Peter's Awe-Inspiring Conquest of California on a Budget

[PeterAlt]

I'm at the Caltrain station. Only automated vending machine ticket sales. No humans. Machine did not accept any of my gift cards and rejected the only $20 bill I have left!

Fortunately, one of the BART workers showed me the way to a bill changing machine that dispenses $5 bills from twenty's. The worker told me that the Caltrain machine does not accept twenty's but does accept $5 bills. So, I changed my $20 bill for fives and tried the Caltrain machine again for a round trip ticket and it fortunately worked. The fair round trip was $14. Caltrain is operated separately from BART.

 

[PeterAlt]

Caltrain station


Stupid machine

I forgot to mention its COLD and WINDY here - total opposite weather compared to Southern Cali!

 

[PeterAlt]

I was away all day yesterday, so I'm just getting caught up now.
Great report. Lovely photos.
More importantly, it sounds like you are having a wonderful, albeit frenetic, time.

I'm actually starting to worry that I might run out of money. I should have skipped Crystal Method.

 

[PeterAlt]

I'm curious, why didn't you visit the DFM when you were first in San Francisco? You're all over the place lol.

Because they were closed on Tuesdays. That was my one full day in SF. It took a lot of last minute planning to get it in for Sunday (tomorrow). Those following the Bob Saget thread saw the drama unfold once I realized they were closed that one day I had planned for it!

 

[JenniferS]

I'm actually starting to worry that I might run out of money. I should have skipped Crystal Method.

I've done a few trips in the past where we've cut it pretty close $$-wise, but you, my friend, seem to have taken it to a whole new level!

Of course, the title of your thread should have alerted us to that.

Good luck.

Living without a CC is difficult.

Last time we were in Buffalo, the fraud prevention department at TD put a freeze on Hubby's card, because we hadn't alerted them that we were travelling out of country.
We got it fixed the next day, but it was kind of embarrassing being "declined".
Then, of course, the store wouldn't accept a Canadian debit card.
Luckily I had just withdrawn $400 cash from the ATM.

 

[MOXOMUMD]

I would have reached meltdown mode by now.

 

[PeterAlt]

I've done a few trips in the past where we've cut it pretty close $$-wise, but you, my friend, seem to have taken it to a whole new level!

Of course, the title of your thread should have alerted us to that.

Good luck.

Living without a CC is difficult.

Last time we were in Buffalo, the fraud prevention department at TD put a freeze on Hubby's card, because we hadn't alerted them that we were travelling out of country.
We got it fixed the next day, but it was kind of embarrassing being "declined".
Then, of course, the store wouldn't accept a Canadian debit card.
Luckily I had just withdrawn $400 cash from the ATM.

We just passed San Carlos. Follow on Google Maps. We're still quite a distance from San Jose.

It's hard to relax when you"re all nerved up and the cold weather ain't helping!

Arriving now at Redwood City...

 

[PeterAlt]

Back in the day when I used to go to all these rave parties (when they were legal in Florida), I had no problem meeting people and getting asked to join them to continue partying once the event ended. It would be nice of I could do that tonight.

 

[PeterAlt]

Next stop Palo Alto... Steve Jobs hometown!

 

[PeterAlt]

...which reminds me! I snapped this pic of my aunt and uncle's rolladex (with permission) several months ago from the days when my cousin was in Harvard. Note to moderators: information is outdated and does not violate the subjects' privacy.



Next stop: Sunnyvale (where Atari was headquartered)!

 

[PeterAlt]

Made it to San Jose. My destination is 20 minutes by foot or 10 minutes by light rail.

 

[PeterAlt]

San Jose light rail station at the Caltrain station.

I bought two tickets with $4 cash. I may actually pull this off! I feel the exciting ebbing up!

 

[PeterAlt]

 

[PeterAlt]

 

[MinnieM123]

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Glad you finally made it to the music venue, and I hope you are having a great time. That crowd is huge (large crowds make me nervous); but you're very outgoing, and I have no doubt that you're in your glory out there—probably making many new friends! Enjoy! P.S.: I do hope you'll be awake enough to enjoy the museum Sunday morning.

 

[PeterAlt]

Glad you finally made it to the music venue, and I hope you are having a great time. That crowd is huge (large crowds make me nervous); but you're very outgoing, and I have no doubt that you're in your glory out there—probably making many new friends! Enjoy! P.S.: I do hope you'll be awake enough to enjoy the museum Sunday morning.

Believe it or not, tonight has been my shyest night yet! I mean I still had a great time but my nerves were shot probably because of the stress. I still talked to people, etc. but I didn't feel like myself.

Any way, it just ended. Caltrain doesn't run again until 4am. People are hanging out in the streets. I'm still wide awake but I'm enjoying sitting down and hearing music being played.

 

[PeterAlt]

You don't even want to know. I didn't want to know. It got worse. It gets worse.

Does everyone know what today's day is? Does anyone know what special day it is? Hint: what national holiday?
Labor Day.

And what does it mean that it's Labor Day?

It means that the Caltrain trains are running on the weekend/holiday schedule, not the weekday schedule.

It means that the next train won't arrive until 8:00am.

8am.

The good news is that the hostel that is holding my luggage said they won't charge me for that and that they will only take the 10% reservation deposit I made a while back. This also now means I have a little extra cash and credit to work with.

Updated plan

8am - Take the first Caltrain back to San Francisco.
9am - Walk to hostel and collect my luggage
By 10am - DFM
2:45pm - Catch flight back.

I am now in a heated lobby at the train station and I will now rest until the 8am train. It looks like sleep is is not an option. I'm beginning to not love this state as much as I loved it previously.

 

[PeterAlt]

I'm not going to make the DFM on this trip. I'm tired and just want this over with already. It'll be here for next time I visit. Something to look forward to.

Meanwhile, I am feeling as if I have entered the Twilight Zone and it's really messing with my head! I'm feeling this very strange sensation of dejuvu. All my surroundings. Even the skitzofrenzix homeless girl I have seen before but this is my visit visit. The dejuvu part of it concerns the fact that I remember getting very familiar with this place, right down to the last light rail detail. Part of the dévous is having this strange feeling dejavu, the endless call to make sense of it, in an infinite loop. Seriously, this is freaking me ou!

 

[PeterAlt]

I'm on the 8am Caltrain and the power just went off. I cannot wait to get out of San Jose. It's a beautiful city but there are spirits here and you can never leave. Train is moving now.

I'm feeling a little better now that I've spent the remainder of my cash on a breakfast burito. I think the combination of lack of sleep and good food was messing with my psyche.

I will swear, however, that I've dreamt multiple times about being stuck in that city, endlessly waiting at the Amtrak Transportation Center for the train to take us out, a homeless sczitzofranic young lady with a pet dog who hears voices, etc.

 

[alissafalco]

You probably just need a good night of sleep.