First full day in San Fran today and it was great. We went to the hotel for breakfast and then headed out to jump on the big bus city tour which even the kids loved. We went around the civic area- lots of homless beggers , one of which threw a hanful of food at us as we passed , so he mustn't be starving! We passed through hippy street where you can legal smoke weed as long as you nip to the corner shop doctors and say you are depressed! We passed Jimmy Hendrix's...

Off to union square, passing Roxannes cafe and Peters place - all we need is a butchers burgers and will have seen all the siblings on the first day. Went to "lefty o'douls " Irish diner for Guiness and soup and chilli. A guy entered with a bag of tins , refused to leave and started getting aggressive. The manager phoned the police as he thought he had a knife - two mins later 5 heavily armed police arrived and arrested him- welcome to San Fran! You couldn't wr...

Left early from Newcastle to travel to San Fran. First time the kids have gone business class and they loved it . Great flight , arriving 40 mins late at 2.40 pm local ( 8 hours behind uk). Checked into hotel fairmont which is amazing and in a great spot. Got two complimentary upgrades, with us getting a sitting area and the kids getting a suite with two private king size bedrooms, happy days. Joined the fairmont club to get free wifi access for us all and free...