Day trip to Pismo Beach 27 June 2016

We decide to take a day trip to get away from the heat in Bakersfield as it is over 100F every day and we have been here staying at Duane’s for the last week while we sort out bank accounts, cars etc etc.  Once again Duane has been fantastic and helps us out with local knowledge. 

Having decided to sell the trailer (car hauler) as it is extremely heavy for the RV to be towing around with a car on top, Daryl has advertised this and as we leave we get our first call, so make an appointment for 4pm to meet the guy back at Duane’s.

After breakfast, for which we have some fairly Kiwi items.....yum (not the marmite that's Daryl's!).

Thanks Mum!

We fill up in town as much cheaper than out on the highways and we are empty - $37.85 for 13 gallons of petrol……love filling this car!

Heading out through Taft and over to the coast, heading up slightly to Pismo Beach, which is a couple of hours above LA, where we have stayed before. 

Strolling up town, we see Splash Café - at 11.30am there is a line out the door and round the corner, so we down to the pier taking in the cool breeze at a mere 81 degrees F (approx. 28C), wonderful!  No idea why people are wearing jeans!!!!

Wandering back up to town, we nosy through the shops which are very touristy so we don't buy anything but just look around, then decide to try the Splash Café....line is just as big but we have been told to try the claim chowder as it is award winning.

End of the line....

Getting closer......

Almost in the door!

Finally we made it and it was worth the wait - clam chowder was yummy and as we left we met the owner of the Splash Café and chatted for a few minutes - interesting guy.

Daryl and the owner of Splash Café, Pismo Beach - lived there all his life.


And as you can see, the line is still out the door and round the corner and it is now 1.30pm - great business reputation!

A short stroll around the pier and shops and we need to head off to meet the guy about the trailer - shame as it cut our day visit short but that's the way it goes.

We get back in time and the guy buys the trailer, so after some running around finding a notary as they do things differently here, it is all sorted - we have the folding and the guys on his way back to Ventura.

Bye bye to our car hauler - she did us well!

California World & Disneyland

Today is Monday, school holidays and a record breaking heat wave in LA........so we are going to Disney - must be mad!!!!

 First ride was the roller coaster for a bit of fun, yeeha!   We know not to do the water rides first now!!!!!


Then we cruised over to Radiator Springs to check out the Cars set.

Lighting McQueen

Some cool rides in here and we had a a bit of fun hanging around this area before heading out for a shake to cool down with!

Neat set which is identical to the Cars movie and the next stop is Lugi's..... 

Italian dancing cars - quite cool.









 A few more rides, Soar, Tower of Terror etc etc, another go on the roller coaster and a shoot out at Toy Story....I was winning until Daryl realised this and then he blitzed me of course!

Over to Disneyland as we have a Day Hopper ticket and are making the most of it.

We take an animated art class and learn how to draw Mickey - quite impressed as my art skills suck to be polite.

 

Had to do the Tea Cups!

Daryl loves to go as fast as he can....

A few more rides....Indiana Jones, Jungle cruise, Bobsled down Matterhorn and a couple of Star Wars flights, however the second had a 20 minute wait which turned out to be over an hour and not worth it in my opinion!  Off to race around the track at Autopia which turn out be slower than a walk and now its getting dark, so we decide to hang around for the parade as we have not stayed for this in the past.  Thought the grandies might enjoy the videos of this.

 The parade was a fantastic light show with all the Disney characters and we videoed as much as we could on our phones which both ran out!

Some magical moments and displays, and definitely well worth the wait.





A great day although the extreme heat at 42 degrees Celsius was pretty damn hot.  Finished off with dinner at Downtown Disney - Italian, and then we thought the car had been stolen until I realised we were in Daisy level and needed Mickey!  Thank god - off home to bed as it is close to midnight.

June 2016 - Our itchy feet have won out & we are off again

Following a lengthy period of indecision, we have resigned from work and spent the last month doing necessary maintenance on our home and finding suitable tenants.

Not an easy decision to leave family and friends again, but life is short and we only get one chance, and so we have made the move, which is both exciting and scary, knowing we will need to find work in UK to support our new adventure.

But first off, we head for Bakersfield, USA and our 'bach' (RV), which is a second home to us and all set up waiting to go.  Once again Duane has been an angel and smogged the car for us before we arrive and welcomes us with open arms.

Our first night @ Duane's

After quite a good flight and trip through customs, we pick up the rental car and head out over the grapevine to Bakersfield - we return the rental the same day, so this works out very economical - cheaper than a single bus fare.   Geoff Edgington is staying with Duane and collects us from the rental company.  Arriving at Duane's we uncover our baby and see what state she is in this time - extremely good with hardly any dust inside makes life a lot easier and we quickly set about washing her down and wiping her out.

An easy dinner (pizza) with our friends before we all turn in as it has been a long day and Duane has an early start (3.30am) in the morning, heading for the LA Roadster Show.   We are all heading there tomorrow but the two couples will be leaving later - gentleman's hours.

In the morning we head into the AAA to sort out registration on the car and pick up some fresh food for the camper.  After loading the car on to the trailer and hitching up, we check the tyres etc and head off around 11.30am, stopping for petrol and on top of the Grapevine to make a sandwich for lunch.

On our way again and set to arrive by 2.15pm, we turn the corner and hit traffic as far as you can see, crawling all the way at about 5km's.  An hour and a half later we pass the crash site, which is just broken glass on the road by now, but the delay has caused us to now hit rush hour traffic on a Friday afternoon in LA, plus being father's day this weekend.  We arrive in camp after 5pm, hot bothered and frustrated, but thankful to be there and finally we can set up and settle in.

We have been here two days and crossed the grapevine twice, hitting accidents both ways - aren't we lucky but that is just the way it goes.

After settling in we catch up with Duane & Dianna and Geoff & Judy, heading out for a meal with good friends.

Day 3 - LA Roadster Show

Of course Daryl has timed this right .......and we head into the show in the morning for the day, checking out the cars and sights around us to see whats new etc.  The shows seems more spread out and there is definitely less people here, both as sellers or as visitors.  As usual there is a large contingency of Kiwis, - over 200 and most are heading home on the Sunday flight - going to be  full plane, so we get to catch up with lots of friends plus several who now live state side.

We also had a great time catching up with Tony, who we purchased the 40 off in 2013 and getting their views on life in America now.

The deal with Tony in 2013.

After a long day walking around, we make the rounds of Kiwis drinking in the back corners (usual story).........and say our goodbyes, it takes another hour or so to head out of the showgrounds as we catch up with others along the way.  My feet are killing me by this time and I am pleased to flop down in the car.

We find a 99c supermarket after some searching and find enough to make a salad and sausages for dinner. Home to camp and we organise dinner and a whiskey.  Record heat and apparently going to be even hotter tomorrow - around 108 degrees in LA.

Day 4:

Our first camp site for 2016 and steak for dinner tonight.  Great supermarket with fresh food - take a number and they cut your meat how you want it when it's your turn, same in the deli - a couple of slabs of cheese, etc. Love the supermarkets over here and so cheap compared to home it makes you cry




From winter to a heatwave - it's bloody hot over here, like walking in a microwave but we are coping very well and our first swim made it - beautiful.  Tomorrow promises to be even hotter -record breaking for LA.

Daryl went back to the Roadster show today & I did the washing etc....  Blister's on my soles from yesterday so not walking to far today!   All good.