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.