Shilo Inn - Tacoma

... to host a little family get together, and I got to see most of my family. Sunday was spent with Christiana and Daniel's families, and I was also lucky enough to catch up with my good friend Shelli and her husband Andy. <br>Now, Monday was a day to remember, as Christiana, Daniel, and I went to the Nisqually River to go four-wheeling. It was AMAZING!!! Then today ...

... Helens. We were pointed the right way and headed back towards 5 at 5pm an hour from the freeway and only 30 minutes north of Portland. On the way out we caught a glimpse of the volcano's snowy top through the veil of smoke as a reward. Once again we have kept our hosts waiting and wondering. Highway 5 is a misery in this part of Washington but traffic was sparse and we arrived before dark, grilled salmon and asparagus waiting for us.

... saying something)-and eaten gross airport Chinese food. I've also decided I could never be a flight attendant. I'd be fired for puking on a passenger. Matthew survived his first flight with flying colors. He still can't believe you don't have to pay for the Coke on the plane. Did you know you can no longer eat peanuts on airplanes? Apparently there are too many people with awful nut allergies. Now ...

... to the Space Needle and the market. We took the monorail to and from the Space Needle. It was fascintating! They really do toss the fish like you have seen on tv!! There was fresheness all around from the food, to the variety of miscellanous stores. I tell ya I could live in Seattle, I loved that place so much.

... most of the way on this leg of the trip with an intestinal disorder. Misery. Didn't get any sleep. We arrived back in Seattle a half hour early, went through customs and passport control. Picked up the rental car and got home and went to bed. This was the trip of a lifetime. We got to see and experience things that very few people get the opportunity to experience. The Chinese people were very open and friendly once given the opportunity ...

... paper (too many to count!) Best purchases: Poland, Croatia and Greece Biggest rip off: Italian taxi drivers Best bang for our US buck: Poland, Czech Republic, Croatia Worst hit on our US cash: UK where you can expect to pay 2x the price you do in the US. If we would do it again, we would skip the UK except to fly in and fly out and not exchange any money to the pound. Most common phrases: "Where does that path lead to?", "Can you believe how blue that ...

... from $50US to $10 (which does actually work) - but wiped all the photos during install to get them off onto the laptop. double d'oh. oh well, i suspect we might head back that way, not far away, and perhaps on a trip to portland , or even Moab? SPike? still need to eat at Bimbo's *****in burrito kitchent too if nothin else!! again, lunches were chowder oriented. ever since sanfran, this has emerged as the bargain delicious lunch of choice ...

We went snowshoeing today, into the land of hunched trees, bowing beneath their load of snow. Tramping along the trail, every tree seemed to be a monk hunched in prayer, praying for the grass and leaves buried beneath the snow, or a mother, cradling her baby in cold arms, a transient Madonna of white crystals. It was all white and dark green and the wet brown of the heavy trees muted with fog. Stopping, I could only hear the dry whisper of snowflakes hitting my jacket. Without it, I ...

... that we'll either stay in Europe hopping from country to country, maybe head back to Central America and kite the volcanic lakes of Guatemala or the country's black sand beaches, then maybe travel to windy South America (Brazil ), maybe go back to the Gorge for the summer or hit the Gold Coast of Australia and beautiful New Zealand. Maybe we'll get stuck in a place we love and will never make it around the world ...

... to another one with a cinema. Charles had been craving some teen horror, specifically the Boogeyman, so we went in for the 5:30pm session (of the film "Boogeyman"). There were some good scary shocks, and of course people who didn't really know they were dead etc., but I won't continue as it doesn't come out in Australia for a few months. We calmed down afterwards with a nice meal in the food court next to the monorail before embarking on our return trip to the Seattle Center. Thanks, Tom Pacy