Wednesdaay was many lifetimes ago, but it's events should still be recorded here. I met Claire off the plane in San Francisco at 11 and she had befriended an American on the flight. An hour later Claire, Johno, Matt and I were at a baseball match drinking beer. Very impressive.

We watched the Oakland A's play the Boston Red Sox. The A's won 7 - 2. I learnt alot about baseball and marvelled once again at how strange Americans are. We had nachos (disgusting very much not vegetarian friendly) and lots of beer. It was a great way to spend a lazy Wednesday afternoon. The match was sold out so we had lots of people watchign to do.

Allegedly we saw many great moments in the history of baseball; some guy got his 3000th strike out, another got a home run, a triple and a double (if you really care what this means let me know and I'll provide an explanation ).

On Tuesday I discovered the ride I'd lined up to Burning Man had fallen through (curses on you Becky, curses). So I booked a hire car, praying that we wouldn't have to drive up there and once again scowered the ride share list on Burning man website for something anything. Wednesday checked my email,  we had an offre of a ride, called Wednesday night, sorted getting picked up 11 hours from phone call (7am Thursday). I could wax lyrical about the amazing string of coinicidences that got us to Burning Man, but I won't, I'll just say this, we should not have pulled it off.

Claire and I got  lift in, managed to join a theme camp, made some awesome friends, got a lift out. We pulled it all off ; totally landed on our feet. We had supplies enough but our camp was more then organised, we had a tent but our fabulous new friend Carolyn who gave us a lift had organised a tent for us, we had no idea what to expect and I found my home, my ideal week and the best time I think I have ever had.

I cannot possibly describe Burning Man, I could never do it justice with words. I will post some pictures, and, later when I have slept more then 12 hours in 5 days, I will summarise my highlights. Be warned I took 287 photos, they represent 0.2% of Burning Man.

Oh yes and obviously I made it safely out, I'm in Seattle. San Francisco Airport is not fun at all, especially at 3:56am.Many crazy stories.

Lush smells exactly the same here, bizarre. So does Subway, but I think they may actually just pump out some kind of bread perfume rather then the source of the smell being the food. Subway is shit, smells good but is shit. Lush smells shit and is good. Lush smells like a whore's perfume had sex with toilet cleaner and tried to cover it up with flowers, apparently worldwide this is the case.

Today I discovered a hitherto unknown talent for bartering. I'm sure no one would have sold me my new digital camera for the price I got, if they were not making a profit. However, the final deal was $129USD less then I started and I got a free case.

Then I went and had a crisis about middle class privilege and the unfortunate burden of possessions. Buying stuff can be hard when one has a social conscience the size of Mexico. To add to my loathing I chilled out in the Modern Art Museum and felt like a wanker, but it was AMAZING! I love modern art and this was seriously special. An awe-inspiring photography exhibition and some phenomenal digital exhibitions to name but 2 of the 6 floors.

The cartoon museum around the corner was actually better, if smaller. It was packed with Anime, comics, digital art and design stuff; absolutely fantastic and helped me forget about my i-pod, camera, phone, passport and other items of wealth and class.

San Francisco is extremely cool, it is only 7 miles by 7 miles and a population of 750 000. It is basically an enormous Kings Cross, with some very impressive architecture and lots of parks and gardens. All public places are covered in homeless people and getting pan-handled is a permanent fixture of any journey outside. There are elephant seals sunning themselves near the fisherman's wharfs very cool. The public transport is abundant, it all runs very smoothly. Then there are the social problems, I've seen too much human misery in this city, it breaks my heart. It is such a contrast to the physical beauty of the mist rising off the bay and drifting across Golden Gate Bridge obscuring buildings and trees, then burning off to reveal a perfect sky over green parks. Houses like fancier, larger Sydney terraces mostly in whites and creams with sidewalks of trees and cool little gardens. All with the constant stench and sight of some seriously messed up, unwashed people talking to someone I can't see. Don't get me wrong it is all very non-aggressive and the people are helpful and friendly, it is just sad to see so many broken

I have made friends with lots of locals and last night hung out on my new friends Tim and Brandon's stoop, talking, drinking and putting together a clearer picture of Americans. I know I'm not really an expert but one thing I can say definitively is this; land of opportunity my arse. This place is hard, work is hard, wages are low, education is prohibitively expensive, medical care is ludicrously out of reach, welfare is shite and there are a lot of people living in the category of 'working poor'. Bring on liberalism.

"I don't believe in equality but I do believe in equal opportunity."

OK so yesterday's entry was a little rambling, due to extreme jetlag. Having slept for 15 hours I'm hoping to be alot more coherent this time around.

I have also introduced a new feature to my Blog; haiku. Ye if you are too lazy to read my entries I will be summarising them in haiku form. I have been inspired by the funniest book in  the world (thank you Helen!), it is a little gem called the 100 greatest novels in haiku, by Steve someone, will remember soon. Hysterical stuff, I'll stick some on here when I have it with me so you can all enjoy it's wit.

I've decided I like San Francisco. Yesterday I was not so sure, today I've discovered somewhere with espresso coffee (!!!!) and Haight Ashbury, both of which are extremely cool. I am also enamoured with the moody, cloud covered mornings that burn away into a beautiful day, complete with sunshine and cool breezes.

My sense of direction has been completely turned around, I need to walk in the exact opposite direction I want to and I'll get to the right place, I'm blaming the corealis effect and my middle ear infection. Speaking of ears I am hoping the deafness in my left one a temporary thing... If I could have full hearing back on Wednesday that would be great, cheers whoever is in charge of these things.

I have awarded myself points for the following; figuring out the time difference between here and Oz (much harder then it should have been yes, but I had no clock and the one I kept looking at was on New York time this all eqauls extreme confusion), learning how to use the public transport system, befriending the guy at the espresso coffee place and finally for 10 bonus points for avoiding Subway, Burger King and Starbucks when I could not figure out how to find a cafe or any food or coffee and I was getting desperate.

Well, I'm here! I am sitting in San Francisco, unbelievably jetlagged, desperately awaiting my second Sunday night (hopefully I'll get some sleep this time). So far Suday has gone on for 30 hours and is not due to end for another 10.... Landing before you leave is a recipe for severe head-mess, in fact I left Australia 5 minutes ago, which does not do justice to the journey time - apparently- forgot. Travelling back in time is a serious adventure.

I remember why flying sucks... Its mainly the fact that there are other people on the plane, the food is beyond description in its dreadfullness (the eggs of doom have to be seen to be understood), and everything is uncomfortable and strange. All this would be tolerable if it were not for the stench of 1000 peoples recycled farts and the constant noises of bodily functions accompanied by the proximity of body parts and peoples insistence on inane chatter and kicking of chairs.

My middle ear infection was a great comapanion for my coldsore and period pain. But I'm 99% sure I haven't perforated my eardrum (if I did then it is not very bad, so who cares?). I ma pretty deaf and thanks to karaoke funess hoarse... I am finding communicating with the locals to be very difficult.

I still feel really weird, not excited enough?? It is all very surreal. The lack of reality is not helped by the fact that the weather in San Francisco is idnetical to the weather I left behind in Sydney?? The reality of my hostel is a thing unto itself, I chose it because it was the only one that was free all the nights I need... I think I may change hostels regardless, it has a little too much 'character'.

I have immeadiatley noticed the homeless in San Francisco, I suspect it is similar levels to Sydney but it seems more obvious to me here. I can also announce that if you want marriage proposals San Francisco is the place to come, in my 4 hours in this country (looking like hell and smelling like someone whose recently been on a plane for 13 hours) I have declined 2 offers of betrothal.