CALIFORNIA DREAMING

Another lazy morning, I awoke at 8:30 drowsy after a late night watching Avatar videos and drawing faces. Stumbling down stairs to an empty common room and extremely quite dormitory I made some breakfast and started to watch Chicken run (we have about 69 channels but its not often you find something worthwhile) when Jan came down to go to the gym, after chicken run was over I looked around for something to do (debating whether to make an appearance at the free hip hop class on campus) when Sam joined me before his trip to the gym.

Getting restless I decided to tag along to take a look as I had been meaning to for a while, man have I missed out, not only is it free for students (upon the appearance of you student card something we both had to go back and get) but it has a pool, indoor basketball court, running track, tennis, badminton, table tennis, squash courts, full service gym as well as other machines scattered throughout the complex and a few studios for the various classes….oh and did I mention the climbing wall???

Taking a browse and 5 minutes on a bike machine to check my fitness (good) I inquired about the different classes and made my way back to the dorm to stew over what I might like to join...Thai chi sounds good

Once back at the dorm and a little more TV watching had been accomplished Sam joined me for lunch laughing at the difference in our cooking experience and diet habits (he’s from England) he brought out blue cheese, salami and warmed pita bread where as I whipped up some vegetarian linguini with marinara sauce. After lunch we decided to go to the beach, so waiting for Jan to get back from getting a parking permit and on Mari (I think that’s how you spell it) to get ready we bundled in Jan’s van for Huntington beach.

(Check out the photos of the trip, there hysterical – go to my photo album)

As we raced towards the beach, my butt sagging in between the crack in the back seat, the breeze whipping my hair about like kite tails and the music blaring an old hit I smiled, feeling for the first time in a long time like a kid with absolutely no worries, just whether or not the water would be cold!

Once there we jumbled out squinting at the sun and rapidly taking photos like the tourists we were, we all chipped in for parking and threw of our things heading down to the water with a free umbrella in tow (thanks to Sam’s charm).

After ½ an hour of frolicking like idiots in the water chasing each other with seaweed and daring Jan to do belly flops (my cheeks hurt I was smiling so much) we headed back to the Warf for dinner, stopping along the way to buy Sam some new thongs as his old ones kept breaking

Dinner was at a stylish sushi/American pub/restaurant were we enjoyed bowls of edamame, countless sushi rolls and for just myself a sashimi platter that came with salad and miso soup…we were all so full after we literally had to roll out of our chairs and down the street window shopping as we went. On one occasion we happened on a shoe store with an eccentric lady that suggested we could hold keys or even marijuana in the little pockets on the side of the sneakers she had on display…we kindly excused ourselves…
We also came across a deliciously smelling toffee apple store where Makumi and Mari contemplated sharing one (I honestly don’t know were they put it all) Once we’d pilled back in the car and said goodbye to the beach (literally) we made our way back to campus, were exhausted we separated preparing ourselves for uni tomorrow…

I look forward to starting rowing tomorrow,
Reminding myself as well that I better return Sanda’s
Internet cable before she gets back