Surprise! I'm home!!

Another long haul flight, and I touched down in Melbourne this morning! Andrea was there to pick me up at the airport, and drive me home to the 'Rat, to arrive on the family doorstep - SURPRISE!! Hee, hee! Mum was so stunned and shocked she barely let me in! Reckons she didn't know who it was, and I was the last person she expected ringing the doorbell!!

I have come home to be here for Katie's 21st next weekend - with my presence being her present!! Most expensive gift I'll be giving anyone in a while!!

Has been funny seeing and hearing each sister's reaction. Quite a surprise - I managed to keep this secret completely!! Is going to be so cool hanging out with them for the week and a bit that I am back for.

So back in gorgeous California (although not actually as hot as London had been the day before - bit of a oddity), after catching up on my sleep, Nicole and I hung out in the city on Thursday. Nicole being such a great hostess on previous visits, I have seen most of the sights of the city, so we revisited a couple of favs, and soaked up the sun for the day.

Went to take the obligatory snap of the Golden Gate Bridge - and had to time it between thick gusts of fog and the tiny windows of time where you could actually see the bridge. It's so bizarre. All around the bridge was heavy, thick fog, and it was windy and freezing - and yet the day everywhere else was gorgeous and warm and sunny. So strange!


Golden Gate Bridge, in the fog, from the headlands on the Marin side of the Bay
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We then headed into the city to wander around Pier 39, and along past Fisherman's Wharf. Enjoying the tastes of the city, we stopped and had the yummy Clam Chowder in a Bread Bowl at Boudin Bakery, and then a to-die-for Hot Fudge Sundae at Ghirardelli's at Ghirardelli Square. Mmmmmmmm!

This photo is Lombard Street, where the cars are traveling down in single zigzag file at the top.

(More photos.)

So from sunny, and yet foggy San Fran where I got a little sunburnt, to rainy and bitterly freezing Ballarat! Brrrr!!

I am jetlagged like a bastard!!