Sat in the cavernous common room of the funky Green Tortoise Hostel and it still feels as if we're on a movie set. It's 8.35pm here, 4.35am UK time, so we've now been up nearly 24 hours including a 10 hour flight. This will inevitably make everything seem a little surreal! our room is as crummy as we should expect for the price we've paid but the hostel itself has a great vibe and is everything we hoped for. Free beer and crab racing from 8.30pm, what more could you possibly want?

Things got off to a slightly rocky start when, on arriving at Heathrow (thanks mum and dad) were informed that we were not registered on our flight. A remarkably calm discussion with some dude later we were checked-in, but it did leave me wishing I could get more angry when stuff like that happens. In the right hands it was a free upgrade waiting to happen! Economy it was, Mellissa wasn't sick and didn't cry and I got through half of I, Partridge so pretty, pretty good.

The sunshine greeting us at SF airport brought a massive smile to our faces. Mellissa's grew even bigger when she spotted a policeman riding about on a segueway. She found this utterly hilarious! We smirked our way through the journey to our hostel, something about seeing the US for real had this effect on us. They disappeared somwehat upon reaching the city centre which seemed rundown and populated by, for want of a better word, weirdo's. I think this impression was exaggerated by fatigue and nerves though and after dumping our bags and taking a stroll past endless neon-soaked titty-bars, popping into the City Lights Bookstore and taking away some take-away Pad Thai we feel excited about exploring tomorrow. Ruddy tired now though! Free beer?......