Leaving Napa was bitter sweet. We knew we were heading towards the more populated (read polluted) part of California but it must be done.
Beautiful sunny day yet again as we headed white knuckled past San Francisco en route to the ocean once again. We decided to leave San Fran for another time. I'd love to hop on a plane from Kelowna with friends and jjust enjoh the cit as an excursion on it's own.
Got a glimpse of the Golden Gate bridge between all the loading cranes in the harbour at Oakland.
Not very satisfying however the decision had been made and we were looking forward to getting back along the wild coastline.
We rejoined the 101 at Santa Cruz and from there it was smooth sailing to our destination, Monterey.  The last part of the trip took us past acres of vegetable farms. Closer to Monterey the fertile soil gave way to sand dunes and grassland.  When we arrived in the city we were both blown away at how people friendly the place is. Not only are the people 'friendly' but there are miles of walkways, bicycle paths and most of the ocean front is public.  After settling in to our hotel we made our way to Cannery Row for lunch.  So, picture this, you are driving past quaint little tourist trap gift shops, art galleries and there, in the middle of it all, is a place called "Bubba Gump's". That was a place I had to try!   Who could resist the hundreds of ways you can make shrimp? Sure enough... it was a great choice. Both of us had healthy (read no chips) delicious meals and were able to whale watch while waiting for our food. What more could you ask for?
After lunch we took a drive to Carmel By the Sea.  Another surprise for us. We had no idea what to expect and were not disappointed. This is a sleepy town for the rich and famous (and some not so rich or famous) who want to get away from box stores and progress. The town just makes you feel relaxed. Wandering the beaches and walking through the quiet streets.  
This was where we found out that the AT&T Charity Golf Tournament was on which meant we couldn't actually walk around on the famous Pebble Beach golf course. What we did do was walk as far down the beach as possible and take pictures.  When we get home Shane will insist that I took a picture of him looking for his ball..... a thing he does often when we are golfing!
We spent two nights in this area. Our hotel was clean, quiet and cheap. I would recommend America's Best Value Stage Coach Lodge.  
We took the advice of many and spent a couple of hours in the Aquarium and were not disappointed, They do an amazing job of making you feel you are a part of the ocean. Anyone travelling with kids (all ages) should take this in!
Back on the road south we were actually surprised to find lots of wide open ranchland. Though there were many pockets of expensive beachfront homes, there was still plenty of open land.  
The road in this stretch is very rough. In many places it drops and in some places newly repaired from washouts.
Along the way to Santa Barbara we took a side trip to the Hearst Castle. Now that was an experience!  He had a dream and the money to make it happen. Stunning location, beautiful imported artwork from all over the world.... including ceilings, choir chairs, Egyptian carvings etc.
Also made a stop to view the elephant seals... thousands of them squawking and fanning themselves with sand. Could have stayed there for hours.
Now the title of this blog is wildlife comes in many forms. I'll start with the wild life at Hearst Castle during it's hay day... then the elephant seals on the beach... even the turkey vultures ever present in the skies.... but my favourite are the old ladies in high heals and tight clothes that have had way too many surgeries trying to negotiate the streets of Santa Barbara without a walker.  As I plod along in my sensible shoes I can't help but marvel at what makes a woman do that to herself. I can see a little nip and tuck but these women can no longer smile.... and why the three inch heels? It took one woman a full minute to cross the street while traffic just patiently waited.
Enough of that... Santa Barbara is beautiful. We toured the old court house, took bicycles along the waterfront, walked along State Street and the pier.... just soaked up the place. There are a lot of homeless people here which is a concern but they don't hastle you at all. In fact the locals seem to treat them with the same concern they would give thier children. 
 All in all this part of our trip has been very satisfying. We have met some delightful people.... Oh, I forgot to mention the Safeway in Pacific Grove. I swear those people were on happy pills. We went in to buy picnic food and by the time we left we had met almost the entire staff and we were all in stitches. Who else can say they had a blast at Safeway. Gotta love travelling.
So, back to the sign off... we fly to Fiji tomorrow night so the next blog may be some time coming. Don't know about internet there. Tonight we are spending with our friend YinYin in Temple City (near LA). Haven't seen her for a long time.... looking forward to a good long hug.