We made it!!!!

We actually made it!!!

We are in San Francisco!!

I'm sitting here in my new home, with the view of the Golden Gate Bridge outside the open livingroom window. I can hear the cable cars clanging outside and the soft breeze on my face. Our luggage is piled up against the wall.

Our new home.....

It still hasn't fully sunk in yet. I have to keep pinching myself.

We drove 3,083 miles all the way across the country from New York to San Francisco. We passed through 13 states in 7 days.

All of this with "Marty" our little 10 year old Toyota Corolla with 200,000 miles on it, no working air conditioner and no tape deck/cd player.

Right now he could really use a car wash, he's covered in dust, dirt and bugs. He's dented and wheezing, but he's still alive.

A lot of people said we wouldn't make it or that we were crazy...They shook their heads at the idea and told us that it was a major risk. But we did it anyway.

I'm so glad we did.

It was the greatest journey we made in our entire life. An experience I will never forget. It's something I had always dreamed of doing but never imagined I'd have the opportunity.

****

We hit the California border at 3 P.M. yesterday afternoon





The landscape became greener and more lush. The sky was big, blue and open wide for us. We cruised around the mountain landscape, past the endless pine trees...





It was gorgeous and we were so insanely happy.

Even the fact that our brakes were making funny noises (kind of like a little raptor stuck inside our car screaming at moments during the final 190 miles) didn't take away from our blissful state

Windows open, KFOG, the San Francisco radio station blasting... It was heaven while we drove over the Bay Bridge into S.F.



We meandered over the steep city hills and the victorian homes towards our final destination


Our friend greeted us at his front door with a warm tight hug and said "Welcome home"

So now here we are. Only $300 dollars in our account and a handful of luggage.

Time to start over.

It's the first day of the rest of our lives. A new chapter begins



WE MADE IT!

We are now in Reno, Nevada!



Last night we drove around in search of an affordable motel in town with vacancy. A lot harder than it sounds especially since it was a Saturday night. We found a little motel called "Desert Rose Inn" with one room available. We dragged our luggage up the stairs and collapsed on the bed in relief.

After taking a shower, we went into the city area and checked out the different clubs, casinos and hotels. We put 40$ into the slot machines and walked away with 75$. Not a major winning but I skipped all the way back down the road afterwards. "we won! we won!"



I'm not much of a gambler. I put a dollar in the slots and then cash out any winnings. I pour it it into a cup and Then put in another dollar. I never put my winnings back into the machine.
Boring, I know...

But we used our winnings to eat dinner at Mel's Diner. A 1950's style diner in the center of the city. So a little gambling spree led to a free dinner in Reno.


****

Yesterday we left Elko at 12:30 after having breakfast in an Italian Cafe.

The drive to Reno was beautiful.







we pulled over to the side of the road whenever we saw an interesting exit.







We wandered down railroad tracks, walked through the desert and explored different areas.



The weather was incredibly hot and we don't have air conditioning. We had to keep the windows down and just wipe the sweat off our foreheads. There were barely any radio stations available and our cellphone service kept cutting out.

It really felt like being in the middle of nowhere!



We saw a few abandoned cars on the side of the road, I wondered what had happened to those people. Perhaps they broke down 60 miles from the next gas station and just hitch-hiked to the next place. Never bothering to return for their vehicle...

I was praying that this wouldn't happen to us.

It didn't

I also didn't like the mini-tornadoes dotting the landscape on all sides. they swirled and danced along the desert.



We made it to Reno as the sun was setting over the mountains.





***
Now it's the last day on the road.

We are about to embark on our final stretch of road.

THE ROAD TO SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA

We're so close now... so close....

Right now we're in a motel in Elko, Nevada. When I look out the window I see nothing but rocks, dust and mountains rising in the distance. The motel is located on a small cliff on the edge of town. It gives the illusion of being in the desert in the middle of nowhere.

This is the final stretch on our road trip to San Francisco

We were supposed to be in Reno by now, but we're running behind schedule. We encountered some car troubles yesterday. (big surprise?)

But let me back track and recap our last 24 hours on the road, picking up where I left off in my previous journal entry

******
Yesterday We haphazardly threw our luggage back into the car at 10:45 A.M. and checked out of the Prairie Inn in Evanston, Wyoming. The view around the motel is beautiful. I didn't want to leave.







We ate at breakfast/lunch at a chinese buffet in town. I was just thrilled to discover a chinese restaurant at all in Wyoming. I anticipated Shrimp, crab legs, Sushi, stuffed mushrooms... But all we got was a little set up with a couple of pathetic looking piles of chinese looking rice dishes to choose from. There wasn't even a salad. Desert consisted of slippery and cloudy yellow jellow cubes.

Yuck. But it was cheap and filled us up so I can't complain.

Then we checked out downtown Evanston. It was charming and beautiful. Older buildings lined the mainstreet and mountains surrounded us on all sides.



We looked at the watch and realized we had to hit the road in order to make it to Reno by 9 P.M.

Unfortunately, it was that moment where "Marty" our little corolla started acting up. He began grumbling and bucking back and forth. At every stop light he started bumping up and down.

Crap.

So we pulled into a car supply shop and asked for advice. The guy said it was probably dirty spark plugs and the car might be in need of a new oil filter... or something a long those lines. I can't say I understand much about cars, but luckily Eric DOES. He nodded in agreement. So we purchased new spark plugs and a new oil filter.

Eric stuck his head under the engine and started puttering around. I stood there in the hot sun pacing back and forth.



One hour later (after some internal wire tore apart and needed to be replaced - a very expensive wire apparently.. and then some tool fell into the car and we needed to buy some magnetic stick to pull it out of the engine area again...) the spark plugs were replaced but not the oil filter and the car was still stop and go..bumpy and choking.

We drove around and eventually found a Jiffy lube. We showed him the new oil filter we had just purchased (expensive) and asked him if he could replace the old one with this new one that's made for our car.

"Sorry, We can't use the one you purchased. You have to buy one of OUR oil filters and we'll install it", the Jiffy lube guy explained

"Okay, fine whatever... just do it"

He typed some stuff in the computer and shook his head "Sorry we don't have that part for your car at this time in our storage room"

Eric held up the oil filter "We have it here. Can you put it in? This is the part you need, right?"
"Yep that's the part", The Jiffy lube guy said "But...No. Sorry"

"How about I SELL this oil filter TO YOU and we will BUY IT BACK from you?", Eric suggested

"No. Not possible"

"What if I place this oil filter in your storage room and you pretend to find it, you install it and we'll pay for it again?"

"Nope"

JIFFY LUBE SUCKS. WE WILL NEVER GO THERE AGAIN.

So we had no choice but to hit the road with our car and prayed that it would make it to the next rest stop.





The View was breathtakingly beautiful during this drive. I couldn't tear my eyes away from the passing scenery or stop taking pictures. I'd never seen anything like this before. It felt like a dream!







We reached Utah and the view became more amazing and stunning. This was the best part of our drive so far... It made this whole road trip worth it. Just to see what we saw.. The mountains, the rivers, the cliffs, the rocks...



We stopped in Salt lake City, Utah and began searching for a mechanic. We found one and he was willing to put in the part we had bought.



"It's gonna take an hour or two though..", he informed us rubbing the grease off his hand with a dirty rag.

So we wandered around Salt Lake City aimlessly while Marty was being fixed. We ended up in an Arby's. (Believe it or not, my first time in an Arby's EVER)

The lady behind the counter was sweet. "You're a photographer", she said pointing to my camera "That's how you say it right.. Photo-gra-pher?"

I smiled "Yes, but It's just a hobby. we're traveling cross country to San francisco and I'm taking pictures"

We got in a long conversation with her and before we knew it, everyone in Arby's was asking us about our trip and involved in the discussion. It helped pass the time and everyone was so nice!

We returned after an hour and Marty was still being fixed. We sat in front of the mechanics shop on a bench feeling like potential parents in a hospital waiting room. the heat beat down on us and we wiped the sweat off our brows. This wait seemed to stretch on for eternity.



An hour later, Marty was back on the road. We paid the bill... (so far, all the car repair costs equaled about 250 dollars... a minor unexpected financial setback, still a little discouraging)
But the view more than made up for the wait. The rest of the stretch was gorgeous.





We stopped to take pictures in different rest areas...



Marty is driving great again, but we took it slow just in case. It's more important that we arrive there ALIVE then fast...

As we were driving through the final stretch of Utah, we hit the Salt desert. Endless stretches of Salty white desert for as far as the eyes could see.



We stopped and walked through it. Our feet sunk into the ground, the salt was damp... hard and clumpy in some parts.



It was gorgeous and surreal. I've never seen anything like this.

we held hands and took it all in. This is a once and a lifetime experience... this entire road trip. It all feels like a dream. Sometimes I truly can't believe this is all happening and I don't want it to end. I could live like this forever...



when we drove in Nevada, the landscape became more sandy and arid.

We stepped into our first casino, right at the border.



We put a dollar in the slot machine and lost it.

Maybe we'll have better luck in Reno?

Another long stretch of endless road until we reached Elko.

We were relieved when we pulled into the motel parking lot. The only room available had two beds and filled with mirrors...


Not the prettiest place.

But no complaints. It's cheap! We stopped at a bar and grill that had some of the most amazing food. The best food of the entire trip...

Now we have to pack up the car and start our drive towards RENO. There will be a lot of mountains and desert a long the way. I'm a little nervous about driving through BATTLE MOUNTAIN. But I'm sure we'll be fine. As long as we take it easy and keep the gas tank filled.
I'll update again once we reach Reno and find some lodgings for the night. (Fingers crossed)

Until then....

It's 8:30 A.M. mountain time and I'm sitting in a place called "Prairie Inn" in Evanston, Wyoming. I can see a mountain from our motel window. it's so close that I can't really view the top unless I stretch my head out and peer up. This town is nestled in the mountains.

There are buffalo and cow heads mounted in the lobby area and deep red carpet. It's a strange place, but charming in a way. The air is fresh and kind of dry.

Today we're going to check out the town of Evanston a bit, grab some breakfast and hit the road again. Our next stop is Nevada.

****
Yesterday morning we explored the little town of COZAD, Nebraska. (This town is even smaller than Newton Falls, Ohio). The population is 4,163 and it's located on the 100th meridian. It used to be a stop along the pony express.



First we wandered around the corn fields a bit



Then we drove into town to find a place to eat breakfast. The town was small, desolate in areas. A lot of store fronts had closed years earlier but a few remained. We walked into Kelly's Hardware store in search of a new watch. The older man behind the counter greeted us from the back when we entered.







"I'll be right there!!" He called to us.

The store smelled like Gasoline and the supplies were haphazardly lined up on the shelves. He had a display with watches that was a little dusty.

when he emerged from the back room, I explained that I took my watch in the shower and it stopped working. I needed a waterproof watch.

"Well, these days they are called Water resistant...", He chuckled "now lets see now..." He took a watch out of the display and started opening the package.. "Yes, this one is water resistant up to 90 feet. Now you can't go deeper than 90 feet in your bathtub, you hear?" he chuckled again.

I liked the laid back demeanor of everyone in town. They were friendly, talked slowly and had a good sense of humor. The pace was relaxed and not many people walked through the town. It seems like everyone knows eachother's name.

We asked him where we could find breakfast.

"Well, the only place in town is called "The Green Apple Cafe", he explained "It's right around the bend"

Green Apple Cafe served breakfast, lunch, dinner and pastries. Their soup of the day was "Cheeseburger soup".



Although, I think I would go crazy in a town this small and this empty... but it's nice to visit. It's a taste of a different way of life.





After breakfast, we hit the road again.. and began our drive through Nebraska.



The landscape began to change after a while. The rolling hills of Corn began to dry up and slowly disappear. More and more rocks appeared. Mountains began to form in the horizon...



At one point we were driving right on the edge of the border of Colorado and we could see the tall mountians in the horizon.

After a long drive we reached Wyoming. We stopped in an empty visitors area for the restroom. Mountains were on all side. A lone car or two was parked up front and a very friendly older woman was behind the service desk.


We told her we had a reservation booked for a little inn in Evanston, but we had to be there by 10 P.M or we'll lose our room...

She showed us a map and explained that Evanston was right on the border to Utah.

"It's a long long drive, so you both have to hurry up if you want to reach there in time. But you should be okay", she explained "Good luck!"

So we grabbed the travel brochures of Wyoming she had given us and we rushed to the car.
Eric began patting his pockets frantically as he stood in front of the car door. "oh &*%^%$^&!!", He cried out. Then he peered in the car window "oh no..oh no..."

I looked in the car to see what he was viewing.



The Keys were in the ignition and the door was locked.

CRAP.

"Tell me this isn't happening...", I whispered.

So we returned to the front desk and explained the situation to the older woman that ran the visitor center. "Oh dear...", she said shaking her head "That's not good at all. The closest locksmith is many miles miles away. it will take hours before he can arrive"

Eric ran out in search of a wire hanger to squeeze in the car door and unlock it. we bumped into a couple with a mini van that was entering to use the restroom. "Do you have a clothes hanger??", Eric asked in desperation.

"Well, now that's an odd question", the man said with a chuckle. "But you know, it just so happens that I do have one. Come with me"

He had a rack of clothing in the back of his car and they were all strung up on hangers. It's an odd way to pack your clothing, but brilliant at the same time. He pulled a shirt off and handed the hanger to Eric "Out of curiosity, why do you need a clothes hanger so badly?"

We explained the situation "Our keys are locked in the car"

"well now, that's not good. Let me see what kind of car you have"

He couldn't help, Eric couldn't get the lock to push up... he tried unrolling the window.. but the feeble wire couldn't grasp the handle to lower the window. It just kept bending and hitting the windshield.

A man with a broom cleaning the front area heard about our situation and said "You know, the local sheriff, Mike, might be able to help you get that car open. I'm not sure where he is but I'll go into town and search for him"

"Thank you!", I was relieved that people cared and wanted to help. I was beginning to panic.

The clock was ticking and we were now an hour behind schedule.

The older lady (her name was Mildred) said "My husband has some supplies that he could probably use to open that door. Let me see if I can call him up... I'm sure he'll help"

Her Husband arrived 15 minutes later. He was an older man, that moved very slowly out of his car.. He pulled a kit from the back and approached our vehicle.

He spread all the tools out over the street and got to work.. pushing wedges in the door, sticking in metal prongs and sticks.. poking, prodding... He managed to pull the lever under the seat with a metal stick and that caused the trunk to pop open. We were able to get the spare key out of the trunk.

We were so grateful. Eric gave him all the cash we had and thanked him over and over.

We returned to Mildred at the front desk and thanked her for calling her husband. She was so sweet and happy that we were able to continue our journey.

That's a picture of that wonderful kind woman



It it wasn't for her, we'd still be stranded in the middle of nowhere

The couple that gave us the clothes hanger waved and smiled. "Good luck in San Francisco!!"

We started up the car and it didn't sound so good. It bucked and came to a stop. Then We tried starting the engine again.. it was a little bumpy.

"It's the belt", Eric explained. "It's normal for an old car like this with so many miles"

That's the first time the car has acted like that. We're going to have to slow down our pace from now on. I don't want to push our little corolla too hard and end up broken down on the side of the road.





But despite the stress of the key situation, the ride through Wyoming was beautiful! The upward climb going into the mountains caused our little corolla to wheeze, but the view was breathtaking on all sides.





This is what we dreamed of. Open roads..mountains...fresh air.. fields of deer, cows and buffalo...


I didn't want the drive to end.



We reached Evanston, Wyoming by 10, and we entered just in time. The room was spacious and surprisingly nice considering the cheap cost. We actually expected it to be a dump.





Now it's time to hit the road again.

I'll update again from Nevada

It's 7:30 A.M. Central time and I'm sitting in a motel room in Moline, Illinois. Population 43,768 and home of the "Quad city steam wheelers".

That's all I know about this city. It's a mystery to me. This is my first time in Illinois. We arrived last night at 11:30 P.M.

The Sunlight is streaming through the sheer curtains. Eric is still sleeping and he looks so peaceful all nestled in the sheets. The Motel room looks like a tornado hit it. Clothing scattered, sheets thrown, open suitcases...I need to clean up because We have to hit the road again soon.

We traveled through 3 states yesterday and we hit the 1,000 mile mark of our journey at 9:29 P.M. I still can't believe we're on this road trip. Sometimes I have to pinch myself to confirm that it's truly happening!
****

Yesterday morning hit the road later than planned because we decided to explore Newton Falls, Ohio a bit.



Something about that small town in the middle of nowhere completely fascinated me. The Main street area consisted of only a strip of store fronts. The flowershop, the Barber shop, the giftshop, the Notary, the church, The Jeweler, a restaurant and a cafe.



People waved and said "good morning!" as we walked by. The people in the Barber shop watched us curiously from the window.



We bought some coffee at the town cafe called "The Brew Basket". There was a group of older women gossiping and sewing a quilt. They gazed at us when we entered and whispered amoung eachother.



The lady behind the counter was all smiles and greeted us warmly. She asked us where were from. We explained our road trip from New York to San Francisco. This prompted her to tell a story of a man that traveled into Newton falls two years ago that was on a bike trip cross country.

The older man preparing our coffee took a very very very long time, but it was the best coffee I've had in a long time.



We drank our coffee and left little Newton falls,Ohio to continue our drive to California.


****


At 1 P.M. we reached Cleveland. Tall buildings, business men weaving around the traffic, the massive stadium. The radio stations got better too. I've only read about Cleveland in books, so it was exciting to see this city in person for the first time.



We stopped in The Hard Rock Cafe for lunch.



Believe it or not, this is the very first time I've entered a Hard Rock Cafe in my life. I've always wanted to, but never had the chance. I was completely thrilled. I gazed around at all the memorabilia from some of my fav. musicians and listened to the pounding music.



When we hit the road again, the landscape changed again... the city disappeared and we were confronted with flatness.



Miles and miles of open road, blue skies, Fluffy white clouds and fields of corn. It just went on and on for as far as the eye could see. It was utterly surreal.

Every radio station played country music. We drove for hours on this seemingly endless stretch..It was so relaxing. Sometimes we wouldn't speak, just held hands and took it all in. I put up my feet and enjoyed the sun.



At 5:00 P.M., we reached INDIANA



A few more hills emerged on the landscape but that was about the extent of the difference. It was more road, more fields, more cows and Barns dotting the horizon.

8:03 Eastern/7:03 Central time - (At some point the time switched over...suddenly my cellphone clock went back an hour) We reached Illinois.

Such a difference, more traffic, more buildings, billboards, signs.. The sun was setting and the sky was a warm orange..



We stopped in Chicago, Illinois for dinner (Navigating around was insane and stressful) and then continued on our way.

we read to eachother, talked, listened to music and drank non-stop energy drinks to stay awake..

At 11:30 we hit Moline, Illinois and got lost. Which caused a lot of bickering. "you're holding the map wrong! Let me see that! Go left! no...not that way! Where ARE we?!" Eventually we found our motel and lugged our bags inside. Then collapsed on the bed laughing in utter exhaustion. .

This motel cost 5$ more than the last one and is ten times nicer.



We got into comfortable PJ's and drank some Coronas. It was such a relief to stretch out our legs and feel the comfortable mattress beneath us.

We're almost half-way to San Francisco! Time to hit the road again.

I'll update again from our next stop off point

Last night we arrived in Ohio, I was too tired to do more than post those motel pictures in the previous entry. Now I’m a little more awake… I’m eating the motel’s free continental breakfast (Which consists of a tiny microscopic muffin and a small cup of coffee…) Eric is taking a shower. I have a little time to write before we hit the road again.

so here’s a detailed recap of the first day of our road trip. I pulled together little notes I wrote in my paper journal while I was on the road.

We got a late start on our road trip. The fact that we were too excited to fall asleep at a decent time had something to do with it.

We double-checked and triple checked everything before excitedly hitting the road at 11:45 A.M.

12:30 – We drove over the Throngs neck bridge entering the bronx, then crossed the Washington bridge into New Jersey… we were blasting music and happily singing along. So far so good…



12:58 - New Jersey – also lovingly referred to as “the toilet bowl state” greets us with a curtain of water, Dumping the skies onto our little automobile. The rain pounded so hard on the windshield that we could barely see the road.



The water-resistant but not water PROOF cloth bag strapped to the roof picked up a few gallons. With the extra weight bearing down on the metal, the ceiling slightly dented inwards into the cabin.

This left Eric swearing at New Jersey. “What a &#%(^& WELCOME! Thank you Garden State!”

1:35: The rain let up and we drove through Columbia, New Jersey. The sun came out from behind the clouds and it was all good.



1:55 – The odometer hit 170 miles. We stopped to fill up our tank at a little town in New Jersey called “hope”



2:15 – six miles from the Delaware Water gap. We stop for a scenic road side view. We added our names to a picnic table covered with graffiti from other road travelers over the years. If you ever happen to be there…check it out





2:25 – PENNSYLVANIA!



2:50 – checked out the Delaware Water Gap



3:35 – Driving through the beautiful Poconos. The view is breathtaking and the weather is beautiful. We have another “OH MY GOD! WE’RE ACTUALLY DOING THIS! WE’RE MOVING TO SAN FRANCISCO!!! WOO HOO!!” moment…



4:20 – We stop at Mom’s Dutch Kitchen in Dansville, PA



The Special is “All-you-can-eat-LIVER”. I’m not kidding. Look at the menu.



Eric ordered a big pile of YUCK. I stuck with the salad.



5:00 – Trapped in a long conversation with cashier when we try to pay for our meal. She tells us about her road trip to Alabama…every minute moment of it. She was really sweet, but we were already way behind schedule! We bought a Pennsylvania Dutch County shot glass at the gift shop.

7:00 – Sun is setting. We reached the highest point east of the missippi. Roads are swervy, we’re surrounded by trucks that are driving precariously. Beginning to feel a little uneasy.



And my cellphone fell somewhere in the boxes in the boxseat. I can hear it ringing but can’t reach it while I’m driving. I have NO idea where it is or where it fell. My family and friends now probably think we’re dead on the side of some road.

7:30 – Brooksville, PA – we have our first COW SIGHTING. “Cows! Cows!” Eric screamed out “We must be getting closer to Ohio!”

It’s starting to get dark.

8:30 – It’s dark. No sign of Ohio, just open road…

9:15 – Ohio!!!!



Now here we are in Newton Falls, Ohio and about to start Day 2 of our road trip.

I’ll update again when I reach our next motel stop.

Today we spent the day packing and moving boxes out of our house...

My husband strapped the Large canvas bag containing all of our clothing to the top of the car and we put boxes in the backseat.


This is "Marty", the new star of my journal.

Our little Corolla.


He's going to take us from New York to San Francisco in one piece... well..hopefully


We highlighted our path on a big map of the United States.

Our course is set. We're ready to roll.

We're leaving tomorrow morning

Only 10 hours left before we hit the road.

I'm packing up my computer now...

I'll update again tomorrow once we reach our first stop

OHIO

until then... wish us luck:)

San francisco here we come!

I woke up this morning feeling sad.

It's our last day.

Eric and I grabbed our morning coffee at a cafe called "The Nook" and drank it on the roof.

We sat there for a long time afterwards and gazed at the city of San Francisco.



John was feeling low.

The weather began to change. It grew colder and more window. The apartment walls creaked and the wind from the open window blew papers off of John's desk.



It looked almost eerie and surreal. The tufts of thick clouds rolling over the city..

We spent most of the day inside John's apartment, talking...

Later on in the afternoon, I cleaned up the flat. It was a a bit messy from 3 nights of non-stop partying. Eric and John did some laundry. We also did some grocery shopping.

This was not a day for sightseeing. We had deeper issues to discuss about life..love..death..the future...

There was an overwhelming feeling of melancholy in the air.

As the evening progressed, the mood improved. We stayed up all night talking. We decided not to sleep because we had to leave so early in the morning to catch the flight back to New York.

We ended up laughing so hard my sides ached and tears spilled down my cheeks. It involved a cat falling off a cabinet. It's a long story...

It was such a fun night.

Saying goodbye was hard. The taxi arrived too quickly and we were rushing down the stairs with our luggage. We had to say our goodbye's so quickly...

But sometimes that's easier than drawing it out painfully.

Even though we know we'll be back in September, it was difficult to leave. We sat in the taxi and watched John's apartment disappear as we turned the corner. The streets were filled with fog.

My eyes filled with tears.



I'm so glad we made this trip.

This morning, I woke up at 11:30 A.M. and took a trek down to the California Street Cafe again for coffee to go with Eric. I'm starting to get a feel for the area and feeling comfortable.

The lady behind the counter thought Eric was IRISH and loved his accent. (After living in America, Eric's German accent has transformed into some odd difficult to define mixture that is always mistaken for something else.) She was incredibly open and friendly.

We also picked up some sushi and smoothies at "Cal Foods". It was the oddest shaped grocery store I had ever seen. the architecture was similar to a 1950's science fiction movie. The cashier had long platinum blond hair that she kept flipping over her shoulders and she was all smiles.

The people in San Francisco are so different from New York City. It's like two different worlds.

After breakfast John, Eric and I drove over the Golden Gate bridge.

I could see the ocean on all sides and the massive structure of the vibrant red bridge as we went under the peaks. The deep green mountains and the clear blue sky. Music was blasting from the stereo and all the windows in the car were open. It was utterly Euphoric and I felt so free. so alive!



When we reached the other side. We parked and took in the famous view of San Francisco and the Golden Gate bridge. Sailboats bobbed in the water, the warm breeze, the sound of seagulls, the blaring of a ship horn...

We could see San Francisco across the shore. Our new home..



Afterwards we drove to Ocean Beach..



People were running, sun bathring and leaping through the waves. There were massive rocks in the distance and you could see the mountains. The weather was perfect. So far there hasn't been much of the infamous fog during our trip. Sunny days and clear skies. .



We all walked across the sand towards the shore.

Eric rolled up his jeans and ran into the water



I listened to the crashing waves and took into the view while Eric and John talked about the move and the area.



"This is beautiful...", I said

"You haven't seen anything yet", John assured me. "I wish we had more time, I have so much to show you guys.."



Later on we went to the famous In and Out Burger restaurant for the best cheese burgers in San Francisco. Eric was curious because of the reference in "The Big Lebowski" - i.e. "Those are good burgers, Walter". Apparently this is a really popular joint. It was packed to the rim.



Afterwards we hung out in John's flat. We talked and drank wine into the early morning hours.

This was my favorite day of our trip so far.

I can't believe tomorrow is our last day, I don't want to leave.

We overslept.

At 2 O'clock in the afternoon, I heard the sound of a clanging cable car bell in the distance and creaking in the apartment walls from the outside wind. I shifted awake and sat up slowly. For a moment I felt disoriented and confused. I was lying on an air mattress in the middle of a strange livingroom with open windows. I could see the view of the golden gate bridge and the fluffy passing clouds.



I shook Eric awake. He opened his eyes and smiled. We both leaned against the window frame and took in the view of San Francisco..

Eric went to take a shower and cried out "Clarity! Come here! HELP!...Can you tell me how to turn on the shower?"

I joined him in the bathroom and we both stared at the faucet. Turn left for HOT and right for COLD. We tried to pull it up, down and around...nothing happened.

But no switch to go from the shower to the faucet. We searched everywhere. Apparently this odd model had the switch located underneath the faucet nozzle. This little attachment that you pull down and twist. We had to have John explain it.

Strangest thing I've ever seen. Does anyone else have a shower like that? Is it a San Francisco thing?

Then I realized that John didn't have any coffee or even a coffee machine. He simply doesn't drink coffee. That's UNHEARD OF for a New Yorker. I panicked. I need my daily morning caffeine fix.

So I hit the streets in search of a coffee shop. I headed downhill...



The weather was perfect. Not too hot, not too cool and with a gentle breeze. I could hear some music coming from an open apartment window. A couple of people jogged past me. I'm amazed at how many people in California run instead of walk from place to place...

Then I discovered the California Street Cafe..



Artsy with wireless internet connection. There were people on the coffee shop sofa's surfing the web on their laptops and a funky woman with beads behind the counter. I ordered a Cafe latte and a Cappuccino.

Then I headed back uphill to John's apartment.

We all hung out in his living room, drinking coffee, eating breakfast and chatting for 3 hours..

John wasn't much in the mood for sightseeing but he urged us to go out there and do something. He promised to join us tomorrow. After an hour of pleading with him to come with us.. we accepted his desire to stay at home. "Just go on, check out San Francisco, have some fun exploring..." He said "Here's the keys to my car. I'll take a nap now and we'll all hang out tonight"

We headed out the front door to take in a little bit of the city for the first time...

But we didn't know where to go. So we just started walking...



We walked down Clay street towards China Town...we took a turn on Powell street... All the street signs changed to chinese for a while. We just took in the sights and sounds. We had no clue where we were going...but we knew we were heading towards the water..

We stopped at the Mario's Bohemian Cigar store Cafe for more coffee...



We ordered some Cappuccino's and checked out the map to see where we were heading.



From the coffee shop window, we had a great view of Washington Square



People were lounging on the grass, throwing frisbees, making out, laughing and reading. The weather was so ideal and the clouds were a deep blue.



At that moment I felt so good about of our decision to live here in San Francisco. There's a certain warm feeling in this city. The people are nicer. They seem to be smiling more than New Yorkers. There is more of a bohemian feeling..

We continued our walk



Eventually we reached Fisherman's wharf..

There were breakdancers spinning on their heads.. street performers of all types... Horse and buggies... music blasting.. Tourists EVERYWHERE..




We strolled over the docks holding hands and took in the view of Alcatraz




Seeing Alcatraz for the first time in person really floored me. I've read about Robert Stroud (The "Birdman of Alcatraz), Al Capone and George "Machine Gun" Kelly. Of course, the most recent movie I saw it in was "The Rock"

We wandered on.. Passing the old ships



and went into the San Francisco Museum. It had old coin machines dating back to the early 1900's and they were all in working condition.



I wasted too much quarters in this place, excitedly running from machine to machine. Getting my fortune read, viewing old moving pictures, playing old games...

The biggest waste of a quarter was on THIS machine



Can you guess what the answer was?

We continued on our way..The fisherman were cracking open crab legs and serving fresh seafood at the market.



We stopped to eat at BURGERMEISTER... Eric ordered a vegetarian Burger and I had a portobello mushroom inbetween two buns.

We walked up the INSANELY STEEP Lombard street. I was panting and sweating the entire way up. The street was nearly vertical, you can lean against it when you need to rest during your journey.



But the view was astounding...



At the top was the famous crooked street that I've only seen in movies and postcards.



We continued to the very tippy top..I just stood there and took it all in. I can't believe we're going to live here!



The sun was setting and everything had a warm glow over it. Eric and I held hands and continued up HYDE STREET..

When he saw "Swensens" he grew excited. "I went here with my mother when I was only a small boy! It had the best icecream I've ever tasted!!"



We stopped in for icecream. I had a scoop of "Thin Mint", he had a cookies and cream sundae..

We ate our icecream while walking back to John's house. We were both in a great mood. This is our first real vacation together in 5 years. I never knew that 4 simple hours just strolling through the city could be so relaxing and fun.

John was taking a nap. We woke him up and we all hung out together in the livingroom. We caught up on old times, laughed, drank, talked for hours and hours.

I can't remember what time we fell asleep...

It's so good to see John again and to be here in California.

We had to leave for the airport at 1:30 A.M. in order to arrive 4 hours early to check in for our standby flight so it didn't make much sense to sleep.

Besides, I was way too excited to even attempt to take a nap before the flight. I packed our bags and checked them over and over to make sure I didn't forget anything. I was pacing back and forth across the living room floor wringing my hands while Eric tried to get a few hours of shut eye in.



The airport was filled with sleeping travelers in random cots spread out on the floor, We weaved around the bodies and checked in.

The man behind the desk told us that we were the very first standby passengers to check in for this flight but that the airplane was packed, so we might get bumped anyway. He told us to be patient.

Our Aunt had told us to wear "business Attire" and to look our very best because we were representing the airline. Eric had on a full suit and I was in high heels. We were trying to pull off the "Mature Professional couple look" I wonder if anyone was buying it.

4 hours later we were bumped from the first flight.

"We're sorry, folks. This flight is full to the limit. You'll have to wait for the next one"

We waited.

2 hours later...

We were once again bumped...

We paced around the airport for another two hours. I was beginning to feel disheartened. Eric kept checking the departure times on the monitors, while I started falling asleep on the table in the airport Starbucks.



We waited and waited...

Finally we heard our names called on the third flight to San Francisco going out of New York for that day.

"Mr. and Mrs. Smith... we have ONE ticket available in First class otherwise the plane is entirely full. The next flight in 4 hours has no available standby space. Are you willing to SEPARATE? only ONE of you can get onto this flight. I'm very sorry"

Eric shook his head. "No we're not separating."

"Eric, you should go ahead... I'll just wait here. I'm sure I'll get a flight out at some point. You heard her.. she said that the next flight is full. Go on without me." I insisted

"No why don't YOU go ahead and I'll wait around", Eric protested

"I don't want to... You go ahead"

We were both nearly in tears.

The airline attendant interrupted us "Wait!!! Another space opened up in First class. You can BOTH get on this flight. But you have to HURRY HURRY!! Go go go!"

She pushed us onto the terminal and we ran onto the plane.

We were breathless as we fell into our seats. I looked around in amazement. We were in FIRST CLASS!! I had never flown first class before. The seats were all leather, with so much space for our feet... They moved down into beds with electronic buttons. An airline stewardess immediately approached us and took our jackets to hang up in the closet.

"Would you like something to drink? A cocktail? soda? wine?"

I could barely speak.

The ride was pure luxury. A 3 course meal, desert, endless beer and wine. They even made the salad right in front of us. I was given a personal entertainment system with movies and music albums I could access by pressing the screen. I had to keep pinching myself to convince myself that this wasn't all a dream



I was exhausted, but it was impossible to sleep. I was way too giddy.

Soon we were landing. Eric and I excitedly peered out the window at California below us. The sky was clear until we approached San Francisco, then we saw fluffy clouds obscuring our view. As though we were entering NEVERLAND from Peter pan, a mystical Island.

We were here, San Francisco International Airport.



When we exited the plane, we could see the mountains around us through the airport windows.

"We're here!!!! We're here!!!" We were high from all the wine and coffee served on the flight. Eric was laughing.

We picked up our luggage and took the sky train to the BART subway system. We bought tickets for a train that would take us from the Airport into DOWNTOWN SAN FRANCISCO.

We ended up in POWELL STATION 20 minutes later.



When we walked up the steps from the BART subway station onto Powell street... I saw a cable car for the very first time. I knew we had finally arrived in San Francisco.



They bustled loudly up and down the steep roads, the bells clanging. People were jumping on and off. Street performers were on the streets, people weaved around us. There was so much energy in the air.

We just stood there taking it all in.

I couldn't believe we were actually here!

We decided to attempt to walk to John's house from the BART station even though we knew it would be a bit of a distance.

We stumbled up the hills dragging our luggage behind us. My high heels made me unsteady and I had a hard time navigating. I kept gazing around in awe and losing pace. The weather was hot and my suit jacket was making me sweat. Finally we reached the top of the hill..



We could see the water and the mountains in the distance. It was beautiful... but I knew I couldn't make the rest of the walk. I was leaning against the building entirely breathless...

We finally caved in and took a taxi the rest of the way.



John greeted us on the street and ran up to give us a hug. It was incredible to see our good friend again after over 5 years of being separated. He looked exactly the same as we remembered him.

He helped us take our luggage up all the flights of stairs leading to his top story flat. "There is no elevator", He explained "This is an old house dating back to the early 1900's"

His apartment was wonderful. Hardwood floors, a new kitchen and one room that just had big windows on all sides. He pulled open the blinds and showed us the view.

I just gasped and stared.





It was mind-blowingly beautiful. I was seeing the golden gate bridge for the first time. A gentle breeze came in through the window and I could hear all the sounds of the city below. It was like living on the top of the world.

I felt so happy and speechless at that moment. It all felt like a dream.

We changed into more comfortable clothing and all sat together in his livingroom. We had so much to talk about and catch up on.

Afterwards we went to chestnut street and had dinner at a restaurant called "Skewers", at least I think that's what the name was. I was too overwhelmed at the fact that I was in San Francisco to register much else. I had honey mustard chicken.. It was delicious. We also drank wine.

We returned to his flat and just lounged there all night, drinking, talking, laughing...

I fell asleep (after being awake nearly 48 hours straight) eager to see what the rest of the city had to offer... It was just the beginning.

End of DAY ONE.

Day 2 coming soon...

It's been a while since I've updated here.

Life has been hectic. I have a new job that takes up most of my time these days and there hasn't been much to write about..

Until now...

There has been a new development in our life and I was waiting until I told all my family members before writing about this.



Our Good friend from art college that now lives in San Francisco invited us to live with him.

We are moving to San Francisco in September!!

I've never been to California and never in my wildest dreams did I imagine that I'd live there. We talked this through all last week and now it's official. We ARE going to do this. Life is too short not to.




We decided that we would store most of our belongings and furniture at my parents house for now.

We will pack up our little Toyota Corolla with all the essentials (as much as we can possibly fit) and drive cross country to San Francisco.

My father will drop the cats off at the airport once we reach San Francisco and we will pick them up from the pet cargo area. I think they would handle a couple of hours in an airplane better than a road trip

Since we'll be moving into a fully furnished apartment with our friend, it doesn't make sense to bring over our entire household just yet.

We'll be taking the (I-80) Lincoln Highway route from NY to CA. We'll be driving through a number of states...

New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, Nebraska, Wyoming, Utah, Nevada...

and finally we'll reach California.

But before that drive, we'll be visiting our friend for a couple of days next week. I can't wait to see him.

We have standby tickets from our Aunt that works for an airline company. I hope we can get on a flight...

I'm so excited!!

Another big move and change in our life, so It's time to start up this blog again...We never seem to stay in one place long enough to call it "home" but that's what makes life interesting.

It's so wonderful to be home with my family for the holidays.

"I am beginning to learn that it is the sweet, simple things of life which are the real ones after all.

Remember this - very little is needed to make a happy life."



****

It's been a busy week, but we're finally all moved in to our new home.

There is still a lot to do today.

I just took 15 minutes to step away from it all and relax. Life is so short. It doesn't hurt to take a moment to appreciate it. A moment to look at how far you've come and where you're heading.



I sat in my room and gazed out the window. The afternoon light is fading.I watched a little girl run down the driveway to pick up the newspaper and run back into the house laughing because she was still in her pajamas in public. I listened to the sound of my husband's voice as he sang along with "Soul to Squeeze" by Red Hot Chili peppers in the livingroom. I felt the warmth of the heat kicking in and streaming from the ceiling vents. I enjoyed the taste of coffee as I sipped it from my second hand shop mug.

We might not have much as far as finances right now (Okay, so we're poor...I'm not exaggerating on the starving artists description)

but we're happy. We have good friends, a good marriage, a good life. The housewarming party last night had been fun, our friends came with baskets filled with wine, tea, cookies and even a little portable stovetop. I'm so grateful for them, for everything.

**If you're reading this right now, take a moment to appreciate what you have. Life is fleeting and yes, this IS as good as it gets.**

My coffee cup is empty now. Time to get back to work.





****

Note: My old E-mail address no longer is working. My new E-mail is BlueClarity25@hotmail.com. If anyone has sent me an E-mail recently, please forward it to the newest address because I can't access it.

Okay It's official.

We're moving.



We found the perfect apartment in a great location for an affordable price.

It's close to Eric's job and it's a dream come true. It's the downstairs flat in a large "mother/daughter House". It has a large backyard with a patio.

We signed the six month lease today!



We just returned from meeting with our landlord. Eric collapsed into bed with a smile and I read the lease agreement to him. I have to admit that I just barely skimmed it when it was initially handed to me. I was just so eager to sign on the dotted line and make this move official.

No scary small print or unexpected surprises.

My bestfriend from Florida is here to visit for a few weeks. She just arrived today. We all went out to the chinese buffet and Starbucks. It's so nice to have her here! she offered to also help with the moving.

The flat will be available on December 5th. 5 more days!

I should really start packing....

I'm sorry I haven't updated with all the details from my trip to Las Vegas yet. That will be my next entry! I've just been busy lately and life has been a little crazy.

Right now I'm excited about all the changes in my life, but also incredibly exhausted. It's been a long day.

Just a quick update. Longer one coming soon!