Besides the weather (how New Yorker of me), I did find my serenity in the hills of the Presidio, which contains the Golden Gate bridge and an old military base. I was relatively well-fed with the proximity of Asian markets and a pearl milk tea joint, Quickly. Being close to a 24-hour bus line also meant it’s an easy ride downtown.

But! It’s not New York. People walk too slowly. (I, too, slow my pace but I blame the hills.) They don’t move for you on buses. Bums confront you to pay for their service. They camp out in parks. Most coffee are bad, unless you find comfort in chains like Starbuck’s or Pete’s. Pizza places mostly have table service (therefore more expensive) and only sometimes offer slices. Some bus stops don’t have bus stop signs – only a bus number painted on a metal pole. The buses stop every block on hills.

Still I miss the quietness, the beach, the Mexican food, In-n-Out (cheap burgers), and sometimes (only sometimes) the weather – no humidity! Also, I sincerely have a deeper appreciation for buses.