San Diego

As it was Veterans Day (a bank holiday), my friends and I decided that a trip to San Diego was necessary. After all, I had never left Arizona since arriving here, it was about time I went to California.

We drove there. Yes, drove. Nine hours of car fun! We drove to Phoenix first to change cars (Amber's dad lent us his very comfy Chevrolet Impala for the trip). We (well I) managed to make the CD player jam withing ten seconds of leaving the car park of the mall where we swapped cars. I felt bad about that the entire trip! On the journey from Phoenix to San Diego, I saw no less than three dead cows and several really big cacti. We were all knackered by the time we reached San Diego.

We stayed with Amber's grandma, Nonnie so free accommodation! Bonus! She was really nice, a combination of my Gran and the old lady who used to live diagonal to me when I was living in a maisonette (back in the day). She was born and grew up in Britain so welcomed me and Antonia (the other Brit on the trip) by playing "Rule Britannia" on the piano and forcing us to sing! Doesn't help that I don't actually know many of the words to that song!

On saturday we went to Seaport Village which is on the San Diego harbour front. There were loads of really cool shops. Including a hammock shop!!! Unfortunatly I don't have anywhere to put a hammock and I don't have the tropical island with whale music yet. Nevertheless, it was definately my favourite shop! There was also a really nice seafood restaurant. I had fish and chips, probably the nicest chips I've had in the US - they actually had some potato content!!

On sunday we went to Mission Beach. There were so many hunky surfer guys, it was fantastic to just lie there watching. There was this random guy called Ryan from Georgia. He was really flirty and very pervy, it took me absolutely ages to get rid of him! That kind of thing never happens to me normally, but we don't do younger (he was 19) and we certainly don't do guys with tattoos saying "Mom" on their chest!! I went into the sea with him (before I realised how pervy he was) but got soaked so had to go buy some dry clothing for the remainder of the day. He left once he realised that I wasn't really that interested and none of my friends were either. Apparently he found a more willing (and nearly naked) sixteen year old (by this point I had gone to buy dry clothing).

Note to self, next time someone digs a big hole in the sand, DO NOT volunteer to be the one buried up to the neck in sand. Whilst it was incredibly funny, it was also quite painful and really really difficult to get back out again! I had to go jump in the sea fully clothed in order to get the sand off me! Once again I was soaked, bad idea!! The sunset over the Pacific Ocean made up for being drenched and slightly cold though. Really really pretty, took some amazing photos even if I do say so myself!

The journey back on sunday wasn't half as exciting. We were all knackered, I slept for almost all the journey between Phoenix and Flagstaff! Going to San Diego was exactly the break I needed though. Right now I am trying to type up my research project from hell so it's back to earth with a bang. Fortunatly my alternating essay with this has kept me motivated until now so my happiness level is still comparitively high - yay!