As we neared the end of our time in California, we decided that we must experience the postcard vistas that are on offer as you drive from Monterey to Santa Barbara along the famous Route 1. Alas, we could not afford a soft-top Corvette or a Mustang for the trip, and to be fair there are only certain parts of the drive that would allow for the stereotypical Route 1 coastal postcard shot.

Setting out with the camping gear packed in our trusty 4x4, we drive south along the coast stopping off at the most idyllic spots. These for us included Point Lobos State Reserve, Big Sur, the outrageous Hearst Castle, finally concluding at our campsite for the night at the solitary Jalama Beach County Park (just round the corner from Santa Barbara).

The best part about Route 1 is that there is something for everybody. If you want to mix it with the millionnaires in Carmel-By-The-Sea then feel free, or if you're sick of the sight of tourists and materialism then there are plenty of desolate places to stare at the ocean and watch the sealions play in the surf.