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I looked out of the window as often as I could whilst on the bus and train journey from L.A. to Yosemite National Park. The landscape changes were extreme and I was leaving the city life behind me to embrace a bit of fresh air. Being on the road as a solo traveller again caused me to grip my pack with more caution than the past couple of weeks. Best to be safe right? There didn't seem to be any dodgy characters in sight, but you can never be too certain. When I finally arrived into the village in the valley, I brushed off my boots and tiptoed into a swish hotel to use their baggage storage facilities. I couldn't help giggling when I saw my duct taped pack sitting next to several polished Louis Vuitton cases. I may not have the look that appeals to everybody, but at least it adds character to everything everywhere!

Extreme opposites in California

Coffeecat
2006-08-12 14:40:01

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in the cafeteria. The joint was definitely not something I care to experience outside of a tour. The former guards that added a few facts and demonstrations for us were some of the
most bizarre looking characters I have ever seen. And I can now confirm that I will certainly never make a career change into the penitentiary system.

I returned to the hostel for a short time as I had arranged to hit the town with another traveller that I had met in Arizona. Jen picked me up and we cruised over to the Marina area to check out a few bars. Bars are often the same anywhere you go, but the trends can certainly be different. What hit me in the San Fran clubs then? Nothing but my age, and I'm not that old!! The music that everyone was gettin down to, wasn't a tribute to the early 90's, but a re-mix. I guess it's true what the old folks have always said, in that everything returns at some point! After a few drinks and moves that didn't catch the eye of my Mr. Right, we took a short drive around town, including 'the world's most crooked street'. The corkscrew design was implemented in 1922 to accomodate cars on such a steep hill. Having become a tourist attraction is perhaps one of the most ridiculous things I have ever seen on
The debut of my Indiana Jones hat in the Ansel Adams landscapemy travels, although I'm sure the spring flowers on the boulevards are a sight to see. At the end of the night, tricky Jen had escaped the photo with Fiona as she had also done in Arizona! Cheeky monkey!

Early the next morning I joined fellow Canadian Michaela on a tour of areas I hadn't yet covered. We started as giddy tourists on a trolley filled with locals starting their weekend shopping. It was intriguing watching the operator manually work the levers holding the cable car on the steep hills. When we finally jumped off, we collected a fix at Starbucks and continued strolling along the roads telling life tales. We looked at a map every now and then, only to giggle at some of the neigbourhood names. I can assure you that England could certainly never name an area Nob Hill! And who comes up with a name like Tenderloin? It just makes me think of having a bar-b-que!

We walked in several circles and certainly appreciated the beautiful houses and various views of the bay. When we ended up back at the hostel, I called another friend met along the travels (Austin, Texas) and arranged to hook up. Shan picked Michaela and I up and we ventured over to the final tour for the day, Haight Ashbury. Famed as a hippie hangout, the streets clung to tie dyes and specialty pipes as the areas' trademark. However, modernization has broken through even since my last visit to San Francisco, 14 years ago. Everything changes in time right? We discovered that the Ben and Jerry's was the best addition to the area , as I filled up on coffee coffee buzz buzz ice cream and whizzed through the remainder of the afternoon.

After walking and talking for another couple of hours, Shan, Michaela and I all went our separate ways. I boarded a train to Oregon whilst Shan hit the dancing floor and Michaela hit the campgrounds. It was a fabulous ending to my time in California and I was proud to have established so many new friends. But the journey must continue, and I'm looking forward to visiting another mate in Portland!

Turbo travel continues in true coffeecat style.