Hey guys Its been a few weeks now since I was in Fiji - feels like it was a life time ago with all the things I've managed to do since I arrived in California! My first stop was San Francisco and a chance to see my mum who came to visit and spoil me for a few days. We spent about ten days together, breaking up our time in SF with four days in Reno/Tahoe where I had my first taste of the casino life! Lake Tahoe is beautiful, perhaps the only place on my travels to rival New Zealand for its amazing views. The water is crystal clear and on a good day you can see the mountains around the edge of the lake. During the day we would take a walk round parts of the lake - we didn't have a car so a bit limited on how far we could go, and in the evenings we would head over the boarder from California into Nevada and be in Casino land! It must have been beginners luck but I seemed to come out on top...but when your only betting a few dollars the risk wasn't worth too much! Then a few more days in San Francisco with a lovely surprise - my brother also came to visit. His trip was unexpected and very last minute but was great to see him and catch up, the last time I saw him was February! We did all the usual tourist things in SF - Alcatraz, Cable Cars and Trams, shopping...! But all too soon I had to say goodbye and move on. I took the train from SF to Santa Barbara, which is 9 hours down the coast towards LA. Its quite a scenic journey taking you in land for a while and then you follow the coast line for the last thee hours. At the station my friend Kellie met me and she has kindly let me stay with her for the last ten days. SB is a nice place, we spent my first day out and about in the wine town of Solvang where we of course went wine tasting! Other activities have included shopping, a bachelorette party, pub quiz, poker night and of course my birthday celebrations!! Yes I have made it to the grand old age of 24! So tomorrow I move on once again to my final destination on this round the world journey - New York. But as some already know its not the end for me, just the beginning...confused? I'll explain more in my last journal entry in a few days! Keep well and I'll write more soon Love Sarah x