I am back in Australia! Its a typical summer day and what is this I smell on the walk to the Bridge! Gum trees? Yes eucalyptus trees everywhere many quite old – there must be a story to these exotic plants in America.

Super size me! It’s true. The macaroons are twice as big, the biscotti are twice as long. the doughnuts are as big as the rings around Saturn, although the hole is smaller!

There is a world computer Oracle java conference with apparently 50000 attendees from around the world. The hotel is seething with geeks : spectacles, beards, big bums, T shirts and backpacks.

Starbucks Coffee on every block at least one and often two outlets .

I rose early as I do have a slight jet lag, waking around 1 am then 4am, and caught the trolley car up the hill ( as depicted in the tourist promotions)!they are fascinating and operate to this day in the same fashion as originally developed.

As well the “trams” as I would call them as also unique as the city have actively maintained “veteran” trams from the 1920 through to the current day, as well as examples of trams from around the world, running on the S F tram lines. There is a veteran tram car from Melbourne.

Jake and I walked 17 km today across the Bridge. Cycling is an option and Jake has done this before and I did consider it, but on the day walking the bridge is better. Most people walk it so that on a bike, the path is so congested that one would spend most of the time concentrating on slowing down and/or avoiding the walkers. This detracts from actually enjoying the view which to appreciate in the full one needs to dismount anyway. Solution go for a ride but get off and walk bike across. We walked to Sausalito, a rather touristy sea side village on the other side and had a late lunch. I had calamari which to my surprise was not accompanied by chips, bread, a bun or indeed anything else other than two small dishes of commercial sauces – one red the other white.

We caught the ferry back to Pier 1 then caught underground back to our respective abodes. Both very exhausted and a little sun burnt!