Camping Trip at Big Basin Redwoods State Park

I'm not one to give up on basic comforts while traveling, like a nice cosy bed to sleep on or a private bathroom. Naturally, camping did not occur on my list of activities to try. However, when a friend asked me if I wanted to join her family on a camping trip, something made me say yes. Perhaps a sense of adventure or maybe because I haven't taken a trip in a few months and I was desperate. Nevertheless, we ended up going on our first ever camping trip in the Big Basin Redwood State Park.

Camping trip-Big Basin Redwoods State Park

This park is an hour's drive from Sunnyvale and is close to Saratoga. It is the oldest State park in California and is home to giant redwood trees. The drive up to the park is through super windy roads and people with motion sickness need to ensure they are well prepared before the journey. The campsites can be booked online.

Since we had never camped before, gear like tents, sleeping bags and stove were rented. Some of the basic stuff like camping chairs and lanterns were bought. I came to understand that a camping trip for two people for just one night meant carrying a car full of luggage, right from tents, firewood, food, snacks, water, warm clothes, lanterns, chairs to odds and ends. A lot of preparation for an overnight stay!

Me clearing our path while hiking :)

Wild Mushrooms

We didn't get a chance to hike much and spent most of the evening pitching the tents and trying to get the campfire started. The logs were slightly damp and had to be broken into smaller pieces before they could catch fire. Quite a time-consuming process.

Vishnu pitching the tent

Our tent

Me trying to start the campfire

Campfire

We had nachos for snacks. Burgers were grilled and marshmallows were roasted for an authentic camping experience :)

Yummy Nachos

It was quite a cold evening and we were freezing. While warming ourselves around the fire, we saw a huge raccoon stake out our campground for food. It was a very scary experience as I had never seen a raccoon before let alone one that big!

Despite wearing several layers and covering myself in blankets, the cold did not let me sleep well. I woke up stiff and with a body ache. I must say sleeping in sleeping bags is not comfortable at all.

After freshening up, we tried restarting the campfire but in vain. The cold was unbearable. We quickly had some bagels with cream cheese for breakfast, started packing and headed home. It was a very time consuming and tiring. Still a fun and learning experience. This trip reinforced the fact that I'm not the camping-type. I prefer a comfortable cabin with heating and a warm bed.

Ajay making coffee for breakfast

Real Escape Game

My latest activity was a super fun game called the Real Escape game. Ten people are locked inside a room and the aim of the game is to kind a key to get out of the room. There are lots of puzzles and clues hidden inside and solving all of them ultimately leads to the key.

I have never done something like this before and was absolutely thrilled when I heard a friend mention this. Since it is more fun doing this activity with people you know rather than with strangers, I managed to convince a few friends to join me. And I'm so glad we played the game. 

The concept of the game originated in Japan and is now popular all over the world. In the Bay Area, it is located in San Francisco and San Jose. We went to the one in San Jose. You have to reserve tickets online in advance. The duration of the game is one hour with an extra half an hour for introductions,  explaining the rules and questions.

The room in which we were locked looked very ordinary but was full of puzzles, crosswords, clues and mystery. As a team, we had to figure things out. I can't really say anything more about the game without the spoilers so I'll stop. We did not manage to find the key in time and escape but I'd say we did pretty well for ourselves and everyone was pleased. There was a lot of collaboration, creativity, time management and brain work involved and it was thoroughly enjoyable. 

Sad face: Real Escape Game

They have a few different themes for the rooms to choose from. The one we went for was called 'Escape from the Mysterious Room.' It is a very good activity as a corporate team building event as well as a day out with friends. Even if you don't have a group of ten, you can always book your tickets and you will be clubbed with others who reserve that slot. I'm excited about trying some of the other rooms and puzzles.

Happy face: Real Escape Game

What: The Real Escape Game

Where: http://realescapegame.com/

Cost: $39

Natural Bridges State Beach

What do you do when you catch a sunny break from the cold winter? You head to the beach, of course! That's what we did last Saturday. I had heard about the Natural Bridges in Santa Cruz from a colleague and so I decided to check it out.

Natural Bridges State Beach, Santa Cruz

An hour's drive took us to the beach. It being a beautiful day, the beach was buzzing with activity. The weather was just perfect-no annoying cold wind or fog to take away from the views. It is a small sandy beach compared to the main one near the boardwalk. Quite close to the shore is a massive rock which forms an arch giving it an appearance of a bridge. Apparently, there were three such bridges but erosion took a toll on them and now only one survives. You can see about hundreds of birds perched on top of the bridge. We also saw quite a few surfers having a fun time and enjoying the water.

Right next to the beach, there are some tide pools. These are rocks with small depressions in them. During low tide, when there is no water covering these rocks, you can see a lot of different sea life forms. There were snails, anemones, sea-weeds, mussels and many colorful forms. It was a treat to watch them. We reached there at the fag end of the low tide and so could catch only a glimpse of what actually is out there. The best time to visit the tide pools is an hour before or an hour after low tide.

Anemones

Mussels and sea weed

The park next to the beach is home to the migrating Monarch Butterflies. There is a separate trail with eucalyptus trees where you can see hundreds of Monarch Butterflies during the migratory season (October to mid February). It is a quiet and shaded trail and if you look up, you can see the butterflies fluttering about. Since we went there around sunset, the weather was not warm enough and so there were fewer butterflies than one can see during the afternoon. It was difficult to capture them on camera as it was getting dark.

Monarch Butterflies Trail

 It was a perfect day out at the beach with gorgeous views to refresh the mind and soul.

What: Natural Bridges State Beach
Where: 2531 W Cliff Drive, Santa Cruz CA 95060
When: 8.00am to sunset
Fee: Free (parking is $10 which you can avoid by parking on the street)

An Evening At Shoreline Park

My first post in the new year! I have been to Shoreline Park a number of times since I moved here. I was introduced to this wonderful place by my friend Anne. The park is located in Mountain View quite close to the downtown. It is a vast expanse of land with a lake, hiking and biking trails, golf course and a beautiful picnic area. It has something for everyone.

The trails are mostly flat and unshaded. The open space with many different types of birds and the green grass make for a very pleasant walk. I usually go there when I want to be outdoors but don't feel up to a strenuous hike. Of course, you can bring a nice little picnic basket and soak in the sun or play frisbee or board games. They also have bicycles for rent too. One of these days, I intend to rent one to learn how to ride a bike!

Shoreline Lake with birds

My favorite part is of course the small man-made lake which has lots of birds. You can rent kayaks, row boats, peddle-boats or bring your own to enjoy a few hours on the water. We recently went kayaking on the lake. It was a fun experience. We rented a two-person kayak for an hour. Strapping on the life vests and armed with paddles, we entered the lake and started paddling around the lake. The sight of the setting sun, the birds flying all around us and the gorgeous pink of the earth shadow on the sky made the evening simply perfect. The lake is quite small so you can easily kayak around the entire lake in an hour without rushing. I even stopped mid way to click some pictures!

If you want to enjoy being on the water without having to leave the city, Shoreline is the best place for you. They also have two cafes-Michael's and Lakeside cafe where you can grab a quick snack after your activity. The website mentions you can order a picnic lunch from the cafe to carry on the boat but I personally don't think it is such a good idea.

There is no entry fee for the park which makes it even more appealing. Right outside the park, there is a dog-park and an area to fly kites and remote controlled aeroplanes although I have not been to that side.
There are tons of things you can do here: run, jog, stroll, wind surf, row, canoe, sail, picnic, relax, admire nature, click pictures and have a superb time!

What: Shoreline Park
Where: 3070 North Shoreline Blvd, Mountain View CA 94043
When: Sunrise to Sunset all year round
Fee: Free 

Lake Tahoe Winter Trip

Squaw Valley Resort

I recently took a day trip to Tahoe on Christmas Day along with family. Since it snows in Tahoe, we were not too keen on driving so instead we took a bus tour that picked us up at 4am from Sunnyvale and brought us back the same day at 9pm.

Lake Tahoe is the second deepest lake in the US and is located along the border  between California and Nevada. During summer, it is a popular tourist spot for people interested in water sports. Skiing and snowboarding are significant activities in winter. 

We took the trip with Bayareaskibus.com. The bus dropped us at the Squaw Valley resort at 9am and we had until 3.30pm to go ski, snow board or just hang out at the resort. Since none of us were keen on skiing, we decided to take the aerial tram up to the High Camp. The tram ride was fun and I could see a jaw dropping aerial view of Squaw valley. At High Camp, there is a restaurant, a bar, the Olympic Museum and an ice skating rink. 

At High Camp, Squaw Valley

The temperature was below zero and too much for us to handle so we spent most of the time at the restaurant which gave us a wonderful view of the snow outside without having to brave the cold. The Olympic Museum would be interesting for sports enthusiasts but I did not spend too much time there. I simply enjoyed watching the snow and hearing the wind roar. After a light snack, we took the tram back down to the resort. 

Olympic Rings at High Camp

View from the aerial tram

I had already bought tickets for snow tubing in the morning. So after the tram, we took the free Squaw valley shuttle to 'SnoVentures' which is an area for snow tubing and skiing for beginners as well as kids. Snow tubing is a fun activity wherein you sit in an inflated tube and are pushed down a gradual slope of ice and the tube slides down. It is a lot of fun and is perfect for those who want to experience the snow without the training or skill required for skiing.  After a few rounds of tubing, we were too tired and cold so we walked around the gift stores before heading back to the bus which promptly started at 4.30pm. 

Posing in the snow

It was an exciting day as it was the first time I saw snowfall. The tiny snowflakes were beautiful. Of course, I wished I was better prepared for the harsh weather. The next time around, I plan to go to another resort, probably Heavenly and try snow mobiling and perhaps skiing if I feel brave enough.

Snow Tubing

Snow Tubing

Christmas Lights in San Francisco

Christmas is the time for lights, decorations and above all celebration. This year, thanks to a friend,  I spent a day in San Francisco taking in the spirit of the holiday season. 

We took the caltrain at mid day and headed up to the city. Union Square was our first stop. The giant christmas tree with the beautiful and colorful decorations was a sight to behold. Union Square also has an ice-skating rink where people had a fun time.

In Union Square, the 'Heart Sculpture' is a very popular tourist spot. Each year, new heart sculptures are installed after the old ones are auctioned off for charity. 

Union Square Heats of San Francisco Sculpture 

After a uphill walk, we then reached the Fairmont Hotel in Nob Hill. The hotel lobby had a spectacular decorations. A giant tree, lights, gingerbread cookie house and an area for kids to write letters to Santa. I was impressed by the fact that it was open to public. 

A short bus ride took us to Ghirardelli square where we grabbed some chocolate-y drinks and walked across the street to the marina to enjoy the view of the ocean. 

As we walked along the pier, we made the terrible mistake of trying out the 'SF Dungeon'. This is a rip off in the name of entertainment. Stay away from this place. I do not want to go into the details of how horrible the place was. 

The big tree near Fisherman's Wharf was gorgeous. Have a look.

Pier 39 Christmas Tree

My favorite decoration however was the one in Hyatt Regency near Union Square. The 300,000 cascading lights were stunning. And so was the christmas village set up. It was so detailed and well made. Unfortunately, I do not have a very good picture for this. 

The christmas music on the streets and stores along with all the decorations lifted my spirits and I was so glad I got to spend a fun day in SF.

Ceramic Painting

I have done ceramic painting once many years ago. So this time when a friend asked me to join her and others for a morning of ceramic painting, I wanted to give it a try. 

Cranberry Hill Mercantile in Sunnyvale is a craft supplies store. They have a ceramic painting room which was reserved for our group of ten girls. They charge $4.50 per person which covers the cost of paints, brushes and glazing of the piece that we paint. The ceramic room has a huge collection of ceramic items of different shapes and sizes-animal figurines, plates, bowls, napkin holders, salt and pepper shaker, vases etc. We were asked to pick an item that we wished to paint and once we paid for the item along with the sitting fee, we were good to go. 

Paint Supplies

There is no instruction and you basically start painting whatever you want. There are a few stencils that you can use for creating designs. I chose a star shaped plate which would be perfect to hold tea light candles. I googled to get an inspiration for designs and then started painting. There is no time limit so you can paint for as long as you want. I wrapped up in about two hours as I had a lunch appointment with friends after that.

The original plate

It was a fun and creative experience. I enjoyed the process of converting a plain white plate into a colorful piece of art. I was quite happy with the final outcome. The store then took about a week to glaze the plate and here is the completed plate. 

Plate Before Glazing

Plate After Glazing

It is a perfect activity to do with your girlfriends, kids and I think even by yourself. I was totally absorbed in my artistic pursuit and at the same time happy to have the company of friends to experience it with. 

Me absorbed in painting

What: Ceramic Painting

Where: 1014 W El Camino Real Sunnyvale CA

When: Mon, Tue, Wed, Fri and Sat: 10a-6pm, Thur: 10a-8p, Sun: 10a-5p

Fee: $4.50+cost of the ceramic piece