Fine - sunny - warm - still.
A nice hotel, long corridors, good service.
Drive 45 minutes to Solvang for 1 and a quarter hours. Quaint Danish town. Toured Mission - interesting, and looked at shops.
Interesting drive through Santa Barbara - so clean and tidy, everything looked so nice, lots of trees. Stopped at Mission and on beach. Would love to go back. Too expensive to live though.
Lunch at Oxnard at Lobster Trap was OK.
Drive through Malibu and Santa Monica to Ambassador Hotel where Bobby Kennedy killed.
Jim (tour driver) took three of us out to Anaheim then we got taxi to hotel.
Best Western Buena Park (8 nights)
2 days Unlimited Passes to Disneyland
1 day Unlimited Pass to Knotts Berry Farm
Saturday 31 December 1983
Friday 30 December 1983
Monterey - San Simeon - Santa Maria - Friday 30 December 1983
Overcast - clearing - mild. Rain as we left.
Nice US breakfast - pouring as we left. Tiring bus trip inland as Big Sur road closed.
Lunch near Hearst Castle - very nice. Hearst Castle is impossible to describe - has to be seen to be believed - would love more time there. Tour 1 very good - an incredible place.
Interesting journey through to Santa Maria Inn. A lovely place. I had swim in pool and spa, walked to local shopping centre. Huge but excellent dinner at the inn. Excellent service - steaks nearly 2" thick.
A tiring but interesting day.
Nice US breakfast - pouring as we left. Tiring bus trip inland as Big Sur road closed.
Lunch near Hearst Castle - very nice. Hearst Castle is impossible to describe - has to be seen to be believed - would love more time there. Tour 1 very good - an incredible place.
Interesting journey through to Santa Maria Inn. A lovely place. I had swim in pool and spa, walked to local shopping centre. Huge but excellent dinner at the inn. Excellent service - steaks nearly 2" thick.
A tiring but interesting day.
Thursday 29 December 1983
San Francisco to Monterey - Thursday 29 December 1983
Fine and pleasantly warm
Began three day Parlor Cars Tour to Los Angeles
Interesting trip down freeway out of San Francisco - nice homes with trees and ground between them. Paul Masson Winery quite interesting.
Lunch in Monterey rather rushed.
17 mile drive around peninsula to Carmel was absolutely incredible - never seen homes and scenery and golf courses like it. Homes worth millions - $100,000s just for the land. The mind boggles.
Carmel a brief but interesting stop, also expensive homes though many only look like baches.
Drove some way down Big Sur and back to Casa Munras hotel in Monterey. Dark, so only took a brief walk. Had swim in heated pool. Dinner quite nice.
Began three day Parlor Cars Tour to Los Angeles
Interesting trip down freeway out of San Francisco - nice homes with trees and ground between them. Paul Masson Winery quite interesting.
Lunch in Monterey rather rushed.
17 mile drive around peninsula to Carmel was absolutely incredible - never seen homes and scenery and golf courses like it. Homes worth millions - $100,000s just for the land. The mind boggles.
Carmel a brief but interesting stop, also expensive homes though many only look like baches.
Drove some way down Big Sur and back to Casa Munras hotel in Monterey. Dark, so only took a brief walk. Had swim in heated pool. Dinner quite nice.
Wednesday 28 December 1983
San Francisco - Wednesday 28 December 1983
Fine and pleasantly mild.
Slept in, then went shopping - started at Crown Books - much cheaper. Then tried BART underground railway - really clean and tidy, no graffiti and very efficient. Took the train to the Embarcadero Centre - wow what a place - a lot of money tied up in expensive shops. Had lunch at McDonalds, then caught train back to Powell Station.
Shopped at Emporium, bought really cheap trousers and two skirts. Bought shoes at Leeds. Our feed were so sore we could hardly get back to the hotel.
George picked us up at 7pm and we went to dinner at His Lordship's across the Oakland Berkley Bridge - lovely view and meal (ended up expensive though - $70 plus $10 tip)! An enjoyable evening though, and a day of shopping bargains.
Slept in, then went shopping - started at Crown Books - much cheaper. Then tried BART underground railway - really clean and tidy, no graffiti and very efficient. Took the train to the Embarcadero Centre - wow what a place - a lot of money tied up in expensive shops. Had lunch at McDonalds, then caught train back to Powell Station.
Shopped at Emporium, bought really cheap trousers and two skirts. Bought shoes at Leeds. Our feed were so sore we could hardly get back to the hotel.
George picked us up at 7pm and we went to dinner at His Lordship's across the Oakland Berkley Bridge - lovely view and meal (ended up expensive though - $70 plus $10 tip)! An enjoyable evening though, and a day of shopping bargains.
Tuesday 27 December 1983
San Francisco - Tuesday 27 December 1983
Clearing, then quite sunny and warm.
Grayline picked us up and we went on Muir Woods/Sausalito Tour. Not bad but spoiled by some dawdlers. (Peter drove us).
Went back to depot where George Holly picked us up. He took us to see Bay Meadows Race Track in south, then very kindly took us around a mall called Tanforan - with Seears, Penneys, Emporium. A fascinating place, on different levels. Bought trousers, jersey, tablecloth, sheets. Then to another shop called Gemco, also very interesting, and bought loaf 'tin', table cloth and oven cloths, shirt. Some cheap stuff there.
Then to George's for left-over dinner - very nice. On way back to hotel he took us to see clear and beautiful night view of San Francisco lights. We could hardly walk in the hotel because of our parcels.
Grayline picked us up and we went on Muir Woods/Sausalito Tour. Not bad but spoiled by some dawdlers. (Peter drove us).
Went back to depot where George Holly picked us up. He took us to see Bay Meadows Race Track in south, then very kindly took us around a mall called Tanforan - with Seears, Penneys, Emporium. A fascinating place, on different levels. Bought trousers, jersey, tablecloth, sheets. Then to another shop called Gemco, also very interesting, and bought loaf 'tin', table cloth and oven cloths, shirt. Some cheap stuff there.
Then to George's for left-over dinner - very nice. On way back to hotel he took us to see clear and beautiful night view of San Francisco lights. We could hardly walk in the hotel because of our parcels.
Monday 26 December 1983
San Francisco - Boxing Day 26 December 1983
Light Drizzle in morning, rain in afternoon.
Walked to Visitors' Bureau, then back to Union Square, caught Grayline double-decker to Pier 39. Went on Alcatraz Tour ($3.50 each) which was absolutely fascinating and not a tiring walk (which they advertise it is). Then looked at Pier 39 - really interesting and attractive shops if you're in the mood to buy - we bought a kite and a Swensens icegream (very good).
Started to rain - too crowded. Cost Plus good for some things but nothing for us. Had to buy two automatic umbrellas at Fisherman's Wharf, far too wet, and crowded, because of Boxing Day. Didn't look too much at shops.
Went to Sirloin and Brew. Feet killing us. Walked around Cannery and Chirardelli Square, again dark, wet and busy. Lights very pretty. Missed Grayline bus from Pier 39 because put wrong, so got a taxi to Union Square.
Walked to Visitors' Bureau, then back to Union Square, caught Grayline double-decker to Pier 39. Went on Alcatraz Tour ($3.50 each) which was absolutely fascinating and not a tiring walk (which they advertise it is). Then looked at Pier 39 - really interesting and attractive shops if you're in the mood to buy - we bought a kite and a Swensens icegream (very good).
Started to rain - too crowded. Cost Plus good for some things but nothing for us. Had to buy two automatic umbrellas at Fisherman's Wharf, far too wet, and crowded, because of Boxing Day. Didn't look too much at shops.
Went to Sirloin and Brew. Feet killing us. Walked around Cannery and Chirardelli Square, again dark, wet and busy. Lights very pretty. Missed Grayline bus from Pier 39 because put wrong, so got a taxi to Union Square.
Sunday 25 December 1983
San Francisco - Christmas Day 25 December 1983
Weather: Foggy/mist in places - drizzle, but clear by evening.
Morning tour of San Francisco - Deluxe City Tour.
David's comments for the day:
Picked up by Grayline Bus - very interesting and not to be missed.
Christmas dinner with George Holly and family (Grayline Bus driver who invited us home, along with a Melbourne couple). A great experience. (David doesn't mention that they even had Xmas presents for us)! It was an amazing experience - A Christmas to remember!
On way back to hotel, saw Oakland Bridge, Hyatt Regency San Francisco - very impressive.
A great city to visit - great views at night with lights.
Morning tour of San Francisco - Deluxe City Tour.
David's comments for the day:
Picked up by Grayline Bus - very interesting and not to be missed.
Christmas dinner with George Holly and family (Grayline Bus driver who invited us home, along with a Melbourne couple). A great experience. (David doesn't mention that they even had Xmas presents for us)! It was an amazing experience - A Christmas to remember!
On way back to hotel, saw Oakland Bridge, Hyatt Regency San Francisco - very impressive.
A great city to visit - great views at night with lights.
Saturday 24 December 1983
San Francisco - 24 December 1983
I've found my old diary of this trip back in 1983-84, and have decided to digitise it on this blog. Obviously I was still into documenting at least some of our holidays, back in the day...
Saturday 24 December
Depart Christchurch 2pm Air New Zealand NZ 546
Arrive Auckland 3:20pm
Depart Auckland 9:45pm Pan American PA812
Arrive Honolulu 6:55am
Depart Honolulu 8:45am Pan American PA124
Arrive Los Angeles 3:21pm
Accommodation: Bedford Hotel, San Francisco (5 nights)
Saturday 24 December
Depart Christchurch 2pm Air New Zealand NZ 546
Arrive Auckland 3:20pm
Depart Auckland 9:45pm Pan American PA812
Arrive Honolulu 6:55am
Depart Honolulu 8:45am Pan American PA124
Arrive Los Angeles 3:21pm
Accommodation: Bedford Hotel, San Francisco (5 nights)
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