USA

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Geo: 37.6311, -122.432

We unexpectedly got split up..... We had Delta air passes which entitles you to go on any flight as stand-by. So there was 2 seats leaving Chicago, great, on we get. Then we discover this stupid blonde bimbo & himbo couple wouldn't sit down as they couldn't sit together (they are probably long since split up!) so there was in fact only 1 spare seat. One of us had to stay as the luggage was on & the plane was engines running to take off, so C. said he'd get off. Naively it never occured to us we could be separated and as he got off I ran after him & handed him his book (which he had finished, d'oh) & the delta timetable booklet so he could figure out what to do next, as they were closing the door on my arm, no time for anything else like give him the address & phone number of where we were staying! So then I was sitting with the bloody himbo & bimbo so I cried all the way to SF & if the tears started to dry up I pinched myself! Anyway get to SF & realise C. has the luggage tags, the luggage was all tied together with a skinny cable (like a bike lock cable) so I had to bust it open & steal my own luggage (would probably be arrested now a days!)

So I meet our friends & share a bed with a girl called Louise! Meanwhile trying to find where C. was with Delta was interesting, no mobile phones back then, I had no idea where he was but a delta agent was able to tell me the next day in was in Dallas! But they couldn't do an airport announcement as the system had all been disabled since the Gulf war! She was really nice & had a name like Mary-Rose or Rose-Ann or Gypsy-Rose or something. Fair play to her though when she could see he was physically en route to SF she called me to tell me his ETA. (I did write to Delta after to praise her). So we jump in the car & go get him, meanwhile he didn't know how to get in touch with us or if we would be there - I remember running the length of the concourse til I saw him, all very romantic. And sure there he was grand (I was a bit frantic), took the 1st flight out of Chicago as things were not looking good there & stayed in motel in Dallas & got this flight the next day, so all's well that ends well.

SF - we stayed in Haight st with our most vivacious friend (Ms. EF), so right in the middle of all the action, gay & otherwise, and there was loads of Deadheads around as the Grateful dead were playing, or cancelled at the last mo. I remember.

Things we did do in SF:
The Walk across the Golden Gate Bridge - Crossing on foot, pausing under the giant towers and gazing ahead at distant Marin County, amazing.
Shopping on Haight Ashbury - such funky shops had to buy new luggage to bring it & Seattle's shopping all back.
Wandered around at the crossroads of Columbus and Broadway, poetry meets porn in a raucous assembly of strip joints, coffee houses and drag queens . Great.
Went to Beat generation City Lights Bookstore opened in 1953.
Driving down all the car chase hills - just like the movies.
Cable cars in the city.
Russian Hill- Armistead Maupin and Kerouac lived here - great vantage point overlooking the city .
Eat pancakes and maple syrup or cinnamon toast for breakfast every day.
The food - We were so impressed with food in SF esp. Mexican that's when C. started to learn how to really cook - and we turned vege as a result.
Take a boat out to Alcatraz to see where Al Capone was imprisoned.
Spent a lot of time at crazy parties & at cool clubs & bars - I actually managed to fall asleep at 'No means No' gig which is some feat as they are very loud but will tell you how little sleep there was to be had in general.

Outside SF:
Go to lovely city of Sausalito n. picturesque - north end of Golden Gate - see the house boats.
Spend time lounging on the superb beaches of San Diego - or in mate Odile's house.
Go gambling in Las Vegas (see next entry)

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