Team GB…… are you ready?

Hey Dad,

Well today has been one of the longest and funniest yet!

After everyone woke up, which with jet lag, hangovers, and in some cases both took a while; we met Esme’s friends for breakfast.

First time ever I have seen my brother not finish a plate of food, I think he was hurting more then he was letting on. Esme made it to breakfast, but food seemed to escape her too! 

After breakfast we headed to Yosemite National Park, which was about a two hour drive away. The two cars met at the entrance and drive in convoy following the road around the park. We even pulled over to take the roof off, the weather was unvelieveable! 

Our first road stop was a lookout at the top of a hill looking down into Yosemite and a waterfall. We all posed for group photos on the wall and took in the amazing view. 

Our next stop was a waterfall. Esme had said we needed to walk to it, r was only a few hundred meters. Well as we got closer to the waterfall, we could feel mist. It was quite refreshing. As we got closer, the most turned into a spray, then the ground was wet. We carried on walking uphill, with our shoes removed and freezing cold water rushing over our feet. We made it to the base of this waterfall, and were no longer in the spray. It was like someone turned the hosepipe on! We were drenched. Like head to toe drenched! Again obligatory photos before very carefully walking down the hill. It was really funny, and so unexpected. The water was freezing too! 

Back down at the road, still soaking wet we set off again to the main car park. We instantly hit traffic. It was ridiculous. It took us over an hour to travel 2 miles. We eventually made it to the car park, but by this time it was like 16:30!! 

We grabbed some lunch/dinner and made a plan. We had been told about a starlight tour which sounded good; but we had to buy tickets from another location. 

Now bear in mind dad, there is me, mum, Jon and Lauren. Tracey, Jamie, Esme, Holly and Neal, then Lucy and Rachel; Esme’s swimming friends. That makes a party of eleven! Moving eleven people around is a challenge! 

We found a bus which would take us to the office for the star tickets. It was already at the station. We had to run. All of us, to the bus. That was funny enough. 

We got off the bus and got the tickets. It started at 9pm. The time was 6pm. Now to find something to do for three hours. We agreed to hike to mirror lake. Again, a plan was formulated to get the free shuttle bus.

The tribe descended the bus, much to the amusement of the other passengers. Suddenly Holly is shouting that this is the wrong bus and it won’t be stopping where we want it to. Esme checks with the driver and Holly was right. So we all get off the bus. Tracey by now is doing head counts. We wait for the next bus, and as we wait Holly decides we should sing a song. We learn pretty quickly Neal does not know the words to some nursery rhymes. Yeah, really. So in true form, we try to teach him it. Holly thinks it would be a good idea to sing as a round. The most un-musical group I have ever come across dad! I attempted to explain how to sing as a round; but apparently rhythm and counting was far beyond any of them. They were still trying to get it right as the correct bus came. 

The correct bus drove us back (with us still singing) to where we started and bought the tickets, then went on to mirror lake. 

Somehow this had taken hours! Now we were short on time. It was about 8pm, and we had to get to mirror lake, back to the bus stop, back to the car, move the cars and get to the tour in one hour. Challenge accepted. 

We finally arrived at the mirror lake stop. Esme said it’s half a mile each way, so as long as we were not more than half an hour we should make the next shuttle bus and have time. 

Dad it was hilarious, a proper frog March hiking through yosemite to get to a lake. After Walking for 15 minutes and seeming to be no where close; we realised it was one mile each way! Now we were 15 minutes in, and with no chance of making the next shuttle. Now we were really pushed for time! 

We rushed to Mirror lake, and the rush was worth it. The water is so still it creates a perfect reflection of the scenery around it. It really does look like a mirror reflection. We posed for a few photos and admired it as fast as we could. Time to rush back!  

As fast as we could we hiked back, and made it to the bus stop before the shuttle. 

Now the trickiest thing of trying to move a group of so many people? Making a plan and sticking to it! Every two minutes we were coming up with different plans on how to make it in time. After what felt like a hundred different plans we decided we might just have enough time. There was however one thing we had not accounted for; being able to all fit on the shuttle! 

The shuttle came, and it was packed. Instant panic set in. We forced our way onto this bus, which was very overloaded! We were all standing down the whole length of the bus. 

Still the plans were changing

Messages wondered being shouted from one end of the bus to the other

“Get off stop two”

“We’re not stopping at 2”

“Get off at 4”

“How about the drivers just get off?”

“OK just the drivers and the rest will go on ahead”

“Grab my jacket”

“Stay on until 6”

Up and down the bus. Every other passengers looked very frustrated at us. It was like Chinese whispers, everything was getting muddled and no one knew what they were doing. 

After all this, we learn bus stop 4 is the last stop, so we would all have to get off anyway. This was then messaged up the bus!

We knew we would have to run. We had 10 minutes!

As the bus came to a stop, Rachel (our tiken american for the day) shouts at the top of her lungs 

“TEAM GB, ARE YOU READY?!”

We all fall into a laughing fit! The other passengers by now look ready to kick us off themselves. 

We again run to the cars, jump in, and suddenly realised we have no idea where we are even going! Sh*T! 7 minutes.

We gamble a road which takes us back to the main drag, it looks good. We see bus stop 6! But we can’t stop, there is no where to park! 5 minutes.

We found a car park a little up the road and just abandoned the car. Then once again, we were running. 3 minutes. 

Somehow, and I am still not sure how we made it. Bang on time. We didn’t even have a minute to spare. We were out of breath and still laughing, but we made it!

Then Rachel decided she needed the bathroom. None around, nothing but trees. Esme and Rachel wandered into the trees, out of sight. Until the tour guide turned up! He stood so the entire group were facing the tree Rachel was now squatting behind. Flinging his torch still round everyone got split second glimpses of Rachel and Esme. Once again we were in stitches!

After the tour guide made a speech and explained there were no bathrooms, but he sees some of the group have already made use of the facilities, we headed to a clearing in the trees 

We were all laying on the ground looking up. As our eyes adjusted the sky became more filled with stars. It was unvelieveable, I have never seen stars like it. Out surrounding were pitch black; there was no light pollution what so ever! The guide talked us through some of the stars and pointed out some constellations. I know you need some imagination, but I swear dad they look nothing like what he was describing! We ended up laying on the grass and laughing at how we could not see what he was describing. 

After an hour the tour ended, and we had to defend on the journey home. Jamie had managed to find parking by the bus stop, so we all decided to hitch a lift back to the mustang. With people on laps and in the boot we set off. The car stank! Between Tracey’s shoes, and the smell Jon had left in the car from the night before, we could barely breathe! I have never jumped out of a car so fast! 

Anyway we eventually started what would become one of the most tricky drives I have ever done. 2 hours of hills with no barriers, no lights, no cat eyes, nothing to protect you from falling off a cliff, and wild life on the road. Even with full beams on, the road was so bendy you didn’t know which way the road was turning until you were on the bend! By the time we got off the hill and onto a long straight flat road, I had been gripping the steering wheel so tight my knuckles were white. 

Dad today was hilarious! 

Night dad x

Graduation Day

Hey dad,

Well I guess the first thing I should say is happy birthday! 

We all woke up this morning (some earlier then others) and got ready for graduation. We knew by 8am it was going to be hot. We didn’t even dress up for graduation, just smart with cool clothes. 

Of course we had a set time we needed to leave. Holly was not ready. The others went on and I stayed behind with Holly and Neal to drive them to graduation.

Esme’s graduation was in their basket ball stadium. It was a pretty big stadium! We got there and managed to park under cover; result. We managed to get there before the others, they went to see Esme’s training pool. We hung around in the lobby and found Esme’s name in the graduation book until the others arrived. 

By the time we were all together the stadium was filling up. There was not enough seats together, so we split into two. We still managed pretty good seats.

The music started playing and the graduates started walking in. Esme and her group were last into the stadium. Jon somehow managed to shout loud enough Esme heard him and managed to spot us in the crowd! 

We sat through the national anthem and the speeches, the graduation ceremony and the ‘turning of the tassel’ the whole ceremony took about two hours.

Outside we met up with Esme and her friends. We did the obligatory photos and stood melting in the sun for a while. It was baking hot! 

Esme recommended we go to ‘The Doghouse’ for lunch, which is her student bar. We ordered sandwiches to go and went back to the house. Best steak sandwich we have ever had! It was unbelievably good! 

We were melting when we got back to the house. Jon, Holly and Neal all went for a swim, and the rest of us cooled off indoors. 

The afternoon was spent at a BBQ put on by friends of Esme’s. It was a really good evening. The swim team were there along with other friends, and their parents who had all come from all over the world for graduation. 

Of course in true celebratory form; there was alcohol. Neal by this time was a funny shade of pink and complaining he didn’t feel well. Sun stoke. Esme had been drinking since breakfast; and Jon was rapidly getting through bottles of cider! 

The end result was Esme suggesting keg stands. Jon somehow went first. He didn’t know what a keg stand was. He learnt pretty fast. In case you don’t know, a keg stand is where you hold on to the edges of the keg, put the tap in your mouth and have your feet lifted above your head. The end result is you chugging while vertical for as long as you can. 

This clearly did not agree with either of them. Esme was hammered to the level she could not stand up. At the end of the evening, a friend of Esme’s took her home in the back of his pick up truck, with Jon in the back to male sure she didn’t fall out. They got her home in one piece, but from what I understand she had emptied her stomach multiple times before and after the car ride. Jon got out of the truck and back in the car with the others. Jon made it the whole way home, before tossing his cookies inside the car just as it pulled into the driveway. 

I learnt all of this when mum came running in the house shouting for water and a towel. I had left the BBQ before the others to bring Neal and Holly home as Neal felt so ill. 

To say today was entertaining would be an understatement! 

Time for bed, I wonder how fast we will be moving in the morning?

Night dad x

Driving to Fresno

Hey Dad,

Well I will tell you one thing. I have been travelling now for 3 months, and in that time i have not been so worked up, so agitated and annoyed as I have today. I want to revoke my statement of travelling with people is better! Right now my family are lucky they made it here and are not stranded on the side of the road! 

We got up nice and leisurely this morning and packed everything up. We got picked up and driven to the car rental place. I had already been warned that the car I had hired was a ‘Ford Mustang or similar’. There was not one hire company that would guarantee me a mustang. Knowing I would not want to be leaving in any other car I was prepared to wait for one if it came to it, and therefore wanted to be at the car hire place as early as possible. 

As we arrived, the queue was pretty long. I jumped in the queue before a monorail ton of people got out and tried to join. We got to the counter and had to go through all the standard stuff, he was a little concerned I was driving to new York. 

Well anyway, we made our way to the garage to collect the car. They had one mustang. One. I pretty much jumped on it. Gun metal grey anyway no pretty much brand new! Happy bunny! 

Now let the fun begin….

1st challenge, getting the luggage in the car. I had pre warned mum and Jon to pack light. They didn’t do too badly. The boot however was still not big enough for everything. The boot slopes towards the back, making it impossible to slide a case to the back of the boot. Apparently my case was the problem. Ever heard the phrase too many cooks? Well yeah, I gave up trying to help. 

So as Jon is playing with the puzzle of luggage, I decide to start trying to set up the car. First problem, everything is lit up with blue! Jon finished loading the car and they both went to find a bathroom while I finish sorting out the car. By the time they have got back I have only just worked out how to change all the blue. Well they get in the car and instantly start complaining. “We need to go” “we have been here ages” “stop playing with the damn lights and let’s move”. I can’t see in blue lights, funnily enough to me that was pretty important.  

Well by this time I am annoyed, so we set off. Mirrors are not sorted; seats not right, no idea about the controls, and I have not even looked at how to work the roof. We also have no idea where we are going. 

With in two minutes I have two back seat drivers! By the first corner they are gasping at how close I am to a wall. We get to the gate for final check out, and I need my driver licence again. This is in my purse in the boot…. fortunately I manage to pull out my back pack and find my purse. As I am sorting out the paper work I ask Jon to stuff my bag back into the boot. This was met with am chorus of grumbles.

The barrier opens and we set off. It was a sharp turn right, then left. Apparently my bonnet was ‘inches’ from a wall. If a truck can get around this corner, the mustang can. 

We get out the car park and my blood is already getting hot. It then dawns on mum and Jon we don’t know where we are going. We knew we needed to buy a sat nav; and we needed to direct ourselves to a shop to find one. The only thing we had was an app on my phone that worked offline. It also does not update very fast. By the first junction I am in the wrong Lane. I have Jon shouting to go right, but being in the wrong Lane in a car with the mirrors not set and traffic moving, that was not going to happen. I have mum saying to just go to the main road, thanks mum like I didn’t think of that! We follow signs to a freeway, but we have no direction which way we are even facing; let alone where the road was heading. Again I am suddenly in the wrong Lane. Jon’s direction skills were useless! In fairness to him the app he was following was very slow. 

I was now very frustrated. Frustrated for being rushed, for being told how to drive, for not having had time to make a plan, and for having two back seat drivers! 

I was being told how to drive and told I was doing it wrong by someone who had never driven a left hand drive car or on the wring side of the road; and by someone who doesn’t leave our home town. Don’t tell me how to do something when you have no clue what you are doing! 

We eventually find a store. No sat navs. I am now pretty miserable, and wondering if I can get away with driving off! I leave mum and Jon in the shop to cary on sorting out the car. I finally get my mirrors sorted and adjust some settings, at least now I can drive a little easier! I even worked out how to sort out the roof. Mum and Jon came out agenda again I am getting it in the neck for ‘faffing’. We get told of another shop so attempt to drive there, again with no real clue of where we are going. 

Still with my crows squaking that I am too far to the right, I attempt to drive to the shop. Yes to them I may be too far over, but I am in the drivers seat. This car feels like it is 10 meters wide. I am as far on the left as I can be, and I can now see the lines on the right hand out of my wing mirror. If I can see the lines, I must be in the damn lane! 

We find the electrical shop and they sell sat navs! Hooray. One sat nav purchased. 

By this time, it is gone 1pm. The plan had been to drive the scenic route to Fresno, but we were out of time for that. We agreed to just drive to Fresno. I sent up the sat nav and we set off. The sat nav read it would take about two and a half hours. I wondered if the three of us would make it.

I spent the next two hours getting more and more annoyed. Fuse had blown by now. Mum had been told to stop being a back seat drivers and Jon was almost booted out completely. First time in three months I think I would have actually preferred to be alone! Don’t get me wrong dad; you know I love them dearly, but if they keep telling me how to drive I will be making them get their own car and drive themselves. 

So I am driving along a freeway, and now I am having it being taken out of me for driving too slowly. I am driving the speed limit. I am in am new car on a road I have not been on before. I am also well aware a tourist in a mustang is far more likely to be pulled over then a local. I am so wound up by now I can not contain it. Mum is actually complaining I seem to be being over taken and Jon is screaming that there is no one around I will not get pulled over. He seems to be forgetting I am driving for three months and can’t afford to risk my licence and I can’t afford a fine! 

I get so frustrated, I put my foot down. And I keep it down. I passed 7o, 80, 90, 100, 110….. I now have mum screaming in the back to slow down, funny; she wanted me to drive faster earlier. 

So I slowed down back to a reasonable speed. Jon is still trying to prove his point. Mum now was finally quiet. 

We got to Fresno, and I have never been so happy to get out of a car. Then to top it off the first thing they tell the rest of the family is how bad my driving is. Even you have told me I am a solid driver. If I was too close to anything I would have hit something! I got us there safely, in one piece with no problems, but apparently that was not even good enough!

We got in, had a quick shower and headed out for dinner. The topic of my driving is bought up again. Now I am not holding back, I went mental. Esme’s friends are even looking at me concerned, I think they realised when I said I was prepared to leave them behind I was not joking. 

So we are now at the house, and everyone has crashed out. 

I will tell you now dad, if I have a repeat of today I will be driving to Vegas alone and meeting mum and Jon there. 

Rant over. 

Night dad x

The day we nearly wrote mum off

Hey Dad,

“Let’s ride bikes” she said. “It will be fun” she said. Two statements mum is now seriously regretting.

As we were walking around yesterday we noticed dozens of people on bikes. They had hired them from a local company and were going to cycle over the Golden Gate Bridge. Mum decided this would be a fun way to see the bridge, and we should spend our day today doing just that. So we did. 

We got up this morning and prepared for a nice leisurely bike ride. We arrived at the bike hire place just before 10am, were fitted for their ‘comfort range’ bikes and watched a short route video. Watching this video I knew we would never manage the route in the times they were suggesting, athletes would struggle! Let alone us three on dodgy hire bikes. Well with a head full of dreams and positive thoughts we all set off – after of course i had to swap my helmet for a child’s one as my head is so small. I got a captain America one! 

Now did I mention San Francisco may have a hill or two? Well mum seemed to have forgotten this. The video mentioned a ‘warm up hill’ well I walked down this hill on day one. Who were they kidding. We got to the bottom of this hill and mum gasped. We laughed. We were not even one mile in! 

Jon and I made it to the top, and mum pushed her bike up. We survived hill number one! 

We carried on cycling through what we would later learn was one of the only flat parts of our cycle ride along the coast and cycled to the fort. 

The fort is tucked away underneath the Golden Gate Bridge. As we cycled up to it, we heard a huge bang. Someone had reversed straight into another car! The driver looked around to see if anyone saw. We of course did. He looked as though he was about to drive off, so I stood there and took a picture of the scenery, with him and the car in it. He eventually confessed to the driver as he came back to the car. We stood at the waters edge and watched some surfers for a while before getting back on our bikes.

Now this seemed to escape the attention of mum and Jon, but at the fort we were underneath the bridge, and the bridge was a long way up. We would have to cycle up there. We started up the next big hill; and even I gave up! I decided there was no point in burning out at the beginning; and mum was already walking so I kept her company. We worked out the route to the top at a flat spot and carried on. I made it to the top of the hill; and the entrance of the bridge with Jon. Mum we knew would be walking, but she seemed to take a while. 

Then the inevitable happened. 

As we were about to turn to see if she was coming, mum came up behind us. She had fallen off. In attempting to get off her bike her leg got stuck, and she toppled over. She even had a war wound! A graze on her knee.  .

We gave her a minute to regain her composure and we set off over the Golden Gate Bridge! Well almost. Mum’s chain had come off!

We cycled over the bridge, which was awesome. We also stopped constantly for photos. The bridge is really cool. 

We got to the other side of the bridge and decided to cycle to Sausalito. That was mainly down hill too which was a bonus! 

We made it to Sausalito and stopped for lunch. We all felt we could do with a break by then. A quick lunch and a stretch out we got back on our bikes. By this time we were pretty tired. 

The video told us a 30 minute bike ride north of Sausalito would take us to see some redwoods in Mill Valley. 

The video lied.

We cycled for ages. Well over an hour. We saw no signs for Mill Valley. Mum spoke with a ‘proper cyclist’ at a set of traffic lights who laughed when she said Mill Valley. That should have been our first clue. We eventually came to a fork in the road. One sign said Mill Valley, the other said Tiburon. We were exhausted. Mum was done. Her ‘comfort’ bike seat was already padded out with her fleece, her knee was hurting and her legs were jelly. She was convinced we were trying to kill her. To be honest I was not far behind her. Even Jon was knackered! 

Mum decided maybe we didn’t need to see the trees after all. We could get a ferry back to San Francisco from Tiburon, and it was the same distance to Tiburon as it was to go back to where we had lunch to get a ferry from there. We all agreed to head to Tiburon. This may have been our second error in judgement. 

It took us hours! Everything hurt! And somehow the route to Tiburon was uphill, then downhill; then uphill. We could barely move! One hill mum even got over taken by a group of 6 year old kids. Another hill we all pushed our bikes up, and applauded the ‘professional cyclists’ who made it up. We could barely move. Tiburon was also getting no closer. We passed houses; parks, villages, shops, and cycled round an entire bay. We stopped for a few seconds because we could see where we had come from. The people and cars were dots! 

We carried on. Somehow. Now even Jon was saying he was done. 

Mercifully, we made it to Tiburon. We parked up our noble steeds and attempted to walk to a cafe for an icecream. Everything hurt. It was about half past three. We had been cycling for five and a half hours, give or take a few stops and for lunch.

We boarded the ferry and sailed back to San Francisco. We walked our bikes back to the depot. We couldn’t even bear to ride the bikes down the road. 

We got back and the girl who served us that morning asked us how it went. We told her the video is a pile of *insert your favourite 4 letter word* and the times were out. She smiled and laughed sweetly. She must hear that every day. 

We asked her how far we had cycled today. She told us “oh about 5 miles or so”. Honestly dad I could have punched her! Her distance is about as wrong as her stupid video! 

We walked very slowly; looking a little like frogs back to the hotel. We all needed to lay down. 

After a hot shower and a relax we suddenly realised we were hungry. We took a taxi to Pier 39; not a chance were we walking anywhere! 

Mum and Jon wanted seafood. So we went to Bubba Gump Shrimp. Now any place that is based on one of my favourote films, serves me cocktails at a bar with Forrest Gump on a big screen is good with me. I was very happy. 

We ate, sat and laughed at how far we had cycled. Then we laughed at how stupid the video was.

We got a taxi back to the hotel and we are all ready to crash out! 

Big day again tomorrow, bring on the mustang!

Night dad x

San Francisco with Mum and Jon

Hey Dad,

So yep I was right. 4am wake up call. Wonderful. I didn’t need to sleep anyway….

First stop today was Lombard Street. Having walked up and down that hill the other day I knew we would be better doing that first. Sure enough by the time we got to the stop of the street mum thought we were trying to kill her. She made it up though, just. 

We walked down Lombard Street and headed back to Fisherman’s Wharf. After Walking around and dipping in and out of crazy shops we slowly made our way to the dock to go to Alcatraz! 

Mum kept saying we didn’t have long to get there, which seemed odd, but who were we to question her? We should have questioned her. We were there an hour early! Great. After laughing at mum; and ourselves for being so silly trusting her, we headed to Pier 39 for a wonder around. 

Pier 39 was full of shops and restaurants. It was really cool. Music was playing and the atmosphere was really chilled out. We waked to the end of the pier, but not before stopping in a handful of shops, including a fudge shop! While stood at the end of the pier, we could hear sea lions! Yep sure enough there were hundreds of them sleeping on floating rafts. We stood and watched them for a while, then realised we now actually were running out of time so headed back to the Alcatraz dock. 

Dad, Alcatraz is awesome. It’s kind of eery, and really cold, but the history is just amazing. We took an audio tour around the cell block, which gave us knowledge and insight as to what we were looking at. We walked up and down the blocks, which were all named. We also walked through D block, which housed the worst of the worst. 

The cells were really small, and the D block cells were pitch black. We even saw the cells that housed the people in the ‘Escape from Alcatraz’ film. While looking at the cells, a guard stood on the second floor and performed what they call ‘the slammer’. The guard explained how the jail cell doors would open and close, and the mechanisms behind it. The noise when they were all closed together was quite immense. It echoed around the block. 

Outside in the court yard, you overlooked the whole of San Francisco. You could see cars and people who looked like dots moving around. It was so close and yet so far away. Over a mile actually. I can see how people thought they could swim it. The currents though were so strong I imagine you would be swept away before you made it. 

Learning about the guards and their families that lived on the island was also really interesting. They had their own small town on Alcatraz, surrounded by this huge jail! 

We walked around Alcatraz for over three hours! 

After getting the ferry back to the mainland we thought it would be fun to take a San Francisco tram. We found the start of the line. We the found the end of the queue. We stood in this queue for about an hour and a half! It wouldn’t have been so bad if it was not so unbelievably cold! I was frozen to the bone. We eventually got on a tram and rode it to Union Square. We stood there for a few minutes, realised we wee just in a huge shopping district and went for something to eat. While walking Jon stumbled across some cops, so got a photo with them and the cop car. I am not convinced they believed us when we told them he was a police officer. 

We found a steak sandwich place and had a mediocre meal at best. By the time we had finished we were so tired and cold we grabbed a taxi back to the hotel! 

I still can’t get warm, and mum and Jon are already sound asleep. Wonder if it will be another 4am wake up call. 

Night dad x

Awaiting the invasion

Hey Dad,

So Mum and Jon are flying in this afternoon. In true mum fashion I have received an update for every part of their trip. At the last count she was three prosecco’s in!

They will not get into San Francisco until later on this afternoon, which meant I had one more morning alone. I therefore decided to go and see the Disney Pixar studio!

Now I knew I would not be able to go in, they do not offer tours and the level of security is shockingly enough pretty high. Still, I had to go and see it. 

I took a bus to get a bus to get a bus over to Emeryville, and the walked a few blocks to try and find it. I was not disappointed! I found the main entrance with Pixar over the driveway. The fences were 10 feet high and surrounded my thick bushes and trees. I found a few gaps in the fence where you could see through. I managed to spot the Luxor lamp and giant ball statue in the court yard, and the finding Nemo seagull on the roof. MINE! 

I walked the whole perimeter. I found a few places I could have slipped in under the fence, but didn’t risk it.

After Walking around and around trying to spot as much as I could, I got a bus back into the centre of San Francisco. 

By the time I got back to the hotel, I knew Mum and Jon would not be too long. I sat and waited in the lobby until they arrived. I think mum was pleased to see me. 

Once they had rested a little we took a walk down to the harbour. We had a quick walk around Fisherman’s Wharf, but they were so tired we agreed to just grab something to eat and go back for some sleep. 

So now I am sitting here in the hotel with both of them fast asleep. I just know they will be up at 4am, which will mean I will be up at 4am. 

Busy day tomorrow! 

Night dad x

Exploring San Francisco

Hey Dad,

So I love San Francisco! 

I decided I would not do the main touristy bits today. Mum and Jon are flying in tomorrow and they will want to do it all with me. 

After spending a while looking over a map of the streets I worked out a route to explore and set off. 

Fist impressions, San Francisco is chilly! The weather is sunny, with clear blue sky’s, but the breeze is cold. Like freezing cold! Glad I bought a jacket, this coming from Hawaii is a bit of a shock to the system!

My fist stop was the house used in filming Mrs. Doubtfire. It was the first thing in the right direction. I found Steiner Street and walked up my first San Francisco hill. That dad nearly killed me!

Anyway I found the house, which was pretty cool, but just a house and continued walking. I walked up to the corner of Presidio park and across to the houses and buildings. Presidio Park used to house servicemen and their families. All over the complex were plaques explaining the history of the site. As I kept walking, I found the Walt Disney Family museum. I had to go and see it! 

The museum was cool. It took you through Walt Disneys life and childhood; his early career and how Mickey came to existence. It then talked you through making the short films and then snow white as a feature length, how colour and music were first added, which was state of the art at that time and all the financial issues they faced. The mustang then went through building the California theme park and went right up to his death. I spent far longer in there then I had planned! 

From the museum I wandered out though the buildings and onto the front. I passed a huge monument which had been in the skyline the whole day, so I went and had a look around it. Massive columns that would have not been out of place in Greece stood towering above me, they were huge! I walked around it, but I got there the same time as a tour bus pulled up. I was immediately invaded so I left. I walked the whole length of the walkway along the waters edge looking at the ships and boats in the dock. I walked though a park and along to the fisherman’s wharf area and the harbour. I didn’t stop long there though, as I knew mum and Jon would want to see it. By this time it was getting late in the day and I was exhausted. I suddenly became very aware I was a long way from the hotel, and it was up hill. I started my day going up, and now I had to finish it going up. I am not sure when I even went down! I stood at the bottom of this hill and just stared at it. One step at a time I made it up! I actually then realised I had stumbled onto Lombard Street. This was something else I was going to avoid for a few days. Oh well. 

Lombard Street was amazing, and the houses just awesome. I did the standard tourist thing of standing in the middle of the road to take pictures and then walked up the side walk while watching cars drive down the road and navigating the bends. 

Dad I love San Francisco. The houses and the architecture are just stunning. You have to walk around just looking up, if you didn’t you would miss so much. There is just too much to see and do! The hills are massive mind. I swear some of them seemed to be over a 30°c incline. Some were worse than the drive way! It was tricky to just walk up, your feet were at an uncomfortable angle. 

I have walked miles today! After spending the last few weeks laying on beaches and ambling around, it was a bit of a shock to the system! 

Well one last night alone, then I will have mum and Jon for company. 

Night dad x

Flying to San Francisco

Hey Dad,

So not really much to report today. 

I woke up and packed again. My new case is slightly heavier then my old one; putting me close to my weight limit, so I packed carefully.

As I checked out and waiting for the shuttle to take me to the airport I sat in the hotel lobby. In front of me was a rubiks cube. I solved it unaware anyone else was paying attention, I then hear a kid say ‘wow. Dad look’ the kids looked at me like I was magic.

Checking in was all smooth sailing, bag was exactly on the weight limit, phew.

I thought I would watch a film on the plane, but you had to pay for that privilege separately. At $8 a film I didn’t bother! Glad I had my kindle!

Well I got into San Francisco and attempted to get on the shuttle. This is where it all went a bit ‘pear shaped’ to use mums language. They would not let me on. They had no record of my reference number and were trying to tell me I needed a hand printed voucher. Where on earth they thought I would be able to print something off I have no idea. When I went back inside to find out, the link from the travel company for the voucher would not work anyway! So I couldn’t even get hold of the voucher to print.  It resulted in me having to pay for the shuttle again, in cash! I was a little frustrated to say the least! 

So I am now in the hotel in San Francisco. Somehow I have been travelling all day, again! It’s nearly midnight here and I left the hotel in Hawaii at 10am! 

Night dad x

Surfing

Hey Dad,

So today I did something that would probably not be on your bucketlist, I went surfing! I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to not surf in Waikiki!

I got up and walked down to the beach. A group class was half the price of a private lesson, so I opted for that. The guy told me I could be waiting a while but a private lesson would go now. I called his bluff figuring there was no one booked in for a group lesson and said I didn’t mind waiting. I grabbed a shave ice and laid out on the beach and waited. Well nearly an hour went by, and I was right, there was no one booked in. Private lesson for me! 

We went through the basics, which I kind of already knew and headed out into the water. Shock horror dad, I have no upper body strength! Paddling out against the current was tough! My arms were killing me. The instructor; an over weight guy in his 50s explained how to catch a wave. I caught it first time, and even stood up! Spending a few years on that land board of mine helped with that, especially turning the board so I didn’t crash straight into the rocks. It was awesome! But then I realised I had to paddle back out. Ouch! 

After an hour of paddling out, I was done. I didn’t have a rashie on and could feel my skin catching on the board, my arms were jelly and I realised eating a shave ice beforehand was both my best decision. One last wave and we headed back in. 

I received a chorus of ‘you’re a natural’ and wondered how many people they say that too. Feeling exhausted I decided the best idea would be to go back to the hotel, get the sand off me and head to the hotel pool. 

I sat and swam for a few hours, and even managed to finish my book! Hungry I ventured out for one last walk around Waikiki. 

So once again, packing to get on a flight. Tomorrow I leave for San Francisco!

Night dad x

Driving to Kona

Hey Dad,

So we have a long drive today to get to Kona airport. 

We packed up and set off to our first stop; Punalu’u. We went for a walk along a black sand beach and then went to a bakery, which we learnt was the most southern bakery in the USA. 

From the bakery we headed to the most southern point of the big Island.  We took a dirt track down to a car park where some guy gave us three choices; walk to the beach, take a buggy to the beach or drive ourselves to the beach. We opted to drive ourselves, which is when he told us that would be $20! This guy didn’t look official, I swear he just stands there and makes a truck load of cash off people. Huw started talking to a couple parked up along side, who didn’t want to drive their car down. We invited them to jump in the jeep with us and we would drive, and split the $20. Simple. 

Huw of course wanted to drive. We had been warned it was fully off road, and that idea excited him. Well the guy was not wrong. There was no road, minimal tracks and no directions on where to go. Talk about making it up on the fly! The couple in the back were laughing their heads off thinking we were crazy as we are discussing the ground clearance and if we can go over boulders and through dips. It was great fun! 

The green sand beach was down a rock face, so we climbed down and paddled in the ocean. We didn’t have time to stay long though. I decided I wanted to drive back, and Huw gave up the keys far easily then I thought he would. Dad I don’t hunk I have ever had so much fun driving! We all agreed ad long as three wheels were on the ground we would be OK.  The sandy gravelly terrain made it much more fun too! 

We dropped our passengers back at their car and drove to our final stop for the day. A cliff jump.

Don’t tell mum! 

We got to this cliff, surrounded by signs saying no jumping, and a dozen people standing that the edge of the cliff, jumping! 

Huw jumped first, and I filmed him. It was a big drop! I rigged the gopro to a railing, and we jumped off together. Arms crossed, feet first. It felt like we were falling for way longer then we should have been. It was a bigger drop then I thought. I landed just past vertical, and felt my ear go bang the instant I hit the water. Ouch. We climbed the really ropey metal ladder back up the cliff face, which was on hinges so it swung as you were climbing and dried off. I spent an age just trying to get the water out of my ear!

We drove straight to the airport, it was still a two hour drive to get there and after the accident and road closure the night before we were wary if that happened there qas no other route around. 

Kona airport is perhaps the most strange airport I have been to. It was all outdoors! All of it. We checked in and checked our luggage outdoors, went though the metal detectors and scanners outdoors, and then sat at the gate on benches over a little sun shelter. The noise as a plane came in and taxied to the gate was crazy. This plane with all engines blaring was only a few feet away from us, with nothing but a small wall between the gate and the runway. Weird. 

We got back into Honolulu, and as this is Huw’s last day, he had to catch his flight back to the UK. It was so strange saying goodbye, I suddenly developed the feeling I was alone again. I took a shuttle back into Waikiki and checked into my hotel.

I am shattered and my hair is full of salt water. Shower and bed for me! 

Night dad x