Getting from Sydney to San Francisco turned out to be an enjoyable experience as I was able to meet Rytas on the flight, and squatted me way into Business Class! I just boarded the plane, found him in his seat and just started to talk with him. I met him at Ayers Rock 2 weeks earlier and when we figured out we were on the same flight, we planned to meet for a beer at the airport, but I was late (trying to sell my cell phone to a new arrival – which I was successful at!). So as all the other passengers were boarding the plane, I just kept talking to him and eventually sat down in the seat across the aisle from him. The flight attendants kept walking past us talking and didn`t really take notice and were serving me champagne and giving me the menu for business class meals. I think I was going to get to stay and when the doors closed I stashed my bags and settled in. So nice. At one point they came by with print outs of passengers and maybe they knew I didn`t belong, but no one asked me to leave and I was very polite, full of please and thank you and enjoying the flat bed to sleep for a good 10 hours. That is after many rounds of Tetris against Rytas and I kept kicking his butt, and I have to give credit to my brother for that as my brother and I used to play Tetris for hours when we were kids, so I still have some skills in that game.
I left Sydney at 4:00 pm on January 12th and arrived in San Francisco at 10:00 am on January 12th. What a long day as I started off on the beach that morning, flew all day and then once in California, I started my running around. First out to Orinda to see Jenny and Joanna Rose and each of their kids. It was my first time to meet baby Marie as she was born two months ago. So cute! Afterwards, I went to a dentist appointment and my dentist couldn`t believe I flew in from Australia to get my teeth cleaned, but it`s important and now I win the record for furthest travel for a cleaning. Off to see my dad for dinner and then met Andy for drinks all before I finally pooped out at 9:00pm. I have to say, January 12th, 2009 was the longest day ever and I packed essentially two days into one.
I had one day to do all my errands including battling the DMV. Not fun, but I needed a new drivers license since mine was stolen in the Ukraine six months earlier. It must have been my lucky day as I was able to get in to the DMV, get seen for my process, take new photos and then learn I had to take a written drivers test. What? I haven`t thought about the rules of the road in so long…but in true fashion, I passed only missing one question so I was in and out of there with the test in 25 minutes. What a record!
The rest of my day was spent shopping for clothes for Antarctica, finding something warm to wear in Tahoe and in New York as my summer clothes were not going to cut it. I don`t think I have ever been so tired from shopping, but it was exhausting, but in the end quite successful and i have to saw with the economy in the state of shock right now, I was able to find some good deals. Part of my decision process for the clothes was whats on sale and I bought sweaters based on price since I plan to leave them in South America after my trip to Antarctica so disposable clothing that was reasonable in price was my goal.
Benihana was on the list for dinner as I wanted to see my old roommate Jennie and also wanted to see Jenny Crist since she was going to miss our reunion of college friends since she would be out of town. Both Jenny and Jennie are two of my long term Benihana friends and would go anytime…so that was an easy dinner and my friend Suzanne happened to be in town for work, so we told her to join us and we got to celebrate her birthday there which was always fun. I even got to make the onion volcano for the table. Yea – little fun I have!
Wednesday, January 14th, I was off to San Francisco to get my rental car and meet Colin at the airport as we were heading north to Lake Tahoe for a few days of relaxation. After a few stops to shop him my hometown of Orinda, meet my dad for lunch (at a good Mexican place as I so miss Mexican food), we were off to drive with a few stops along the way for more shopping and such.
We finally got to Tahoe and had a little issue. We were staying at Pat`s cabin right on Donner Lake, and the keys I picked up were not opening any of the doors. Oh crap as it was 8:00pm and really cold. Not to mention I was wearing flip flops and sank into snow walking to the front door so my feet were really cold. Luckily, Pat told me of a back up plan and it worked out and we were the cabin. So two days of enjoying the cabin on the lake, exploring Tahoe and South Lake Tahoe (as Colin had never been) was the plan. We even stopped in in South Lake Tahoe to gamble a little. Colin was the winner and I was a loser. Sad but we only stayed a short while, were playing $5 tables with a single deck which I don`t like to play at when I want to win money, but this was just an hour or so of entertainment, so it`s all good.
On Saturday the 17th, we drove south to Roseville where eight of my college friends came together with husbands, boyfriends and babies to have an wonderful day at Deb`s house. So much eating, drinking and catching up (and even a few time outs for the kids that weren`t playing nice). So much fun and great to see so many friends. Thanks so much for coming together for me!
As the time in California was winding down, Colin and I continued to drive south, stopping at Vanessa and Chad`s house in Sacramento to catch up. I finally got to see and experience “WII”. Everyone talks about this video game, but I really didn`t know what it was all about until Vanessa and I played a game of tennis and she did everything she could to ace me off the court in my first game. I forgot how competitive she was, but it was fun as it forced me to learn how to play the game and I eventually was able to hold my own on the game.
Colin and continued south to San Francisco where we got to meet up with Heather for drinks and then explored the city. I took Colin to one of my favorite restaurants “The Stinking Rose”, which is all about garlic. Starting with the bagna calda which is 100 or more cloves of garlic that have been slow roasted and are so soft you spread it on bread. So good!!! The last day in San Francisco was all about showing Colin the city, riding cable cars, exploring Fisherman`s Wharf, sailing around the bay to see the Golden Gate Bridge, Alcatraz and then seeing the barking sea lions at pier 39. Final dinner in the city was with Gina, Ben and Teo. Great friends from high school and college. We headed out to my old neighborhood in the Fillmore and had a great dinner.
Flying back to New York on Tuesday, January 20th, when Barack Obama was sworn in was great, well until I heard there was two inches of snow on the ground in New York. Not happy about that as I knew I would freeze in New York. My short five days in New York would be more running around to see friends and I knew there would be little relaxing there.
One bit of excitement for me, I was able to work for a night as a mystery shopper. I finally was able to get paid to drink! What a great deal as Debbie and I headed to a lounge that I was assigned to review and had a great time drinking, catching up before we went out for Fondue. I know I have been missing cheese, but I forgot how great fondue was. Great evening.
I even stopped by Bernstein to have lunch with Claudia and then stopped in to see my old friends and co-workers which was nice to see them all. Seems like yesterday i was still there working, but crazy as I started talking to them and sharing experiences and realized how much I`ve seen in nine months since I left.
One great treat was a massage in New York as Colin gave me a gift certificate to a new trendy spa and I had to try it before I left. The big draw here was special “grottos”. There was a dry heat sauna like grotto, stream grotto and even an ice grotto to cool down in. Debbie was a great friend and came to get a massage as well as she had the day off work and we had fun trying all the grottos before and after our massage. What a nice treat!
The rest of my time in New York included dinner with a few friends that have (or plan to) meet me around the world, drinks for everyone at Verlaine. Don`t know how, but we stayed till 3 am and many, many lychee martini`s later, it made for a rough morning for me. All worth it as it was great to see so many friends and catch up. Last night in New York Colin and I were off to a nice dinner and drinks at a wine bar before stopping in at Nancy`s birthday party and seeing more friends and saying goodbye.
Can`t believe how fast two weeks in my home states can go, but it was great to see so many friends. I was able to get my Mexican food fix in, enjoy a few bagels and way too many bottles of wine and champagne. Just like old times….
Off to Argentina in a few hours to meet my dad and brother.