On August 16th, I flew to California for the first time since 2016, when my parents moved to Canada. I went to see my brother and grandmother, a lot of old friends, and to do some little things like renew my bank card. I was a bit mixed about going - on the one hand, obviously, so excited to travel and to see everyone. On the other hand, nervous about the same thing - the long travel in the time of Covid-19 - and also just seeing my home again after so long.
For the most part, the rolling golden hills looked just the same. I stayed with my friend Ellen and her family in Berkeley, and, since we have been friends since we were 8, being there felt like a return to childhood. It was wonderful. We went on a lot of hikes, explored farmer’s markets, bookstores, restaurants, and cafes from our youths, and mostly just hung out and caught up.
Here we are on a hike with Ellen and Mary, her mom, and Annie, their dog.
Ellen’s mom’s delicious avocado fig salad.
The front deck overlooks the bay and the Golden Gate Bridge - perfect for an afternoon beer and snack, morning coffee, or anything in between. It was so nice.
We picked blueberries straight from Ellen’s garden - very delicious.
Of course, I also caught up with all my other old friends, which was so nice, and James and my grandma.
We had dinner at the Hawkeys on Chambers Lane, by our old house. Very nostalgic.
And of course here is the characteristic California fog…
A wonderful lunch with Grandma Marty
We had Thai food a few times - cuisine I miss here in Vilankulo!
Famer’s Market wares!
Of course, one of my favorite things to do is explore the California landscape. The rolling hills, the redwood trees, the reservoirs … It felt really good to be back in familiar territory again. I didn’t realize quite how much I missed it until I came back.
We used to ride horses past this view and around these hills all the time when I was growing up.
Of course, we had to have pancakes.
And here are just some snapshots from the trip.
Next time, I won’t wait so long between visits.