#Cali2013 - The Video

This 9-minute video is the best representation of just how fantastic our trip was. In a way, it's also an ad for doing a California road trip, which I cannot recommend enough!

Thanks to dC for shooting* & producing this. Also, for putting up a good fight to buy a GoPro before we went away. It was worth it.

*Some is shot with a regular digital camera (most often by me)

The Rock

While we did visit the incredible Alcatraz Island - aka The Rock - in San Francisco a few weeks ago, that's not what I'm talking about.

I'm talking about that other little thing that happened during our Cali vacation - our engagement :)

It happened in the middle of the trip; the evening after we left San Francisco and had spent the day driving down the Pacific Coast.

The story is quite humourous, when I look back at it. A little less so at the time since we bickered quite a lot that day. Small stupid things.

I was cold so wanted the top of the convertible up.

He wanted to take a break & have me drive even though I was nervous about it.

I wanted him to slow down because those windy rounds should not be 55MPH!

Where should we stop to eat?

How far should we drive before we stop for the night?

Finally he started freaking out about missing the sunset. I couldn't understand why he had his panties in a knot over something we had never even talked about doing. Sure sunsets are great, but we were going to see five more of them, no big deal. Apparently, it was very much a big deal.

Right as the sun was dipping below the horizon & into the ocean, dC pulls over at a small vista. At this point, I'm getting really nervous about us being stuck on this windy, cliff road in the dark.

dC: "OK let's take pictures here."

dK: "I've taken lots of pictures, I'm going to stay in the car."

dC: "C'mon, just get out. Last stop."

dK: "Seriously, I'm cold and tired and have taken more than enough pictures. You can do what you want but I'll wait in the car.

dC: "Just get out of the car!!!"

dK: "FINE!"

We took a couple of pictures and then he started saying really nice things, which almost annoyed me even more because he'd already spent most of the day being snippy with me.

Then he started going down on one knee and I more or less blanked out out of pure shock & surprise.

Some of the first things I remember saying were:

"OMG what are you doing?!?!"

"Are you seriously right now?!?!"

Only after that did the 'yes' come :)

First picture post-engagement :)

#Cali2013 - San Diego

Check out Part 1, Part 2 & Part 3 first!

Our last stop was San Diego - another great city! By this point, we were ready to chill out a little bit after a long week of touristing, driving and all kinds of excitement. San Diego was the perfect place for this with its crazy cool laidback vibe.

Before getting into the city, we stopped in La Jolla to see the sights & views. Amazing the decision as we got a lot of great pictures here & waded in the water.

So many sea lions & so close up!

Enjoying the weather & water :)

I'm loving life right now

#teamdCdK #Cali2013... our hashtags :)

In San Diego we couldn't not hit up the zoo, obviously!

I had never seen Koalas this close up - adorable!

We ran into the funniest giraffe in the world LOL

Silly :)

Also saw my first up-close Panda - super cute!

Another fave of ours - went to a baseball game & watched gorgeous fireworks!

[SD] Padres vs [LA] Dodgers!  We were Padres fans for the night & were actually the minority...

There's nothing like a good ball game :)

If you don't already know...fireworks are my favourite thing!

Other than that, we enjoy the day & nightlife that San Diego had to offer :)

Had a lot of fun bar-hopping in the Gaslamp District!

And then, very sadly, our trip came to an end...as with all great things :(

Everything about this trip was incredible and I highly recommend California as a destination, especially if you have the time to drive through and see more than just one place.

We are most certainly going back since we have more to see as well!

#Cali2013 - Los Angeles

Check out Part 1 & Part 2 first!

Los Angeles was a last minute decision for us. We knew we would be driving somewhere through LA but weren't planning on really stopping there at all. It was never a priority of ours and from what I've heard about its craziness, we figured we'd just drive through and check out the beaches to the south.

A few days before we left, we figure why the hell not?! It's unlikely we'll go back to LA any time soon so we may as well see it!

We drove in through Malibu and stopped at Santa Monica Pier. While there, we rented bikes and rode down through Venice Beach and to Venice Pier. Beautiful beaches! Not to mention all those beach homes!

Santa Monica Beach - finally some beach weather!

Santa Monica Pier

Venice Beach - action shot taken while we were riding bikes

After hanging out on the beach, we headed into the city to our hotel in West Hollywood. We changed & headed out to Hollywood to check out the famous sites...with the slight possibility of star gazing... 

Driving through LA

Sunset Blvd

Chinese Theatre

The following morning we were continuing out drive down the SoCal coast but not before we enjoyed the amazing rooftop patio of our hotel!!!

The amazing rooftop

After missing the Hollywood sign the previous night (apparently it's not lit up), we got a glimpse on our way out of the city!

I talk about the final leg of our trip tmrw!

#Cali2013 - Pacific Coast Drive

Check out Part 1 first!

Although we did the Coastal Highway all the way from San Francisco to San Diego, I consider the main drive to be that first day we left San Fran up until passing Big Sur.

The drive is incredible and I couldn't possibly take pictures of absolutely everything - you need to see it for yourself.

It was insane driving next to the Pacific Ocean the entire day and realizing that what you're seeing is such a small, small part of this ginormous body of water.

Surreal & breathtaking - hopefully these do it a little bit of justice...

Day 4 - Our ride...Mustang, baby!

Day 4 - The first beach we saw

Day 4 - Pacific Coast

  

Day 4 = <3 td="">

Day 4 - Pacific Coast

Day 4 - Pacific Coast

Day 4 - Pacific Coast

Day 4 - Pacific Coast

Day 4 - Pacific Coast

Day 4 - Pacific Coast Sunset

Day 4 - Pacific Coast Sunset

Day 4 - Pacific Coast Sunset

We definitely finished this day on [very] high note right around the time of this sunset picture...more to come on that though ;)

#Cali2013 - San Francisco

Finally, the pictures have been sorted!

Our 8-day trip started with 3 days in San Francisco. Looking back now that we've done the entire trip, San Francisco was definitely my favourite!!!

I definitely think that there's a lot more to see in San Fran that we didn't have time for, as well as heading north to Sonoma & Napa Valley to enjoy their wine.

I've tried to pick the most key pictures but these barely scratch the surface of how incredible it was!

Day 1 - Enjoying the SF harbourfront

Day 1 + 2 - Spent so much time walking around here, trying the seafood & admiring the harbourfront

Day 2 - Lombard Street, the windiest road in the world

Day 1 - Coit Tower at Night

  

Day 2 - Yay cable cars! $6 and a 45-minute wait later, it was so worth it :)
PS: The cable car wasn't moving here, I'm not brave enough for that haha

Day 2 - Reunited with one of my best friends from university, who now works/lives in Sonoma

Day 2 - Our favourite day in San Fran

Day 2 - Biking to the Golden Gate Bridge...incredible!

Day 2 - Enjoyed the Ghirardelli Chocolate & Wine Festival

Day 3 - Art in Union Square

Day 3 - Hanging out around Telegraph Hill & Coit Tower...amaz

ing views!

Day 3 - Hanging out around Telegraph Hill & Coit Tower

Day 3 - Hanging out around Telegraph Hill & Coit Tower...ama\ing views!

Day 3 - The sea lions at Pier 39!

Day 3 - Alcatraz Tour (so fun!)