Sonoma = Wow! We had an absolutely wonderful few days!

Getting the ferry across to Larkspur from San Francisco, we quite obviously stood out as the tourists and not the normal commuters that catch the ferry! As we got on, we headed straight to the rear of the ferry so that we were outside and could try and get some photos as we cruised across the bay! It soon became apparent that the place to be is inside the boat where the cross wind is unable to take you off your feet as you try and take photos from the edge!!

A very quick and breezy 30 mins and we arrive in Larkspur, and find Jackie waiting for us in the car park, who then whisked us back to her beautiful home in the lovely town of Sonoma.

After a cup of tea (we are English after all) and a freshen up, Jackie took us to a local Restaurant called Breakaway where she cooked Sasha a delicious Butter Chicken dish, and Ollie A Mahi Mahi and rice dish, before heading back to put the world right over quite a quantity of wine!! While drinking away we remembered to tell Jackie all about our first few weeks in the Country and the confusion we had over a particular road name we had seen in all the towns and city's that we had so far visited. The sign appeared to be a road name, maybe in Chinese, but possibly at the same time not a road name as it was repeated at various locations! The sign was Ped Xing. Three weeks into our journey around California we suddenly had one of those light bulb moments when we came to the realisation the the sign means Pedestrian Crossing!!!!!!

The next morning we arose late after the best sleep we have had since being on our travels! Sonoma is so so so so quiet after the busy city's of SF, Las Vegas, and LA that we must have gone into the deepest sleep!

Jackie drove us out to a quiet little Coastal town called Bodega, and a very posh fish restaurant where she again cooked us the most amazing food!!

Driving back to Sonoma and narcolepsy kicks in for Sasha after the big lunch, and an afternoon nap is needed, while Ollie and Jackie prepare the garden for the landscapers that were due to arrive.

Thursday we spent the day wondering around the town of Sonoma looking in all the quaint little shops surrounding a beautiful Plaza, ending up at the Museum that Jackie was working in, to look around the exhibition that they were hosting, which had the theme of the afterlife! Of which the Mexican artwork was particularly good.

That evening Jackie again cooked us an amazing Indian meal at a restaurant in the Plaza, that saw us all rolling out of the door, with our clothing close to bursting at the seams from the amount of food we managed to consume!!

(See Jackie, we promised you that we would tell everyone that you cooked every night for us!!!! I don't think anyone will guess otherwise!!)

The next morning Jackie dropped us off at a winery down the road while she headed off to deliver meals on wheels, where we wandered around the stunning building, window shopping at the gift shop wishing we could buy loads of the wine accessories, before deciding that we couldn't bring ourselves to sample the wine at such an early hour! We know! You are all shocked!

Then came the time to bid farewell to our little sanctuary and head on back to San Francisco. Sasha decided it was definitely time to move on, as much longer and given the chance, Jackie would definitely have kept Ollie!!

This time learning our lesson we sat inside the ferry as it whisked us back across the Bay.

Arriving at our hostel come hotel, we were most pleased to find that we have been upgraded to a private room, with ensuite, rather than the room and shared bathroom that we had booked!! Result!