks at me. Do they recognise me from We Can Be Heroes? Oh, maybe it was my RACQ ad they saw when they were all in Port Douglas for the last film shoot. I feel confident but alone. That's okay, I have my journal, my book and soon I will have a glass of wine. There are some very loud people nearby and 2 guys in particular are talking at such a volume that I must listen to them. But wait, someone else's conversation is struggling for my attention. All I can hear is film talk and only half of it at that as the din of restaurant talk is blurry.
I stay here for quite a while, listening and looking around occasionally. Some men come in late and sit at the bar asking questions about Francis. How old is he, when does he come here bla bla bla! Well, when he is in town he comes in twice a day and once at night! This gives me good inside information for the next few days. I mention in passing that I will try to come in tomorrow for a coffee. I leave a good tip!!
I am to learn later that Francis was sorry that he missed me as he had an emergency on set that he had to attend to.
16 June
We get up at 8am, have our free breakfast of bagels and fruit then head off to the Golden Gate Bridge. It is cold and foggy. I am wearing shorts but I have my cardy so I feel prepared to shiver through the chill. We catch the bus to the south end and head off on our walk. It's really quite pleasant despite the moist air and constant murmer of the traffic. It's not smelly and windy as the guide books warned us, thankfully. It takes us about 1/2 an hour to reach the other side and when we get there, we have a look around and decide there is nothing to do so head back. Our legs are feeling the effects of walking up the hill of Lombard St and the rest but at the same time it feels good.
We take as many photos that will come up decent in the fog as it hasn't lifted at all. Back to the start we make our first boo boo and get on the wrong bus. Well, it was the right bus going the wrong way! That would have been okay but we don't have time to waste as we are boarding the Alcatraz ferry at 2.30pm and we need to have lunch.
Back on track we go to the Hard Rock Cafe as Chris wants to buy a souvenir. Not somewhere I would choose for lunch it seemed obvious to take this option. A burger and margarita later we waddle to the ferry. We are both looking forward to this attraction very much and the ferry only takes 10mins. Soon after arrival we are watching a video introducing us to the former wardens and some former inmates. It's then time to move on to the cellhouse and pick up our audio equipment for the tour.
The jail itself is what anyone would expect but it's the commentary that makes this one special and the details we are being given make it fascinating. Listening to actual prisoners who were there gives it a more authentic feel, which it absolutely is. We take the obligatory cell photos even though I didn't really want to. The tour comes to an end and we finish up in the souvenir shop where I meet a former child resident of the island. Her father was a warden when she was 7 years old and she has written 3 books about the times and inmates. I buy her 1st book and have her sign it. I am really looking forward to reading it. Time to go so we board the ferry back to the mainland.
I'm not ready to go home so we wander along Fisherman's Wharf and end up at Ghirardelli Square to buy some good quality chocolate. We are so tired now we have to go home and freshen up before dinner. The hostel is in North Beach which is like Little Italy so we pick a restaurant and go in. At the end of the evening I have my first intense moment with the American tipping system. As you know I do NOT tip so this is a very real moment of anguish for me. Oh sure, it's easy to follow what the guide books tell you but it does seem extreme when you get those dollars out. The system shits me and I petulantly leave a tip, less than I should. I will do the right thing next time around so I will not be bringing this subject up again unless something interesting happens. I need to understand the amounts in MY head first before people tell me what to do. \
Off to bed and sleep is interrupted by the music from the clubs down on the street but eventually I nod off. Chris tells me in the morning that I had an argument with someone in my sleep and that I snore!
We take as many photos that will come up decent in the fog as it hasn't lifted at all. Back to the start we make our first boo boo and get on the wrong bus. Well, it was the right bus going the wrong way! That would have been okay but we don't have time to waste as we are boarding the Alcatraz ferry at 2.30pm and we need to have lunch.
Back on track we go to the Hard Rock Cafe as Chris wants to buy a souvenir. Not somewhere I would choose for lunch it seemed obvious to take this option. A burger and margarita later we waddle to the ferry. We are both looking forward to this attraction very much and the ferry only takes 10mins. Soon after arrival we are watching a video introducing us to the former wardens and some former inmates. It's then time to move on to the cellhouse and pick up our audio equipment for the tour.
The jail itself is what anyone would expect but it's the commentary that makes this one special and the details we are being given make it fascinating. Listening to actual prisoners who were there gives it a more authentic feel, which it absolutely is. We take the obligatory cell photos even though I didn't really want to. The tour comes to an end and we finish up in the souvenir shop where I meet a former child resident of the island. Her father was a warden when she was 7 years old and she has written 3 books about the times and inmates. I buy her 1st book and have her sign it. I am really looking forward to reading it. Time to go so we board the ferry back to the mainland.
I'm not ready to go home so we wander along Fisherman's Wharf and end up at Ghirardelli Square to buy some good quality chocolate. We are so tired now we have to go home and freshen up before dinner. The hostel is in North Beach which is like Little Italy so we pick a restaurant and go in. At the end of the evening I have my first intense moment with the American tipping system. As you know I do NOT tip so this is a very real moment of anguish for me. Oh sure, it's easy to follow what the guide books tell you but it does seem extreme when you get those dollars out. The system shits me and I petulantly leave a tip, less than I should. I will do the right thing next time around so I will not be bringing this subject up again unless something interesting happens. I need to understand the amounts in MY head first before people tell me what to do. \
Off to bed and sleep is interrupted by the music from the clubs down on the street but eventually I nod off. Chris tells me in the morning that I had an argument with someone in my sleep and that I snore!
San Francisco - part 2
7pm
We settle in for the long haul of our flight to San Francisco. Chris was lucky enough to book our seats early and we are by ourselves at the back of the plane. Dinner isn't far away and I start watching Wall-E but can't get into it and switch it off. I choose the chicken with sage and onion stuffing and vegies for dinner which is followed naturally with more NZ icecream. Yum!! I treat myself to a few wines to accompany my cheese and crackers.
Time is passing very slowly and my coccyx is getting very sore now so I'm tossing and turning. The seats aren't particularly uncomfortable, it's just that I get pain. When I lower my seat I slip down a bit so my head doesn't reach the head rest properly. The seat is placed a bit further away from the wall than normal so I can't lean against it. But wait! I have a solution. My backpack is just big enough to fill the gap and then I place a blanket and pillow on top. This is good and if I curl up I can almost lie on my side. The comfort doesn't last long and I have to turn over to an inferior position. Chris has taken a valium and I have taken a valerian. Soon we are still both wide awake. Chris actually won't sleep until we arrive in SF, except for a catnap at breakfast. I get up and stand at the back near the stewards station reading my book. I look a picture in my purple striped toe socks and red thongs. Soon I start to get that familiar feeling of being faint and I am concerned. The last thing I want now is to collapse and send everyone into Swine Flu defence mode. Relax, I am a fainter!! I sit down to settle myself.
Hours later after a few naps I sit up in frustration with my woozy head and dry eyes and attempt another movie. It's not really long to go now but long enough to be bored. I choose Frozen River and 30minutes in I realise I have seen it before at MIFF.
Finally we commence our descent into SF and the captain proudly announces we have cut 30minutes off our flying time. A few seconds later he tells us we have to stay up in the sky for another 35minutes in the holding pen as there is congestion on the runways. Well, yes there would be if we are breaking our schedule!!!!! The remainder of the airport business is boring so let's skip to the main event.
3pm
We are staying at the Green Tortoise Hostel and as we open our room door and step in we almost fall out the window! After freshening up we go out for a casual walk and get our bearings, kind of. What joy! We are in the heart of strip club territory and Larry Flynt's Hustler Club is right across the street. I consider myself a very lucky girl when I see a shop that specialises in Swedish Erotica. My favourite!!! I consider picking up some casual work while I am here as the choice of strip clubs is endless however there are limited positions vacant for chubby 40 year olds.
We head off to Lombard St which is the crookedest street in the world. Most people are aware that SF is home to some of the most excruciatingly steep hills and Lombard is one of them. It is beautiful and the homes, or as they are known here, condominiums with perfectly manicured gardens are stunning. Streams of tourists walking and driving down the crooked bits remind us that we are tourists too and look like everyone else.
Heading down to Fisherman's Wharf we find ourselves amongst the souvenir shops and lots of restaurants. We are starving and opt for a cheeseburger which is actually pretty good and twice the size I wanted. We explore some more and buy our tickets for Alcatraz tomorrow, then head home for our free dinner at the hostel. There is an hour to wait so Chris has a sleep and I write in my journal. I go to the shop and buy a 6 pack of Rolling Rock which is my favourite beer and make friends with the shop attendant.
Dinner is pesto pasta with zucchini, garlic bread and salad. Not my cup of tea but I need to eat. There is no salad left so I am stuck with garlic and garlic. We discuss the next day and make loose plans. Chris isn't really a planner so I find it difficult. He heads off to bed and I stay and write and drink my beer.
So here we on on Broadway St. I am surrounded by travellers mostly in their early 20's. I go to the computer and see Anthony, a guy I used to work with at Eureka. It's just crazy how these things happen. Of all the places in all the countries in the world, to run into someone you know is dumbfounding!
I head to bed and hope I can make it through the night without getting up for the toilet. I am on the top bunk and the ladder steps are far apart.
We settle in for the long haul of our flight to San Francisco. Chris was lucky enough to book our seats early and we are by ourselves at the back of the plane. Dinner isn't far away and I start watching Wall-E but can't get into it and switch it off. I choose the chicken with sage and onion stuffing and vegies for dinner which is followed naturally with more NZ icecream. Yum!! I treat myself to a few wines to accompany my cheese and crackers.
Time is passing very slowly and my coccyx is getting very sore now so I'm tossing and turning. The seats aren't particularly uncomfortable, it's just that I get pain. When I lower my seat I slip down a bit so my head doesn't reach the head rest properly. The seat is placed a bit further away from the wall than normal so I can't lean against it. But wait! I have a solution. My backpack is just big enough to fill the gap and then I place a blanket and pillow on top. This is good and if I curl up I can almost lie on my side. The comfort doesn't last long and I have to turn over to an inferior position. Chris has taken a valium and I have taken a valerian. Soon we are still both wide awake. Chris actually won't sleep until we arrive in SF, except for a catnap at breakfast. I get up and stand at the back near the stewards station reading my book. I look a picture in my purple striped toe socks and red thongs. Soon I start to get that familiar feeling of being faint and I am concerned. The last thing I want now is to collapse and send everyone into Swine Flu defence mode. Relax, I am a fainter!! I sit down to settle myself.
Hours later after a few naps I sit up in frustration with my woozy head and dry eyes and attempt another movie. It's not really long to go now but long enough to be bored. I choose Frozen River and 30minutes in I realise I have seen it before at MIFF.
Finally we commence our descent into SF and the captain proudly announces we have cut 30minutes off our flying time. A few seconds later he tells us we have to stay up in the sky for another 35minutes in the holding pen as there is congestion on the runways. Well, yes there would be if we are breaking our schedule!!!!! The remainder of the airport business is boring so let's skip to the main event.
3pm
We are staying at the Green Tortoise Hostel and as we open our room door and step in we almost fall out the window! After freshening up we go out for a casual walk and get our bearings, kind of. What joy! We are in the heart of strip club territory and Larry Flynt's Hustler Club is right across the street. I consider myself a very lucky girl when I see a shop that specialises in Swedish Erotica. My favourite!!! I consider picking up some casual work while I am here as the choice of strip clubs is endless however there are limited positions vacant for chubby 40 year olds.
We head off to Lombard St which is the crookedest street in the world. Most people are aware that SF is home to some of the most excruciatingly steep hills and Lombard is one of them. It is beautiful and the homes, or as they are known here, condominiums with perfectly manicured gardens are stunning. Streams of tourists walking and driving down the crooked bits remind us that we are tourists too and look like everyone else.
Heading down to Fisherman's Wharf we find ourselves amongst the souvenir shops and lots of restaurants. We are starving and opt for a cheeseburger which is actually pretty good and twice the size I wanted. We explore some more and buy our tickets for Alcatraz tomorrow, then head home for our free dinner at the hostel. There is an hour to wait so Chris has a sleep and I write in my journal. I go to the shop and buy a 6 pack of Rolling Rock which is my favourite beer and make friends with the shop attendant.
Dinner is pesto pasta with zucchini, garlic bread and salad. Not my cup of tea but I need to eat. There is no salad left so I am stuck with garlic and garlic. We discuss the next day and make loose plans. Chris isn't really a planner so I find it difficult. He heads off to bed and I stay and write and drink my beer.
So here we on on Broadway St. I am surrounded by travellers mostly in their early 20's. I go to the computer and see Anthony, a guy I used to work with at Eureka. It's just crazy how these things happen. Of all the places in all the countries in the world, to run into someone you know is dumbfounding!
I head to bed and hope I can make it through the night without getting up for the toilet. I am on the top bunk and the ladder steps are far apart.
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