San Francisco is a quirky city on the bay. It took a long, long time to get here! In Santa Monica I had met a guy called Adrian from Denver, Colorado. He was cool, we got on well and spent a long time talking. As it turned out, he was also coming to San Francisco, on the day I was, via the same method of transportation.
I had figured train would be interesting. Yes, it would take longer than flying, but it was also cheaper and I could see more of the country. So, I had to get up to catch a public bus to get to Union Station to catch a coach to catch a train to catch another coach to catch a bus to walk to get to my hostel for that evening. A lot of public transport!! California is not known for its reliable public transport so this was a definite adventure. I was glad to have Adrian along to keep me company otherwise me and my iPod would have been very well aquainted by the end of the day!!!
It was never-the-less an enjoyable trip, with no mishaps (quite possibly a first for me!). The train was very comfortable – a double-decker that takes you through the San Fernando valley, up through all the agricultural region and hills. It was pretty, but after a while all farms, cattle and hay bales start to look the same. I got chatting to a girl called Hanna on the train. She was travelling up from Laguna Beach to Chico to see her boyfriend. It made me laugh because it sounded like something straight out of the OC!!
I got to San Francisco, where the coach dropped 4 of us off at Pier 39 in Fisherman’s Wharf. We then had to find our hostel in Fort Mason. It was a little bit like The Amazing Race. 4 of us, one map, a bicycle and a very large city. Difficult to find where we had to be, and when we eventually found the hostel we worked out why. It was in the middle of a residential area, in what looked like a military camp. However, we checked in and made our beds. It wasn’t very nice but it was a place to sleep for the night.
Adrian and I went out for pizza. We found a great pizza place called Patxi’s (I recommend it to anyone in San Francisco) on the corner of Chestnut and Filmore. Delicious pizza and we shared a 12” (no comments those of you with dirty minds). Adrian has some friends in San Francisco so we caught a taxi to The Haight to catch up with them. They were interesting to talk to, and we met in a local shitty bar. We then decided to go see some live music but everywhere was carding and I have no valid I.D. (stupid country having to be 21). I resorted to bed.
The next morning I woke up incredibly unhappy. The hostel was a real dump – it reminded me of the type of place you’d stay on a school field trip and was filled with lots of families or old people or school kids! Not the best backpacking environment so I checked out and went to the downtown hostel instead. This was after having a conversation where I ended up weeping down the phone to my distressed mum! I sorted myself out, checked in downtown and just had a lazy day.
I then decided I had to try and figure out what to do in this city so I went for a walk through the shops – very dangerous they have a HUGE shopping centre about a block from the hostel. I was very restrained and just bought some food to cook. Got chatting to some crazy Kiwis in the hostel and played a game of cards and general hanging out.
Sleep was calling! A good nights sleep and I got a phonecall from the mother saying that she’d booked a flight and was on her way over here! It was very exciting – after being overly emotional and dealing with so much stuff over the time I’ve been away the thing I was most excited about was going to having some privacy and being in control of the TV!!!!! And I made the most of it!
That day I went out along the Embarcadero which is along all the piers. Great views out over Alcatraz and the sea mist creates an eerie fog over the Golden Gate Bridge – it was very picturesque. Pier 39 is good fun, and I entertained myself walking around there, looking in all the crazy shops (they have a local fudge shop with every flavour of fudge you can think of – delicious!). I also wandered up to Coit Tower, climbing about a million steps and up various little windy paths. It gave some fantastic views out over Alcatraz and the bridge. Unfortunately I didn’t go ALL the way up, there were some big dogs blocking the path so I may have chickened out and ran back down all the stairs. Nothing like fear to make you forget that you’re fatigued! It was an enjoyable day nonetheless.
The next day, Mummy dearest was arriving in San Francisco so I was checking out of the hostel and into a HOTEL!! This was another major excitement factor J The last hotel I’d stayed at was the 5* one they put us up in after the A380 disaster. So a Holiday Inn is never going to be 5* but it certainly felt it after hostels. I think I prefer just a private room in a hostel tho, you can cook what you want, good social areas but with the added benefit of privacy. So I managed to check into the hostel, and apart from having a wander up to Ghiradelli Square and the Cannery, I didn’t do much except drink starbucks and snuggle in bed with my TV remote.
Ghiradelli Square is a cute little courtyard in the middle of these old brick buildings that once housed a fantastic chocolate factory. They have little shops and of course sell Ghiradelli Chocolate (the only chocolate in America that tastes good). I enjoyed the free samples they gave you every time you walked into the shop (there’s 3 shops so you can get quite a few samples!)
I greeted Mum off her shuttlebus. It was amazing to see her, I don’t know what it’s going to be like to come home and see everyone. I’m starting to miss them all quite a bit now…I’m expecting hugs off everyone when I get back :) I joke, of course, but it is getting closer and closer and I’m starting to get very excited. We had a good time that evening – went out to Denny’s, which was the only place open, and curled up in bed catching up.
The following day we went shopping! Very restrained and didn’t buy much at all. I did however send most of my clothes, souveniers and little presents back with her as I have too much stuff and could barely walk with all my stuff – next time I do this, I’m bringing one small bag!!!! We ate a lot! Breakfast at starbucks, lunch in a sushi restaurant and dinner we had takeout pizza from Patxi’s. Very naughty and ate it in bed – if you can’t be indulgent with your mamma who can you be indulgent with?!
On Sunday, the weather was fantastic so we decided to burn off all that food by walking across Golden Gate Bridge. We didn’t do the normal thing and catch public transport to the beginning of the bridge. No, we walked from the hotel in Fisherman’s Wharf around Fort Mason, through Chrissy Fields and across the bridge. Google maps tells me this is 4 miles, and it was very pleasant. No cabs would pick us up from the other side so I sweet talked a bus driver into giving us a very discounted fare back to San Fran centre! The joys of being an 18 year old girl in America.
I don’t think we did much that evening – packed!! My bag is so light now, it’s so incredibly exciting. I know, I know I need a life but it is! I can move!! We had more chats and more starbucks and had a thoroughly pleasant evening. Today we checked out and wandered round the city. I’m back in the hostel and more than happy to be back with my poptarts and uncomfy beds. Tomorrow is so incredibly boring I wont write about it. BUT THEN ITS NEW YORK!!!! Yes, slightly excited about that. Right I’m off to go cook some food.
Peace and love people xxx
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