The final post

Greetings for the last time. I had started this at the San Fran airport as we waited to board, but a wifi malfunction meant it was all lost. So I am going from memory, but I may be in a marginally better head space now to sign off.

The flight was totally booked out, so no spare seats between us. We had changed our seats so we all had spare seats in an attempt to have some form of comfort, but that dream was now over. In fact they had over sold tickets so Thel was keen to give up our tickets and take compensation. Like der she thought they would give us first class tickets or some such thing. I told her she could jam that up her Coit Tower, I had already started the process of getting my mind around 14hours and 28 minutes of hell. To be honest going back to a hotel and watching Thel go through the packing process was more than this traveller could contemplate.

The flight was diabolical, Thel took her Valium, and I think Mum was just shattered from three weeks on the Thel and Louise side show, at any rate they got some sleep. For me aaaggghhhh, let me tell you about the movies, a try hard arty farty thing that made no sense and I can’t even remember the name, The Amazing Spiderman, Men in Black 3 and What to expect when you’re expecting, bloody awful. During the trip I went visiting my companions both fast asleep, I contemplated a cigarette in the toilet and wondered what they would do to me. I was looking at the door and wondered what would happen if I opened it. I played my iPod but was worried my singing would offend. I tried reading but the bloke sitting beside me didn’t appreciate the light being on, but it was ok for his head to be on my shoulder, go figure. That poxy little plane picture told me I still had 7 hours to go, oh where is my machine gun why couldn’t that little ($@&/@ go faster! At one point Mum came to visit me and I said look the Mentalist is on, well she said see you then and that was the last I saw of her.

But somehow we made it and landed in Sydney, cleared customs without them going through my undies and headed to Brisbane. Kym provided a friendly face and a ride home. She was keen to see if Thel had arrived chill free….. I informed her that that request is ridiculous and unrealistic and Mum and I passed her over with smiles finally on our weary dials.

So our impressions on San Fran (from my blurry memory)

Mum
– smaller city than I expected
– The Stinking Rose was the best restaurant
– easy to get around
Thel
– she burbled on about already finding her hedonistic Mecca in Las Vegas ding, ding
And for me
– Californian women are very attractive
– I hope an earthquake never destroys this fantastic city
– why do Americans have orange cheese?
– I have come away with a new perception of Americans
– the east coast is very different to the west coast
– the cable car is fantastic
– Tales of the City and Michael Douglas brought me here and I was not disappointed
– do not fly United Airlines

So that’s it the end of Thelma, Louise and Mum road tripping. Special thanks to Don and Dean who provided much needed respite. Also to Mum and Thel for the itinerary and fine tuning the tour. On a personal note San Fran was on my bucket list and now I can tick it off. In years to come the three of us have these memories, the good, the bad and the ugly. It’s a bit special to be able to do what we did, eat what we did, see what we saw, experience what we experienced with three people that you have known all your life.

So thanks for your comments, I hope you enjoyed our blog.
Love Thelma, Louise and Mum

PS go Giants

Our last day

Thel and I headed to breakfast with Dean. Foodie as he is he picked Lori’s Diner just down the road from his hotel. Which is just as well cause I wasn’t up for another huge walk after Thel and I had to dispose of the leftover alcohol.

It’s just like Hppy Days, even Joanie and Chachi turned up

Breakfast was great although Carmel, our eggs benedict is actually eggs florentine here, but they sure did hit the spot. We farwelled Dean and retuned to our hotel for the horrid job of packing. We were all pretty nervous, especially Mum who after a slow start finished off strong with, are you ready for this, Levi jeans and jacket.
We had five hours to kill before our ride to the airport so off to the shops for us.
Yesterday and this morning was crappy weather and I had given up on the harbour cruise. But from nowhere came blue skies and at long last clear vision of the Golden Gate Bridge. This is a photo I prepared earlier in case the skies didn’t clear.

Needn’t have worried, here you go

On our cruise we came across more of those smelly seals, and grand view of the city.

Warning, warning, again

Yep and you thought all they had to worry about was earthquakes.

The day in San Francisco

Greetings, today was full of much excitement, a cable car ride. How fantastic, mind you have to queue and wait for them to turn it around. We took a ride to Lombard Street and checked out the view, then continued onto the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art.

We had lunch at Fishermans Wharf at the restaurant that claims to be one of the finest in San Fran, but that is so not the case. It was old and decorated in the 60’s at least and I reckon the servers have been there that long too.

Dean and Thel put on a happy face but I expect that was more about the fantastic company, you know me and Mum.
We’re counting down now our last hours in this lovely city, we had hoped to do a harbour cruise but the weather has turned horrid, so it seems beers are our best option, too bad so sad.

Dinner at Fishermans Wharf

After our day of separate activities we really needed to reconnect with Thel. After Dean had dressed her for dinner we weren’t so sure!

Had an Italian feed and went shopping again. Thel says I am not to buy another thing …… Haven’t listened to her for 29 years not gonna start now

Deans Tales of the City

Welcome Dean, guest blogger and the man who gave Mum and Lou a tantrum free day.
As I sit and write this under protest, I have been asked to reflect on my day yesterday. Thel and I watched some lounging sea mammals in their natural environment. Then we left the hotel and went to see the sea lions laying in the sun by wishermen’s wharf. Thel was photo bombed while there so we headed off to climb to the Coit tower. I was told there would be stair… There were.
The view from the top was amazing but the highlight of the trek was the flattened penny I got in the gift shop. I am a simple man with simple needs.

The trip down was much easier than the trip up and we stopped for a nice lunch in what we called Little Italy. We then checked out the Transamerican building. Yeah, it was tall. It was then time to head to where my people would be… The Castro!

Thel took me in all the wrong directions but I did manage to steer us to the center of the district after a couple beers at one of the local watering holes. There was much shopping done and a bit of historical touring as we checked out the Harvey Milk Plaza as well as his camera shop and the Lgbt historical museum. This was followed by a bit more shopping and then I took Miss Thel to see some of the locals in and out of their customary attire.

From here it was off to Nordstrom’s and then back to catch up with Lou and Mum after the usual stop at Safeway for provisions. After a few refreshments in the room we went off in search of much needed foods. We found a nice Italian restaurant and filled ourselves. A couple Flat Tire beer and a bottle red rounded out the meal.
What followed was a surprise to us all…we stopped and did some shopping!
And this was my day with Thel, Lou and Mum.
Where’s Lou – the best bomb on tour

Alcatraz

Mum and I had an interesting day sailing to Alcatraz, so you know it’s only 1.25 miles from San Francisco. That is so close that prisoners could hear noise from the city and depending on where your cell is you could see the city lights. We were very impressed with the value for money, there was a video explaining the history of the island, and an audio tour.

We heard about the escapes and attempted escapes, the prisoners, the guards and what was life was like on Alcatraz. They don’t believe that the three that got off the island every survived although some suggest they go to South America, at any rate they were never heard of again.

Mum and I played some more at the shops, don’t tell Thel she will hit the roof, the we rushed back to the hotel anxious to hear Thel and Deans tales of the city.

Up and ready to go on Thursday

Good morning, we three have only two more sleeps before we get on that horrendous plane. Flight time 14 hours 28 minutes to Sydney. We managed to pick some seats with each of us on the aisle (Thel strongly recommends the aisle and Mum and Louise have become very compliant as the weeks have rolled by) and at this stage we each have 2 seats spare beside us. Please cross all your appendages that we don’t have anyone encroaching in on our space.

Today Louise and Mum are heading off to Alcatraz. Everyone says that it is a fabulous tour so we are both very excited. Mum is paying for our big walk the other day, she is hobbling pretty badly and popping her anti inflamatories to try to relieve the pain in her right buttock. Oh I hope she doesn’t want a rub! Perhaps happy Thel will oblige if required. So I expect there will be some great photos and …….. Interesting facts.

Meanwhile Dean and Thel are heading off to Coit Tower. We have heard the the views are magnificent which is all well and good but there are 400 steps to get there. I feel really bad that I need to look after Mum and can’t join them. But you know sometimes when you go away things happen and you just have to miss out, at any rate looking after Mum really is more important than some view. Thel will have her camera and her creative flair will ensure some magnificent shots.

Hope you all have a great day.
Xxxx

Wednesday in San Fran

Well after all our walking and garlic from yesterday, today was a little more laid back. Mum and I watched Thel commence the packing process last night. Yep, very interesting how she folds and layers our purchases. At any rate we seemed to have gotten some confidence from her ability to distribute the weight, so surely that meant there was more shopping to be done ……. Surely.

Regardless Mum and I set off in search of coffee and bargains. We succeeded on both counts.

Thels’s friend Dean, from Vancouver arrived today. A boozy lunch seemed to be the order of the afternoon and evening. Of course we debated the problems of our country and it seems true that problems at home are no different to problems around the world. But what is more interesting is that despite having four giant brains around the table we just couldn’t come up with a plan to solve it all. Mind you I am not sure how hard we tried after mid afternoon.

These are three of the giant brains attending to issues at hand…. Yep I know what you’re thinking, I can’t argue.

In the end they gave up and made some lame attempt at photo bombing, this is a tough gig let me give you the drum.

Stay tuned for a synopsis of Alcatraz tomorrow.

Cheers and beers Thel, Louise and Mum xxxx and Dean

Sorry, but there is more!

With full tummies we headed off for shopping at Union Square. Louise did particularly well scoring some great bargains, she was happy, but she was unaware of what was about to happen. Louise doesn’t line up for anyone, but she figured her savings made it worthwhile, yeah right. So she gets to the checkout and this young thing who can’t even drink in America says ‘maam, how old are you?’. Well those of you nearest and dearest know that Louise can’t say the f word, so she said ‘I can’t say the f word’, well the girlie who can’t drink alcohol in America says ‘maam if you are over ….. You can get a discount of 10%’, Louise turned white and before she knew it she was getting the over …… discount. Not for one second did she celebrate the saving she was so miffed that the girlie who can’t even drink in America thought she was over the f word.
Anyway enough of that, here are some of Thels top pics from today, Pier 39, Coit Tower and downtown San Fran.

Hugs and kisses from Thel, Louise and Mum