Its been a month now since I am in the US, and I have already clocked almost 2000miles on the road, and that too driving just 3 weekends.
This is the first of the travelogues.
The Planning
Without a car Amreeka can be frustrating. So we decided to take the plunge, rent a car for the weekend and go cruising on the california coast on a warm sunny saturday.
There was no plan, just an outline. See Santa Cruz, do the 17 mile drive and ride away to Carmel, watch the sunset and be back at night.
So after lots of online hunting, got a nice deal from Enterprise.
83$ for 2 days, all insurance and coverage inclusive.
At nine AM we reach enterprise rent a car, and I am greeted by a very friendly guy who smiles at us, and tells us that he is in a good mood and will give us a C-Class for 25$ a day more.
I decline without a second thought. First time driving on the "wrong" side of the road, and that too with a merc... now way, I would rather have the normal free upgrade, from a compact to an intermediate.
So we get the options. A chevy cobalt without any power windows etc., and Chevy HHR, a Toyota Corolla and A Ford Taurus V6.
First we check out the HHR. It looks like an ambassador. And from inside the view is a tight. The A pillars are too thick blah blah and the rear view has blind spots which can accommodate an 18 wheeler.
Not the car to take out when its your first time.
The Cobalt is rejected, now power, no central locking etc.,
So now its the Corolla or the Taurus. The Corolla is actually a full size car(rental speak), a step above, but since its old(35K miles) it was included in free upgrade choice.
We lean towards taurus, but seats are a little uncomfortable, and the car feels awkward. Never driven such cars, so its a little difficult to adjust.
So the remaining one is a corolla.
We sit inside, and feel at home.
Hats off to Toyota, I think in that segment, apart from Honda, its prolly the only car which can make a total newbie comfortable.
The controls are precise and intutive and it feels good.
So off we lift off back to the apartment.
I am trying to adjust to the absense of clutch, and trying very hard not to scare people on the road.
Slowly slowly I gain confidence, and then reach our apartment to pick up the day stuff.
The Trip
Well you won't see any on road pics. But if you seen movies you know what the freeways are like
The speed limit is 65-70mph in california, but cops ignore you upto 10mph above the limit. So I found a rabbit and stuck his tail at safe distance. Soon we reach santa cruz, which is a bit of a disappointment.
The beach is crowded, and a little dirty too. The good part is the sea cruise. Those blue blue waters and the seals!
Thats the sea
More sea
Seals!
Lots of Yatches around.
Around 4:30ish we decide to leave for the 17 mile drive. It gets dark only by 8:30 so we have plenty of time.
I am more confident now, and now partially subconsciously do the left right conversion.
17 mile drive is a paradise. I had seen it last year, but this place is such you can go there every weekend and not get bored.
The beach along the route
The car
More beach
Sea
Thats us(proof we went there, not just posting pics you know
More rocks
Next in line was the Lone Cypress tree. You will find this picture on the California Drivers handbook. And no I did not take that one though
After the lovely drive, we decided to head to Carmel, a nice little beach about which not many people know off.
Now that was some seriously nice beach. I should shut up and let pictures talk, what say fellas?
After that it was a short couple of hour drive back home. Tomorrow was another day, to Napa the wine country... well thats another story.
In two days 450 miles... not bad eh.
The next in line will be the 1260 mile trip, right to the sin city... watch this section!