San Diego

Goodbye Tuscon after a hearty cooked brekkie with John & Susan and, suitably fortified, we are up for another long drive - the biggest since our 10-hour marathon from Lake Tahoe to Salt Lake City. It's back to California again on the final leg of our US tour - this time San Diego.
The drive is around a nine-hour one, starting out across the desert west of Tuscon, where we hug the Mexican border - for many miles we can see 'The Berlin-type Wall' the US authorities have constructed - before we reach halfway point at Yuma.
Our romantic image of the town was associated with the western movie 3.10 to Yuma and we imagined a small dusty 'cowboy' town. Instead we find it to be a huge sprawling metropolis, but it does have a famous (or rather infamous) State Prison. We don't hang around to visit! Onwards (and quite literally) upwards as we climb and climb, leaving behind the desert and driving into the lush and verdant hills above San Diego, crossing through a couple of border patrols on the way. No Mexicans in the boot, we are waved through.
We head for the La Jolla (pronounced Hoy-ah) - something we take a little while getting used to - area and decide to spend four nights here before heading north to Los Angeles to catch our plane for Fiji.
San Diego is known for its year-round balmy climate, but for once the weather decides not to play ball. It's cold and wet, which is a pity because the coastline - rocky with sandy coves (seals galore take up residence on them when dusk falls) - is attractive, but no matter it's a good day for a relax and planning ahead. David, our pal in Scottsdale, has recommended we eat at 'George's On The Cove'. The rain has cleared and we catch a glimpse of the sun going down over the Pacific from the restaurant's outdoor terrace. Good recommendation, David. The meal proves delicious, the view out to sea is spectacular and the patio heaters keep us nice and warm.
The following day we head off to downtown San Diego - and a 'hop on and off' trolley tour. We get a good feel of the place - the harbour with its historic old sailing ships, warships and submarines. Old Town, the Gaslamp area, 100-acre Balboa Park and the peninsula of Coronado, with its famous Hotel del Coronado. They say the beach here is the best in California. We don't agree. Perhaps it's because the sun isn't shining again. The hotel is pretty grand - it costs a packet to stay there - and we take a look around it, along with hundreds of other camera-snapping tourists. After a tiring 12-stop tour, we're happy to head back to our less posh hotel in La Jolla.
Just two more days left in America - there's no Swansea By The Sea, but there is a Cardiff By The Sea, so let's go see it. There's no Millennium Stadium or Old Arcade pub here, but there is a great beach called Swamis steeped in California surf culture. Some good rollers here for sure and plenty of beach boys riding the crest of a wave on their Surfing Safaris. On way back we stop to take a look at world-famous Torrey Pines golf course. Impressive, even better than Royal Ashleigh off Mumbles Road.
It's Thursday, Oct 7 - and time to say farwell to USA. We've done some 4,000-plus miles and enjoyed every minute of it. Can't say that, however, about final journey from San Diego to LA. The traffic on the freeway is horrendous - five lanes with cars and trucks coming from all directions and at breackneck speed. Driving around the US has been a pleasureable experience, but we can't say that about this particular stretch. Glad to get to airport where we return car - and wait for our 10-hour night flight to the South Pacific.
Farewell America, Fiji here we come.