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Oh dear, my love for Montana has found a rival, Washington State’s northern islands close to the border to Canada: San Juan Islands. One of the best campgrounds I’ve ever stayed at. Right on the beach, each camp had its separate terrace and hardly anyone around. These islands seem to be the playground for the rich and famous. The town of Friday Harbor is so pretty and clean I dared not walk on its bitumen. Just kidding, but sort of true. I drove around the island (tiny) and most of the coastline is private property,’ no trespassing’ signs everywhere. Bit shocking really and I snooped around the houses a bit from the beach with my binoculars. Jeez, they had helipads and some of their fronts where only glass … money dripping from the ceiling.
I talked to one of the rangers again and he said that most of the people who own those houses don’t even live there most of the time. They are just vacation homes. I’m just happy with a good camp and a decent sunset. I stayed for a couple of days trying to find some killer whales, but they didn’t want to be found although about
90 of them live in those waters all year around. The ranger, Eugene, said again that sometimes they take off because the fishing isn’t good for some reason. Not to worry, it was still quite amazing just sitting on the rocks for a few hours, watching the birds and boats cruise by and contemplate my future(or how lucky I have been) or whatever I was thinking about. I’m not really into mediation per se, but I do know now how to turn off my mind. I sometimes catch myself not thinking anything and that can be a blessing, I can tell you that. Overthinking and speculating about future events has been the bane of my existence and only recently have I figured out that worrying about something I cannot control serves only the unhappy and depressed. I’m neither. I can sit and watch birds or animals or walk on the beach … whatever presents itself to me without thinking about the daily drudge of work, shopping, cleaning the house, paying the bills etc. It’s total bliss and I wish I figured this out much earlier in my life. So, advice from Ms Maltan number 11 (especially for you girls!): stop
worrying about the inevitable!
Talking about luck. I’m not making this up, really, but I took two ferries today. One leaving the San Juan Islands at 11am, that took about one hour, and the other going from Coupeville to Port Townsend. This one I was supposed to reserve, Eugene and a girl in Friday Harbor both warned me that I might not get on the second ferry without a booking today, being Saturday. I tried to call the number and every time it dropped out or my phone itself went berserk. So I thought I might just drive down to Coupeville and try my luck. The worst that could happen was that I had to stay the night in a hotel there, eat some more bbq oysters, mussels and clams (someone has to do it) and go tomorrow. Guess what happened? The ferry was supposed to leave at 1.30pm. I drove up at 1.29pm (I swear I’m not making this up) telling the guy at the paybox that I don’t have a reservation and he just shakes his head and said that I could take the one just leaving. ONE MINUTE before they sailed I drove onto the ferry,
the second last spot. WOW!!! I’m not sure why this is all happening, but I sure appreciate it all. It’s the same with the weather this weekend. It’s beyond warm for this time of year, everyone I’m talking to tells me that normally it rains all the time in May and sometimes even some snow. I cannot remember how warm it is in Celsius, but low 20s perhaps? Tomorrow it’s going to be low 80s Fahrenheit. One of the most hilarious observations I made over the past few days is that people in Washington State run around in short sleeve t-shirts and shorts as soon as it hits 15 degrees. It is so funny, because when I lived in Denmark long, long time ago, the Danes did exactly the same. In summer (they only have a summer for about 6 weeks) everyone went completely nuts, riding their bikes with only skimpy clothes on while I was still wearing jumpers and sweat pants, shivering. And inland Washington looks just like a massive, huge Tasmania. Same kind of cottage industries as well, organic everything and lots of fruit trees, vegetables and wineries. I’m not spending that much money on wine though, because
I cannot take it back home and obviously cannot drink that much. Or can I?
For you ‘Twilight’ fans: I’m staying in a camp called Mora just outside the Quileute Indian Reservation, about 10 miles from Forks. I drove past a sign saying ‘No Vampires beyond this point’ and will make a picture tomorrow just for a laugh. They did film most of the location shots around here and I will wait all night for Jacob and his wolf pack to show up, preferably without shirts on since it has been so warm. Just suggesting.
One last thing: apparently there are cougars around here and the sign said that in case I encounter one of those cats I should stand my ground, look the cougar in the eye and make myself bigger eg. wave a shirt over my head etc. (which kind of makes sense). In case the cougar doesn’t take any notice of my ‘size’ I should fight back vigorously. Say what? That made me laugh so much because they are actually official State Park recommendations.
I just saw a squirrel. I could fight that back vigorously in case it attacks me, but a bloody cougar?
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