Contiki Revealed

Once in a while I will catch myself remembering back to my first Contiki Tour, New Year San Francisco. My first experience with Contiki and it was a memoriable one. What a great way to spend New Years - with Contiki and New friends.

December 29, 2010

Our group of six the pre-departure group that we all met the first night when we went down to the lobby for the pre departure meeting. After learning our tour manager was not going to show up so we all went out for a drink. First stopped was a little place called The Hot Spot which was not really Hot.

Later I learned when I got home that we there on the wrong night.

After Rob downed a beer, we set out to find another pub and we found a great place called, Smugglers Cove. this is the place you must go to if ever in the San Francisco area.

The six of us only had one drink and spent the rest of the evening just chating away. Not sure how long it was but we figured we better leave as the place was getting busier and we were taking up seats.

Earlier that day when i arrived in San Francisco Brooke and i met in the hotel lobby and went shopping and had a late lunch or early dinner, which ever you want to call it at a great little Thai place.

December 30, 2010

First day was a great day, got onto the bus and the driver (Richard) took us all over the place, first we walked across the golden gate bridge and Richard met us on the other side. then we toured Marin County, then went to San Francisco's "Central Park".

Monte started playing Full House Theme song as we were driving up to the seven famous houses. The driver even stopped and let us get out to take a picture, That was a beauty to see, being a fan of full house and all.

Then near the end we went up to Twin Peaks, it was a beautiful sunny clear day which made it perfect to see the entire city from that high up.

Afterwards we went to Little Italy and had this great pizza, almost as good as if you were in Italy. Monte went to go pick up our transit 3 day pass while we all ate. 

Then everyone went their own way, walked along Fishermans Wharf with, Corey, Rob, Brooke. Got to see the Sea Lions at Pier 31. It was tough to watch the sailboats on San Francisco Bay.
We decided to get on the Bus to take us back to the Hotel, well that was a good idea at Rush hour, in about 10 minutes we moved not even a block. the bus driver even had to get out as she was getting mad and had to tell the passengers in the back to move away from the door. She was not happy. So we decided to get off and walk the rest.
Well Brooke and I were standing up a lady was pushing us so she could get to our seat. people in san francisco not that kind. Brooke was getting mad because the lady was pushing us further away from the door so we missed our one stop that we wanted to get off due to the volume on the bus.

It was an experience to have in the City of San Francisco.

December 31, 2010

New Years Eve Day started as early as 7am at Alcatraz which took approximately two hours because Brooke and I stopped at the beginning to watch the video, history of Alcatraz.
Then got the audio tour which I recommend doing that way you are not just walking around not knowing what you’re looking at.

By 11am Brooke and I got back on the boat to the mainland as we had to be at the Bike and Roll for the Bike Tour. That was very fun and a lot of work, climbing those hills and riding across the Golden Gate Bridge with the wind. Rob and Mandie rode the bikes back to Bike and Roll but the rest of the group took the Ferry back.

Monte wanted everyone to go to Buena Vista Café for the best Irish Coffee in San Francisco. But it was 4pm and we had to get ready for that FUN evening aboard the Dinner Cruise, so Cameron and I took a taxi back to the Hotel.

That was fun, how fast the Taxi’s went down and up those hills, Fun!

I never danced so much, whenever I sat down to rest either Monte (Tour Manager) or Rob would grab my hand and drag me back to the dance floor.

Around Midnight, I watched the fireworks from the top level of the cruise with Rob and to this day I still do not know how I ended upstairs. The rest of the Contiki group was right outside by the door.

Walking back to the hotel I had Rob’s arm and at some points I had Monte’s and Rob’s arm… Monte would walk by and im oh just what I need and I grabbed his arm, lol! Back at the Hotel we were all hanging out in the hallway, as I stood up the Weed smell from the other hotel rooms were making me sick. After standing up I ended up in Corey’s arm just resting…. Until Rob took me and walked me back to my room.

January 1, 2011

Morning after… I should have stayed in bed instead of getting up, I drank so much water that day. Monte took us to a nice restaurant for a nice breakfast. Rest of the group went to China town and I stayed in bed sleeping. I was worn out. But I did go out and walked City of San Francisco and found out where I had to go the next morning.

January 2, 2011

5-6am got in the taxi and took me to Amtrak… Driving the coast of California, a beauty to see. And then the bus stopped in Santa Barbara and got onto the Train to Van Huys. Train was delayed a little due to a tree branch on the track. Arriving in Van Huys, there was no bus… so great and it was getting dark, not my ideal way to enter Los Angeles… So I texted anyone back home that was near a computer to find me a taxi cab number and called a cab to take me to my Hostel and good thing I did… although I got to see the FWY backed up at rush hour, it did not last long.