San Francisco/ Santa Barbara/ SF/ home

Finally I got some time to write in this english version about the roadtrips final week in USA. Some facts will come later.


Mondag 24th
Today we explored San Francisco. We bought at Fishermans Warf to Alcatraz. No tickets until Wednesday. Therefore we travelled around in San Fran with bicycle. We started with North Beach, then Golden Gate Bridge, up on the hills on the other side, back in town, North Beach, Lombard street, down the crocket part in Lombard street, Little Italy, Chinatown, Finance district and back to Fishermans warf along the east shore. A fun bicycle trip where we saw alot of the city. Bicycle through Chinatown was special. Almost as China or what? Almost no signs in english.

In the evening we walked around in Market street, bought tickets for "Lady in the water" at Metreeon. It was no scary movie. Just a thriller with some philosophic thoughts. I at least think so.


Tuesday 25th.
After a good night sleep we went back to the area around Market street. This was our shopping day on the roadtrip. Spending some dollars. A lot of clothes, shoes and some electronics.

We took advance of the prices compared to Norway. It's not so very cheap here, but more affordable compared to home. After a long day in town we went back to the hotell to some rest and in the evening we droved to Colombus street/Stockton street. It was late, so we just reached a pizza restaurant and a icecream bar.

We thought it was very quiet there. And also in some other parts of the city.


Wednesday 26th
Alcatraz day. But first we had to spend some hours in Angel Island. We had a nice trip there around in a trolley. It was not the most exciting we had done on the roadtrip. Rather not, but at least we learned some sad history about chineese immigration to US and american military history in the bay. After the hours at Angel Island we landed on Alcatraz island.

It was interesting walking around on Alcatraz. The island is a combined museum and bird reservoir nowadays. It was a lot of bird dirt there and birds. Inside the old prison we used headphones and got alot of history. Learned about the life from inmates and guards. We can only imagine how it was. We saw also the cells from those who escaped and have never been caught. Many think the brothers died in the cold bay that night.

This day was also the last evening toghether on the roadtrip. We finished the trip with a good dinner at Great eastern Chineese restaurant in Chinatown. It tasted perfect. A good end of the trip.

Afterwards we tried our "elevator to the top" game inside Hilton hotell. Unfortunately they used security card inside the elevator to get out on a floor. They did not have that inside Waldorf Astoria in New York.


Thursday 27th
Lars and Jan Kåre left us this morning, which meant that we had some extra days to use.

Kristian and I spend the rest of the day downtown and in Berkeley. We walked around in campus of Berkeley university. There was some to see in the street here also.

Back in San Fran we visited Cheesefactory at Macy's. We just reached it before serving stopped 11pm. They had very good and tasty cakes. We sat out and had a nice view of Union Square.

This night we slept in a shabby hotell in Chinatown. Very, very cheap, but ok to just sleep some hours. We acutally left the suitcases in the parkinghouse and just took the most needed to the room.


Friday 28th
Today we took a trip with the cablecar. The others didn't do that. It was slow, but we got up and down the steep hills. Did some shopping around Market street, met some people there, ate lunch and walked to the Norwegian seaman church in Hyde street. A long walk. There we met the hosts and a grandfather and his grandson. They were happy to meet some norwegians.

Tonight we saw Miami Vice at the Metreeon. An action movie. It had break of thirty minutes, because of the fire alarm. Everyone had to go out. In US it's no seatnumbers, so after the break we got some good seats.

We was not sure what to do, when the movie was finished. But after some time we decided to drive to Santa Barbara in the night. We was there around five o'clock Saturday morning. It would be fun to join Vanessas 21-years day.


Saturday 29th
Back in Santa Barbara. Today we relaxed for the most. Good to meet the others again. They was a little suprised, but we had been one week in San Fran. That's enough. In the middle of the day we were a short while in State street. We tried to find something for the birthday girl. We bought a big cardboxpaper which we made a big card with. We drawn a map about the roadtrip along with some nice words. And some flowers.

You become full adult in all ways when you are 21 year in US. Not the 18 years we have in Norway. So it's a big day over there. I'm glad that all of us four on the roadtrip were over 21, because we could attend all places, restaurants and bars we wanted to eat or have some fun at.

Anyway back to the birthday. Vanessas friends Rachel and Jessica and some others made it nice at their house. There come many friends troughout the evening. We had fun. After some hours almost all went down to State street to check out some places.

In the middle of the night Kristian and I left the party and visited some others we met in Santa Barbara last weekend. We joined Josh and Matt, and visited Tiffany and Gigliola at her home. A very nice house I would say. Fun to swim in the swimmingpool two o'clock. The water was not so warm, but for us it didn't matter. We(Kristian and I) learned the girls some dancing moves afterwards.

The hosts in Santa Barbara were very nice to us.

Instead of driving back in the night we slept two hours until, before driving back to San Francisco. We arrived in San Fran early in the morning. It dosn't take long time to drive on the american highways.

The airplane left San Fran 0345. Therefor we got time to walk around downtown. We met Jill (a girl Kristian did go to class with at Hillcrest), Rhett(boyfriend) and his family. We met them at our emailcheckpoint in Market street. The Apple house.

After a happy meeting, we left for the airport. The airplanes were on route, and we landed back home in Bergen Monday 31th. It was great to meet our parents and littlebrother again.

Late monday night I got to bed. I have met many nice people, seen a lot of places and I have a lot of good memories from my four weeks in US and one week in Paris.

San Diego, LA, Thousand Oaks, Malibu, Santa Barbara, highway 1, San Francisco

Now I sit on Royal Ground internettcafe in Berkeley, the town with the famous university.

I have done a lot since last time I wrote in english.

I have to go all the way back to San Diego and the 16th. We got here late because of traffic around San Bernardo. Big accident. We walked along the harbour of San Diego. Looked at some ships, smelled the fresh seaair and saw the sunset.

We walked around in Little Italy and the area around 5th street. Saw some of the baseballmatch in town. Decided to buy tickets for the next day.

The 17th we had a very short trip to Tijuana in Mexico. In this boardingarea there was almost only touristshops and stuff like that. We got some quit bad offers, we refused of course.

The evening we spent watching San Diego Pedros against Phillis. 10-6 SD won. For us norwegians with small stadiums back home it was a great experience. Americans know how to make something out of a match.

The 18th we droved to LA. Saw Santa Monice beach and went into downtown of LA. THere was plenty of good and fresh food inside the Grand Central Market (along Broadway and 3th street). After a spice dinner and a walk along Broadway and the square from Tony Hawks Skateboarding 3 we droved to Walk of Fame in Hollywood bouleward. It looks better on tv than in reality. Saw many of the stars and the Kodak Theatre (Oscar). And of course the Hollywood sign up on the hill.

After that we visited Melrose and the drove to Thousand Oaks to visit Vanessa and her family(friend of Kristian). We had a great time there. One of the best on the trip. Good to relax. The days there we spend surfing on Malibu beach, eating on In & Out(one of the best fastfood burgers in the world. No joke). We didn't use wetsuits so, we got a lot scratches on out chest/stomack. We also bowled and of course spent time with Vanessa. Met her family and boyfriend Nick.

Friday the 21th we left Thousand Oaks and spent the day in Six Flags Magic Mountains. We had a lot of fun there with the crazy rollercoasters there. The Tatzu was the best we had time to try. The complete course in a horisontal position.

Many hours later we droved to Santa Barbara for our next american visit. Some other friends of Kristian (people he met in a wedding last year). The days here and in Thousand Oaks I would say have been the best on the trip. You got all the tourist stuff all around in the US, but when you combined it spending time with locals you got another dimension in travelling. That's make the difference.

Anyway in Santa Barbara we stayed at Rachel and Jessicas house. A house full of students. The first evening(night actually) we spend at Butterfly beach. Good to just sit or stand along the beach in the dark talking with the host and some old and some new friends of the hosts(Tiffany, Josh, Andrew,

The next day we spend on the beach and then had a great dinner at Tiffany's house. Steak and chicken combined with other deliciuos stuff. The night we spent on Hampton beach and had a bonnfire. Stars, music and chatting. Something good to remember from the US roadtrip.

After a very good time in Santa Barbara we had to leave for San Francisco sunday the 23th. We droved along highway 1 and had a spectacular view of the shores and cliffs. It took some time compared to the interstate, but it was worth it. We saw the Hearst castle from distance, visited the beautiful Pfeiffer beach at Big Sur, and saw the sunset at Carmel Beach. After traffic into San Francisco we got here late by night.

Here in San Francisco we have explored the city by bicycle, Golden Gate Bridge, Chinatown, Little Italy, Union Square area. Done some shopping.

Grand Canyon/ Las Vegas/ San Diego

Now I´m in San Diego. We got here today from Las Vegas. Since last time I wrote in the blog I have done a lot.

Last Friday I was in the bottom of Grand Canyon (Plateau Point). Very hot. More than 120F. It was absolutely worth it. A beautiful trip along Bright Angel Trail. I had to drink a lot of water. At least more than a gallon. We stayed in Grand Canyon until sunset.

Saturday we drived to Las Vegas. We parked by Hilton hotel and walked up and down the Strip. A lot of people, neonflashlights, big hotel. I liked the light and watershow outside Bellagio. Something like that would be great in Lillelungården in Bergen. MGM, Bellagio and the Mirage were the best. And the Classic Auto museum in the Imperial Palace. They have the Mustang Shelby GT500 from Gone in 60 seconds in stock. Great car.

After a long night we got up late Sunday. Today we rented a speedboat (250 hp and almost 50 knots) and had some fun in Lake Mead (Hooverdam water). We also rented wakeboard and waterskis. With these toys and cliff´s we enjoyd a hot day in the desert between Nevada and Arizona.

Today, Monday, we got to San Diego. More from here in the next post.

Flagstaff/ Grand Canyon 7/13

We are finally in Flagstaff after our long trip from New Orleans. 1700 miles is a long, long trip. Especially with little sleep.

I liked the different parts we have been exploring (Louisiana, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona).

San Antonio was beautiful. Specially downtown with Riverwalk and Alamo. The rest like all the highways was rather awful.

For a norwegian the desert in Arizona (didn´t see much in New Mexico/Texas because of the dark) was really nice. The big happing until now is Sedona. The red mountain area was great driving through.

We haven´t talked with so much people the last day/night, but hopefully we will do somenthing about that tonight.

I´m looking forward for tomorrow and Grand Canyon.

Short update in english - 7/11

Hi folks.

We are now in New Orleans. Just been out and entertained on a karokescene in Bourbon street. We will never get back there. A fiasco to say it mild. But we had a lot of fun.

The roadtrip started in New York 30 of June. Five days there. We had a lot of fun and met new friends, friends and family.

The 5th of June we got to Miami, where we rented our car. From Miami we travelled to Key West. Southest landpoint in US.

Thursday we went north again. Visited the beaches at Bahia State Park and snorkling in the White rings barrier reef outside Key Largo. After the adventure in the ocean we went to Miami beach. Stayed here two nights. Exploring the area.

Saturday morning when we got the missing camera from NY, we drived 615 miles to Panama City by the gulf. We was supposed to stay at Apalachicola, but because of a wedding there we had to drive further. Ended up close to Panama City.

Between Panama City and Pensacola City at Graytown Beach State Park we used most of the Sunday.

In Pensacola City we slept one night, before exploring the beaches on Santa Rosa Island straight south of Pensacola City. A beautiful beach. Today it was really hot. Some of us got really sun burned and others not.

In the afternoon we finally drived against New Orleans through Alabama and Mississippi following I10 and H90(in Mississippi).

Here in New Orleans we will stay two nights, before we will drive to Flagstaff close to Grand Canyon. I think that will be my longest nonstop trip ever. Many hours and miles in our car(1700 miles).