Southern California - Days 48-53

SUNSHINE!! Happy Days! We've reached the famed surf coastline and the fog finally seems to be giving way. Found an awesome State Campground about 40miles north of Santa Barbara and our site, situated on a cliff top above the beach with 270 degree sea views, is the best yet. The sun has allowed Kim to get her bikini on and the water is warm enough to brave for longer than 5 minutes. an added bonus, was that I managed to get involved in a game of touch rugby where a fellow SAFFA was teaching a few yanks. It took him a few minutes to realise that I was a fellow countryman (had to be the deft passing skills and straight lines I was running) but when he did the 1st words to come out of his mouth were beautifully Afrikaans, "Wat die DONNER maak jy hier!!" Thanks to Mr. Marlboro Lights I lasted all of 45 minute (longer then expected actually) but, love every minute of it. The "camp Kommadant" raised the RED alarm (i.e. no campfires) and listening to the radio the following day it sounds like we managed to get out of the Santa Barbara area just in time. The wild fires due to the dry conditions, high winds and electric storms made were spreading to just about 3miles from our campsite and when we woke the next morning the car and tent were covered in ash! Time to get outta here.

It's now the 3rd of July and with Kim's birthday fast approaching (along with the Independence Day celebrations) so we decided to book into a hotel in Newport Beach. We read somewhere that they have an annual fireworks display that worthwhile and having seen a few episodes of the OC (shameful, I know!) we thought this would be a good place to celebrate. Once again we've been taken aback by the sheer size of the places we visit. Newport Beach is on a peninsula about 10km long with only one entrance and exit. forget about parking anywhere near the beach! The locals simply hire bicycles and pedal to where they want to lay down their towels. Spot the tourist trying to find parking?! Rogers and I looked liked numpties until we caught on. Newport Beach is NOT for those conscious of the their bodies! Today it was filled with college jocks flexing their pecks, loads of silicone (in 20year olds as well as 60) and all were consuming vast quantities of cheap vodka from about 12 noon - generally, just a large meat market and not really what we were looking for. We had a quick burger and moved on to Newport Yacht club where, it turned out, that the fireworks show was actually based. Preceded by a moving tribute of a Newport based soldier who was killed the day before and the national anthem the fireworks did not disappoint. Kimmy is a year older and she has finally fulfilled her wish to celebrate her 4th July birthday with the US Independence day fireworks celebration.

We've edged our way further south towards San Diego via San Clemente and Laguna beaches and we both agree that this is our favourite stretch so far. A lot more relaxed and less pretentious. We're again staying in a State Beach campsite that is a few steps away from the beach filled with surfers of all age groups and skill level. I've spent loads of time on the beach just enviously watching these guys(and girls) take to the gentle 2-3 footers (mostly on long boards) and wish that I had taken up the sport as a "lighty"......maybe we'll find some time during this holiday to both give it a go, it's not like we have to go to work or anything. We're planning 2 days in Vegas that should include a drive past the Grand Canyon before we head back to LA end of the week for our flight to Fiji....might catch those surfing lessons before we leave the US.