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Monday

The recuperative powers of a good night's sleep, hot shower and good breakfast set us up for the day.  Taking everything very easy, not rushing to get up as we don't have to, relaxing into the whole trip.

First needed to get the admin things out of the way, check the email at the hotel (Macs yay!), send some emails, use Skype to call R's folks to make sure that everything was fine back at home.

Went out to check out the first world shopping!  I've really missed world-class retail therapy which I know makes me sound really shallow but it's a favourite pastime of ours, even if we don't actually buy anything the range of shops and choice of goods is sorely missed in SA.  Shame we never realised just how much we would miss that.  So we browsed the Virgin Megastore and the Apple Store (where we found that the new iPod touch works out so cheap compared to the UK let alone SA but especially good as there is currently $2 to £1).  Sorted out buying some cheap phones to get the sim cards so we can get in touch with people in the US and send details to people back home.

R called our friend D to make plans for the evening.  We've not actually seen each other for several years since D moved to the US.  We used to be in bands together for years and it was going to be strange to see him since he settled here and has even got married.  Made arrangements for him to pick us up this evening and to go to dinner.

Hit a few more shops - Victoria's Secret but very disappointed there, just bought some basic things as nothing really grabbed me.  It has to be the first time I've been to the US and not bought some things from there, but, there's a lot of trip to go so I may find something worth purchasing later.  Visited the Disney Store (as they don't have those in SA and I have nieces and nephews - and cousins - who love the stuff) but again, nothing really grabbed me as worth buying.

Lunch at the Cheesecake Factory as we really like this place since we discovered it with some friends in Boston several years ago.  However, we simply couldn't manage to have cheesecake after the lunch - we'd forgotten how huge the portions could be compared to SA and those aren't exactly small!  We sent a text to my cousin G to tease him about it as he's passionate about cheesecake, we'd shown him the website for the restaurant and he was drooling.  Maybe we'll get him a t-shirt from here or something, though I'm not sure whether that would make him feel better or worse.

Headed back to the hotel to wash and brush up and wait for D.  He's not changed a bit and within minutes it was like we'd never been apart.  He took us to do the touristy stuff in SF - Lombard Street (the most twisty street ever - what is that about?); Coit Tower with the most amazing view (we love going to high places in the cities we visit) giving the chance to take pics of the bay, the city and Alcatraz; to the Presidio; down to the Golden Gate Bridge (amazing feat of engineering and I love bridges) - which was very cold and windy but maybe we found it more as we'd left the end of summer in SA; then crossed the bridge into Sausalito for dinner at an Indian restaurant (though nothing beats the ones in the UK).

A serious amount of catching up over dinner and we found that life isn't all fun for D.  Things are expensive for him just as they are for us in SA, life is complicated but on the whole good.  We all promised to keep in touch, email more and try to arrange to visit soon - though not sure whether that's us coming to him or him coming to us!

One more day in SF tomorrow before starting the drive down to San Diego.  To be honest, we're happy to do almost nothing at all, take in some sights, do a bit of shopping and just relax.  Put the thoughts and worries of back home on hold for a while...