The real last stories of the 2 last days.

It has been a while since I last wrote in my dairy... and a lot has happened since we are back in The Netherlands. But time to time we get thrown back into our 2nd USA trip and get reminded of the good times we had. Be it via a text from one of the ladies, or a post on Facebook. And all the memories that pop up are good ones. Off good times and even better people. A beautiful country and the places we have seen. So, leaving my writers block behind, I've once again picked up the keyboard. Only to find that I had to put it down again in order to type.....

As the most of you now already know the second-best thing to come from our road trip, best being all the new friends, is that Suus has gotten the opportunity to enter the miled trial for L.A.M. patients, held in the US. We could never have known embarking on our journey that leaving Chicago and heading west for Seattle that this would be the "going away present". Nor could we have anticipated the number of readers we have had on our blog 443 visitors and 7811 page reviews. What started out as a journal to keep, for future reverence and family to follow us, has been read by many as it turns out.

It was the last time that we opened our eyes in the Waggie, the last time we snuggled and the last time we got out of the comfort of the bed that had rested our weary heads for 29 days and 28 nights. We have had god times in the Waggie, of which of some I'm not at liberty to speak about, and it had brought us everywhere we wanted to go. Never failing us, and never disappointing us. It took us from the Amish to city center Chicago. From the Harley Davidson Museum via "candy land" Sioux City over open Nebraska highways to Valentine. From Hot Springs and Deadwood via Livingston to Yellowstone. From weird ghost towns in the Montana mountains and over the Rockies to the home of the grunch, Seattle. Without ever protesting and delivering the V10 power every single time I stroked the pedal. You got to love brute American car manufacturing. And also the RV part of course.

We had to drop off the RV as said at 10:30. It was about an hour to get there so we were in no rush. We had breakfast and at a leisurely pace we did all the needed last things. check all the cupboards, drawers and stow areas. Just to be sure to leave nothing behind. For the last time I unhooked from all the amenities and stored the levelers. Suus had retracted the slides and already sat at the passenger’s seat in the cockpit while I joined her. In silence we sat for just a moment, looking at each other while the reality sank in. The last drive, for real! The hour flew by and we found ourselves in a small industrial area on 1541 South 96th street Seattle Washington. The home of road bear rental drop off. Since it was one of the standard drop off days we had anticipated a busy parking lot with a lot of other Dutch people doing the same as us. To our surprise we were the only ones scheduled for a drop off that day. The guy behind the counter was a nice Australian/German guy and we did the standard checks. Walk around the RV to check for damage. See if I topped off the fuel tank and the propane. All the standard things. While walking around I thought to myself, hope they check the GPS tracker when we are gone. And not while we are here. I do not think that they would have appreciated me taking it for a 4X4 spin through the mountains. Luckily he did not. We got offered coffee, or at least some dark brown liquid substance that should pass for one, while we waited for the cab to come and pick us up. As the African 6" 5' cab driver stepped out of the taxi we could see his African robe and matching hat in bright colors with all sorts of patterns. He helped us getting the suitcases into the trunk. And in comparison to the first impression he asked us with a gentle almost fragile voice and with an African accent, "to the airport?" No thanks, we still got a day to spent in the US. So first to the hotel please. As we told him we still had a day, he suggested all sorts off sightseeing we should do. Go to Pike market, go to the 1st Starbucks, go the flight over Washington. So when we told him we did, yes and already done he came up with something we should do. He could drive us as far as possible up to Mt Rainier. And from there we could go to a restaurant at the top. according to him it was the most romantic place to see when you are in Seattle. He had proposed to his wife there, and she had accepted. Remember, this is all in a timid voice from a giant guy in a colorful robe.... He was willing to take us there for a bargain. Only $250,- and he would wait until we would come back from Mt Rainier and the take us to the hotel for free. You got to love an entrepreneur.

10 minutes later at 11:45 we were at the hotel. The last night we would stay in a hotel near to the Seattle Tacoma airport called Comfort Inn. On arrival we walked over to the counter where we were greeted by the receptionist. We asked if there was a baggage drop to store our suitcases since we wanted to get the train into Seattle and Check in was at 3:00 PM. We still had the rest of the day to be a tourist. The lovely lady asked us If we would accept a room with 2 singles instead of 1 double, since she had one ready for us now. And we did not have to wait till check in time. We looked at each other and agreed. As it turned out, as often in the US it was a room with 2 queen size beds. We dropped our suitcases in the room, and left for the train station, a 2-block walk from the hotel. All in all, it was a smooth morning with the drop off, the hotel and getting to the train.

Trains and public transport in general in the last days had not been our friend. We have seen more bus stops and train stations then we ever have to see. But since we now only had to ride the link light rail train we took the plunge once again. It is a train just following 1 line with 16 stops. And we had to get on and off at the last stop, Angle Lake, little could go wrong with drivers sending us the wrong way. And luckily it didn't. We got off at the China town stop, since this was the only part of Seattle City center which we did not yet visit. With the China town district from New York still in our minds we went in. Straight out of the train station you could see the gate to China town. they went all out. Gold and jade colors, dragons, the whole shebang. We stopped to take pictures and walked underneath the gate in to China town. immediately we were struck be the number of restaurants. But also by the fact that there were not many tourists. Actually not many people at all, no locals, no Chinese. only some pedestrians walking about doing their daily groceries. When we were in NY China town it was swamped, and there was a buzz of salesmen trying to sell you cheap knock off imitation bags and clothes. No gadget shops with fake iPhones. There was none of that here, nothing. It felt as if we walked into a Zen garden. Even the number of cars was a 10th of wat we seen in Seattle Center, just 5 blocks away. 20 minutes later we took the bus heading to Pike market.

Having a coffee at Starbucks we used a bit of their Wi-Fi to have a look if there were any cinemas near us in Seattle. And as luck would have it there was. Regal Cinemas at 7th and Pine, we took the bus and had to walk 2 blocks to get there. It had been a long day and the last days were starting to take their toll. Knowing that out holiday was almost over we deserved a little treat. And what better then to sit in the luxury of a cinema, watching a movie and catch our breath. Boy did we make the right choice. The luxury was even better the we expected. The chairs were just what we needed thick patted kick back leg rest barcalounger chairs. The movie of choice was "La Llorona".

This was our last day and when the movie finished we still had to get back to the train, and walked th 5 blocks back to the hotel. Tired but satisfied we layed down on our bed in the hotel talking about all the things we've seen. Alle the people we have met. And all the adventures we've had during our trip heading west. All the memories we have made along the way, of which we never could have guessed that it would be as wonderful as it has been.

The next morning we waited for the shuttlebus to bring us to the airport. Checked in and had our last American burger.......

One last thing to celebrate since it would be Suus her birthday in mid-air. One of the stewardesses heard us talk about it and asked where we are from and where we are going. Just a normal conversation you have with a stewardess. But 5 minutes before 12 PM, she came to us with a tray holding 2 glasses of Champaign and congratulated Suus with her birthday.