Monday 11th May – Big Sur

We drove from Venice Beach, Los Angeles, along Highway One and Big Sur to Carmel-by-the-Sea, California

Santa Monica & Malibu

We awoke after an ok sleep in the car beside a canal in Venice, and went for a walk down to the beach. We then drove to Santa Monica Pier, and from there on to Malibu. The beaches here have been a disappointment—they do not meet the Australian beach standard and apparently the water never warms up.

Big Sur

We spent the rest of the day driving along the coastline up highway one and along Big Sur, stopping to walk to a waterfall, look at many elephant seals, and to view scenic spots lots of times. It got quite cold once the sun set, and got dark just before we got to the end of the scenic route, so we drove to the next reasonably sized town (Carmel-by-the-Sea) and camped in the car there.

Driving North out of San Francisco along Highway OneLots of juvenile Elephant SealsThe Elephant Seals flick sand upon themselves and everyone elseElephant seals huggingElephant seals almost have fingersDriving into Big SurNed cleverly does not fall off at Salmon CreekA pretty waterfall at Salmon Creek in Big SurThe Big Sur coastlineThe road winds along the coastlineNed demonstrating that the wind is coldBig Sur coastlineBig Sur coastlineBronwen checking if it is still windyDriving along Big SurBig Sur coastlineRain Rocks ShedBig Sur coastlineMcWay FallsMcWay FallsBronwen at McWay FallsBig Sur coastlineSunset over the ocean along Big SurBronwen and the sunset over the ocean along Big SurA rock arch along Big SurBixby Creek BridgeBixby Creek Bridge

Tuesday 12th May – Santa Cruz

We drove along the coast from Carmel-by-the-Sea to San Francisco, California, via Santa Cruz, Pigeon Point Lighthouse & Half Moon Bay

Carmel-by-the-sea

We awoke, drove to a nearby park in Carmel-by-the-Sea, bought milk, and had breakfast while slowly freezing.

Santa Cruz

After freezing entirely we drove along the coast towards San Francisco, stopping at Santa Cruz for a while, having lunch in Half Moon Bay, visiting Pigeon Point Lighthouse, and generally pottering along the coast. Spring seems to have struck, and there are wildflowers everywhere.

Sand blown onto the roadMay is National Masturbation Month ~ Santa CruzSanta CruzSomeone who liked Steve Jobs in Santa CruzAhhh… Music! It’s breastmilk for the soul! ~ Santa CruzThe beach at Santa CruzElephant seals escaping the water at Santa CruzThe beach at Santa CruzElephant seals stuck on the pier at Santa CruzElephant seals piling onto each other at Santa CruzBronwen copying an Elephant Seal, Santa CruzSlightly larger than usual American-style seagullsSkateboarding is not a crime in Santa CruzSpeed enforced by aircraftSome of the wildflowers by the roadsideSome of the wildflowers by the roadsideSome of the wildflowers by the roadsideSome of the wildflowers by the roadsideSome of the wildflowers by the roadsideSome of the wildflowers by the roadsideSome of the wildflowers by the roadsideSome of the wildflowers by the roadsideSome of the wildflowers by the roadsidePigeon Point LighthousePigeon Point LighthousePigeon Point LighthousePigeon Point LighthousePigeon Point LighthousePigeon Point LighthousePigeon Point LighthousePigeon Point LighthousePigeon Point LighthouseAn abundance of wildflowers at Pigeon Point LighthousePigeon Point LighthouseBronwen enjoying lunch at Half Moon BayMaverick’s Military Base made a constant sort of noiseBronwen and some erosion at Half Moon Bay

San Francisco

After driving through gale force winds along some very-sand-covered roads, we arrived at Sea Cliff in San Francisco in the early evening, where we went for a walk through the park at Land’s End and got our first view of the Golden Gate Bridge.

As it began to get late we had a look at The Presidio of San Francisco, then (with great difficulty) found a Taco Bell that was still open and tried their squishy round bean and “cheese” mush filled tubes—which were very cheap and quite filling—and then found a car park on the side of the road in Lincoln , which looked like a fancy suburb and not like somewhere that we’d be arrested or killed, and slept the night in the car.