Monterey to Santa Barbara via Carmel and Highway 1

---

Left the boys having a lie in and went down for breakfast. The standard seems to be bagels and cream cheese, cakes and toast and jam. Cereals are sultana bran and frosties. Also boiled eggs and yoghurt but no waffle maker! Took the boys up some breakfast in bed and then Andy and i walked back down to the wharf to photograph the seals as it was too dark last night and drizzly. Took the 17 mile drive to Carmel but on ly did the coastal stretch of it. Had to pay $9 to go on it. There were information points every few yards so it took us quite a while to go through. Very beautiful. Stopped in Carmel for a look around. It was a tourist town really with lots of beautiful little shops full of artists work. Not the boys cup of tea but i enjoyed looking around. Took the Highway 1 down to Santa Barbara which was a very beautiful route but by the time we got to the Big Sur we had had enough and just wanted to get there, there is only so much beauty you can take in in one day. The roads were really hair-raising, lots of u bends and although not too busy, you couldn't get up any speed. From Hearst castle it was a fast road but we didn't get to our hotel till 10.30pm so a long haul. Stopped at lots of places on the way to take photos and had one hair-raising experience when i thought i had lost my camera. Couldn't find it anywhere so went back to our last stop, not there, by this time i was distraught, a couple asked me to take their photo and i burst into tears..and then Steven found it! It was under the drinks holder in the car, what a relief, i was then crying for joy! Stopped on the way for dinner at a Main St. Grill and again huge portions, i had practically a whole chicken with ranch beans and garlic bread. Ranch beans are like our baked beans but more spicy and with onion. Steve had ribs and Nick a burger which he promptly dropped on the floor. They charged half again for dropped food. All the soft drinks are refillable but we have been surprised by not seeing loads of overweight Americans! Our hotel in Santa Barbara was the best yet, huge place, our room was huge, beds were huge and room and bathroom very classy, our own balcony overlooking the ocean.

---