San Francisco

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Arrived in San Fran and then straight to the airport Hungry Jacks, perfect food for my Vegas Hang over. Boarded the airport Shuttle to Rob's Apartment off Chestnut.
The shuttle gave me a pretty good tour of hilly San Fran, but sadly the driver didn’t manage to get the shuttle airborne at any of the intersections while cruising down the steep streets made famous in those Hollywood chase scenes.

Rob was still at work but I was greeted at his apartment by his house mate Dave.
Rob and Dave have a cool apartment with a view of the Golden Gate Bridge.
We went Mexican that night and I spent the whole next day chilling out and updating blogs from previous adventures.

The next day I walked down and explored Fisherman’s Warf.
Waited for half an hour in a long queue to purchase a ticked to Alcatraz. Eventually some one came out and announced that the soonest tickets available were for Sat. It was Wednesday. About three quarters of the queue dispersed. Rather than putting up a sign I think they discovered they have a much higher level of job satisfaction if they wait for the queue to reach a certain length ie. 100 people and then take it in turns to break the news. I then proceeded to check out the jetties, taking time out to step over a few homeless and inspect a few old war machines and an arcade game museum. Let me just say that people were once amused very easily.

After all this excitement I was busting for the toilet......found it only to discover that you needed a special coupon to get in. I quickly proceeded to the provocatively named In and Out Burger. After queuing for my coupon I returned to the toilets to take care of business. Relieved I returned to In and Out Burger a feasted on Cheeseburgers (which includes lettuce, tomato and optional onion - great burgers) washed down with the suggestively named "Root Beer".

As I headed back to base I observed a commotion ahead. There was this bum who sat behind a bush next to a bin and jumped out at people as they walked by, scaring them to the amusement of other passers by. In fact some people were just standing on the side of the pavement waiting to observe his next assault. Very Cruel. It's Bum's like this that give the rest of them a bad name.

Hit Safeway later that night and let me tell you, America has consumerism sorted out, which for an indecisive person like me can cause problems. Shopping can take a very long time with so many choices to make. But on this night it fell in my favour. I was shopping for ice cream and was in the mood for peppermint choc chip and cookies and cream and couldn't decide which I wanted. Well, I didn't have to. I found the 2 in 1 in the form of Ben and Larry’s Choc Mint Cookies and Cream. Very nice indeed. Topped the night absorbing some American culture in the form of the Bounty Hunter or as he his known to his friends - the Dog.

For my last night we went to a Brazilian Meat House and then got in a taxi with the boys and explored San Fran, saw some trams and zig zagged street.

A few days earlier I had booked my shuttle to the Airport. They must have realised how important I am because on the morning of my departure instead of the usual mini bus a Limo arrived and took me to the airport.

Thanks Rob and Dave for your Hospitality. You guys rock!!!!

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