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Further along the Pacific Coast0

Wednesday 2nd February 2011

I woke up this morning to the strange collective sound of about 30 wild turkeys!  Ugly things really but can’t help feeling sorry for them – Thanksgiving soon comes round.

I can’t believe how lucky I’ve been with the weather here and everybody I meet tells me so – apparently I should be wearing gloves and a hat instead of shorts and t-shirt.  It gets a bit chilly at night though. At the Ranch there is absolutely no ambient light – they are very sensitive around here to uplighting, so there is an opportunity to star gaze in the true sense of the word – I don’t think I’ve ever seen so many stars.  It’s a pity I don’t know my Orion from my Big Dipper!

Spanish Bay Golf Course

After a leisurely breakfast I decided to take a drive down into Carmel and a have a good nose around at the multi-million pound houses that look like they’d blow over in a small breeze, before going back to Carmel Valley Ranch for a guided tour.  Although this place has a very nice golf course, they can’t compete with the courses down in pebble Beach – and at $500 a round at Pebble Beach who would want to?
So in order to make this facility more than just a golf course they offer various educational classes – cooking, bee-keeping, organic farming, guided tours as well as fitness classes and lesiure facilities.  Sounds like Butlins?  Believe me it’s far from it – shame I’m not staying longer.

H.

Thursday 3rd February 2011

Time to leave the Carmel Valley Ranch, it’s wildlife, tranquility (and fabulous infinity pool overlooking the links), and head to the other end of the scale – Laguna Seca Raceway. Set high up in the hills in a National Park, this track is like most race tracks when there is no event – pretty desolate – but the scenery and views up here are stunning.

Pacific Coast

I am really here in Monterey and Carmel for two reasons – the Pebble Beach Concourse and the racing events at the track such as the Moto GP and the American Le Mans Series.  All good so far, so keep an eye on our website www.traveldestinations.co.uk to see whats happening.

After being driven round the track at a very ladylike pace by the lovely Jeannie, (which was a bit of a relief really as the corkscrew is a 10 storey drop!), I head back to Monterey for what I can only describe as the best steak I’ve had in along time.  Can’t remeber the name of the place but will get back to you on that!

H

Saturday 6th Feb

Well my job here in Monterey and Carmel is pretty much done.
Travel Destinations are now able to get you here, book you a nice hotel, get you to the Pebble Beach Concours D’elegance and the American Le Mans Series (ALMS) at Laguna Seca.

Pacific Highway

But I couldn’t leave here without fulfilling my duty completely – after all, when you call the office to book, we need to be able to tell you about the area and what you can do here, so purely  for ‘educational purposes’, I took a drive down the coast from Monterey to Big Sur.  For some reason I always thought Big Sur was ‘surfers paradise’ – but is in fact walkers, hikers, twitchers, nature lovers and campers paradise. Needless to say I didn’t do any of those things, however just cruising along the coast I was extremely privileged to see a pair of Californian Condors, which I am led to believe are extremely rare, whales migrating south along the coast, sea otters, seals, sea-lions and a humming bird  – all in one day.  Just amazing to see all of these animals in their natural habitat.  For some though their natural habitat is dwindling, so I also took a trip to the Monterey Aquarium which is highly educational and a wonderful opportunity to see many creatures of the deep close up.

I am now off to San Francisco for a few days holiday. I know, I know – it sounds like I’ve been on holiday all week!

Have a nice day now y’all and come back real soon.

H

On the Pacific Highway0

Tuesday 1st February 2011

After getting up extremely early in Florida this morning for a six hour flight west,  it is still only 9.30am and I’ve already had breakfast and lunch!!

I am now driving down the Pacific Highway in California and it is beautiful. Although I have never been here before I have been having a bit of ‘deja vu’ –  the smells of eucalyptus and pine trees,  the rugged  coast, crashing waves, the low rise hills and peaks – It reminded me a bit of the northern coast of Spain (except they don’t have bobcats in Spain;  wandering through a field next to the road without a care in the world – a beautiful animal).

I decided to stop in Santa Cruz for lunch (and unfortunately a parking ticket!). It is an interesting town – part hippy, part surf dude, part Art Deco, but with a really nice atmosphere to it.

Further along the road I got to see more sandy beaches, more crashing waves and more artichoke fields(!) until I arrived at what I can only describe as pure bliss and serenity – the Carmel Valley Ranch.  This where our customers  will spend their time for the Pebble Beach Concours in August.  All of the rooms are actually suites and almost like individual houses –  Brand new, shiny and luxurious – with wild deer walking around outside beneath the balcony!  Can you imagine – sitting on the balcony and a family of deer walk past?  Serene and surreal.

There is a fantastic golf course here at the Carmel Valley Ranch but they aren’t likely to let the unskilled likes of me loose on it. I think will stick to their yoga class. Om Shanti.

H.