My ass thanks you

So, week 1 in my new home is nearly over. The heatwave was much appreciated, California. Ta muchly. This week I have mostly been exploring. Walking up hills. Walking down hills...

Did I say hills? HILLS?? Primrose Hill is a hill. Portsdown Hill is a hill. I have been scaling mountains. I have seen NO fat people here in San Fran, and I think I know why (aside from the meth addiction, I mean). People of the City* - you must have buns of steel.

And even when you're walking downhill, you're still, somehow walking uphill? My ass and shins are sore. And, even more so, my lungs are seriously piddled off with me.

And don't even get me started on the driving. Friscans (thats a thing, right?) must be thrill-seekers because driving up a cliff face and stopping at the top at a red light is a standard occurrence. I know most of the cars are automatic, so you're not fighting with biting point, but, honestly, I think I'd rather be in control. I trust my own leg more than an automatic car.

After a week I've started getting smart with the walking, though - there are a few doozies near our apartment, but if you go one block further the hill is much less terrifying. And if I spot a downward slope just before a bun-breaker I'll keep walking and find another route - downward slopes can be just as tiring and are a waste of muscle when you have to work twice as hard o the next block to make up for it.

I've also now discovered this Hill Mapper by a genius Sam Maurer. Sir, my ass thanks you.

In short - walking around San Fran is so much fun. Chinatown, the finance district, Union Square - all the northern parts of the city are so interesting and, for a Brit, the architecture is like nothing I've seen before. You also feel extra virtuous - all the hills mean that I am not missing the gym at all (I doubt Gym's missing me either. We kinda fell out after the wedding. I stopped visiting and calling. He got all possessive and kept begging me to come back. It was weird.) You'll need some good quality shoes - my crappy H&M pumps that were fine for scaling the escalators at Charing Cross are next to useless here.

I'll get back to you on the driving front though...


* Yeah, I know, someone needs to tell them that the only 'City' (capital C) is in London, but I've only been here a week, gimme a chance.