The Start of our US Trip travelling to San Francisco and booking into the Travelodge Hotel Fishermans Wharf
The Start of our US Trip travelling to San Francisco and booking into the Travelodge Hotel Fishermans Wharf

Up at 6am for 2hrs of careful packing, then breakfast en route before embarking on a Jumbo 747 for the flight to San Francisco for the start of our US Trip booking into the Travelodge Hotel Fishermans Wharf where we settled in to interconnecting rooms and I walked to get a shrimp salad

Up at 6.00am again this morning and there followed a hectic two-hour session of packing to ensure we had everything that we needed for the United States. Loaded up the Range Rover and, despite expecting to have to use the roof-rack, found that there was plenty of space inside after all. After securing all of the doors and windows and ensuring that the security lights were on but all other appliances off, we left the house and drove off south on the A1. I had given the gardener keys to the conservatory and rear toilet and a master key to Diana's parents. We stopped around Hatfield for breakfast at the Happy Eater and then drove round the M25 to arrive at the Terminal 4 Car Park to arrive in good time. We had got a bit worried on the way over not having any recent idea of the car parking arrangements. The inevitable long waits at Heathrow for the security and check-in arrangements prior to departure.

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We had some refreshments and then hung around the terminal. The Boeing 747 Jumbo jet left a little late but intended to catch up time on the way. The flight was of ten hours but it seemed even longer still. Our "World Traveller" (economy class) cabin was very tightly packed and flight fully-booked which did not help; as well as the leg room being cramped. The British Airways food was very good but there was almost no communal cabin space as they have filled up all of the door areas with cabin divisions and serving bays. On arrival, we had long waits at customs and immigration (they even did an " agricultural" check on us) but then I hired a limousine ($50 plus tip) which took us direct to the Travelodge Hotel in Fisherman's Wharf. I paid an extra $20/day hotel supplement so that our two interconnecting rooms could be facing the bay.

Di, me and Daniel were sleeping in one room and the three girls (Debbie, Della and Angela) in the other; with the twin double beds being supplemented with a "rollaway" bed for that reason. I walked out this evening to try and get some bottled water and found the wharf quite busy and even more shops etc then we remember it. I had a shrimp salad from a tub and enjoyed it before coming back.