Day 18: Along the Waterfront
I woke up with the quiet excitement of checking out of this hotel and moving on to explore Washington again. Today’s plan was to give Max a bath at my friend’s building dog wash, so I packed up early and was ready to leave by 11 a.m.—right at checkout time.
Just as I opened the door to my room, the fire alarm went off. I grabbed my things, made my way down the stairs, and slipped out the back door to my car. Guests shuffled out in their pajamas, even though it was already late morning. I loaded up Ashley, stopped at the front desk to officially check out, and finally hit the freeway. I’ll admit, I’ll miss being so close to all the shopping centers here.
Traffic slowed near the zoo exit—only three lanes to funnel everyone through—but soon I was over the bridge and back in Washington. Max got his bath, and afterward my friend and I wandered around his neighborhood. He confided that he’s planning to move back to L.A. to reconnect with his ex, and casually mentioned I could take over his lease if I wanted to stay in the Pacific Northwest. I gave it some thought, but nothing inside me felt certain. That’s the purpose of this trip, after all—to explore, to listen for that inner pull, to discover where I want to call home for this next chapter.
Time slipped away. By the time we finished walking, it was already 3 p.m. and I still hadn’t found a place to stay. Exhaustion got the better of me, so I returned to the waterfront hotel I’d stayed at before. Prices had jumped, but I used points again to make it easy. This time, though, I didn’t get the waterfront view or the little perks—no wine vouchers or restaurant credits tucked into my check-in packet. but with no perks, also the waiver of the $29 amenity - which I didn’t use last time either. At least I avoided valet parking, since my friend lent me his garage spot.
I lounged in the room for a while before heading out for dinner. Walking along the waterfront, I finally allowed myself to simply enjoy the sights—the shimmer of the water, the hum of restaurants, the ease of having nowhere else to be. Aside from the scramble to secure a room, the day ended in comfort, with a softness I hadn’t felt in a while.
