Afterword
We didn’t arrive in perfect health, but we arrived with hope — and that made all the difference. The early days were tough, no denying it. But San Francisco has a way of meeting you where you are, then gently lifting you. By the time we found our rhythm, the city had already begun to work its quiet magic.
We knew, even during our first visit, that we’d be back. There was something about San Francisco that got under our skin — not in a flashy, postcard way, but in the way a place quietly claims a corner of your heart. This second trip didn’t just confirm that feeling. It deepened it. Now we don’t just want to return — we need to. There’s more to see, more to feel, more to share.
Bringing the wheelchair this time changed everything. It gave Jane the freedom to move at pace, to be part of the city’s rhythm rather than watching from the sidelines. The pavements weren’t always kind — cracked, sloped, unpredictable — but we navigated them together. And when we stood side by side on the Golden Gate Bridge, watching pelicans glide overhead in the golden light, it felt like the world had paused just for us. That moment wasn’t just beautiful. It was ours.
Having been before gave us a head start — we knew the quirks of the transport system, the shortcuts through the chaos, the places where the ground stayed level. That kind of knowledge isn’t just practical. It’s empowering. Especially when mobility is part of the equation. I’m proud of the planning, the maps, the routes — but more than that, I’m proud that Jane trusted me to lead the way. That trust is its own kind of love.
2015 was always going to be a year of adventure. A surprise payout gave us the chance to dream bigger, and Chicago was already pencilled in for September. It’s a different kind of city — sprawling, urban, less intense than New York but no less iconic. But San Francisco? San Francisco is something else entirely.
It’s hard to define what makes it so special. Maybe it’s the lingering hippy spirit, the open-heartedness, the way nature and neighbourhoods blend like old friends. Maybe it’s the fog rolling in like a curtain call, or the way the light hits the bay just before sunset. Whatever it is, it stays with you. It follows you home.
We’ve seen a lot of the USA, but San Francisco is our favourite — and I can’t imagine that changing. Even in winter, the weather holds up. Even after dark, the streets feel safe. And there’s still so much left to explore: Oakland, Marin County, the tucked-away corners that haven’t yet revealed their stories.
But if I had to choose one moment — one image to carry forward — it would be this: sitting together on the seawall, watching the Pacific stretch out into forever, the sun dipping low, and Jane beside me. That’s the memory I’ll return to when the days feel heavy. That’s the one I’ll hold close.
San Francisco isn’t just a place we visited. It’s a place that visited us — and stayed.
"From its lingering hippy vibe to sunsets over the Pacific, San Francisco remains our undeniable favourite in the USA."
Jane & Con
