As we wake up for the first time in our house on wheels we feel fit and ready for a new day of adventures. The bed is comfortable and surprisingly enough the entire motorhome seems build for 6 foot 6 Dutchies as I can even stand up straight in the shower. I first walk down to the office to payoff our overnight stay and on my way back am treated to the sight of an American legend. No oversized motorhomes or Americans but a bald head eagle searing over the pleasant lake. As soon as I open the door I am welcomed by the smell of fresh coffee and Marlies smelling behind the stove. Breakfast is completed with the serene ingredient to everything, bacon! Frying the bacon is however a risky undertaking and in this case results in a loud beep. The sound of the smoke detector more than filled our motorhome, adventure starts here. We stow everything away, fill up the fresh water unhook others and complete the rest of our pre flight checklist before driving away in our house.
The same as most days we set out without a plan and set TomTom for Olympia, thank you lonely planet. We decide to avoid all highways and are taken through all sorts of backroads before we enter the suburbs of Seattle. The steep roads offer a somewhat rollercoaster-like-experience causing some excited whoo’s and whaa’s from the passenger seat. When we stop at Starbucks we find ourselves in an area on what seems to be the border of suburbia and projects. Where white elite passes lower and middle class in European cars, as much as we are intrigued we also feel somewhat uncomfortable being part of the white elite.
We continue todays adventure and decide to include highways in our route and drive out of Seattle on a long bridge only to take the first exit, make a u turn and drive back to Seattle. TomTom had some issues… Set destination is the Oyster House in Olympia, as it’s past noon we are looking forward to this Lonely Planet must eat and indulging on oysters as soon as we arrive. Closed for the Holidays, back on January 2nd, no oysters for us.
We do however quickly learn that Olympia is Washingtons State capital and upcoming and hipsterinvested. Therefor we have organic sandwich with organic zero calorie water in a true hipster lunchroom looking out onto the streets of Olympia. We stroll around town a bit and when the rain doesn’t stop we head back to our ride and aim for Long Beach. There are many town in the USA named Long Beach, Long Beach WA however is the Long Beach with the longest beach of all Long Beaches, winning!
Driving out of Olympia we soon get onto the 101, the 101 takes you all the way down the coast to Mexico and offers a wide variety of impressive views. Today we are only treated to the variety of rain forest views as we drive on winding roads up and down hills with forrest on each side as far as one can see. Yes, rain forrest and today we get both the forrest and the rain. The rain makes the views even more spectaculair and the idea of camping without a tent makes that we keep on smiling. When we reach the ocean the view is evenmore spectacular, at least we think. As the sun has gone down an hour before we reach the ocean we have to guess and wait for the morning.
We get to Sandcastle RV park where we find no message board or anyone at the office and decide to take a chance with one of the available spots. Google reviews had informed me that this park only offers “back in” spots, apparently a challenge for some campers but not for us. Within minutes we are backed in, hooked up and opening beers. As we are about to walk out for dinner across the street someone knocks on our door. It’s Don the parkmanager, who had woken up on his couch, looked outside to see our motorhome and came over to welcome us.
Don gives us ome insights on the location and mentions that we are the second ones this month to stop at his park. The other motorhomes are “longstayers” that have been here for up to 10 years. Over the next 30 minutes we learn more about Don, the park, his adventure in realestate, his ex-wife, his current girlfriend, his projects and much more. Eventually we pay the fee and get the wifi code, allowing you to read this.
With a slight beeb in our ears we cross the street to go to the Long Beach Thai Cuisine restaurant. A small restaurant which interior actually reminds us of Thailand, main difference is the temperature. Several guests have kept their coats on and the three “headlamps” do not make any difference. The food reminds us of Thailand as well and we enjoy a good Pad Thai and curry after which we go back to the warmth of our home on wheels. We look forward to the the daylight 101 experience tomorrow.
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