About 3 hours by bus led us into beautiful San Diego from L.A. San Diego, to my surprise, was nothing like L.A. (at least not where we went), and I had never really heard of it so I was feeling rather curious.
Every time I take myself back to this trip, I think of only two places: San Diego and Rodanthe (on which I will write an entry later). In San Diego, to be exact, we stayed in a small surfer hostel right at Ocean Beach where I met an incredible amount of elitist travellers with the odd obsession to create a social hierarchy of backpackers. However, San Diego is also a place to relax. Locals are friendly, the food is great, drinks aren’t too expensive and the beach is quite nice even though it can’t compare to the Mediterranean…
In San Diego, I let my transformation begin. Every summer I try to fly somewhere new and use it as an excuse to reinvent myself. My goal this year was to let go of my fears and become a more relaxed and driven person. At the time, being relaxed was an association to what I considered ‘neo-hippy’ so as my stress washed away with the Pacific waves, a little retail therapy got me my dearest clothing possessions: a $12 pink skirt and $8 leggins.
I must thank the wonderful woman at the second hand bookshop whom introduced me to Soul Asylum. I was frantically looking for some good CD’s that did not have any rap in them when she quietly approached me and pointed to ‘Let Your Dim Light Shine’.
‘All my favourite things start with S’ she said.
The only time we drove into town was to visit the museums, but we were a little late and could only see them from the outside. The butterfly garden was the only thing open and I will never regret hurting my knees to see these beauties from up close.
My memories of San Diego are of early mornings and early nights, of uncomfortable mattresses, casual friends and the roar of the ocean. San Diego is a must visit for all of you who need to find peace. My advice is to forget the party and embrace long walks and runs by the sea. Don’t be afraid to run into the waves.
Travel with Mer 