USA! California, part one!
Trip Start
Mar 11, 2011
1
22
31
Trip End
Ongoing
What I did
Camped and hiked
Felton, California
Saturday, September 3, 2011
Our journey from Lima to Los Angeles consisted of two 6 hour flights, Lima – Miami, Miami to LA.
Immigration in Miami - had my photo taken and ALL of my fingers tips scanned in case I decide to commit any crimes out here without wearing gloves. As soon as we cleared customs (about 8am), Jennifer laid eyes upon one of local eateries; "shall we get a hamburger?"
Eight AM Jennifer! No! We instead shared a huge blueberry muffin and Jennifer bought the biggest cup of coffee I have ever seen (and this was only a medium!). We had burgers for lunch, and pizza for dinner (should get top marks from Tim for cultural food experiences for a day like this I hope!).
Jennifer has had this thing going on since we have been away where she will imitate the local accent or language in a comical fashion with whatever she thinks is a stereotypical phrase locals will say (I think Jennifer is trying to be authentic but I just can't help but laugh or get paranoid that locals will get offended!). Jennifer had a blinder in our first day in America – she was eagerly waiting for to hear someone say the phrase, “and god bless America” after a regular sentence! I let her down gently with the knowledge that she is unlikely to hear such a comment in regular day to day conversation.
But what do you know? An opportunity arose today (we are now in Harry Redwood Forest, 4th day in the US) for Jennifer to say, “God bless America!”
We were chatting to someone at the campsite we are currently staying at, and he had some English relatives. We were having a bit of banter about soccer (ughhhhhhh sorry, football, please forgive me), and various other English things, and he closed the conversation with, “God save the Queen!”
I couldn’t believe it! Jennifer was quick to respond with, “and God bless America!”
You couldn’t write this I swear! I nearly fell out my camp chair laughing!
We have met some funny characters in America in our four days here, some overly-enthusiastic, but all very friendly. For anyone who hasn’t been to the US and wonders whether that stereotypical view they hold of American people is true, it is certainly evident at times, but by no means overbearing.
Anyway, back to what we have done for our first four days here – we arrived in LA after a day long wait in transit at Miami airport, and picked up our campervan after an overnight stay at an airport hotel in LA. The Lonely Planet guide series has a “top five things to bring” section at the start of all of its books – one of the items within the California guide was “Nerves of steel for driving in LA, San Diego and San Francisco!”
I think I coped admirably in LA on my time driving in the US, with Jennifer navigating. We made it up to the start of the Big Sur, a section of California’s coastline renowned for its rugged beauty and camped overnight. The following day we drove up the Big Sur to Santa Cruz and then on to Henry Cowell Redwood State Park, a small national park about 80 miles south of San Francisco. The Big Sur was indeed beautiful, and a really nice drive. The national park we are staying in is pretty cool as well.
We had our first BBQ last night – 6 sausages and 4 cheeseburgers between us followed by Marshmallows and beer by the campfire (Yes Dad – I started a fire by myself. No help from anyone but the manufacturers of the firelighters I may have used!). I am writing this entry from the park, we are staying here another night before heading to San Francisco tomorrow where we will meet Kim and Ciaran who are on holiday from the Isle of Man. Will be good to see some folk from home after 6 months of being away!
Anyway, I best go, having a beer and need to start thinking about getting the fire started!
God Bless America!
