San Francisco to LA

It's our last day in America so typing this before I forget what we've done here. San Francisco was cool, in every sense! Had to buy a hooded top to keep warm. (I was like Nkki from BB, "i'm sooo cold!!!"). Hotel Des Arts was cool, got used to the painted rooms, made friends with the guy in our green room by the end of the week. Had a great time there and did loads.

We went to Pier 39 and saw the sea lions. They're noisy! We went shopping at Macy's, H&M, DSW and sampled a pretzel in Union Square (rank! Way too salty). Got the cable car to Fishermans Wharf and had dinner & cocktails at the Hard Rock Cafe. We biked the Golden Gate bridge with hired bikes from Blazing Saddles on Wednesday and cycled to Sausalito and got ferry back. Great day! We were all saddle sore afterwards!

On Thanksgiving Day we went for lunch at Pier 39, all the tourists out in force! I tried clam chowder, was really nice. Walked to Lombard St where the roads bends down the hill like a zig zag. Loads of Japanese tourists there! Headed back to hotel down Hyde St and somehow ended up in Tenderloin, an area to be avoided. Crazy how the road was really nice further up then a few blocks down you're looking around and there's no one like you. Loads of bums, by that I mean tramps!

Found our way to Union Square and had a few drinks that night to celebrate getting home safe! Had a meal in Chinatown, the waiter Eric used to work in Glasgow in the 60's so got a bit of banter from him, read our palms too, Laura and I are spenders and Hels and Kim are savers! haha!

Had a big drinking night on Friday, met up with Top Gun Iain from Glasgow and many shots and drinks ensued. All felt ill the next day, had a good night though. Went to Alcatraz on Sunday before we head off. There's a storm brewing so by the time the ferry arrives on the island it's chucking it down. All adds to the atmosphere! The cell house was interesting and not as creepy as I'd imagined. There's an audio tour so tells you all about it.

Glad to be leaving the rain behind in San Francisco and driving back to LA. Long drive back, arrived at Santa Monica International Hostel at 12am. We were sharing with an English girl and an older Hispanic woman who had all her worldly possessions in the room. Made sure we locked everything up!