You know you have been gagging for it. Well, as the Bishop said to the actress, you can stop gagging now
Best Flight
Any that land safely and at the right airport. To be fair the seat back in PE was best seat but leaving at midnight is all wrong. Especially when sick as a dog. The flight over is the right time, settle in at 11:30 am and have lunch at normal time and a beer and then a short nap. Later on you have breakfast as a late dinner and arrive before you left. You cant beat that. Alaskan is a reliable airline and perfectly acceptable and efficient for cattle class. As in all flights I wont be happy until someone pulls up a passenger walking on with 3 oversize suitcases and says “Hey shit for brains didnt you read the rules (sorry guidelines!) for carry on luggage. Get your fat ass and all that crap off my plane!” Yep never happen
Best Lounge
Bigger is better and you cant beat LAX especially if you get in early and grab a shower. Its crowded maybe but can always find a seat. Brisbane is ok but nothing special and lounges usually not at their best in mid morning anyway. The Alaskan Lounge at LAX was a pleasant surprise, the same at Sea-TAC rather disappointing especially when numb nuts here paid $60 for an apple and some yank wine.
Worst Airport to Land at in USA Ever
LAX remains a nightmare to transit. Yeah its troubling times, by all means be thorough but the signage and people on the ground are lacking and it can be confusing even for non first timers. Whatever you may read allow at least 2 hrs for any connection and maybe a Xanax
Best Train Experience
Only had one so the winner is……. wait for it…….Amtrak Cascades. It leaves on time, the BC seat is comfortable and solo, and the cafe car ok for what it is – avoid the coffee of course. It was a slow trip though as constant stoppages with freight trains. Nice scenery
Best Accomodation
Both were good in their own way but as said in other media commitments would be unlikely to do the B&B route again as a solo. Its fine when travelling with CLP as she Loves On Laundary (LOL!) and you can eat out more at night . The apartment in Portland was perfect in all aspects including location
Best Public Transport
Portland wins as the three forms available blend in well and has a great smart phone app. Seattle Orca card is less efficient (both cost and usage) and seem to be catching buses more (with attending GU)rather than streetcars in Portland. All cities need a smartphone app , simple as that. Portland additionally is an easier city to walk
Best Beer Tour
Melbourne Cup Field with no real losers. How a tour goes depends a lot on numbers in the group. The Road Dog tour in Seattle could have been great with a few more rugged individuals on board but lacked a lot as a solo adventure – not withstanding certainly appreciate tour still going ahead. Tour de Funk was a crowded tour on a bus that worked out very well. What I remember of it anyway
Winner: Walking Tour of Pearl District. Walking tours are best. Small group ( as in 3) and first time had to listen to how beer was made! But not the last…. And hey if u r doing a quiz about what we learnt about beer maybe not at the end of 2 tours:)
Honourable Mention: Brewcycle. Totally unique and fun thing to do. Service at some bars a bit slow but we did do “dive bar ” route.
Best Beer
If the Melbourne Cup joined up with the Caulfield Cup, Kentucky Derby and Birdsville Races…..
At end of day comes down to a tie between Mannys Pale Ale in Seattle and Deschutes Fresh Squeezed IPA in Portland. And this one I had on last night in Seattle in Coastal Kitchen, whatever it was
Worst Tour Ever
Beyond Bizarre in Portland. On a Sunday night. At midnight. To be fair I got sucked in with the Brewcycle crew and the 4 hrs between end of that and start of this was great. Then the pain started. And I was sober by then
Best Food
Not really fair an any city to rate this as not part of my portfolio but have to say the Gourmet Foodie walking tour in Seattle had a superb range – with a dull group of people who probably would have loved the Beyond Boring Ghosty thing if they could have fitted all of their walking frames on the footpath . Orfeos, Serious Pie, Steelhead Diner, Cutters Crabhouse…..
Best Segway
Small field, own fault, poor weather yada yada yada. No Segways are bad although getting wet in Seattle was not pleasant. The Segway up down and across Willamette River in Portland was great simply because I would not have seen this any other way
Saddest Touristy Moment
Asking someone to shift in seat so could take this photo. In fact the search for the “houseboat” was rather sad too
Best Sighting of Flashman Impersonator
Best Sign
And there were plenty
Best Coffee
To be fair it is getting better and much like anything it is what and how you order. The Cortado was a safe bet always but had a surprisingly good capuccino at Cafe Laddro
Worst Coffee
A clear winner. The horror that was Cafe Argento near Lather Daddy Laundromat Seattle which on reflection – those two facts may be related!
Most Iconic Memory
Biggest Erection
To be fair, not all photos are admissible so lets finish on a high
