Santa Barbara

I opted for the San Francisco Bay Cruise and seeing the Golden Gate Bridge from the water was a totally different angle. It was an optional paid activity, I think it was a few dozen dollars.

The five nights of hotels were included in the tour price, and even though we changed towns most days, my luggage stayed with the coach so I barely had to think about it. Breakfast was included one morning and I sorted out the rest myself, which I got used to.

In San Francisco we wandered around Fisherman's Wharf on our own for quite a while. I paid separately for the bay cruise, and watching the Golden Gate Bridge from the water with the sea breeze made it worthwhile for me.

Day two ran from Big Sur all the way through 17-Mile Drive with one stop after another, which felt a bit packed for my pace. I stood by the Lone Cypress for a while; the wind was strong but I felt oddly calm.

The drive along the Pacific Coast Highway kept me glued to the window, with cliffs and ocean the whole way. Our stop in Santa Barbara was short, but the sun and palm trees instantly put me in a vacation mood.