1st major drive of the trip

July 28



Decided against driving to Yosemite because there are fires there and the fire service only had them under 10% control. Two reasons: 1 don't want to get caught up in it 2 don't want to be in the way of the emergency services. So we drove down highway 1 ( the Pacific Highway) past Carmel, Monteray and Big Sur. So glad we did...... stopped in Monteray for a drink and met a lady who is 84 years old, English born who served in our Royal Navy based in Plymouth!! She could not believe it's my home city and she was so thrilled she called her friend over to tell her. What an amazing coincidence, as she said we were destined to meet! Gave me goosebumps...



The drive itself is well worth the effort, the scenery changes so much. Up hill, down dale, sunshine, fog... and so reminiscent of home. At times, with the moorland scrub and granite outcrops, we could have been in Devon, Cornwall, the Peak District or the Lake District. Quite bizzare. However, seeing the elephant seals along the coast is spectacular! There they are lying on the beach, moulting and creating the most almighty din! They could almost be playing to the crowd, drama queens the lot of them!! Anyone travelling down the road should give the Whalewatchers Inn a miss. Vastly overpriced and the food's not that good either! And the restroom, no words can describe how truly awful it is!! To quote from the film Forrest Gump 'that's all I have to say about that'.

Must admit it's good to be on the road and tomorrow it's Long Beach and the Queen Mary for David, watch this space because the sad, shipwatcher man will be in his element!