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Real Life AdVANtures: Surfing couches in Capitol Hill

T.J. Kelly - Omega Contributor

So it begins. Girl in Van. Van across border. Girl in USA! I’m in Seattle to be exact. Am I going to hunt Patrick Dempsey and the rest of the Grey people? I can’t say that I won’t try…

It was almost tough to leave yesterday. It’s hard to bid family farewell when you know you won’t be back for awhile, and you’re not sure where you’re going.

I guess it’s a little frightening for everyone, but parting is a necessary step for traveling far and wide. So goodbye, nest! Hello… adulthood? Err… maybe not.

I can’t yet say if yesterday’s tearful goodbyes will be a fair price to pay, but hopefully this blog and some future adventures will help us all decide.

Wonderful drive down here today with my temp travel companion Jenner though. She’s an Australian girl out to see the States and share some gas money and good stories, which is more than fine by me.

We left sunny (that’s right… I said sunny!) Vancouver, BC yesterday afternoon and our fingers were crossed at the border—considering my large camper van with its young, vagabond-ish appearance—but all was well after a quick trip inside the Border Patrol Office.

We were asked about our homes, jobs, educations, luggage contents, future prospects, and reasons for traveling, camping, and breathing. They took my keys. They looked in my van. They let me go. And the border guard that dealt with us said “You got kind of a cool hippie van out there. That’s awesome.” Well said, sir.

After getting only mildly lost while battling Interstate exits and city traffic ( I used the best of my Van piloting skills and somehow navigated my girl down a bright and busy Pike St!), Jenner, Bebe (The Van) and I made it safely to our crash pad on Capitol Hill—courtesy of our first couch surfing host K.A.

There were many, many circles of blocks to find a space long enough for the big ol’ Van, but eventually we triumphed.

Shortly after arriving, we learned from the television news that there’s a cop killer named Maurice Clemmons running about town at the same time we are.

Nothing like a little added danger to make the big city thrilling!

But let me tell you how K.A. has one of THE best views I’ve ever seen (will attempt to post pictures here and on the facebook group, but may be techno-retarded still) and I am falling asleep tonight staring out at all of Seattle, including a Christmas tree-topped Space Needle.

That’s worth a little danger in my books. Life is good, but where art thou, Patrick Dempsey?? If the wi-fi faeries continue their good grace, I’ll talk at you all again in a few days!