Travel Adventures - July 29, 2008

I can't believe I never wrote about this. I was daydreaming earlier at baseball this morning, or maybe it was soccer this afternoon. So, I will have to tell about our day of travel now.



We had an invitation from my Dad and Kara to visit them in Sequim, Washington. Jason actually got to go on to Washington about a week early. He flew out by himself! His photographs of his visit with his grandparents is here.


On Tuesday, July 29, 2008 we got up about 4:30 in the morning to start our adventure. Our friend Craig came over about 7:00 a.m. to give us a ride to the airport. Essentually, the ride to the airport was uneventful except for some of the morning rush hour traffic. We got there with 4 people, 4 suitcases (3 that roll and 1 that doesn't. That will be important later), 2 backpacks, a purse, Mike's Blackberry & dangling headphones, my cell phone and a small duffel which had our quart bag of 3 oz liquids, Dramamine, tylenol, Airborne, granola bars and oh yeah - bottles of water. That is what an inexperienced traveller does - takes bottled water BEFORE the security check. Duh!



We get in line for security and other than the water (confiscated) and trying to take off 4 pair of shoes and get everything (we carried on our luggage, did not check it) on the conveyor belt - then get to the other side and collect everything and get shoes back on all while trying not to hold up the process for other travellers. But, we all passed through without incident. We get to the gate and check in for the first of two flights for the day. Ryan has developed a headache and I walked every gift shop looking for childrens pain relievers - but can only find infant or adult. Ryan learned to swallow a pill that morning.



The flight to LAX was about 3 hours. We got to our gate and had about an hour and a half to make our connecting flight. In another terminal. Each of our kids expected to wear their backpack and pull their rolling suitcase. I had my rolling suitcase, my purse and the extra small duffel, Mike had his CARRY suitcase which is exactly the size of the carry-on regulation. We leave the gate from which we arrived and begin to walk. We are looking for signs to catch a shuttle to Terminal #1. We see a sign that directs us to go down a flight of stairs. We go down the first flight and across a landing to the second flight and head down, only when we get there - we can't find a sign to the shuttle anywhere. So. we hike back upstairs. Four people, 4 suitcases, etc. We arrive at the top and there is that sign....pointing back down stairs. Ugh. We get to the landing and I told everyone to stop so we could figure this mystery out. As we stand there perplexed, I notice an unmarked opening in the wall. I walk over there and see an airline employee and ask where the place to catch the shuttle is. "Right here." says she. A big sigh of relief.



We catch the shuttle and tell the driver we need terminal one. He says he will take us half way there, and that we then de-board and stand in line to catch ANOTHER shuttle to go the rest of the way. What the heck? By this time, a set screw on the handle of Ryan's rolling suitcase has come off and is lost. He can no longer roll his own suitcase - so Mike has to carry his own suitcase which is horizontal - but he also has to carry Ryan's which is vertical.



Eventually, we make it to terminal one and follow the signs to a big gate area. We find a row of seats with four spots together and park all of our junk. We took turns getting to the restrooms and getting more bottled water. We are sitting in this long row of seats with people to our right and our left. The twins are a bit restless and we admonished them to not bounce around in their seats as the seats were all connected and others might find it bothersome to be wiggled like that. We eat some granola bars and watched with fascination at the interesting people around us. One older lady - 55 or 60 - walked by with electric blue hair. Quite a sight. As we sit there, our seats begin to rock. I quickly turn to scold the kids but they are sitting still and playing their Nintendos. What? I think to myself: I wonder if this is an earthquake? I get Mike's attention and voice my question. Mike says "Naw! That isn't an earthquake!" He totally dismisses the idea. I am looking around this large room and I don't see any panicked or upset people. One group that was standing was rather animated, but I didn't register any alarm in their manner.



Soon, our flight is called, and we lug all our stuff to the gate and we board. I am leading the way with the four flight boarding passes, the two kids are following me and Mike is bringing up the rear. The flight attendant greets me and she says "So, how did you like our earthquake this afternoon?" To which I respond righteously "Ah, ha !!! I TOLD my husband that was an earthquake and he didn't believe me!" Served Mike right that she whacked him on the shoulder when he walked past. She did actually strike him on the shoulder! We later found out the earthquake was a 5.4 on the Richtor scale and was centered about 60 miles away in Chino.



We arrive at SEATAC about 2 1/2 hours later. Now, we know we have to catch a city bus down to Pioneer Square where we planned to meet my step-Sister Julia and her family for a meal at Ivar's Famous Seafood Restaurant. We lug our stuff through the airport and out onto the sidewalk where we do not see any signs for the city bus. I park the kids and Mike outside, and go inside to the baggage area where a worker offers to help us. I ask him where we catch the city bus, and he energetically replies while pointing off in the distance "Do you see that yellow sign waaayyyyy down there? That is the bus stop and by the way that is your bus!" CRAP.



I rush outside and tell Mike and the kids to run for it. Picture this: Mike highstepping it with his 6'1" body and 36" inseam with his and Ryan's suitcases, the two kids and myself RUNNING down the sidewalk as fast as we possibly can....and my cell phone starts to ring! Well, I left my Mom and step-Dad Randy back in Texas and Randy was having surgery that day. That is another story - but I really wanted/needed to answer that phone call! I needed to know that the procedure had gone well, so I answer my phone while running for the d*mn bus. Mom immediately realizes I am out of breath and wants to know what is wrong and I say "It is fine - we are running for a bus, but I can listen.....go ahead.....how is Dad doing?" The procedure went well and I agreed to call her a bit later.



Meanwhile, I realize that there is a 5th person running alongside us - only this guy seems to be native to the area and knows about catching the bus. He is running along yelling for the bus to wait! It does, and all six of us board. Whooo!!!



The Seattle bus driver was so great to us. We explained where we wanted to go and she tipped us off to the better stop for us to get off at. We followed her instructions and they were perfect. We hiked through the Pioneer Square area lugging our stuff and ended up right at the door to Ivar's. Interestingly, it began to rain the minute we stepped under the awning.



At this point, we had also been in contact with Julia and her family, and they joined us shortly. We enjoyed some terrific clam chowder and then Ivar's Famous Fish and Chips. We had also been in contact with my Dad and Kara who were going to pick us up on the other side of the Puget Sound. To get there, we took a ride on a Washington State Ferry to Bainbridge Island.



Kara and Jason met us on the other side with a station wagon. Julia, Paul and the girls had rented a car that they drove onto the ferry, so they just drove off the ferry and headed to Sequim. We got there and had a terrific visit with family. Oh - and total travel time for the day was roughly 13 hours on cars, airplanes x2, our own feet, a bus, a ferry and another car.