Day Thirteen

Was rudely awoken by Ann telling me it was ten to four. No other instructions were given. Got up. We were in the lobby by 4.45am. We weren't the first. Still managed to get on the first shuttle to the airport at 5am. 

Checked our luggage and then headed for security. Long queue. Eventually got to the front of it. Went through the body scanner. Was asked to stop because I had 'a discrepancy in the groin and buttock area'. That is the direct quote the security guard gave me. He told me he was going to do a search and asked me if I wanted to be searched there or in a room. I said there. No discrepancy was found. Whilst the search was going on I looked at the screen. It just showed a red square in said area. I presume it was the button fly on my shorts. 

Having been touched up by a stranger, we got our stuff and made our way to the gate. Thought we would get breakfast at the Starbucks there before we boarded. Turns out it was the slowest Starbucks ever. By the time we got our order it was time to board. Got on. Flew. Arrived in San Francisco having completed the sixth of seven flights this trip. Last time we were here was 2010. Thirteen years since our first trip! Doesn't seem like more than five since we were on Alcatraz. Absolutely ridiculous. 

Deplaned. Went to baggage claim. My suitcase arrived first. Wasn't sure what was happening or how to react to this. Thought that Ann's one might jump out just before mine reached us on the conveyor but it didn't.

Next we needed to pick up the hire car. Now I've realised that airport car hire plays on the fact you are trapped and, whether you pre book or not, you have no choice but to choose from the selection they have. When I was booking the car a month or two ago, I realised that if we collected from there we could either get a smaller SUV or a premium one at a large cost. Presumably you can't get a plain full size one so that people have to take the expensive one instead. What I did find was that at another Enterprise about seven or eight minutes from the airport you could get one, so I booked it from there instead.

This, however, left us a conundrum. How do we get to the pick up? We couldn't walk so we would have to get an Uber. Ann checked the App and the cost was going to be about $40. Far too much. So I had hatched a plan. There was a Hyatt Regency a couple of mins walk away from the pick up and there was a free shuttle bus to the hotel for those staying (which we weren't). We went to the bus pick up and waited. Got on. Got dropped at the hotel. Got off with our suitcases. Waited for the bus to depart and then walked to the Enterprise office down the road. What a cheeky little move. Ann said it made her feel nervous. I suggested we reverse the trick when we drop the car back. She says no. We'll find out hat happens in a later blog. Picked up the car. Black Chevy Tahoe, a car we have had before on previous trips.

The Beast

Filled up with fuel at the nearby garage and then set the satnav for our hotel about an hour and twenty minutes north. The progress was slow as it was Friday night rush hour. Lots of traffic and lots of traffic lights as we headed through the west side of San Fran. Eventually we ended up crossing quite a famous bridge.

Eerie

It was misty. Luckily it wasn't hit by an earthquake, tsunami, tornado or aliens as normally happens to it and we made it across.

Slowly we continued until we reached our destination cambriasonoma.com. It is very nice and has a price tag to match. Checked in and dumped our stuff. Headed out for dinner at mikesatthecrossroads.com. I had a Grilled Cheese a la Miguel. Ann had something. It was a a good place. Ann and I discussed writing a book about American road trips and all the tips we would put in it. One would be to follow the locals when it comes to picking places to eat. Mike's was full of locals and more and more kept coming in. We did well to get a table. It is the sort of place where there are never any other visitors other than us, which is just how we like it.

Nipped to Safeway to buy a 24 pack of water to put in the car. Headed back to the hotel. Ann couldn't remember if breakfast was included with our stay so asked at reception. It wasn't. Ann looked at the prices. Needless to say we'll head out somewhere to eat instead.

My book has been found in Hawaii. The lady who's apartment was going to post it and we were going to send her the money but the cost of posting it anywhere is more than the cost of the book. We've told her not to bother. She says she'll read it instead. I'm more devastated that my five euro note I use as a book mark is in it. Been my bookmark for seven years.

Now watching a double header of Pretty Woman and Big. They just don't make films like these anymore.

Ann is still awake. Another oddity in a day of them.

States visited - 4

Discrepancies on the groin and buttock area - 1

Times violated by a stranger- 1