Day 5: Driving on the 17-Mile-Drive with the rental car

After falling asleep completely exhausted at 8:30 p.m. yesterday, my night ended again at 4:00 a.m. This time, however, it was not due to rowdy neighbors, but rather my admittedly still expandable sleep rhythm. Luckily, I was able to add an extra hour from 5-6. 

After enjoying breakfast at The Grant Hotel San Francisco, it was time for me to check out. It will be the only accommodation during this trip where I spend a total of 3 nights. 

The check-out process was quick and then I made my way on foot to the Alamo branch just a few blocks away. Because today is the big day: I pick up my rental car. 

A friendly lady at the reception handled my registration. She praised me for being prepared and registering online in advance. The only thing that delayed the registration was a malfunctioning printer. If there is one thing that can bring people together around the world, it's the collective rage over printers never doing what they are supposed to do. After a few minutes, it finally cooperated and I was able to pick up my car.

And here is the beauty:

A black Nissan Versa. 

Since you can only book a vehicle class and not a specific model in advance, I was pleasantly surprised as I had expected a smaller car. It has all the features I had hoped for: a large touchscreen compatible with Android Car, a functioning air conditioning system, and more than enough space. Plus nice extras like a rearview camera, lane departure warning, and speed indicators in both miles per hour and km/h.

I also think that the car deserves a name. Suggestions regarding this matter are very welcome ;)

You know it: You drive a new car for the first time and want to get used to the driving experience, preferably on a quiet route. For me, this familiarization took place in the not-so-quiet downtown area of San Francisco. But since we have already established that I am generally well-prepared, I had been attentively studying the different types of intersections and the driving behavior of San Francisco drivers in the last two days. All that preparation didn't really help me and I somehow managed to maneuver through the many intersections until I finally reached the saving grace of the highway. From there, the drive was much more relaxed for 180 km heading south. 

The first section led along the San Francisco Bay through the Silicon Valley. Then it went through a hilly forest area on a winding road before I drove through endless farming areas on the edge of the Pacific Ocean and finally reached my destination for today, the city of Monterey.

An Indian woman and a German meet at an American hotel reception. What sounds like the beginning of a bad joke describes my check-in experience at today's hotel quite well. I would describe my English as quite good. However, the obviously Indian woman at the reception did not speak this language at all and it took a long time to finally complete the check-in process and receive the room keys. Since I had to wait for my room to be ready, I made a short detour to the nearby outdoor mall and added some variety to my eating habits with a burrito at Chipotle.

Afterwards, I was finally able to check into my room. In addition to the obligatory ironing board and iron, there is also a coffee machine, a microwave, and a refrigerator this time.

Now I could finally embark on the main activity of today: driving on the 17-Mile-Drive. It is a, as the name suggests, 17-mile circular route along the Monterey Peninsula. The first part leads along beautiful expansive beaches. Then it passes rugged and rocky coastal sections through dense Monterey cypress forests (the tree species was named after the city). In these forests, one luxury villa follows the next, and it is one of the most expensive residential areas in all of California. Every few hundred meters, there are different viewpoints with many parking options where I stopped almost every time. In addition, there are a total of 6 golf courses along the 17-Mile-Drive. That's 0.35 golf courses per mile! The most famous one is the Pebble Beach Golf Course, where the US Open, the most important golf tournament in the world, is held every few years.

The drive left me speechless. You really want to stop and take photos at every point, it's just beautiful wherever you look. But now finally the pictures:

After this by far the most beautiful car ride of my life, the journey continued just as beautifully. I went to refuel. In America, you usually pay directly at the fuel pump. However, German credit cards are often not accepted at the pump. This was also the case for me. So, I had to request a certain amount (50$) to be authorized by the attendant and then use it to refuel. If you don't use the full amount, the excess money will be automatically refunded. 

To end the day, I went shopping at The Home Depot. One noticeable thing: American shopping carts only have the two front wheels movable in all directions, while the two rear wheels are fixed. This leads to a significant limitation of maneuverability. So, if you ever come to the USA and don't want to miss out on this convenience while shopping, make sure to bring your own shopping cart!

That's it for today's report, it got quite long. I hope you still enjoyed it, and tomorrow, the journey continues.

Leart