South San Francisco, to be exact. Just north of the airport - as I passed the airport, I could see some large buildings belonging to United Airlines, my protagonist Sarah's former employer.
I had a long drive along the coast on Highway 1, with a stop at Hearst Castle, where I could take a peek into the extravagant lifestyle of America's well-to-do. The opulence and the high-tech equipment in the kitchen impressed me; Hearst's near-bankruptcy, which prevented the castle from being finished, allowed me to see that even Hearst Castle was just a concrete building from the early 20th Century that happened to be covered with fine European art.
Gasoline prices are obscene. Common signs were $3.10 regular and $3.30 premium. I stopped by Costco to refuel, and even they were charging $3.10 premium. The most I ever paid for a gallon of gasoline was about $4, but then, that was England in '98. American prices are creeping up there... and more of that money goes to the oilmen. (At least I just heard on CNN, while dining in Monterey, that the Katrina situation is starting to get under control, which is good, if a bit - I mean WAY - late.)
Tomorrow, I will be stopping by Sarah's high school (Oceana in Pacifica) as well as San Francisco International Airport, Sarah's first workplace. It already feels so good to be breathing the same air as my protagonist!
