I cannot recall too many details about the drive from Portland to Seattle. I want to say it was rainy that morning and there was a bit of traffic. (To be honest, I don't mind being a passenger on long road trips, but driving long distances myself is not my favorite.) I do remember distinctly that I felt comfort and excitement upon arriving because I recognized neighborhoods and streets from being in Seattle last year.

Though I had anticipated traveling solo for this leg of the trip, each of the days there was actually spent in really good company. I was connected to the kindest mutual friends for dinner one night, spent a day adventuring with college friends who happened to be there as well by chance, and shared life-giving conversations with someone I sat next to once at the Love Does Stuff conference in Tacoma last May. (The former gathering was solidified while in Portland, and the latter two surfaced serendipitously while in Seattle.)

The pockets of time I had alone unraveled like so. Part of it was spent hitting up spots I fell in love with before (e.g. Fremont Vintage Mall, Gas Works Park, Paseo, Theo Chocolate Factory), part of it included visiting establishments that I didn't get around to last time (e.g. Oddfellows, Volunteer Park), and part of it involved roaming around in the rain and exploring new territory. (Throughout my foray in the Pacific Northwest, I wore my "pretend to be a local" hat and weathered the rain sans umbrella. A part of me wanted to picture if I could see myself living there one day.)

Seattle was so good to me again (in the grand scheme of things). The only other point I have to make is that I received my first parking ticket ever while there. Sad trombone.