Since people in California (especially the friends and the extended family of the Bennetts) found out about my blog, I will do this very entry in English.

The feeling, that time is running out, makes me rather sad. I had such a wonderful time in this beautiful country and on top of that I really enjoyed being around the Bennetts and their friends. Thanks for all the warmth and the openminded way you approached me. It’s the nice people that made me feel home. I just can’t thank you enough! It is going to be pretty hard to leave behind all the new friends I have met this year.

In the run of the next few weeks, I will load videos and pictures (about recent trips and funny and awkward moments) onto my page. So you should definitely come back and see what has been going on lately.

Here the programm of my last week of my stay.
Monday: Recovering From Rafting. We were basically recovering from the sore muscles we had after rafting. We had so much fun doing it and I got a lot of excitement out of splashing other people with the 58 degree F water. And heck no, I didn’t hesitate to attack people I know. Sorry (host-)aunt Viv. Monday, I also got to know Blake’s friend (who happens to be a girl) NORA. She is such a lovely girl, so I give Blake the permission to do anything (literally). Just Kidding (I know that I will get beaten up for saying stuff like that!).
Movie of Today: Sicko. A Michael Moore film about the health care system in the United States. The discussion about whether or not America should have a universal med care system was interesting since I didn’t know any kind of details. Now I do. Pretty controversial. To be honest: The movie scared me and I was kinda happy that I was from Austria.

Tuesday: GREAT AMERICA. We went to this awesome theme park. Best rides: Loggers something (cant remember exactly) and of course TOP GUN. Here is one tiny little piece of a conversation Austin and I had (here’s the story: I needed to state my weight for surfing):

Philipp: I really don’t know how much I weight in pounds. I have no clue. Sorry.
Austin: Well, how much do you weigh in kilometers. Or what is it in Europe?

For his defense. It is tough to get it right since it is called metric system.
Anyway, we spent the night at Nora’s house which was really awesome. Their house and especially their garden was so tons of fun. Awesome pool and hot tub (Unfortunately, I am not allowed to tell what happened there, since we agreed on applying the international hot tub policy which says: “What happens in a hot tub, stays in the hot tub”). Besides, I slept in the pool/garden house which is very OC. I see that.

Wednesday: Paintballing rocks my socks. We had so much fun shooting and getting shot by random people (actually a couple of Englishmen). Got hit on my butt which caused some sort of bruise.

Thursday: Dude. Seriously. Dude. Like. Totally. We did it. We went surfing. From now on, the state of California will consider me as genuinely Californian. Just kidding. I won’t be able to be elected as president, neither does Schwarzenegger! Surfing was so much fun. I was kinda surprised about the fact, that it is a lot different from snowboarding. Similarities: You are using one board.
Another funny episode: The surfing instructor (female, she was VERRY NICE — hence the Borat in me. Funny enough, he also happens to like Pamela) was trying to explain the rightaway system out there on the ocean and she said: “Let’s assume Austria falls, Michigan better jumps off the board, got it?”
Evening Programme: Baseball Game of Oakland Athletics! Hope its gonna happen! Thanks Aunt Viv and Uncle Butch.

Friday: Do Work Son, Do Work Son. I have plenty of things that I need to get done. Burning music CDs, picture CDs and get everything ready for the party on Saturday . Oh and still, I have to buy some presents and I might start packing my stuff, at least piling it up and check what suitcase I use for my second luggage! Man, the shops in here are full of stuff that I want to buy so badly!

Saturday: Party Like A Rockstar (starting at 1 PM, Bennett’s House! Ask for directions — call Blake, please!)

Sunday: Cleaning up our mess! Getting things ready to leave since we are going to San Francisco in the evening and spend the night there.

Monday: Time To Say Goodbye. Visiting Alcatraz in the morning and then it obviously is time to say goodbye at the SFO Airport. We should be there at 2 pm.
Catching my flight for London (then from London to VIE!).

Tuesday: From now on (there is nothing but…): Schnitzel, Heurigen and Autobahn! Arrival at the Airport in VIE. Hopefully I can find some kick ass stragety to fight the jet lag. We’ll see.