Day 10: Lonely in Monterey

Bit of a bleak title but its been a very strange day. Tired and just want to crash.

Oh wait, that already happened!

The day started in odd fashion. I was so sad to leave the ranch, nervous about needing to drive, and anxious to get started.

I'm not good with goodbyes. To the ladies on the writing course, I'm sorry I didn't get to see all of you before you left yesterday.  Cass (my favourite) must have sensed I needed to do something so he invited me vegetable picking with his family. They're all so nice. We the ranch eats tonight, the big ones were Cass and the little ones were mines :S

April was also so kind and took me down to the local airport to catch a shuttle/bus. We're meeting up again when I get back to San Francisco and I can't wait. So at 11am we headed out. I caught the bus and arrived at SFO just after 2pm.

The journey was good. Really good. We went over the Golden Gate Bridge!  Through the city and into the airport.  Everyone got off on the domestic flights part, and so I chatted with the driver for the last bit.  Friendly bloke who use to live in Scott's valley.

I had a look around, got my bearings for when I need to fly home, had some sandwiches for lunch and headed out for the car hire place.

I planned to go with Hertz, but their line was literally snaking around the room!! I couldn't believe it. So I made an executive decision and went to the International line which only had a few people.

Seemed easy enough, but he was asking questions about car size that I just couldn't follow. I'm not really a car person. I think I got an ok deal. Got down to the parking lot, got told to pick a car and go.

So I did. No problem. Easy. Got out of the airport onto the 101 highway/freeway(?) and BANG! Clipped something that knocked the wing mirror off, smashing the glass.

I panicked.  I was on the freeway, not easy way to get off and if I did, where would I go? I literally clipped it, so. U hope was that the mirror had just fallen out and I could easily pop it back in. Nearly 3 hours later I arrived at the hotel/motel and found that the mirror had smashed and was hanging off.

Apart from that, no damage to the car I was pleased to says, but I was feeling stupid and embarrassed. An email conversation from April helped and a call to the International helpline (I had to go through roadside assistance in the end!) was really helpful. Spoke to a nice chap called Keenan who noted down the incident, didn't think it would be that big a deal, and said I should take it to the local office in Monterey.

So tomorrow that's what I'll do. But tonight I'll try to sleep. My room overlooks a gas station, and is on the other side of the road from appears to be a bikers garage. Like meaty Harley's. there is also a young group of lads staying just along from me who like to yell at each other.

Man I miss the ranch. So here's me signing off. Lonely in Monterey.