Highway 1 - Road Trip
Trip Start
Unknown
1
5
11
Trip End
Ongoing
Pacific Highway Ca, California
Monday, August 23, 2010
Day 16 - We have a delicious breakfast at the B&B then walk down to the Santa Cruz beach, it is a glorious day so we spend time reading in the sun, paddling and take a walk along the boardwalk stopping at a falafal place for lunch. We put the top down and drive to Monterey. It is a sunny evening so we walk down to the seafront via the local market where we get to taste a variety of local produce and have chicken tikka naan for dinner.......mmm. In the evening we have a bottle of the wine we bought at the tasting in Sonoma Valley.
Day 17 - We take 17 Mile Drive to Pebble beach, stopping at the lone cypress tree out on the cliff edge and build stone people on Spanish Bay. We have the best fish and chips ever overlooking the 18th green of the golf course then continued our road trip through Carmel-by-the-Sea where we stop for coffee and visit the old Spanish mission. Then on to Cambria where we check into a in a bed and breakfast and sit in the hot tub with a glass of wine and a book - a very relaxing end to any day.
Day 18 - We take a tour of Hearst Castle which belonged to William Hearst (a media tycoon in the 1920s-40s), the property is 100% decadent with tiles flecked with 22ct gold on the bottom of the indoor swimming pool, marble everywhere and a 3500 year old Egyptian statue in the garden. As we leave we see zebra in the fields - living wild since the period where William Hearst kept his zoo in the 1930s. We drive down to Morro Bay where we stop for lunch (fish tacos) while watching the sea lions in the harbour, then head south to Pismo beach where we stay at a hotel with a heated outdoor pool and hot tub where we watch the sun go down, go for a swim then eat out at a great italian called Giuseppes sampling some more local wine (harmony wineries).
Day 19 - We drive south towards Santa Barbara, stop at Refugio beach and fly the kite we bought in San Fran china town which is great fun and is Deb's first ever kite. There is virtually no wind but she flies it on pure enthusiasm! we paddle in the sea before continuing on to beautiful Santa Barbara where we go for drinks and food on the pier, wander around the shops and go for coffee before going to stay at a motel in Ventura.
Day 20 - Drive to Malibu beach to stop for lunch and a walk along a small portion of the 27 miles of glorious beach there. We drive on to Santa Monica check into our hotel then take a walk along the pier which has live music, rides and restaurants, but more importantly ice cream. After dinner we head to a British pub for a few drinks and some dodgy live music.
Day 21 - 29th Aug - We spend the morning at the hotel pool which we are lucky enough to have to ourselves. In the afternoon we head to the massive beach at Santa Monica and have a great dinner at the Gate of India restaurant.
The road trip ends here (Pete having done 100% of the driving by mutual consent!). We will drop the car of tomorrow on the way to the airport then catch our early flight to Peru to start the Inca trail......
Comments
............is that a lesser black backed gull paddling around Santa Monica Beach? xxxx