The morning in sunny San Diego began with a flight to Seattle, Washington. The three-hour flight along the West Coast, transitioning from summer to winter, was a journey worth mentioning. Flying in a small Embraer, the flight offered a low-altitude view of the West Coast, including Los Angeles, Yosemite National Park, Mono Lake, and Oregon’s mountain peaks, culminating in a flyover of downtown Seattle.

Delta Airlines, considered the best in the U.S., was the airline of choice. Seattle is famous as an IT hub, home to major companies like Amazon, Microsoft, T-Mobile, Valve, Philips, SAP’s Concur, Costco, Expedia, and the U.S. offices of HTC and Nintendo. It’s also where Starbucks was founded.

Seattle’s football stadium with a retractable roof is another highlight, though not for everyone. After a brief city tour, the trip continued to Bellevue, where many of these firms are headquartered, to meet an old friend who had moved to the West Coast.

Meeting a familiar face on the other side of the world brings a realization of the planet’s small size. Washington’s nature is diverse, with oceans, lakes, forests, and mountains. A short drive can take you to Canada or a flight back to sunny San Diego. Life in Washington is expensive due to high salaries in IT companies, but working for one of these firms can make it manageable.

After enjoying Bellevue’s views (unaware of a future friendship there), it was time to head to the airport for a trip to a unique version of New York.