78. Driving up Pacific Coast Highway

Living in Southern California has its advantages. One those advantages is living so near the mighty Ocean. It is the largest ocean in the -- big, blue, and beautiful. One of my pastimes when I was growing up was taking long drive up Pacific Coast Highway. It is beautiful drive, winding lazily in and out of of the sea, and going up hills and coastal valleys. For first-time cruisers, it could be .

One lazy Saturday, I was a bit bored, I called my girlfriend, who was studying for English test on the coming Monday, to see she wanted to go for a ride. "Hey , want to go for a cruise?" She hemmed hawed for a while before finally agreeing to with me. "Where are we going?" she asked, I wanted it to be a surprise. She been hitting the books pretty hard lately because her upcoming mid-term exams. I figured she needed break, and so did I.

We started driving. we were going through the Santa Monica tunnel. tunnel is especially nice. When you enter it, have no clue what is waiting at the end. As soon as the exit comes into , the ocean, in all its glory, appears right your eyes. Sheila was instantly delighted. She turned me after a while and said "Thanks, baby. really needed this." I said "Me too, babe."

talked for what seemed like hours. After that went up and down, left and right, with ocean as our companion. We ended up in Barbara, a coastal town about 140 miles north Los Angeles. It was getting late, so we to stay for the night. Santa Barbara is college town, so it's easy to find affordable to spend the night. That was one of best nights of my young life.