Our trip to the US Pacific North West did not begin well. Our Delta airlines flight was substantially delayed at take-off. By the time we had crossed the Atlantic the flight crew were running out of working hours. We landed at JFK and sat on the tarmac while the cockpit tried to persuade Immigration to allow us to land, without success. So we continued to the airlines hub at Cincinnati. Here we were put up for the night in a English-history themed hotel in Northern Kentucky, before flying on to Seattle the following morning. Immigration officials at Cincinnati were remarkably cordial and welcoming, given that they were being delayed on site especially for our very late arrival.

It rains frequently in Seattle, but we must have been due some good fortune, because our day touring was perfect. We went up the Space needle, amused by the 45 seconds of in transit commentary from the lift attendant, and took a boat ride round the harbour, with a lively commentary provided by a local guide. Lunch was at the Elliott Bay Restaurant on the harbour front, watching the sun sparkle off the waves in the bay.

The following day we drove out to the Olympic National Park, then returned by a circuitous route north of Seattle, crossing the sound in a couple of places on ferries to get back to the mainland.

On day three we headed south on the I5 to Portland, taking a detour to visit Mount Rainier National Park. We had not booked in Portland, and had some difficulty finding a motel, as many were fully booked. After driving around for a while, we found a Pony Express for the night. From Portland, we drove up the Columbia River to Hood, then back again, stopping to view the waterfalls by the side of the road. Back on the I5, we headed south to Albany. Oregon has the most substantial number of covered bridges in the western states and we followed a tour around about a dozen of them. The cover was designed to protect the structural elements of the bridges from the elements and substantially increased their life span. Our motel was located at a truck stop on the I5 at Albany. In the evening we walked across the apron to a family restaurant. I suppose I shouldn’t have been surprised, but this family diner served wonderful steaks and offered what at home would be regarded as an excellent fine wine list, though here it was selection of local wines. This was the first of three memorable evenings we have spent at truck stops during our travels. The other two were at lorry parks outside Bari in southern Italy and on the Colmar bypass in Alsace.

We continued south the following day, turning of the Interstate at Roseburg to head inland and up to Crater Lake. The weather was fine when we left the highway, but steadily deteriorated as we climbed. Half way up the snow was falling and when we reached Crater Lake, we were in white out; absolutely nil visibility. Photographs suggest the scenery is spectacular but we saw nothing.

Next stop was Medford, where we stayed for 3 nights. We took a trip down the Rogue River. The following day drove took an excursion round by Klamath Falls, then back to Medford via Ashland.

We left Medford for the long drive south through California. It is largely flat country. Mount Shasta appeared on the distant horizon ahead, came up alongside, and then gradually disappeared over the horizon behind us. We stopped overnight at Merced before driving on to Yosemite National Park. We entered the park from the west and drove through the valley to the Tuolumne Meadows on the east side, then back through the valley and looped round to Glacier Point, with spectacular views of Half Dome and the valley below. We then drove to the southern entrance to see the sequoias at Mariposa grove. We didn’t have any lodging booked, so we drove south out of the park to Oakhurst, where we found a newly opening motel.

The next day we drove back into Yosemite by the south entrance then, reversing our steps, back out through the western gate an on to San Francisco, the last destination on this trip. We had a couple of day’s tourism. We stayed at the Holiday Inn which was hosting a large gay convention at the time.

First day we looked round the town, walking down to Fisherman’s Wharf via Ghirardelli Square. Fisherman’s Wharf was very disappointing. I think the contrast with the harbour at Seattle was particularly disadvantageous. In Seattle we had taken a harbour cruise with a live and engaging commentary. In San Francisco, the harbour tours were routine and the dull taped commentary was played over the loudspeakers. We visited the Second World War submarine, USS Pampanito, which is moored in the harbour. Submarine warfare must have been truly awful. The crew of 80 worked in extraordinarily cramped conditions. Casualties were higher than in any other service.

If day one was disappointing, day two in San Francisco was much better, as we drove out to Saint Helena in the Napa Valley. Lunch was at a restaurant in the main street called Armadillo, and we picked up a souvenir bottle of local Viognier at a wine store. It turned out to be superb when we drank it a month or so later, actually on a trip to Switzerland.

Although, nowhere near as difficult as our journey out, the queues at San Francisco airport were quite bad, but our connection at Atlanta went smoothly.