Heavenly Rest

Posted on 10 Mar 2014 by WH

Matt, Iain H, Jamie, Claire and Niall rose early to get up to Heavenly to ski. 7am breakfast and 7:40 departure, after stowing luggage in one room, ought to have meant arrival soon after the lifts opened at 9 according to the sat nav queen, but she didn't count on the need to put on snow chains, and then to drive with them...

A mid-late morning arrival saw thoughts turn to the possibility of brunch and a half day lift ticket. Brunch saw thoughts turn to the price of the half day ticket and the notion that a 4pm finish might mean a cost of more than $30 an hour ($50 including equipment)... but surely Daylight Savings Time would mean a 5pm finish for the lifts, right? Wrong.

So the Scots went to see some sights, did a little shopping, went to Nevada Beach in the beautiful sunshine for some gorgeous views and a stroll, enjoyed Happy Hour in the hot tub and prepared for the fullest possible day on the slopes tomorrow. Winding down for a day was actually rather nice... and a lot cheaper!

The other groups decided to head in convoy to San Francisco. Immediately we were engulfed by the tourist trap that is pier 39. After successfully negotiating/ avoiding the classy merchandise establishments we ended up at the end of the pier at Bubba Gump's shrimp joint for lunch; where the staff wouldn't allow us to consume our mollusc bounty until proving our knowledge about some guy out of Alabama. Weird.

The rest of the afternoon saw us exploring the city; Lombard street at the top of the hill (the windy one) before heading over the Golden Gate Bridge were two particular high points - literally. The short trip up to Napa for dinner at Thomas Keller's Ad Hoc provided mixed reviews for one group whereas dining at Carpe Diem (not a carp restaurant) seemed to wholly please another.

Tuesday will see us return to San Francisco to visit The Rock - infamous Alcatraz. Hopefully we'll return in less than a ten stretch.