While at Fisherman's Wharf visiting the Aquarium of the Bay and Marine Mammal Store and watching the antics of the sea lions, we found out that you can actually visit the Marine Mammal Centre/Hospital. We were informed that you needed to catch the number 76 bus to the Marin Headlands which only ran Sundays from a location unknown. This was a positive step forward as we'd previously been told the trip required a car. We consulted our map to discover that the headl...

Kelly's birthday this year would be that little bit different as we are on the other side of the world. Not anything glamourous but an event we couldn't go without celebrating. First things first breakfast in bed, orders taken I single-handedly set to work, commandeering half the hostel kitchen, 3 toasters (bagels, toast and fruit bread) a kettle for some tea, slipped a cold bottle of coke into my pockets (just because I liked the way it felt), added jam and mar...

City passes in hand, we headed out to make the most of the day. We rode the cable car up the steep hills from Union Square heading this time to Fishermans Wharf. Just as we reached the crest of the hill there was a grinding noise and we stopped quite precariously on the precipice of the hill. We waited expecting to move along but it didn't come, we overheard another passenger asking why the delay to be informed a truck was coming to bump us over the hill. At this...

After a long and sleepless night on the Greyhound we finally arrived in San Francisco from Los Angeles at 5.40am. Once at the hostel (only a short taxi ride away) we were invited to get some coffee and breakfast to come round a bit until we could check in at 11am which we gladly did while also sorting out our laundry (rock n roll). The first day was a bit of a write off - we caught up on some sleep, sorted the blog and photos and ordered a Chinese for tea - didn...

On Mike's birthday, 20 Feb, we flew from Texas to Los Angeles, California. Without too much fuss we made it to our hotel on Venice Beach and were initially struck by how bright and attractive the place was - can definitely see why it's called the sunshine state. The view from our hotel window was amazing (the beach was just across the car park). For the entire stay I think we were a little awe struck every time we opened or closed the blinds (we took a lot of pho...