San Diego, California!

Hello California!
Finally I can say I’m living life in Pacific Time… even if it is just for a few days.
San Diego is already one of the most incredible places I have ever been. I’ve been walking around with wide eyes and the world’s biggest smile, muttering “wow, wow, WOW” at every corner. I just can’t believe I’m here!  We’re staying at the Diamond Head Inn which is literally on the beach. All we have to do is step out of the front door, rotate slightly to the left and hello Pacific Ocean! The streets are lined with palm trees and retro cars which you just know have rattled up and down the West Coast a few times. Now, sorry in advance to those reading this in not-so-sunny England but the weather…. Well, yeah it’s pretty nice. High 70s-80f every day. (Appreciating this more after hearing about Hurricane Sandy heading up to North Carolina…)

With our sunshades on me and Clayton boarded the bus (Yay, public transport!). We weren't too sure in what direction the bus would go but with only our legs as a means of transport and still reeling from the $40 taxi fare from the airport, we were willing to give it a go. Within too long we were pulling the stop cord and getting out in the Old Town, the “Historic heart of San Diego”.  It seemed, however, that in the short journey we had managed to leave America and enter Mexico. The Old Town was stunningly beautiful Spanish style homes and mountainous hills on the horizon and the streets lined with Mexican restaurants and shops selling sombreros. We wandered around “wow, wow, WOWing” for most of the day stopping to take in our surroundings and then, obviously, for lunch.  In a little court yard with the sun pouring in and the combination of bird song and a live Mexican band we sat down for some Enchiladas.

On the Saturday we rented a couple of bikes and hit the coast on path to Mexico. The bikes were absolutely gorgeous but the romantic notion wavered a bit as we realised the things didn't have breaks so we had to basically yell at the unsuspecting surfers we were about to run over. It was amazing though and we spent the day gliding between the palm trees and the ocean. The beach though, as always, is the way to go. So the rest of our time was spent hopping between Mission Beach and our own, amazing, Pacific Beach. There are a row of benches next to the beach where homeless men slept but these guys are like no other. They seem blissfully content with life, dark as can be from sun and smiling at everyone and everything. It seems more that they selected just to never leave the beach than anything else.  As the sun sets the California dream emerges. The best sun set I have ever seen as not only is the sky a bright orange but the sea is almost metallic in colour. With the palm trees silhouetted against the night sky San Diego was magical, beautiful, amazing. See you when I’m 21 San Diego. I’ll be back with my Cadillac.