8/10 Recession Travel: Day 1, San Juan Islands

If I had to do it all over again, well, I wouldn't have fiddled with the GPS for 10 minutes. I wouldn't have dawdled at the visitor's center. I would have ignored the speed limit. However, mostly, I would have checked out the ferry schedule.

I woke early enough and walked to Avis in downtown Seattle where I was hooked up with a Ford Edge, a car I'd never heard of that was really comfortable and had nice amenities. I wanted a car that would handle mountain climbs and was roomy enough to travel with the kids and all their peripherals. We had ample space for our luggage, but because I had borrowed the GPS from my NY-based ex, I had trouble plugging in the first address (it kept trying to find Anacortes, NY). Our itinerary for the day was San Juan Island, specifically Friday Harbor, which had been recommended by cousin-in-law Doug. 

What Doug failed to mention was that if I missed the 11:55 a.m. ferry, I wouldn't be getting to San Juan Island. I'm from New York City, and I wrongly assumed that one ferry is pretty much like any other and that they would depart at regular intervals. I had no intention of putting my car on the boat, so when we got to the parking lot and saw a ferry in the dock, I didn't really rush to get on it. This was a mistake we paid for. The 12:30 ferry didn't go to Friday Harbor, terminating at Orcas. The next Friday Harbor ferry was three hours away, and since I had little choice, we hopped the boat to Orcas in hope of a good day trip or at least an adventure.

A Heron's nest on moorings near Lopez Island.

Colossal mistake #2 involved trying to get food from the ferry kiosk. We had planned to grab lunch at FH, but Orcas seemed less promising on the lunch front. Thus it was I spent almost 40 minutes in line waiting for undercooked chicken tenders and soggy fries (the chowder was good, but by the time I got the rest of my order, it was room temp). Finally fed, we ventured out onto the chilly deck. Although the record heat had followed us to Anacortes, the trip to Orcas (by way of Lopez and Shaw Islands) was quite cold. However, the waters weren't accommodating for whale watching. Other than a random gull, we saw no wildlife in the clear waters. The best offerings were the herons in and around the decks at the various ferry stops.

I was not in the greatest mood at this point, so perhaps I didn't appreciate the beauty of the trip thus far. The islands were quaint, but certainly didn't live up to the reputation or the guidebook description. I was expecting paradise, and what I found was less than idyllic. That said, Orcas was even worse than that. Home to approximately 5,000 residents, the island is allegedly considered one of the most beautiful of the San Juans. However, where the ferry drops is pretty much the middle of nowhere. And not in a good way. What Orcas lacks in amenities it more than makes up for in "keep out" and "no trespassing" signs. Want to check out the beach? Fuhgettaboutit! How about that nice trail through the woods? It's private, keep out! 

My overall impression of Orcas was a place where paranoid unhappy people are hunkered down waiting for the Apocalypse. The Orcas brochure proclaimed, "Orcas Village is the arrival point for the Washington State ferry. Here you'll find gift shops, a grocery store, a post office, lodging, restaurants and outdoor activities." Well, the grocery store was nice. The gift shop was closed. The only restaurant was sweltering (kids weren't allowed on the deck, so we sat in a greenhouse-like structure and sweated). The "outdoor activities" were limited to a park with working toilets. At least the loo was clean. 

The one exception to the universal "leave us the hell alone" approach to tourists was at a small sheep farm about two miles north of the ferry landing on Orcas Road. Warm Valley Orchards had a "visitors welcome" sign and we were happy to tour Maria's studio (open on the honor system; obviously Maria isn't an Orcas native with that outpouring of trust). Although the exquisitely knitted offerings were outside my price range, I did plunk down two bucks for two overripe but delicious plums. The price was actually $2/pound, but I was overly generous owing to the opportunity to get off the road and see a bit of the forest along with this farm being the only spot open to tourists for miles. 

Goodbye, Orcas! We weren't welcome here!

We spent the last hour of our "visit" in the park, my daughter reading her AP English assignment, my son playing his DS, and me looking through my Washington State guidebook anxious to move to our next location. In all fairness to the island, even the guidebook said the best areas were several miles inland. That said, I - a New York City resident!!! - have never visited a place less hospitable to potential visitors. My advice to anyone coming for a visit would be either bring a car or don't miss the earlier ferry to Friday Harbor!

The ferry back was shorter and uneventful. The best to be said about it was the amazing views of Mt. Baker. I had considered early on heading out to the north Cascades and doing the Mt. Baker Highway. However, that morning I had used Priceline to get a hotel in Oak Harbor, which was roughly halfway between the San Juans and the ferry at Keystone that would get us to the Olympic Peninsula. Interestingly, none of my potential itineraries included Olympic National Park, but Laura had recommended it and now I was in close proximity (assuming no more ferry mishaps).

Perhaps it was the tiring day or the lackluster hotel in Seattle, but the Coachman Inn seemed more like a five-star hotel at that point. The air had cooled considerably, and the outdoor pool was heated to 90 degrees. Zorba's across the parking lot served up delicious (and inexpensive) roasted lamb, along with other Greek and Italian specialties. And the mattresses were so soft (in a good way) that you literally sunk into them. A long day and errant journey made right in the end.

8/10 Recession Travel: Preamble, Seattle

The blue smile is courtesy of a Space-Needle-shaped lollipop!

Before my regularly scheduled employment bid adieu, I had put in place plans for a family vacation that piggybacked my youngest cousin's wedding in Seattle, WA. Traveling without a hypochondriacal husband in tow (who, hardly coincidentally, racked up $1,000 in medical charges tending a bruise while we were traveling), I decided to travel on the fly: no itinerary, no reservations.

Let me caution that this kind of travel might cause you to miss some opportunities (although others will certainly present themselves in exchange). I had made certain arrangements ahead of time. For one, there was the Seattle leg of the journey. My entire family was staying at the Lake Union Courtyard Marriott, so my first three days were covered. I also had booked a decent-size SUV in case push came to shove and we were sleeping in the car. That necessitated blankets to be packed into an already constrained suitcase (thanks, airline industry, for charging to check luggage!).

We arrived in Seattle late Thursday and checked in to the hotel (nothing special, no offense to my beautiful cousin and her handsome groom; it was the priciest and least accommodating place we stayed at over the course of 10 days). I had chosen to come in a night early so that we would have the whole day Friday to explore the city (as noted in the intro, this was my first trip to Washington state). We totally scored on that count: Friday morning my aunt (mother of the bride) announced that the famous Space Needle was free to the first 10,000 guests.

Thus it was that my son and I headed out (we could see the monument from our hotel, so we walked, an activity that took all the non-New Yorkers as unnecessarily arduous), picking a few wild black raspberries along the way. Luck favored us as not only did we score free tickets (thanks, Bausch and Lomb) but the line to travel up to the needle was non-existent; we waited less than five minutes to reach the summit. 

Early morning fog seems to be a staple of Seattle (at least during record-breaking heat waves), so from the top of the Space Needle we were barely able to make out Mt. Rainier in the distance. However, we did make friends with Seattle resident Laura and her sons (with whom I exchanged e-mail info). She later sent me a slew of great recommendations for our travels. 


In truth, this is where flexible plays a role in travels. I never would have paid to go to the top of the Space Needle. Yes, it is as iconic as the Empire State Building, but it is one of those touristy money sucks I hate (don't pay the extra money to get to the tippy top of the ESB, fyi, because the extra few feet aren't worth the price of admission). However, with no fees and no wait, I thoroughly enjoyed being on the exploratory end of tourism for a change. As all these tours end at the gift shop, I spent my admission fee there, snagging a few small souvenirs and a really nice jacket that will be perfect when the Hudson wind picks up this fall.

It's funny what you notice when you're in a new place that you dismiss or take for granted at home: I noticed all the homeless people. Seattle's homeless seemed a lot scarier than our homeless back east. Of course, this may be in part due to there being so many mentally stable homeless people in NYC. Yes, we have our crazies, but we also have a lot of people who couldn't make it here and couldn't get back to anywhere. Regardless, I am not sorry we ventured into the park adjacent to the Experience Music Project (which we did not, in fact, experience). Despite the homeless men lounging in the early sun, the sculptures were creative and - as my son will attest - fun to climb.

While, of course, family events dictated the weekend, I was able to dovetail my passions and spend a few hours Saturday morning wandering the stalls at the Pike Place Market. I would have loved to buy some of the fresh offerings, but as I noted, the hotel lacked basic amenities, such as a refrigerator. So, I limited myself to foods I could carry and that would make good car snacks once we left Seattle. I ate a bag of roasted nuts, purchased flavored popcorn, tried various flavors of beef jerky along with several variety of cherries. And although I had neither pocketbook nor ability to take home any of the market's famous fish, I did enjoy the variety and sheer magnitude of the offerings at the Market. If I had one complaint, it was the subtle reluctance merchants had for handing out samples. A few of the stalls were generous, and I purchased from them. One cheesemonger was downright rude (telling me he wouldn't serve me unless I used "the magic word"; funny, I thought the magic word was, "can you make change for a fifty?"); I didn't buy from him, although I would have had his attitude not screamed, "I hate this job."

You can (faintly) see Mt. Rainier over our sweaty shoulders!

Sunday brought about an all-too-quick jaunt to the REI store. If you are an outdoor enthusiast, you must devote an hour or more to this oasis on Yale Avenue. And it is literally an oasis. If you enter from mid-block, you may find yourself lost in a maze of trails (yes, the store has a walking/biking trail surrounding it). I was only sorry that we didn't have more time to browse; Laura had recommended it as the place for kids' hiking boots; my daughter's elfin feet make shoe shopping a Sisyphean activity. However, it was time to buy boots and don heels, because we had a wedding to attend on the hottest day in 43 years! Ouch. Seattle is famous for its rain, not its central air. While the Seattle Tennis Club was happily situated, it was excruciatingly hot, too. While it wasn't great for dancing, we danced just the same, but if I had to do Seattle all over again, I would have opted for more seasonable temperatures, even if that meant a few drops of rain.

Recession Based Travel: 2010 Edition

Although it may be hard to see the silver lining through all those clouds, there are certain advantages to the Great Recession. One of them is the ability to travel on the fly (no pun intended). I decided to opt for a non-itinerary trip this summer, and it brought back memories of my youth, when I wouldn’t worry about where I was going or how I would spend my time. I just went, whether it was Europe or New York City (now my home). Somewhere along the way, travel preparation became an integral part to actual travel itself. This was due to marriage, kids, the “flush” 90s where you had to book months, or even years, out.

I couldn’t have done it in 2007. If you live in the Northern Hemisphere, August is the high season for travel. In years past, travel without reservations or a concrete itinerary would have meant living out of a car, at best, showering at public facilities. That was if local law enforcement didn’t chase you off for sleeping in a rest stop.

Recession travel is not for everyone. First off, this is not a cheat sheet for “budget” travel: You will need money, although there are deals to be had, and you will certainly have more and varied opportunities during a recession that you wouldn’t necessarily find in better times.

What you’ll need:

• One killer recession

• A smart phone with a dataplan (or a laptop with wireless)

• A good rental car with GPS

• A guidebook

• An adventurous (and flexible) spirit

I first became aware that the times they were a changin’ during the summer of 2006. We had made a bi-annual journey to Long Lake in the Adirondacks for many years. Our favorite haunt was generally sold out for July and August by February. In fact, one year we had to stay off property because the area was completely booked.

In 2006, however, our property had a vacancy. By midweek of our stay, the owner was happy to accept a one-night-only guest (during high season, the cabins rented for one-week minimum). By 2007, vacancy neon was more visible than the ubiquitous “no’s” of summers past.

Thus it was in August 2010 that I headed west with only a vague agenda and no reservations. The point of this recession travel journal is not to repeat my itinerary; there is no recipe for “fly by the seat of your pants” travels. So long as you stay safe, it’s all good.

As noted above, this isn’t about youth travel, although I certainly embraced the ambiguity of this trip. However, when you’re 21 with a pack on your back, you don’t need an itinerary; you can sit in an airport for hours, waiting to fly standby via heaven knows what route; you just go. I am a grown up now, with grown up responsibilities. My trip is indicative of this status.

Introducing... NYC and Beyond!

So for those of you keeping track of my eating habits, here's a new outfit to try on. I've decided to branch out and do a bit of travel blogging. There will probably be more about NYC (my home these past 3+ years) than is good for a mortal to consume, but there you have it.

My first posts that follow will tell of this month's adventures to the Pacific Northwest, where I had never been before and which I now regard possibly the most beautiful place I've ever had the pleasure of visiting. I hope to follow up with some NYC-related travel tips. My next adventure out of town isn't planned for another three months, so forgive me if time lapses and my posts do likewise. 

While I certainly hope to gain a following here at Blogger, the truth is I am getting back up on the writing horse after a hiatus of nearly two years. I'm applying for jobs, and I recently landed my first official NYC writing gig (yeah, me!). In the meantime, these (mostly) irony-free posts will allow me to hone my technique and offer up some writing samples to prospective employers. 

Of course, if you're reading this, I thank you and welcome your comments and/or following!