Quality Inn Santa Cruz

We got a really early start this morning, aiming for breakfast in the rich town of Carmel-by-the-Sea. It is clearly a rich town and the main street is lined with cute little Hansel-and-Gretel styled houses. It is very similar to the town of Colmar in France, except that these houses on the main street house stores like Tiffany's.

However, all that money must mean that people have later starts. We just could not find any ...

... facilities, i.e. free, clean, unlimited-hot-water showers, we noticed during the course of the 3 nights, that many homeless people come here to have a shower. They are not your average streetbums, but mostly homeless people who live in their car (not very different from us, I guess!). After witnessing this stream of people for 3 nights and 3 mornings, I was ready to get out of there!

Left Mariposa and headed across California to the coast. travelled all day across such flat landscape, very agriculteral areas and very poor We passed some garlic fields that nearly made Steve throw up smelled yummy to me !!!!!
Getting tired as night fell so pulled off the freeway into a strange little town called Moss Landing.Seemed very deserted but we found a welcoming B & B right on the beach. The place was so quaint decked out in nautical ...

... to cut down on the food and up the alcohol starting with Margaritas, which had you tasted at the wedding you would know are a very refreshing and very drinkable drink. However, as you may have guessed by now everything in America is BIG, see margaritas atached

Moved on to wine and very drinkable as California wine is, Steve keeps reminding me I am an expensive drinker so I have had to opt for cheaper options ...

... though, it was smooth sailing all the way to Santa Cruz. We stopped in at a pub for a beer in Santa Cruz and decided to walk down to the water to see what it was all about. On our walk, we passed a bunch of people outside a local punk show. As we passed by, mulitple fights broke out around us and we almost got in the middle of it. Exciting. This is just after we read the ...

... down the street (also connected to a bowling alley). We got a few drinks and they went at it. I sat and watched because they didn't have like the two songs I would ever even sing. Good times. I got tired early and I walk the short bit it takes to get home before the crew and go to bed. In the morning, I've got some issues of my own I've got to work out. Chant about. Where am I going next? Good fight, good night. Miles driven today: 4.0mi Daniel

... TomTom and ended up on some freeway, then she had to get us off and back to where we were - fun! Got on the right road eventually and headed down to Santa Cruz and spent the rest of the afternoon at the Boardwalk there. The rides were closed (only open on weekends during their winter as they use the time for maintenance) but still walked around and went into the arcade. Had a walk along the beach and saw the stairs where Kiefer Sutherland drove a ...

... move, insult, or misunderstanding could cause people not to show up to my meetings, and then I wouldn't be able to get any of my work done. Another thing that was really hard for me was being stuck by myself in my village. I pretty much felt like I was stuck at work 24 hours a day. I had to constantly please my co-worker and boss'. I could just invite over a friend to complain about people, work, and just cry. I have no way of releasing my stress. And ...

... They're a bit paranoid about security - we were surprised when asked to put our shoes through the x-ray machine at the airport. Our Highlights - San Francisco and Alcatraz - Los Angeles (especially Universal Studios and Venice) - Las Vegas - Grand Canyon - Monument Valley - Yosemite Soundtrack to our trip - Californiaction by RHCP - Drinking in LA by Bran Van 3000 - Kids in America by Kim Wilde - Missing You by Puff Daddy and Faith Evans - reminds Ig of his last trip to LA

... something for you instead of to you. I marvel at how you can travel the world, taking care of your needs simply by presenting a little plastic card. I can even call home by dialing in my card number. I entered San Francisco from the south side along the coast, up from Pacifica. An exit off the expressway led me directly into Golden Gate Park, an island of serene calm amid typical large city Pandemonium. Every metropolis should reward itself with this kind of ...