Well, what a 48 hours it has been! Wish I could upload photos, maybe see what I can do to work that one tomorrow. Today. Its late and I have just written a whole lot. So happy reading if you like!
So Tues night met Lauryn and Julien while making dinner - nothing special just some packet noodle thing from the corner store. They're both from France, but came here separately. They are really cool, chatted to them over dinner which was nice. Lauryn is a Legal Counsel I believe back home, in between jobs at the moment. Julien has a degree in Business management, but has been and is continuing to have working holidays - he has spent 9 months in NZ previously and is going to spend time in Brisbane as long as he finds a job. Going to Mexico and Japan first, and will probably be in Tokyo at the same time as me which would be cool. So getting to know them was great, made me feel a lot more comfortable. It is amazing how many people give off the vibe of not wanting to talk.... strange.
SO went to bed and had the best sleep of like over a month! Woke up at 9am, which ironically is my 4am body clock NZ time... got up and had the free hostel breakfast. Decided to do a walking tour which was AWESOME! Things I learnt:
- Adolph Spreckels was the first sugar daddy, so I'm told. Young poor woman signed up to be a model for a monument in Union Square (can't remember what for), it was a tie between her and another, Speckels took a liking and picked her. They then got married, old rich guy and young beautiful woman. Spreckels was the owner of a sugar company, still going, hence the term sugar daddy!
- There is an instrument called an Erhu. Its in Pursuit of Happiness apparently, so the Chinese man playing it told us. I filmed a little bit, was cool.
- There is an underground tunnel that goes from china town to the ports. Believed to be used for smuggling. Also was used 'to Shanghai'. This was where a captain of a ship would need sailors and put in an order to a bar owner. They would have certain sailors sit at certain chairs and given them a certain opium infused drink. They would then fall unconscious through a trap door to the underground tunnel, where people would wait to drag them to the waiting ship. The route they would go on head to Shanghai, very dangerous hence no one would sign up voluntarily and hence the name. There was a particular cool story about one Shanghai Kelly. But that is long, so ask me if you want to know!
After that I went with two girls I met on the walk, Freda from Sweden who is a graphic designer, and Sarah from Denmark who last year finished school and is wanting to get into journalism of some sort. We went to Lombard st which was pretty cool! Very steep. Is random how they just decided that one particular section would zig zag, when there are plenty of other streets and sections just as steep but straight. But it was cool to see! Went to Union st after that, which is a shopping area. My first clothing purchase whoop whoop! Went to Fisherman's wharf after that and went on a ferry out around Alcatraz and under the golden gate. Some fascinating facts about various aspects of the bridge and Alcatraz....
Had the clam chowder with sour dough for lunch... was pretty good! Ginormous loaf of bread! Didn't eat it all but polished off the chowder... I've been trying to take photos of my food, and today I have a photo of my first American American hotdog, and also my first burger! Lunch and dinner respectively...
Last night I went with Julien and Sarah to go to a paper scissors rock tournament... got there and realized that Sarah was under age so couldn't get in! But we came back to the hostel and sat and played cards and chatted which was cool. I jokingly suggested snap and did not get the response I expected! They both hadn't heard of it which I thought was hilarious so we played it, and overall I think it topped go fish and drive jack out of town! Was funny teaching adults snap... and I told them this!
And today.... we got lost badly. We wanted to go to Haight St/Haight Ashbury which is like hippy-ville. We got there fine, and went for a wonder through the golden gate park which was cool. Actually saw the biggest tie dye shirt in existence... should have got a photo. But from here our productivity and sense of direction went down hill. Decided to catch a bus up to the Golden gate bridge to hire bikes. We got there fine but no bikes for hire up there... asked at the info and they told us to catch a shuttle which would take us right to a place that hires bikes. While we were waiting, in our wisdom, decided to catch the bus that came through first... our previous ticket was still valid so free also. Downhill from here, should've caught the shuttle!! We went in the complete wrong direction, and were quite far before we realized - though it was a combo of my trusty GPS that came to the rescue again and Julien realizing that we should hurry up and get off! Anyway, caught another bus, went too far again. Ended up back tracking about two k's after debating whether we should just hire a car because we were sick of being lost, and we finally made it. There was a lot of lostness.
We biked to the bridge no worries. Was awesome. Very foggy so couldn't see half of it, but got some good photos. It was crazy because it was a beautiful day, but while biking over the bridge it was foggy, windy, and freezing. So random. It was cool though, TOtally worth the three hours of being lost to get there! Such a cool experience.
Anyway, that is a novel and a half, and I am stoked if you're still reading. Part of this is for me too, in terms of writing down to remember some of the stuff I learnt. So yea.
I have all but lost my voice, very annoying. Wee bit sick with a little bit of a cold, am fighting it off, but prayers for this would be appreciated. Also for my getting to the airport and my next hostel at the other end. Sitting here now doing this and is just gone midnight. Going to the airport at 8.30am to San Diego! Sad to leave the friends I have made - I said this to them as we said goodbye, that is my first experience of goodbye in this fashion, where as they have done traveling etc before... but all good.
I have been very blessed, and am so thankful. We were talking about what is like to meet people today, and I said that I find it quite difficult internally but just have to rationalise that others are feeling the same way and so just go and talk to people! Both Julien and Sarah found this surprising, so I guess that is cool that I come across well...
Anyway, time to shower and bed. Early start. Love to you all.
Good stories in here to gtell your grandchildren!
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