FRS CLIPPER is the ferry company who take you on the 3 hour trip from Seattle to Victoria.

I had booked a front row comfort seat for the ride with uninterrupted views(except for the rain) 

Complimentary coffee and Prosecco (I heard many a passenger say that they have never heard of Prosecco) and Dramamine – sea sickness tablets, were on offer as we settled. I couldn’t open the blister pack so drug free it was!!!

The skies were clearing as we left Seattle but the clouds appeared about 30 minutes into our journey. It was smooth sailing through Puget Sound. Visibility was poor but I kept an eye out for whales and seals. No sightings were made. 

The skies cleared as we approached Victoria and the Salish Sea was generally smooth with a few choppy waves, no need for the sea sickness fears we were warned about. 

Off loading was easy, grabbed my checked bag, went through Border Patrol and then walked the 2 blocks to the Doubletree by Hilton and suites. Victoria is a good walking city, generally flat and easy to negotiate.

It was too early to check in, so I stored my luggage and went for a walk around the area, did some shopping and then realised I still had an hour before early check-in. So I went down to the restaurant and ordered some deep fried pickles. 

I then had a surprise visitor…. Betty came down to greet me and tell me that my room was ready.

And what a room! I had chocolates and a bottle of white wine as a welcome gift! The room was a suite … nearly as big as my villa thank you for the upgrade Betty! 

I found a quaint little place for a Pedicure and then shopped for some Canadian treats to take home.

The weather was not pleasant for walking around as a cold wind was blowing quite strong.

So back to the room to prepare for the next day and catch up on missed sleep from my travels. 

Good night.

My Velocity Platinum status meant that I was entitled to go to the Singapore Lounge at Sydney International Airport. My flight to San Francisco was due to depart at 10:20 am.

This status with Velocity also meant that i could board with group 1 on my United flight.  We were bussed to the plane in an orderly way (first time I have caught a bus at Sydney airport). On board my row had someone in the aisle seat but the middle seat was  empty. In fact the plane was not full… are people not travelling to the USA? 

At the layover in San Francisco the customs lines for non USA citizens were very long and there were about 30 wheelchairs waiting to clear customs which were all Indian nationality. When it was my turn, after about 30 minutes of queuing,  the young border lady was trying to get her head around the fact that I am travelling alone and visiting my daughter’s friends. I tried to explain the importance of frequent flyers and status and then I was allowed to enter the States. A bonus on this trip was that travellers from Sydney to Seattle did not have to collect and recheck bags as has been done in the past. My luggage would go straight through.

The United Club lounge that I usually go to in the SFO international terminal at Gate G is a bit tired and there was very limited food offerings. I decided to walk around to find the other United lounge suggested by the United staff member, at Gate E , which was closer to gate D for my Seattle flight. This one was better furnished plus offered a better variety of foods.

OMG I didn’t realise how big SFO airport is! It took me a brisk 20 minute walk to get to the other terminal. 

It was a short flight of under 2 hours to Seattle Tacoma airport. After collecting my luggage I booked an Uber and was directed to a well organised and dedicated area for finding my ride. 

The Edgewater hotel is next to the wharf where the ferry to Vancouver Island departs was about a 30 minute ride from the airport. 

Check in was quick and pleasant and my room had nice views of the city buildings and the Space Needle. It was at the end of a very long corridor.

I went downstairs to the 6/7 lounge bar ( named after the pier, not the trend) and discovered  that it was Happy Hour ….perfect! Local oysters and Clam Chowder were top quality along with the service and surroundings.

It was now nearly 36 hours since I left home but still the same day, so I was keen to settle in and have a good sleep before catching the FRS Clipper in the morning.

Good night 😴