Leaving Las Vegas

On our last day in Vegas, we were awoken at 4am when the car hire company finally got around to responding to my queries, doubts and questions. This is the day that we are meant to be picking up the car. After completing the booking online and then reading some reviews, I was freaked out that we were going to get screwed on the insurance, that was apparently included and that we would get a clapped out, old fuel guzzler, instead of what we booked.

Turns out it was all fine! We will need to pay a bit extra as we are only going one way, but that's standard and would apply to any of the others companies anyway.

Our car is rad.

The trip from Vegas to San Clemente took about 5 hours and was pretty cruisy with the GPS - a complete life saver. The freeways here are pretty complicated. We were glad to have working air con this time too...

The trip was fascinating, really mountainous, even though here I don't think they credit them as mountains. It's not the Sierra Nevada so whatever.

We were still impressed. Our cold-filled ears, however...

There were lots of retro signs and zany, middle-of-nowhere towns.

Right on!

Welcome to...

How's the vista?!

We got to San Clemente in great time and found our motel with only minimal 'creative driving'. Dana, who runs the place is so nice and the rooms are decked out in a cool, retro style. (This was on the 16th and we're back here again tonight as I type, it's tops!)

We headed down to the pier for dinner. It is so lovely here. All the people are super friendly. Even to each other, not just the zany tourists with unidentifiable accents. Strangers will chat in the street and help each other out. It's been really warm with blue skies and cool nights.

So pretty.

San Clemente Pier. You can sea dolphins, sea lions and grey whales from here.

We had a ridiculous amount of Italian for $30. The entrees were huge and then the mains arrived. We managed.

The restaurant we decided on had the best waiter ever. He was right out of Point Break. He sounded like a Teenage mutant ninja turtle. We're finding a lot of America is like that, just like the movies. Except the people are for real. 

So far we're having a blast!