'Sideways' to Wine Country

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After all that military ram-jet fervour, we jumped in our convertible Ford Mustang to (1) do part of the 40 odd mile scenic drive around SF and (2) learn how to drive such a beast ("isn´t it a bit expensive to rent that?" I was asked, "yes" came my reply. But imagine the pictures aside the mountains of Yosemite, the beaches of San Diego, or the sand dunes of Death Valley, in a Fiat Punto. Christ - whatever would the grandkids make of us!)

Anyway, after an awry drive up to Napa Valley (first time driving in ages, on the wrong side of the road too for a Brit, and Americans are MAD behind the wheel and those lanes - particularly over the Golden Gate Bridge - are TOO NARROW!, especially in the night....) we find out there are NO ROOMS AT THE INN. That's right, not a single place to lay one's head - and it's like 11.30pm by the time we actually get up there. In Penky fashion, I hadnt rung ahead to book a room (werent sure whether to leave today or tomorrow from SF), and as luck would then have it.......it was the 'Crush' weekend; something to do with grapes. Exasperated, we begged the receptionist of the 5th hotel we stopped at to ring any of her pals on our behalf. She called about 20 places and all she got was the LAST room at the bloody Marriot - at THREE HUNDRED DOLLARS! (For the night not the week!)

Compared to sleeping in a sports car (a big fat Ford now suddenly seemed a better, more versatile bet), and with the lure of a huge Marriot bed, we took it. But man, it wasnt exactly backpacking:





Despite the fact we'd paid over the odds to spend only 8 hours in the place, we made an early start next day (after gorging ourselves at breakfast naturally - I think I may well have eaten 200 dollars of musli, eggs and bacon). My bags, I realised, weighed a bloody ton when i tried to carry everything at once (spending the first month using a car was hiding the fact that when i started to really BACK-pack, it was going to HURT......):




27kg of books and too many clothes.........what an idiot



But what a nice vehickle to get into........and constantly sunny days; it's October and in Oldham, Lancs, UK - may as well be winter there.

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Photos

Nice badge
The eco-alternative to renting a Humvee

Mustang Meat
The throbbing mechanical muscle under the bonnet (makes 10 of Sofie's Suzuki Altos!)