USA: Part 2

I'm still looking for a catchphrase if anyone can suggest anything! 'Hello readers' is getting a bit overused! I'll put some thought into it.

Last time, I left you just after I had flown from Washington DC, via Las Vegas (that was a cool 5 hours), to Portland, Oregon, where Zach lives. We stayed with his family for a while which was ideal, particularly because his Mum's cooking and baking were to DIE for, and Zach showed me around a bit.

After taking a couple of days to settle down we met up with a few of Zach's friends for an event called the Street Dance, which, surprise surprise, is where we danced in the street. Everyone was drinking and jigging around to live music and eating hotdogs and nachos. It was a really fun night.

Oregon is very green and very mountainous giving us loads of treks to trek and views to view. Zach drove me to Multonomah Falls, which was soooo tall. There was a bridge you could stand on a little way up but Zach had planned to trek through the forest to the top. However, a couple of months ago some stupid teenager thought it would be a good idea to set off a firework in the middle of a wooded area and as a result half of the national park burnt down, so most of the paths were closed so that the nature could heal. Luckily, I was very satisfied seeing the waterfall from down below anyway.

Zach was most excited to take me hiking to Munra Point, from which you can see the gorge along with it's beautiful views of Oregon. Unfortunately, for the same reason, the trail was closed, leaving us with not a lot to do. So after heading home disappointed, we decided we would drive up to Mount Hood for sunset, and that definitely turned my day around. Mount Hood looks stunning from afar and watching the setting sun bounce off the snow from up-close was even better.

Then, we decided to road trip down to San Francisco to stay with Zach's sister. My first road trip! I must say there was far too much McDonald's and far too little showering involved. Our first stop was Yaquina Beach. It's known for it's lighthouse and the sound the pebbles make when the waves rush over them- it's like an applause. We spent a good couple of hours sat listening, chatting and watching the sea lions. 

Our first night was rather unsuccessful. After being turned away from multiple campsites we resorted to setting up camp in a Fred Meyer's car park in the back of Zach's car. We converted the trunk and the back seats into a bed and shoved all our things in the foot wells. I woke up with neck ache but I think we made the most of a bad situation, even if we did look like we were on the run from the police. Our second night was much more pleasant. I made a few calls to a few various campsites while Zach was driving so we could check availability and avoid hassle that evening and luckily, a campsite called Antlers, right next to Shasta Lake, had one space left for us. 

Shasta Lake was absolutely beautiful. We went swimming with our popsicle floatie as soon as we had set up camp, and then we headed to the pool for some evening sunbathing. It was such a nice day and aaaaalmost worth the $35 we paid.

The day after we travelled the rest of the way to Zach's sister's apartment. She took us out for dinner and a wander before we watched an episode of Planet Earth, and David Attenborough's voice was a lovely slice of home. The day after we drove into San Francisco. I didn't think I would ever experience roads worse than Bangkok, but I'm telling you, San Francisco roads came close. But rather than ignoring road markings, street signs, and being generally clueless, Californian drivers are just totally reckless. They'd do anything, no matter how dangerous, if it meant they'd get to their destination quicker. I understand that if you're not a little bit selfish on those roads then you would end up lagging behind a tad, but 'a little bit selfish' clearly doesn't cut it with these people. Zach regretted driving until we were told that there had been 3 murders on the metro that week, then suddenly it was all worth it. It was still a shocking thing to hear!

There's a few 2 hour parking zones in the city centre, but Zach's sister told us of a lovely free car park right by the Golden Gate Bridge, called Crissy Field. We intended on having a beach day but the coastal breeze made it so cold! I instantly wished I had worn jeans. We walked along the beach, shivering, all the way to the Bridge, and it's just as magnificent in real life as it looks in photos. The top of the bridge was immersed in clouds but it cleared up later that day. It really lived up to expectations.

The day after, we parked up in the same place and walked to the centre of San Fran. We walked along Fillmore, a street of gorgeous designer shops and independent cafes, and it made me realise that I should travel with girls more! I was desperate to go shopping but I didn't want to leave Zach looking like a lost puppy in the corner of a clothes store. There were Jazz references everywhere, so I presumed it's a very lively, musical part of the city. Then, we made it to the Painted Ladies, an aesthetic row of beautiful houses, all different colours. All of the houses in San Fran were very individual and colourful. The walking was very strenuous as the streets are all super uphill. No wonder I hardly saw any fat people! So if you ever go, wear suitable shoes... I really regretted my choice of footwear!

When we finally called it a day, we began driving back up North until it got dark, as my flight home was fast approaching. Just before nightfall we found a cute little campsite in the forest to set up camp. We got a good night sleep before embarking on our 7 hour drive back. I was so impressed Zach managed to stay awake the whole time, well done to him!

The day after I flew home to England, and here I am! It's very weird not being with Zach for the first time in a month and a half, but I'll be back to visit in no time! It wasn't all fun and games though... someone can really get on your nerves when you spend 24 hours of every day with them! Somehow, we still liked each other by the end of our travels, and that's how I know I've made a friend for life. Miss you already, Zach!

It's been a wild ride, and yes, I ended up coming home in lots of debt and a lot earlier than expected, which is a shame (especially because now I have to get a real job *cue crying*), but I've returned with a huge smile on my face and that's enough for me.

Also, I've spent the last week not only catching up on Love Island but also making my USA travel video! You can catch it on my Facebook page- link on my home page!

Until next time,

Lizzy x