I try to fight it off but it is no good, I have to snuffle around in the undergrowth pretending to be a Bear or an Eagle. I set off to drive Highway 101 from San Francisco to its terminus in Port Angeles, Washington. There I will catch a ferry to Victoria Island where a friend will give me local knowledge on snuffling. Thence East through British Columbia to emerge somewhere in Montana. If I and the truck are in good Nick we will then make our way back to San Francisco. There is no route planned.

The drive up the pacific coast takes about 3 days and is fabulous.

I eat a lot of fish and chips.

Unfortunately I wake up one morning with a grotesquely swollen face. At first I think this is a prelude to more major dental surgery but as time goes on I have no pain in my teeth just my jawbone and face. I now realise that a rattlesnake something similar must have slithered into the camper during the night to embrace my cheek. Anyway it is a huge drag as I both feel and look monstrous. It is even difficult to open my mouth sufficiently to gobble fish and chips.

Just before I get on the ferry to Canada, I check my documents. Oh no, I have left my green card in San Francisco. I can go to Canada but getting back into the States will be very difficult and definitely wildly expensive. I am so stupid.

I drive to nearby Port Townshend where an Englishman, Leo, is rebuilding a classic sailing boat. If you are one of the few people that does not follow his YouTube channel, you can start now. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oET1gNnK73I Watch from the beginning of the project a couple of years ago.

So I decide to explore Washington and Idaho.

After 10 days of camping I get a motel room so I can post on the blog.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dPzHjhOsVKU