Running for the train

Yep, out of the starting gates I'm running for the train. No joke. I was up early and took my time eating breakfast. Wandered down the street to a Walgreens so I could buy a Clipper card and then on to the train station.
I heard the train coming through and sure enough it was my train!! So off I ran to catch up to it at the other end of the platform. Made it just in time! I didn't want to wait twenty minutes for the next train. Those tunnels are hot and stuffy.

The train was packed too. All the morning commuters on their way to work in the financial district - at the Montgomery stop they all exited.

I walked into work with time to spare, they all thought it was because I was so excited to be there! I just nodded because if I'd have missed that train first thing I'd have been 15 minutes late!

I sat in on a Marketing meeting with the group since I was so early and then sat with Brian to train on the phones and reservations system they use. Should be okay. Once I start the camping trips I'll have a guaranteed departure each week and then fill the other days with the easy one day trips and office work. It will be good to know the whole operation I think! Not sure why they wanted to train me to do that but I'll take the hours for sure! Not many of the guides currently do any office work, but it appears this year they had a lot of the old school come back. I don't see any other overland guides returning this year. I got lucky I think!

My day of work was done at 1pm so I wandered off down the road to find a snack before lunch and of course in doing that missed the train! So I walked slowly past Mr and Mrs (kept walking) and sat at the train stop and watched the cars go by.

Once I made it back to Powell St I headed to a really great little tiny place I know about and had a yummy curry noodle soup! Oh man it was so good! I love that stuff! It comes in a huge bowl so I'm having left overs for dinner tonight too! Yummy!! This restaurant is easy to miss. It's right on Powell Street which is really busy with tourists anyways but you go into a door and down a narrow hall and your into a little restaurant. I sat by myself and ordered what I'd been craving and shortly out it came to me. I started eating it with a fork, they gave me a spoon too...I didn't know what to do with that. Then a waitress noticed I was struggling and I gave her permission to dig into the bowl and show me the proper way to do it! Magic! Chopsticks and spoon and your all set! What a great meal! I love curry! And it's so cheap too. I got a huge bowl and ordered some rice to go so I could have the curry over rice for dinner tonight.

After I was stuffed I walked up to Union Square and sat and basked in the sun for a while. My white legs are due for some sun! I read a little of my John Muir book and then walked back to the hostel to recoup.

I noticed no one had checked in to my room yet so I moved bunks! I get to do that as I'm a "lifer" here. So I moved to the bottom bunk that way I wouldn't wake everyone up when I have to get moving at 4:30am tomorrow for work. Oh man I feel bad doing that for sure but it can't be helped.

I stopped at the front desk and got great advice on an earlier more direct bus (the trains only start running at 5:!5am) so I'll have an easy trip.
My next big hurdle was food. It's hard to move around so early and still find something to eat or drink. I bought stuff I could microwave at the office. Oatmeal and some peanut butter. (I've got a lot of early mornings this week) I bought those at the market across the street from the hostel.

Its such a disaster in there but he does have 2 of everything so if you look hard enough you'll find what you need. The place cracks me up. Stuff is literally piled on the shelves and the back stock is just sitting on racks near by. Its really funny. But they sell fresh bread and fresh baklava too so that is all that really matters.
That's been my day so far. Having to work so early means I'll have all afternoons off. Not sure what to do really? When you're not a tourist here what else is there to do? I think the book coffee idea is a good one. Maybe a tour to Alcatraz one of these days too...who knows. I'm just happy to be work full time! Next MAJOR hurdle is finding a place to live. Where do I even begin to do that! I don't know!