It's time to wake up, San Francisco!

I understand it has been quite a while since my last blog update, but I was hoping I would be able to get some photos online by now. Alas I have not been able to, so I thought I should tell you about my trip to the Bay area, before I go on my next trip (this coming weekend to San Onofre).

San Francisco was everything I was hoping for and much, much more. Of all the cities I've visited so far, it was clearly my favourite. We stayed with my host Mum's father and stepmother and went into the city the first day we were there. Unfortunately I was still suffering the post Cornerstone Cold, but I made the most of my time. As we went under the montain through the tunnel that separates the suburbs from the city the temperature dropped about half a million degrees. Well, maybe not quite, but Mark Twain wasn't kidding when he said, "Never have I spent a colder winter than a summer in San Francisco."

We drove down Lombard Street, which it turns out is not the windiest street in the world, but is far prettier than the street that is. Saw alcatraz from the bottom of the winding stretch of road. We went to some very pretty archetecture place that had a science centre that we didn't go into. It was cool. As we continued to drive, hoping to see the Golden Gate, we were outdone by the 'Frisco fog, and the bridge was not visible at all. We took a drive through chinatown and then to the Transamerica pyramid before lunch downtown. Then we headed to a bush walking track, that was nice, but the kids could only go so far before we turned around and went home.

Saturday I didn't see much during the day, but on Saturday night we went to Oakland, to the not rough and tough region where some old friends were and we had dinner with them. It was nice to see the part of Oakland that you never hear about. You'd never believe that a few suburbs over drug deals and gang violence ran riot.

Sunday was my day off and I went into the city and explored. I went on the cable cars, the street car, met some New Zealanders, went to chinatown, then to the farmer's market, pier 39, saw coit tower and the pyramid again, and took a boat tour underneath the Golden Gate (yes I was singing the Full House theme song) and around Alcatraz. My tacky souveneir ended up being a grey hoodie that says, "Property of Alcatraz Psycho Ward. For Outpatient Use Only."

On Monday we went to the Oakland zoo and then headed home.

Since then I have not been up to much, but tomorrow is my last day of college and my education component will be done. Hooray. This weekend I'm going with church college group to San Onofre for a weekend of beach fun.

I promise I will post photos as soon I can get them on the computer.

So until next time, "Wake Up, San Francisco!"

My Pillow Person is a Sophisticated Companion

20 hours in the Mustard Mobile. 11 strangers. 8 days paid vacation. 6 and a half hours on a plane. 2 hours in the ticket line. 0 showers. 1 amazing week.

Cornerstone - the filthiest fun a person can have.

I can scarcely begin to describe the joy that comes from the realisation of a long - term dream to visit the greatest music festival on the planet. There's so much that goes on that you simply can't put into words. There isn't a single shred of disappointment in me and I would do it all over again in a heartbeat (as I plan to do as soon as is possible).

I can't list every band I saw, but here's a rough idea: psalters, neocracy, war of ages, august burns red, as cities burn, becoming the archetype, showbread, inhale exhale, the showdown, flatfoot 56, FBS, the filthy 42s, the scurvies, ilia, sunday morning headbangers (don't ask me why, I was just following the crowd), bride, disciple, mewithoutyou, anberlin, skillet, emery, norma jean, the devil wears prada and underoath. Relient K's bus ignited and Kids in the Way broke up, otherwise they'd be on the list also.

All my rocking new 'stoner friends get a mention for being uber cool: Mary - Cornerstone's greatest cook, Photographer Phil, James with the voice for cartoons, Colby - Colorado's only Jewish oompa loompa out of captivity, Randy (Tex, Mack, David, Hector...) man of a million names, Travis - who never quite got thrown in the lake, Terry the Jedi and greatest marshmallow toaster, Katie "WHAT?! Oh well...", Rachel "Tiph, you know everything. Shut up", Straight edge Tsymen - we get each other cos our names both start with T, Paco - destroyer of hammocks and bestest punk rocking music advisor, and last, but absolutely never least: pimp of the program and demander of time, lording over the camp from his elevated hammock - Relient Kelvin.

Never in wildest dreams could I have imagined having such fun outside of Australia, but there you have it. I guess the only thing left to do is say, "NO!!" and go and bite into a cow.