Just a little 5 hour drive this time and we reach South Lake Tahoe. The drive through the mountains was beautiful and the lake even more so. On the way we managed to find a Walmart rather than expensive corner shops in tiny villages, so tonight we treated ourselves to burgers, ooo it's the little things that count :) We made it to the information centre just on time to pick up a paper with camping and hiking info. So decided on the closest campground,
Campground on the Lake, site 38c. Had to look around for a while as it was hard to get a site that didn't have a million ant holes; I don't wana wake up with ants in my pants!! Great little location,
within walking distance to 3 beaches, think it even had showers (tho we were fresh from Yosemite, where we bagged free showers at housekeeping camp: you usually have to pay but there was no-one on duty.) The place was full of pine cones which we found out early on, as we tried to make our wood last two nights. Instead of going adventuring today, we just hung around the campsite and got stuck into dinner. We were full that night for a change, the garlic bread being the icing on the cake.

After not so good a night sleep and the campsite not being the cheapest, we got packed up and moved. The camp was right off a main road, and I thought the traffic would calm through the night but it didn't. In hindsight, it may have been the wind but whichever it was, we made a move. Not before we got ourselves some coffee and sat for a while stealing the wifi from the laundrette. This is when we discovered that the hostel we had booked for the next and last night of our trip, had no wifi or laundry facilities! That was the point if staying in a hostel rather than camping the last night; do washing and Skype home as we didn't know if we'd have any internet in Fiji. Frantically I get emailing to change hostel, but we can't hand around all day, so go back and get the tent packed up, and had another lovely granola breakfast. Back to wifi zone; one hostel cancelled, another one booked... That was a close call.
So today we firstly made our way to the next campground, Bayview and choose site 11. This was more our style at $15 a night, but the higher elevation did mean it might be a little colder. (We were already wearing trousers and a jumper.) Today was spent doing a little hiking and driving. We hiked to an old Scandavian home, (Volkinsholme- something like that) right on Emerald Bay, one of the most photographed places in America. It really was beautiful, the colour involved in giving it it's name. We drive a little further and found ourselves somewhere amongst huge boulders trying to get another view of the bay and having a wee seat for lunch; a granola bar and a corn on the cob. Drove on passed DL Bliss state park, Sugar Pine state park and ended up at Meeks Bay beach for a beautiful view and a wee rest. We headed back to the campsite for a hike from there to Cascade Falls, seeing Cascade Lake. Another beautiful view. Finished up our hiking kinda early, debated over going fishing (Kenny saw someone with a rod who was gona hike down a cliff to fish, so he wanted to follow; decided not) and then back to the site to get our last American campfire started, heat up our wraps a little bit (wrapped in tinfoil over the fire) and heat some water for a cuppa tea (water put into an empty coke can with the top cut off). Whilst we were eating, the campsite owner came over to take payment and for a little chat. What he told us was he chased the bears away by saying 'go away!' in a stern voice and they never came back. Seems easy enough, although we did still have to use food storage lockers. I mentioned to him that it was kinda cold tonight, and he said there was a cold front blowing in with the chance of snow... What?! And I must admit, it was soo cold. We had a roaring, MASSIVE fire (so much so that we were worried we catch the tent or surrounding ground on fire) and I was still cold. I went to bed wearing: under armour leggings(that I used to keep me warm when skiing!), pj bottoms and track suit bottoms,
Under armour top, pj top and hoodie
Hair band and wooly hat
Sleeping bag liner and sleeping bag
And we were still coat!! Between the wind keeping us awake and then my fear that when it went quiet, it was 'the calm before the storm', I think I got about 2 hours sleep. So as soon as half 7 came, we were both wide awake, we just got packed up and went. We decided to use the laundrette here, as we thought at least we know our clothes will get a good wash (the were stinking from the fire) and we'd get to sit and use the wifi. So taking a washing machine each, in it went. Now I should have know from my experience in Camrose that I'm not very good with washing machines, but no I did it again. Loaded the machine with clothes, put the washing powder in the top, and bring out the clothes to find... Washing powder soaked into a few of them :( Thankfully most of them seemed clean tho. Then onto the dryer. 10 minutes in mine were getting dry, another 10 should do. Kennys didn't feel that dry so he also went for another 10. Only this time, we were sure his weren't dry; his dryer didn't work and it was unmanned so there was no-one to sort it out for us. We'd already spent about double what we would have in a hostel on washing and wasted about 2 hours, so in Kenny got to the car huffing, with wet washing powder soaked clothes. He made that next journey seem long. So we are driving towards San Fran to Sausalito as this is were the hostel is. Though I hadn't thought to look up the address. Oops. So we'd been driving for 4 hours straight, I was rigid as bone gripping the steering wheel for dear life as we were on highways again and crossing toll bridges, with no idea where to go. So pull in at BurgerKing to use the free wifi. Thankfully we were going in the right direction. We were in a hostel in the middle of nowhere; HI Marin Headlands. It was fine for the night, but it was freezing. All we wanted was one night if warm and comfort before a night on the plane, but it wasn't to be. At least we got a decent shower, and got all out stuff properly repacked. We left as soon as we finished breakfast in the morning. Got to drive over the Golden Gate Bridge (scary times) and managed to drive around in circles three times before we got the car back to the car rental place. All safe and sound. Thank goodness I don't have to drive in America again for a very long time!!