Life is a Rollercoaster . . .

15/04/2010

We left Monterey after some cereal and a shower and continued along highway 1 towards Santa Cruz. The weather was still a bit overcast and the difference in temperature since LA was amazing. I was wearing jeans and a hoody and I was still cold.

When we got to Santa Cruz we went to the boardwalk which has an original wooden Big Dipper has featured in films such as "the sting II" "sudden impact" " dangerous minds" "the lost boys" . . . I have never seen any of these films . . . But it's in there. 

It was actually pretty good for a really old rollercoaster and it smelled dry and piney. A lot more romantic and old school than your average theme park ride, and whilst you are zooming around the track you can see along the beach for what seems like miles.

We got wet on the log flumes and then went back for another go on the Big Dipper. We got to the front of the queue just as they were putting as second train on the track which they sent for an empty run around the track whilst we were being loaded. But the empty train had got stuck whilst going round so we were unloaded and given a refund.

We had a ride on another rollercoaster call 'hurricane' instead. Andrew accidently smacked me in the temple whilst throwing his arms in the air and Johny screamed like a banshee all the way round and we picked up some junk food and got back on the road.

I know it's really sad, but the junkfood here facinates me. Everytime I see something bizarre at a kiosk in a fun fair or on a shelf at the gas station I want to try it. Deep fried twinkies, Corn dogs, cheese in an aerosol, frozen cocktail mixers etc. look and sound disgusting, and although I am curious . . . I'm not THAT curious. I had a roast beef sandwich and got some nacho cheese fries to share with the boys, they were wonderfully revolting and I felt dirty and guilty afterwards ;-)

Andrew (as you know) has been looking round various universities that he might be interested in attending. Today he went for a guided tour around Stanford university and me and Johny took our books to a nearby park in PAlo Alto and lay in the sun for an hour or so. It was lovely, but the smell of all the barbeques around us was torture!!

Once his tour had finished we headed to half moon bay to see 'mavericks' which is one of the most famous surfing spots for massive tsunami-esque waves to surf on. Shame that the coast was surrounded infog and the sea was flat calm. However we decided to sample the locally caught seafood in a nice restaurant.

There was no room to sit inside so we ate out on the patio which was full of open fires and patio heaters. The fish was really nice and fresh and the cocktails were pretty strong :-)

Once we had finished and had sat round the fire for a while chatting we headed into San Francisco. My best friend from my first secondary school, charlotte, has been travelling round the world for the past year and is currently staying with her friend jessica in the city who has kindly offered to put me up for the rest of the week after the boys have continued on their merry way. But until the boys leave they are welcome to use her shower and couches as much or as little as they like.

So we arrived at her house, where all of jessicas housemates plus a few friends were drinking beer and making dragon costumes. Tomorrow there is an annual run/parade around the city and jessica and all her friends are going as dragons, we are going . .  Even if we don't have costumes. It starts at 8am. Interesting.