Day One : San Francisco

LEAVING BRISBANE

We were still packing at 5am thanks to Charlie not wanting to sleep. She'd spent her first ever night away from us at Nanny's place and I think she had it in her head that we were leaving her behind. After I showed her that we had packed all of her stuff too she finally relented. Managed to get 2 hours sleep before Bryan (Ant's Dad) drove us to the airport.

The 13 hour flight was better than expected. We got seats with extra legroom to accomodate the drop-down bassinette. I could stretch my legs out fully. Charlie was no trouble and enjoyed every minute. She slept in the bassinette and she sat in it when we ate (it was up high) and she had an overview of the whole plane and entertained everyone. She didn't cry or grizzle once and slept for around 4 hours. At 8 hours into the flight I started to get bored and count the hours down. The food was great. Breakfast arrived to distract me and then we were in LA. Got through immigration immediately because Charlie finally decided to chuck a massive tantrum and all doors were opened for us and we were escourted through lol (WTG!!). I'm going to pinch her when we fly out to ensure the same treatment :P

LA AIRPORT

LA was wierd. Everyone rushed to customs like it was a race. You power through and get herded to the right places by Hispanic officials who ask you questions and point you to the right place. You have no idea where or what is going on but you end up where you're spose to be waiting for the connecting flight to San Francisco. I thought I'd lost Ant in the loo's when our boarding call came up but he finally showed up and had been waiting in a line to buy water. Everywhere we go people are chatty and friendly. Charlie just charms everyone immediately. But the place still felt impersonal.

We catch our connecting flight to San Francisco - 1 hour 15 mins.

SAN FRANCISCO

San Francisco airport feels friendly by comparison. We find the BART (Bat Area Rapid Transport) and make our way to Civic Centre station. The journey takes us past hills covered with houses that are jammed up against each other to fill every available gap of space. There are a few really big old trees but the rest of the space is either houses or roads. Masses of concrete.

Once we get off at Civic Centre an old guy on a bike shows us how to use our BART tickets so we don't accidentally cancel them. We have to pretend to walk in and out. An old native American lady shows us where the lift is to get to street level. She's lived in this city for her whole life. The train station has a derelict feel and as we walk away from the station in the direction we think we should go, holding Charlie and towing our suitcases and stroller, it starts to get more and more derelict and I am thinking we are about to wander into a ghetto. Porn theatres and pawn shops pop up around us and there's some commotion up ahead with the Police. African Americans rap and beat box having dance offs and hanging out on corners and in front of the stores. People are sleeping on the sidewalk and the buildings have a boarded up vacant feel. I feel a little like we should get directions before we go any further :P I ask a police officer where Hotel Mayflower on Bush street is and we're told it's another 6 blocks. Great. I think we've done a loop in the wrong direction.

We keep trekking and ask for directions again after a few more blocks. The street is in sight finally... another two blocks up a massively steep incline. Someone helps me push Charlie's pram (loaded up with backpacks) the last block while I strugle to meet Ant at the top. I am so hot and red faced and we are totally trashed after the late night, no sleep a 13 hour flight a one hour flight two trains and now the final trek. We make it to the hotel finally.... expecting a seedy joint.

HOTEL MAYFLOWER

It's a classic old building with interesting fixtures and fittings. One of the oldest buildings in the Bay. The room is great for the money and great anyway. OK so the bedspreads are floral and we have an excellent view of a brick wall but it's 4 blocks from Union Square and it's CLEAN. Clean. Freshly painted. Smells good. BIG. We have a TV, microwave, fridge, 3 massive walk in wardrobes, a decent sized bathroom with shower and bath all lovely. We even get toiletries and white towels. We've never done 2 star so I wasn't expecting much, but all that's missing here is room service. Love it.

We go for a wander, grab a bite to eat at an Italian Bistro then head back to crash out at around 6pm figuring that if we sleep now we'll avoid the jetlag...