Sooo much pooping

[Aimee]

Hi there

 

Any advice/suggestions on sorting out my body clock? Arrived in San Francisco late Friday (although by my clock it was 6am Saturday morning) and can't adjust to the time difference. I missed eating yesterday evening as I fell asleep (no bad thing - am having a reality check with food as all the calorie values are printed on menus. Talk about spoiling things I'm having to squint to blur out the numbers). It's now 5.30 am and I've been up for the past three hours. Feel fine but I know later on it won't help.

 

What should I do?

[TutuTallulah]

Hi Aimee

 

I went to San Francisco last year and i was exactly the same!

 

I ended up in tears I was so tired but couldn't sleep. I felt sick all the time and couldn't eat.

 

Eventually (and reluctantly) I went to the Chemist - I can't remember the name of it, but it's on Fishermans Wharf near the Tram turnaround (near The Argonaut Hotel and Starbucks). I bought some blue sleeping pills called Walgreens Nightime Sleepaid. They are on the shelf, you do not have to ask the pharmacist for them (unless you can't find them!)The poppers each have 2 little blue pills in them and you take them both about 20 minutes before you go to sleep. I found I still woke up quite a few times but the massive difference was I got almost straight back to sleep and eventually managed about 8 hours sleep.

 

I have to stress I have never taken sleeping pills before and I have never taken them since! But in San Francisco they were a godsend - I have travelled all over the world and my body clock had never been so messed up.

 

I was quite apprehensive about taking them, but I was fine and they helped me get the sleep I needed to enjoy my holiday.

 

I hope I have helped - enjoy your stay in SFO!!!

[ubereglu]

Apparently you can sleep as much as you want, but don't eat until usual times in order to avoid jetlag-not sure if it works though.

[Space Chick]

Get Melatonin and take it at bedtime, stay outdoors in the daytime, eat at local normal times, and get on a cable car. I love San Fran

 

If you want a fab meal, go to One Market, it's a fab reasonably priced Michelin starred restaurant

[Aimee]

Thanks for the tips. I think if tonight doesn't go well I'll search out the tablets. It's useful to know there's a back-up and I'm desperate not to have the first part of the trip spoiled (I've another 2 weeks yet and am moving on south from SF in a few days ).

 

I know what you mean about taking pills - the only time I've felt the need was during a strssful work period and bought some Kalms...Need to do something though as I've also been feeling sick and dizzy today. Feel stupid as my son and OH are both fine.

 

Thanks also for food tip - always up for trying out great places! I have to admit, it was so high pressured at work before we broke up for summer that I did very little research or reading up on California . Not great when my OH has said the itinerary is down to me to plan (we went to Southern Africa last summer and he planned but whilst the places we went were amazing the miles covered weren't so this time it's my turn to organise). No problem so far as we mutually agreed 5 or more days in SF to begin but from now on I need to decide. Only factor to consider is we're flying home from LA.

 

I'm thinking about a few days in Yosemite then down to Steinbeck areas (wouldn't do for an English teacher to miss out on that ). Think it would be rotton for my son not to go to Disney so will slot that in. Any other suggestions/ideas welcomed!

[ClaireG]

I love Malibu the beaches are fantastic and some very lovely posh houses around! I also loved San Diego and my Mums favourite place is Santa Barbara.

[DebC]

Dad was in the RAF and was always flying all around the world. His attitude was always that he eat and slept according to local time. It meant he had some very long days and some very short days depending on where he was. It worked for him, but he was used to it. I always try to do the same, but once made the mistake of thinking, when we came home at lunch time, from the states, of thinking that we would just have a few minutes on the bed and woke up three hours later! then couldn't sleep all night!

 

as for where to go - hated LA, loved San Diego and wanted to go to Yosemite, but didn't get chance

 

Have a fab time

[Space Chick]

Yosemite is fab, also Lake tahoe. You can have a foot in 2 states there California and Nevada

 

There's alway Vegas too

[Tutti Frutti]

Santa Cruz is just south of SF - it's where they filmed Lost Boys I've always wanted to go back at Xmas for the Santa Cruise into Santa Cruz... he comes in by speedboat

 

Also, try lunch at the Hogs Breath Inn in Carmel - it's the town where Clint Eastwood was mayor. Also, 11 mile drive around the coastline. Head towards Monterey and visit the Oceanic centre. Actually, if I could do it again, I'd hire a car and drive down to LA! Via Lake Tahoe, Las Vegas, the Grand Canyon and the Hoover Dam

 

Hope you're settling in OK now - I found coming back much easier than going out as I could easily adjust to 2 x 20 hour days (48 hours minus 8 for time difference) on the way home but couldn't handle 1 x 32 hour day (24 hours plus 8 ) on the way out, it took me 3 days to get over the jet lag!

[Lewis]

Just do everything as normal in San Fran time - will be hard for a day or two but fine then.

 

We stopped at The Argonaut Go and see Pier 39, some cool shops down there, and the sea lions! Just go for a walk and see where you end up ... you'll never be far away.

 

We did Muir Woods (redwoods) when we were there and you have to go over go over Golden Gate bridge to get there so that adds something else in , then went to Vegas (via Hawaii ).

 

Vegas is but just surreal! We landed at night and its just a mass of lights in the middle of the desert.

So much to do there, all the casinos you can spent all day and night walking round, the huge malls, just everything!

 

Grand Canyon is just ... huuuuuuuge - you don't really appreciate it when you're there (well I didn't), because there's just so much to look at and take in. We went on a coach trip so drove down and through the canyon, but some people do the helicopter tour

[Tiggy]

I know how you feel, I got back from Jamaica on Sunday & off to work Monday I'm getting about 3-4 hours sleep and Im totally shattered brilliant holiday, but I'll read these posts with interest i really need some sleep

[Aimee]

Well, the recommendation on the Sleep Aid tablets was well worth it - they worked a treat and am back to feeling human again It's 10.30pm here and I'm still awake - the best I've managed so far and I slept til 8am this morning.

 

We left San Fran this morning, detoured via the Jelly Belly factory (couldn't resist ) and headed to Yosemite for a couple of days. Thanks for the tips/suggestions - they'll come in use when we head back to the coast.

 

Any more ideas gladly welcomed.