Got a buzz from a friend saying they’d swing by San Francisco on a business trip to Las Vegas. I hadn’t been here long enough to play tour guide, but my friend had visited the city a few times before, so no biggie. I wanted to do the airport pick-up thing, but my friend insisted they’d find their way. So, here I was, just chilling at home, waiting. 😎
A couple hours post-landing text, and my phone rings, telling me to come down. We stash the bags at my place and ponder what to do. Ah, my buddy’s brain is as blank as mine. We head to Fisherman’s Wharf, all thanks to my friend’s craving for that Irish coffee joint they visited four years ago. I wasn’t into booze, but there were no other plans, so I tagged along. ☕️
We roll up to Fisherman’s Wharf via Uber, but surprise, my friend has zero memory of the café. We dig online and find a likely spot, but my friend’s adamant it’s not the one. So, we wander like lost souls. It was exhausting. 😩
‘Let’s just go there. It’s got a high Yelp rating.’
Dragged my friend inside, and bam! Suddenly, they remember. ‘Oh, this place! I remember the coffee guy too!’ Really? Maybe they just wanted to believe it was the place of their nostalgic dreams. I went along with the charade. Was it even worth celebrating? 🤔
The place was packed, so we hit the bar. Gotta show ID first. My friend loves this spot, but I know they card anyone not looking like they’re eighty. Irish coffee wasn’t my jam, and even my friend, with their fond memories, didn’t finish it. 🍀
After a quick bite at the Ferry Building, we pondered the next day’s plan. Still drawing blanks until my friend mentioned ‘Pebble Beach’. No clue where that was, but hey, it was something. So, we dove into the maps and found out it was a long drive up the coast. Uber wouldn’t cut it; we needed wheels. 🚗
‘Let’s just rent a car.’
Never rented a car in my life. Not even in Seoul, let alone here! My friend, jetlagged and sleepy, crashes out, leaving me to figure it out. I scoured the web, confused by the countless rental options. Then, I stumbled upon Hertz, a name I remembered seeing around. Clicked through their site, booked a day rental, and surprisingly, it was a breeze. Didn’t even bother with their app—after all, who knows if I’d need to rent again? 🤷♂️
Next day, we hit the rental place. Packed with people. You could only rent with a credit card, no debit allowed. Added a few options, and the cost shot up. Listened to the rental tips, and off we went. My friend didn’t have an international license, so I was the designated driver. Me, who barely drove back home! Thanks, buddy. 🚙
My friend, riding shotgun, shared some ancient U.S. driving tips:
- Crosswalk clear? Go ahead and cross.
- No lights? Stop, and follow the first-come, first-served rule.
No idea if those tips were legit, but hey, no cops or honking, so I guess I was good. Once on the freeway, it was smooth sailing. Just paid tolls as we went. Friends later told me they sometimes get surprise fines for missing tolls. Lesson learned: know your route. 💸
Monterey’s Fisherman’s Wharf was way more lively than San Francisco’s, but we breezed through, aiming for Pebble Beach. After a two-hour drive, we arrived at this massive golf course. Golf-loving friend was thrilled; I just soaked in the views. The beach was serene, and the hills felt like the edge of the world. 🌊
What if life moved this slowly? Waking up to a beach view, pondering the sky’s mood, living for the next day’s new canvas. Sounds dreamy, if only for a few days. 🌅
After a stroll, it was time to return the car. My friend snoozed next to me on the drive back, making it a lonely, long haul. We fueled up near the rental shop.
‘I know how to pump gas.’
Turns out, my friend didn’t. English wasn’t the issue; the instructions were clear. Yet, we were clueless. We watched others until we swallowed our pride and asked a guy with a Mohawk for help. 💡
‘Uh, we’re not sure how to pump gas…’
‘Oh, I’m Korean.’
‘(Whoa!) Really?’
‘Yeah, let me show you.’
His Korean wasn’t great, but who cares? His English rocked. He showed us the card-pump-pump routine, and we finally got it done. If I had to do it again, I’d still mess up. We thanked him, waved like old friends as he drove off, and returned the car. The return guy gave us the all-clear. Like I needed his permission to leave. 🤔
That day, I crashed the moment I got home. 💤
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