So, after weeks and weeks of planning, replanning, change of plans, plan modification, and talking of plans, we are finally doing it.
The flights booked and the visas in place. The camper and truck sourced and paid for, insured and registered. Travel insurance sorted. Cash ordered and collected. A small apothecary of medication stockpiled. Year-end tax paper work lodged with the accountant and GST done. A home deep cleaned, packed up and rented out. Lots of goodbye dinners. Oh, the small matter of packing our bags.
9th April: Day 1
A long, long day, thanks to a ‘head buzzing’, sleepless night, and 24 hours of travel against the clock. During the first flight from Kerikeri to Auckland, I could see both coasts of New Zealand at the same time. Would have to be an astronaut in orbit to manage the same feat of the USA. As a point to note, our first meal in the States was a salad. Nick is still in shock… We arrived safely in Seattle in the evening, all bags present and correct, to be scooped up by Dean and Lori, and whisked back to to comfort of their art deco home. They are gracefully hosting us for a week, and helping us get out s**t together.
10th April: Day 2
We are now the proud owners of a US bank account and finished the day with margaritas and Mexican food.
11th April, Day 3
Pick up day for the camper and truck, a trip that was about 70 miles and a short ferry ride. A morning of nervous anticipation, as we had taken a leap of faith and bought the ‘rig’ sight unseen over the internet. Originally Lori had been worried we might be the victim of a ‘bait and switch’. We were less concerned, but you never know… All was entirely as advertised.
And this is the Beast (Working title). Well, a beast of a truck, loaded with, a small-but-perfectly-formed home. Well, a small home, but a very large camper.
For those interested: The truck is a Chevy Silverado 3500 Dually, with an 8.1L petrol engine. Did I say beast? I meant planet. The bed is in a different timezone to the cab. When loaded, it does a whole…wait for it…9 miles to the gallon.
We had a rapid and detailed show around, with a beginners guide to all that is ‘camper’. This included tutorials on the power systems, the gadgets, and the ‘black water’ management. Quite important to get things right in that department. Strong advice was given on toilet paper types, chemicals to use, and the tank drainage and flushing. We can live without mistakes in that department.
With brains full of new information, notebooks filled with scribbled memos, Nick expertly manoeuvred us back onto the ferry, and across back through the Seattle traffic to our first camp, Dean and Lori’s driveway. They live in a beautifully manicured and exclusive gated community, which doesn’t usually play host to camper hillbillies. So luckily we are parked out of sight. Don’t want to raise the ire of the Home Owners Association. We uncoupled the camper from the truck (Easy once we had worked out the power situation), and will worry about the re-loading procedure another day.
12th April: Day 4
The boring details are not needed, but today I went shopping. Macys and Target now have some of our money, and we have a somewhere to sleep, and can now cook. In the evening, Dean took Nick to his Boys’ Book Club meeting. As you can imagine, this is a thinly veiled front for a ‘yacking, eating, drinking, etc, club’. They came back suitably improved.
13th April: Day 5
Today we spent (a lot) more money, and are also now the proud owners of a USA cell phone and number, and 2 nice new shiny bikes. We had planned to buy second hand bikes, and thought the city would be awash with such machines at affordable prices, but it seems not. The price for a new bike was only about $100 more, so it seemed to make more sense. Dean and Lori continue to be indispensable as Adventure Facilitators, as their good friend owns a bike shop, and gave us his ‘mates rates’ discount.
In the evening, other friends of Dean and Lori came round for dinner. A cool group of people that we have met several times previously, so great to catch up with them again.
14th April: Day 6
A few weeks ago Lori and Dean saw and bought a holiday home across the mountains from Seattle in a (much sunnier and outdoor activity friendly) town called Wenatchee. We went over with them for the night, as they took possession of the property, and took the first 2 carloads of stuff, and the bikes over. Her sister lives in the same complex, and the family had gathered for a birthday dinner for her Mum. It was great to meet her sisters, brothers-in-law, and parents.
15th April: Day 7
The day started with a lovely bike ride along the trail along the banks of the mighty Columbia river, which is as the bottom of the house’s back garden. The new machines performed admirably, although our bodies are a bit out of condition currently. Luckily the route was flat. The sun was shining, and we shared the trail with the multitude of runners doing the Wenatchee marathon and half marathon. Lori’s Dad created a huge pile of pancakes for brunch afterwards, and we sat in the sun in Marla and Marty’s garden. Definitely more spring-like on this side of the mountains. We came back to Seattle mid-afternoon, had an early dinner out at a local restaurant and then sat around Dean’s new gas fire pit for an hour, until it got too cool. We watched both hummingbirds and bald eagles fly around the trees before dusk. Quite a bird spectrum in The Highlands.
16th April: Day 8
Yup. Still not camping.
Easter brunch of more pancakes, followed by another money haemorrhage at the shopping emporium that is Fred Meyer. We now own a tool kit, an axe (because Nick wanted one), lots of bike accessories, and a whole heap of other essentials that I had not thought we needed.
The truck had its first of many re-fuels, and then we successfully navigated the delicate procedure of backing it back under the camper, and reloading the whole kit and caboodle. Managed to achieve this, and remain married. For all those with a trailer boat, you will know what I mean…
17th April: Day 9
Today we had planned to set off, finally, on the Big Adventure. Unfortunately Nick awoke with an awful head cold, and so we are not rushing off today. Such is the beauty of having such a long time to do our trip. We continued to titivate the Tin Can, and take our time doing the last few bits and pieces. We really will leave tomorrow. It will be an early start, as Dean and Lori are leaving early-ish to start their trip to Indonesia tomorrow. It will also give us time to a) decide where the hell we are going to go tomorrow, and b) for me to finish off this first epic post.
This has been a fantastic week. Such a treat to be able to sort ourselves out at leisure with this great house as a base, and Dean and Lori as such amazing hosts. They are planning to come and find us somewhere along the way, so it will be interesting to see where that will end up being.