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California: Background and Travel Essentials
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Rattled by earthquakes, populated by film stars, surfers,
techies and hippies, home to Silicon Valley and that American
Dream factory, Hollywood, California is America's Promised
Land, a place where you can be whatever you want, however
and whenever you choose.
Anchored to the west coast of the USA and containing some
of the West's most stunning scenery, the state is home to
34 million people, many of whom are more inclined to call
themselves 'Californians' rather than 'Americans.' It's an
individualist attitude that defines life here, particularly
in the big cities where large immigrant populations are found
side by side with alternative communities.
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The City of Angels, Los Angeles, is home to the wealthiest
American suburb, Beverly Hills where you can shop with
the rich in the most exclusive boutiques or simply stargaze
for movie actors in the city's trendy restaurants. Ride out
an earthquake in Universal Studios or if you're lucky,
experience the real thing when the San Andreas fault releases
a 'shaker.'
Drive up Route 1, the Pacific Coast Highway, past historic
Spanish towns like San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara,
taking in the luxurious architectural history of Hearst
Castle near San Simeon. Further up the coast is
Big Sur, famous for its writers and scenery, where
you shouldn't miss a walk on one of it's deserted beaches
and a meal at Nepenthes, a local restaurant serving up hearty
food that is matched with a breathtaking view of the California
coast.
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Hike Yosemite's trails or spend some time in a ghost
town that was the epicenter of the Gold Rush, the feverish
period that defined California history in the mid 1800's,
that was later mirrored in the 'Dot Com Rush' of the late
1990's in Silicon Valley, just south of San Francisco.
As the most populous, richest and most diverse state both
geographically and ethnically in the USA, the Golden State
has always done things differently and with a little imagination
in this land of superlatives visitors will not be at a loss
for things to see and do.
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Cash
More expensive than most places in the USA, travelling costs
depend very much on where you are in California. Aside from
the air ticket accomodation and transportation will make up
a large part of your budget.
San Francisco is by far the most expensive city for
accomodation and eating out in sprawling LA means that you
have a wider choice of budget places to stay and eat (though
be aware of the often large distances from the sights). Smaller
towns are cheaper still and are a wise choice for those with
a car willing to commute to the sights in the big cities.
Motels in towns and cities range from $50 to $80 per
night, while budget hotels range from $90 and $120. All the
way up at the top are the sky's the limit suites in Hollywood
and Beverly Hills that go for $500 to $1000 per night.
Camping is a cheap and economical way to go though
during the heavy summer travel season campsites will be booked
out 6 months in advance. Sites go for as little as $6 per
night and reservations can be made online. For the camping
challenged, hostels operate in all tourist areas renting dorm
beds for as little as $15 per night.
A huge range of eating options exist in California and for
less than $10 per person you can feast on Japanese
sushi or Vietnamese spring rolls and some of the best
Mexican cuisine north of the border. Self catering
is a viable option as supermarkets are everywhere as California
is the US capital of fresh produce. Overall, budget travellers
will spend about $50 per day sticking with the absolute cheapest
options (camping and hostels) while those staying in motels
will spend about $80-100 per day. These budgets do not factor
in the cost of flight tickets to and from California or the
cost of car rentals that can cost anywhere from $175 to $300
per week excluding petrol.
The National currency is the US Dollar ($). Approximate conversion
of 2002:
$1 = 120 yen
$1 =£0.66 Sterling
$1 = 1 Euros
Check with your local currency exchange bureau for up to date
conversion rates.
Travel
Both San Francisco and Los Angeles are well served by flights
from Asia, Australia and Europe. Buying an openjaw ticket
(flying into LA and out of San Francisco for example) is sometimes
no more expensive than a straight up return ticket and allows
you to make your way up or down the coast at your own pace.
One of the busiest air corridors in the world operates between
San Francisco and Los Angeles, and several discount carriers
offer bargain fares. Jet
Blue and Southwest
Airlines are the cheapest, both flying from nearby
Oakland in the San Francisco Bay Area into various LA airports
including Burbank and Long Beach in southern LA. Booking through
the internet is the cheapest option when flying either Jet
Blue or Southwest. United
and American
Airlines are more expensive but offer more flexible
tickets and serve out of the way places like Ukiah
and Palm Springs. Bookings can be made through the
internet or by calling their 800 numbers, a free call available
anywhere in the USA.
As the third largest state in the USA, California is best
seen by car. Renting one in LA and dropping it off
in San Francisco is a more expensive option, but is the most
cosnvenient way to see the sights. Like all Americans, Californians
drive on the right, and unlike New Yorkers, tend to be a laid
back bunch when behind the wheel; however traffic jams are
very much a part of life in the Golden State and current traffic
situations are given top priority by local radio stations.
Those unused to driving on the right should take care in the
tangled freeway junctions of LA and the hilly, winding streets
of San Francisco.
Food
Virtually every kind of food is available, from fresh 'California
Fusion' foods combining American and Asian ingredients to
vegetarian and organic dishes to typical Ameican pizzas and
burgers. Tipping is expected in the US at around 15% in sitdown
restaurants and is not applicable to takeaway food. In touristy
areas always check if the bill already includes a 15% 'service
charge.'
For those not interested in yet another greasy fast food meal,
perhaps the best places to go are the large ethnic communities
in most cities where immigrants from Vietnam, Mexico, China
and Japan have transformed entire neighbourhoods into smaller
versions of home. Delicious, cheap and fresh ethnic food is
available well into the night and to find out where the best
restaurants are ask a local.
Language
English is the official language of the USA. Understanding
the Californian accent doesn't present such difficulties as
other regional dialects in America as it is widely accepted
as one of the clearest forms of American English. There are
however certain slang terms that Californians add using the
word 'like' far too much ("You go, like, left, at the
next traffic light") and tend to use the word 'goes'
to mean 'said' when speaking of someone else (and she goes,
"I am like so totally tired!")
These quirks aside, quite a bit of surf lingo seeps into speech
throughout the coastal towns like Santa Cruz and Santa
Barbara but tends to center around the current surf conditions
rather than everyday life; verbs like 'stoked' (to be happy
or pleased) are commonly heard.
With the influx of many Mexican and Central American immigrants
whole communities speak Spanish as the first language, and
knowing a bit of Spanish doesn't hurt as these areas (such
as the Mission District in San Francisco) have diverse sights
and excellent eating options. Asian communities from Vietnam
and China also retain their native language.
Climate
With the highest point in the lower 48 states and the lowest
point in North America, California's climate is extremely
varied. The Pacific Ocean makes up the western boundary of
the state and moderates the extremes of hot and cold all year
long; Dry deserts form much of the interior and stretch east
of LA. Summer temperatures here can soar to 115F, in the shade.The
Sierra Nevada's form the state's eastern boundary and
offer excellent skiing in the winter and spring months.
The State's weather pattern is ruled by the winter rains that
begin in November and end in March and April. Between May
and October not a drop of rain falls here due to a stubborn
high pressure system that sits offshore and deflects the rain
northwards. Earthquakes aren't the only worry in California
as El Nino years bring fierce storms that cause flooding and
landslides. Compounded with frequent drought years the water
situation in California is always in flux and thus is a constant
topic of conversation.
The best time of the year to visit California is April and
May, after the winter rains, and in September and October,
when dry, warm days linger after the intense summer heat.
That being said, there really is no bad time to visit the
Golden State as even during the winter months the Pacific
Ocean keeps temperatures along the coast to a minimum of 60F,
though powerful Pacific storms can roar though cutting road
links. July and August are extremely hot months but the state's
desert climate means it's a dry heat and that means cool mornings
and evenings.
Dress
Dressing down is a California pastime and shorts and a t-shirt
are all you need to wear to fit in. Upper class restaurants
in San Francisco and LA may require a shirt and trousers,
so packing some dress clothes is a good idea. San Francisco
as a whole is more dressy that other parts of California but
its more due to the fog that blankets the city in the summer,
bring at least one set of warm weather clothes when visiting
the city to avoid the damp cold.
During the summer bring plenty of sunblock for the summer
rays and if you're heading to the mountains to do some hiking
or camping, bring some warm weather gear. During the winter
months bring an umbrella and raincoat but during the summer
leave it at home; the weather is so stable that rain virtually
never falls after May and before October.
Health
California is one of the most health conscious places on earth
and people take their physical well being very seriously.
Going to the gym, taking meditation and yoga classes and shopping
in organic grocery stores are a way of life for many Californians
and the image of dozens of people running on their lunchbreak
and on weekends will probably be a common sight. The water
is safe to drink everywhere although bringing bottled water
in the mountains is essential as streams can be contaminated.
Health care is extremely expensive and carrying health insurance
that is accepted in the USA is a must; quality is very high
but comes with a price.
Visas
Most western nationalities and some Asian nationalities don't
require visas granted they are travelling as tourists and
have a return ticket to their home country. These visas are
given on arrival at the airport andare valid for 90 days.
After September 11th these regulations are very much in flux
so its very important to check with the nearest US embassy
or consulate for the latest information.
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