Friday night & Saturday morning
It's the beginning of my first proper day here - jet lag's still killing, but I slept well. Woke up to a cold and overcast SF this morning. It's definitely warmer in London that it is here. Still, coffee and muffins by the pool is a great way to start the day.
Went to the Bambuddha Lounge last night, the restaurant/bar/club thing attached to the hotel, and had a great time. It's always nerve wracking travelling on your own, because you think you could end up sitting by yourself all evening, but I met a load of really cool people. Lauretta and Mo, who are here from Los Angeles for the Labor Day Weekend; Rickard from Sweden, who's taking some time out in San Francisco having been working in Ohio last week, and who's offered for me to tag along on some day trips next week as he has a car and needs someone to navigate; and a couple (who's name I can't remember at all) who are getting married this afternoon under Golden Gate Bridge, and asked me if I wanted to go - always a little embarrassing to turn up at a wedding and not remember the bride's name though! And of course Tara, who works behind the bar. She's from Portland, Oregon, but moved to SF 3 years ago to do her masters in fine art. She specialises in work inspired by Persian miniatures (she's part Iranian) and has a letter from the British Library inviting her to go and look through their collection. She's promised to take me out with the bar staff when they get off their shift tonight, so hopefully I can twist her arm into coming to London sometime.
A little more exploring today, but not the local area! The hotel's in a part of SF called the Tenderloin, and it is the roughest neighbourhood I've ever seen in my life. The walk down Eddy towards Market Street (the main shopping street through the centre of SF) only takes 10 minutes, but it means negotiating endless homeless people with their whole lives in shopping trolleys. It's extraordinary that so many people should congregate here - it must be a cold and hard place to be homeless, and the toughness of life shows on people's faces. It's one of those areas where every second shop front seems to be for a community organisation, but I wonder if it scratches the surface of the problem. Compared to London (and especially Westminster, which does all it can to take people off the streets, or at least hide the problem) homelessness here seems to be a real and terrible issue. And it's certainly not an area you'd feel safe at night - I think taking Larkin down to the Civic Centre and getting transport from there, even though it's the longer way round, is going to be the safest option.
Big decision today about whether I go to the wedding or not! I'll let you know later.
My bodyclock’s broken
Well, I've finally got to San Francisco, and I'm sitting in my hotel room having unpacked. I've also realised I've forgotten to bring any toothpaste with me, so I need to go out shopping soon. Ah shame... still, go reason to explore the local area.
Yeah, so, broken bodyclock. I set out from home at 6.30 this morning, and now (UK time) it's the early hours of Saturday morning - except it's 4.15 on Friday afternoon here in SF. So I get a very long Friday today. The flight over was strange was well - being a day flight, and staying in day light the whole time, there was no obvious time to sleep. I managed a couple of hours of napping, so I feel slightly like I'm doing Friday twice. It's just too confusing. I'm hoping it'll all work out soon!
Anyhow, first impressions of San Francisco - it's much quieter than I expected! Wide roads, bright sunshine (for now), a constant breeze and the most amazing scenery around the city. As we flew in, I could see tree covered mountains for miles and miles. And deep blue sea, just incredible.
So, I'm off to explore and see what I make of this place.
Flowers in my hair
The countdown to my holidays has definitely started. I'll be on a plane to San Francisco (well, if my piercings don't set off the security alarms!) on Friday morning. Blogging's the new postcard, so I'll be updating this with photos and stuff while I'm away.
I'm in San Francisco for 7 nights, then off on the Green Tortoise bus to Yosemite for 3 nights, with my friend Drew who's flying over and starting his American grand tour. Two more nights in SF, the heading to New York for 5 days. And then Rekjavik on the way home. After all that, I'll need a holiday!
I'm staying in the Phoenix Hotel in SF, which is a converted 50s motel with rooms around a heated outdoor pool. It's also got a nightclub attached and is apparently one of the best places to celebrity spot. And the Red Hot Chili Peppers have stayed there. I might get to sleep in the same bed as Anthony Kiedis... although probably not at the same time (well, I can dream can't I?)