SeaTac Airport - Sept 30th....it starts.....

I am determined to write. My last few trips have so many lost memories, it feels like a waste of money. (Things you need to know about randal #1 - Frugality is my favourite addiction). I started yesterday.....

5:00 am wake up, throw up, wash up, clean up, pack up.

8:30 am meet Lynn in Sidney, transfer luggage, drive back to Victoria, Board Ferries

*This was the first time I had taken the COHO ferry. I love leaving by boat from Victoria's Inner Harbour. The city has a totally different personality from that perspective and I realize how lucky I am to live there.

*Entering the Coho line up was a bit nerve racking. There were customs officials and police everywhere, and vicious sounding police dogs complaining loudly from the backs of big police trucks. I was immediately aware of being on US ground (we had in fact passed through immagration already and were technically now in the us and were not allowed to leave the compound). Everybody was a bit gruffer and scarier than I am used to and it seemed that the Americans were all hard of hearing as they were talking much louder than necessary.

**********probably unnecessary disclaimer #1 - I love Americans. Its just the slight culture contrast between Canadians and Americans that jolts me into a scared and defensive mode until I get used to noone apologizing to me when I brush up against them (which is what would usually happen in Canada).***************

With only a half hour of sleep under my belt and feeling the side effects of taking my meds a day late I thouroughly enjoyed the ferry ride. My hilarious jokes (like calling a small clearcut mountain near hurricane ridge a light breeze ridge or calling the bbq pork bun I stepped on before eating a pushed pork sandwich) seemed to go over Lynn's head.

My poor navigation skills ended us first in a small town named Port Gamble which is basically a museum/strip mall where the fire hall is a clothing store and the population seemed to be about 80% Carnie (Carny? - is there a proper spelling for that word?).

Miles later we checked in to a Holiday Inn Express in SeaTac (Thats actually the name of the city that surrounds the SeaTac airport). El Charro was our choice for dinner - the closest authentic mexican restaurant we could find. It got two thumbs up - one from my dad because they had both tamales and flan and one from me because the mole was interesting and the tv wasnt too loud. Lynn says he's going again for lunch and dinner today.

The trip to SeaTac wasn't really necessary, I usually fly from Vancouver but I found a super cheap flight ($1160 inclusive) from Seattle this time so I decided to add a day and a half to my already long travel time.

This morning I repacked my bags to incorporate some clothes because my first pack didn't include any. I repacked at the airport (as usual) to make my bags the right weight and said goodbyes to Lynn. My purse broke while I was trying to adjust the many things hanging around my neck. This type of thing is a very normal occurance for me and in answer to Lynn's look of dismay I came up with a new rule: "If your bags break on a trip its good luck."

Security was a breeze. I am totally used to showing my entire contents of my luggage to a multitude of people; often because I am carrying unusual items like walkie talkies with me. This time, no liquids in plastic bags, no swabbing my laptop, no "please step aside for further security clearance".... and this is the states! Awesome. Although I don't feel very special.

I now sit in a place foreign to me - a restaurant in the airport - eating a cheeseburger and having a couple of glasses of stella. I guess I've relaxed my frugality a bit as last year spending money at an airport was unheard of. (Especially when I've got a purse full of beef jerky at my disposal.)

Hey! I just turned around to see where my gate was because I board in half an hour and it turns out its right behind the restaurant I'm eating in. Good Luck! There. I proved it.