Speaker #0Hello and welcome to this week's episode. This is an audio immersive episode for our road trip down to Coopville from Vancouver a few weeks back. This will be a mix of sounds from pre-packing to the journey down in the car through the border control down to Fairhaven and Coopville, some camping drama, some campsite noises, Benningham and then the journey back to Vancouver. Lots of sounds, some live vlogging and of course some post-reaction audio. included too. I hope it's a great episode and inspires you to get down on a road trip to Washington state. So let's get stuck in. Morning, cup of coffee on the go. We're on a road trip today, heading south from Vancouver and we're heading towards Coopville, which was one of our last stops on our road trip last year. And we're driving across the Canada and USA. And when we came back up, we went via Coopville and it was raining and it wasn't that nice of a day. So we thought, you know what, we'll come back another time and almost a year to the day. we are going back so super excited coffee on the go we're all packed and it's gonna be about an hour down to the border not sure how busy the board is gonna be it's a long weekend in canada we'll see once we're over the border should be about a 20 minute ride to fair haven we're going to stop for a trendy coffee and hopefully a bagel and cream cheese let's go this was an early start 6am alarm call and we need to be out by 7.30. 7am would be nice. First up is the kitchen. A bit of pre-packing. Some coffee. Some washing up. And getting our clothes in order. A nice early shower to wake up ready for the journey down. We only decided this journey two days before, so quite last minute, some last things to pack and let's go. The journey down from where we live to the border at Peace Arch is about an hour. The Lionsgate Bridge is always busy, but at this time of day there is sunshine and no traffic. dreaming. We were out the door slightly later at 8am so we knew we were going to be hitting the border at 9am which could spell trouble because normally at this time of day on a weekend and especially a long weekend there'll be queues. What a day to road trip down, clear skies. Mild weather, and it feels like the last weekend of the summer. We had to jump at the chance. After a smooth journey, we make it down to Peace Arch to cross the border to USA. Yeah, it's about an hour wait, apparently, to get through the border, about 9am. Just gone through the traffic lights, we're in the queue now. Never done this before, first time in five years, this way. So let's see how easy or hard it's going to be. The weirdest thing happened. We arrived at the border with no I-94 visas, which I needed to cross the land border. No dramas, we get two visas, but no, I don't need one. Mine lasts till November, but I haven't crossed the border via land to USA this year. Strange. We had made it across the border. Little admin issue, but it didn't take too long. Somehow got another visa, don't ask. We're in Fairhaven, which is about 20 minutes from the border. And this looks a real cute little town as you can hear the trains going off. I'm looking forward to checking out some fairly old buildings. It's gonna be cool. Let's do it. Our first stop in Fairhaven is Avenue Bread. This looks a very trendy place with great bread and coffee options. Let's go. Avenue Bread is a stunning location for a coffee and breakfast. This little neighbourhood cafe started in Bellingham in 1995 and they serve the best bread. The coffee was great too. There are locations in the main city of Bellingham, here in Fairhaven, James Street in Bellingham and Linden. Absolutely love the vibe. Great service and would recommend 100%. let's go see fair haven my first impressions of fair haven are awesome i love the buildings It was founded in 1883 and then was incorporated into Bellingham City in 1903. One of the most historic neighbourhoods in the city. A lot of the shops and cafes are independent here, with the buildings being quite old for USA standards. It's situated on Bellingham Bay and you can catch a ferry here to Alaska. Walking around was quaint, quiet, relaxing, an interesting fact for you. All newly constructed buildings are required to conform in outward appearance to the community's traditional 19th century style. After a lovely walk in town for an hour with a coffee, a look at a bookshop, just walking up and down the streets and the town square, it's time to hop back into the car and head down to Whidbey Island. We had a recommendation to head down Chuckanut Drive, which is a coastal drive towards Whidbey Island. and it's fair to say in the first few minutes of driving we were not disappointed. This drive is also known as State Route 11 and is a scenic road that begins in Fairhaven and is renowned for its breathtaking views of the Pacific Northwest's natural beauty. And as you head south from Fairhaven the road quickly transitions from the quaint charm of the neighbourhood to a winding cliff-hugging route along the coastline. It was like being back on the road trip in 2023. San Juan Islands and Bellingham Bay are just to the right hand side. Let's stop off for a viewpoint. Peaceful, great views, super blue water. and very idyllic. The only shame is the trees. They do hide the view a little bit, but you can't complain. I'm loving it. It's time to head out. We pass through Larrabee State Park, which is Washington State's first state park. You can stop there for a hike or picnic, but we drove on. The drive becomes narrow and winding, adding to its charm. Further south on the road, there are oyster farms and seafood restaurants. they are a must if you love seafood. Next up we cross bridges with some awesome views and this is very popular with people stopping, parking and grabbing their camera to walk on the bridge. We decided not to. After a quite short amount of time the views end and we're down past the bridges into farmland. Next stop would be Ireland. First up is a repeat of 2023 Sunshine Drip Cafe for coffee and bagel. If I remember correctly, these bagels were absolutely insane. And I was absolutely right. They were. Unreal. What day? We're sitting outside in the sunshine, mild weather, sipping our coffee, eating our bagels and enjoying the view. What a start to Coopville. One year later, we have returned to Coopville and this time it's different. It's sunny. It's way, way busier and just looks like a glorious day. Go down to the wharf straight ahead. We're going to check out a little street that goes through the village and we may do a walk as well to the left. Looking forward to seeing this place again in the sunshine on Whidbey Island. Mount Baker in the background absolutely sensational. Coupeville is very different vibe today the last time. Sunshine way busier but glorious what a place. Was it giving Lunenburg vibes? Nova Scotia, got some buildings on stilts over there. Absolutely stunning day. Cootville is a dream. It's only one street, maybe two. But when you leave the wharf, you walk through the main town and it's one independent shop after another and a great vibe, positivity and with glorious waterfront views. Emma dipped into the Seabreeze Yarn store, but I stayed outside, gazing at the waterfront. I love the blue colours, crisp blue colours, sunny skies and Mount Baker towering in the distance. There are plenty of options to sit down and people watch, or of course, like I did. gates at the waterfront. When you walk through the main township you'll get buildings on stilts over the water, independent shops such as sweet shops, gift shops, yarn stores and clothing and free parking but good luck getting a spot. Each building has its own character, over a hundred years old, colourful and giving you a sense of history. And you can see why people settled here over a hundred years ago. This historic, charming town nestles on the shores of Penco. and it's one of the oldest towns in the state. Cootville is part of EB's Landing National Historical Reserve, which helps preserve its well-preserved historic buildings, scenic landscapes and cultural heritage. Cootville has a tight-knit community, and tourism is key. If you're into your muscles, this is a local delicacy, and many of the restaurants here serve them fresh from the waters from the day. Cootville is known for its small town charm. Very quaint, quiet and relaxed. I just love the colours. Red, blue, green. It's all around and they are crisp. On a summer's day, I don't think there's anywhere better. A must for any visit to the Pacific Northwest. After a long day and a lovely afternoon in Coopville, it's time to head out in search of a campsite for the night. Two campsites down. No luck, one closed, one needs bookings or ringing to book on the day. So we're going to flat C I think. and see what happens there and that fails and it's north of the island to go to one of the many campgrounds up there yeah we arrived to our next campsite at fort ebby state park and this time it's full no luck and a little bit annoying that there's a guy who works at the campsite sitting in his car and not even bothering to help us out The first campsite is Raradodendron Campground near Coupeville. That was closed. Plan B was Fort Casey State Park. That was full. This was worrying, annoying and slightly confusing. C has not worked. Plan D. A. Dead time. Plans D and E is to head north to Deception Pass State Park. to try their state park campsite and also a private one next to it called north whitby rv park absolutely no luck on both and we are starting to consider to travel back to vancouver because at this rate it's getting dark and we cannot find anywhere to stay we have one more option and that is plan f this is the head back up the road to Bayview State Park outside of Whidbey Island. We are hoping for the best. The consolation prize at the moment is the stunning sunset views as we make our way up Washington State. We have arrived and it says full and we're absolutely gutted. But we see the camp host and decide to follow her, to try and speak to her. We can't believe our luck. Two late cancellations mean there are two. Camp spots left. And of course, we took one. However, we didn't have enough cash. But the camp host volunteer, Becky, allowed us to write an IOU alongside all the cash that we had. We owed about $10. We are so relieved and so happy. Yeah. After an epic day, that is a campsite for the ages. A worldly sunset view full of unbelievable colours. Stunning. Now we are parked in here. $40 for the night. What a day. We have to owe the campground $10 because we don't have enough money, but the volunteer is very, very nice and allowed us to stay. She's got two slots left. This was the last chance saloon. Next stop would have been Vancouver, so we're glad to settle in. Amazing colours over there and I'm looking forward to settling in for the night in the van. Unreal. The campsite is quiet, full, but with that background of the sunset, ultimately. Dreamy. Our evening dinner is in the campervan and we have sourdough bread, some veg, meat and some crisps. Is anything better after a long day? Very cosy. Morning, slept 11 hours. I put it on record before in the podcast that on the road trip last year in Kandy, USA, four months, I slept the best ever. It was quiet, so comfortable, cozy. I just feel really comfortable in it. It's so nice. Love it. So yeah, that lovely night's sleep. Going to get up. That's a lovely night's sleep. Going to get up, get the money that we owe. get some more money to owe the campsite person and then probably head off upwards towards bc and somewhere for breakfast probably in bellingham i imagine or a little place in fairhaven we'll see after 10 and a half hours sleep i was refreshed and elated to be back in the campsite for an early morning walk. Can you beat the sound of the birds, the sound of the campsite, the stones underneath your feet, and just that breeze, fresh air into your eyes, into your skin. I just absolutely love it. We said morning to Becky and we're then heading out to the ATM about a 10 minute drive away to get our cash and to get a coffee. What are you doing? Two Americanos, black. 16 ounce? The smallest, yeah. Yeah, 12, yeah. In the USA, they have these small, drive-thru, independent coffee stops. It's a shame that Americans can't find 20-25 minutes to sit down and have a coffee and enjoy the experience. But no dramas. We pay $3 each and collect our takeaway coffee and our cash and head back to the campsite. Thank you. We sat on the bench next to our camper van with a coffee in hand, a few pastries and enjoyed the mild weather and the autumnal leaves dropping onto the bench. Dreamy start to the day. So just a summary from last night. We ended up with plan E, which was the last plan, I think. That was that Bay View part. And we're here this morning and it's an absolutely glorious morning. The sun is out, the birds are singing, it's got leaves everywhere, it's autumnal feels and it's mild. We're having a coffee outside, come to that in a second and it just seems a bit idyllic. What we did, we went to the ATM down the road and got some money out because we needed some money to cover the shortfall for the campsite. And Becky, who is the volunteer, has very kindly let us stay the night. So come next morning. with your money and it'll be fine so we got the money got a coffee went to the thing and even the official if you like state park person said yeah it's absolutely fine and it's cheaper than we thought result the coffee went and got was beacons now in america they have these weird things called drive-through coffee stations they do proper coffees like espresso and stuff but we've got an americano to go and it's only three dollars that is cheap and we got some croissants from yesterday that we bought that were a day old already so that'd be interesting overall i think bay view is probably one not many people would go to because it's kind of in the middle of nowhere it's on the coast there's a beach just down there and overlooking the water is not the most idyllic because you've got some sort of industrial stuff going on but away from whippy island where it can be really busy and all the campsites were full last night this can be like a plan e you can stay somewhere but actually it's huge there's cabins There's loads of campsites and the staff are really nice. So for me, what a place. One last thing before I get attacked by leaves. Got to give the coffee a go, right? Take a bit of taste. First impressions. 12 ounce. Looks huge though. Oh yeah. I'd say that's a very standard American espresso. Slash Americano. Decent though for $3. Yeah, I think so. Another glorious morning, sunny day, and we're keen to check out Bellingham in the sunshine this time, as last year it was rain. We finally packed up the van and headed out towards Bellingham. The drive will take 30 minutes and we're going to revisit the roads from yesterday. Really keen to see the view from a different angle. Free parking in the middle of Bellingham on a Sunday. So we parked up and walked through the streets. Sweet as, who says that? Australians or Cubies? Sweet as. We do love brunch. and one of the best places to eat in Bellingham is Little Cheerful. However be sure to get there early, it will get busy and you'll need to add your names to the list. A breakfast consisting of hash browns, veg, eggs, hollandaise sauce, coffee, it really was a dream and much needed. i must say the staff at little cheerful are absolutely fantastic they look after you keep you updated and are cheerful when they serve you another coffee stop and this time it's at the coffee shop by hammerhead coffee roasters just outside the main downtown area it's only a 15 minute walk from little cheerful Can you beat that sound of a cafe as you walk in? The inside is a modern coffee shop with everything you need, including great merch. The coffee tasted amazing and I love the ambiance. There is big windows and lots of light. It was perfection for the morning. Our last stop before Vancouver is Blaine, just on the border. And I must say, you can skip this place. It looks completely desolate. Some of those classic towns in the USA, in your mind, where there's no one there, boarded up windows. It's a bit like that. Only five minutes up the road. We're back to the border through Canada and in Canada in five minutes. and straight back to the usual traffic in vancouver this was our little road trip complete and we loved being back in the van and sleeping overnight on a campsite we're checking out new roads new areas and new campsites whitby island is such a cool peaceful spot if you're looking for a little getaway or weekend there are so many campsites out there that please book in advance and don't face the stress that we faced. Deception sounds and looks pretty idyllic, and that is on our list to visit next time. If you enjoyed this immersive episode for our weekend trip to Whidbey Island, then please leave a five-star review in Apple Podcasts or Spotify. There are more of these coming up in 2025 with our super series on Central America, and I cannot wait to release it. Stay tuned, let me know what you think, and I'll see you next time. Thanks for tuning in to the podcast episode today. 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