Out on the town

Waking time: 5am

What it looks like: Vertigo, and something I haven't seen on TV

Yesterday we were lead to places we needed to see, safely tucked into a coach. Today we are on our own. The streets are still dark as I sit in an armchair in starbucks writing out days as if I can make them into something to take home.

6.20 am He passes by the window, marching, fag in hand. I have seen him without permission only once or twice before, always storming from A to B , and I wonder if the slow meandering he has to adopt to escort me gets on his nerves. I am slowing him down. Eventually we will find each other, there's plenty of time. The sun is shining, and the bay is a jealous eye as the sun hits my face and we wait for the tram. I'm not in a hurry, I'm starting to think I am finally here. We take the tram and walk down into China town, which is crowded pinks blues and greens, old Chinese ladies navigating the streets with tennis balled feet. The place is chocked with corners, satin showing off cherry blossom and dragonfly, and myseerious mushrooms cursing the sun. From here we head to North Beach and City Lights Bookstore, not far but a million miles from t-shirts like bunting drying on fire escape, the sounds of defenceless chickens and what looks like a dead griffin in a window, plucked of scales.

Next we walk the financial district to market street for a bus to the bottom of Haight. For what seems forever we walk up the hill past Victorian homes that turn into shops stacked with incense. Tie-die, handmade paper, vegan cafes with psychedelic fronts. The whole area is buzzing, and I remember back home for a moment when I wonder if they asked Pete Mortimer to help decorate. It takes a good few hours to do Upper haight properly. I am lured into Vintage clothes shops with the promise of wearingf someonelse's shoes, while he camps in an old bowling alley come record store where he'd be happy all day. We sit in Golden gate Park and watch people file past, hippies, skaters, rappers, all sorts of kids and people, and don't worry about where we fit in.

At about 8 the sunburn on our faces and the pistons in our calves make their presence felt and we head back to the hotel to drop off bags and get something to eat. We are warm, aching, but accomplished feeling. We searched out places for ourselves and found our way back.

Tomorrow we leave. I will remember a song from the bus.

'I left my heart in San Fransisco.'

Maybe. Just a small chip, crumbling into the dust of the rock.

Weather: Hot, bright, but nice like the best of an English summer.

New Food tried: Red Snapper

Verdict: Bit too much like cod to be worth the extra dosh

Falling asleep to: Dusk till Dawn