Adventures in San Francisco (and the getting to and from):

11:34AM-- Final paperwork needed for visa arrives at the PO Box. Bike back to hoover and furiously xerox many many copies.

11:50AM-- Bike as fast as my little legs will carry me to the Palo Alto CalTrain Station to catch the 12:06PM train.

12:02PM-- Arrive and park bike. Squeal "*shit*" under my breath as I see a train pull up before I have a chance to purchase a ticket. Breathe easy again as I realize it's for San Jose. Buy ticket and proceed to cross to San Francisco platform.

12:06PM-- Board train. Spread out paperwork on surrounding 3 seats and triple check that I have everything and many photocopies of everything. I do. Relax a little; listen to music (woohoo!), and think about if I am going to try and speak to the consulates in Italian.

12:36PM-- Munch on my spinach-plum-walnut salad. Forgot a fork. Dangit. Notice a policeman who has boarded in Hillsdale has treked through my car at least three times. Am afraid he will make me stop eating on the train. Must be a conspiracy.

1:08PM-- Arrive in San Francisco. Contemplate buying some popcorn. Realize that am still chewing gum and besides train station popcorn is probably pretty bad anyways. No time to waste.

1:17PM-- Board Bus 45. Curiously enough no sleezy men or otherwise shady characters try to make conversation with me (although one old man kept muttering about "the blasted French"). Think maybe I've finally perfected the you-really-don't-want-to-talk-to-me-cuz-I-may-be-little-but-I-carry-mace look. Then again, maybe it was my sunglasses.

1:35PM-- Pass through Chinatown and at least six different Chinese markets on Stockton. Inconspicuously scan the markets for any fresh lychee nuts. Alas, none to be seen. Reminisce about the glorious day spent this summer in the city gripping onto Eddy as he pulled me through one of the markets and consuming at least a pound of fresh lychee.

1:40PM-- Repeat to myself "Union and Buchanan, Union and Buchanan" in hopes of not missing my stop. Hold breath and hold fast to my seat as bus flies dow streets at near verticle slopes. Am certain this thrilling experience rivals any modern-day rollercoaster.

1:47PM-- Frantically strain neck at every intersection to look for Buchanan St. Am comforted by sign saying "Pacific heights" something-or-other since that is where Consulate is. Miss Buchanan St.; get off at Filmore and walk back to Webster. Stare up in horror as I see before me the same hills that the bus had flown down previously. Except uphill. Suck it up, and accept the day's 5 block buns-of-steel workout.

2:03PM-- Arrive nice and sweaty and a little nervous at Italian Consulate. Procedure is thankfully pretty painless, and all of my paperwork is in. Very comforting.

2:14PM-- Realize that have to do this all over on Monday to pick up the visa. Head back down hills to go home.

2:21PM-- Pass by "Amici's pizzaria". Crave slice of pizza. Bus comes by; decide to get on instead of stalling at pizza place. Besides, can do it Monday.

2:27PM-- Bus boarded by 3 obvious tourists trying to get to Union Square. They seem to think they should get off at Stockton. Tell them that will put them in Chinatown, not Union Square, but that it is walkable distance from Union Square, and a good experience for visitors anyways. They decide to stay on longer.

2:38PM-- Chuckle silently as one of the tourists holds her nose while bus passes fish and meat market in Chinatown. Think for sure they should have gotten off at Stockton.

2:55PM-- Arrive at CalTrain Station and think am clever for getting ticket to Menlo Park and saving 75cents. Realize bike is at Palo Alto Station. Think "*shit*". Wonder if train ticket boy will notice if I stay on for another stop or if I should just get my bike later.

3:56-- Arrive Redwood City Station. Still haven't decided...

3:57PM-- Fiiiiine. Darn this honesty of mine. Figure can at least go to Trader Joe's and reward self for a successful trip.

4:18PM-- Arrive in Trader Joe's, pick up spinach and plums, plus a usually-$3.99-but-free-today-for-me-special rice drinky thing. Ah! What a nice reward!

5:06PM-- Arrive at home after warm walk from Trader Joe's. Drink special rice drinky thing. Yummmmy.


Wow! What a wonderful day, and so full of adventures!
The End!