California, 9th November, Hearst Castle
We woke up early in the morning anticipating a fantastic day on the coast, but looked outside to see thick fog, a real pea souper. This is the downside of the California coast, you imagine hot dreamy days with beach balls and fun. Instead there is no visibility and a wet smog. We decided to go to Hearst Castle to while away the time. The castle lies up the coast at San Simeon and a little inland. The first tour started at 9.00am but we were there by 8.00 so we booked ourselves on it and then had some breakfast in the car park. The trees were shrouded in mist. At the side of the car park were large numbers of very superior portaloos. All of the toilets in the visitor centre had been shut due to water shortages. When the tour started we were loaded into little buses to take us up the hill to the castle, or La Cuesta Encantada, the Enchanted Hill, as William Randolph Hearst preferred to call it. As we climbed we came out of the fog and saw a number of Barbary sheep on the s...