Home to Seattle

---

Alfred Hitchcock is truly a master director. Going within 80 miles from the site where several scenes of "Vertigo" was to much to pass up! We stopped at the Mission San Juan Bautista. The church was built by the Spanish in the 16th century. The whole area has a surreal vibe to it, at the very least it was an excellent place to stretch our legs.

The rest of the drive was uneventful and long. Leaving L.A. at 12pm we arrived in the Emerald City at 7am. Emily was still not feeling well so she slept most of the way in the back seat.

We have been back for over two months now. Both of us have applied for many jobs, not yet having found a position. Competition is high as there are many young educated people in this city. Sometimes I wish we would have stayed in New Zealand another 9 months as it certainly would have been easier to find work there. We've have had time to reflect on all the places we've been and people that we've had the pleasure to meet. I've learned a lot about myself.

For one we both prefer living in the country. Finding a balance that allows one to live in a rural area while still making a living (and not having a 2 hour commute) isn't a easy thing to find. Many people we stayed with found this balance and have inspired us to do the same.

Being closer to nature is something we all need. We got into the routine of going to bed with the sun. Being out in the woods makes this inevitable for anyone with no electricity. There is a stillness and a deep inner peace that we got used to living with and do not want to let go of. Its no wonder that our national parks are flooded with people this time of year, or that families are willing to go through logistical hell just to get out into the woods for a weekend. It seems to me that we're trying to regain a peace that modern living doesn't provide. Perhaps instead of chasing after nature in our spare time we could bring her back into our lives and our cities. Emily and I have helped to start a community garden, like the one we worked on in Gore. This has generated much enthusiasm in the neighborhood and has been a lot of fun. Lets bring nature back into our lives!

---