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Hey all,
So I am flying out of The States tonight to continue my journey onto New Zealand which I am very excited about but at the same time sad to leave this great city, San Francisco.
San Francisco reminds me a bit of Bristol; small but compact city, has a famous bridge, diverse culture throughout the place, (generally) friendly people and a lot of hills! Thankfully these hills gives you the opportunity to take in the breathtaking views on offer from all over the city. They should rename it San Franpiczo (see what I did there) because you have the urge to take a photo everytime you turn a corner - check album for evidence.
I have been extremely lucky with the weather (especially compared to New York) as every day has been bright sunshine and blue skies so I have had a lots of time to explore. I got here pretty early after a morning flight from NYC so went for a walk straight away, first thing I noticed was my calf muscles as there are some seriously steep roads. However as I mentioned earlier, it is definitely worth the effort to take in the views!
First night I met a guy, Steve from Yorkshire where we hit it off straight away and we went to a open mic night at a local bar. Enjoyed taking in some of the local music on offer and some very talented performers which was nice to see. Steve is predominately couchsurfing his way around USA but couldn't get a place in San Fran so opted for a hostel, he is very pro couchsurfing so hoping to get an opportunity to try it out for myself in the near future. The hostel has definitely been the best I have stayed at since travelling, free breakfast/internet. Comfortable facilities and the chef offered a great selection of dinners for just $5!
Like New York, I have done a lot of walking in San Francisco - I think it's the best way to really experience a city and it's culture. Although saying that, my favourite day of the trip so far was when I rented a bike for the day and explored the whole city. Golden Gate Park is amazing and cycling across the GG Bridge was spectactular (if not a little windy). San Francisco is really geared up for cycling, lots of bike paths/lanes so I highly recommend it if anybody has the chance to visit SF.
After a lot of sightseeing in NYC, I am now of the opinon that avoiding tourist attractions is the best option for solo travellers (and their budget). I like to walk and observe what the real city is like as opposed to the image reflected to prospective tourists. I did however visit Alcatraz Prison which was pretty good and go up Coet Tower, also worth the admission price.
Will (an employee from the hostel) arranged a bar crawl on Saturday night which was decent, thankfully he didn't take us to any gay bars - although it might as well as been considering the male/female ratio. Last night I went out to a bar called Biscuit and Blues with Per and Marcus (very tall Swedish guys) and Selma (Dutch girl). They had a live jazz/blues band playing called Brad Diamond and the Rhythm Drivers who were absolutely brilliant, I enjoyed it a lot more than I thought I would - didn't enjoy the drink prices though!
So, California is everything I thought it would be and more - sun, sea, sand and stunning views. Watching the dire 0-0 draw at Wembley was a bit more bearable with a cold beer in my hand and blue skies outside.
Haere Mai for now, next blog coming from the North Island of NZ!
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