One night’s sleep to fight a bit the nine hour time difference and then I am ready for a new adventure. This time I do not want to go so far away, even though the Grand Canyon was an unforgettable experience in May. Today, I am heading north along the coast to San Luis Obispo. Many years ago, my mum introduced me to the Benni Harper books by Earlene Fowler. They are set in the fictional San Selina, which is based on the real San Luis Obispo. It is a modern Miss Marple series, set between ranch and wine country and a craft museum. And I want to see it all for myself.

Driving in LA is an experience: you are mostly stuck in traffic, but eventually you will get there and the highways are worth seeing with their six lanes and large intersections. I have to cross LA, but I am lucky and only get stuck in a traffic jam for a short while as I head off to the Hollywood Hills. It is always fascinating to read the names you know from films and TV series on the street signs. Chic houses stretch up the hillside in the distance and I can feel the freedom. The radio and some podcasts keep me company as I drive further north.

Driving to Santa Barbara

A little while later, I am driving down Malibu Canyon to the Pacific. The landscape is beautiful. Clouds hang over the ocean and the visibility is limited. It is still quite cool as I get out of the car for a moment and stretch my legs. It feels like a gloomy autumn day this morning.

In Carpentaria I park the car in a small parking lot. The sun is shining beautifully now and it no longer feels like autumn, but full summer. I walk towards the water between fragrant eucalyptus trees. Two small weasel-like animals run across the path between the bushes. The cliffs look impressive. There is a seal sanctuary here and pelicans, cormorants and seagulls have the small piece of beach firmly in their possession. The horizon stretches in front of me and I could sit here and watch the animals for a long time. What a beautiful day. And it is only 11am.

In Montecito, I stop at the supermarket and buy my lunch, which I eat on the beach in Santa Barbara. Many Americans have a long weekend with Independence Day on July 4th and so the beaches are already very busy on Friday. The Pacific is icy and there is no one in the water except surfers in their wetsuits.

I sit here for a while, eat and watch the hustle and bustle. It feels very relaxing. Since I am driving all by myself, I truly appreciate these breaks. Afterwards, I walk through downtown Santa Barbara. The Spanish-Mexican architecture looks cute and there are a few nice shops and restaurants.

San Luis Obispo

After all these stops I drive through to San Luis Obispo in one go. The highway partly runs directly along the ocean and the views are beautiful. Before SLO (I like the abbreviation) vineyards stretch on both sides of the highway. The verdant green forms a nice contrast with the brown hills rising in between. The hills are mostly covered with large pastures for cows and horses.

Tonight I am sleeping in a hostel in San Luis Obispo. Today I will test whether jet lag and a dorm bed go well together. The dorm bed was by far the cheapest. 4th of July weekend, summer holidays and the Californian coast are likely the reason why prices were this high.

After a short break, I walk into the historic center of the town. I like the small houses, colorful front gardens and lots of nice independent shops. Strolling along the streets and looking at the window displays is quite fun. A big concert is taking place at Mission Plaza and there are a lot of people. What a cute town. I am happy to be here tonight.

Morro Bay & the Otters

I am surprised to sleep until 5:30 in the morning. I think yesterday was sufficiently tired for me to sleep through the jet lag. The drive to Morro Bay is not very far. The clouds are still hanging low over the hills. A few cows graze in the seemingly endless pastures.

I park my car by the water and walk towards Morro Rock. It is pretty cool but walking feels good. The sun has not risen over the town yet and everything is still very quiet. The first anglers meet and go out in their boats, seagulls scream and I can hear the waves crashing on the sandbanks in the distance.

It is so wonderfully quiet this morning; few people are out and about. The top of the rock glows softly pink in the rising sun. I see a ray swimming among the seaweed. So far I have only seen rays in tropical waters. It is a somewhat unusual sight for me, but later I see a second one.

Sea otters float in the dense seaweed. Some are still sleeping, but most are cleaning themselves. They take morning washing very seriously. They lie on their backs and repeatedly roll through the water and clean their feet and fur. It is wonderful to watch them at work. There is a whole group that spent the night protected here close to the coast. I also hear sea lions in the distance. They lie on a small island in the harbour.

On the other side of Morro Rock is a long beach. Pelicans, seagulls and other seabirds stand along the surf. Everything has a slightly pink glow. I take my shoes off and walk along the beach. The breeze feels wonderful and I could walk forever, letting my mind wander… There are only very few people around and I love the feel of the wet, wave-like sand underneath my feet. What a beautiful morning.

For breakfast I head back to the hostel. I am sitting with two other travelers and we are having a nice chat together. Afterwards, I start on my long way back to Los Angeles. However, my first stop is already after a good 20 minutes. There is a lot going on in Pismo Beach today. It is Saturday and families are equipped with pavilions, umbrellas, coolers, chairs and will likely crowd the beach for the rest of the day.

A Swimming Stop

My journey continues south on Highway one. Today I listen to podcasts while driving and enjoy the view out the window. The sun shines brightly from the blue sky and the California heat is intense. I stop again longer in La Vista, just before Santa Barbara. The University of Santa Barbara is located directly on the cliffs. I park my car and walk down the stairs to the beach. I sit in the shadow of the cliff for a while and read. It is so tempting to jump in the sea that I climb up the stairs to extend my parking ticket for another hour. The water is cold, refreshing and I like to swim a bit. It is so tempting to spend the rest of the day here, but I still have to drive a few hours.

In Santa Barbara I stop again briefly in the city center and buy the dress that I saw yesterday in a surf shop. I like the change between city and nature this trip. Sometimes I am surrounded by people and then again it is just me and the summer landscape. A supermarket stop is also necessary. I buy provisions for the evening and especially for Sunday in Anaheim.

Malibu & Los Angeles

In Malibu, the proximity to Los Angeles is slowly becoming noticeable. The roadsides are full of parked cars. Surfers and families use the paths between the houses down to the beach. The day is slowly coming to an end and the sky and the sea are turning pink. It looks so beautiful out here. The houses are quite impressive.  I stop again briefly, but I do not want to stay for the sunset because I still have an hour of driving to get back to Anaheim.

I had two amazing days. I really enjoyed the time alone, the sea and the beaches, the small towns… The otters, the sea lions… the tranquility…