From Harbour Bridge to Golden Gate Bridge: 2–3 Years Living in the US

[CaptainCurtis]

 

[CaptainCurtis]

 

[CaptainCurtis]

 

[CaptainCurtis]

 

[CaptainCurtis]

From there, I headed west to Ocean Beach, another San Francisco first for me. It’s a very different side of the city - wide, windswept, and raw - with strong surf and a moody Pacific backdrop.

 

[CaptainCurtis]

From Ocean Beach, I picked up the Lands End Trail and walked north along the cliffs, taking in sweeping views toward the Golden Gate Bridge, the Marin Headlands, and the rugged coastline below. The trail is part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area and follows a series of coastal paths and historic military remnants, including old bunkers and viewpoints. It’s an easy walk but incredibly scenic, and over the course of about 8.5 km, it felt like I’d completely left the city behind, despite still being very much in it.

 

[CaptainCurtis]

A few walks and runs closer to home over the past couple of weeks. The first was the Lafayette Reservoir, an easy loop and popular local spot, great for a steady run or relaxed walk with views over the water and the surrounding hills.







The second was a much tougher outing in Reinhardt Redwood Regional Park - a solid hike with a fair bit of climbing, weaving through dense redwood forest and up onto the ridgelines. A good reminder that even close to home, the East Bay can deliver some surprisingly challenging terrain.

 

[CaptainCurtis]

With the Thanksgiving public holiday, it was back up to Napa Valley for a couple of nights over the long weekend. I stayed at the Napa Valley Marriott Hotel & Spa, and as a Titanium Elite member received an upgrade from a standard guest room to a top-floor garden-view room with a small balcony.

The hotel charges a $30 nightly destination fee, which offers decent enough value. It includes daily wine tastings, an F&B credit, bike rentals, fitness classes, and a few other inclusions. The property itself is large and resort-like, with an outdoor pool, hot tub, fire pits, a full-service spa, gym, and plenty of open space to wander around. The room was spacious and comfortable, though noticeably on the darker side.






As a Titanium member, I also had access to the M Club lounge, which really came into its own over Thanksgiving - complete with a proper turkey dinner, sides and all. A nice touch, and far better than the usual lounge fare.



The next morning, I kicked things off with a 6km run north along the Napa Valley Vine Trail, a flat, scenic path that runs through vineyards and small towns.




Lunch was a return visit to my new favourite spot, Brasswood Bar + Kitchen. I went all-in: butternut squash soup, the now-famous short rib sugo, tiramisu, a glass of Brasswood Syrah, and a beautifully aged 2015 Brasswood Cabernet. Just as good as the first visit - possibly better.

 

[CaptainCurtis]

On the way back to the hotel, I wandered through St. Helena, one of Napa Valley’s more refined towns. It has a polished, upscale feel, with boutique shops, art galleries, and tasting rooms lining the main street.









Dinner that evening was at Little Summer, the hotel’s restaurant. Nothing spectacular, but perfectly reasonable during happy hour, and an easy option after a full day out.

 

[CaptainCurtis]

The next morning started much the same way, this time with a longer 10km run all the way up to Yountville, following the Napa Valley Vine Trail once again.





Breakfast and coffee were at The Coop by Hoopes, a casual spot with a laid-back vibe, before another wander through Yountville. Even on a second visit, it’s the kind of town that’s easy to enjoy slowly — manicured streets, art dotted along the sidewalks, and no real need for an agenda.








I caught an Uber back to the hotel, spent some time relaxing, and then checked out. Before heading home, I made one final stop at Oxbow Public Market, wandering through the stalls and then spending a bit of time exploring Downtown Napa properly this time around.

 

[ellen10]

Great photos!
I particularly loved the magnificent giant redwoods in the rain and the rugged Sonoma coast.
Almost makes me want to revisit the US.

 

[jastel]

What's the deal with the B36 engine?
Down the bottom it says pay $300 for something?
Is there a plane museum nearby?

Nice to have time to do all those hikes.

A spot I liked was Angel Island...the gum trees bring you home to Aust.
Lots of war and Immigration history.

 

[VPS]

Great photos as others have said. I loved the squirrel

 

[CaptainCurtis]

What's the deal with the B36 engine?
Down the bottom it says pay $300 for something?
Is there a plane museum nearby?

Nice to have time to do all those hikes.

A spot I liked was Angel Island...the gum trees bring you home to Aust.
Lots of war and Immigration history.

Unusual tourist attraction found in St. Helena

In the Napa Valley people are gathering to see a very unusual attraction -- Mike Nieman's engine from a B-36 bomber.

abc7news.com

 

[CaptainCurtis]

A few weeks later, in mid-December, it was time to head across the Atlantic for a week-long work trip to London. With a full work schedule of meetings lined up, this was very much a work-first visit, though London always finds a way to sneak in a bit of culture regardless. It also marked my first time travelling to Europe from the US - a welcome change after years of making the journey from Australia, with the transatlantic crossing feeling far more manageable by comparison.

I flew British Airways from San Francisco to Heathrow, routing non-stop on the outbound before returning the same way a week later.

I was flying economy on this trip, but had access to the British Airways Lounge at SFO via OneWorld Emerald. With boarding scheduled for 4:40 PM, I arrived at the airport early and made it into the lounge around 2:15 PM.

At that point, the lounge was relatively quiet, but it definitely filled up as departure time approached. The space itself is light and airy, though on the smaller side, and the furniture layout doesn’t feel especially efficien. Unfortunately, I couldn’t grab any photos of the lounge itself, but it’s a bright space with apron views that feels calm when it’s not at capacity.

Food and drink were a strong point for what is essentially a Business lounge. There was a good buffet spread available, along with self-serve beverages, and QR codes at the tables allowing you a single item directly - a burger and chips, though the “chips” turned out to be crisps rather than fries, which wasn’t quite what I was expecting. The burger itself was perfectly fine, nothing special but solid enough before a long flight.

It’s also worth noting that the lounge includes a separate First Class dining area, though this isn’t accessible with my OWE status alone - it’s reserved strictly for passengers travelling in First Class.

Overall, a decent pre-departure option at SFO.

 

[CaptainCurtis]

Both the outbound BA284 SFO–LHR and return BA285 LHR–SFO were operated by the A380, and the onboard experience was essentially identical in both directions. I was seated in 70J on both flights, upper deck and the front row of the economy cabin in an exit row, thanks to my OWE status. The extra legroom was excellent and made a real difference, though the seat felt a little narrow due to the IFE screen being housed in the armrest.



The outbound flight was around half full, and as soon as the seatbelt sign went off my seat-mate moved to an empty row and wasn’t seen again. The return flight, by contrast, was completely full and felt noticeably busier.

I haven’t flown long-haul economy in some time, and it showed. On the outbound, with a late-morning arrival into Heathrow, I spent most of the flight trying to sleep. I managed some rest, though it was broken up by bathroom noise and leg numbness, even with the extra space. On the return flight, which departed just before midday and arrived into SFO around 3pm, I slept through the first half to minimise jetlag, then spent the second half doing some work. The Wi-Fi was fine for emails and light tasks, although would drop out infrequently.

Catering was adequate but unremarkable. I skipped the dinner service on the outbound and had the pre-arrival breakfast instead, which wasn't particularly memorable. On the return, a Christmas turkey meal was offered and was surprisingly decent for economy.



The crew were friendly and attentive, though not especially polished. Overall, a fairly standard long-haul economy experience, without much to compare to in recent years. The A380 helps with cabin quietness, and the exit row made things far more comfortable, but the product sits firmly in the “perfectly fine, nothing memorable” category.

 

[CaptainCurtis]

I caught an Uber from Heathrow into the city and checked in at the Montcalm East, Autograph Collection, located in Shoreditch, just a short walk from Old Street Station. It’s a very practical location for work with our office located in Shoreditch, is easy to get around and surrounded by food options.

A few days prior to arrival, I’d reached out to request an early check-in around 2:00pm. On arrival at around 2:30, I was initially told no rooms were ready, but after a gentle reminder of the earlier request, a room was suddenly found.

I’d booked a Standard Queen and received the same on a high floor with a fantastic view. The room itself was perfectly adequate by London standards - comfortable bed, good workspace, and a decently-sized bathroom, albeit with a shub. It was on the darker side due to the window design, but this wasn’t really an issue given I wasn’t in the room much during the day, and December meant late sunrises and early sunsets anyway.










As a Marriott Titanium Elite member, I received a generous welcome amenity: caramel and Belgian chocolate popcorn, honeycomb milk chocolate, and a lager. This stay also pushed me over the line into Ambassador Elite for the first time, with my total spend for the year landing at $23,036 (largely work-related), just $36 above the threshold. A narrow margin, but a very satisfying one - I’d have been scrambling for a last-minute December stay otherwise.



One of the main reasons I chose this hotel was the breakfast, which I’d really enjoyed on a previous visit. Unfortunately, this time it was a letdown. Instead of the buffet, I ordered from the a la carte menu each morning - smashed avocado on toast with poached eggs each day. It was a newly introduced menu with a new chef, and consistency was clearly an issue: some mornings it arrived cold, other mornings missing components entirely, and staff appeared to be struggling to keep up. Disappointing, especially given how strong the breakfast had been in the past.



Overall, the Montcalm East did the job for a work-focused stay - good location, comfortable room, and decent recognition. That said, I would’ve been disappointed had this been a personal trip, particularly given the decline in the breakfast experience.

 

[CaptainCurtis]

Dinner that night was at the hotels restaurant, Marlowe.



An early night, coupled with a well-timed melatonin, resulted in a 12-hour sleep. Nice.

 

[CaptainCurtis]

Even with a packed work schedule, London’s food scene inevitably made an appearance most nights. I didn’t take any photos during the week, but we ate well throughout - a mix of familiar favourites and a couple of new spots, all within easy reach of Shoreditch.

One standout was Smoking Goat Shoreditch. The fish sauce chilli wings were genuinely outstanding - sticky, spicy, and deeply savoury. The American colleague I was with agreed, calling them some of the best wings he’d ever had. The rest of the menu leaned heavily into tasty, shareable plates, and it’s easy to see why this place is so popular. Highly recommended.

We also made it to Hawksmoor Spitalfields, which, for me, didn’t live up to the hype. Our server couldn't offer any recommendations when asked, and the sirloin steak was average at best - not bad, just underwhelming given the reputation and price point.

Dishoom Shoreditch was, unsurprisingly, excellent. I still find it hard to believe the place has over 40,000 Google reviews, but they’re well deserved. Consistently good food, great atmosphere, and it never seems to miss. A reliable favourite.

Finally, Manteca Shoreditch was a pleasant surprise. A modern Italian spot with a nose-to-tail approach, and my first time trying pheasant - something I was quietly apprehensive about but ended up really enjoying. A solid meal and a nice change of pace.

All up, a strong week of dinners - one of the small luxuries of a work trip to London, even when the days are long.

 

[CaptainCurtis]

With my flight home on Sunday, I had all of Saturday to myself. I started the day with breakfast at the hotel before heading out for a 14 km run along Regent’s Canal and around Victoria Park. The sun was out, and the cool winter temperature made running a real pleasure. Running parts of the canal path was a little hair-raising - narrow stretches right alongside the water with no barrier, and fairly busy with walkers and cyclists - but it all added to the experience. It’s a great way to see a quieter, greener side of the city.