Fosters taxi arrived dead on 7.00 and to drive us to Heathrow. Coffee and croissant at Heathrow, which Rosemary managed to throw over her smart white top and handbag. Changed some Sterling and French Francs in to US dollars. Flight to San Francisco was just over 9 hours on a new Virgin Atlantic 747. The in-flight entertainment was very clever. Twenty Four films to watch, each could be started and stopped when ever you wanted, and even rewound. Managed to watch four complete films. Landing at SF was fun, with one false attempt, so had views down to the South, and a second view of the city as we came in for the second attempt.
US immigration was a laugh. They took Rosemary's immigration card, and held it up as an example of a correctly completed card. He announced that Rosemary's backside was correct, not something normally said. Horrid queue for the taxis, with a man shouting all the time. The hotel, Nikko was huge and very Japanese. Showered and phoned Lynda Pike.
Walked to the office, looking in a few shops en route. Met Lynda, and Neil Robertson, Steve Delman and Eddie Hairston. With Lynda and Neil we went to Kate O'Brians for a Guinness. After Lynda left, Neil's girl friend, Flo, turned up with a photo album of his, mainly under water shots, including one of loads of star fish eating a sea gull. They'd been to Cabos year before last. We then went on for a Chinese Hunan restaurant near by for supper. This was an excellent meal. Back to hotel by 22.00, arranged to meet with Chris Buckley and share their limo to the airport.
Thursday 24th January
Coffee in room, then to the airport with Chris. Terrible coffee at the airports. Met others, including Frank and Sherry Richardson, Roger and June Llewellyn. We left boarding to the last minute, and because we had British Passports, we were searched, delaying take off. Flew down the Pacific side of Baja, but crossed over to the Sea of Cortez at the tip. Very barren looking land, with dry river beds. Very light lunch on the plane. Coach to the hotel, (which Rosemary saw from the air), huge and bright colour, sand, blue, orange, like a Diarmuid Gavin garden.
The hotel had cactuses, bougainvillaea, hibiscus and oleander planted everywhere. Walked along the beach looking at the pelicans, and picked up shells. Loads of Keynote Limpets, one ark shell, cowry, signs of cones and small volutes. Beach vendor selling jewellery from a suitcase, bought a couple of bracelets for twenty dollars. He said they were made on the mainland of Mexico. He also said there had been whales off the beach yesterday.
The hotel room had a walk in shower with one glass wall and no screen at the entrance. The Balcony overlooking the sea views. Complimentary beers, tacos and tomatoes.
In the evening we met at the beach bar, greeted by having a neckerchief and small pottery cup on a ribbon around the neck for a tequila. Limes, salt and Marguerites were on tap The evening got colder, so blankets were dispensed. Supper was a hot buffet of all kinds of American and Mexican dishes.
Friday 25th January
Up early, coffee and out to walk along the beach. More cowries and different tiny cove in the same resort. On to coach to Cabo San Lucas for shopping.
Back at the hotel had lunch at the beach bar. Steve had squid and fish, while Rosemary had a massive starter of Nachos, which proved too much, followed by a sandwich. During lunch we saw whales. They appeared to be travelling West along the coast line in several groups. Afterwards Steve strolled up the hill behind the hotel to take some pictures. Rosemary stayed by the pool and chatted with a few people.
In the evening we took a coach to San Jose and had a meal outside. Here they had heaters to take the chill from the air. Had a few wines, including a Cabernet Sauvignon produced in Mexico on a Rothschild estate. It was their top grade and made in 1996. R & I thought it a bit ordinary.
The meal, appetisers of Raw Tuna, a Salad and Beef. Had a very nice pear in Cabernet Sauvignon sauce.
Saturday 26th January
Today Steve and Rosemary went their own ways. Steve went on the quad bikes, while Rosemary went on a tour of San Jose.
The quad bike (ATV) tour took us through Cabo San Lucas town onto an old river bed being excavated for building sand. Eventually we made it to the coast and some sand dunes. Here we had an hour to play. There were some neat winding trails to go around. Unfortunately on the harder one, a tree trunk jumped out catapulting me and the bike through the air, with the bike landing upside down on my leg. Luckily bike and me were not badly hurt; just limped around for the next week. but clothes filthy & jeans had to be hotel laundered. The whole tour was 3 hours and was fun.
The San Jose tour was a drive back to where the previous dinner had been taken, plus a minor drive through the residential area and lunch inan open rather Greek like place. The town was more expensive than the pottery place. Much more gallery than grockle shops. Went to the mission (founded when English pirates were roaming about), and the town hall. There were local elections soon, and feeling were running high.
When Steve got back, he had a light lunch by the pool, and later met Rosemary after her lunch.
Today we saw a humming bird on the brightly coloured flowers in the hotel, and a bird with a very distinctive cry which was a woodpecker on the cactuses. Out at sea we saw some jumping/diving things which may have been dolphins, porpoises or flying fish. For the evening we dressed in Black tie for the awards ceremony at Pitahayas.
Sunday 27th January
Back at the hotel we had a swim in outdoor pool for a short soak. Afterwards we met Tom and Beth at 6.00 for a shuttle ride in to San Jose for a walk around. Driver dropped us along way from the main street outside a restaurant. We had a look in some of the gallery shops, with the 8,000 peso dream fish model. Then a meal in the Tropicana with an outdoor heater right behind us. Watched a lobster argue over being someone else's next dinner. Rosemary had Aztec soup (a meal in itself), then a Mexican dish which came in a huge sizzling metal dish with wooden board with more nachos guacamole etc! Too much! Steve had avocado stuffed with crab, followed by sea bass with basil sauce. To drink we stuck with beers, not too keen on the Mecican wines. Home at 9.30.
Monday 28th January
To the lobby at 8.30 with seemingly loads of people meeting the jeeps.
On arriving back from the jeep ride, we took a shower to clean off. Started to wash Steve's beach shorts, but forgot to turn off the tap, because while we showered, the hotel room flooded with water. After wards went to the deli and bought a couple of beers to drink. AS we drank them we watched the flying fish, porpoises/dolphins in the sea. Lobby at 17:30 for the pirate party.
Tuesday 29th January
Up, and too a breakfast buffet overlooking the sea, & a lot cheaper. Mexican dishes, scrambled eggs, over cooked bacon and small but fat sausages. Yellow & black bird, long beak, graceful like a magpie but smaller was around. Sorted out a late checkout and new pickup. Steve's sandals broke so threw them away. His foot now looks very bruised as well as swollen. We had a swim, drink and sun bathe by the pool. Left for the airport, had a roll on the plane. Numerous queues at LA, then on to a flight to Las Vegas. This was the end of the Presidents Club. You can see our Las Vegas adventure on these web pages.