My friend Sarah has arrived. The route for our CA road trip has been planned. We are very excited to make the drive of a lifetime along the stretch of California State Route 1 and the exhilirating, cliff hugging Pacific Coast Highway (PCH).
Pasadena to San Diego
San Diego to Santa Barbara
Santa Barbara to Monterey
Monterey to San Francisco
San Francisco to Humboldt Redwoods State Park
Head to AAA: Free maps & brilliant travel advice!
For the “Cruisin' CA” road trip, a car was a obviously a mandatory requirement and me learning to drive it (stick shift, luckily, as I have never driven an automatic…then I realised that the gears are also on the opposite side, so I will have to retrain my body to do everything I subconsciously just do and think about it all!). But it wasn't the practical aspect of driving that initiated funny anecdotes and scary stories, it was that when I got behind the wheel of my new car (and, not just any car, a very fancy and deceptively fast car: a white Mini Cooper) I developed a new mentality and approach to driving. I became a crazed CA driver.
Extremely Early!: Setting off from San Diego for Santa Barbara
(and stopping at some beaches along the way!)
Things I discovered about crazed CA driving culture:
1. This six lane freeway just ain't big enough for all of us: there never feels like there's enough space to maintain a constant speed (of fast) on the interstate freeways, so everyone is zipping around like they're on a racing track. I actually drove on a nine lane freeway entering San Francisco from Northern CA…that was mad, there were cars everywhere!
2. Pre-LA driving: I hate using my horn; my horn won't hurry people up; oh I'm sure they'll move in a second… Post-LA driving: BBBBEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEPPPPP!!!!!!!!
3. Which is the slow lane? You overtake to overtake. You undertake to overtake. You just need to find the fastest route.
4. Is anyone going…anyone? No? Go on… Right, I'm pulling out. Now I'm gridlocked. Horn war ensues – this scenario is a daily occurrence, whether it happens to you or you see it happening. You just have to get stuck in.
5. Always remember the driving motto: It's my way or the highway!
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