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Published: January 23rd 2007
9th January until the day I go home (probably the 25th), 2007
I guess the last legs of journeys like this are always a going to be a mixed bag of emotions: Sadness that a long held dream has come to fruition, run it's course and is nearing it's end, reflection on the experience bringing back pleasant sensations and then an eager excitement tinged with a certain sense of trepidation over going back to what you knew before (and wondering if everything- including me- will still be the same when I get there).
All that said, Sarah being present during most of my brief return to the good ol' U S of A did much to distract me from this mixed state of mind. All was fun and frolics under California's cloudless skies and the sun shone down on us almost the entire time (even if it was pretty bleedin' cold with it)!
While I'm on the subject of the weather I'll take the opportunity to have one last rant about the state of things on this planet that I've been meandering around for the last year. Having noticed unseasonally weird weather in a number of locations
around the globe, I can vouch for the fact that something is seriously wrong. Droughts converting formally fertile farmland in to desolate deserts, snow wreaking havoc on roads that are normally free of the frosty stuff and wet, windy storm fronts creating conditions that convince your time-of-year body clock that it is Autumn when it is actually Spring.
Now, I do not profess to be an expert on the subject as I haven't obtained enough knowledge from reliable sources about greenhouse gasses or global warming, but from what I have experienced weather wise around the world I can conclude that the planet ain't getting any cooler! I know it's a simplistic view (aren't mine always?) but, because I am of the opinion that the damage that has been done to our atmosphere since the industrial revoloution cannot be undone with any quick-fix soloutions, I believe we must take the lead in remedying the situation. God only knows our industrious leaders are far too afraid to do so for fear of upsetting big business. So, here's a few pointers with an apology for preaching to the converted if, I am indeed, doing so.
Stop driving your cars for short
distances when you can walk, use a bike instead of the bus, turn off a rooms light when you don't need it to see at night, recycle as much of your waste as you can with good taste, even to the extent of not flushing your loo unless, of course, you have done a poo, go green on the advice of the Doctor (that's me) and pick up a spade, go plant a tree! Seriously, do whatever you can, whenever you can because something has to be done. Perhaps the most effective course of action would be to not vote for anyone that doesn't put the planet as top priority in their manifesto.
Now I'm down off my soapbox, let's get back to sunny southern California (So Cal as the locals would say- god, I'm good at learning these foreign languages aren't I)? Sarah met me in San Francisco (SF as the locals would say- see, told you, I'm a natural) after both of us had suffered "On the runway" delays to our flights- Me due to de-icing precedures at a very snowy Vancouver and Sarah because some eejit broke the doors on her plane. Not the sort of
news you want to hear before you spend ten hours on the thing at thirty thousand feet!
Making the most of the aforementioned sunshine, we filled our four days in SF by riding trams to Fisherman's Wharf, lolloping down Lombard Street's windey bit, taking a quick jaunt around the Japanese Garden in Golden Gate Park and sauntering the shopping streets of Haight/Ashbury and Union square. We also took a couple of tours:
The first was a self guided bike ride from Fisherman's Wharf to Sausalito on the other side of the bay, going over The Golden Gate Bridge en route. This mode of transport allowed me to gain a different perspective on this magnificent structure and it's immense dimensions which, I had somehow not noticed when I had crossed it five times before on Suzi. The trip also reminded me of how unfit I am. A very small number of quite small hills along the way had me huffing and puffing like Ivor The Engine and made my legs feel like lumps of lead by the end. However, it was great fun and did ensure I got a good night's sleep at least.
The second tour was
the big one that I had missed out on the last time I was in SF- Alcatraz. Before I go on I must just apologise to my eldest sister for actually having done it. She has always wanted to go but, missed out through not booking ahead when she was here (as I did last time). So, she will be insanely jealous and to make matters worse she has got enough on her plate at the moment having just turned FIFTY!! (that's half a century, y'know). So, sorry Chris, look away now if you don't want to see the results.
I would have liked to have done the night time tour but we didn't get organised early enough to do so which, in hindsight, was a blessing: The place was creepy enough in the daylight! The audio tour only adds to the atmosphere by reciting tales of dastardly deeds, viciously violent riots and daring but, ultimately doomed escape attempts. The one thought that affected me most, however, when I put myself in the position of a prisoner, was the geographical cruelty provided by "The Rocks" location. Less than a mile from downtown SF and the North Shore Yacht Club,
A Room With a View,
From the mess hall at Alcatrazthe sounds of the free world would drift on the wind across the water and permeate in to the cells and, I'm sure, the very souls of the inmates. In addition, they could see the city's shimmering skyline and the bay's bridges from the mess hall and excercise yard. To be incarcerated so close to and in full view of civilisation must have been a torture all of its own on top of the torment of complete loss of liberty. I'm suprised that there weren't far more suicides than there actually were.
After only three hours on the island I gained a good insight as to what imprisonment there actually meant, it must have been Hell on Earth. Although, as far as the punishment a penetentiary can dish out goes, I do think Alcatraz has got a long way to go to beat the Backpacker's Car Market in Christchurch!
From SF we set off on a So Cal road trip. We wanted to hire as small and, therefore, as cheap a car as possible and found a good deal just down the road from our hostel. However, the deal got better curtosy of a free upgrade and instead
It's a Mystery.......
How I didn't fall over! the a tinny little Japanese hatchback we were expecting, we were given a hulking great American muscle car: A Dodge Charger (the newest version of the Dukes of Hazard's General lee) which we nick-named "The Beast."
Heading south along the coast on Highway One we stopped overnight in Santa Cruz and Santa Barbara on the way to LA (that's Los Angeles for those of you who haven't got my obvious talent for translations). The road was demanding in places, especially given the size and nature of the beast we had be given but, the coastal scenery and wildlife more than made up for the car's inadequacies. At Seventeen-Mile Drive near Monterey we saw Seals slipping from the rocks to the surf and further out, spied the water spouts of Grey Whales in the more open ocean.
Also en route was a place called "The Mystery Spot" where the magnetic forces of a vortex create some weird and wonderful phenomenon; Round objects roll up hill, you can walk up walls, lose weight just by strolling around a particular bend on an inclined path and perform one-handed handstands with ease. That last one may sound simple to some of you
The Real Baywatch...
On Santa Monica Beach fitter people out there but try doing it under normal conditions when you're my shape and weight and you're asking for trouble! Don't ask me how all this is possible as I obviously wasn't listening closely enough to the guide's explanations but, I do remember him saying that they don't fully understand why some of it happens either so, not only does that let me off the hook to a certain extent but, I suppose it also goes a long way to justifying the name too!
In LA we took to the role of playing pure tourists in tinsel town and visited the Hollywood sign, Hollywood Boulevard's "Walk of Fame" and Mann's Chinese Theatre, and then strolled along Santa Monica Beach at sunset. Very romantic eh? Well, it was apart from the sudden thunder storm that had just passed over soaking the manicured sand, and the fact that it took us an hour to get there from our digs only a couple of miles away through the "City of Angel's" demonic traffic!
We thought it would be rude (and possibly even illegal) to leave LA without visiting a theme park so, we whiled a day away at Universal
Studios. Despite not seeing any superstars we had a great time and spent most of it on the myriad of rides available giggling like little girls which, I suppose, Sarah is quite entitled to do but, what my excuse was, I just don't know!
Relaxing in a bar that night (before our long drive back up the I5 to SF) we soaked up some of LA's spirit (or spirits if you want to put it that way). Not having spent much time there really and only having seen a little of Hollywood didn't give us much of an opportunity for forming a true impression of the place. I will say this though; There is definately a different kind of vibe there. Maybe it was the presence of the artistic people of tinsel town. Or maybe it was the creative electricity in the atmosphere at the centre of the entertainment world that was having an effect (it may have had something to do with the aforementioned spirits too), but I certainly can't put my finger on it. Whatever it was, it left an idea that there is something special in the air in LA (and it's not just the city's
smog either, although there was plenty of that too).
Back in SF for a morning, all we had time for was some shopping before Sarah and I had to part company again. However, this time was far less traumatic than the fraught farewells we have endured over the past year. The reason for this is that I will soon be following in her footsteps and winging my way home.
The trip has been tripped, it's course has run, my travelling fuel tanks are nearly empty and so is the bank account. Remember that last bit when I see you after I get back because it means the beers are on you!
I am spending my last couple of travelling days reflecting on my journey and meditating at the San Francisco Zen Centre. I'm also doing a bit of writing and I'm sure you'll be overjoyed to hear that I've decided to try and do a summing up of my worldly wanderings. So, I'll be logging on for one last blog before I call it a day (or rather, a year as the case may be)! It won't be published until after I get home on the 25th
Sunset on "The Beast's" Bonnet,
It's not a bleedin' "Hood"- you get them on coats or in South Central LA! but, keep an eye on your in-boxes, it should be a corker (well, at least as naff as the rest, anyway)!!
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Clarifications
- 'We' did not name the car, it was him - I think that is a bit odd.... - We did see someone famous - they were filming Ugly Betty on the pier at Santa Monica Beach And a big thank you to Ian to making my first trip to the states lots of fun! Right, I'm off to offset my carbon emissions - £18.53 LHR - SFO - LHR!! www.climatecare.org