Well, heres the rub, in Fort Bragg we have access to computers with an accesible USB port and we have the Cable…. But what’s this a computer still runing Windows NT 4.0? And it is donated by Bill and Melinda, I think I need to e-mail. THem so, sorry, but you folks will need to wait a bit longer.

Deer = 10 . While we were on the way back from Manchester Beach (where the San Andreas fault line goes into the sea) we came across another 5 deer. Okay I was driving again… but I went a lot slower this time, and let one of them cross the road.

Sea Lions = lots! There are so many on the piers on the coast I’ve lost count. Here is a picture of a few sea lions… they were really loud!

I have to say that it was one of my all-time holiday highlights, up there with the Eiffel Tower, is catching a Cable Car and being the standing passenger at the front. Keep that head in or the passing Cable Car will knock it off. The free Cable Car museum was wonderful. A close second is the F line with it’s old Chicago, Philadelphi, St Louis, Baltimore and Milan streetcars! I had to buy a Calendar to support their on-going efforts.

We’ve been on the road for 2 days up the North Coast of California on Highway 1, the road less travelled, quite towns, more sea lions and lighthouses. Crossed the San Andreas fault as it “plunged into the sea”. We were in SF as the Parkfield earthquake struck but felt nothing.

We stayed in Bodega Bay, a beautiful secluded bay with a working fish industry and then used one of our Coupons for an el-cheapo in Fort Bragg. We have 2 more nights on the road.

We’re at the Fort Bragg public library I am on Navarro and Helen is on Albion – both computers were donated by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation… Using old Windows 2000! I thought they would have at least XP! Such is life eh?

Kym

I’m here test driving a Powerbook G4 at Compusa on Market Street. Nice, sleek and silver.

Just got off the F trolley (Tram), a 1947 Philadelphia Model, SF has 17 historic models collected from around the US. Seen many Sea Lions near Pier 39.

About to have a look around downtown to by a 3 day pass. We caught the cable car on the way back because the hills are TOO STEEP to walk!

Still no photos. Will hopefully rectify soon.

KDT

Do we speak oddly?

Last time we were in America and Canada, I don’t recall being asked to repeat ourselves sooo many times. It must the accents, everytime we go into a restaurant they ask us to repeat ourselves.

Maybe it is becuase we aren’t yelling!

When we were in Cambria (just before Hearst Castle), we went out for dinner and we could hear the conversation at the other tables – people were speaking sooo loudly! Maybe it is just us.

By far the most spectacular scenery this holiday has been this past two days, a two lane highway, cliffs and mountains on your right and the pacific on the left. A complete buzz, it is surprising to see so much wildlife, but I am sure Helen’s post will keep you upto date.

The roads into San Francisco are mad!! I love eight lanes of freeway followed by the steepest streets I have ever seen in my life. I am sure even our automatic would have rolled back.

The highlights including the stunning vistas, Santa Cruz and its sea lions, a Lucia’s standard Mocha in a little town called Half-moon Bay there was even a “parking sign” indicating that only Australians could park there! The best little supermarket I’ve seen with extensive organic goodies.

Santa Cruz is certainly much more radical than Santa Barbara despite both of them being University towns. Perhaps SB specialises in accountants and SC anthropolgists. Who knows, but the is much brighter hair and more holes in SC.

Cambria, is a mock English town, a bit like Hahndorf but less tacky and decidely more successful. We opted for the cheapest clean hotel in Town. The british flag was the magnet. We went to the “recommended” top notch restaurant, I’d still prefer an Aussie country pub than this stuff. Oh well! I am looking forward to San Francisco food, we’ve already sampled a Crab Sandwich. Yummmmmy!

Sorry, I forgot to bring the cable so no photos yet!

This is KDT signing off.

Okay, I wasn’t driving….. but just let me say I never want to experience that again.

Too many lanes. Cars going way above the speed limit (not us!) going in all kinds of different directions. All I can say is thank-god (and I mean this) we got Never-lost with the car. I think at one stage I counted 10 lanes and 3-4 different directions.

I am hoping that the entry to Seattle and Portland is not like this one!

We’ve been on the road for a couple of days and haven’t managed to find an internet terminal. Now that we are in San Franciso… I can inform you of our interactions with the wildlife – and I don’t mean the locals! (will put up some piccys once we remember to bring a cable with us)

Deer = 5 (including an encoutner with two – nearly running one down while driving in search of a lighthouse at dusk near Carmel-by-the-Sea, okay before you start writing complaints I was only doing about 5-10 miles an hour – give me a break I’m on the wrong side of the road!!)

Elephant Seals = large group too many to count on the beach on the drive to Big Sur.

Seal Lions = lots!!! I got excited when we saw one from a distance on the 17-mile drive round Carmel by-the- Sea, on the Monteray Pennisula. At Santa Cruz they were all under the pier on boards sleeping – what a load of noise they made. Then later when we went to look at another lighthouse (name has escaped me again) there were more on teh rocks sunning themselves! I’ve never seen so many in teh wild in all my life. Totally amazing. The pier wasn’t even mentioned by the guidebooks – talk about slack! Wait until I send them an e-mail.

Squirrel = 1 at a vista looking at some of the rocks and view on the coast to Big Sur.

Cows = lots!

Road kill = 3-6 dead things on the side of the road. This is rather surprising – given that the coast road is similar to the Great Ocean Road (only a better surface), it is rather surprising!

I’m sure there will be more to come…..

Hi we are on the road with Mazda 6 and Neverlost (or so it claims).

We looked forward to the funicular, but it Angels Flight was closed until further notice and we’ve receive word that 2 of the 3 San Francisco cable lines are closed. The public transport angel is not looking kindly on me.

Visited Hollywood – imagine Hindley street, but bigger and lots of movie kitsch, an experience only required once. Lots of interesting museums like Ripley’s Oddities and yet another wax museum. The Erotic Museum is probably the pick, but I don’t know it cost $US12.

LA really is a donut city. The Downtown is less busy than Adelaide, even though it has many buildings twice as high as the Santos building. Quite a surprise really. Imagine Elizabeth and Adelaide being switched.

Santa Monica was where I’d live… if I was required to move to LA. But I will investigate other areas when we return.

Santa Barbara was just gorgeous, and no I am not just referring to the cheerleaders roaming the street. Classes are back at the UCSB.

This blog is being typed from SLO San Luis Obispo a pleasant town a few miles inland. We’re off to find a hotel near Heasrt Castle.

Looking forward to your comments, we don’t just want lurkers!

On the plane….

Just in case you wanted to know what we ate (also so I can get rid of a piece of paper) we had:

Lunch

Green leaf salad with herb Vinaigrette

Coq Au Vin – Chicken with red wine sauce (kym)

Braised beef with potatoe mash & peas (Helen)

Cheese and Crackers

Snack bag was provided:

Magnum Ice Cream

Cheese sticks

Museli bar

Bottle of water

Chocolate bar

Mint lollies

Breakfast

Helen – continental breakfast

Orange juice

Cereal

Muffin (which really did taste like it hadn’t been cooked, but Kym liked it)

Seasonal melon in fruit syrup

Kym – hot breakfast

OJ

Seasonal melon in fruit syrup

Muffin

Spinach egg cake with slow roasted tomatoes (which he really liked)

We watched:

The Day after tomorrow

Shrek 2

Friends and some other comedy crap!