Day 12: Washington

Our morning drive westwards from George gave us unparalleled views of Mount Rainier, which floated above the orange plains until we drew closer to the nearby mountain range. We arrived in Seattle before noon. There, we managed to meet one of my friends, who was just about to fly to the East Coast that evening. We walked in one of the parks before dropping him off in the centre and promptly picking up another friend with whom we would spend the next few days.

Kelly had made space in the car for Lekha by returning some of our camping gear in Missoula the previous day. We stuffed our things in the trunk and stacked the rest on the seat behind the driver. The three of us went to a local fish and chips shop, where Kelly and Lekha had fish, while I ate a bit of clam chowder and fried oysters.

After about two hours of driving, we spent the rest of the day in Port Angeles. We left our bags at our hotel and drove up Ediz Hook, the site of a paper factory and a US Coast Guard Air Station. Despite this inauspicious location, Ediz Hook is widely visited for the beautiful views it offers of the Pacific Ocean and the mountains of Olympic National Park. We walked along the hook until our ears hurt from the strong wind and our eyes reeled from the sharp setting sun.

We were hungry when we returned to town and decided to eat at the restaurant Bella Italia. The place was closed, but we noticed a framed piece on its wall that claimed it had inspired a restaurant scene in the Twilight series. This iconically terrible book (and its hilarious movie adaptation) became a touchstone in all our conversations after Lekha started recognising its place names on highway signs. Obviously, we had to take a picture in front of the establishment before sharing a massive pizza and salad bowl at the Strait Slice.

Our drive today was 308 miles, with our total mileage at 4677.

The view from Ediz Hook
The US Coast Guard Air Station
Another view of the shoreline
More views
A kite in the form of a squid
The three of us by the sea
In front of the legendary Bella Italia

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