Seattle

Have have now said our fond goodbyes to the RV's - have had plenty fun and if only RV walls could talk haha!
We've booked into a hotel right in Seattle and will stay 1 more night here before leaving for Vegas tomorrow.  Have bought a few things along the way, so really have to repack now! The Bassans and Hughes have had to buy another suitcase, but we're hoping we'll be right.
The guys fitted in another game of golf before we left the RV Park and we went for another bit of a shop/look around.  Caught a cab to a local Mall which was pretty much deserted, but shop assistants so friendly.  No-one's in a hurry here at all, whch can be a bit frustrating at times.  We couldn't get a cab back from the Mall, so had to get on 2 buses and walk a bit.  Anne wanted to walk the whole way, but we told her she was crazy and we'd just had a pedicure for goodness sake!  A nice country lad helped us with the buses and directions, but lordy, we were glad to get back to the park!
John, Daryl and Mick did a Boeing tour, which they really didn't think was so fantastic, but you'll have to talk to them about that.  Us girls went up the space needle and relived Sleepless in Seattle, and of course had a drink up there.  Great views of Seattle of course. Had to have a bit more retail therapy then met the guys back at the hotel where dinner and drinks were on for all.  Was another long day, so crashed into bed.

Yesterday morning we were up early to catch the ferry over to Vancouver Island.  Had to be on the jetty at 7.30am!!! It was a 2 and 3/4 hour journey, with very little to see on the way, and of course, the wind is freezing.  A lovely harbour to enter and as it was nearly lunchtime, found the first pub, ate and watched some of the golf.  In doing this, we missed our tour of the island at 1pm and had to wait till 2pm - but really we could have missed that too, as it was probably one of the most boring tours we've ever.  The guides voice was so monotoned, 3 of us fell asleep whilst he took us around the streets of rich people which he either truly wanted to be one of, or despised them.  Couldn't quite work it out!  Then part of our packge was a high tea at the Empress Hotel.  Our first high tea ever, which was very nice and uperclass, but then we left there and went straight back to the pub for a beer!
Not really the guys cup of tea - no pun intended!

Farwell to the RV's

Daryl, John  & Mick after golf!

Luanne at the Space Needle in Seattle

View from Space Needle over Seattle

Old snow capped mountains coming into Vancouver Island, Canada

Idiots!

Not idiots!

Street musician in Victoria, Vancouver Island

"Welcome To Victoria" in flowers along the harbour bank

The Empress Hotel - high tea

Us having high tea - very posh

John and Daryl in Sts of Victoria

Me and my moose in Victoria

Heads on the boat coming back from Vancouver Island.

 

 

 

The shops in Victoria, which is the township, are very quaint and some quite unique.  Anyway, we can now say we've been into Canada!  The boat trip home was long again, and getting back to the hotel around 9.30, we were all pretty tired.  We had made big plans to watch the grand final at the Kiwi and Kangaroo Bar, but it wasn't on until midnight, and we just couldn't do it, captain! Couldn't wait for a nice hot shower and crash into bed, but alas, the hotel had boiler problems and no hot water!  What a day!

Getting close to Seattle

Well we left our classy overnight stay and surprisingly felt rather refreshed! Another foggy morning and a big day ahead to try and get to Seattle tonight.  Not a lot to see, but the drive not really boring either. We were going to have a look around Portland, but Mick was the driver and had the  GPS and not sure what happened but we ended up in Beaverton - not much to see there, but where we were there were a lot of nice restaurants!  Anyway, back on the road again and on the other side of Portland we left the State of Oregon and entered into the State of Washington.  No happy snap border crossing here, as we were flying across a bridge! Went through Tacoma, saw the airport where we have to be back at in a few days (not fair) and ended up in Seattle - after a few interesting navigational issues - and saw a little more of Seattle that we intended to after a long days driving! But we got here! Asked someone where an RV park was, as by now Daryl's USA mobile was dead, and of course no internet.  Well, we came to a couple and we now know where the term "trailer trash" comes from - OMG. Not meaning to be nasty or anything, but Woah! So, we went a bit further and found a great RV park - so incredibly clean and different.  Actually, all the parks we've stayed in have been pretty good.
Cracked open a bottle of bubbles and beers, and settled in for a game of cards and Greed!  Funny night - dinner in tonight to try and get rid of the food we have before we leave for Vegas. There'll be no "Sleepless in Seattle" for these happy campers!

Our classy free stay!

This was what was our backyard at our free stay on the highway haha!

Crossing the border into the State of Washington

Coming into Seattle

Trees in a section of Seattle covered in knits

Still cool here but not so foggy.

Still heading towards Seattle

Huge fog this morning down by the water and cool, cool, cool!  Heading north along the Redwood Highway, so foggy climbing the mountains and when we came down the other side, stopped at Trinidad Bay and walked along the black beach and put our feet in the water.  It's like ice!  The whole coast is - which is surprising - even down at San Diego where the weather is hot!
Anway, we really do seem to be going through some odd, different redkn....k towns in this knect of the woods, if you get my drift! We're in huntin' fishin' country boy!
We then had to tun off the Redwood Highway at Crescent City, leavng Route 101 behind.  Now on Route 199 more inland and massive forests and beautiful streams.  Crossed the border into Oregon, leaving the State of California behind us.

The heavy fogs

The Beach? Not quite like ours!

Daryl & Luanne braving it - icy.

John and Mick  - a day at the beach? Not likely! The fog must lift sooner or later!

Beautiful country and streams

Crossing into Oregon

 

Drove on up to Eugene, where we found the supposedly biggest and best golf shop in the country, so just had to buy a few things there.  By this stage its 6.30pm, so we just drove on up the highway for a bit and had another "free stay" night, right on the highway, with traffic and trucks flying past - but it's amazing how great those Californian wines are and the effect they have! We slept like babies!

The last few days!

Hi again! Finally back with the internet after having a few "free stays" along the way. I must apologise for my last blog with all the spelling errors - too many Californian wines haha!
So, where was I?
Oh yes, Pam, we did buy some warm clothes after our Alcatraz trip - thanks for the tip!
Our last day in San Fran was a bit more sight seeing, so we caught the shuttle into town and had breaky with Darly and Luanne - Mick and Anne had to get their hot water sorted in their RV, so wnet in later.  Had a huge latte, which came out in a soup bowl - unbelievable.  Daz and Luanne went off to see if they could get tickets to the baseball game, but we had to try and gather a few things for our upcoming ceremony - which we did.  We ended up in a Macey's store (which is a department store) having lunch on about the 5th floor in a Burger Bar having a couple of wines/beers and watching the baseball on TV - only in America! The San Fransisco Giants lost to the San Diego Steelers, but they're in the finals anyway. There was a Autumn Moon Festival in Chinatown, which was so colourful and busy - felt like we were back in Hong Kong again, with all of the shopping!
Caught up with Daz and Luanne back at the shuttle pick up and had a few more wines there waiting to be picked up.  They said the baseball was fantastic!

Well, we said our goodbyes to San Fran on Monday, drove down one of the hilly streets you see in the movies in car chases and drove the RV's across the Golden Gate Bridge - fantastic!  Big fog over the top of the bridge this morning.  We then had to make an obligatory stop at a Naper Vally winery, which was beautiful - as most are!  Bought a few reds for the next couple of days then back on the road again.  A few big days of driving ahead, to get up to Seattle.

The scenery is different now,as we're going through Redwood Forests and the trees are just huge!  Stopped at the Drive Thru Tree and you can see how big some of them can get! Of course our RV's couldn't get through, but the smaller cars were fine. 

Driving across the Golden Gate Bridge - foggy morn

The Gang on Golden Gate - Dork Day for the boys with their matching shirts -courtesy of Daryl!

The RV's in front of Golden Gate

Winery in the Naper Valley

So lovely inside the winery - plenty to spend money on if not wine!

The expert at it haha!

Redwood Country

Beautiful huge redwoods

The Drive Thru Tree

Car actually driving thru

Our "free stay" down near the wharf at Eureka

Sunset down by the water

 

 

Long day today and we made it through to Eureka and had a "free stay" down by the water.  A bit colder up here and plenty of fog.  Ready for a nice red, some dinner and bed!

All a bit asque I'm sorry but you'll get the gist,. Streets of San Fransisco!

Some wacky leg sticking out of Hagh St

Th Golden Gate Brdge

More Golde Gate Bridge

 

Alcatraz

Alcatraz

John on Alcataraz

Deb on Alcatraz near officers building

A prisoners cell at Alcatraz

Solitary confinement on Alcatraz

Another celn Acatraz

Us locked up in solitary in Alcatraz

Street painting of homes in San Fransisco