| It was our first wedding anniversary and John and I | | | | didn't venture any further. We went back to our quaint |
| decided to travel the famous Highway 101 in California. | | | | hotel room and rested a while. |
| We had never been to California before so we | | | | We dined in the harbor at Morro Bay that evening at a |
| researched the trip thoroughly. | | | | wonderful seafood restaurant and met some nice |
| John and I flew into San Diego airport, rented a car | | | | German people sitting at a nearby table. They were |
| and began our journey. California seemed like a | | | | touring the west coast on a bus trip. They could not |
| paradise to us. The warm, dry climate with beautiful | | | | speak much English, but they were very friendly and |
| tropical plants and trees. It was simply gorgeous! We | | | | comical. We communicated regardless of the |
| felt like we must be close to Heaven! | | | | language barrier. |
| Later that evening we drove down to a nearby beach | | | | After souvenir shopping the next morning, we decided |
| and watched the sunset. Afterwards we topped the | | | | that San Francisco was just too far north for these |
| evening off with a late dinner at a Mexican restaurant. | | | | middle aged travelers to go. We decided to slow |
| Then we settled into our hotel and planned our trip for | | | | down a bit and start sight seeing on our way back |
| the next day. | | | | south toward San Diego on the Highway 101 of |
| We woke up early the next morning and had a light | | | | course! |
| hotel breakfast. Afterwards we set out on our trip | | | | Santa Barbara was first on our list of towns to tour on |
| traveling up the California Coastal Highway known as | | | | the way back down Highway101. We stopped at the |
| Highway 101. That particular day was our first wedding | | | | visitor center there and ventured out on the wharf |
| anniversary and we were like two young kids again, | | | | nearby to take in the sights. Of course our video |
| happy and carefree! We saw the most lovely | | | | camera was always rolling so we could cherish the |
| beaches, and stopped at look out points over the | | | | scenery for years to come. We met some nice |
| ocean along the highway. To us such beauty and | | | | people from California, and we talked a bit about our |
| wonder was mesmerizing! | | | | individual home states. Then my husband and I |
| I discovered that California is mostly a desert | | | | grabbed a fresh seafood sandwich from a little open |
| landscape. It has such history and beauty, with a lovely | | | | air cafe and watched a dolphin swimming near the |
| Hispanic influence. | | | | wharf. Soon it was time to get back on the road and |
| I felt I could view the ocean for the rest of my life and | | | | go further south. |
| not tire of it also! It's lovely blue green waters and | | | | My husband was using his new GPS to navigate our |
| aquatic life are beautiful beyond description! The | | | | routes. John loved the way it took him where he |
| sounds of the ocean are so calming also! | | | | wanted to go. I did not like it because it took us on |
| We drove through many famous California towns | | | | longer routes to our destinations quite frequently. At |
| traveling north on Highway 101. Malibu was just one of | | | | times it took us on routes through some derelict |
| the many hip towns along our journey. | | | | neighborhoods |
| Our goal was to drive from San Diego north to San | | | | At Santa Barbara we made a wrong turn and found |
| Francisco on Highway101, and stop to sight see along | | | | ourselves on a side street just off of the highway. We |
| the way. We wanted to film the sun setting over the | | | | decided to drive up the block and turn around, to try to |
| ocean each night. Of course we were also video | | | | get back on the highway. All of a sudden, seemingly |
| taping the lovely inviting beaches and other sights also. | | | | out of no where, a large group of Latino men started |
| The second night we made it as far as Camarillo, | | | | running at us from the side of the road rushing our |
| California. We settled into a nice hotel and decided to | | | | vehicle! I started screaming and my husband gunned |
| drive over to a local beach to view the sunset. The | | | | our vehicle and started on through the crowd of yelling |
| map we used showed a couple of beaches about | | | | men. They appeared to be very threatening. |
| five miles from our hotel, so we started driving | | | | Somehow my brave husband got us turned around |
| towards them. We were in rural orange grove and | | | | and he sped us out of the situation. As I turned and |
| strawberry field country. It all appeared very nice and | | | | looked back, the large group of men were shaking |
| peaceful. | | | | their fists and screaming at us. My heart was still |
| We began driving down the main street in a nearby | | | | racing and I was crying from fear. |
| town that supposedly led to the beach. As we drove | | | | We still to this day do not know what that was all |
| we saw police doing what appeared to be a drug bust | | | | about, but it scared me half to death! I immediately got |
| along the side of the street. That was very creepy, | | | | a migraine and my husband and I couldn't even speak |
| seeing people on the ground and being handcuffed | | | | for about ten minutes. We were both out of breath |
| with some ominous looking onlookers at the scene. | | | | from the shock of the whole ordeal. I was nervous for |
| We continued driving a couple of blocks further, and in | | | | the rest of our trip in California. After that I began |
| a separate incident, police cars surrounded a vehicle | | | | watching the local news at our hotel, and the news |
| that had hit a light pole. Police had a man pinned to the | | | | media were talking of gangs and gang violence in |
| ground and were handcuffing other people. The | | | | California as a whole. I was suddenly aware of danger |
| incidents we saw in this small town were so shocking | | | | that I had never before expected. |
| to me that I told my husband let's just get back to our | | | | We spent that night in Huntington Beach, California. I |
| hotel. That is exactly what we did as soon as we | | | | didn't even want to go out to eat dinner. I went to bed |
| could! We had dinner next door to our hotel that night | | | | early, and I told my husband I was ready to go back to |
| in a quiet family restaurant. | | | | St. Louis! |
| These two incidents, so close together, on the same | | | | The next day we took our time and traveled further |
| street, and in broad daylight, had really made me | | | | south. We didn't stop until we got to La Jolla. We got a |
| nervous. Traveling through a new state, new towns, | | | | nice motel there along the beach and stayed for three |
| not knowing anyone, or much about the areas we | | | | nights. We stayed close by the motel, seeing the sights |
| were traveling through. My mental red flags were up, | | | | in and near La Jolla. It seemed safe there and the area |
| and I suddenly became very apprehensive about our | | | | was very lovely! |
| trip! | | | | I was still shook up from the previous bad experiences, |
| After a night's rest we felt refreshed and it was a | | | | and I stayed close to my husband for safety |
| beautiful day. We hit the road again. The highway led | | | | wherever we went. |
| us into the foothills of the mountains for many miles | | | | The last day of our trip we went to San Diego and |
| away from the ocean. The scenery was new and | | | | toured a battleship. Then we went to Coronado Island |
| different as we drove along. We were once again | | | | sight seeing and had a late lunch over looking the |
| having a great time, trying to forget the incidents of the | | | | harbor there. |
| previous night. | | | | I was very ready to go home the next day when we |
| I could just imagine what it had been like back in the | | | | flew out of San Diego. I said I would never go to |
| days of the wild west, Indians peeping over a hillside, or | | | | California again! |
| cattle being driven along by cowboys. The | | | | I may eat my words someday and visit northern |
| mountainous, desert, scenery made my mind wonder | | | | California. But I would prefer to go there with friends |
| about the days of old. | | | | that know the area very well. |
| Our destination that day was Morro Bay, California. | | | | I do not know if this was just our bad misfortune or if |
| We drove through beautiful Santa Barbara on the | | | | these frightening incidents happen often to tourists in |
| way there. We decided it was a city worth stopping at | | | | California and it is just a big, well kept, secret. If you go |
| on the way back through to do some sight seeing. | | | | touring in California or other places near the Mexican |
| Soon we were back driving along the edge of the | | | | border, and out west for that matter, do your |
| ocean once again. That was always our favorite part | | | | homework! Especially on travel safety! Find out |
| of the drive. We made it to quaint, lovely, Morro Bay | | | | everything you possibly can about the levels of crime |
| early in the afternoon. We went sight seeing there right | | | | in the areas you are traveling through. Then learn |
| away. We saw the famous giant rock formations | | | | travel safety precautions and be aware of what to |
| coming up out of the ocean, and people surfing nearby. | | | | expect. Also prepare for the unexpected! |
| The wind was blowing very hard and it was | | | | We have been many other places in a lot of other |
| surprisingly cool enough for our jackets. I had had the | | | | states, and never experienced this kind of terror or |
| impression that all of California was sunny and warm. | | | | anything close to it that we experienced in California. It |
| Not true! It is sunny and frigid at times! | | | | was a real adventure in more ways than we ever |
| We then decided to take a short drive on further north | | | | thought possible! |
| up the coast for a look at some other sights. The | | | | All in all, we did enjoy the awesome scenery, and |
| scenery became even more beautiful as we drove | | | | brought some good memories along with the bad ones |
| north. The breakers coming off the ocean onto the | | | | home with us. We had self taught travel experiences |
| beaches were awesome! We saw walrus seals and | | | | that my husband likes to call adventures. |
| a beautiful lighthouse. We met some interesting people | | | | If you are planning to travel, happy trails and safe |
| to visit with at the scenic overlook areas. As we | | | | travels where ever you may go! |
| drove north, we saw a heavy fog was rolling in so we | | | | |