Pumpkins and the Final Hours before Heading Home

What a magic way to finish off an incredible experience, but to have another Californian culture day.

Up early, I ventured out to meet Meaghan, yesterday morning. After swapping out cars, we set off for Half Moon Bay and the Californian coast for the day.

California certainly put on a magic day, weather stunning, the ocean sparking, company fantastic.

We reached the Half Moon Bay Festival and WOW were we in for a treat. So many stalls of amazing talented people, so many interesting ideas in art and products to tantalize the people, great musicians and bands, and pumpkins! Pumpkin pie, pumpkin beer, pumpkin pumpkin pumpkin. The joy on people’s faces was beautiful as they celebrated this time of the year.

Leather Art, Metal Art, amazing jewellery, quirky kit ideas.

And this wasn’t the biggest pumpkin on display.

I didn’t really have anything to compare it to so I believed them, tasted good!

An appropriate sign for our selfie … “The Sun shines not on us, but in us.”

Ohhh and I have a new special something coming home … this was the 2nd stall I wandered into. I knew as soon as I stepped in I was not leaving empty handed. I fell in love with a Maya Native American Flute, BlackWalnut, Purple Heart with Citrine and Agate. Personally handcrafted by Guillermo Martinez (Link). It was a special moment when he played in front of me and encouraged me to play with him. So we played 3 different flutes together, which drew a crowd of people as they paused to listen. I was in this moment that was just magical. And to top that all off, he asked how long I had been playing, that my sound was good, so was a big compliment considering I am still learning. Guillermo has taught many students around the world so it was truly an honour to play with him, he was very patient!

Meaghan and I were not quite done. Driving south down the coast she suddenly drives off the road and there we were greeted with one of the few we had already passed, a pumpkin farm. These Americans do really take their pumpkins seriously. We were to find the ‘perfect’ pumpkin, not just one for carving, but one also to put on the desk at work. Everywhere you looked, pumpkins were placed at front doors, in fancy pumpkin displays, when on desks so it seems. The big pumpkin even got to sit with pride in the back seat and enjoy the rest of our Roadtrip.

Driving further south, we were treated to watching a couple of whales in the distance of the ocean, watch sea lions frollicking amongst the waves and rocks, and sea birds of all description diving in the waters as they hunted their dinner as we watched the Sun set over the Pacific Ocean at Pidgeon Point Lighthouse.

With the Sun disappearing we soon realised we were quite hungry, so it was off to have dinner at Sam’s Chowder House, known for their chowder which I thought I should try as being my last dinner out. Who needs entertainment when you can watch Meaghan have a Seafood Stew. The funniest thing ever, lucky she had the bib is all I can say!

Getting late, we headed north towards home with one quick stop to Target to buy a suitcase … 2 floors, and you can also buy groceries and alcohol. I was intrigued at the trolley escalator, very nifty, and the Halloween costumes, you could even dress as a pineapple or an avocado, who knew.

So 14 hours roughly later, and we walk in the door totally exhausted but so happy with the day that we just had. Donovan there to greet us with a smile, with patience of a saint as he listened to the highlights of our day.

Thank you so much Meaghan, for the perfect last full day in California. I had a wonderful magical day. Thank you to both you and Donovan for hosting me, and of course, Libby whom kept me company on the bed. Treasured memories! See you when you come to Aussie!

Libby sharing my bed

After cooking an Aussie Shaz lunch of poached eggs for one last final goodbye to Meaghan and Libby …

It is with mixed feelings that it is my last day, I am packed, albeit with a little more than I came with. I bid a ‘see you California and Nevada, to each and every soul that I crossed paths with’. You ALL made this whole experience just amazing and memorable.

To my CSC Family #CSCUSA2, miss you guys. Thank goodness for technology to keep in touch, even you Benedicte, a converted WhatsApp user. 😀

I know there are a number of you that have been following my blog, have been giving me great feedback which has been encouraging, and there has been requests that I keep going. I have had so much fun sharing this journey that I will keep going. I will share with you stories, experiences, thoughts, sights of Australia. It will not be every day, but certainly on a regular basis.

Thank you to IBM for an amazing opportunity, to have faith in me, to have been selected for such a wonderful program, and to be supported by my Manager and team to go. It changes lives, and I’m forever grateful to have been part of it all.

And to UWBA, continue to be awesome and amazing. It was truly an honour to be part of your world for the month, and to be able to support you in some way that helps to make a difference as you continue to grow and help the communities, families and youth of the Bay Area. I promise to reach out to the United Way Australia National Office in Sydney. I am interested to understand their work in Australia, and whether I can help in some way volunteering here. You never know, they could end up in one of my future blogs.

Chow for now … cheers

The song when I turned on the car .. wait for me to come home