17. Last day

And so I wake on my last day.  I think about this hotel, there really is somehting odd going on.  A room for two people with 1 each of two different types of tea bag, 1 pack of decaf coffee and two of regular coffee.  No in room safe and the only place I have been where everyone is rude and half of them can't understand me!!!

I finish packing and grab a shuttle to the train station where I travel to Santa Ana Depot.  The reason for Santa Ana is that they have a baggage check there and I can leave my bag for the day.  My intention was to leave the bag and catch a bus (I had it all checked out on line) to the area that Varia told me about and from there go to a shopping center to catch the bus back to the station.

Santa Ana Depot was gorgeous.
A very Mexican looking building with all signs in Spanish and some of the people didn't speak English.

There was no info desk and it took me some time to figure out where the bus was to leave from.  I wait and I wait for a bus and eventually find the timetable which tells me the busses only run prior to 10am (and return in the afternoon).

OK change of plan - I wait in the cab queue and eventually a can comes along, complete with non English speaking turban headed Sikh who didn't know where the major shopping center of the region was.  Eventually we arrive and I realise quickly that to get to where Varia told me it was going to be a hard task so I just hang out in yet another sterile center where I wander in and out of dozens of shops looking for that special something in the form of a simple pair of black wedge heeled sandals in leather.  No way, not even in designer stores (of which there were many).

what did I buy.  A grilled cheese sandwich at Boudins, an ice cream at Haagen daas and a horrible cookie from Mrs Fields.  I well at least I didn't spend a fortune.

Bored I check the timetable for the return bus and determine from the diagram where the bus stop is.  Well I find the exact location shown on the map and not a bus stop to be seen.  I search and I ask to no avail and end up ringing for a cab.  It took ages and I feared by this stage that I would miss my train. Evenutally, a lovely driver comes complete with cab and spirits me off through the back blocks to get me to the station in time to collect my bag, cross the tracks and catch my train to LA Union Station.

From there I transfer to the LAX shuttle and am soon safely deposited in front of Terminal 2 where I check in and go airside to the dumpiest airport lounge I have ever been in.  Food was rubbish so I go to the concourse where I had the amazing choice of eating at Burger King's Us\S equivalent, a bakery, a burger joint or Wolfgang Pucks Bistro for a pizza.  the burger seemed the lesser of two evils and as I still had the hankering for a piece of meat I dined, again, on a crappy burger.

Yay soon we board and i'm on my way. Home ward bound on my first ever cattle class flight on Air New Zealand.  Fortunately there were only two of us in a bank of three seats so it want anywhere near as bad as I expected and after an uneventful flight I land in good old NZ.

I'm glad I went, enjoyed San Diego and Monterey, loved spending time with the cousins but the highlights were the wedding and meeting the two little adorable girls Abby and Dorothy.  Dorothy's smile will stay with me for a long time.

16. Its a tough life

After a bad night suffering from the most unbelievable indigestion and having to listen to an arrogant bunch downstairs around the pool till about 2:30am (I paid extra for the privilege of having a pool view but can only see the pool if I look straight down as if committing suicide and as an extra get the noise from the pool) I slept until 9:00am.

Not wanting to have another day of shopping centers and being so far away from anything I wanted to do I spent the rest of the morning hanging out in my room, googling, reading and sleeping. eventually I wander down to the pool and immerse myself in the warm bubbling water of the spa.  The bubbles enveloped me and sent me into a calm space that I really needed to be in.  From there a dip in the cold pool bought me back to life before I plonked myself on a deck chair where I sat for some time reading my book.  Its a tough life.

Eventually hunger got the better of me and I indulged in a divine Ahi tuna salad, very very yum. The barman where I sat eating was the friendliest person I had struck at the hotel and chatting to him was a pleasant respite from the grumpiness of everyone else.

Soon it was time to go back to reality and get dressed ready to go meet my nephew and his lady.  I hadn't seen Alexis in 30 years and was really looking forward to it.

I wander downstairs and as I look in the direction of a wee mini parked outside the hotel I see my brothers profile and know that Alexis was there, in that car.  Tap Tap on the window and there he is.  Just as handsome as he is in the photos and on the other side of the car I meet his lovely lady Varia; so so beautiful.

We had a lovely evening, dining on super sushi and then they took me for an espresso IN A CUP.  Before we bade our goodbyes Varia gave me some details about a nice shopping area that I could go to the next day when I had hours to kill before my flight.  Yay.

What a lovely end to a lovely day.xx

15. Goodbye san diego

I was ready with bags packed in time to go downstairs and join the walking tour of the Gas Lamp Quarter.  A complimentary tour organised by the hotel and a lovely touch.  The tour wasn't great but nevertheless interesting to have some points of interest explained. and it filled in an hour.  I admire the brass statue at teh front of the hotel and next I am having my photo taken with the man reading his magazine and pointing out the way into the hotel.

Still hanging out for pancakes for breakfast I go in search but the closest I could get was a sticky bun and a coffee (in paper cup).  A bombolina would have worked but this bun didn't.

I check out and walk, with new suitcase, to the train station where I board an AMTRAK train towards Irvine.  What a lovely train and a great trip.  We go through seaside towns of San Clemente and San Juan Capistrano.  Oh I could live in either - just gorgeous.

And then I get to Irvine and one step closer to seeing my nephew.  Through some very barren countryside and past sterile looking homes a cab takes me to the Double Tree Hilton -Spectrum, my hotel for the next two nights, where I confront the first rude person I have faced in my trip - the hotel receptionist.  It seemed to be a theme through the place because other than one barman everyone there was the same.  The hotel lacked any of the character of the Sofia Hotel and was sterile, marbled and cold.  I sit at the bar with a coke for an hour while waiting for my room to be ready and as soon as I get the key go and drop my stuff in the room.  Odd, first hotel I have been in for years with no room safe.  And yet notices everywhere warning you not to leave anything valuable in the room, to be careful opening the door to strangers etc.  So armed with my valuables (passport and phone)  I grab a shuttle to the shopping centre I have heard so much about - Irvine Spectrum Centre.

Oh so Pretty - I am impressed when I arrive.  Didn't last long as I found a repeat of the plastic chain shops as I had seen in the city.  I did find a nail salon where I managed to get my gel nail polish removed and winced as I watched the attendant scrape my nails to get rid of the horrid polish.  Ugh.  Sitting through the nail torture I watch the goings on in the salon - 14 chairs, all full, 2 attendants per chair, one on nails and one on feet, extra chairs for those just having a mani.  And all these people are paying for the privilege of having someone scrape their nails and ply them with chemicals that are likely to destroy their nail health.  One treatment and I can already feel the deterioration in mine.  

I wandered for a few hours and hungry by this stage go searching for food.  Here I struck the same situation as I did in San Diego where many restaurants were also bars and somehow I feel very uncomfortable eating alone in such places but I was desperate for meat and then stumbled across Rubies Diner.  Packed to the gunnels I thought that it can't be all bad with this many customers and so I settle in for a burger.  WRONG WRONG WRONG.  My tasteless burger ended up giving me the worst indigestion of my life, my first experience while travelling of an upset stomach (and I have eaten weird food in all sorts of places).  Shit - literally

Glad to be back at the hotel I call it a night and crawl into a lovely comfy enveloping bed.

14. Public transport day

I wake to the throb of my feet but not to be held back I set off looking for somewhere to have some pancakes for breakfast.  I soon gave up on that idea when my feet gave up.  So I wander ed to the train station and boarded the blue line with the intention of going as far as the Mexican Border.  I had intended going over the border but the people that I had met at the social event warned me that it could take me hours to get back into the US again, so I decided to forgo that trip. But going close on the train I may get a glimpse of Mexico.

As the train goes further and further south I felt more and more uncomfortable.  Seems sleaze boards the train down here so well short of the border I get off, change platforms and head back towards the city.  The scenery was uninspiring and reminded me of the area around Folsom but perhaps not quite so "manicured".

Not unhappy to get going back towards the city I decided to go exploring.  Originally I had planned on going to the zoo thinking that the wildlife park was part of the zoo.  I find that they are two different places and having read about both decided against the wildlife park which would pale in comparison with the real thing in Africa and also in Australia. The zoo alone wasn't of interest so the idea of exploring the suburbs seemed like fun.

As I sat gazing out the window a couple with young child board.  they sat across the aisle from me. She with no front teeth and he with buck teeth.  An interesting mix.  Their wee girl Heaven came and attached to me and we got chatting.  She told me she was three so i showed her how to count to three on her fingers.  Wow, great excitement.  We became great friends and she wanted to get off the train with me when I left.  Too cute.

My first stop, La Mesa, where supposedly a village atmosphere would greet me.  I searched and did not find and so boarded the train again and got off next at the Hazard Centre which seemed as though once upon a time it would have been a rather pretty shopping centre.  not now but I did try a Joes Crab Shack crab cake wand although not overly impressed filled my stomach for a while.

Another stretched faced lady boarded the train just as I was hopping on again to go to my next stop, the Old Town, where I caught the no 30 bus.  My trip took me along the seaside suburbs and although the route did not follow the shoreline I could tell that this was a beautiful area.  La Jolla (pronounced La Hoy-ee-ya) was indescribably stunning.  White cliffs bordering on a white sand beach, beautiful homes, what looked like lovely boutique shops.  Gorgeous.  My feet did not allow me to get off and go exploring and so i stayed on the bus until it passed through the University area and stopped at the University City Transport Hub - another huge mall.

I returned to the city on an express bus passing a number of areas occupied by homeless people. There seems to be a disproportionate number of mentally challenged (or stoned) people i this city and a disproportionate number of areas where homeless people just hang out, their possessions piled high in shopping trolleys with many bearing religious icons or praying in the street.  It doesn't seem to do them any good but I guess it is great that despite their situation they still have a belief in something.  Sad because it is such a beautiful city.

One thing that has impressed me since I arrived in the US was how polite people are.  No pushing, no shoving, orderly queues, no road rage, polite service; really impressive.  Sometimes i almost got the idea that people were apologetic because they seemed scared that you might retaliate.  Who knows the reason but I liked it.

After another great meal at Tender Greens I return to the hotel and watch TV.  Interesting that the news presenter tells us that today was the record low daytime high at 70 or  21 degrees today. I thought it was lovely.

12. Bye Cozy Oaks

With a tear in my eye I pack my bags again (and manage to easily fit everything, plus an empty bag, into my new suitcase! Brilliant).  Carolyn and Dorothy are ready and waiting and we pile into the car for the easy ride to the airport.

Sadly, I say goodbye to them both as they leave me at the airport.  I loved every minute of this part of my trip.  Carolyn and I had been communicating by facebook and email for months and when I finally met her when I arrived in Monterey it was as though I had known her all my life.  Thank you all for making me feel so special and welcome.

My flight to LA was, as I like it, totally uneventful.  The most notable aspect was the face of the hostess.  She looked remarkably like the many other stretch faced ladies I had seen on my visit.  A few too many sessions under the knife with an extra dose of collagen lips to go with it.  Stupid!

After a tasteless hamburger I board my flight for San diego; again totally uneventful but this time without the stretched face hostess, but with a hostess that spoke with such a twang I couldn't understand a word she said.  Oh well she probably cant understand me either.

My shuttle awaits when I arrive in San Diego and takes me to Sofia Hotel, chosen because of its location close to everything but also because my Mom is a Sophia so I figured it had to be pretty good.  And it was better than good.  A grand old building, used to be the Pickwick Hotel but recently restored and now one of the Historic Hotels of the World.

Super service, olde world charm and a delightful room.  No view but the view would have meant street noise and where I was I couldn't hear a thing.  The bathroom configuration was a little odd with a shower and toilet in one alcove and then the hand basin tucked into another alcove.  But it worked and I loved it.

Settled in, I go for a wander round the Gas Lamp area.  Not sure what I expected but I didn't expect a few streets full of bars and restaurants (which were also bars) but that's OK because it was really cool and throbbing with people. On the way back to the hotel I wander through the inner city mall.  The Horton Centre.  I was excited to see shops and kept thinking of what everyone told me that the US is a great place for cheap shopping.  Bitterly disappointed because nor did I find anything that was super cheap but didn't find anything that I would consider buying.  Great I save money.

I pass by Dobson's bar.  Note to self.  You have to go and eat there (I didn't get there but at least took a pic.)

Nearing the hotel I find a 711 and always eager to check out the junk food I venture inside.  Kettle Corn.  Oh my!  OK end of being careful with my food.  Corn bought, Coke bought I head back to the hotel.  As I wander I note the number of tobacconist shops there are.  Seems weird when in NZ we can't even have a packet of cigarettes on display and here they have shops that promote all sorts of smoking stuff.

I have a short amount of time to swallow the corn, wash it down with the coke and go to my pre-arranged event.  Before I left home I had arranged to attend an event with some people I didn't actually know but had been in touch with them through a social club to which I belong at home.  We met in a bar in the Gas Lamp Quarter and enjoyed a couple of hours chatting with lovely people while sipping on a great wine and nibbling on some yummm spare ribs.  A lovely lady that I was sat next to walked with me to the hotel and showed me where to catch trains etc (very close to Sofia Hotel) and we agreed to try and catch up before I left.  She was recently widowed so I quickly remembered the one spare copy of my book that I had with me and told her I would get it for her.

We bade goodbye and I retired to my room.  Sleeping came easy until I overheated and then tried the aircon.  Bad move.  I'd rather be hot than listen to the tank like noise that came from within. Still I go back to bed and click I fall asleep again.  Real fast.

13. Woohoo I love San Diego

I wake eagerly looking forward to a coffee.  Carolyn had spoiled me and made me a great brew each morning and although I had managed without my morning brew in San Francisco today I needed a fix.  I plug in the machine and make my brew, take a sip and proceed to tip it down the loo.  Gross.  Never mind I noticed a Peet's downstairs so I'll go there.  At least it's not Starbucks that everyone seems to think make a proper coffee (I think not).  Showered and dressed I head off for the day with Peets being my first stop.  Even though I hate getting coffee in a paper cup I bit the bullet and ordered - they don't do proper cups.  I later found out that one of the reasons for the disposable cups is that there is no tax on "to go" coffee and that's why its all sold "to go".  Armed with espresso in paper cup I head for the train station.

I buy my day trip ticket and take a sip of the hot dark brown liquid in the large size paper cup.  It was the only taste I had for it was so burned and putrid that it ended up in the rubbish tin, paper cup and all.  Bugger.

My plan was to go to Fashion Valley and work my way back towards the city so armed with my train pass I hop on and enjoy a neat ride through beautiful suburbs until I get to fashion Valley.  As the name suggests this was a large outdoor mall with many fashion shops.  As I had found at the mall the day before I found nothing that begged to be bought but did have a great fish taco meal at a restaurant chain.  Sat in the sun and nibbled on three different seafood tacos, each with a different salsa and unique flavour.  Nothing like the "Mexican" sauces we get at home. Tomatilla was my favourite but both of the others were divine.

Next stop I get off at Old Town.  This I loved.  Just what I imagined a Mexican town would be like and at last I found things I wanted to buy.  Too much in fact and I couldn't decide.  Beautiful Mexican inspired pottery, superb olive oils, great art; everything.  Oh I will find more later on so I didn't buy a thing.  Epic FAIL.  I regret every moment of being strong and not spending for I have come home to NZ with not one souvenir of this country.

I board the train again and this time get off at the Little Italy stop where I wandered round the Italian neighbourhood and wished that I was hungry enough to have another meal.  I did, though, find the most adorable little handbag shop which I went into three times trying to convince myself that I needed another handbag.    But I resist and board the train again.

This I time I get off close to Santa Fe Station and wander down to the water front where I see beautiful old ships, lovely restaurants, a huge statue of a sailor embracing a nurse and lots of people.  

It was along the Embarcadero that I bought my ticket for the Coronado ferry and soon board for the short journey across the harbour.  We pass the USS Midway, the aircraft carrier that is now a Museum.  My god it is HUGE.

Reaching the other side I enquire about transport to find that the shuttle bus round the island had just left so I decide to walk.  It was a lovely walk, and it was very hot so close to Hotel del Coronado I needed to rest and stopped at a Mexican restaurant for lunch.  My last Mexican feast was so good I decided it had to be Mexican again.  Oh boy so wrong.  My Quesadilla oozed fat, lacked taste and both the beans and rice tasteless. Oh well.


A caramel and sea salt gelato as I walked along the street took the horrible taste out of my mouth and kept me going until I reached the hotel.

And it was worth the walk.  This hotel has been home to many celebrities and 2013 was it's 125th birthday.  What a beautiful sight.  A stunning victorian building sprawling along a beautiful white sand beach, crowded with people, the waves rippling on the shore.  Truly magical.  I don't normally like five star hotels as they all feel the same but this was different and quite indescribable. And then a jet flys over.  It ruined it all.

I manage to get the shuttle back to the ferry and again cross the harbour from where I wander the waterfront taking in the statue again and then moving on to Seaport Village and the Convention Centre.

I stop at Tender Greens which, despite being a restaurant chain, was a neat place where you could get any manner of salads accompanied (or otherwise) by grilled meat or chicken.  No sodas just freshly squeezed lemon and mint drink, no junk just good healthy stuff and cheap.  I loved my meal and made a note to go back the next day.

And so 11 hours after I left this morning I weave my way back to the hotel, tend to my bleeding and swollen feet and crawl into bed.

An awesome day.

11. Tuesday

Another great start to the day with feeding Dorothy my first job. So easy for as soon as she had swallowed one mouthful her wee mouth opened ready for the next.

Tom and Evelyn then took me to the Naval School where they were staying.  As we were going up the steps we find a cell phone and take it to the lost property office.  Lost property office closed Evelyn starts looking to see if she can find the owner when the phone rings.  We were joined a few minutes later by a very appreciative woman who took her phone and spirited off.

Lunch was next and we made our way to a vast dining room where we had a yum lunch.  My lamb shanks we melt in the mouth, good homely food.

We then had a wander around the grounds and the building.  What a magnificent place.  The tiling reminded me very much of the Moorish tiling of Morocco except that it was not mosaic like Morocco but painted in enamel; still very beautiful.

A wander round Monterey's Cannery Row was next and reminded me of what I had expected to see in San Francisco's cannery; quaint shops, fun people, touristy but that's what you expect.  Loved it

Evelyn had some shopping to do for Carolyn so we hit the Supermarket round about the time that I remembered that I had promised Brandon some NZ wine.  We go in search and Tom asked me what to look for.  My mind went blank and all I could think of was Oyster Bay.  I turn around and then, as if by order, were two bottles of Oyster Bay Sauvignon Blanc staring me in the face.  The only NZ wines they had and they were staring me in the face.  Fate.

We get home and are soon joined by Joy, a friend of Carolyn's and also Dorothy's occupational therapist??   What an interesting lady; she spoke of may things but intrigued me in her  explanation of how autism presents and its comparison with other mind affecting illnesses.  She sparked something in me that makes me think that is a field I would love to learn more about.  Mmmm maybe some study is in order.

Tom and Evelyn were heading off the next day, to drive to Springerville, Arizona and deliver something to Sonia and then make their way home to Silverdale in Washington State.  And so we bid our goodbyes.  I have so loved catching up with them both again.  It was as though it was yesterday that I last saw them.  It wont be 34 years before I see them again.  I want to stay in touch and hopefully catch them again soon.

As they were leaving Tom dropped Brandon and I off where we met Carolyn and Joy who had gone to collect fish for dinner.  A nice walk home and Carolyn cooked a meal to die for.  Pan fried Halibut with a salsa of mango, red onion, cilantro all wrapped in lettuce leaves like a taco (without the taco shell).  Perfect, flavoursome, light and YUMMMMMMMMMMMMMM.

Dinner over we then sat for some time watching Dorothy drink, for the first time, water from a sipper cup.  More, more, more.  Another milestone for this wee pet this week.  I feel she has changed so much in the few days I have been here.  It is nothing short of amazing.  I will remember that smiling face for a very long time.

My last night here in Pacific Grove.  I feel as though I have known these people all my life, so much at home and so warm and friendly.  I have many reasons to return to this part of the world.

Thank you lovelies. xx