Well its Saturday afternoon about 4.30pm and I havent managed to find an internet cafe yet.
BUT I have found a free terminal in the Pacific Science Centre having spent a fairly wasted $18.50 to enter "Space" the worlds largest travelling Space exhibition...great for the kids.
Arrived Thursday evening to a wet and dark Seattle and miraculously found my hotel in Bellevue. without making a single wrong turn. No delays, no problems with planes, hire cars or anything AND as a bonus the hotel has 40 rooms permanently booked out to SAS aircrew, a bevvy of which are checking in as I arrive. Sounds good, especially as I am here for the next 14 days.
FRIDAY 26th MARCH - The problems start. One of the hostesses checking in picked up my carkeys off the desk in error( they all have alamo hire cars waiting for them when they arrive). I only discover this when I come to leave the hotel at midday for a quick drive out to lake Sammamish. Problem is we dont know which girl took 'em. A quick call to Chevrolet Assistance sees a nice man named Chris from AAA ( or Triple A as everyone calls 'em) cutting me a new key and I'm back in the car and on the road after just an hours delay.
The outskirts of Seattle are real purdy with most of the suburbs being set in hills and cut into pine forests. There are trees everywhere and and added to the fact that you're never far from a lake ofr the sea AND there is a spectacular mountain backdrop to th West ( Olympian Mts ) and the East ( Cascades) its a beautiful place to live. Most of the afternoon is spent in the largest outdoor store I have ever seen " REI " in Redmond. Bought a few items i didnt get in UK and a few other items that I couldnt resist.
No hostesses in the bar this evening but the barman, Scotty, is a big Man Utd fan and buys ME a drink on the basis that I'm english and live near Manchester. Thats a first.
Today ( SATURDAY 27TH ) has been spent visiting Seattle Centre and going to Pikes Place Market, the waterfront at Elliot Bay the heart of the city - The Westlake Centre, and then grabbing the monorail out to the Space Needle and the Pacific Science Centre. Didnt go up the needle, another day perhaps when viz is better, just getting a feel for the city as i'm here for a while and again at the end of my trip.Oh, nearly forgot my car keys were handed back in at reception!
Tomorrow i'm driving to the Mount St Helens area, approx 135miles, to go look at a bike belonging to a nice fellow named Monty,an 1100GS ( in black of course).........I hope to be on two wheels by next weekend!
No piccies until I find an internet cafe and upload to smugmug. Should have brought a laptop.
86 days to go..............
Ian
BUT I have found a free terminal in the Pacific Science Centre having spent a fairly wasted $18.50 to enter "Space" the worlds largest travelling Space exhibition...great for the kids.
Arrived Thursday evening to a wet and dark Seattle and miraculously found my hotel in Bellevue. without making a single wrong turn. No delays, no problems with planes, hire cars or anything AND as a bonus the hotel has 40 rooms permanently booked out to SAS aircrew, a bevvy of which are checking in as I arrive. Sounds good, especially as I am here for the next 14 days.
FRIDAY 26th MARCH - The problems start. One of the hostesses checking in picked up my carkeys off the desk in error( they all have alamo hire cars waiting for them when they arrive). I only discover this when I come to leave the hotel at midday for a quick drive out to lake Sammamish. Problem is we dont know which girl took 'em. A quick call to Chevrolet Assistance sees a nice man named Chris from AAA ( or Triple A as everyone calls 'em) cutting me a new key and I'm back in the car and on the road after just an hours delay.
The outskirts of Seattle are real purdy with most of the suburbs being set in hills and cut into pine forests. There are trees everywhere and and added to the fact that you're never far from a lake ofr the sea AND there is a spectacular mountain backdrop to th West ( Olympian Mts ) and the East ( Cascades) its a beautiful place to live. Most of the afternoon is spent in the largest outdoor store I have ever seen " REI " in Redmond. Bought a few items i didnt get in UK and a few other items that I couldnt resist.
No hostesses in the bar this evening but the barman, Scotty, is a big Man Utd fan and buys ME a drink on the basis that I'm english and live near Manchester. Thats a first.
Today ( SATURDAY 27TH ) has been spent visiting Seattle Centre and going to Pikes Place Market, the waterfront at Elliot Bay the heart of the city - The Westlake Centre, and then grabbing the monorail out to the Space Needle and the Pacific Science Centre. Didnt go up the needle, another day perhaps when viz is better, just getting a feel for the city as i'm here for a while and again at the end of my trip.Oh, nearly forgot my car keys were handed back in at reception!
Tomorrow i'm driving to the Mount St Helens area, approx 135miles, to go look at a bike belonging to a nice fellow named Monty,an 1100GS ( in black of course).........I hope to be on two wheels by next weekend!
No piccies until I find an internet cafe and upload to smugmug. Should have brought a laptop.
86 days to go..............
Ian