Day 30 California 2nd time around
Trip Start
May 07, 2008
1
40
205
Trip End
Nov 22, 2008
Moss Landing,
California,
United States
Thursday, June 5, 2008
Well off we head towards the Coast and south aiming for Monterey.
The GPS suggested about 2.5 - 3 hours running, not to bad this would mean an easy drive day and time to settle into the new RV park and sort a hire car.
Well of course, man made plans are always subject to a few challenges along the way.
The going was reasonable and if we had learnt to negotiate the castle around LA then this would be a walk in the park, YEAH RIGHT!
The freeways and interchanges were not really a problem and we have begun to understood Mandy's little quirks for directional changes etc, so what could be the problem from here?
Well of course we caught up to the traffic in our super speedy Castle, the problems began, The road was absolutely full from one side to the other and they would NOT allow our MAJESTIC Castle through even though we are Royal inhabitants
The Castle at moss landing RV park
!The road jam went for over an hour just slowly foot by foot at a time.
We crawled along for what appeared to be an age and all the time the "time to destination" was being recalculated by the ever present Mandy! Earnie decided that the scenes were not changing fast enough and lay down and pushed some ZZZZ's. Of course Rick felt that would be a good idea but the ever vigilant co-pilot Karon wouldn't allow him to close his eyes and kept feeding him water and fruit tingles to ensure he didn't join Earnie.
We came through to the reason why, an overturned truck and semi trailer, with it's load of boxes well spread out, on the Left hand side of the road.
From there it became a simple matter of following the instructions; it did surprise us as to how far we did have to travel. IT doesn't appear far on the map, but maybe the map is a small map!
We found the RV park that is also similar to last nights park, Associated and next to a Marina.
It is at a place called Moss Landing. We lunched in the Castle and walked it off heading to the beach and viewing the ocean, from there we wandered along the marina viewing the boats and also watched a guy mending nets
Walking to view the beach
. He informed us, they are for Sword Fish and the mesh holes are about 12" so they are definitely not looking for little fish. The repair guy explained about the fishing season and it is closed now until October, from there they get 6 months and the fishing grounds have been restricted as well from a few years previous. IT is interesting to engage the locals in a conversation, Especially about their work.It was a day for the washing catch up and also we had put a call into a car hire place, the arrangement to get a car was for them to bring it out and pick us up, then return to the depot to complete the paper work.
HE turned up at 4:30pm and we loaded ourselves into the vehicle and went back to his office about 20 min drive.
Rick and Earnie put their names as drivers and off we set towards Monterey.
We drove along the freeway and took instructions from the GPS to arrive and the fisherman's wharf area.
Park the car and walked along to the wharf and soak up the atmosphere and spotted a few seals and could hear a lot of them barking.
We left that area to drive "into town" well we drove in a general direction and found ourselves not finding a "main Street" but all roads leading back to fisherman's wharf.
Of course during this we decided to park at the "New Wharf area" but rick managed to give us a tour under a tunnel out to the other side of where were actually hoping to be. What can you say "he is a Kiwi after all!"
A couple of Left turns returned us under the other side of the tunnel and this time he managed to reach the destination.
Well a few little shops etc and a lot of sea food eating places, (at this time rick decided it was an eat out night, naturally, and if anyone knows him seafood wins every time!)
We went into a restaurant that had fish and chips advertised for $7.95, of course when you sit down and read the menu the $7.95 is for children's meals under ten! MMM "False and misleading? A question for the legal team!
We ate anyway because by this time the food intake for the day was growing a little thin.
Leaving the food we decided to purchase some warm waterproof coats for the further north climes, at $22 we figured them to a be good price, so what if we advertise we have been in Monterey Bay?
Time to set off for the Abandoned Castle and a cup of tea, except of course Rick.
He decided to get the camera and head to the beach to watch the sun sink below the water.
I must say here that sitting on the beach observing that sight and the birds winging their way back home for the night and to top it a couple of dolphins chose to cruise past and circle just out in the waves in front of me.
It certainly is great to be a grain of sand, and observe the wonderful journey through the ocean of life we give ourselves.
I am thankful for the chance to have this time and trip to share with those here and those that take the time to read our fun journey.
