Sometimes the best things aren't planned.....

San Francisco - Seattle - Bellingham

The hotel for the night had been half the price of the Del Monte Pines and was twice as nice. But the real bonus was its proximity to the airport. In the space of an hour we had woken, changed, eaten breakfast and bid farewell to the trusty black beast of a SUV at the rental office and were on the monorail to our terminal. As we were on a domestic flight the check-in and security check were both quick and efficient.

The boarding lounges were flanked by cafes and delis and offered every imaginable concoction for breakfast, but we resisted the smells and shared an over-sized white coffee in the departure lounge.

The Alaskan Airlines flight was full and our seats were already assigned, so there was none of the usual Easyjet panic to get on board. For a budget airline we were pleasantly surprised to find more leg room than on our transatlantic flight with BA and we were even offered free snacks and drinks during our 1 hr 45 min flight, which arrived ahead of schedule.

Our easiest and cheapest transport solution to collect the RV an hours drive north of the airport was to hire a car. It seemed a bit excessive but offered the most flexibility. As we drove through the heart of Seattle on route 5 happily snapping away at the skyscrapers we noticed the space needle looming at the edge of the city not far from our highway. On impulse we exited the next junction and followed the signage right to its giant tripod feet. Ten minutes later we were being shot to the top in a glass elevator. Half an hour later we were seated in the famous revolving restaurant sipping Chardonnay admiring the city again and again and again. With perfect cloudless skies the view extended for miles below us, but what amazed us most was that our unexpected treat had all happened with such ease.

Dizzy with luck and full from lunch we eventually arrived In Everett to pick up the RV in the middle of the afternoon. We sat through an half-hour orientation video detailing the workings of the RV, giggling and pulling faces like silly school kids over the waste disposal instructions and serious tone of the presenter. Fully aware that we hadn't given the video our full attention, the assistant thoughtfully gave us an instruction manual for our trip and a secondary guided tour of the actual RV itself.

We continued up to route 5 to return the rental car at Bellingham International airport, which was much like Luton airport twenty years ago.

Our hosts for the night Elaine and Terry were concerned we would get lost so met us half way to their place. We gratefully followed them, circumnavigating the lake which also formed the focal point of the stunning views from their house.

Weary from our day we accepted their kind offer of a proper bed in the guest room and delayed our first night in the RV.