We're here!
Its been very strange. The flight was long but ok. We were slightly delayed because of a problem with a baggage container. Got to San Francisco and managed to get our hire car ok, its massive. A Chrysler Town&Country. Then we stayed in a hotel overnight which was fine, seemed a bit like the type of hotel that people get killed in American Detective shows though. The weather was horrible, very misty, cloudy and gloomy. Not what we thought California weather was!
Next day (Wednesday) we started to drive up towards Redding. Sat nav said it would take 3 and a quarter hours but we thought we'd drive some of the way up the coast to see some more of California, which sat nav said would be about 4 - 4 and a half hours. So we started and it was so gloomy we couldnt see the sea sometimes even though we were right next to it! So we stopped at a place called Bodega Bay for some food at a little Hawaiian themed deli (was terrible) and decided to try head inland to catch the main road up to Redding. Trouble was going inland was really hard. The roads were incredibly bendy and high. The landscape was amazing at times (Bit like how I imagine Canada is) but driving was hard. We eventually reached the main road (The I5) and drove on up. But we started driving at 11 and arrived at our house at 7! It took ages. All in all we wouldn't recommend anything about how we got here or arrived here!
Our house is really nice though. It's got everything we need and more. We've settled in well, not really got jet lag but keep waking up early. Yesterday was a much better day. The weather was nice, about 27 degrees. We went for a walk, but almost got lost so came home. In the afternoon we played volleyball in the garden and then went to starbucks and went food shopping. Was nice. Today we gotta set up an american bank account and do a few other things. Weathers gonna get up to the early 30s this weekend.
Some first impressions:

• everythings big! and square.

• The cars are massive. Its hard to walk anywhere because everything's so spread out.

• people are generally friendly. Everyone asks where we're from, when we tell them they say 'is that near London?'
  

• The house is great. Like a restful place. We're getting on all together and having fun and laughing.

• Tv is terrible. Loads of adverts and we don't have many channels.

• Our street is massive and very hilly. But the views of the mountains are amazing.