A change of plans....

As you are no doubt aware Steve and myself are master planners and even better adminators however Seattle threw a spanner in the works....We arrived after a short 'Hound and after about 3 minutes completely fell in love with the place and the Green Tortoise Hostel. So much so that within an hour we had extended our stay, put another day on the front of San Fran due to rave reviews and cancelled a hostel in Portland, Oregon

Seattle first uber feature was the Pike Place Market which has to be one of the best markets...in the world. We strolled through in awe before buying ingredients to attempt a much overdue roast dinner that very nearly came off. The hostel itself overlooked the market and couldn't have been in a better place, it was even equipt with a 'private lounge'. The owner described its use as 'for weed smoking and chess playing...i don't know anyone from Seattle that doesn't smoke weed', it certainly was an interesting room!

We used the next day for a relaxed city wonder including a coffee at the first ever Starbucks, sculpture park viewing, panoramic views from Columbia Sky View and another market walk it was that good! The hostel had put on a free meal (chili) and a free jazz night and bar crawl that got very messy with loads of new friends from around the world made including the loudest Aussie ever, a Swiss, an Irish, few Americans and a swede. Twas great craic! The Swede mentioned is about to become a third member of the Tour as he is joining us for part of our road trip upon leaving San Fran. It's all turned a bit 'Mamma Mia' Mum?! It only dawned on us in the morning when we saw the Swiss girl again and asked what she was up to, to which she replied 'going on your tour'..... that, um, in a drunken state we had arranged leading a walking tour the next day! After the shock, it all went OK even though we never did find Jimi Hendix grave....

The afternoon consisted of a hostel run tour, thank god, in 'Fremont', a cool, bohemian neighbourhood and some cheap drinks before an English girl trying to make it in the Folk industry played us some tunes on her banjo in the 'Private Lounge', giving it a third use. All that was ahead was a Greyhound to San Fransisco the next morning, the last one of our trip :( , however after 7500 miles, a change of transportation mode is definitely due.

Oofnab.