Towneplace Suites By Marriott Portland Hillsboro

A slight modification on the first noble truth.

As I prepare for my journey, an important shout out to this virtual world that the perfectionist in me will be letting go. On the path to my true Self I will be letting go of (hopefully) the noise pollution ...

... it drives your passion(s) in life. After meeting her I was able to express myself through art whereas I never really had the desire prior to making her acquaintance.  She easily extracted the child from within me, many times we laughed, and never was there a dull moment.  Our first kiss was something to remember, although the relationship far from ideal, how can two people deny their feelings let alone their chemistry?

Our time together was ...

... before being set free for lunch and the chance to browse the canal lined cobblestone streets. In the afternoon, our adventure continues as we drive to the town of Lipica. Here you'll find the original Lipizzaner Stud farm. Enjoy a tour and a wine tasting at the nearby estate before making the short drive into northern Italy where you'll spend the next two nights. Tonight dine on fresh pasta and fine Italian wines. Buona notte. Sleep near Vicenza in a country villa ...

... helmets and life jackets us looking stupid made us forget. It was a cool trip we all headed down the river and it was very peacful and very relaxed with rolling hills and lush green trees everywhere, the peace lasted until the first rapid and me getting thrown out of the boat. Well there had to be at least one person that fell out and being the nice person that i am i volunteered!! I was amazingly calm about the whole thing actually, getting pulled out the river by our stupidly hot ...

... in Bicheno Bridport on the north coast, Latrobe - Cradle Mt. NP Wildflowers After a week in Tasmania, along the eastern coast, climbing over mountains in both Freycinet and Cradle Mountain national parks, and exploring Heritage Towns from Launceston to Hobart, yesterday I took the ferry to Bruny Island with its sweeping harbors and blue waters. [Look at my map-pin entries, or click on the full-journey map]. This was all in a rental car, and I've gotten comfortable with driving on ...

... food. Ben took the next day to show us around Portland. We went to Powells, a bookstore that took up an entire city block! That may be our favorite store of the whole trip. We ate downtown and spent some time walking around. Then Ben took us to Multnomah Falls. We hiked to the top and got a foretaste of what was to come later in the week. Afterwards we went home and Nancy and Don had us for a fantastic meal of homemade pear sauce ...

... Dec 22nd (With some smaller trips within Spain and maybe Portugal in those months). I just wanted to get a first entry in before things get too hectic with packing and the like! I hope you are all well and I will do my best to update as I go/respond to personal emails in a more timely manner than usual. Enjoy the rest of your summers and next time you hear from me I will be across the Atlantic. Love, Karen

... Millenium, where I would appear after each of my sets for an autograph session and a cold bottle of water. Bassist Don Campbell, whom I had just given our CD over coffee the day before, learned the tunes inside and out - a true pro and a pleasure to work with. I caught up with two of my good friends before our set, blues disc jockey/photographer Steve Spoulos and fantastic young guitarist Ben Rice, whom I had met back at The IBC in Memphis, a ...

The next day we crossed to border into Oregon after the town of Yreka – lots of mountains, lakes & beautiful scenery. We drove through Oregon towns of Eugene & Salem & made our way to their home. So good to see them again!!!

Our 10 days in Portland was filled very quickly. Within a few days of our arrival an oppoprtunity to ...

... Music festival. And then the day really got interesting. I stumbled upon a street party with more vitality than I ever saw in New Orleans. March Fourth was commanding, and we were following the piper. A fellow Spooky fan befriended and swept me along with the band for drinks and stories of Burning Man and escape tunnels from the bar. I need to return, possibly December '05.