Currently listening to: Heaven – DJ Sammy feat. Yanou and Do.
Oh, thinkin’ about our younger yearsThere was only you and meWe were young and wild and freeNow nothing can take you away from meWe’ve been down that road beforeBut that’s over now (over now)You keep me comin’ back for more
Baby, you’re all that I wantWhen you’re lying here in my armsI’m finding it hard to believe (believe)We’re in Heaven
We couldn’t believe how quickly our time in Seattle flew by. It felt like we blinked and it was already time to head back. I’d definitely return again—there’s still so much I didn’t get to see. A few museums are still on my list, and I really wanted to drive past Kurt Cobain’s old house, explore a winery or two, and, of course, take a detour to Forks (Twilight fan here, obvi). And Mount Rainier for sure was on the list.
I was up by 0500, still in early-riser mode, well awake before the others. Took a quick shower, brushed my teeth, and got ready to head downstairs for breakfast by 0630.
The restaurant looked even grander in the morning light—quiet, elegant, and almost like being on set of a movie.
I wasn’t hungry after the food marathon we had the night before, so I just ordered a coffee and a green juice, then patiently waited for the others to make their way down.
Since none of us had actually wandered through the hotel before, we took some time to explore a bit—hallways, corners, random artwork. Then it was back to the hotel room for the ritual: strategic packing. We folded, zipped, weighed, and reorganized every bag to fit all the stuff we bought and the merch that Caroline gifted.
We didn’t want a repeat of the topsy-turvy airport situation from when we arrived, so we overcompensated—got there a solid four and a half hours early. Maybe it was overkill, but I didn’t want to stress about the rental car return, risk missing the flight because we got stuck waiting for the shuttle to the airport or the insane lines to go through TSA. I forgot I had TSA PreCheck, but I didn’t want to ditch my friends, so we all went through the regular line.
We made a pit stop at the Centurion lounge, but it was packed and they were running a waitlist. Plan B: Delta Sky Lounge. TBH, It was a pleasant surprise. I’d never been in one before, and I was impressed. Solid buffet food options, good vibes, and plenty of charging ports for our electronics. It was quite large since it had two levels for seating. One of the reasons why we wanted to go to the lounge was because of the free food they offered otherwise the cost of eating at regular restaurants in the airport are offensively expensive.
The Delta sky lounge had better food than the Centurion lounges I’ve been to in other airlines. Since I only had juice and coffee for breakfast, I decided to eat something with more sustenance. Chicken sandwich, cheese, meatballs, Thai broth, and an oatmeal cookie. I know, I went all out. After all that ,we still had over three hours to kill.
They had one of those fancy barista machines that made all kinds of drinks. I need one at home. The Americano was strong, smooth, and exactly what I needed.
I even found myself eyeing the roast beef, which is wild because I usually can’t stand the stuff—but it actually looked good.
About 30 minutes before boarding, we headed to the gate. We were able to upgrade our seats using points, and for me, it was my first time flying first class. I was curious to see what the hype was about.
The seat was roomy, plenty of space between my knees and the seat ahead of me, and everything just felt a little extra. Linen cloths for tray tables, fancy. Complimentary liquor and drinks? Tempting, but I stuck with water—I was already jittery from all the caffeine.
They offered nice meals, but I opted for the Shake Shack cheeseburger. I’ve never had their burgers before and thought I would try it since it was an option on this flight. It was decent, but I’m still an In-N-Out girl at heart.
I thought I’d be able to sleep on the plane, especially after taking Dramamine. Nope. Not even a nap. Instead, I just stared out the window and built a mental to-do list: laundry, check work emails, meal prep, desk cleanup, mentally brace for the week ahead. Fun times… back to life, back to reality…
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