Tourist in San Diego: Dancing, Mexico and a Segway Disaster (on tape)

Last week I got the travel / tourist feeling here in San Diego. My friend, Patrick, was visiting from Norway and since I have only lived here for less than a year, there are still several touristy things I haven’t done yet. For example the day trip to Mexico, which I think is mandatory when you live a 45 minute “trolley-ride” from the border. We also tried the new all-american means of transportation: the Segway!.. That was a different day though, so let’s take things in the proper order here.

Tourist in San Diego, Day 1 & 2:

Sunday, April 5, was this year’s first real beach day for me and Eleyce. This was also the day of Patrick’s arrival, but due to predictable delays and luggage screw-ups he did of course not make it here until sunset. But since this turned out to be last weeks only really good beach day, I am adding it to my list of tourist activities. San Diego has great beaches, and one of them is my home at the moment: Pacific Beach. It is a popular beach during summer, usually with a young crowd warming up for a night of hard partying (and honestly I am not one of them, I am the part that lays sleepless in bed cursing the drunk animals beating each other up outside). It is also a popular surf spot for people who live close enough not to bother with driving to a better spot when this beach is withing walking/biking distance.

So, Patrick arrived, I had just squeezed in enough time to get a mild sun burn, and we headed for the Mexican food and Margaritas. That is after all the national dish this close to the border. The next couple of days consisted pretty much of the same activity, eating local food like burgers, pizza and burritos while drinking local brews like ale, margaritas and more ales.

Tourist in San Diego, Day 3:

Travel to Mexico. In Norway this would seem like a big trip to an exotic destination. Here it is a day trip if you have nothing better to do. We had nothing better to do and did the day trip. And since I am the happy owner of zero cars we decided on public transportation. Looking back this would have been a perfect destination for our Segway adventure to come, but bus and trolley worked out all right.

So, busing to Old Town, trolley-ing to the border. We get of, look around, where is Mexico? After minutes of confusion Patrick spots a small sign sticked on a wall that says: “To parking lot and Mexico”. Ok, is that really it? In lack of better options we decided to walk up the stairs to the parking lot and Mexico, which soon after turned out to be the right way. And we are in Tijuana, Mexico.

The rest of the day is simple: Margaritas. Some old school Mexican foosball and pool. Then dizzy walking over border, past parking lot, boarding the trolley, busing, walking, and completing the day with a real American “Taco Tuesday” at Fred’s.

Tourist in San Diego, Day 4:

Good tourist day again: Pancakes and enchiladas for breakfast, Boomers for mini-golf and Dance Dance- Revolution (see embarrassing video below), burgers for lunch, nap, pizza and ale.

Tourist in San Diego, Day 5:

I can’t remember. I worked. And we probably ate more pizza and burgers and had some ale.

Tourist in San Diego, Day 6:

Yes, this day is basically the reason why I even bother writing this little log. We finally tried the Segways. I have been curious about those things since I first saw Bush fall of one on the news. So for one hour we rented Segways and hit the roads (or to be honest: the sidewalks). Whohoo, easy, lean forward – accellerate, lean back – break, lean left – go left, lean right – go right, zig zag – fall off. Oops, no more laughing at Bush. Funny thing: I was actually filming Patrick right until the disaster (exaggerating, but he did fall off). Sad thing: the video stops right at the moment when you hear the Segway go wild. But just watching people on a Segway is hilarious, so when you know he is falling of the next moment it is even better.

And the video is right here: (Btw: I sincerely apologize for my horrible zoolander face at the beginning of the video)

And also please let me embarrass myself and my dear friend by showing our wonderful dance session: