the many faces of bernie babygal: 2012

It was by impulse that I booked this US trip.

Long story... Actually at first, I had fixed with my fren Kit that I will join her and her friends for London-Spain trip. Cos she told me that her friends would want to go visit her. So she asked me to join them along. Which I did.

I booked my leave end Sep to Oct, but however, nearer to date, Kit told me that all her friends changed their mind! And they are not going! Well... It's still OK, I can go myself and meet Kit. So I still plan to go ahead. However, much nearer to date, Kit told me that she had a last min assignment and she had to come back to SG earlier. which I am fine. I could stay on myself anyway...

But the last straw came when my Mummy want me to go for a Church Mid-autumn event which happened to be end Sep! So I had to push back my departure date by a week and with this change, I would have missed Kit altogether and there is no more purpose in going for this trip (Cos the original plan is to be with Kit there in Barcelona!)

Well... it is either I canceled my leave and had to re-plan all over again, or.... I could change to another location for holidays! And since it was too rushed and I am too lazy to think of where I wanna go, I googled online for tour packages and chanced upon Chan Brothers and SA tour. I sent 2 emails to these companies and only Chan Bro replied!

At first, I asked for Spain and Italy trip, which they replied saying that they only have Spain-Portugal. Then after looking at the itinerary, I really do not want to go Portugal. And while I was browsing the website, I chanced upon US tours. So I asked Chan Bro coordinator if she had any confirmed tours to US and apparently BINGO! There was a confirmed departure flight right at the date that I had originally wanted! So, I quickly just booked the tour - although it was DAMN expensive! Costed me nearly S$4.6K!

But it was on impulse, right? So I didn't really notice how expensive it was. It was only nearer to the departure date that I realised that it was REALLY TOO EXPENSIVE! but no choice! :(

It turned out to be quite a nice and relaxed trip! hahah! Lucky me! The tour group consisted mainly of couples (young and old) and just 2 small families with grown kids. No babies or toddlers! YEAH!!! And the tour guide was fantastic! He was really a nice man!

Duration: 27 Sep to 7 Oct...

Day 1: SG to SF

The flight out to SF was in the morning, and we transit in Seoul for an hour. I never been on such a long flight before and it was killing meeee!!!!

(Feeling sleepy in Seoul airport, waiting to board the same flight to SF. It's gonna be a 10hours flight later! Oh man!!!)

Finally I arrived at SF!

Our Tour guide, Steven met us at the airport and immediately we began our first few destinations on this first day: Twin peak, Gold gate bridge and Civic Centre.

Took a few scenery shots from the bus... Yawn... it was afternoon...

And we arrived at Twin Peak! It was really COLD! Didn't expect to be that cold!!! I nearly don't wanna get out of the bus!

(Just out of airport and looking tired and sleepy! HAHA!!)

After the nice view from twin peak, we went to Golden Gate bridge centre. It was soooo freaking cold that I didn't want to take many photos cos in any case, we are taking the cruise the next day to view the bridge up close!

It was a cold and foggy day... Can't really see the bridge anyway, so I don't wanna go out into the cold cold weather! I didn't wear any thick clothings cos I just came out of airport. I usually will wear light on flights mah. So I was in a small dress! I was freezing!!!!

After that, we went for a late lunch at a chinese restaurant. Was surprised that most of the lunches and dinners provided were Chinese food! hmmmm.....

(Saw this Quickly store! IT was soooo ancient! I remembered going crazy on this drink and would make my bf drive all the way to buy me a bubble tea! That was sooo long time ago!)

Scientology! and it reminds me of Tom Cruise! hahah! This Scientology is a landmark for buses to park and for us to alight! hahah!

(See how bright the sun was, but it was FREEZING cold!)

After late lunch, we headed back to our hotel. And as our hotel was near the Civic Centre, we made a stop there for us to take some pictures. Damn cooooold!!! (Actually some of these photos were re-taken the day after, when i decided to go back to hotel earlier and I passed by this place).

Then we reached our hotel: Holiday Inn Civic Centre. :)

It was super cold in the evening but I had to get out to buy water. There is a small Wal Green mart near the hotel and I went with a nice young couple on honeymoon.

(hahah... occupation hazzard!)

Bought some snacks, thinking that I could rest and relax in the hotel room since outside was too cold for me to get out. But.... the snacks were toooooooooo SALTY!!! I was shocked! Then after that, I realized that every food in US is SALTY.. too salty for me to even eat it.... I would rather starve than eat the food. So... for the rest of the trips, if we were to eat on our own, i will buy bananas and Starbucks skinny latte. :)

The next day will be a shopping day at Union square. A very relaxed day! :)

Had very bad legs crams at night (yeah, BOTH legs! I thought I'm dying!).... Well, all is good. I woke up on time and went for simple breakfast and off we go for a relaxing day of just cruising under Golden Gate Bridge and seeing Alcatraz.

Reached Fisherman Wharf early in the morning and taking a short walk before taking the cruise....

Went Hard Rock Cafe to buy HRC Tees for my best fren Betsy... :)

(Another occupation hazard! Hahaha! I get excited when I saw Coke and will start taking photos!)

Coke trucks are soooo much nicer and newer there! Of cos... Cars are cheap there. :(

Finally it's time to board the cruise. :)

We were unlucky. The fog was toooooo big! Can't see the bridge body... Only the bottom part. :(

There was a saying that if you made a wish right under the bridge, the wish will come true! Hahah! Our tour guide, Steven told us that one of his team mate hoped to win 4D and he really did! Wah!!! So zun??? :) I'm definitely gonna make a wish!!!

(my small wish was made when the cruise ship went under the bridge!)

The next was Alcatraz. As our cruise ship was not the "official" Alcatraz cruise, so we can only go around it.

We saw some other cruise ship for Alcatraz island and these people could actually alight from the crusie and walked up the island! :) COOL!

After the cruise, we went for lunch (Chinese again! duh?!) and then a free whole afternoon at Union square for shopping trip!

We passed by Chinatown again...

There was a big event, organized by Oracle and every where was crowded! So we were lucky as this is our last day here in SF. Tomorrow we will take a trip to Nevada Las Vegas, stopping by a small town called Fresno for a night.