worldwidewebsters: 2013

Location: LA / San Diego
Dates:29/4
Temperature:26

Overnight we parked up at a Long Beach RV park 24 miles south of LA. The weather had heated back up and we enjoyed the facilities, swimming pool, hot tub and the more practical laundry room. Ryan having not been to LA before was keen to check it out and his mind up pretty quick that it isn't much chop. We saw the Walk of Fame along Hollywood Boulevard, and other sights in the area. We finally made our way to the Hollywood sign after a few frustrating detours took our snaps and we were out, on our way to San Diego. Admittedly there is plenty more to see in LA but we thought our time was best spent elsewhere namely the San Diego Zoo.

Inside the Kodak Theater where the Oscars are held

Being papped on the stairs

Past films of the year

Down Hollywood Blvd

Obligatory Hollywood sign photo

We arrived in San Diego late afternoon in time for Ryan to tune in to the Basketball and for Kiri get a spa mani / pedi which are super (a very american word i've picked up on) cheap over here by the way! It was total bliss spending an hour having my hands and feet scrubbed, massaged and polished. We camped out at Campland on the Bay admid the catamarans and spring ducklings.

Location: Pacific Coast Highway / Santa Barbara
Dates: 27/4 - 28/4
Temperature: 17, 20

What can I say apart from what a disappointment this part of the trip was!!! I’d love to describe how dramatically scenic this craggy coastline was, how around every corner the raw beauty astonished us and it was a feast for the eyes, truth be told we saw nothing but white, Big Sur, what's that? A few 1000 elephant seals and some AMAZING fried calamari and garlic fries at Morro Bay was the consolation prize, mother nature was not smiling on us today. Ryan being the passionate Indiana Pacers fan that he is was determined to see the 3^rd game of the play offs we watched it at the very Californian seaside town Avila. A sunny weekend meant chocablock state beach campgrounds we drove round for aaaaaaaaaaaaaages before Ryan’s idea of asking a hotel if we could slip them a $20 if we could park in their carpark overnight came good – well even better the guy told us to park in the CVS (a statewide pharmacy chain)carpark behind the hotel which was free, our first night of boondocking more commonly known as free camping in NZ.

It started off OK

We hit the fog around Bixby Bridge

White out

We couldn't take photos of the view so instead it's pretty flowers

The Elephant Seals

Delicious!

There's been a lot of this on the trip

Avila beach

How convenient waking up a few seconds walk to a drug store where Kiri can partake in one of her favourite past times looking and buying makeup. Despite the unsettled night’s sleep boodocking has it’s upsides. We drove the few miles it took to get to Santa Barbara for yes more Mexican at Lilly's tacos. We also checked out the beautiful Spanish style Courthouse, Stearns Wharf and along the waterfront where the highlight was a very friendly parrot owner who even convinced Kiri some birds are worth liking. Again we braved the treacherous 7 lane Freeways to get ourselves to LA a vast contrast to laid back Santa Barbara.