Seattle in the morning time.

I didn't sleep. That much was planned. Took a cab to the airport. Flew Sun Country, which meant that I got to see the lovely HHH Terminal, or "The Hump" A nice little terminal with only about 10 gates. Sure beats trying to march to gate G-423,788 at Lindberg. Sun Country, very nice airline. Quite impressed.

Then I got to Seattle. Things went poorly from here. Right away, I realized I forgot my raincoat, because it was, of course, raining. I was going to be taking the express bus from the airport. Now, when I hear of the express bus from airport, I was expecting an express bus from the airport. In reality it was just a bus. It apparently made many stops before arriving at the airport, because it was already full. And don't even think about taking the express bus from the airport if you have the gall to travel with luggage. Man did those people give me the stink-eye. One woman just looked, shook her head. So I'm standing in the front of the bus with my luggage with precisely nowhere to go. Luckily the driver folded up one of the weelchair seats so I (and the others coming from the airport with luggage) could stash it somewhere.

Then I asked the bus driver where to catch "The Sounder" to Everett, where I would be collected by my aunt and uncle. The driver told me to get off at "Rywmlafl hgeighnf." Not understandig what he meant by "Rywmlafl hgeighnf" I asked again. Again "Rywmlafl hgeighnf" As this so called express chugs along (it went on the freeway for a spell, which is why it is called "express") it collected more people. It wasn't until the very end of the line that the bus was even remotely empty enough for me to be able to exit with all of my belongings. By that time, I was informed that I had missed "Rywmlafl hgeighnf" But I could also catch The Sounder close by. He directed me to somewhere over there, he pointed.

Now I followed his directions to a bus stop. Here is where I made my biggest mistake. See, when I have taken The Sounder before to Tacoma, I was on a train. I thought the one to Everett was, likewise a train. I even did my homework, there is a train to Everett. Trains don't stop at bus stops. I was confused. Standing for several minutes in the rain in somewhere in Seattle I considered my options. I needed to regroup. And get rid of some of this baggage. So I headed to the one place where I knew people in Seattle. The office. Luckily the office is very close to the Space Needle, making navigating to it somewhat easy. This was, however, a mile walk, with three months worth of luggage in hilly Seattle.

I hoofed it out. No problem. Called the office so they knew I was coming. But coming up the last curb to the office, the handle to my very rickety rolly suitcase exploded in my hand. I was left holding the plastic handle, one of the metal bars ejected itself from the luggage and the other seemed to be now permanently stuck in the up position.

So now with broken luggage, sweaty and wet from the rain. I make it to the office. So much for first impressions. I quickly fished out my Lappy and figured out my mistake. The train, being a commuter train, only runs at rush hours. Thus trying to catch one at 11 am wasn't an effective plan. I was looking for another express bus. Which is why I was directed to a bus stop. Oh well.

So, a couple of bus rides later I was happily in Everett, WA and collected by my Aunt in her shiny new red VW Beetle. And quite happy to be done with that ordeal.