Life in the Fast and SLO Lane

Once my passport came back with the required visa, within the space of 5 days, I hurriedly:

• booked my ticket, waitlisted
• said my goodbyes
• left work (as previously organised)
• boxed and stored my belongings
• threw out heaps of stuff
• sold most of our expensive appliances at dirt cheap prices
• bought a laptop with stupid microsoft vista on it (nothing installs properly, like my webcam because I bought it before vista was introduced!) which is too much hassle when it's supposed to make things convenient for me!!!
• changed address and/or closed accounts for utilities, telco, internet, etc
• barely slept or had a moment's rest
• paid for my confirmed flights, then
• flew to California the next day, to start my trip.

Tired and restless I flew for about 16hours to LAX. I didnt sleep much in the plane, only a combined total of 2.5hours of hard earned eyeshuts. I was in Los Angeles 0955 hours, caught the bus to Union Station, then Amtrak to San Luis Obispo (SLO) where I managed a 45minutes powernap, arriving fully alert at the train station approximately 2130 hours. We did the obligatory quick tour around the city, then chatted at home.

The next day around 0730hours my friend and I headed for San Francisco, along Big Sur (Hway 101?). I bought my new Alcatraz t-shirts, walked/drove around, ate a late lunch, then headed back, arriving home around 2100 hours. Another long day. Slept like a baby.

Then I enjoyed a nice SLO life - half pretend local, half curious tourist. For those who dont know SLO, Cayucos, Los Osos, Pismo Beach and Morro Bay are along the coast, halfway between LA and San Fran. If I didnt know anyone there, I would never have gone. I was really glad I visited the area.

I dont want to write a detailed account of my experience from the time I was heading there to when I left, so I'll just give highlights or memorable moments:

• The nice flight stewardess whom gave me an eye shade, which helped to shut up the guy sitting across the aisle whom eventually tried to flirt with me. I thought he was gay while we were having a nice introductory chat, then he became an annoying male ;-).
• Baileys on ice for breakfast, around 4am LA time on the plane, with my new Austrian friend sitting next to me.
• I met 2 nice ladies along the way (Michelle while waiting for my train, and another older lady in the train) with whom I had great fleeting conversations on topics related to US/Californian culture, history and geography. Only 1 family heading to Santa Barbara on the Amtrak was a little snotty, didnt waste my time on them.
• I saw dolphins, seals, and does. One such 'bambi' freaked me out while I was bikeriding alongside cars running 55miles plus an hour, coz it jumped in the bushes next to me and I thought it was a lion!! Good thing I didnt panic! But the beachcruiser bike I was using wobbled and probably stressed the cars alongside me at the time.
• Dorothy - nice yellow (and black) "girl" (car)
• Poop top rocks/mountains along the coast - they looked nice :-)
• Big Sur scenery and drive (highly recommended)
• I never imagined California would remind me of Melbourne and The Great Ocean Road and the towns along it. All I knew of the area was San Fran and LA (busy cities). It was great to experience more laidback and mellow towns.
• I miss Chapalas already!! :-(
• Splash Cafe's Bread Bowl (clam chowder)
• Saltwater taffy
• Reese peanut butter cups!
• Morro Bay Cinema and the hunchback ;-P
• The beachcruiser bike lent to me - I wish I have my own!! I love it!
• Hide and seek with Beans
• Dogs' ears (Lola and Bernard?)
• Walking around alone in Cayucos
• Bikeriding alone around hilly Morro Bay (Morro Bay Rock), Los Osos and the 2 state parks next to them - Montana and Morro State Parks?? It was a very windy day.
• Amtrak arriving 10 minutes EARLY in Los Angeles!!!!? I was told it's always late....
• Seeing my friend and her family there waiting for me. My godchild is sooh cute!!