Sea, heat, and gambling

Our adventure on four wheels is about to begin today. In the southern part of L.A., we pick up our home/vehicle from Juice company. The journey will take us from San Francisco to Las Vegas, through many national parks, and back to L.A. We have planned for 21 days. The vehicle handover is quick and the saleswoman quickly explains the various functions of the car to us. A kitchen in the trunk, with a small refrigerator and sink, is supposed to make our lives easier. Inside and on the roof, there are two sleeping areas. Everything looks clean and up to date, so we take care of the necessary paperwork and get the key to freedom. Fully packed, we start driving towards the west coast at two o'clock in the afternoon, on Route 1. First, we visit Malibu. The town stretches along the coast for a long way. Beautiful villas, which are parallel to the road, offer a spectacular view of the ocean and its activities. We don't miss a short stop at a good spot and park on the side street. We enjoy the view and take some good photos on our way to the beach. The sea is really wild and the sun is scorching from the sky, so we go back to the car, where our blessed AC awaits us. The 150-mile journey leads us through beautiful stretches of land to the small town of Lompoc. The main reason was that it was already getting dark and our first destination was a Walmart parking lot. $0, man! A real bargain!

We spend the first night in our Jucy Lucy, a bit unusual, but okay.. We leave early in the morning and find a cozy spot right on the coast where we have breakfast and enjoy the ocean breeze. The first destination is Elephant Seal Vista Point! A place teeming with elephant seals. They mostly bask in the warm sand or engage in power struggles in the sea. They communicate with each other through funny grunts. Because of a closed coastal section, we have to take a detour to the north. On the way, we amuse ourselves with squirrels and are amazed when we discover a pasture filled with zebras. The detour takes us over a mountain and suddenly we find ourselves in front of a military facility. Several jeeps, tanks, and other vehicles pass by us. We are not disturbed and cook our dinner on the side of the road. Through a security check and further on winding roads, our route leads us through forests up the pass. We go back to the coast through several sections. From the top, a steep road leads down the mountain to Route 1. Camping sites are very scarce in this area, and on top of that, the Americans are celebrating their 4th of July holiday week. When it's already getting dark, a camping host gives us a good tip nearby. A big campground right next to a racecourse. So we drive there and find a great spot on a hill where we can still observe the last activities of the sun.

We are woken up in the early morning by the roaring engines of the race cars on the racetrack. We watch the race from a distance and sip coffee until it's time to hit the road again. Today we're heading to San Francisco. We still explore the surroundings of Carmel and Monterey, where small crazy hobbit houses make this place special. The weirdest buildings are here and no house is the same as the other. We drive a long way north until we settle into our Airbnb a bit outside the city. A friendly older gentleman named Tod greets us warmly and invites us in. We still watch the sunset on the coast and look forward to our first glimpses of the Golden Gate Bridge.

The next morning, we have to get up early because it's our only day for the city. We take the subway for about an hour until we resurface in the heart of the metropolis. Our first stop is the famous cable cars of San Francisco. Many tourists are already queuing up in the morning and we wait for over an hour until we also have our golden ticket for the ride in our hands. We hold on tight to the outer poles and off we go. Our ride goes steeply uphill and downhill until we reach the harbor and the piers. We stroll around and let the hot sun shine on us and cool down with the breeze. Equipped with bicycles, we head to the Golden Gate Bridge, which we cross completely by bike. The wind is quite strong and we have to pedal hard. The city has a lot of charm and we really enjoy the day, which we celebrate once again in Tod's hot tub in the evening.

Time is running out and our next destination is Yosemite National Park, known for its stunning nature and rock formations. We are amazed by the incredible power that is revealed to us. Mountains, forests with giant sequoias, streams, and waterfalls accompany us into the heart of the park, from where we can do various hikes. We stroll through nature at a leisurely pace and can't stop marveling. In the late afternoon, we have to leave because we have to find a suitable place for our night camp and the national park is fully booked. But we quickly find a cozy spot and rest there until the next morning.

Our journey continues, my personal highlight is coming up: Vegas! We decide to take the long route through Death Valley. Armed with two full water canisters and the AC turned up high, we set off. Welcome to the desert! The air is brutal, the wind feels like a hot hairdryer blowing in your face. We only get out for a few quick stops and then quickly run back to the car. Apart from sand and rock formations, there's not much else to see, so we head to Las Vegas. We are warmly welcomed by a swarm of locusts crashing into our windshield. The traffic is jammed on the outskirts of the city, so we don't arrive at our hotel until the evening. The desert dust is washed off and we look like humans again. So we dive into the crazy nightlife of Vegas. We walk along the strip and can't stop marveling. Everything is flashing and sparkling, the hotels glitter in all their splendor, and we are right in the middle of it. We watch the show in front of the Bellagio and visit Caesar's Palace. A lot of money is flowing, as can be seen from the design of the buildings. Huge statues, finely decorated columns, and whole gardens can be found in the casinos. We gamble a few rounds of blackjack and roulette before going to bed. The next day, we realize once again that we are in the desert, as the sun mercilessly shines from the sky. We make ourselves comfortable by the hotel pool and wait for the evening. Before the sun kisses the horizon, we make our way to the Stratosphere, the highest viewpoint in Las Vegas. We pretend to go to the bar on the tower and save ourselves the $40 admission fee. The elevator shoots up extremely quickly. From the observation deck, we have a fantastic panoramic view of the crazy city and we experience a beautiful sunset with a cool bottle of Corona. It's a dream come true. But I can't resist and my fingers are itching for my favorite activity in Vegas: gambling. Until three o'clock in the morning, we pass the time with virtual horse racing, Game of Thrones slot machines, blackjack, and roulette. Unfortunately, we didn't hit the jackpot. Despite the lack of a windfall, we really enjoyed our time in Vegas and I will definitely not have been there for the last time.

Best regards

A+L