In so many ways day seven of our trip to the Pacific Northwest marked both an end and a beginning. It marked the end of our time in Canada and the beginning of our time in Washington. It also marked the end of my denial about being sick and the beginning of my health struggles for the remainder of our trip.

After we got up we enjoyed one last breakfast buffet at our Hotel in Vancouver before checking out of our hotel. As we rode a cab to the airport, I was both grateful and sad. I was grateful because this trip allowed me to wipe the slate clean with Vancouver and British Columbia and have this trip be my enduring memory of that corner of the world instead of the sad memories of 2010 when my grandmother died. I was also sad because the part of our vacation that was only about us was over.

We were going to Washington for a good reason, but it still marked the end of our solo time. I was also sad to go back to the United States. I have been fortunate enough to leave the country four times since the election in 2016 and every time I leave I feel better out of the country than in it. I love my country but as long as Donald Trump lives in the White House a dark cloud hangs over the United States.

When we got to the airport in Vancouver, we had some drama with dropping off our bags which left us annoyed with Air Canada once again. One thing I like about flying from Vancouver into the U.S. is that you go though immigration and customs in Canada so when you land in the U.S. you can just walk off the plane and go directly to baggage claim.

The entire time we were in Canada I wanted to buy a journal. I specifically wanted a journal with the maple leaf of the Canadian flag on the front, but I never saw one. I hoped that I would see one at the airport but didn’t. Looking back, I wish I had just bought a journal of a different design somewhere along the line but oh well.

Since the flight from Vancouver to Seattle was only going to be about an hour it wasn’t that big of a deal that my husband and I wouldn’t be sitting together but it did add yet another layer of annoyance to how we felt about Air Canada. We once again flew on a little plane, just like we had two days before when we had gone back and forth to Vancouver Island for the day. Naturally, I was sad as we took off but since I had never been to Seattle, I was also excited.

It was just too bad my dry throat had started to turn into a cough. The views from the airplane as we crossed from British Columbia to Washington were beautiful.

Upon landing in Seattle things were pretty easy, we picked our bags and took a free shuttle to our hotel. We weren’t actually staying in Seattle; our hotel was in Renton.

Shortly after we got checked into our hotel, we headed out again. My husband and I were having dinner with my cousin’s ex-girlfriend. It’s funny when you get alone with the ex of a family member than with the family member but there it is. We went to a restaurant called 13 Coins back by the airport. The food was good, and it ended up being good that we knew where the restaurant was and how to get to it a couple days later.

After dinner my cousin’s ex took us to Target to buy a couple of things. My husband and I both bought swimsuits so we could use the hot tub at the hotel. There had been one at our hotel in Vancouver but since we didn’t have swimsuits, we couldn’t use it, I didn’t want to miss out while we were in Washington.

Once we were dropped off back at our hotel we changed into our swimsuits and used the hot tub. Unfortunately, the amount of chlorine was super high and it ended up being the only time I got to use it.

When we went back to our room I finally admitted to myself and my husband that I thought I was getting sick. I was really bummed out because now that we were in Washington, I wanted to have a good time. I especially didn’t want to be sick at my sister-in-law’s wedding. It was also my third time being sick since the week between Christmas and New Year’s. Then to make matters worse I realized that the bed was way too soft for me. I knew that it would destroy my back. I ended up sleeping on the couch in our hotel all five nights we were in Washington.

The next day we were actually going to Seattle for the day. I was looking forward to it, but I was also really bummed out by my cold and by having to sleep on the couch.

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Here is a description:

Justin Gomez and his sister, Terri, have never been close. Separated by nine years and distant in adulthood, Justin and Terri have little in common, except for the love of her three children. In the days before they embark on a road trip to visit the father that once abandoned them and their now deceased mother, both Terri and Justin are dealing with unexpected changes in their lives. Justin surprisingly realizes he might want more than a series of one night stands after a first date goes unexpectedly well. After a lifetime of being a strong type A personality, Terri is forced to confront the reality of the end of her marriage. As they hit the road, with Terri’s children in tow, they find themselves forced to rely on and confide in each other following a devastating event. Confronted with memories from the past and challenges from the present, Terri and Justin must dig deep and unearth the truth about themselves and their parents in order to build a new family based on their love for each other.