Portland Oregon

Well, we arrived at Jennifer's house in Lake Oswego, south of Portland, Oregon, this afternoon courtesy of our hired Sat-nav device. En route we booked in to three motels of varying quality. The towns we stayed in were nice, interesting and easy to get around in. [Joan : getting to them was occasionally fraught. We set the Sat-nav to get us from Santa Cruz south of San Francisco to the Golden Gate bridge yesterday. Unfortunately the freeways were a mess - there had been rain and there were 404 accidents in the Greater SF area before 8 that morning as the television informed us before we left. The Sat -nav selected what would normally be the quickest route. When we left our estimated arrival time was 90 minutes. Three and a half hours later we arrived at the bridge.]

We got off the freeway from SF to have lunch in a town named Healdsville...absolutely lovely! Fremantle council should take a taxpayers' trip there to see how it is done. Then last night we stayed in Eureka which began as a goldrush town. The council should visit there too, to see how well a modern town can maintain its historical buildings.

On the drive up the coast from San Francisco there were amazing coastal views and lovely small towns. Then further up we drove through mountainous regions covered with enough Californian Redwood forests to soak up all the Carbon Dioxide from the 'trucks' that are all too common. 'Trucks' are actually large 'utes' most with dual wheels and monster engines.

The wedding business starts tomorrow with an 'Australian BBQ'. I have been told to make the opening speech and propose the first (of many) toasts to the couple to be married.

Tomorrow I will go and purchase a small breathalyser. Jennifer says that the police don't have booze buses and leave you alone unless you are driving stupidly. . .