A. Day in Seattle

Up bright and early this morning-off to Olympia Airport to swap cars. Left with Mark around 7:40 am (the roadside service assured me they will be ready with a swap car, but full up with gas first. So we did. Arrived to find a note stuck to the door,"away assisting a client be back soon and ring this number". We rang and heard the phone ringing in the office. They didn't set the divert to cell function. Mark saw another note saying to pick up a rental if the office is unattended go next door to Glacial air, they will assist. So we did, no luck cannot change cars (the guy behind the counter told us the Herzt office is a one-man-band. So we waited. Clear day, but cold breeze. After 40 minutes waiting we gave up and went back to Marks for breakfast. Mark jumped on the phone and rang Dollar and Hertz. Success. All we need to do is drive up to Seattle-Tacoma (sea-tac) international airport then a swap can be completed.

Quick note: Olympia is the capital of Washington State. Their House of Representatives sit only part of the year (part time politicians). Olympia airport however has no commercial flights. So it begs the question. Why is there a Hertz office at the airport?

The day by now was both sunny and warm (around 61 degrees F). So we all took off to Sea-Tac (2 cars) the aim was to leave our replacement car at the airport and pick it up on the way back to Olympia. This plan proved very successful. The people at Thirfty were very help full. Why Thirfty, that needs a little more explaination.

Arrived in downtown Seattle around 12 noon. Parked at Pike Market and had a good walk around, even saw the fish monger a throwing large Halibut fish to one-another (about 5 metres between them).

Walked around the historic area and settle for a seafood lunch-Alaskan razor clam chowder (very nice).

Next on the list was a visit to the outdoor sculpture park (see photo's on previous page). Walked around until around 3 pm. From here we were off to the EMP (experience music project). The whole thing was paid for by some guy who started Microsoft along with Bill Gates.

First we saw an exhibit on the evolution of guitars (see the statue on the previous page), then we visited an exhibit of Nivanna (they started in rural Washington) and Jimi Hendrix (born in Seattle). Both were very interesting (got to see a a guitar donated by Eric 'slow hand' Clapton.

Next on the visiting list was the Sci-fi exhibit, exceptionally well done (had Cybor men and daleks from Dr Who.

Finally we visited the WoW exhibit -all the way from NZ.

By now I was 5pm. So we went to a coastal suburb for dinner-Ray's. Very nice. Had cod and a diet drink.

Back to Sea-Tac to pick up our replacement car (they were ready and waiting for us. As I walked up to the booth, they guy came out with the keys and documentation he said "ready to go Ronald". Now that is service.

The car is a Nissan Sentra and has GPS!!!!

Drove back to Olympia with Marks help (I needed it -6 to 8 lanes of traffic going both ways, plenty of spaghetti junctions etc.

Great day, made better by having a car without a windscreen crack. Thank goodness for CDW insurance.