US Road Trip Day 1 - Malibu to Saratoga

We have packed up our little house in Malibu, handed back the keys and by 10am we are heading north along the Pacific Coast Highway. Though Santa Barbara and a quick stop in Solvang to see the little Dutch town. Onwards, to Big Sur to visit the 'aromatic' elephant seals. Finally reaching our destination in Saratoga, our base for the next few days, to stay with long lost cousins while visiting San Francisco. 

A few lazy weeks in Malibu

I land in LA three hours before I leave Christchurch having crossed the International Date Line.

I am here to stay with Michael and he has rented a little house perched on a bluff in Malibu having recently returned from his own round the world adventure.  This is the longest by far I have been in any one place in 9 months and a nice way to wind down from the travel. During our time in Malibu, a mixture of practicalities and catching up with for Michael and site seeing for me, we formulate our next move.  We decide that as I am heading back to England, it might be fun to drive across America to the East coast and pick up a flight from there. Squeezing in one last adventure before the reality of hoping home hits hard.