I woke up on Casey and Ai's couch in the morning with their cat snuggled between my butt and the back of the couch. Gross. Cats.
I didn't want to impose too much after the guys have been so great towards me, and once again, I'm met with a sense of urgency to find a place to sleep the next night- The seemingly endless cycle of the adventure hungry, and the car-less.
Hungry I am no more, but I can't freaking stop here! This is too much fun (I say that now, when I'm not in the middle of Fresno).
I didn't go back to Sally Loo's cafe for the fear of being mind-raped by Mid-life Crisis Matt. I went to Starbucks. I was getting my freaking money's worth for that stupid gift card I had to buy to get on their wifi. Plus, I used to work at Starbucks, and I know I can count on the people there being nice. They won't invite you over to sleep at their home or anything, but they'll occasionally upgrade your drink to a Venti for free. Free stuff is nice.
I didn't get free anything, but I did remember Matt mentioning that there was a hostel in town. In fact, he offered to pay for a night there for me since I didn't have any money. So yes, Matt is a nice guy. Fine.
Working in exchange for accommodation at a hostel was how this whole wanderlust business got started for me. I knew how to work this, and I've done it before plenty of times.
I'm not going to lie. I was liking this adventure, but I was exhausted. Emotionally. Physically. Everywherely. My desire to make it up to San Francisco was fading fast, and I was beginning to like this town. After e mailing the owner of Hostel Obispo, she got back to me within twenty minutes and... San Francisco? What's in San Francisco. Nothing that I want.
_______
Dear Sarah,
I’m glad you like being in San Luis Obispo. What’s not to like? Especially on a day like today. We can actually use another pair of helping hands around here. I ask for 18 hours of work each week in exchange for a bed in the dorm. Some food is included — all the beans, rice, lentils and pancakes you can eat!
We have a really fun crew of young people working here now. From your profile I can tell you’ll fit right in and have instant friends. Tonight is the “Bike Happening” downtown after Farmers Market. At about 9:15 maybe 500 cyclists will meet at the Mission for a crazy critical mass-style ride around town. I’m going, are you????? Come to the hostel before it gets dark and talk to whomever is on duty. Tell them I sent you! Have them help you find a bike and we’ll all have crazy fun.
I’m off to a day of lunch and movies with girlfriends, but I should be back around 7 pm. Feel free to come by and meet everyone earlier if you feel like it.
Looking forward to meeting you,
Elaine
I’m glad you like being in San Luis Obispo. What’s not to like? Especially on a day like today. We can actually use another pair of helping hands around here. I ask for 18 hours of work each week in exchange for a bed in the dorm. Some food is included — all the beans, rice, lentils and pancakes you can eat!
We have a really fun crew of young people working here now. From your profile I can tell you’ll fit right in and have instant friends. Tonight is the “Bike Happening” downtown after Farmers Market. At about 9:15 maybe 500 cyclists will meet at the Mission for a crazy critical mass-style ride around town. I’m going, are you????? Come to the hostel before it gets dark and talk to whomever is on duty. Tell them I sent you! Have them help you find a bike and we’ll all have crazy fun.
I’m off to a day of lunch and movies with girlfriends, but I should be back around 7 pm. Feel free to come by and meet everyone earlier if you feel like it.
Looking forward to meeting you,
Elaine
_____
Heck Yeah. What's not to like? It was even better once I got there. This place is like Grandma's cozy house. Wood floors. A fireplace, piano, a kitchen. Oh yes, a kitchen. When I showed up there two of my new co-workers were making home-made pretzels (I soon came to find out that almost everything we'd eat was home made. I'm talkin' really home made).
After I settled in to my temporary space, met the friends, and the hostel dog, I explored the nightlife of San Luis Obispo. The Thursday nightlife. Thursday nights mean farmers market, and probably the best one on the West Coast. The town shut the entire street down for music and farmer's goodies, and even though I had been in this town just over a day, I was running into people I knew all over the place. So comforting, albeit, a bit twilight zone-ish.
That night in the hostel I slept better than I've slept in weeks. Good thing, too, because the next day I had to start working. I've worked at hostels before. It's not hard work, but it can be draining work sometimes. After washing the fiftieth load of sheets, and making the 100th bed somehow motivation gets lost.
This hostel job was nothing like that. Nothing. When I woke up at 7:30am to start work I was getting ready to be trained on how to make sourdough pancakes, feed the sourdough starter, and answer the phone. When the hostel guests woke up I got to sit down and chat with them over pancakes about their travels all cozy in our pajamas inside grandma's house. This was not like any other hostel I've worked at.
Of course, I did have to do cleaning, but the old victorian house was small enough to where the cleaning was a one-man job, and when it was my turn I put my headphones on and danced my way through the house. I sang outside when I hung the laundry below the palm trees in the back yard, and when I was done I picked oranges off the tree next door to eat with my lunch.
San Francisco Shman Francisco.
After I stuffed myself with pancakes on my first official day living at Hostel Obispo I decided to walk back to Sally Loo's and see if any of my friends from the other day were there. I was a block away when I heard a car horn honking at me, and a white SUV pulled over. It was Matt and Casey. I was on the phone, so I didn't have time to ask questions; I just jumped in, no idea where we were headed.
As it turns out, Matt took us all to Avila Beach where we walked along the shoreline getting to know each other more. I'm still not certain it was a good idea to get in with Matt driving, all "trippy" and drugged, but I already rode across country with Lisa. Nothing, I tell you, nothing could be that bad.
If my days in San Luis Obispo keep getting better like this, I don't think I'll ever leave...
This hostel job was nothing like that. Nothing. When I woke up at 7:30am to start work I was getting ready to be trained on how to make sourdough pancakes, feed the sourdough starter, and answer the phone. When the hostel guests woke up I got to sit down and chat with them over pancakes about their travels all cozy in our pajamas inside grandma's house. This was not like any other hostel I've worked at.
Of course, I did have to do cleaning, but the old victorian house was small enough to where the cleaning was a one-man job, and when it was my turn I put my headphones on and danced my way through the house. I sang outside when I hung the laundry below the palm trees in the back yard, and when I was done I picked oranges off the tree next door to eat with my lunch.
San Francisco Shman Francisco.
After I stuffed myself with pancakes on my first official day living at Hostel Obispo I decided to walk back to Sally Loo's and see if any of my friends from the other day were there. I was a block away when I heard a car horn honking at me, and a white SUV pulled over. It was Matt and Casey. I was on the phone, so I didn't have time to ask questions; I just jumped in, no idea where we were headed.
As it turns out, Matt took us all to Avila Beach where we walked along the shoreline getting to know each other more. I'm still not certain it was a good idea to get in with Matt driving, all "trippy" and drugged, but I already rode across country with Lisa. Nothing, I tell you, nothing could be that bad.
If my days in San Luis Obispo keep getting better like this, I don't think I'll ever leave...
