A little bit more adventure than needed

Since a few people who only speak English are reading our blog, too, I dicided to write in English from now on. I hope you don't mind.

On our way to Sequoia we stopped at Immanuels house in Pasadena, a friend of the people we met in Encinitas. He is a medical student who als studies to become an Osteopath, so it was interesting for us to talk about that, espescially because we might want to learn more about Osteopathy, too. Besides that he is a really nice guy. It is so great to meet so many kind people along the way! There we went to a canyon nearby, went up to a waterfall and saw a snake there. A little guy picked up the snake and played with it. We were very amazed that the parents didn't stop him. We took a picuture and showed it to a ranger, later, and he said it was a miracle that the little boy didn't get bitten. And if he had been bitten, he probably wouldn't have survived...



We arrived in Sequoia in the morning with beautiful weather and a little bit tired from the drive through the night. But Marlon was in a good mood and when we enterd the park we woke up immediately, because it was stunningly beautiful there! First thing we saw after entering the park was a black bear crossing the road...



The following days we camped, stood with open mouths in front of those tremendous trees and had a good time. We saw bears every day and at night they were even close to our campsite which gave the whole thing a little thrill. All food and even soap and so on had to go into a bearproof-box that was provided at each of the campsites, so the bears wouldn't surprise you in your tent during the night or break into your car. We were very thorough with that, espescially because of Marlon! We always tried to get our cooking done as long as it was still light and watched out for bears all the time. Once we sat at the campfire, when we heard a sudden noise right besides us in the dark. It probably was a deer, but it startled us anyway. On our last morning we discovered that a bear had broken into our car. Only a window was broken, so we were lucky. Usually they do much more damage to the cars, if they smell food in there. We don't have a clue why the bear broke in, since we didn't have anything in the car, except our surfboard. Freaky!!! Well, it did change our plans for the day and we were everything else but happy. To make a long story short, we finally managed to go on a little pretty hike (about a mile) before we left that night. Instead of leaving the park at three in the morning to go back to the coast as we had planned, we left at 7 p.m. and changed the car in Fresno at 9:30 p.m.. We were very lucky and got the same car, just in a different colour. And our insurance will cover the damage.











So we went on to the coast to Santa Cruz and got there about 1:30 in the morning, but didn't find our campground. After searching for 2 hours we gave up and parked somewhere to spend the night in the car. Marlon was sleeping in my arms and after 10 min. my bumm went numb and we realized, this wasn't working. So we went into a motel and sank tired into soft cussions! I hadn't been so happy to see a bed in a long time!!!!!!!!!!
The next day we found our campground and enjoyed a nice day on the beach. The next two nights we spent in a B&B, because everything else was booked out (weekend!). At first we weren't too happy, because it cost us 190 USD a night. But it turned out that the lady that owned it had a heart of gold and was helping poor and needy people, espescially with a hispanic background and had even founded an institution called "Albergo" in order to help even more. So in the end we knew that our money was in for something good and we were happy. In the future we will support "Albergo" and keep in touch with that kind lady. As you can see, again... Everything happens for a reason... :-)))
Then we went on up north passed San Francisco and the Golden Gate Bridge. We didn't make it as far as we wanted that day, but stayed in a primitive campground but with a beautiful setting on cliff tops for one night. It was surprisingly cold for July. The next day we drove and drove along serpentines and only got to the next campground in the night, when Marlon was already asleep. The next day we enterd Oregon and marveled at the rugged and most beautiful wild coastline. We stayed in Bandon for 3 nights and relaxed and windsurfed at a near lake. The nights were freezing cold. Even with full clothes on and sleeping bags, we were freezing. For the last night we were gonna buy some blankets, but there wasn't a store nearby to get some. Fortunately a lady from a little health food store lent us some. That was soooo nice. No more freezing. That evening we also had a feast with surf and turf. Fresh sausages, wild salmon and cod on the grill. Yummy!!!
The next evening we left for a nights drive up to Lynden, Washington where I once was an exchange student ('92/'93). We got to my host-parents house around 10 a.m. and were welcomed very warmly! Now were here, going through memories, meeting old friends and family. It's awesome!!!! Pictures will follow...

It never rains in southern California! or Wonderful new friends!!!

Es ist doch manchmal schwerer als gedacht, einen Eintrag ins Blog zu bekommen...
2 tolle Wochen in Encinitas, noerdlich von San Diego liegen hinter uns. Mary Kay und Pat Conahan, 2 aeusserst liebenswuerdige und gastfreundliche Menschen haben uns, ohne uns vorher zu kennen bei sich aufgenommen und haben gleich am ersten Abend, nachdem wir gerade ein paar Minuten da waren gesagt: "Make yourself a home, you can stay as long as you want." Wahnsinn! Danach ist Pat mit uns in die Garage gegangen und hat uns gefragt, welche von seinen Surfbrettern wir am naechsten Tag mit an den Strand nehmen wollen. Noch Fragen??? Aus einer Woche, die wir urspruenglich bleiben wollten, wurden 2... und wir haetten wohl auch ein ganzes Jahr bleiben koennen, wenn wir nicht noch andere Plaene gehabt haetten. Wir lernten noch alle drei Kinder (in unserem Alter) und die 2 Enkelkinder (eins so alt wie Marlon) kennen, mit welchen wir uns haeufiger auch trafen. So surften wir und genossen das Leben, selbst fuer Marlon war es ein Spielzeug- und Sandparadies. Beim Abschied flossen sogar die Traenen...
















Was dann kam hatten wir uns irgendwie anders vorgestellt. Wir haben uns in Encinitas eine schoene billige Campingausruestung gekauft und wollten gemuetlich ein bischen campen und an den entsprechenden Straenden ein bischen surfen (believe it or not, Pat hat uns sogar eins seiner alten Longboards geschenkt). Es stellte sich aber leider heraus, dass alle Campingplaetze in Reichweite voll waren und so waren wir um 6 Uhr abends noch ohne Unterkunft und ziemlich am Ende. Wenn es nur um uns gegangen waere... ... aber Marlon... Wir gingen erstmal in die naechstbeste Kaschemme und assen etwas zu abend, dann versuchten wir es nochmal bei einem anderen Campingplatz, der uns nach etwas betteln einen Platz fuer ein WoMo vermietete. So bauten wir unser Zelt in der Daemmerung auf einem Stueck Staub auf,



brachten Marlon ins Bett und genossen den Abend mit einem Glas Wein, gluecklich, dass wir doch noch untergekommen waren. Sonst waeren wir zurueck nach Encinitas gefahren, aber schliesslich wollten wir ja auch mal weiter. Am naechsten Tag hatten wir wieder kein Glueck, Marlon war quengelig, und wir irgendwie deprimiert. Camping in southern California, selbst wenn man einen Platz bekommt ist mit Kind einfach anstrengend, da es kein Gruen gibt, wo Marlon mal krabbeln kann. Und nur auf dem Arm zu sein gefaellt ihm und uns ganz und gar nicht. Viele Straende sind voller Kiesel... wie soll das gehen. Hmmm....
Wir entschieden nach L.A. durchzufahren zu einem Freund von Juergen, den wir eh, aber erst spaeter besuchen wollten. Auf dem Weg sahen wir uns noch den beruehmten (zumindest bei Surfern) Huntington Beach an,




was sehr schoen war, und stellten uns dann abends in die Rush Hour. Na super.... Marlon liebt seinen Maxi Cosi leider gar nicht... Ich brauche wohl nicht mehr zu sagen. Fix und alle kamen wir gestern abend hier an. Nun haben wir ein Dach ueberm Kopf und Marlon hat ein ganzes Haus zum krabbeln. Draussen geht es leider wieder nicht, da auch hier nur Staub und Trockenheit herrscht. Heute waren es, glaube ich wieder 30 Grad und die Klimaanlage funktioniert leider nicht... :-( Ausserdem ist unser Freund in einer derart schwierigen finanziellen Lage, dass wir nicht laenger als noetig bleiben wollen.







Ausflug nach Santa Barbara



Sonntag Nacht geht es in den Sequoia Nationalpark, wo wir gerade noch ein Plaetzchen fuer unser Zelt ergattern konnten. Dort soll es mehr Gruen geben (fuer Marlon) und 12 Meter dicke Baeume. Wir sind gespannt. Danach wollen wir wieder an die Kueste, je nachdem, wie die Feuer sich ausbreiten. Fuer heute mehr als genug, meine Maenner schlafen schon. Gute Nacht!