Pacific Highway 1, last days in US

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Today is our last day in North America. We are fast approaching 10 days without a walk. Quite frankly we don know what to do with ourselves some days. Well get up with the sole job of enjoying the sun and driving one hundred miles further down the coast (I know that is two jobs by the way) and find ourselves searching for a camp site at six in the evening without having done anything of much note. Im sure something was happening during that time but I really can remember what. Its certainly nice to relax before a very different kind of adventure in South America.

We left Yosemite for San Francisco in fine weather and explored the city over the next two days. It reminds me of a European city more than any other N American place Ive been to with the wealth of pastry shops and diagonal streets making the grid system seem a little more higgledy piggledy. Im beginning to judge most things in terms of pastries. In the beginning they were a reward for a 20 mile hike or mountain ascent. But now they are earnt by the most pathetic physical exercise or mentally taxing event such as driving along a busy freeway. I digress.

From San Francisco, we followed the Pacific Coast Highway (Highway 1) down towards Los Angeles. Not much of note along the way, at least nothing you would really be interested in, except maybe for the endless white sandy beaches and glorious weather. Some nice pictures attached for you to peruse if you fancy it. We knew it would be a nice trip and it was nice, just nothing remarkable. Perhaps we are beginning to set our standards a little too high after witnessing the wonders of all of the National Parks. Its a bit like when you hear about how massive the muffins are in a bakery and find on arrival that they are massive (by our standards) but not as big as you truly hoped for.

A record-breaking storm hit us in California as we left SF. We experienced half a metre of rain in 24 hours and winds up to 80mph. When it hasn rained for 5 months that is very significant because of three main factors:
1) The roads are covered in oils which mixes with the water to produce a slick road surface
2) No place in North American (by that the newsreader meant the world) can really cope with that amount of rainfall and
3) Anyone in an SUV thinks they are invincible and can drive in the rain - chaos.

We sheltered at my cousins (they are not really cousins but you know the type I mean) and then in a motel the next night in Monterey during a power cut. After 4 days we were in Malibu, land of the rich and famous, with beach mansions set along the shores of the Pacific. Yesterday we met up with some friends we met camping in Bryce Canyon. They took us to Disneyland for free and we rode everything! It was briliant and far exceeded my expectations. I got a photo with a mute Mickey Mouse who was being ushered around like he was Brad Pitt, his entourage continually pushing away screaming kids with ruthless efficiency. Lindsay and I stood firm and got a snap in.

Tonight we fly to Ecuador. We are looking forward to the joys of the Amazon, the Andes and the Incan remains. More soon.

Stay in touch.

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Photos

Me and Mickey
You can see the hordes of expectant mothers (not pregnant mothers) in the background!

Comments

[Kevin]

Good luck you two.
I love you both and have a great adventure in the southern areas. I know it will be great and mind expanding. But you will have a great time. Looking forward to the next adventure. Kevin