This morning, we woke up in the middle of a parking lot in sunny California after a night of tossing and turning on the bus. The roads were filled with lots of construction but of course Claudius is a stud. When we got off of the bus it wasn’t as sunny as we thought, but still warmer than the bus. It was around 60 degrees. Some of us had sweatshirts, and others were just cold in the wind. The cooks showed out this morning with doughnuts and fruit parfaits (shout out to the bashfuls). We chowed down in the middle of the parking lot and enjoyed an immaculate breakfast.
After breakfast, everyone went their own ways to explore Santa Monica. Some people explored the pier, rode rides, tried local food, enjoyed the beach, and shopped downtown. There were a lot of interesting things to do on the pier. Everything from small vendors to large shops were located on the Santa Monica pier. As far as rides, there were a lot to choose from. Two of the overall favorites were definitely the Ferris wheel and the roller coaster. The views from the top of the Ferris wheel were stunning, and the general consensus from the roller coaster was that it was not thrilling. They both only cost $11 too!
There was an abundance of options of local cuisine to choose from. Most people ate the lunch provided by the Bashfuls. It was incredible. We devoured chicken ranch wraps, accompanied by grapes, pretzels, and off-brand Oreo’s. A few brave souls decided to eat elsewhere. These spots included a Mexican food truck, a local favorite ‘Bubba Gump’s Shrimp Co.’, The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf, and so much more. Santa Monica has some crazy good food, and it was fun to explore.
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As soon as the group arrived this morning, the Pacific Ocean was calling. Brooks, Olivia, and Henry were the first ones in the water. It was very cold. It was easy to get used to as you tackled large waves and swam in the water. Later on, many more journeyed into the water and we had a great time “playing mermaids” as Anna says. Also, we played a lot of volleyball. We divided up into teams of 4 and played on the beach. The dominating team was Jack, Ellie, Brooks, and Henry, until Jack cramped in his knee and had to take a siesta. What a great time. Others enjoyed the quiet and took a nice nap. Jaydn killed her legs with her lack of sunscreen applying ability. Riley also has a nice sunburn hat line on his forehead. Later on in the afternoon, some decided to shop in downtown Santa Monica. There were a variety of restaurants, shops, and vendors. The buzz of a Saturday afternoon crowd was a fun atmosphere to be a part of. Overall, everyone had a great time.
Currently, we are camping at Canyon RV Park. We had a great day exploring Santa Monica and we are all ready to shower and to get a good night's rest in Anaheim, California. The cooks finally made it back from an adventurous Walmart trip to make us dinner, which ended up being another fan favorite. We had chicken nuggets, green beans, AND THE BEST MAC & CHEESE! We also had a variety of different cookies and Debbie cakes to choose from for dessert. After dinner, we did a little research before we headed to bed because we need our magical sleep before our magical day in Disneyland tomorrow!
