Saturday, 23 February 2008 – San Diego rest day
Just a very brief one today.
I woke up at 4:45, just 15 minutes before the alarm was due to go off. Alain was already awake. It didn’t take long to get ready – the car keys had been put in a prominent place, so we would not spend time looking for them as usual.
Trip to the airport – quiet, uneventful. Said our goodbyes. Trip back to the hotel – uneventful.
So, better focus on tomorrow’s presentation, so got stuck in – I had only been told last week that a 1 hour instead of 30 minute presentation would be OK at Long Beach – no problem, I can do a 24 hour show if needed. So a few more pictures were selected and some added from the recent Baja trip.
Time clicked on and by 10:00 I got ready to do the car swap. I had hoped to keep the Altima but was told it needed a service and oil change, so no deal. Alain, the final reading was 6,794 miles. I had planned to pay by Maestro Debit card, but this card once again played up – worked sometimes in Chile, than not at other times – not pleased. So I settled in cash, so that I carry less money with me and (hopefully) can supplement dollars if needed from a Cash Machine at the Airport.
The new car is a Chrysler Sebring 4, more than adequate just for me. I turned down a convertible as the weather is sunny, but still not great and more rain is on the way in L.A. and I want a car that is secure rather than showy.
Although the keys to the Altima did not get lost in the morning, I had to do a complete re-pack as I could not find my credit card – essential for taking out a rental car. I was getting quite frantic as everything was unpacked, even down to my medication. I decided to give up and just take the car back and find out how to resolve the problem. Then I could not find the card that acts as key to the room – oh,no, had this got mixed up as I was repacking my stuff? Even more frantic now! Eventually, some 3 hours later, I came across …. the credit card, stuck between the pages of my note book! And the ‘key card’? Turned up in the other jacket pocket. You have been warned Cliff & Ian – I seem to lose my head if it wasn’t screwed on.
By now I was feeling knackered, decided to rebook in San Diego for another night and set off in good time first thing on a quieter Sunday morning. I found the place without problem on Google Maps and did a route plan which shows its only 101 miles – suggested driving time 1:50. I’m not due to get there until 13:00, so, easy, as long as I can find car keys etc.
Better finish, if I’m going to be brief 🙂
The Cactus Trip Diaries 