SEATTLE

At the border, the US police were really stern and huge. I thought they are big so as to intimidate criminals, but Dey pointed out that the bullet-proof jacket they wore under their uniforms made them look larger than usual. Anyway, we had to answer a series of questions: Where are we from? What are we doing in America? Where are we staying? Any illegal possession?

Bridal Falls

I wanted to buy Levi jeans from the factory outlet in Seattle, and 501s cost only US$25, which are really cheap. Dey wanted to buy another pair of Oakleys as these are cheaper in US than in Canada, so we had to hunt around for that pair in Seattle.

Along the way, we went to Seattle's Public Market, which is also by the water, and like the one in Granville Island, there are lots of eateries and coffee haunts. We also passed by that restaurant which was featured in the movie "Sleepless in Seatlle", saw photos of Tom Hanks and the restaurant's boss pasted outside the restaurant.

At the University of Washington, Seattle's premier college, we took a leisure walk and I was astounded by the amazing architecture and beautiful scenery.

ROAD TRIP TO THE ROCKIES

Charlene first drove us to see this amazing waterfall called Bridal Falls. We had to hike upwards through a forest. Although the sun was shining brightly, we could not feel the heat in the forest. I was feeling quite breathless, hiking and trying to keep my breathing constant. At the same time, I was really cold but I pushed on because I wanted to see the beauty of Bridal Falls.

We finally reached the foot of the falls, having heard the loud rumble of the cascading waters much earlier. It is not difficult to figure out the reason behind its name. Great place for honeymoon pictures actually, especially with such a beautiful name.

Kamloops

Our first rest stop was a town called Kamloops. It is nestled at the foot of several mountains, and has many lakes nearby. There are a number of motels and only one hotel equipped with a casino. Food was not a problem, as there are many eateries and a huge Wal-Mart nearby. Basically the town is self-sufficient even though it is away from the main hustle bustle of city life.

We stayed in this great 2-storey hostel for the night. It is actually an old courthouse which has been converted into a hostel with dormitories on the first floor and rooms on the second. Everyone has to share a common bathing area (something likened to what we have in our local public swimming pools). What really excited me is the fact that the hostel preserved the upper courtroom (judge's seat, jury area etc) and made it into a multi purpose hall for people to rest, chat, watch TV or just have a meal.

The beds were clean and the room had an attached toilet, which was just wonderful. In a way I did not realise how wonderful that attached toilet was till we were in our second hostel.

Next Page >>