Best Western Peppertree Auburn Inn

... and the private bathrooms immaculate. I immediately went out for a wander as there wasn't a cloud in the sky, and it remained like this for the rest of my stay. I expected to see plenty of homeless people as Vancouver is renowned for it, so it was no surprise to see them hanging around, and to be honest they were never a problem and I always felt safe. Still, it's hardly a positive and wouldn't usually match my criteria when ...

... enough to be friendly but has all anyone would need. Much like Adelaide. For lunch we wanted to have something special, not the plastic, fatfilled American burger type diner that is prominent here. We remembered that our host in Yakima at the Gilbert cellars had recommended The Purple Cafe. I found the address and we walked there. Wow!! This place was great. The decor was wonderful with a huge Pillar of wine at the centre. We had the best meal ...

... there to explore, tomorrow. We found a Travelodge near the University of Washington, however, they had no rooms available. The lady there, Sandy, rang around several places to find rooms. It seems there are 7 conventions and several other festivals etc in the city. Finally, she found us a room at the Travelodge at Auburn which is about an hour's drive on the Freeway outside of Seattle. However, it is close to ...

... a rock club called the Comet which had a few local bands playing. We met up with Will who is from South Africa, and studying Chinese in the university here... took us a while to grasp that. Will and Rob then took on the locals in pool, and managed to kick their asses... well ... the locals potted the black and left in disgust so victory was ours! After that we headed to the bar next door which had a ping pong table and got chatting to a few Seattlites ...

... 10 years ago and at 72, you'd think he'd be slowing down. Instead the Auburn man is on an incredible journey most could never consider. KING 5's Eric Wilkinson reports.

... and from their health insurance carrier. In January of 2007 Don set a goal of raising $10,000 for Huntington's Disease Society of America (www.hdsa.org), or HDSA, and raise awareness of this devastating disease by walking 10,000 miles within his home state of Washington. Don expects to make both goals and celebrate with the mayor of his hometown, Auburn, in a ceremony at Auburn's Game Farm Park ...

Be sure to listen in to 710KIRO at 5:50 pm this Friday, March 14, for a live radio interview with Don on the Ron & Don Show. Don has been selected as this week's Hometown Hero. This announcement plus the Auburn Reporter story and some other news articles are now being documented on a new Publicity page on the website: www.pacinparson.org/publicity.html .

... stone arch, in far western China. Like lots of other folks, I've been to Arches National Park and thought the arches were remarkable, but the experience didn't make me an archophile, chasing all over creation collecting arch sightings. (There's an organization of those people, in England, as you'd expect.) The tour went other places, too, though, including Beijing, Xi'an, Dunhuang, Turpan, the Urumqi airport, and Kashgar, which appears to be less that 100 miles from the ...

... advice. Why would it be normal for them to do it in Shanghai? Bangkok? Obviously if we are standing in a neighborhood looking perplexed at a map we are will be happy if someone comes and helps us with directions. That is an international sign for "We are tourists, help us!" If we are in a hostel, shop, in a small village or neighborhood, a train or pub then it would seem more normal for someone to start chatting. The people ...

... the bounds of the familiar. Maybe I didn't have much time in Plaza de Mayo, or at Base Arctowski, but the time I had was enough to change my view. They belong to me now. No longer is Antarctica a place of howling winds and penguins stoically enduring cold. When I think of Antarctica, there is warmth, personality; I see Mario, eating Christmas turkey with the Copacabana crew; I see Evie, waddling across the rocks, clear-eyed and feisty, full of life.