Alaskan Adventures

The "write" web address

2008-08-25T08:08:00.000-07:00

So I messed up...here is the correct website for my new blog...please check it out!

www.traveling-tracy.blogspot.com

NEW BLOG

2008-08-20T05:08:00.000-07:00

I have changed my blog address and started a new blog. Of course I will keep all these archives, but it is the appropriate time for me to switch what I am doing. Since I have moved overseas, the title, Alaskan Adventures did not seem to apply anymore. So to find updates of what I am doing, please check out the new site:

www.traveling-tracy.bogspot.com

I hope to read your comments there!

I'M MARRIED!

2008-08-17T18:06:00.000-07:00

I am officially married and am now a Mrs.! Wow, that feels so crazy to think. I don't know when I will be changing my name, but I hope it is as soon as I can. The wedding was perfect. Of course, there were a few glitches, but it went off with a bang and it seemed that everyone who attended had a good time.

I was very proud of all that we put together...it looked amazing. I can't wait to put up some pictures, but that will just take some time, because I did not have a camera! Friday was a busy day as we finalized all the decorations. We set up tables and chairs, ironed table clothes, put together centerpieces, laid out dishes, and basically finished the special touches. Then I rushed to get my nails done, which took two and a half hours. I was so late that I did not get to take a shower before our family BBQ. Sadly, I didn't stay there long either, because I needed to drive back to the farm for the night. I had a hard time sleeping. I was nervous, anxious, and worried about everything coming together. So I woke up at 4:30 in the morning and was out working on things at 6am. It was almost relaxing to be working on things by myself. I feel like I have a new love, wedding planning. Maybe one day I will set up my life to help others with their weddings. When I left at 9am, I felt like everything was put together good enough. I was at ease as I had my hair and make-up done and I only became more excited as I returned to dress and take pictures.

The ceremony had a few music mistakes and a sudden change in how we were walking down the aisle, which really confused me...I probably should have stuck with the original plans that felt more personal. Then everyone headed over to the reception which looked good. The food and drinks were not quite what I expected, but people seemed to like everything so that is good to know. Now that it is over, I almost think we could have put the food together ourselves and made it perfect. However, I was happy and didn't care...and now I am married. I only wish we had more time to visit with family and friends before we had to leave. And tomorrow we make even bigger changes... WE MOVE TO KOSOVA! We are going to be running around with our heads cut off as we prepare for the biggest move of our lives up to this point. And my new blog is finally in place. So very shortly I will be revealing the new web address!

Wedding Planning Update

2008-07-27T12:03:00.000-07:00

Things are going really well with my wedding planning. It is not as scary as I had imagined, but sticking to a budget is very difficult, especially when the budget is only $5000. Of course I have gone over budget, but I am proud to say that only by around $2000 dollars. I can manage that, and I guess I have to! I am anxious to get the barn cleaned out so that we can start to put up the decorations for the walls. I will have a better idea of our possibilities when we can put up the white lights and paper lanterns. Luckily, we have the ability to start putting that together a week before the wedding. And then everything else will come together the day before the wedding, since that is when the rentals will arrive. I imagine that we will be making trips all week beforehand trying to drop off items at the barn. I am so excited to get married...so excited. Expect now I am getting stressed out about our upcoming move.

WE HAVE TOO MUCH STUFF! IT COSTS A LOT OF MONEY TO SHIP ITEMS TO KOSOVO! I AM FRUSTRATED THAT WE CANNOT JUST PAY FOR EXTRA LUGGAGE!

I really don't know how we are going to get everything there that we want to bring. I was even looking at all of the clothes that I am planning to bring and I don't have that much. I am almost at a point of giving up. We may just have to shell out the money...all one thousand or more! I just wish I could find a reasonable shipping company.

Amy Made the Big Jump

2008-07-22T06:59:00.001-07:00

Amy decided to take on a big adventure and bungee jump. I decided not to, because I am trying to save all my money for the wedding, but I was there for moral support and to take pictures. She seemed pretty determined to make the jump, but I didn't realize how much fear she had until we got to the bridge. I have to admit I was a little nervous for her too, because the location where I jumped looked so much safer. It helped that I was in New Zealand and it was the site of the first ever commercial bungee jump. They had a lot of experience and the facility looked well established. In Costa Rica it looked like they had just set up shop. They even used a different set up for her ankle harness. I didn't want to scare her though, so I didn't say anything.

I really noticed the fear when she stepped on the platform and then she looked at me. I could tell she didn't want to do this. Of course they did a count down and she didn't jump. In fact, I think they counted down four or five times (by the last time everyone who was watching was trying to encourage her on). Some people were laughing because she was a bit hysterical. She kept looking at me and would say, "I'm scared I don't want to do this...Trrracccccy!" I didn't know what to say. I told her to take a deep breath and to remember why she wanted to jump. Then I began saying that she didn't have to go through with it.

She eventually jumped and it was the funniest thing I have ever seen. Apparently she started to jump and decided against it, but it was too late. So she almost fell into a somersault. It was so funny and odd looking. And then she held onto the rope the whole way down with her hands. I think her shoulders were sore afterwards, because of her crazy fear. And when she finally was pulled back up to the bridge you could just see her hands shaking. It didn't look like she was relieved until she was on solid ground. I have a feeling it was an adventure that she will not be repeating, because she had such a huge fear. That was our last day in Costa Rica...then it was time to pack up and prepare for the trip home!

La Paz Waterfall Gardens, Costa Rica

2008-07-20T06:20:00.000-07:00

We really did not spend that much
time on excursions, mostly because neither of us had that much money. However, we did buy one excursion, because I wanted to see a volcano and a butterfly garden. Our tour would consist of a trip to Poas Volcano (which was completely covered with clouds) and then a walk through La Paz Waterfall gardens, where there was a butterfly farm.

Even though the birds, butterflies, and monkeys were enclosed it was nice to see them up close. Here are a few shots of the animals and a few shots of the wonderful waterfalls.

We had the most fun because we decided to take some silly pictures too. I haven't done that in a while. I always seem to forget to take pictures, but my sister is good at that, so I remembered to pull out my camera and have some fun.

My sister is not really a fan of wildlife and she hates insects, even butterflies. I was quite impressed when she decided to put a butterfly on her finger. It was very comical too, because she looked so freaked out by a butterfly (the cutest insect in the world)!

San Jose, Costa Rica

2008-07-17T07:08:00.000-07:00

My sister was studying Spanish in Costa Rica, so of course she requested that I make a visit. At first I was a little resistant to making the trip because I knew that money would be tight...little did I know I would also be planning a wedding. However, the ticket prices went down a little so I bought a ticket. Both of us were anxious to return home, but we didn't let that stop us from having fun.

On my first full day there we decided to head into the city centre to go shopping and act like tourists in the Mercado Central. I love walking through markets and San Jose's mercado did not disappoint. There was a wonderful selection of things to buy from seafood, spices, souvenirs, puppies, party supplies, pizza, flowers, french fries, and frioles!

I almost bought a child's cooking toy set, because it looked like the perfect size for camping. However, I am moving overseas so I really didn't need any more things. Instead I just purchased one nativity set and a shirt. It was a fun day.

San Jose is filled with decorate cows. They are all over the place and this was one of my favorites!

Amy had a little fun with the statues.

A small camping set or child's toys, you decide.

One thing we saw everywhere were clay piggy banks. Most of them were painted like the one photographed here...I thought it was a little ugly.

The Pepsi bottles are already prepped for the 2008 Olympics. We thought that was sort of fun when we stopped for lunch.

Engagement Pictures and a Trip to Costa Rica

2008-07-08T18:35:00.000-07:00

Here are two of my favorites from our engagement photos. They turned out pretty good considering that we took the pictures with our own camera and used Photoshop. The great pictures will come with the wedding though, because we are spending big bucks for the photographer!

Tomorrow I leave for a week to visit my sister. I think it is going to be a fun trip and hopefully we are able to enjoy ourselves, and I won't over worry about the wedding too much! Boulderin' Fiance left today to climb in Yosemite for a month...I think I am going to miss him.

The List Grows Bigger...much BIGGER!

2008-07-01T20:09:00.000-07:00

I am so excited to be getting married, but I will admit that just added a few extras things to my list of stuff to do before we move to Kosova. That's okay though, it is all good things to do. The nice part about planning our wedding so quickly is that we have to make fast decisions. I don't have time to sit on it, but I need to buy it or book it before it is taken. Thankfully things are falling into place quite nicely this week. I decided that there are a few major things that need to be done before Boulderin' Fiance leaves to climb in Yosemite (for three weeks!) and I go to Costa Rica to see my sister for a week.

1. Find a location for the wedding

2. Book a Photographer

3. Book/Figure out Catering

4. Find a dress

5. Purchase invitations

6. Take engagement pictures

7. Pick up the marriage license

8. Pack up Boulderin' Fiance to move out of his apartment, be ready for Yosemite, and then Kosova

At this point we are doing pretty good. We have already confirmed a location...a beautiful Virginia barn, I purchased the invitations tonight, we picked up the marriage license yesterday, and Boulderin' Boyfriend is almost out of his apartment...just a few more things to pack up, give away, or prep for a yard sale. Tomorrow I meet with a potential person for catering and tonight we met with a couple for the photography (but I am not sold on them yet even though the price is reasonable). Let's hope that I find a dress on Thursday when I go looking. That would be perfect, because I will have to have it hemmed and probably add capped sleeves (the only curse of the Mormon lifestyle). So even though it is busy and I don't get enough sleep because I am thinking too much, it is really fun right now. I love to say fiance and I love having the wedding image in my head. I just hope that it all comes out as beautiful as I can only imagine.

The Best Climbing Trip Ever - I'm Engaged

2008-06-28T05:07:00.000-07:00

Last year Boulderin' Boyfriend and I went on a summer trip together and we decided that we needed to follow that tradition. This year to make things a bit easier we went to the New River Gorge, WV (where we usually go for climbing trips). Last year was fun in New Hampshire, but it was a long drive and this year we thought about North Carolina, but the idea of back country camping/climbing is not exactly my favorite thing. I love showers too much. Besides, Boulderin' Boyfriend had his own agenda in mind, which was a very special birthday present...

On the first day we decided to head out to Summersville Lake for a climbing adventure. We decided to climb there because we could also go swimming if the weather became hot. Plus it was a week day so we knew the crowds would be low, which is always nice when you are climbing. And as I mentioned before Boulderin' Boyfriend had a hidden agenda in mind. He lead up an easy 5.9 climb so that I could follow. When he was about halfway up the rock he yelled down, "Are you sure you can make it to the top?" Of course I am thinking, does he really think I am that bad? I have climbed it before, so I said, "Well, of course, I have climbed it before. why?" His response was, "Well it just thought is was a little difficult for a 5.9." Little did I know what was in store for me at the top of the climb.

Unfortunately because I took a two week break from climbing I felt a little rusty on my way up, and it was actually a bit of a challenge, although I still made it to the top. When I got there I noticed a little note written on pink paper. In my head I was thinking, how cute he left me a note. In fact it was a little note with a huge message, because he asked me to marry him. On closer inspection as I was ready to clean up the climb I saw a diamond ring tied to the climbing gear. I was so excited. Yeah! He finally asked me. I was so excited that I had a hard time concentrating on what I had to do to get back down to the bottom of the climb. It felt like it took me ten minutes to clean up the gear, put the ring on my finger, and head back down to tell him "yes!" When I reached the ground I did just that, I gave him a big hug and kiss and then said yes.

I am so excited that I am going to marry my best friend and the most wonderful man for me. I know that I have been confused about us and concerned at times about where we were headed but that is just because I wanted to make sure it was the best decision for me...spiritually, emotionally, physically, etc. I feel so secure with him in my life and I look forward to our future together. I guess he needs a new name...boulderin' boyfriend will not work now that he is my fiance! Now we just have to plan a wedding...and I think we are going to do it in August! Of course, that means there is one more major thing to put on my list of things to do before we leave for Kosova! Wow!

Things to do before Kosova

2008-06-02T18:39:00.000-07:00

1. Shots (hepatitis A, hepatitis B, tetanus, typhoid, rabies) - almost finished
2. Buy Plane tickets - done!
3. Sell car
4. Yard Sale
5. Set my mom up as Power of Attorney
6. Change/cancel subscriptions
7. Buy electrical convertors
8. Figure out how to transfer bank account stuff
9. Firgure out about emergency evacuation insurance
10. Organize school supplies (give away, storage, and send to Kosova)
11. Find a shipping company (this one has proved to a real challenge)
12. Pack up remaining furniture and belongings
13. Think about what I will be teaching
14. Move

I'm sure there are a thousand more things that I need to do, but in some ways it doesn't feel like it will be that bad. It is just going to go by super fast. I can't wait. Can anyone help me find a shipping company?

My Mother's Day Weekend

2008-05-14T17:23:00.000-07:00

This past weekend I went to my grandparents house. My parents were already planning to make a trip because a few other family members had also planned on making the trek. So I figured it was the perfect excuse to use my sick leave and make a trip to see my grandparents before I leave for Kosova. It was really fun, even though there were moments when my grandmother was driving me crazy. I think she doesn't understand my humor and she takes everything personally, when I never mean to hurt her feelings, but I have to admit I could also have more patience with her stubborn personality.

On Mother's Day my grandma decided to invite a few of the neighbor's over to enjoy a delicious meal with our family members. It was a really delicious and filling potluck dinner and I know that I ate way too much food. However, the real highlight was not the food, but the fact that my grandpa gave a performance.

When I was really young I remember days when my grandpa would pull out his guitar and a harmonica and play music for our family in our old home. I have always thought about that, and wished he would still play, because it was so fun. I have always thought of those times as fond memories. A year ago I made a resolution to document family history for those of my family members that are still alive. I thought it would be neat to hear their stories before those opportunities are lost. Last year when I visited with my grandparents I told them that I wanted to do some sort of video documentation. I warned my grandpa that I wanted him to share his experiences from the Korean war. He never wants to talk about it, because he was stabbed in the butt while he was there. I know there are some stories that will be lost if someone does not get it from him. So that still has not happened, but at least I can say that I have a video of him singing. So enjoy this little piece of my family history!

Things I Love About California

2008-05-12T18:27:00.000-07:00

I feel like my trips to California are never long enough. Boulderin' Boyfriend and I have thought about moving there after our time in Kosovo, but I think Northern California would be more to our liking. However, each time I make a trip out to visit friends I get to experience good food, awesome weather, and lots of entertainment. This past time my friend Jenny took me to a film festival, a play, and to listen to a holocaust speaker. In addition I was able to capture a few pics of the other fantastic things we did.

We went to the Seal Beach farmer's market. I was amazed at the variety of fruits and vegetables. We have our own farmers markets in Virginia, but the season dictates what is available. At this time of year there is just not enough....so sad.

I love my friend's cute bungalow house. It is literally a square, but the old style gives it a lot of character. I'm sure her husband does not care about character, but would rather have a real kitchen, especially since he is a chef! I know that they only have a little more time there, since they are saving to buy a place, however I will always think it was the perfect little house for a young family. I want one too!

I love that In-n-Out has there own secret menu. There are items not listed, but they come up on the register. On this trip I rode Jenny's bike to the closest In-n-Out to try my first animal-style french fries, which are so much better than animal-style burgers. I also ordered a protein burger just fun (it was a little messy). I can't wait to go back for another order of fries!

Weekend Trip - Seal Beach

2008-05-07T19:57:00.000-07:00

I decided to take a weekend trip to visit one of my closest friends. Her father passed away a little over three weeks ago and we both agreed that it would be a good time for a little fun. Thankfully her husband was kind enough to share her with me and we had a fantastic weekend. And I also got to see my California boyfriend, her son...he is so cute (although right now he is going through his terrible twos).

My first day there we decided to go to Disneyland. My friend's husband works at Club 33, which is a really nice restaurant at the park. Apparently you can only get into this restaurant if you are a member and then you have to make reservations way in advance. I wouldn't know what it is like, but I was glad for his job, because we had guest passes into the park. Fo free! The day even started out great, because we asked to ride up front on the monorail. We rode with the driver. I found out some interesting facts. For example, the drivers are required to honk the horn at certain times to signal their arrival and crossing of roller coasters. I was so excited that I made a video...

We decided to only stay in the park for about three hours, because it was really busy. So we only had time for three rides. Calvin was a little scared on the Pirates of the Caribbean ride, but he held my hand for the worst parts. Then I rode by myself on the Indiana Jones ride, which was finished with a fun spin on the merry-go-round. After buying a chocolate covered banana, we headed back to Jenny's

Perusing Prishtina

2008-05-06T15:22:00.000-07:00

So Boulderin' Boyfriend got me thinking about titles, with all his funny ideas. I guess when the water is shut off I might have to change the title to "Please turn the water back on in Prishtina!" However, I don't think that is appropriate for a normal title. Then my blogger friend, Modigli gave me the idea to use alliteration. So I think a perfect title will be Perusing Prishtina. I just checked and the dictionary says that peruse means to survey and examine with great detail. I like that idea. I plan to take my overseas experience and survey the situations and examine the daily life with as much detail as I can. Therefore I will be a peruser. I like that. So sometime in the summer I will change my blog around....don't worry though, I will let you all know.

New Title. New Adventure

2008-04-26T05:42:00.000-07:00

I think it is about time that I give my blog a new title. I actually thought about doing this after my first summer was spent in Alaska. That was a time of transition in my life and a time for moving on. Alaska was a huge departure for me. I would never have expected to take a summer stint in Alaska. At the time I was discovering a passion for outdoor experiences and a huge appreciation for my surroundings. When the opportunity was put in front of me I knew it would be the type of break that I needed in my life, because it represented the most wild part of the United States. It was a place that I could discover something new about myself. A place where I would take on new experiences and adventures. It seemed appropriate to keep the name for this title, because I wanted to continue that sense of adventure and discovery in my life.

I still feel that way, but I am moving overseas to Kosovo. Kosova, as the Albanians call it, is still fairly rustic, and I am excited to experience the old world feel as I explore throughout the country. Although I know I will be tramping around the countryside I don't think it will be like Alaska. The adventures will be new. Therefore, it is about time that I create a new title. So what should it be? I never feel creative when it comes to these sorts of things, so unfortunately my mind is drawing a blank. Hmm...are there any ideas?

TAG LIST

2008-04-22T18:07:00.000-07:00

I was reading my friend Dav's blog and he did this...I have been wanting to post lately, but I also am not ready to put all my thoughts out into the world wide web just yet. So why not something a little light hearted! :)

1. What time did you get up this morning? 6:30am
2. Diamonds or pearls? diamonds
3. What was the last film you saw at the cinema? I don't remember it has been so long
4. What is your favorite TV show? Amazing Race
5. What do you usually have for breakfast? cereal, oatmeal, or toast...it changes everyday
6. What is your middle name? Marie
7. What food do you dislike? salmon
8. What is your favorite CD at moment? I have not bought a cd in a long time
9. What kind of car do you drive? 2005 Xterra
10. Favorite sandwich? ham, lettuce, tomato, and cheese
11. What characteristics do you despise? know-it-alls
12. Favorite item of clothing? I don't think I have one...maybe structured jackets?
13. If you could go anywhere in the world on vacation, where would you go? Antarctica
14. Favorite brand of clothing? H&M
15. Where would you retire to? I'm just trying to figure out settling down...I'm not at a point to think about retirement
16. What was your most recent memorable birthday? Traveling to NZ for my birthday
17. Favorite sport to watch? soccer
18. Furthest place you are sending this? I'm blogging it world wide
19. Person you expect to send it back first? no one
20. When is your birthday? June 24th
21. Morning person or a night person? Morning
22. What is your shoe size? 7 1/2
23. Pets? AP - the cutest cat ever!
24. Any new and exciting news you'd like to share with us? I wish...
25. What did you want to be when you were little? a comedian
26. How are you today? not really
27. What is your favorite flower? gerber daisy
28. What is a day on the calendar you are looking forward to? The last day of school, June 19 and then the middle of August when I go to Kosovo!
29. What are you listening to right now? U2
30. What was the last thing you ate? Ben and Jerry's Chocolate Fudge Brownie (the light edition) with marshmellows
31. Do you wish on stars? when I am feeling young
32. If you were a crayon, what color would you be? grass green
33. How is the weather right now? humid and not cold
34. Last person you spoke to on the phone? my mom
35. Favorite soft drink? Dr. Pepper
36. Favorite restaurant? umm, maybe Pies and Pints
37. Hair color? brown and blonde
38. What was your favorite toy as a child? I don't remember, maybe my doll house because I liked to decorate and rearrange
39. Summer or winter? summer
40. Hugs or kisses? both
41. Chocolate or Vanilla? chocolate
42. Coffee or tea? herbal tea
43. Do you want your friends to email you back? No
44. When was the last time you cried? last week
45. What is under your bed? shoes, stored clothes, and filed papers
46. What did you do last night? went to FHE with friends and watched tv
47. What are you afraid of? being alone for the rest of my life
48. Salty or sweet? both
49. How many keys on your key ring? four or five?
50. How many years at your current job? 4
51. Favorite day of the week? Saturday
53. How many people will you send this too? 0
54. How many will respond? none
55. Do you like finding out all this stuff about your friends? Yes
56. What was the hardest one of the questions above for you to answer? All the ones that I didn't know...I am bad at listing favorites
57. Would you want to spend more time with friends or alone? Friends
58. Favorite hobbies? rock climbing, car camping, soccer, cuddling (is that a hobby?)
59. Obama or clinton? Clinton
60. chick flicks or action?? chick flicks all the way
61. Who is your favorite superhero? I don't have one
62. One thing you want to do before you die? visit every continent
63. If you could, would you go back in time? Yes
64. Is there anyone you tell EVERYTHING to? I tell a lot, but I keep a lot in too
65. What is your idea of a perfect day? I don't want to say right now
66. Favorite way to relax. read a good book outside in perfect weather

I hope you enjoy!

2008-04-14T18:13:00.001-07:00

I think I need to take a vacation this weekend...somewhere that I can go by myself and just take the time to think. I need to make some big decisions in my life right now and I need to do what is best for me. I envy my friends that have had a smooth transition into their adult life. I am still trying to figure out who I am. Ugh. I just want to take a break from it all for a while...

7 Things You Did Not Know

2008-04-08T14:59:00.000-07:00

My best friend sent me a message that I was tagged...I need to write seven interesting facts about myself. I actually love being tagged, because that just means someone was thinking about me and they want to know something new about me. So thanks, Melissa! Here is my best effort to put together my list of interesting things.

1. I love freckles. When I was little I would get a sprinkling of freckles across my nose and cheeks during the summer. I loved it. I know some people hate their freckles, but I think it is so beautiful. I have one really cute freckel on my toe. I don't know why it is so special to me, but personally I think it makes my foot that much cuter!

2. I have a disease...the TMI disease. I always give Too Much Information. Boulderin' Boyfriend hates that about me, but when something bothers me I always have to talk it out. I have been in fights with him and went over to my parents house later only to spill the concerns, because I need to get it off my chest. It is probably a bad thing.

3. My favorite food are french fries. It sucks really, because I found out a few months ago that I have high cholestrol so I have to be on a diet (the cruise really messed that up!). Why can I not just love apples...

4. In a perfect world I would be able to fulfill all my dream jobs: interior decorator, florist, Travel Channel host, comedian, photographer, and mom. Wouldn't it be fun if I had all the money in the world and I could just keep going to school to learn about all these things?

5. I have to sell my car and I am depressed about it. Of course I don't want to be making car payments while I am working overseas. It could be smart to keep it because then I would have a car when I return, so I will not have to buy a new one...who knows what I will do. I just love my car.

6. I want to be a Native American. Maybe it is because I feel like I understand them a little bit when I teach about them. Seriously I would be beautiful, with nice long dark hair, tan skin with little body hair, and an extremely cool lineage. And then I would have been able to get a scholarship too! :)

7. I love Boulderin' Boyfriend's muscles. The other day I went over to his house and he was lifting weights...it is kind of a turn on to watch him! Sometimes I wonder why he likes me...I'm not overweight, but I am not cut either. I'm just glad that he thinks I am beautiful!

Belize City

2008-04-02T18:59:00.001-07:00

Belize City was the second stop on the cruise. I was started to feel back to normal at this point. I drank a lot of water, but I was not eating much. The sea was still very rocky and we could not tender the ship for a long time. In fact, Boulderin' Boyfriend and I were planning to sign up for an excursion when we arrived on land, but it took the cruise ship so long to find a safe stopping point, that we didn't get onto a tender ship until around noon. Instead we choose to walk around the city center, outside the cruise safe zone. We met a Rasta man selling jewelry, whom Boulderin' Boyfriend bought a gift for a his sister. We decided to ask this man about a restaurant or something fun do to in the city and he asked if we wanted to get high! No thanks...I just like to eat. He did recommend a restaurant, but we didn't stop since the prices seemed so high (we forgot that it was not in dollars). Instead we walked around, bought some peanuts, and found some boys jumping into the ocean. Boulderin' Boyfriend decided to join the boys. It looked like fun until a police officer came by. I thought we were really going to be in trouble, but the officer just wanted them to quiet down. Then Boulderin' Boyfriend decided to jump off the second story of this abandon building, since all the other boys were jumping. He wasn't so lucky, because he hit coral. Later he would have to pick out the coral pieces in the bottom of his foot.

At least we made it safe back to the port where we met up with my brother and my mom. We stopped at a restaurant and I bought a pair of earrings. My mom convinced me to get my ring finger sized while we picked up a necklace that my brother purchased. I think she was trying to hit something to Boulderin' Boyfriend. Although it was not the most exciting day it was fun to be off the ship for a little while.

Roatan, Honduras

2008-03-25T17:07:00.001-07:00

We are back from the cruise. It was really fun, but I am so glad to be home too. I have always said that cruising is not my favorite thing, and I still feel that way. I love to stop at each port and only long for more time to explore. This cruise was especially difficult to be on because it was really rocky. I went to bed early almost every night because the boat was rocking, which only makes me sea sick. Actually, Boulderin' Boyfriend was not digging the cruise ship style either. It was too confining for him, without climbing. He was getting seasick too, so at least we got to cuddle together.

The first night started out fun. All the family met up for a nice dinner. It was nice to see so many of my aunts and uncles that I had never even met before. And I was able to see my cousins after almost ten years. It was exciting to start the vacation...until an hour after dinner. I started to feel sick, thinking maybe it was something I ate.

I don't know if that was it or not, but I knew that I was going to be sick and it was only a matter of time. I was sharing a room with my sister and my brother split a room with my boyfriend and a cousin. I was tired and not feeling well so I decided to go to bed early. Actually my sister and Boulderin' Boyfriend were also tired so we actually all fell asleep while watching a movie. Only I was awake about an hour later and in the bathroom. I must have thrown up over a dozen times that night. It was awful. I could not even keep water down without being sick. In the morning Boulderin' Boyfriend took me to the medical center. They gave me a shot in my butt and then quarantined me to my room for the day. I didn't mind though, because I was so tired. I slept almost the entire day. I felt bad for leaving my boyfriend for a day with my family that he didn't know so well. Maybe it allowed him to get to know each of them better.

My energy was drained, but I still wanted to go out when we arrived in Honduras. The doctor gave me the okay and I slowly made my way onto the island. Our first excursion was horseback riding. I could tell we were not in the United States when we stopped at the side of the road to meet our guide, Sharky. No waivers were signed, but I didn't mind. When I got on my horse, I asked Sharky for the name of my horse and I think he made up a name on the spot. Oh, well, the horse listened to me and would trot when I wanted to trot. Overall it was a good activity, since it didn't expend too much of my energy. Unfortunately I started to get sunburned on my forearms.

In the afternoon we met up with my parents at a nice snorkeling spot. Boulderin' Boyfriend swam across the bay because he eyed a small rock cliff, which he attempted to climb. I was too tired to really even swim so I relaxed and ate a Popsicle (my first meal in almost two days). We did a little shopping and by the end of the day I was worn out. It felt good to be of the boat, even though it was only going to get rocky again later that night!

Boulderin' Boyfriend decided to join in on the music as we headed back to the cruise ship.

Spring Break

2008-03-10T15:35:00.000-07:00

Spring break is almost here and I am so excited. Not only do I feel ready for a little time off, but I am also looking forward to the holiday trip with my family. It will be the first family reunion with all my dad's brothers and sisters. There are ten in his family. In fact, I think I may not have even met a few of them. If I did then that was when I was five years old, which was a long time ago. It will be nice to reunite and learn more about that side of my family. And we will be doing all this on a Caribbean cruise.

I have mentioned before that I am not a big fan of cruises, because it is not my favorite way to see other countries. Eight hours at one stop does not really constitute saying that I have traveled there. Usually the time is spent rushing to a ship excursion and then speedily picking out pointless souvenirs. What have I really learned about local life from that? Two years ago my immediate family went on a cruise for the Christmas holiday and we traveled to most of the same spots, so I am not that interested in the exploration as I am in the aspect of relaxation. I will get to take a break from everyday life and lounge by the pool. It will feel to have the sun shining down on me. I might even want to get a sunburn. If my finances allow then I will even try to get a facial!

I am also super excited because Boulderin' Boyfriend is going as well. The past few weeks we have both been so busy that it feels like we barely spend any time together. The funny thing is that I don't miss him in a way that I long for him, but I find that I miss his company. I want to spend each day with him, because he is evolving into my best friend. I hope he feels the same way (even though I know he likes to have "alone time"). I want to see how he interacts with my extended family. I think they will all like him as much as I do.

I cannot wait! My family is going to drive to Florida on Friday, because plane tickets were really high this year. Since I am trying to use my sick leave before I am done for the year, I decided to take Thursday off as well. So I will have a day to play at home too! Only two more days of work...yippee!

Kosovo Independence

2008-03-01T05:52:00.000-08:00

About two weeks ago, on February 17th, Kosovo declared their independence from Serbia. Ever since I announced to my family and friends that I would be teaching in Kosovo, they have been skeptical about my safety. This declaration of independence only made my friends and family more concerned. The news only seemed to report about Serbian unrest. Of course I'm not oblivious to the unrest at the moment, but I'm not worried for my safety either. I have read the travel warnings (there are none for Kosovo) and all the news articles. I have a feeling that the unrest in Serbia will die down. Actually, I am sure the tension will always be there between Albanians and Serbs, but for right now I am still excited about moving to Kosovo. On the other hand packing, moving, and deciding what to leave behind will be the hard part. The principal from the school where I will be teaching sent Boulderin' Boyfriend some pictures of Kosovo's Independence Day. I thought it would be a nice treat for my family and friends to see!

The celebration cake in Prishtina.

Most people like to celebrate with beer...not me, but hey, it was a big day so there was loads of free beer!

A crowd of Kosovars celebrating their day of independence!

A newborn statute was erected for all to sign.

The graffiti clad newborn statute.

2008-02-13T10:42:00.000-08:00

I know it is months away, but I am already planning and making lists for our upcoming move to Kosovo. Tuesday night I woke up at 4:30 in the morning because I was thinking about things that I wanted to pack. My head was a jumble of things, "I should remember my spices, and maybe a few pieces of tupperware?" I had purchased a guide book about a week before and it just happened to arrive in the mail on Tuesday. I was so caught up reading it and filling my brain with ideas that I couldn't seem to shut my brain off. "Since they do not have applicator tampons, I might want to pack a few boxes. It gets cold there too, maybe an extra blanket? Or we could always buy that there." I have no idea what I am going to do with all my shoes. Maybe we will just have to come home for Christmas so that I can bring some more belongings with me when I return. Luckily Wednesday was a snow day so I was able to sleep in a bit and when I finally got up I made a list for all the things that were jumbled in my head. I really don't need to be thinking about packing at this point in time.

It has been a long week. I arrived to work on Monday morning to read a nasty email from a parent. She was not happy with her son's report card grade. He had completed an assignment and then attached it to his notebook. I can respect that, but he never did turn the assignment in to me. I did not know that it was completed. In addition he is in an honor's class so of course the expectations are that he should be responsible for his work. She did not like my return email and requested a conference with the counselor and the dean. I finally did meet with her on Thursday and it was a rough meeting. She brought a bunch of materials to critique my teaching practices. I do not claim to be a perfect teacher and I admit that I'm not checking the exact percentages that I have divided up for homework, classwork, and tests. I don't always remind every student when they have a missing assignment in my gradebook. The truth is, I am too busy thinking about what I am going to be teaching the next class and how I am going to help my students pass their SOL tests at the end of the year. I am busy trying to find a way to help my student who does not qualify for special education services because she is performing at her IQ level which is around 70 (borderline mental retardation). In fact, I have another child that has just experienced four deaths in his family and I am worried about his metal health. Forgive me if I did not mention to this mother that her son has improved his grade from interim time from an F to a D+ and by the way he only has one more assignment to turn in. I have one hundred students to think about. Of course I want him to do well, but it does not feel real promising when he does not complete the homework to begin with. Sometimes my priority is to help the child that did do their homework and still struggles. Or the child that has parents working two jobs, that speak Spanish and their parents cannot help them study.

I wrote her notes and emails and yet my communication with her was not enough. It is really draining on me when a person chooses to personally attack my teaching practices. Maybe her son needs to focus more in class and take his time on tests. That might also make a difference...What really sucks about it all is that I know she is going to be there nonstop until the end of the year. I appreciate her concern and I realize that she is trying to help him feel successful. She thinks that he has low self-confidence. Well, praise him when he gets his homework in and after studying for a test and he gets a B (my honor's tests are tough and usually it is apparent to see who is really an honor student or not). Truth is, he is a good kid and I really do want him to be successful. I would like to see him improve and take the class seriously. Mostly I would just like some respect from the mom, because I am trying my very best to make each student their best. I have tried very hard to pull kids out of the babying phase of elementary school to the more analytical stage of middle school. That is sort of a team goal that we have in 6th grade.

The meeting was really deflating and I was ready to go home after that. It was hard to put myself into a good mood for Valentine's day with my boyfriend. Thankfully he made the night really special and very memorable. I am ready for the school year to end because I don't want to read anymore emails from this parent and also because I am excited. I am excited to see more of Europe and make a change in my life. I am excited to go with Boulderin' Boyfriend who has become the love of my life. I really look forward to growing with him and being with him everyday in our future apartment. So although it was a long week where I have much to vent about at least I can say that I have something very wonderful to look forward to!

The Real Adventure is About to Begin

2008-02-05T05:02:00.001-08:00

I am very proud of the fact that I have been able to travel at a pretty young age. I did not do this on my parent's money either, it was all on my own finances, because I have wanderlust. There is something truly amazing about exploring and seeing other parts of the world. About a year ago I wrote a post about wanting to take a trip around the world for a year. I would even be happy with teaching abroad. Mostly I just wanted the experience of living abroad for a long period of time. My boyfriend and I have had many discussions about this and although we like the idea of getting up and traveling for a year we also realize that financially it will take all of our savings (which is meager to begin with). So we started talking about working overseas and I began to research companies that organize overseas placement for teachers.

This past weekend we attended the University of Iowa overseas placement job fair in Waterloo, Iowa. There were about 150 schools present and at least 600 teachers all looking for the perfect placement. Boulderin' Boyfriend and I were among the masses looking for the perfect place to be a teacher. As a way of introduction a few administrators and two teachers spoke, to give us council for the busy weekend. The one thing that was repeated by everyone was, "Keep an open mind." The two educators both mentioned that they went to a place that they had least expected and loved the experience. I found it interesting, because I knew that we were being picky. Boulderin' Boyfriend would not be content if there were no mountains to climb. That seemed to narrow down our options consideribly. In addition we both teacher History, which also narrowed down our options as well.

There were a few schools that we were still interested in though, as well as a few schools that were interested in us. We loved the two schools from Switzerland, but then again so did everyone else that was at the job fair. Our competition would be fierce (and they only had one history opening at each school). We also liked two schools in Mexico, but both schools were being selective since we had not taught Model UN classes. We even thought about Luxembourg, but they filled the two history positions before we even started the fair. It was going to be tough. Yet there was still hope. We liked a small school in India, which was nestled up against the Himalayas. They have an extensive outdoor program and they teach environmentalism in all the classrooms. We also liked a school in Columbia. The location sounded like paradise. Seventy degree weather all year long, with mountains and beaches within an few hours drive. After our first interview we felt really good about the school. The administrator liked us and we thought we would be offered a position the next day.

Another school that was interested in us was in Kosovo. This school had not been on our radar. In fact, neither was Columbia. If I had asked Boulderin' Boyfriend about going to either of these schools just a week before he would have shot them down and said, "I do not want to go there." We decided to interview with Kosovo, for practice really. Fortunately we are good interviewers and we knew that we needed to do some research beforehand. In the process we found out some interesting information. Not only would we be able to save a lot of money, but it is completely surrounded by mountains and Albania (just west of Kosovo) is a world known alpine stop.

Friday and Saturday were two long days of interviews. On Friday night we fell asleep thinking we were going to Columbia, because the administrator really seemed to like us. In fact, we had a second interview with him at 9am. Unfortunately he put a damper on our cheery moods. After speaking with his director he would not be able to offer us the jobs, because the director preferred a teacher with a Language Arts background to teach the 6th grade Social Studies/Language Arts position. He would have to continue to search for other candidates that might better fill the position, but if nothing panned out after this job fair and another on the next weekend, then he was going to offer us the job. This was no guarantee and definitely not what we wanted to hear. It left us a little bummed as we prepared for several other interviews that day.

To our surprise, we happened to really like the administrator from Kosovo. He seemed laid back and gave us some insight into the new school. It has only been open for about five years (Kosovo is still in the process of rebuilding after a war). We felt good after leaving that interview and thought that perhaps we might get an offer. Within a few hours the Kosovo administrator found us and offered us the contracts. We had a few more questions and continued our research. I just wanted to make sure it would be safe and find out if I could get to church while I was there!

We met with him again to ask a few more questions and he showed us a slideshow of pictures from the school and the country. The pictures were enough for Boulderin' Boyfriend and he wanted to sign. I needed a little more proding. I am still in the process of finding out about church services, but I think I will find other Mormons at the army base. Needless to say, we accepted the contract and are anticipating our upcoming placement in Kosovo.

The first day was a bit somber for me, but with each passing day my excitment grows. I have not really experienced Eastern Europe. In addition, I am excited to approach an area that most people would deem dangerous. We have decided not to focus on the "CNN Factor" and rather take the experience. There are no travel warnings for Kosovo and we look forward to helping a new school. Our classes will be small and it will be a new experience to help others who have lived a completely different reality that ours. There is so much that we can bring to the table and we both know that there is so much that we can learn from the students.

I can't wait to get started and make the move, but there is a lot that needs to happen before. I will have to sell my car, decide what to do with my belongings that are not going with me, find out how to bring my cat with me, update my teaching liscense, and probably get married! It is definitely an exciting year and I feel like the adventure has just begun. Just imagine how the travel adventures will grow...I might take a weekend trip to Greece, a honeymoon to Italy, or perhaps avoid land mines on the hiking trails in Kosovo. I must say, this is truly an exciting time in my life.

For more information about the school that I will be teaching in, check out their website:
http://www.askosova.org/

No Fear

2008-01-17T15:21:00.000-08:00

It really is not that hard to figure out how to add a video. For some reason I just didn't get it in the last entry. I think we filmed this when we walked back to the cabin from our hike. I just wanted to blow my nose and we were going to leave. When I looked out of the bathroom window the deer were right there!

Blackwater Park, WV

2008-01-14T19:21:00.001-08:00

For my Christmas present Boulderin' Boyfriend planned a weekend getaway to Blackwater Falls, WV. They have small old cabins which were built in the early 1900s. In the summer people can hike throughout the park and see beautiful waterfalls. During the winter people travel here for cross country skiing. I have been wanting to try cross country skiing, so he decided this would be a good place to start. Plus it would be romantic to spend the time together. He also organized for me to get a Swedish massage from a resort. It was very nice too!

Usually there is snow on the ground, but there were unusually warm temperatures this past week so all the snow melted. So there was no cross country skiing for me. We did try a half day at the ski resort. I wanted to try snowboarding, but there were only two lifts open (it was lame) so I just went skiing while Boulderin' Boyfriend was snowboarding. I was reminded of something that I had not thought of for over nine years: I really don't like skiing that much. It is expensive and I don't like going so fast. I hate that I don't have control when I am going that fast. I think that is why I want to try cross country skiing. Maybe another time.

We decided to ditch the slopes and do something that we love more. Hiking. We headed back to Blackwater Falls to explore the trails, which were very muddy from the melted snow. It was fun to wander around until I got to enjoy my massage.

To say thank you for my wonderful present I was going to make dinner while he made a fire. Usually I make really good meals, but my new recipe Edamame beans and Chicken with a peanut sauce did not taste right. I think the peanut butter was bad (I grabbed my brother's jar....mine was running low) but Boulderin' Boyfriend thought it was the Sesame oil. I couldn't stomach it at all so we ended up eating salad instead. And Boulderin' Boyfriend could not get the fire started in a fireplace (he i.s great with a campfire). I suggested more newspaper and he didn't think it would work, but when I sat down to help after dinner it started. At least I am good for something!

Unfortunately I did not sleep well that night in the cabin. I could feel a cold coming on and I was congested the whole night. I tried to breath out of my mouth because I was just so tired and nothing helped. It was miserable. I'm still recovering. Instead of hiking to the top of Seneca Rocks we did a little bouldering on the local rocks. It was cold and I was tired so we went home a little early. At least Boulderin' Boyfriend was sympathetic! Overall I thought it was a great weekend and I loved all the time we had to talk.

One of the highlights of the weekend were the deer who greeted us at our cabin. I know we shouldn't have fed them, but obviously we were not the first so a few blueberries and chopped carrots and they were our best friends!
Boulderin' Boyfriend doesn't get his name for nothing! He climbed the chimney and traversed the house, found boulders, and climbed trees!

Christmas Presents

2008-01-02T19:00:00.000-08:00

I wish I would have taken pictures of the handmade purses that I gave to Boulderin' Boyfriend's sisters. However, I forgot to do that and I don't want to ask them now...that might be a little weird. What if they say, "opps, I actually threw that away!" I did get a picture of my sister's quilt, which I am quite proud of. It was work for me to make, but I think it motivated me to make my own t-shirt quilt. Now that I know what I am doing it should go a lot smoother. And I can take my time.

I gave Boulderin' Boyfriend a few silly gifts (socks, rock climbing magnets, and a handmade t-shirt with a phrase that he and I always say to each other) and one big present, a tent. He has been wanting a nicer tent for car camping and I found a great deal on one from REI. It is a three person, three season tent from Sierra Design. I was especially excited by the fact that it came with a footprint, vestibule, attic (carry-all), and two cup holders. How cool is that? Boulderin' Boyfriend said it was one of his top two favorite gifts. He even took it with him the next day to go on a camping trip with a few of his buddies. When he opened the present my parents said, "okay, put it together, let's see it." At first he was hestitant, but I knew that he wanted to check it out. So in about ten minutes the tent was together and my parents then said, "okay, now get in and we will take a picture." In went Boulderin' Boyfriend and I followed along with his dog, Bodhi. It was a great Christmas day and I'm glad that I was able to spend it with him and my family.

Who's Ready for a Snow Day?

2007-12-27T13:55:00.000-08:00

I may be on my winter holiday but that doesn't mean that I am not thinking about snow days. I hope this year is a bad one...terrible weather that dumps loads of snow all over Northern Virginia. That would be fantastic. I enjoy this time off too much! This short powerpoint clip may just inspire you to enjoy snow too...then again, it may just make you fear winter weather!

Merry Christmas

2007-12-24T20:37:00.000-08:00

It will be exciting this year to celebrate Christmas with my family and with a boyfriend. I bought him some fun presents and I can't wait to give them to him! I also made two homemade gifts for my sister (a t-shirt quilt) and a cornhole game for my brother. The quilt was a lot of work, especially since I don't know how to sew very well. I finished it on Christmas Eve at 11:00 pm. It has been a busy month and I am glad that I am finally finished with all the work.

Mostly I want to say, Merry Christmas to all. Enjoy the day, and if you have time off then enjoy your free time because I know that I will!

Hiking the Appalachain Trail

2007-12-16T17:10:00.001-08:00

After reading the book, Lost in the Woods, about hiking the Appalachian Mountains, I knew that I wanted to try hiking part of the trail. I have no desire to hike the whole trail, but I thought it would be fun to say that I tried hiking a small portion. So my friend Emily and I decided to experience our first backpacking trip. We live really close to the trail, so we decided to drive to the trail, park our car, and hike to Harper's Ferry, WV. It would be about 20 miles round trip. We planned to complete the trip in about three days (maybe four). I really wanted to finish in three days because Boulderin' Boyfriend was coming home from his summer trip to Yosemite. I couldn't wait to see him. Of course I was anxious to complete our hike in a timely manner.

We are both slow hikers, which is why we knew that we would make good hiking partners. Even though I knew we were slow I was determined to finish in three days. We only had one big decision to make before we started. How much water should we carry? I knew that I could pack light for four days of hiking. I wouldn't need but one pair of clothes. After a lot of day hikes in Alaska I knew what kind of food would give me fuel and would be light to carry: clif bars and macaroni and cheese! There really wasn't much else to carry because it would be so hot outside. Yet I didn't know how much water to carry. After doing a bit of research Emily found out that all the streams were dried up. We decided it would be best to carry enough water to make it to Harper's Ferry. It would be almost ten pounds of water weight in my backpack.

After an early rise we parked the car and headed uphill on the trail. Twenty minutes into the hike and we discovered that we did not have the map. Since it was my fault I hiked back to the car to get the map (I knew we would need it to measure distant). This should have been a sign that we were not prepared for the rigors ahead. The first three miles were uphill and tiring. I was sweating like a hog, but what else is expected in the heat of August.

Things should have been looking up when we made it to the peak. My clock was wrong so I thought we made it in good time, but I was mistaken and we were exhausted. It was a lot harder than we expected with a full pack. I was cursing the blasted water weight. My back was aching and no matter how much I drank it still felt full. I couldn't wait for the day to end. I think I would have enjoyed the hike if it was just for a day. My feet started to hurt and I wasn't appreciating nature anymore. Something had to be done, but I didn't want to say anything because I had to be strong for Emily. I couldn't tell her that I was ready to go home. We had to make it to Harper's Ferry! I kept thinking to myself, "I am a hiker damn it! I should be able to do this! Why do I hate this so much?"

After stopping for lunch (only about five miles into the hike) we starting talking about our aches and pains. I quickly learned that Emily was feeling the same way I was. We were not having fun and we were not used to carrying that much weight. And then we had a brilliant idea to hike to the next lean-to cabin and call it a day. We could always call my parents to pick us up when we got to Harper's Ferry instead of turning around. However, after hiking for another two miles we realized that we it would be silly to call someone we should just turn around the next morning and go home.

Then we decided to get started on the return trip and started back to the first campground, which is where we stopped for lunch. It was only about four in the afternoon when we arrived at camp, exhausted and defeated. We set up a tent (Emily wanted to use her new tent, even though it added extra weight) and made dinner. I think we were even in our sleeping bags at seven with the sun up. I was so excited to go home the next morning, as the blistered started to develop on my heels.

A good nights sleep did wonders for the two of us. We were still ready to go home, but at least we were in good spirits to start the day. Then it started to rain. Actually I liked the rain, because it kept everything cool. It only got scary when the thunder rumbled over my head. At least hiking on the ridge top with the wind blowing the trees and lighting striking around me kept me going. I think Emily was more dejected, however she was also carrying more weight. Dumping the water out of my pack was the best thing I could have done. At least it was only about a five or six mile hike until we finished. I thought Emily was going to cry because she was so happy to see the car.

I never did make it to Harper's Ferry and I realized that I am not a hiker, but I did learn a few things. I can always try something new, even a trip on the Appalachian trail. If I try that again I will wear different shoes and carry less water. Instead of pushing myself I will just take my time. Ten miles in one day was too much for my first big hike. I was worn out without completing my goal, but I didn't feel bad. The shower was nice and my bed felt good on the second evening.

Packing was a bit of a concern for us, because we had never done this before. I knew that I could pack lightly.

My Animal Half

2007-12-12T18:07:00.000-08:00

Maybe I was inspired by the last movie I just watched, Ratatouille, which is all about rats. I must want to be a rodent. Apparently this is my daemon. Except each of you can put your input in to see if this is really accurate. I got the idea from Happy Villian

I'M BACK!

2007-12-04T17:11:00.000-08:00

After three months without a working computer, I now have one in my possession. Yeah! I couldn't download pictures to anything or even add new songs to my ipod. I guess I got used to having a computer at my fingertips. I'm glad to have a new computer, but it is taking some getting used to. Now that I can finally start downloading pictures, I want to show all of you!

As many of you know I adopted a cat in the summer. She is very active and playful. She even learned how to play catch! That is my favorite, but I also love when she cuddles with me, because she is so independent it only happens when she wants to.

Update: Creepy Old Men

2007-10-10T13:24:00.000-07:00

Two weeks ago I spoke with the teacher for my African American History class about the Creepy Old Man who follows me around. I had mentioned how he asks me weird questions and is always staring at me. I even mentioned that he took a picture of me and then denied the action. When my teacher found out about his behavior he promised me that he would have a talk with the Creepy Old Man. He said the behavior would have to stop. I felt comfortable and glad to have the conversation. I wanted the teacher to know that it had kept me from signing up for other classes, because of this man's strange behavior.

Since that evening the Creepy Old Man has not been in attendance. I thought he wasn't there last week, because we did a short one mile hike (remember he is old and uses a cane). However, he was not there this week either. In some ways I feel bad that he is not there, because I don't want to be the person to embarrass another. Yet, I think he should be embarrassed because his behavior was inappropriate and I called him out on it. So it looks like I can attend the next month of classes without disturbance.

One of the teachers I work with is having a stalker situation right now. We have computer guys who come into the school periodically to check on our systems. One of the guys (who is in charge of our cluster) has created a crush on my coworker. She teaches English and has never really had a need for help in her classroom, but he always seems to find his way to her room. He has even tried to bring her food and gifts. A week ago he tried to bring a camera into the school and said that he needed to retake her picture for her school website. The interesting thing is that he was using a personal camera, not a school camera. And it is not his job to do that. We have school technology assistants for that.

When our principal found out about his strange behavior, he called the computer guy into a meeting. The principal, a county official, and the coworker confronted him about his behavior. He tried to deny his behavior and in all his talking got himself stuck in a corner. I don't know if the confrontation will stop his behavior, but at least a lot of us are aware of the problems and he is not to report anywhere near her room. I think calling a person out for their inappropriate behavior can be a good thing, because they learn that they can not get away with it. I hope her problem stops...it was far worse than mine!

Creepy Old Men

2007-09-25T13:01:00.000-07:00

Sometimes in life, it really is tough being a girl. We have to deal with the worst situations. Recently I signed up for a teacher re-certification class called, African American History in Loudoun County. I have attended a previous Loudoun County History class before, but I was creeped out by this old man who also attended the class. I had a feeling that if I signed up for this class that he might still be there since it is the last class offered in the series. I was right. On the first day of class, he pointed me out and tried talking to me. He even remembered that I was Mormon. Let me start from square one, because I need some advice.

Two years ago I signed up for this field trip-type class, because I thought it would be fun. I wanted to learn more about my local county history and it wouldn't cost me a cent. Unfortunately the experience was ruined by a strange old man. He is best described as six feet tall, gray hair, with big overframed classes. At first glance you might think he was a cute old man, with his frumpy body and walking cane. He even talks with a slight uppity tone. Shucks, you might even feel bad for the man, because he is always wearing a wool sweater from twenty years ago with holes to prove it. Then you might notice that he takes pictures at weird times during the class and they are never of the place we are visiting. He pulls a plastic throw-away camera out of his pocket quickly to once again put it away quickly.

The creepy level only increased as I noticed that he lingered right behind me to ask me a questions when the teacher was done talking. Or that he asks the weirdest questions about my religion, like "I was wondering, do Mormons bury their dead next to their church or can they be buried anywhere?" It became even worse when he followed me and my friend from class as we headed off to get dinner and joined us. Only asking me questions the whole time. I'm telling you he is a creepy man.

I guess I was hoping that he wouldn't remember me from two years ago. Oh no. I wasn't that lucky. He remembered me and my religion. I have always dealt with it, because he is an old man and I could probably kill him or run faster if needed. Last week he brought himself to the ultimate creep level. I have often wondered, what does he do with the weird pictures? I think he sits all day staring at a wall covered in pictures of younger women. Sometimes the pictures are so hurried that he only gets a profile of their face. In fact it might really only be a shot of their hair and a few eyelashes, but he stares at those pictures all day. Coveting, wishing, creepily dreaming about these women. I bet going to this class is the highlight of his week. And now my picture will be up there, because last week he took a picture of me.

As I sat down in the one room schoolhouse, next to a coworker. He sat down on the floor about two feet away (like I said, lingering nearby). All of a sudden when we were both laughing about something he pulled out a camera and I heard a click. I almost freaked out. I was livid. I turned toward my coworker and asked her for confirmation. She could only agree that the creepy old man had taken our picture. If the presentation was not just starting I would have approached him, but I had to wait. My stomach was turning as I let the anger build inside. I do not want to be another picture on the wall.

So after the presentation was through I approached him and said, "Please do not take pictures of me without my permission." He only replied, "No dear, I was not taking a picture of you," which only made me more pissed. He tried to change the subject by confirming that my name was Tracy. I could not be distracted as I repeated once more, "I saw you take the picture and now I ask that you do not take pictures of me. I do not like it and it makes me uncomfortable." He then changed his comment to, "Oh, I was only taking pictures of you because I think you are beautiful." Gross, I think I almost threw up in my mouth. I should also mention that he touched my forearm about three times in this brief conversation. Full creepage ensued.

Last night I talked with the teacher about the old man's creepy behavior. However, I have a feeling that it will not stop. I would like some advice on ways that I can creep him out. Maybe I should fart on him? Pull out my on large camera and start taking pictures of him (although, I think he would probably like it). Maybe I should yell really loud, "STOP LOOKING AT ME YOU FREAK!" I don't know, but I want to be prepared for next weeks class with lots of good creepy tactics of my own so please give me your ideas and advice!

** On a side note, I am still without a computer and have resorted to using the school computer when I am working. Therefore I have no posts...I can't wait to get a new computer!

Computer Failure

2007-08-31T05:25:00.000-07:00

Maybe you have been wondering where I disappeared to? Well, the hard drive on my computer crashed and now I am without. It truly is sad, because I lost a lot of files. Unfortunately it has also kept me from posting. I was also easily distracted by the fact that my boyfriend returned home after a five week trip to Yosemite! That has certainly kept me occupied. In addition, the school year has officially started for me. I have been setting up my classroom and preparing for a new group of 6th graders. The good thing is that I have computers at school to use, which is where I am writing this post. As you can tell, I'm working really hard right now! So in the next month I will be shopping for a new computer. I have a few posts I want to write, but I want to include the pictures as well. I hiked on the Appalachian trail with my friend Emily and I have to write about the new addition to my family, my kitten! I adopted her about a month ago and she is so cute. Until then, have a wonderful Labor Day weekend!

Strawberry Picking

2007-07-30T08:38:00.000-07:00

After our challenging climbing experience, I was looking forward to something light hearted, so we went strawberry picking. I remember doing this once when I was little (I think I complained the whole time, which is probably why my mom only took us once). Of course we were hungry after climbing all day so it was hard not to eat all the strawberries while we were picking them. Fortunately they had plenty and we were able to pick two containers. It was fun and I think Boulderin' Boyfriend was so cute while picking!

Do you see the mountain behind me? That is Cathedral Ledge, where we had just climbed!

Cathedral Ledge, New Hampshie

2007-07-25T13:06:00.000-07:00

One of the main reasons for going to New Hampshire was for the climbing. North Conway is known for two ledges, Whitehorse and Cathedral. After setting up our tent, we looked through our guidebook to find the best route to start with. Since Boulderin' Boyfriend and I are on different climbing levels, he usually has to plan around my abilities, especially if it is a multi-pitch climb. So we decided to start with a really easy classical climb called, Thin Air. In fact, it was so classic that there was a line to climb it. When we got to the ledge there was already a group of three climbing (a guide with two clients) and shortly after we arrived another group showed up to climb after us.

When the group before us was on the third pitch we started climbing. Since it was a really easy level, Boulderin' Boyfriend cruised up the first pitch. In fact, I did too. The second pitch was the most fun because it was a traverse, which made it a little more challenging. However, at this point we had already caught up to the climbers ahead of us. From that point on we would have to wait for them at each pitch, although it was a lot of fun. We would talk and enjoy the view while we waited. I loved the climb and even Boulderin' Boyfriend liked it because at the end he was able to climb a 5.11 finger crack and we both ended with a hard 5.8 crack climb.

I'm not as much a fan of crack climbs, because it cuts up my hands and arms. It is much more of a struggle for me and I have to work more on it, since most climbing outside is crack climbing. Maybe since I started with slab climbing, that is why I am better at it, but I like the balance and technique required. Boulderin' Boyfriend loves crack climbing so he always encouraging me to step out of my comfort zone.

Basically our first day of climbing was awesome. We were both pumped at experiencing a great day and we enjoyed a nice campfire dinner. Needless to say we were both excited to climb the next day as we planned a few harder climbs. We started with Turner's Flake, which is a 5.8 wide crack climb. I actually didn't climb it though, because I wanted to learn how to use ascenders. Boulderin' Boyfriend knew that if I learned how to use ascenders then I could follow him up harder climbs, which would be beneficial for him. Basically I would be setting the ascenders on the rope and using them as my handholds while I continued to place my feet on the rock wall. If there was an overhang then I would need to connect foot straps to the ascenders to also use for my footing. With my one practice climb we were ready to start our multi-pitch climb for the day.

We went for the 5.7 Standard Route on Cathedral Ledge. It wasn't as easy as we were expecting because a few of the pitches were dirty and in one spot there was potential for a dangerous rock fall. However, we made it through and planned to end the climb with a classic two pitch 5.11d for Boulderin' Boyfriend while I would use the ascenders. From the beginning I didn't have a good feeling. I should have followed that, but I knew that Boulderin' Boyfriend wanted to try something hard. Plus, he is so good that I never doubt he will do just fine on a climb. So he started the climb and made it safely to the first bolt. However the second bolt was about ten feet up and a fall at that point could have been really dangerous. The wall was full of debris, which made both of us nervous. Maybe no one had climbed this in a while, because it looked really hard.

Boulderin' Boyfriend began to feel anxious so he decided to traverse left onto the climb next to us. It looked a lot cleaner and within his climbing abilities. Once left, he climbed up two bolts only to decide that it was a bit harder than he was hoping for and that he should have stuck to his original route and once again he traversed. At this point he climbed to the fourth bolt and had a slight overhang to overcome. Unfortunately he had one fall, but he made it up and clipped into the anchor. Now it was my turn to use the ascenders.

Everything was fine as I started and I made the traverse left with ease. It wasn't until I realized that I would have to traverse back that I got nervous. I couldn't find solid footholds and the ascenders were throwing me off balance. I knew that once I unclipped the quickdraw from the bolt I was going to swing about twenty feet. Naturally I was a bit nervous and it didn't help that I got one of my ascenders stuck in the quickdraw. I would have to unclip one ascender, which was my anchor on the rope. My anxiety was growing. Boulderin' Boyfriend was very good at keeping his calm and explaining to me what I needed to do, but I freaked out. I guess I just wasn't prepared for that. In my anxiousness I kept talking, "I'm going to swing...I'm going to swing...I'm going to swing." Sure enough, after unclipping the quickdraw from the bolt I took one step and lost footing. I quickly flew through the air for about twenty feet. Thankfully I was prepared and did not screw up the swing by scrapping my body against the wall.

After the rope slowed to a stop, I thought I might cry. I was not having fun and Boulderin' Boyfriend could see that. He tried to encourage me that the hard part was over. There would be not more swinging, it would be straight up from there. However, I was already anxious, which made me really tired and ascenders are not easy to use. I did make it up, but I think I stopped to take a break every thirty seconds. I had to regain my confidence. Oh, and a peanut gallery was watching me from the edge to my left. I was embarrassed that a group of old people were watching me have a meltdown on the side of the wall.

I finally made it to Boulderin' Boyfriend and he helped me clip into the anchor. At this point we both wanted to get off the wall. The next pitch looked easier, yet I was still tense as I leaned back on the hanging anchor. I just wanted it to end. The second pitch was more of a slab climb and Boulderin' Boyfriend was quick. I probably could have climbed it myself, but since I was ready to be done I used the ascenders.

For some reason I was really scared after that day. I decided to use the next day as a rest day. Although, Boulderin' Boyfriend did all the climbs on the Practice wall, I decided not to climb. I wanted to climb, but the combination of fear and laziness set in and it was hard to break. I even struggled to get on the wall on Thursday and I didn't want to climb another multi-pitch climb for the rest of the trip. I feel a little bad about it, because I feel like I submitted to my fear. I still climbed, but only one other really tough climb. I think if I was put in that situation again, I would be much better, because I know what to expect and I almost want to try it again, because I want to prove that I am a better climber than my fear has made me feel. Maybe Boulderin' Boyfriend and I will go back there again and I will get to overcome, or maybe I just need to climb outside again to build back my confidence. Should I admit that I haven't climbed outside since we got home? Well, it is hot here and I had to move...excuses!

Road Trip: New Hampshire

2007-07-20T15:24:00.000-07:00

Since Boulderin' Boyfriend and I are both teachers we decided to take a road trip this summer before he left for Yosemite. He is a climbing fiend so pretty much every trip revolves around the rocks. I don't mind, because I like being outdoors and I have a lot to learn from him. After throwing out many ideas we decided to drive North so we could also visit his extended family in the process. The trip started with a long ride from home through lots of traffic until we reached his aunt and uncle's house in Long Island. Then we enjoyed a deliciously large meal of pizza. Of course, with Boulderin' Boyfriend's Italian heritage we got to enjoy large meals and their fun accents. If I didn't know better I would have said that his uncle was in the Mafia.

Boulderin' Boyfriend was supposed to go to a baseball game with his sisters (the tickets were purchased before he and I were dating) so I was going to head into the city for some proper shopping. However, drama in the family caused the youngest sister to change her mind five minutes before we were all to leave. So at the last minute I joined Boulderin' Boyfriend, his sister, and her boyfriend. It was the first time that I got to see the Yankee's play. Plus I was in their stadium (did you know they are building a new stadium soon?). The Yankees lost, but our afternoon was a blast. I could just tell it was going to be a fantastic trip.

We departed the next afternoon for New Hampshire to begin our climbing expedition. Although the climbing was truly a highlight to the trip I think some of the other activities were more memorable. We ate well, camped out, and discovered the small town of North Conway. Although I have been home for a week I have also been moving so there were no posts from me. Now that the moving process is almost over I will have plenty of time to share my road trip adventures!

2007-07-16T19:17:00.000-07:00

I decided to make a wee peek onto my friend Dav's blog when I saw his really cool post about traveling. To some people, I guess I have traveled a lot, especially for my age, especially since I have paid for it myself. However, I have known that I have barely touched the surface...now I have proof since I have only seen 9% of the world's countries. I guess that just means I need to get going...I have so much to see.

Rockin' Blogger Award

2007-07-12T18:40:00.000-07:00

I can't believe that it has almost been a month since I last wrote in my blog! I know that I had been away for a few weeks, but seriously the summer can't be going this fast. Boulderin' Boyfriend left this morning to climb in Yosemite. He was supposed to call, but I haven't heard from him yet. I'm not surprised, because he never was much for phone conversations, but can I admit that I'm a little hurt. I'm such a sappy girlfriend that I want him to adore me and miss me right away. That's not his thing though. I'm sure he is so excited about the trip at hand that I'm an afterthought right now. Give it a week or two and I'm sure he will be thinking, "I miss her"....at least that is what I am hoping for!

Well, I do digress, I'm really writing about rockin' bloggers. I know some people hate meme's, but I love them. I love it because I don't have to think about what to write for once and I just have to answer to a request. Except I have to admit that this meme is a bit difficult for me. I really don't read that many blogs, and one of my favorite was discontinued about six months ago. Isn't that always how it works, the favorite lipstick, clothing store, or blog become closed, cancelled or discontinued! Never fear, I will still complete my end of the bargain to promote the awesome blogs that I do read. They may be few, but I promise they are good. Of course, I would love to include Happy Villain but she chose me so I can't. At least I can write that I love her blog, because she writes really well (and humorous) about her life. In addition I have always respected the comments she has left me when I need input. So, thanks. The following ladies are my top choices of rockin' bloggers and I certainly hope they will continue the meme chain: Rock On!

The Lost Girls - Three friends from New York City decided to make a big adventure and travel around the world for a year. Everything has been laid out from why they went, how they saved, and what they are doing. I have to confess that I have never commented on their blog, however I read it with an obsession to get ideas. They have also provided inspiration for me as a fellow female traveller and I hope they continue to rock in their adventures!

Christine - I have also enjoyed reading Christine's blog because of her fantastic posts about food and traveling. Two of my favorite things. She is also wonderful because she puts the most delicious pictures with her posts, which usually make me hungry. I hope to aspire to her culinary abilities which are rockin'!

The Queen of Randomness - The last rockin' lady on my list is my sister. She started her blog after I did, but she knows how to do so much more then me. My sister and I are opposites, but we are also very close. I always love to read her blog, because it provides some interesting insights in her thoughts. Sometimes I truly think she rocks!

*Boulderin' Boyfriend called me late at night...so he didn't forget me!

Summer Vacation

2007-06-20T07:47:00.001-07:00

The past two summers that I have been writing this blog, I have had wonderful trips to write about. Money has been tight this year, now that I'm paying rent again, so a big exotic trip that is far away is not going to happen. However, the summer will not be wasted. I am planning to make a trip up to New York City with Boulderin' Boyfriend. We will drive up to Maine and enjoy the coast while climbing and camping. That should fill about two weeks of fun, before he leaves me to climb in Yosemite.

I am going to hit a few of the local amusement parks and drive up to Pennsylvania to see Amish country; then I will head over to Tennessee to play at the new Zorbing park, which has come all the way from New Zealand, and I will also visit more family members. Remember that goal I had a year ago to learn more about family history? Well, this is the summer to do it. I'm going to see the grandparents next week and hopefully get some good stories in the process. Plus, there will be many day trips to the beach. So although I am not going far I am still going to play. Plus, Boulderin' Boyfriend and I are looking at a trip to Patagonia in December, so I have to save for that. Thank heaven for summer vacation, my favorite reason to be a teacher!

Camping and Climbing

2007-06-10T16:58:00.000-07:00

Spending time with Boulderin' Boyfriend has been really good for my outdoor experience. We hike at least two times a week. They are pretty short hikes, but we are outdoors. I appreciate that, because I didn't grow up that way. I find that my appreciation for nature just continues to increase in the process. On of the funnest parts of our most recent trip to the New River Gorge was the wildlife. I didn't see anything extreme. No bears, foxes, or mountain lions, but I couldn't help but appreciate the simple pleasure of butterflies, insects, and birds.

On our first day out I was a little distraught from getting lost looking for the back trail into Sommersville Lake. Boulderin' Boyfriend and I were taking the long way around, because we had his dog with us and the normal trail requires a down climb on a ladder. Boulderin' Boyfriend was pretty sure he could find the way, even though he admitted that each time he had tried it before he got lost before finding the correct way. I guess he just wasn't expecting me to be so slow. What can I say, I'm a slow runner and a slow hiker. I didn't want to waste my energy when I knew that I would be climbing later on.

Well, after going in a big circle he dropped me off at the ladder and he found the back trail on his own.

I was hot, tired, and in a desparate need to jump into the lake (I cursed myself for forgetting my bathing suit). Fortunately I ran into good friends at the exact spot where Boulderin' Boyfriend and I planned to reunite. When he arrived they were moving on to a harder location where we would eventually join them. Since every climb in the second location was way above my level I was left to wander the scenery. It just so happened that right next to a 5.13 climb called, Apollo, I happened upon a bird's nest. It was nestled in the crack in a large boulder. It was exactly at my eye level too so I was able to chirp at the baby birds as they chirpped back at me. I loved it. My mood changed as I enjoyed the special wildlife experience.

Throughout our weekend I found myself appreciating most of the animals around me. There are some really cool beetles out there and although I was scared to hear that a black snake was following me up my last climb it was kind of cool to get back to the ground and watch the snake slowly climbing up the same crack that I had just been on. Oh, and I can't forget the tiny lizard that was in the hand slit that Boulderin' Boyfriend needed to use. Boulderin' Boyfriend tried to get the cutie out of the way by sliding a stick in the slit, but the lizard held his ground. Needless to say, Boulderin' Boyfriend had to find another way to start the climb.

However, I admit there are a few things I will never like: mosquitoes and spiders. I just don't like it when I am climbing and I have to stick my hand into a crack to find cobwebs. Gross! Then there are the mosquitoes that come around when you least expect them. The next day you are left with ten bumps on your legs and you don't even remember them being on you!

I'm really getting into the experience of camping too. Boulderin' Boyfriend and I found a really great campground for car camping with showers. I only wish we had more time to climb. I think I get better the longer I am out there. Boulderin' Boyfriend probably thinks I complain more...I get a bit whiny with him. He is teaching me a lot though and I am having fun. Below is a selection of pictures from our trip. It truly is beautiful in West Virginia, even if the people are weird (I can say that right?).

Look at this perfect crack. It was a really easy climb, but we had to climb it because it was a perfect line.

The New River Bridge is the highest suspension bridge in the Western Hemisphere. I was told that once a year people bungee jump off the bridge...that sounds very tempting. Boulderin' Boyfriend and I are posing by the bridge lookout.

Good 'ole West Virginia road signs. Just to warn you that there was a very sharp turn they decided to use their best language skills.

This is my hand after a weekend of climbing. It really isn't that bad, but it was the first time I have seen my skin peeled that way.

Fancy Feast

2007-05-31T19:26:00.000-07:00

One of the best parts of traveling is eating out. I love to find a deliciously good spot to grub. Especially when it is a local secret. Actually I have been pondering the topic of holiday meals for at least eight months now. In my head I could think of thousands of amazing culinary experiences while traveling, but whenever I sat down to start a post it was as if my mind went blank. Where had I been that people would not know about? Was there really anything truly satisfying that I needed to share it with others? Of course, but would I remember them all? Probably not. So this post is an attempt to recall some of my favorite treats while traveling.

I was inspired by my most recent trip to New River Gorge, WV. There are a few local spots that all the climbers know about. If you don't eat there then something would be wrong with you. Boulderin' Boyfriend and I planned to eat camp food on our second weekend down there, yet we saved the last night to eat at Pies & Pints. They make some of the best pizza that I have EVER eaten. One of my favorites is the Grape Pie. I know what you are thinking, that is a crazy mix. I would have agreed with you until I had my first taste. The grapes are mixed with rosemary and the aroma is enough to make your mouth water. And when most pizza makes me feel full, the grape pie actually doesn't weigh me down. However, they have some other hearty pizzas that I like as well, such as the Black Bean Pie and the Cuban Pulled Pork Pie. I also loved eating breakfast at Cathedral Cafe. They make some hearty pancakes (I like the sweet potato) or the simple breakfast sandwich to satisfy before a big day of outdoor activities.

Of course I have also been known to make repeat visits at restaurants throughout the United States. When I lived in Utah I was a big fan of Cafe Rio which makes the best salad and their tortillas are freshly made. You have to try the house dressing, which is a mixture of cilantro and ranch. Oh, and I cannot neglect my college stomping ground, where I worked for three years, Gandolfo's New York Deli known for the filling sandwiches at a college budget.

Most people who travel to California are aware of In and Out, which make the best fast food french fries, so I won't spend too much time writing about that, but there is another place I love even more. Every time I visit my college roommates from Southern California I am sure to make a trip to Wahoo's Fish Tacos. Since I live on the East Coast I had to find my own fish taco recipe to satisfy the craving for their fish tacos. Although I actually think my fish tacos are the best on this side of the Mississippi it holds nothing next to the blackened fish taco combo with rice and black beans at Wahoos.

My palatte is not satisfied from foods only found in the United States. I have a few favorites places to eat internationally as well. When I make a trip into London I will always eat fish and chips (who doesn't) but I also look for a Wagamamas. I spent a semester studying in London and this was by far my favorite place to splurge. I love their apple celery mint juice. I even tried to recreate it once at home, but my concotion was a diaster!

And of course there are certain places that I just don't have the name for, but I will always remember. Like the perfect Italian resturant in Milan. One thing I learned from my ex was to eat where we found the locals. So we searched for a place that had men dressed in business suits. I think we spent an hour searching for the perfect spot and I only get grumpier without food. Every other place was catered to the tourist, which would defeat the experience of authentic Italian cusine. The exboyfriend even had to change out of his shorts into pants, but it was worth it for the veal ravioli and the procusito and melon starter. Even our waitor was memorable. I became a fan of Italian cusine.

I have an addiction to french fries so I wasn't going to pass up the opportunity to try fries with gravy and mayonaise while in the Netherlands. And when I went to Singapore I was told to try Roti with egg, which I now pass onto you as a suggestion. However my favorite Singaporean delicacy was the Red Bean ice cream, which I bought from a street cart for about fifty cents.

I can't forget the delicious enchiladas from Mexico. I spent semester living there and my Mexican Mother would make the best enchiladas. She even taught me how to make them. Of course she made it look so easy, but it takes work to find the right dried chiles, boil them, grind them up to make the sauce then you have dip the slightly fried corn tortillas into the sauce and top each layer off with queso cheese. In fact, enchiladas in Mexico are very different from the American experience. Oh, and there was the haggis that I tried in Edinburgh, Scotland. I don't know why haggis has a bad rap, because it is really good. And if you get a chance try Hagelslag (sprinkles) on your toast in the Netherlands then do it.

Honestly I could keep going, but it would only make me hungry. I have to admit one of my favorite parts of traveling would be experiencing the food. No diets for me, it is purely for the flavor. I'm sure we all have our suggestions of the best place to eat and this is a meager start to my new plan to include the delicious eateries of the world.

Leave No Trace

2007-05-21T19:17:00.000-07:00

The more time I spend climbing, the more educated I become with all things outdoors. I was never really a hiker in my adolescent years so I was never taught about preserving the world around me. Of course I was never the type to throw my trash in the woods. I know that would be wrong, but I have learned to be more conscious of my surroundings. I try to pick up all my garbage when I get outside, especially when I am climbing. I hate it when I hike to a new climbing spot only to find empty beer bottles or lots of broken glass. In some ways that just ruins the beauty.

There is an outdoor organization called, Leave No Trace, which promotes the preservation of our surroundings. In fact, I learned this weekend when you go hiking, climbing, mountain biking, or the like that you should pack everything out with you. I always assumed that meant I needed to bring all my belongings back with me and any garbage that I made. However, to be truly preserving the natural environment you should also pick up any food particles (apple core, gum, or banana peel) and all feces...yes, if you pee you should pack it out! That's pretty hardcore.

This past weekend I went on a climbing trip with Boulderin' Boyfriend to the New River Gorge. It was the weekend of the New River Rendezvous and we were asked to represent Sportrock at a dealer's clinic on Thursday and Friday before the big climbers weekend. We left right after work on Wednesday night. Both of us were excited for the long weekend away from work and days filled with climbing. When we finally arrived it was well into the night at 11pm so we set up our tent and crashed until the morning.

The next morning after a nice breakfast provided by the Petzel clinic we were set to climb with all the demo-gear. There was a group of about 16 climbers and we drove off to Sommersville. I had never climbed here before and I always get nervous when I am around different climbers, so I was afraid that they would all climb better then me. They certainly looked experienced with their scruffy hairstyles and labeled clothing. Whenever I get nervous it makes me want to pee. It is just a reaction. I can't help it. So after hiking to our climbing destination I went pee about three times. It is a good thing I didn't know about packing up "waste" because I think I would have run out of room for all of it!

As all camping trips include, I also had the wonderful experience of going poop outdoors too. Now, it is not the first time I have had to do this, but it is not my favorite thing either. Being that I have had to do this once before (with only two napkins) I have learned to bring along a little bit of toilet paper. By mid afternoon I was ready to pull out the toilet paper and find myself a little secluded spot away from the trail. As I was thinking about making this personal trip I was actually belaying for Boulderin' Boyfriend. When he finished with his climb, I was going to make my move. It was a tough climb for him so I was at the bottom of the rope for a while. I happened to hear a conversation between two couples climbing next to us. They were talking about their dogs and some of their disgusting habits. The conversation was more of an after thought as I was watching Boulderin' Boyfriend finish his climb, but maybe I should have been listening more intently.

Soon enough I was able to make my way off the trail to a nice little spot in the woods. I "popped a squat" and "did my business" feeling quite happy to have the whole process over with when I headed back to belay for Boulderin' Boyfriend again. Now this was before I was educated about packing out my mess. Apparently my feces would not fit with the natural environment. Since I didn't know that at the time I should also mention that I didn't know that I should have buried my poop. That would be a smart thing to do and it would help keep animals away whom might want to make a closer look. I might not have been educated in all this, but I was still able to leave no trace.

You see, about fifteen minutes after I got back to climbing I noticed that one of the dogs was playing around. He was running all over the place. He ran up the trail, off to the water, and then down the trail. I didn't think anything of it when he wandered back up the trail in the same direction as I headed only moments earlier. It wasn't until he sprinted past me that I noticed a strange odor. It almost smelled like poop. I once had a dog that ate her own poop so immediately I worried that this dog had done the same thing. In fact, that is exactly what Boulderin' Boyfriend thought too. We sort of shrugged it off as we heard the dog's owner command that the dog sit down. He didn't sound too happy.

Since we were the last climbers in that area from our clinic we moved on to the next destination. When we were hiking out we saw the dog's owner throwing a stick into Sommersville lake trying to persuade the dog to jump into the water. Apparently he had not eaten my poop, but had decided to roll in it! He was going to pack it out for me. I guess his owner didn't like that idea. In fact, we just happened to see that same dog and his owner that night and I could see that the dog was still wet. I felt bad to have caused their dog to jump in the lake five hours before. I assumed the dog was cold because the dampness had not dried. However after talking with his owner I learned that they had to buy some shampoo to get the smell out! I guess I pack a hefty punch! Although it is a bit embarrassing I have to laugh because it taught me a lesson to be better at leaving no trace.

I don't think I will ever be the type to pack out my personal waste (I'm part of nature too, right?) I think it is important to try and bury what I can. So that is what I will do from now on, but for this particular experience at least I can say, I left no trace.

D Day

2007-05-07T18:46:00.000-07:00

Wednesday is Decision Day. When this school year started I planned to move to Utah when my contract was up. I was ready to make a big move, another change, just because I could. I tried dating a few of the guys from church, but no one was catching my interest. If I was asked to sign a contract for the next school year back in February then I would have said that I was moving. However, my circumstances have changed. I started dating a guy from the climbing gym, whom I know call Boulderin' Boyfriend. I really like him. He is fun to spend time with and I feel comfortable around him and that is a nice change. I feel like I can fall in love with him. Maybe I already am...and that scares me a little bit, because he is not Mormon.

Ever since I served a mission for my church I told myself that I was not going to date a non-member, because I didn't want to deal with the complications of being with someone of another faith. However, I also never expected to be single this long either. It has been such a difficult recovery from the exboyfriend who broke my heart. I was beginning to wonder if I would find anyone that I could love as much. I didn't plan to date someone outside my faith, but can I be blamed that sometimes I looked at those options? The thing is, I can just tell if a relationship could work with a person. I don't need time to assess that. I just know, because things feel comfortable. There is no other way to explain it. Even though I feel comfortable it doesn't actually mean the relationship will result in marriage. That didn't happen with the exboyfriend, but from my perspective I think it could have worked. I thought it was right with him and I can feel that same kind of connection with Boulderin' Boyfriend.

He's cute. I haven't written anything about him yet, because I wasn't sure how serious things were going to be. The first few weeks of dating were a whirlwind. Now they have become routine. He is cute, because he loves to be outdoors. He is passionate about rock climbing. Passionate. I love to climb, because everyday he thinks about climbing and every trip he makes must involve a bit of climbing, even it is on a building. If he is not climbing then he will go on a hike or ride his bike. When he bought me flowers he picked out the ones that looked most like wildflowers. And although he is not super romantic, there are moments when he says the perfect thing. He is a good guy and I really like him.

But there is just one thing. I wish I could say it is a small thing, but it isn't. It is about my faith. This Sunday there was a lesson about unity and I couldn't help but think that a marriage needs to have unity. I want to be unified with my husband when it comes to raising my children in the gospel. I want to say prayers with my husband when I fall asleep at each night. And most importantly I want him to believe in God in the same way that I believe in God. I'm afraid that falling for Boulderin' Boyfriend will make me walk away from some of the things that I want, because I will be thinking about love and not faith. I am afraid because I know my weaknesses. I'm not saying that he is a bad guy, because he is not, but can we truly be unified and have this major difference?

It is really weighing on my mind right now, because Wednesday is D-day. I have to decide whether or not I'm going to sign my contract for next year. I was pretty sure I was going to stay after being so happy these past few months, but am I following my heart and neglecting the right choice? I can only pray about this. If I stay then I told myself that I will give this relationship one year and if it is not right then I will finally take that trip around the world. And if I go, then a chapter of my life with unfold very shortly.

Climbing in Joshua Tree

2007-04-24T18:57:00.000-07:00

Even though I have been climbing for about three years, I haven't done a lot of climbing outside. I learned outside, but when I moved back to Northern Virginia, I got a part-time job at the local climbing gym. I assumed that I would learn some more basics to help me become a better climber. I have definitely improved, but I have also become an indoor climbing rat. There is a strong desire within me to experience more climbing outside. So when I bought my ticket to visit friends in Southern California I had to call my friend from Palm Springs.

I met Sean last year in Alaska. He worked at the mountain shop and he and I hit it off. In fact, I guess you could say we were somewhat dating. Since I had returned from Alaska, he and I had emailed a few times. I was hoping that he would take me out to his local stomping ground for an experience of a lifetime. I was blessed, because he agreed and invited me on a two day trip to Joshua Tree National Park.

It took about two hours to drive to Palm Springs where we met up and reunited. Then it was off to buy a few groceries for a simple camping trip. He was very nice, because he practically provided everything (I just had to bring my sleeping bag and basic climbing gear). Then we headed off to the park. It was quite hot outside, but I should have expected that since it is a desert. He convinced me to buy a hat, since the sun can be brutal. After finding a camping spot we headed off to try a few easy climbs. He was going to be leading the climbs and he wanted to make sure that I knew what I was doing so he went for a safe location. We tried two climbs that night, a 5.5 slab climb called, Wholly Mammoth Spider and then a difficult 5.6 crack climb called, Gargoyle. I don't have a lot of experience with crack climbing and I forgot how painful it can be on your feet. When crack climbing you have to jam your hands and feet into the crack, which basically holds you in place. Most crack climbers tape up their hands because the rock ripes the skin off! It can be really difficult to practice crack climbing in a gym so I didn't do so well and I was very tired near the end of the climb. However, it was fun to experience the challenge.

At this point the sun was about to set so we returned to camp to set up the tent and prepare dinner. I didn't have do anything. Sean started a fire and then cooked a delicious meal of Orange Roughy with vegetables. I got to relax and read a book by the campfire. Before I knew it was I was tired and ready to get some sleep. I never sleep well when I am camping so I was up a few times to hit the bathroom and then I was wide awake at 6am! I don't think Sean knew what to think of my early bird habits. Oh well. We eventually got on our way and walked over to a huge rockface that was right next to camp called, Headstone. We finished two climbs there, a 5.6 and a 5.8 both of which were on an arete. I loved them, because they weren't too hard yet they hung over the edge so it made things a bit nerve racking!

Then Sean took me to Saddle Rocks so that I could try my first multipitch climb. Basically that means that you climb up, anchor then climb up again, anchor, and climb again. It is usually a few hundred feet. We only tried a 5.5 climb, so it was pretty darn easy. I didn't care though, because it was the highest I have ever climbed and I just enjoyed being outside.

Now that I'm dating Boulderin' Boyfriend I have been climbing outside every week. He is a machine and he can lead climb 5.12s. I will never be that good, but at least I am getting outside. In fact, he and I are already planning a road trip this summer to hit a few climbing locations with some summer fun. And at the end of May we will be heading to the New River Rendezvous. It is all very exciting!

My California Boyfriend

2007-04-16T15:29:00.000-07:00

I was so excited to take my trip to Southern California, because I was going to see my college roommates. I knew that we were reflect on good memories and enjoy the update on one another's lives, however, I didn't know that I would be faced with the option of new love. I found myself getting close to a handsome young man. I had no desire to cheat on my boyfriend, but could I be blamed if there was someone who took my breath away from me? Actually, I have to blame my friend Jenny and her husband Collin, because they introduced me to him. Right after I got off the plane our eyes locked.

At first he didn't know what to think of me. In fact, there was silence in the car. I was worried, did I look funny? Maybe I smelled bad? Although we had a bad start, the sparks flew over dinner. I knew we were going to be friends for the rest of my week spent there. In fact, I had a feeling we would be spending a lot of time together, but I didn't know that I was going to fall in love with him. It must have been the way that he said my name or the fact that he gave the best hugs. I was smitten. He made me want to have children!

If you haven't figured it out yet, I'm talking about Jenny and Collin's cute son, Calvin. It has been almost two years since I had been out to California and at the time Jenny was pregnant, so I was really excited to see their little bundle of joy. He was so cute! I couldn't help but love him instantly. I feel like the proud auntie. Whenever I talked with my boyfriend over the phone I was telling him stories about little Calvin. I even told my Boulderin' Boyfriend (that's going to be his name) that Calvin was going to be my new man!

I was so thankful that Jenny and Collin let me stay with them for the week so I told them that I would be like the nanny for the week. Surprisingly though, I didn't realize how much fun it was going to be. That's because Calvin is the cutest toddler I have ever met. He is learning how to talk right now and he is full of words. Not only has he already learned his alphabet, but he can tell you the name of dinosaurs and practically every important Star Wars character. Collin is a big fan or the series so he is teaching Calvin at an early age. In fact, he not only does he know how to say Darth Vader, but he can even give you sound effects for the light saber. And he knows his animals, plus their corresponding sounds. I wouldn't say his is a genius, but it was amazing to see how quickly he was learning. My goal was to teach him a dirty phrase, but all he got from me was the word, "somebody."

Spending time with a child and experiencing unconditional love was a true blessing. I look forward to the day when I will have children. He was truly a highlight to my trip! Luckily for you, there is more to report and I will be posting again!

Upcoming Trip: Southern California

2007-03-18T08:57:00.000-07:00

Spring break is right around the corner. I am so excited for a break. We have been blessed with a lot of snow days, but it will be nice to have a whole week off to visit with friends. Remember when I had the speeding ticket and I didn't know if I would get to take both trips? Well, I found such great deals that I bought both tickets.

So in two weeks I will be headed to Southern California to visit my close friends from college. I haven't seen them in almost two years. I was there for my friend Steph's wedding and at the time my other friend Jen was pregnant. So now I will get to hear about married life and baby stories. In addition I will lounge on the beach (Steph lives in Huntington Beach and Jen is in Seal Beach). Then there is all the good food, Wahoo's Fish Tacos, In-and-Out...yum! I will also be making a short trip to visit the guy I dated in Alaska. He lives right outside of Joshua Tree. He and I will be camping and climbing in the national park. I'm grateful for making such goods friends with him, because he will be showing me around the park. I am so excited!

In addition, life has been good to me. Not only is the weather warming up, which always makes me happy, but I'm dating someone. I'm going to limit the details, since everything is still new, but he was one of the guys from the last post...one of my climbing friends. Something about that weekend sparked an interest between the two of us and we have seen each other almost everyday since.

Bouldering in Boone, NC

2007-03-12T19:30:00.000-07:00

"The way I see is, when you go on a road trip, you just got to kill it."

A quote from Joe, my friend, when everyone was complaining about raw fingertips. They all wanted to quit and he was still pushing his limits.

I was invited to take a trip with a bunch of my climbing friends. It was really the first time that I have taken a trip just to climb. I was excited and anxious, because all the guys I was going with climbed so much better then me. Plus, I had never tried bouldering outside before. I knew it would be a new experience for me.

I have to admit that a part of me was really scared. You see, bouldering is climbing without a rope. The difference is that you don't climb that high. Anywhere from ten to thirty feet. If you fall though, you are going to hit the ground. So you need a crash pad and a good person to spot you. I didn't really try anything that was more then fifteen feet high, yet I was still terrified. I didn't want to fall and hit a large rock. I have to admit that I didn't do as well as I wanted, but it was still a really good weekend.

The thing I find hard with bouldering is that every move is dynamic. I feel like I'm powering through each move and I find it hard to relax and rest in my climb. Then I freak out, because I get tired and I don't want to fall. It also didn't help that I had not climbed outside in a few months. It felt so different from the climbing gym that I was having a hard time really using the rock properly. I think I did a lot better on the second day. If I had a few more days I think I would have been up a lot more bouldering problems.

It also helped that we started the second day with something fun. We found a boulder that was slopping in a little so we all tried to climb without our hands. It was so easy that it was super fun. I took a lot of pictures because I thought it was crazy. Then I was clicking away at anything that I thought looked silly. It was a fast weekend, but very fun and I look forward to getting outside again soon!

Austin, Texas: Is it in my future?

2007-02-24T06:26:00.000-08:00

I had a really fun weekend with my family in Texas. I really just wanted to spend the time to reconnect with family members so seeing the city was not a priority. After waking up early on Saturday morning though, my aunt asked if I wanted to do some vintage shopping. Apparently it is a hobby for my aunt and uncle. They really love mid-century and art deco furniture. So we searched throughout for different antique shops. In the process I was able to see many different parts of the city. Of course I didn't buy anything, but I convinced my aunt and uncle to walk into Allens, a really expensive cowboy boot shop.

I wanted to see what the prices were for some really cute boots. I found the cutest red boots, but they also cost over $500 dollars, which is more then my rent! I wasn't about to spend that much money, but the desire to find a pair of boots caught fire within me. You see, I have wanted to buy a good pair of cowboy boots for a long time. I always wanted a funky pair that would stand out...like bright red. Well, I didn't know that there are so many types of designs. On Sunday morning, my aunt and I went out looking for the right boot and we found it! I have already worn them to work and received some great compliments. Although they were not the $500 pair, they are beautiful and I'm totally pleased.

I also went out to eat both nights that I was there. The first night we ate at PF Changs, which is nothing spectacular, but we had joined with my aunt's new friend, her realtor. I didn't know this, but my aunt is going to be a realtor. So of course we started talking about the cost of living and buying in the Austin area. Both ladies were trying to convince me that it would be the perfect place for me to live. Plus I could afford to buy a condo there. It certainly sounded tempting.

On Sunday while I was buying my boots, the sales man was flirting with me. He kept asking when I was coming back to Austin. Of course, I didn't have an answer, because I didn't really have a plan to return. Actually, I wanted to have answer. It really got me thinking. Maybe I could work there for the summer. Or wouldn't it be fun to move there and buy a brand new condo? They are hiring teachers right now...hymph...just maybe.

On Sunday night we had a large family get-together. I got to see my uncle Junior, my grandmother, and of course my aunt Debbie. We decided to eat Texas BBQ, because I had never tried it before. I assumed that it would be a meal full of meat with the regular sides of coleslaw, potato salad, baked beans, and the like, but I was unaware of the location of these traditional BBQ. We ate at a gas station. That's right, the restaurant was connected to a Shell gas station! Sadly for all of you I didn't take but two pictures on this trip. I didn't think I was going to take any pictures, but this meal was worthy of a few shots. When we ordered our meat by the half pound (ribs, prime rib, or flank) the person who took the order piled everything into a crate for us to carry back to the table. I thought it was a hoot! Not to mention that my uncle Junior was buzzed before we even got there.

Instead of having plates, each person blopped down in front of a piece of butcher paper and we started to munch on ribs or slabs of beef on wonder bread! A selection of barbecue sauce was provided at the table to top off the meal. Of course I felt like I had overeaten, but it was delicious. I shared a flank of meat with my uncle, and Junior shared a rib with me too...the meat fell right off the bone. Yum! If I do decide to go back to Texas I know that a gas station meal will be on the list of things to do.

I don't know if I will move there, but I think the summer option is definitely in the picture. Plus, it would be nice to see many family members as well. I will have to think about it. In the meantime I will just have to do some research on all my options!

2007-02-12T18:27:00.000-08:00

Life has been busy in a really good way. I just spent the last week going into the city to watch films from the Banff Film Fesival World Tour. It was really fun. I always love seeing the mountain sport films, and this year I went each night. I'm also participating in the Climb For Life. There are several nights of festivities and many climbs to try. I hope to raise $500 for a good cause against Ovarian Cancer. John Hopkins research doctors are working really hard to find better cures to this disease and I am glad to help in my simple way.

I also got a speeding ticket in January, which costs me a lot of money. I had to hire a lawyer, since it was a reckless driving ticket. I didn't know this, but in Virginia that is equal to a DUI and is a misdemeanor on the record. I didn't want to have all that so I had to hire a lawyer. Fortunately, the judge dropped the charge down to speeding and I had a $100 charge. I guess it was good to hire the lawyer, but it has made money tight.

Last month I questioned whether I should make my two trips to visit family and friends. After thinking about it and constantly looking up plane fares, I found two prices that I couldn't refuse. The prices just kept going down and I knew that if I didn't buy the tickets it wouldn't ever happen. So this next weekend I will be heading down to Austin, Texas to visit some family. I am really looking forward to it. I haven't seen them all in so long. I think it will be fun to show the grown-up me. I think they will be surprised. Then for spring break I'm going to southern California to visit friends. I'm going to hike in Joshua Tree National Park and eat fish tacos from Wahoos. I can't wait. So even though I haven't posted in ages, I will soon have pictures of Texas...and I hear that Austin is hip city.

Around the World

2007-01-27T20:00:00.000-08:00

I miss traveling. I love my job and I enjoy the comforts of home, but I crave the adventures of traveling. It is always so different from my own life that it is thrilling to experience. I miss that. I recently found out that a guy, Chris Schwalm, who I went to high school with also keeps a travel blog. He has taken some of the most beautiful pictures. I'm jealous of the photography. I almost think he could create a book with all his imaginative pictures. I might not be a photographer when I travel, but it has been fun to read some of his posts, because I can sense the adventure. I miss that.

There is something fantastic about being young and traveling. We are willing to sacrifice comfort for a lumpy bed in a cheap hostel. We forget peace and quiet by dealing with snoring roommates and no air conditioning. Yet we relish the open air markets and finding the perfect souvinier which we haggled for. We get lost and love it. We meet strangers in hostels who suddenly make the best company and we do everything together. We deal with long bus rides, because that's what the locals do. I love it all and I miss it.

I have been thinking a lot about taking a trip around the world. Not just any trip, but one that lasts for a whole year. I would have to work in the process, but I think it can be done. I have been reading a book about working around the world. I could be a fruit picker and follow the summer. I once read in a book, that the longer you travel somewhere the cheaper it is. I could see so much of the world and still barely scratch the surface. I want to do that. I think I am afraid. I'm afraid of going alone. I'm afraid of not having enough money. I'm afraid that I will miss other important opportunities. I'm afraid of having to sell my car, which I love. But I want to go. It is a dream of mine. If everything in my life went the way I wanted, then I would find the love of my life, get married, and then would take the trip around the world for a honeymoon experience. And then when we got back a year later we would get back to work and have a family...Man, I love to travel. Maybe one day I will build up the courage to follow this dream and instead of wishing for more I will be writing about it!

Under The Tuscan Sun

2007-01-14T21:31:00.000-08:00

A while back I wrote a post about Cast Away, which seemed to have a real impact on me. I guess movies have a kind of an influence on me, because tonight I borrowed a movie from my sister to watch while grading brochures. After I got home and changed into pajamas, I poured a small glass of milk and grabbed two oreos for a snack. Unfortunately, while watching the movie I dropped a half eaten oreo on my bedroom floor, which I haven't vacuumed in a while so I had to throw it away. I guess that is just better for me anyway! Goodness, I digress! So I snuggled up in bed and pressed start to a movie that I have heard a lot about lately.

I decided to watch, Under the Tuscan Sun. Recently I was talking with a coworker about traveling. It seems to be a continual topic for me. She and I were discussing places we wanted to go. I'm pretty sure I'm going to move next year and I will be traveling back to Utah. I have decided that I'm giving myself a year to have fun there and see if I enjoy the social scene (the more Mormons boys, the better). And after a year I will be making a move again...maybe to teach internationally or possibly just to work my way around the world for a year. Well, my coworker suggested going to Tuscany, because she thought it was beautiful. She had never been there before, but after watching the movie, which was filmed in Tuscany, she has decided to travel there one day.

So when I saw the movie on my sister's bookshelf, I wondered if I had ever seen it before. It didn't seem familiar, which made it a perfect choice for my simple movie night. This is a story of a woman who gets a divorce and a broken heart as she finds out her husband is cheating on her and does not love her anymore. A few friends suggest that she take a trip to Tuscany for two weeks. While there she impulsively buys a house. It is a fixer-upper and she is in way over her head. However, she makes friends, learns a new language, and finds moments of happiness.

I especially loved the part where she meets a hot Italian man, whom is the "first" after her divorce. She is nervous to kiss him, but he says something I find profound. He says, "when happiness smashes into you, you must go with it until it feels right to move on." It got me thinking about this past year of my life. I have had some real fun, which I think I could have shied away from. I lived in the moment instead of dwelling on my past or thinking too hard on the future. I went with the happy moments. It was a good year for me.

Of course the main character goes through some rough times as well. She isn't always happy, even though she changed her surroundings on a whim. She still had to move past the lonely times. At one point when she was really lonely, a friend used a metaphor to remind her to have hope. He said, "In Switzerland, they built railroad tracks over the alps before they even had a train that could make the trip. They built it knowing that one day a train would come." She was living an adventure, but she was lonely and that bothered her. I can relate to that. I have a lot of friends in my life right now, but I'm missing the closeness of a best friend. Someone that I can trust completely. I have best friends, but they are married and have families. We are in different phases, and since my last best friend was my ex boyfriend, I guess in some ways I'm looking for that again.

So, back to the movie, the main character is afraid of being lonely in this big house that she just jumped into. She wants to have a wedding and a family in this house. I find it fascinating, because in the end she does have a wedding and a family in the house, except it is not her wedding nor her family. Her impulsive change helps many other people and she brings love into her home. Her best friend joins her in Italy as she plans to have a child and she helps bring a young couple together in marriage.

I guess in the crossroads of life we are full of wishes. I want to be in love again and I hope it comes my way, but if I can help others in the process of my finding my own happiness then all is well. I think a trip to Tuscany could be in my future. As I was watching the movie I started thinking, I could learn Italian while teaching at an international school. I love that the main character takes such a big risk to move to another country where she doesn't know the customs or language. I could definitely do that. Plus Italy is a good location for seeing Europe and Africa. But if I don't teach there then I definitely want to explore when I take my trip around the world.

A Simple Update

2007-01-08T15:07:00.000-08:00

I know I have been updating very sporadically, but that's partly because I haven't known what to write about. I mean, I have been busy and I guess I can post about that, but I can't seem of a creative way to get that out. I'm being reclusive about my personal life. I guess I just want to post about my trips, but it looks like the trips might be limited for a little while. I got a speeding ticket, but unfortunately it is consider wreckless driving in my state. Another unfortunate fact is that it is in a county that is really severe...so I have to hire a lawyer and I'm looking at spending $1000 or more in lawyers fees. It is a little more then I was expecting, but what can I do? I don't want a criminal record and this can help keep my insurance down. It just sucks.

I had two trips planned for the upcoming months, one to Austin, Texas to visit family and another trip to Southern California to visit friends. Now I'm not even sure if I will be able to make those trips. Actually, to be truthful, I have enough money in my savings account, but I just don't know if it is wise to use my savings. The thing is it makes me happy to travel and I would rather go and have a little less in the bank, but my mother thinks I should cancel the trips. I don't know what to do. Maybe if I work as many extra shifts as I can at Sportrock and just not go shopping for a really, really long time, then it would be okay. It might even help me to budget and not go out to eat. Of course I still want to play with my friends, but I will just have to be limited. Is is possible that I can still have fun and pay for a speeding ticket? Or should I listen to my mother who always wants me to save? I need some opinions and I need them fast!

Newcastle United vs. Portsmouth

2006-12-27T08:12:00.000-08:00

I have been told recently that it has been too long since I wrote a post. Trust me, I know this. I don't know if it laziness or that I just haven't had the time. I am barely at home and since my computer is at home I will use that as my excuse. However, the silence cannot last forever. I still have pictures to include about my trip to England.

One thing I was really privileged to experience was a football game. I have always wanted to see a game in England, because the fans are know to be so rowdy. I love the sport, which I have played since I was five years old so it is also meaningful to watch football for the personal enjoyment. Brit boy knew that I wanted to see a game, and since I had taken him to see DC United he decided to return the gesture.

Of course, being the an English football fan, he was picky about who he would watch. His favorite team is Leeds United, but they aren't doing well this year so he didn't want to watch them lose. And Manchester United was out of the question, because that is the rival team. So we made plans to watch Newcastle United play against Portsmouth. This was a good solution, since he had never been to the stadium and the Newcastle fans are known for being very supportive of their team, which I wanted to see.

Newcastle is about the most northern a person can go before then are in Scotland. It is a nice city and quickly growing into a trendy location. I also learned that they have their own dialect in Newcastle, called Geordie. There was a man sitting behind us who seemed to slur his words and speak in phrases that I didn't understand...I found out it was Geordie talk. I love that!

We had really good seats, thanks to Brit boy and his dad, because they bought the tickets. The air was cold, but on our way in we were given a free Newcastle scarf. It has thick black and white horizontal stripes with a Newcastle shield on one end. To start the game everyone swirled their scarfs in the air. It looked pretty cool. I think I even took a picture. After that I kept myself warm with the extra layer. In fact, the heat and excitment from the crowd was enough to warm me up.

The game was really exciting as Newcastle barely came out with a 1-0 win in the second half. Actually Newcastle dominated the whole game with many shots on goal. This was the most exciting part because everyone in the stadium was cheering like mad. It was so loud. I was also impressed by the fact that Portsmouth had a small fan base, but their cheers were heard. It riled up the rest of the stadium into even louder bursts.

I tried making a video to share, so you could all experience the adrenaline from the crowd, but every time I made a video, it was a slow point. At least you can get an idea of what the game was like. I must admit, the football game was probably my favorite part of this trip. I believe that from this point on, each time I make a trip to England I will need to watch a football game.

York, England

2006-12-05T17:34:00.000-08:00

While I was in England, my friend's parents offered to take us to York for a day trip. None of us realized that we would be venturing to York on one of the busiest days of the year. It was St. Nicholas' Day. Every store was buzzing with business and the streets were crowded to the max. It took us about an hour to find a resturant to eat breakfast, because every place was full. I think everyone else had the same idea as us, because they we trying to get out of the cold rain.

After enjoying a delicious English breakfast of eggs, sausage, bacon, beans, tomatoes, mushrooms, potatoes, toast, and hot chocolate it was time to stroll around town. We couldn't have planned it any better, because the rain stopped for the rest of the day. We walked in and around York Minister, Queen Elizabeth's favorite Cathedral. Then we wandered around the city limits looking at the old city wall, the river, and strolling through the Christmas market. I ate roasted chestnuts for the first time in my life too.

I really enjoyed the day, but would have preferred small crowds. I practically had to hold onto Brit boy just so I wouldn't lose him or his family. I had no idea how to get back to the car! If you ever make a trip to England and you are thinking of places to visit, I recommend a short stop in York. There are old streets, called the Shambles with narrow walkways and overhanging tudor-style houses. It is quite picturesque. I've included the few pictures that I took while walking around the city.

Edinburgh, Scotland

2006-11-30T16:13:00.000-08:00

I
t took me one day to adjust to the time change. I traveled straight from work to the airport on my way to Manchester. I planned this trip to England to visit my friend, Brit Boy. We both had a few ideas of things to do for my short trip, but being the sweetheart that he is, Brit Boy even made reservations for a few of the activities. He bought tickets to a football game and reserved a night at a guest house in Edinburgh. So after spending one day in Leeds walking around I was ready for a short train ride to Scotland.

I have never been to Scotland before. In fact, even though I studied in London for a semester I never traveled up north. Edinburgh is a very walkable city. You can pretty much get anywhere by foot so that was our plan. After we arrived by train, we headed towards the guesthouse, City Center Guesthouse, to drop off our bags. On the way we stopped by an outdoor market. I was starving, because the train was running a two hour delay (their was a tragedy on the tracks that stopped our train midway).
We walked through the market in search of food when we noticed it was a French market. We purchased a simple meal of potatoes, ham, vegetables, and cream all mixed together. It hit the spot, but also made me very thirsty.

A short while later and we had dropped off our bags at the guesthouse and headed back out towards Edinburgh castle. I thought the weather might be nice for us, because had been shining all morning, but right when we headed out again it became dark. I knew it was going to rain and get very cold. I pretty expected that, when I bought tickets for November!
In fact, as we toured Edinburgh castle we heard a Scotsman say, "If you can't see the hills then it is bloody raining and if you can see the hills then it's gonna rain!" I loved Edinburgh castle with the many nooks and crannies to explore. I know we didn't do it justice, but we had a small time frame and we wanted to see other parts of the city. One part of the castle that I found very interesting was the prison.
I learned that the prison was used during the Revolutionary War. Many American sailors were held captive in the dungeon and left their graffiti through out. Of course I had to take a picture, which I plan to use in my History class.
We spent the rest of our stay exploring the city in the rain. I went into every Christmas shop looking for nativity sets. I was surprised to find that one store didn't even have a single nativity set. What is a Christmas shop without the story of Christ's birth? I was shocked! We also spend the night doing a pub crawl. I don't drink, but Brit Boy does and he wanted to check out a few of the pubs. I was open to that, since I knew that we would be having dinner at the first stop. I knew that I would find something else that I could drink. During dinner I tried haggis, and I must say I really enjoyed it. I also thought it would be something rather distasteful, but I must say it is worth trying. During the pub crawl I also tried a Scottish energy drink, Irn Bru, which is similar to Red Bull. I didn't like it, but then I don't like Red Bull either. After that I pretty much drink coke or water.

Although it was a short trip to Scotland, I truly enjoyed it. I would like to see more of Scotland and go further north. One day I think I will have to take that option, but until then I have to be thankful for my short breaks from work!

Thanksgiving Trip to England

2006-11-19T15:40:00.000-08:00

Most people visit their family for the holidays, but I have spent the last ten years away from my family so Thanksgiving has turned into a holiday. In fact, my parents went on a two week cruise, which started today so I don't think they will be missing me much. Of course, I was looking for somewhere to go. It is the wanderlust within. I knew that tickets to Europe would be a little cheaper, since most people are traveling state-side. So I asked Brit boy if I could visit him. After he gave me the okay, I purchased a ticket to Manchester, England.

He has been so nice and even planned out a basic outline for my trip. I told him it didn't have to be that organized, but I don't mind it either. So when I get there we will spend the first day in Leeds (his hometown), then head north to Edinburgh, Scotland, return to Leeds, spent a day in York, travel up to Newcastle for a football game, and have one extra day to do as I please. It should be a lot of fun.

I was talking with Brit boy on the phone yesterday though and it is going to be cold. It will be windy and probably raining as well. I don't care though, because it is a vacation and I have never been to that part of England before. In fact, even though I lived in London for a semester we never traveled to Northern England or Scotland.

I promise to post pictures and stories of the upcoming trip. I leave on Tuesday and return the next Monday. I doubt I will get to on the internet much, so be patient, because I promise I have something good coming up soon!

The Ride Home

2006-11-15T19:19:00.000-08:00

I haven't had much to post about Alaska this year, because I just didn't take as many pictures. I did a lot of fun things, I just didn't pull out the camera. I met a really awesome guy whom I'll call, Mountain Shop Hottie, because he worked at the Mountain Shop. I enjoyed his company, because it was a change for me. He is 34 years old and has a mature vision on life. I enjoyed our conversations together, even though I also knew he was a lot different then me. It was purely a relationship meant for the summer. I still keep in touch with him through email, but that is few and far between. Right now he is traveling through Southeast Asia so I am looking forward to future emails about his travels.

I should also mention that my stay in Skagway was extremely short. Three weeks went by quicker then I could have imagined. In some ways I was glad to go home. I had been living out of a suitcase all summer and I was dying for warmer weather. On my way home I took the ferry back to Juneau. Since it was right around dinner time I decided to enjoy a nice meal in the ferry's restaurant. I'm not a big fan of salmon, but every time I have tried it in Alaska I loved it. I figured the salmon would be the just as good on the ferry. However I was wrong. I sat down for my meal while enjoying the view of the fjiord out of full length windows. There is just something special about the mountains that drop right into the water that reminds me of a Higher Being. When the meal was served, I realized it felt like I was eating diner food or cafeteria food. I had a simple salad followed by the salmon with a baked potato and veggies on the side. I tried a few bites of the salmon, but I just couldn't stomach it. It was too fishy for me. So I filled up on the baked potato and vegtables, regretting the my decsion.

When the waitress came back to take my plate she was surprised I had not finished the salmon either. I told her it did not taste good to me. I did not complain, because I assumed it was my weak palette. However she returned shortly to tell me that I did not have to pay for my meal, because I did not enjoy it. I tried to protest. I had eaten everything else, but she said no and I thanked her for her hospitality. It was nice to have a free meal since I had been living on such a tight budget.

After dinner I found myself on the outdoor deck in the back of the ferry. Seriously, this was the coolest part of my ferry ride. The deck was heated so I pulled out my sleeping bag and lay on a deck chair in warmth while enjoying the sounds of the ferry pushing through the water. I slept for a good two or three hours until we arrived in Juneau. If I get the chance to return again, I would love to go on the ferry again, it was so much fun.

Upper Reid Falls

2006-11-02T19:07:00.000-08:00

*Blogger was not letting me download pictures for about a week. So now I am finally posting!

In preparation for a bigger hike, I decided to complete a day hike to Upper Reid Falls with my fellow Dredge coworker, Chicago boy. It was only about two miles to the falls so I figured it wouldn't be so difficult. I decided to do the hike in my Chaco sandals. I think that was a mistake because I ended up pulling the tendons that extended to my toes. It was a little painful to walk up and down stairs. After worrying about it for a few days I decided to back out of the 33 mile hike on the Chilkoot trail. I am really bummed that I did not do the Chilkoot trail, but I think in the long run it was wise since my foot was sore. It just means I want to go back to Alaska to finally hike the trail.

In the meantime I should say that the hike to Upper Reid Falls was pretty fun. I enjoyed spending time with Chicago boy. He is a city boy so hiking is not his specialty. In fact, I don't think he had ever been on a hike until he went to Skagway this summer. At one point during our hike we veered of the path because it was confusing. I just didn't feel like we were headed in the right direction and he said, "It will be okay, let's just keep on going. We are right by a town, it's not like we are going to get lost." Honestly it is people like that who get lost in the woods and die. I was thinking, you can't just assume you know the right direction and all the trees will look alike soon. I basically told him that we needed to head back to where we knew the trail was clear and look again. The whole time he was mocking me and I was thinking, yeah, buddy I just saved your life. He would have been halfway to Canada if I didn't stop him.

On our way back to the trail we ran into a few friends. With their help we were able to find the path, which we were not on, and shortly thereafter see the falls. It should have been a short hike, but it took us longer because we got lost. At least we enjoyed one another's company and the good weather (a rarity in Skagway).

What to do when the weather is bad in Skagway...

2006-10-24T19:28:00.000-07:00

1. Find your friends.

2. Head over to the Red Onion Saloon for a night out (we opted for the Drag Show where the men dressed as women and the women dressed as men while performing skits for our entertainment).

3. Have a uproaringly fantastic time while giving money to fight breast cancer.

4. Do a little dance or watch a little dance!

5. Meet up with a guy that works at the mountain shop (whom is totally cute). After talking with him, decide to steal a really cool tandem bike, which is right outside the Red Onion. Okay, it wasn't stolen, just borrowed for a simple ride around the block, because it is something everyone should try once. No worries though, the owner of the tandem bike doesn't mind and let's you go around the block again one more time with the mountain shop guy.

6. Walk home from the Red Onion and kiss the mountain shop guy goodnight after making plans to meet up with him the next day!

Going on a Bear Hunt

2006-10-15T15:40:00.000-07:00

Going on a bear hunt, a mighty, mighty bear hunt...I think that is how the nursery rhyme goes. About a week after I arrived in Skagway I decided to go on a bear hunt. I had heard there were bear spotting in Dyea, which is about a twenty minute drive. Dyea was once a starting point for the Klondike gold miners, until it was destroyed by a avalanche. Now it is a fun place to go camping or see the fields of iris' in the spring. There is a stream that runs to the Fjord and of course the salmon were running. It is the perfect place for a bear spotting.

After asking my boss if I could take her car, three of my coworkers piled in with me as we drove to Dyea. It was about 8:30 at night so I knew it would be getting dark in an hour and a half so we didn't have much time, but I had a feeling it was going to be a good night for a bear hunt. As the car skipped along the dirt road we tried to remember the childhood song. I remember sitting Indian style during preschool while tapping my hands on my thighs and saying, "Going on a bear hunt, a mighty mighty bear hunt." In the song you have to go through the grass, over a mountain, around a lake, and I think under a log while making fun hand motions. Between each verse you sing the chorus, "Going on a bear hunt..." For some reason, on our car ride we didn't get out more then the chorus!

After a quick ride we found ourselves on the outskirts of Dyea. There were a few parked cars and a group of people looking out at something. I had a feeling it just might be what we were looking for. Slowly we pulled up and faced a stream to find two grizzly bears feasting on salmon. They were so close to us that it scared me a little bit. I kept the car door open in case I needed a quick retreat as I inched my way closer to the on looking crowd. I couldn't believe I was actually seeing a bear in the wild! Through all my fear I almost thought they were cute playing in the water.

After splashing at passing salmon, the two bears disappeared behind a bend in the river. Most of the crowd dispersed, but since we had just arrived we stuck around a little bit longer. Just as we were about to get back into the car, the two bears appeared again and very close us too. It is amazing how the tall grass, though not to high could hide a large grizzly. We tried to take pictures, since they were so much closer at this point, but it was much too dark. Instead we watch from the car and made our way home.

I noticed that the bears were running parallel to our vehicle for a while. They kept looking our way, as if they we constantly aware of our presence and a bit scared by us as well. I felt like I could relate! I was just glad that it wasn't that close to home, though bears had been spotted very close to our cabins in the frisbee golf course. In fact, the bears that were spotted closer to town were a momma with her two cubs and one of the cubs was a glacier bear (albino). That would have been cool to see. Needless to say, a bear spotting was a spectacular sight and I hoped to repeat it in the next couple weeks that followed. However, when I went back a week later I wasn't as lucky. At least on this trip to Alaska I can say that I had a real bear encounter and not just one from my dreams!

Upper Dewey Lake, Skagway

2006-10-10T18:13:00.000-07:00

My time in Alaska was all a bit of a whirlwind. I was only there for three weeks this summer. I was fortunate enough that even though my employers had me working there for free there were quite liberal with free time. I had three day weekends so I couldn't complain. Most of my free time fell on sunny days too! That was just bonus, because it was extra cold this summer. Even though I was better prepared for a cold summer, I was still freezing most of the time.

After meeting my new coworkers and reuniting with friends from the year before I made plans to do a 33 mile hike with friends in the last few days of my trip. I was feeling completely out of shape, so if I was seriously going to do this I had to start hiking on my days off. At the ranger's office we were told that if we could hike to Upper Dewey Lake then we would do just fine.

So I decided to do just that! For my first day off I packed a pear and water and rode a junky bike over to the trailhead. I was hoping to get my coworker, Chicago boy to join me but he was feeling under the weather (which he would give to me about two days later...I think it was Norwalk, the cruise ship flu). So I went alone. For those who remember my travels from last year will know how scared I get when I am hiking alone. I get paranoid about bear spotting and peeing in my pants. I had good reason to worry this year too, because the bears were more active then normal. On a side note I should point out that I made some good friends with a few active guys who told me that they get just as scared about seeing a bear!

The first half hour of the hike leads to Lower Dewey Lake. Lots of people traverse the trails to Lower Dewey because it only takes thirty minutes and you can easily get your blood pumping on the steep incline. So of course I passed several people along the way and I had traveled along the trail many times before. I was not scared at all. After veering off around Lower Dewey Lake I found myself alone on the way to Upper. All of a sudden I was alone hiking next to the falls that fell from Upper Dewey. The hike became increasingly steep. I was panting on my way up. Either I was really out of shape and I remembered how much I hated hiking or it was just hard! It took me at least an hour to get into a steady pace on the trail. I really wanted to listen to my ipod, but I kept thinking it would just be my luck to run into a bear with my ipod on. So I declined.

Although it took me about two and a half hours to reach Upper Dewey lake I only saw three people on their way back down. It gave me a lot of time to think. I could enjoy the beauty of my surroundings and I was grateful, even though I was exhausted. Alaska is so beautiful and I had only glimpsed a tiny bit of it. At the top I sat at an empty picnic table observing the view ahead of me. Shortly after I took a seat a man in his late thirties from France sat down next to me. He worked for one of the cruise lines. He quickly pulled out two chocolate bars, one for me and one for him. Then he pulled out two brownies from the cafe in town and another chocolate bar. He was joined by another cruise employee from Malaysia. We made small talk. I was fascinated by their kindness and humor. It was nice to make friends and share chocolate. Oh la la! Then they began yelling for their friend who was from Germany. He slowly made it to the picnic table with no shirt on. The first thing he said was, "When are we headed back? I have to be at work..." but the other two guys just bossed him around and told him not to worry. With this he stopped talking and just relaxed. I think we can use that all more in this life...stop worrying and just enjoy our surroundings.

After about thirty minutes I said my goodbyes and found a secluded place to write in my journal. It was such a beautiful place I wanted to write my thoughts while outside. I actually love doing that. I bring my journal with me everywhere, because I just never know when I might be inspired to write my feelings. It is very therapeutic. Then I took a few pictures and headed back down to town. In some ways this was the hardest part. It was muddy was really muddy at the top of the hike so I had to steer through that without slipping and getting my butt dirty. And it was so steep it was killing my knees.

On my way back down I tried to pay attention to the flowers and mushrooms. There are some really cool mushrooms in Alaska. I have even seen some that are red with white dots like the Smurfs had for houses! So of course I tried to take pictures whenever I thought of it. I must say, it wasn't as bad as I was expecting even though it was steep. I have a feeling that I could do the 33 mile hike in two weeks if I just kept it up! Is it a good time to mention that my legs were sore for about two days? It hurt just to go up and down stairs! That's what I get for thinking the hike wasn't that bad!

A Call Back to the Wild

2006-10-02T18:54:00.000-07:00

I don't know if I ever mentioned, but I contacted my Alaskan employer before I left on my summer of adventure. We made a deal...I would work for free if she covered my plane ticket, ferry ticket, and housing costs. So four days after I got home from Singapore, althought I was extremely jet-lagged, I boarded another plane for a long flight to the great outdoors. I was so excited to go back to Alaska. I had nothing to lose, and lots of outdoor experience to gain. I even got to bring my new black diamond tent! So, the summer updates are not over! I still have to write about Alaska!!

Singapore Zoo

2006-09-26T18:47:00.000-07:00

One of my last days in Singapore was spent at the zoo. I don't normally go to zoos when I travel, but every book I read had suggested a trip to the Singapore zoo. I will admit that it was far better then the zoo in Washington, DC but I don't think I would recommend it. In my opinion, if you have seen one zoo you have seen them all. My experience in Singapore was no different. If I had a group of children with me then it would definitely have been more fun. Although, I must admit I was entertained by the humping monkeys. I even got to see orangutans kissing up close and personal. The following are pictures are from my field trip at the zoo.

The End of Sydney

2006-09-23T09:45:00.000-07:00

I haven't posted in over a week and I am sorry. I have been busy and don't spend much time on my computer at home anymore. Since I moved into my new house, the wireless reception is horrible in my room. So I just haven't been on the computer much, but I have been reminded that I need to post. So to start out with, I want to share some more pictures from Sydney. I didn't take a lot while I was there, probably because it was raining on most days. I didn't feel the need to either. I will try to include a simple caption with each picture. I should also mention that after five days in Sydney, Australia I headed back to Singapore for a few more days of personal relaxation.
Brit boy and I took a day trip to Bondi beach. It is a popular surf spot for the locals. Apparently it is also the beach where locals and tourists go to get out of the city. We took the metro and a short bus ride to the beach. I don't think it was any longer then an hours ride.
I was pleasantly surprised with how busy the beach was. There were people running along the Bondi to Coogee trail and families out walking on the sand. I noticed several surfers covered in black wetsuits. Nobody was in the water, but then again, it was winter.
I had to put my feet into the ocean. I didn't care how cold it was. I wanted to be able to say that I experienced a little coastal treat. In fact, it wasn't even that cold. I don't think I would want to strip down into a swimsuit, but it was bearable on my feet. I didn't stay in the water long though, because our real purpose was to walk the trail to Coogee. The man who sat next to me on the plane had suggested it. With a simple tourist map, we left the beach and started along the coastal path. It got dark on us and we even had to walk through a cemetery. I have never seen a cemetery on a cliff's edge, and I must admit it was a bit creepy. We were walking past old gravestones that had cracked and shifted with time. It looked as if ghosts had disturbed the ground. Brit boy was trying to scare me as well. I think that made the walk a little more fun.
I couldn't neglect showing one picture of the Sydney skylight. I took this picture from the Opera House. It was actually a really beautiful night.
On Saturday we walked to a small outdoor market. I was hoping to find a cute handmade purse, but the prices were a little steep. I just couldn't get myself to spend money anymore, because I was already a little over my budget! I did think it was a trendy part of town, just past King's Cross. Unfortunately I don't remember the name of the market. Goodness, I got bad at taking notes when I started hanging out with Brit boy. I must admit, I was just have fun being with him!

Sydney, Australia

2006-09-16T05:46:00.000-07:00

I didn't get to spend much time in Australia, but that's because it wasn't actually in my plans. Since the ticket was cheap, I decided to fly over there for five days and hang out with Brit boy. We stayed in King's Cross, which apparently is a shady part of town. I always felt safe, because I was with a guy, but there were prostitutes and adult nightclubs throughout the neighborhood. I felt safe in our hostel, The Jolly Swagman. In fact, it was a pretty good hostel with several small rooms of four to six guests and some of the rooms even included their own shower.

I wasn't as prepared with sites to see in Sydney, so on my flight there I asked the man sitting next to me what he thought we should do. He gave us plenty of good ideas (I'm so thankful to nice locals). Unfortunately the weather wasn't perfect for us. I think it was frustrating for Brit boy to be on vacation in the rain, but I didn't mind so much because it wasn't as cold as New Zealand. So we looked for things to do indoors on most days.

We traveled to the top of Sydney's center point, their sky tower. On our first attempt we found out that the clouds were covering any view so we had to return on the next day. We were fortunate enough to have a clear view. We goofed around looking for stadiums and nearby beaches. Then we must have spent almost an hour in the gift shop trying to decide what pointless souvenirs we would buy (I bought a cute postcard for two girls back home and a kangaroo shaped manget). Although our view from the top was great, when we got back down it started raining. It pretty much ruined our plans of walking in the park, so we saw a movie instead. We saw the Pirates of the Caribbean. I must say, I don't normally go to the movies at home so it is always weird when I travel somewhere and I go to the movies. I know there is so much I could be doing there, but it was a nice break to sit in a movie theater and dry off.

When we left the theater it had stopped raining again, but it was almost dark. So we decided to walk around. We found ourselves walking through the park which was filled with bats. I had never seen so many bats hanging upside down in the trees before. I found out that Brit boy had a fear of bats, which was almost cute. When one of the bats flew over our head in Singapore's Night Safari he jumped and even yelped. So during our walk through the park he hurried me along, so we weren't there when it got completely dark!

I'm glad we hurried though because we found ourselves next to the Syndey Opera House. It is such a famous landmark, but most pictures of the Opera House are from afar. It is an amazing structure to see up close. I had no idea it was made out of tiles and the shape is structurally beautiful. No wonder it is a famous architectural landmark. It was a nice walk as we traveled around the pier and we enjoyed the city skylight.

Side Trip Adventure

2006-09-12T14:55:00.000-07:00

I was able to enjoy a week with Brit boy in Singapore. We had a great time going to the Night Safari, visiting Arab street, and searching little India for a fortune-telling parrot (which was apparently taking a day off). It couldn't have been more fun. At one point Brit boy even said, "I wish you could join me in Australia." Although it seemed like fun, I laughed it off knowing that it would cost too much for me to make that trip. So we made a promise to meet up again when he was in the states (we just saw each other two weekends ago) and we said our thanks for making a new friend. Then I gave him a kiss goodbye.

The day he left I was talking with the owner of the hostel, named April. She asked me, "Why didn't you go with Brit boy?" I told her my woes about costs when she informed me that there were plenty of inexpensive airlines that provided cheap fares to Australia. So we got on the internet and began looking at prices. To my surprise we found tickets for as low as $200 dollars. To me, that seemed pretty good. I was looking at a trip into Malaysia for scuba diving which would have cost about the same so I decided to weigh out the options.

I went next door to a Javanese massage center. Now, Singapore is not known for inexpensive massages, you would have to go to Bangkok or Kuala Lumpur, but it was still cheaper then home for an hour and a half at $40 bucks. I didn't know what I was in for though. The women who gave me the massage did not speak English at all. It was kind of difficult to communicate so I had a few laughs as I was trying to figure out what to do. Here's the thing, when I get a massage at home I change in a separate dressing room and then I am escorted to a room where I slip under a sheet. At that point the massage therapist will fold back the sheet for the massage.

At the Javanese place I didn't get a robe and I changed in the room. So when I was about to get under the sheet the women came in and stopped me. I was instructed to lie on top of the sheet and then she covered me with towels. So here I was giving her a full view of my birthday suit. Oh well, we're both women right? Apparently I don't know a thing about Javanese massage. I think the philosophy might be "no pain, no gain" because it was so painful. She began by getting on top of the table and practically beat down my back. I actually thought she was going to walk on my back! To my relief she didn't, but I did not get to relax, because each time she moved to another part of my body she would massage deep to the core of my muscles. Ouch!

And let me tell you it was a full body massage. I didn't know you could get a massage on your chest. It wasn't anything vulgar, but it was certainly a new experience for me. Let alone, I was trying to relax and contemplate my options. Should I stay in Singapore or go to Australia? The logical decision would be to stay in Singapore. It was cheaper, plus I still had more to see, and it was warmer. Although, if I went to Australia I would get to continue my fun holiday romance, plus I would see a whole other country, and getting to Australia from home can be really expensive. By the end of my painful massage I had my decision.

I walked back to the hostel, gave April a smile and said, "I'm going to do it." I got online and purchased a ticket and a temporary visa for Australia. Then I proceeded to email Brit boy and tell him that I was going to be there the next night. I needed to know where he was staying so I could stay there too! After I purchased everything I began to wonder...did he really mean it when he said that he wanted me to go to Australia? What if he doesn't want to hang out with me? This could be a really awkward side trip...

Sentosa Island

2006-09-06T16:53:00.000-07:00

Even though I was dying from the humidity, at least I knew there would be a beach with good water. Actually, Singapore is not known for their beaches, but they do have one place that all the locals visit: Sentosa Island. So Brit boy and I spent the whole day there.

Sentosa Island is really set up for people to take a day off, whether they are a tourist or a local. You have to pay about $3 Singapore dollars to get to the island if you take the bus and it is about $15 if you choose to take the cable car. We decided to take the cable car (round trip) to enjoy the scenery.

The island is set up with three major beaches and lots of tourists traps. There is an aquarium, downhill go-cart ride, a traipse, and a dolphin show amongst other things. We ate lunch on the island, which was disappointing because it was all over-priced American food. I had a large hamburger topped with everything possible, plus a cooked egg! I have never tried that before and it was pretty good. The only bad part is that I was full on greasy food and then I had to uncloth into my bathing suit. That is never fun.

I don't know what exactly to write about my time on Sentosa, except we had a lot of fun. We rented bikes for an hour to explore the island (it was about $5) and we lounged on the beach when we were not swimming. The view wasn't all that great, because there were cargo ships all along the coast, but since the water was the perfect tempature I couldn't complain. Plus I got to enjoy the company of someone who has since become a good friend. It made for a great day.

Every night there is a free laser show on the island, so of course we stayed for the performance. It reminded me of Epcot Center in Disney Land for some reason. I think it was the cheesy music. If I had children they would have loved it. Despite the cheesy factor, it was pretty good. I even took pictures.

Spending all day in the sun can be really exhausting so after the laser show we went back to the hostel and I crashed...I don't want to write too much about it, but I must say holiday romance is so much fun...Brit boy and I both knew that we were just enjoying our time together, but it was nice. Our time on Sentosa island was full of kisses and I will just keep it at that!

Chinatown

2006-08-31T20:12:00.000-07:00

Brit boy (the young man I met at the hostel who needed a blog name) and I decided we wanted to explore Chinatown. I had read a lot about Chinese opera in several tourist books. When we inquired about tickets we were even told to book early because it fills up fast. Needless to say, I was expecting something spectacular.

So Brit boy bought tickets for the two of us and we made plans to hang out that night in and around Chinatown. When I got home that evening, I decided to have a little fun and I actually put make-up on! I figured it might be nice to look good for an evening at an opera performance. We boarded a bus and headed into the city. While on the bus he told me how the place was really small with a very tiny stage. Basically it was a restaurant with a simple step up onto the "stage." We joked about being the only ones and how weird that would be. I would have never expected that, since we had to get tickets early...After a short walk through Chinatown we came to a simple door behind a street market.

When the door was opened I felt as if I was entering someone's house. It was so small and we were the only ones there. We were running late, so I thought to myself, "we can't seriously be the only ones tonight?" Well, we were. After being seated an old Chinese women brought out a simple soup and turned on a tv that was playing a Chinese opera. I started giggling as I looked over at Brit boy and said, "do you think that is our Chinese opera experience?"

We hoped it wasn't as we continued to be served our dinner. I found out that Brit boy did not know how to use chopstick! It was a good meal, but definitely simple, like I was invited over for a family dinner. Shortly after our plates were cleared, we thought more guests would appear for the "performance" but actually it was just an older man who gave the presentation. He spoke for thirty minutes about Chinese opera. I started to worry that I was only going to learn about Chinese opera and not actually see any of it. Then two people appeared who were dressed in elaborate clothing with caked on make-up. Here was the performance I had been waiting for.

As Brit boy and I prepared for the show I noticed that the old man pressed a button on a CD player. The music started and so did the singers. It was a recording and the two people in front of us were lip-singing! LIP SINGING!! I could not believe it. We paid money to see a "mock" Chinese opera. And the sad part is that they only performed one song. I had no desire to take a picture, except the old man practically forced us. He was very proud of his two actors that we took a pictures before we left. I think we were both disappointed with the experience. It was a waist of our money, but it really made for a funny story. Brit boy and I heeled over laughing when we walked out the door. I only wish I could write in words what it was actually like.

Although it was a weird night, it also had a way of bonding us. We had something fun to laugh about as we walked around the street markets. We even did a bit of flirting as we were purchasing souvenirs. I could tell he didn't want the evening to end as he asked me if I wanted to share another dessert. So we sat down at a restaurant and picked a local treat. It was a type of pudding, but looked more like jello with lycee fruit on top. It tasted gross to me, so I just ate the lycee fruit. Then we headed back to the hostel, but neither of us was tired. So we talked for a while on the rooftop. I thought he might give me a kiss goodnight, which I would have welcomed, but he only hugged me as we headed downstairs to go to bed. No worries though, it was still on his mind. As I was about to wash my face and brush my teeth he stopped me in the hallway to say goodnight with a simple kiss. I fell asleep that night with a smile on my face knowing that tomorrow was going to be a great day!

Singapore's Number One Hobby

2006-08-29T19:28:00.000-07:00

I had read that shopping was big in Singapore. And I had even heard that it was their biggest hobby. I thought those people were being sacrastic...but it is true. Singaporeans love to shop. I got to see this first hand because I was there during the Great Singapore Sale. It is an 8-week long retail sale. Bascially all the stores give upwards to 50S% discounts. Not to mention that Singapore has about 500 shopping malls. I'm not joking when I write this. There is an insane amount of shopping malls, more then I have ever encountered in my life.

I loved all their stores. I wanted to try on everything. The first day as I wandered around by myself I found my way into Raffles Shopping Mall. I was so hot that I needed to cool down in the air-conditioning. It was a downhill whirlwind of spending after that. I was surrounded by fantastic shoes and handbags. I spotted the cutest pair of heels. I picked them up...a green leather two inch heel, that looked like it came from the 1920s era. I loved them, but I didn't come to Singapore to shop. I was going to think about them as I determidly put them down. If I still liked them at the end of the week, I would buy them then (two days later I was back in the mall for those very pair of shoes!).

I found a cute aqua blue handbag too. I am an accessories girl and I have been looking for a blue handbag for months. I couldn't pass this opportunity up. So I bought it. Once the credit card came out for one purchase I couldn't stop. I found a fantastic pair of sunglasses and sunglasses NEVER look good on me, so of course I had to buy them. Then there was the climbing store. Could you believe they had a climbing store in Singapore? How could I pass up Patagonia sports bras (my favorite kind) which were more then half off since they were last years stock? It was becoming addictive. There were so many cute things. I just wanted to keep shopping.

Actually I didn't get into the malls that much, because my next trip was a little disappointing. It was overcrowded. It is the national hobby! I felt like I was back in the states in the mall the day after Thanksgiving, only I didn't have to find a parking stop. And this time I tried looking for cute clothes. I found lots of cute clothing, but nothing seemed to fit. I think that is because most people in Singapore are a size 0 with no chests. I just didn't fit into the mold. It tainted me from shopping and I resisted the rest of my trip. Thank goodness, because I might have been broke if I didn't!

Singapore Botanical Gardens

2006-08-23T20:59:00.000-07:00

In my opinion one of the best places to visit in Singapore are the Botanical Gardens. Not only do tourist and locals have a large area to walk around, from a rainforset to views of local fauna, but it is free. I got up early in the morning, because I hadn't adjusted to the new time yet and I headed to the gardens. I spent the whole morning wandering around the gardens. It was quiet and very hot, but I enjoyed that natural beauty around me. I love gardens. The smells, textures and all the surroundings can be inviting. It isn't like taking a hike through an actual rainforest, but considering that I just jumped off a bus and found serenity in the middle of a large city was impressive.

I didn't take a lot of pictures, but you can see all the pictures that I took. I should also mention that there is a large orchid garden (which cost money) in the gardens. I did not make it into the orchid garden, because I had made plans to spend the afternoon and evening with my new friend, Craig. We explored Little India, a small section of the city that is rich in Indian culture. I was in search of a fortune-telling parrot, but I found out that he had a day off! We found Mustafas, which is a 24-hour mall.
We were walking around at 10pm looking for nothing in particular. The interesting thing about Mustafas is that it doesn't feel like a mall, but more like a very large oversized Kmart. They have pretty much anything you could ever need, and it most likely is piled on top of a very large stack. I think most people in Singapore must work in retail, because there are only about 500 malls, and Mustafas alone had an employee at the corner of every aisle. I assume they were watching for thieves, because the minute I picked anything up, an assistant was by my side. I'm not a shop-lifter, but I would imagine that might deter one.

We also got the chance to go inside an Hindu temple. Apparently every Friday night they have a special ceremony. We were allowed to go inside and see the happenings. A man was chanting and behind the main shrine we saw many men and women preparing food. I'm not sure what it was for, but it was neat to see. We also had a Indian dinner. I found out that I have not eaten enough Indian food in my life. Luckily for me, Craig has, so he could interpret the menu better then me. We had a delicious and very filling dinner for two.

Singapore

2006-08-21T18:37:00.000-07:00

It took about ten hours to fly into Singapore. I think I arrived around 8pm and then I had to catch a bus to find my hostel. I was trying to save money, but I think from now on, when I travel at night to a hotel, it might be wise to take the taxi cab. I asked the bus driver to tell me when I reached my stop. He was kind enough to do so, but I was expecting my hostel to be within eye sight. It was not. In fact, it was across a huge complex of residential housing on the next busy road.

I asked a nice man who was waiting at the stop to direct me to the hostel. He informed me that he did not live in that area and was not familiar with the hostel, but that I needed to go over to the next big road. I would have to walk through a large housing development until I reached a large road which I had never been on and drag my luggage along with me. I think the nice man sensed my hesitation, because he offered to lead me there. My mom always told me not to talk with strangers when I was little and usually following a strange in a new country would fall in the same category, but somehow I knew that I could trust him.

Our walk to the next big road took about thirty minutes (I would have never found it on my own). The conversation was pleasant. He spoke perfect English as he asked about my travels that summer. I still couldn't believe his kindness and was eager to make a new friend. Eventually we arrived at East Coast Road, but still could not find the hostel. My new friend and guide was nice enough to walk around the housing complex to look for numbers as I patiently stood by the side of the road. After walking by a few shops I finally saw the sign for the hostel. My friend walked me all the way to the door. I thanked him for his kindness and he walked off, probably to return to his original bus stop.

I was so happy to be at my new home for the next week. It wasn't all that much to look at, and the showers were gross, but I had a feeling it was all going to be okay. After a brief intro to the hostel I was left at my bedside. I unpacked a few things, took a cold shower, and fell right to sleep.

The next day I decided to wander around the city. I wanted to get my bearings. I quickly learned that Singapore is a big city. My hostel on East Coast Rd. was about an hour's bus drive to the city center. It would take at least two hours to get to the other side of the city if I needed. I took a cheap bus tour through Singapore Airlines (it cost $3 for hop on/off day access with my boarding pass). I also got lost on my way to Chinatown only to discover some fun roads. I even ate my first ice cream from a street vendor, it was red bean flavored...hmm, delicious.

I also made a trip into the Asian Civilizations Museum on the first day, which gave a discount when I showed my international teacher card. My favorite part of the museum as the special exhibit on nomadic tribes. They had a whole room set up with tents. That night I got back to the hostel exhausted. I had been walking all day in the heat and humidity with very little water. It was then that I made a new friend. He just got in from Thailand and was hungry like me. So we went out looking for food at a nearby hawker center. From that point on I enjoyed a special treat for my stay in Singapore...and his name is Craig.

Our Campervan

2006-08-15T09:10:00.000-07:00

I realized that I never put a picture of our campervan on the blog! So before I finished writing about New Zealand, I thought it might be nice to write about it. I was talking with a friend about my trip this summer and how I set a budget for my time abroad. One way that I as really able to save money and still see a lot was because of this campervan. It served as my hotel, my car, my restuarant, and it was cheaper on gas then my own car at home.

Torey and I were able to split the cost of the rental and gas. In fact, because our campervan used desiel, it was cheaper than when I fill up my Xterra. I only paid about $30 for a full tank in the campervan and we usually just filled up once a day. And even if you decide to book in a campground for the night, it is cheaper then staying at a hostel. So I believe we got our money's worth by trekking around the country in this cute campervan.

As you can see, it was not very big (more like a glorified van). We would fold down the table each night to make a bed. And fortunately we could stand up inside. I thought the company, Pacific Horizon, was good to go with because they also provided a lot of essentials. We had pots, pans, tupperware dishes, platers, cutlery, blankets, towels, and even two pillows. So we felt very taken care of. I would use this company again in a heartbeat!

Kayaking in Akaroa

2006-08-10T19:38:00.000-07:00

I am almost about to write about Singapore. I had no idea it would take me so long to post about New Zealand, but there was so much that we did. Seriously, everyday was full of adventure. In fact, we even kept ourselves busy on the last day. Someone suggested to us the option of kayaking in Akaroa. It is a small coastal town just outside of Christchurch, which was perfect, since we were flying out of Christchurch the next afternoon.

After taking a short drive to get there, we parked our campervan and got something to eat. In fact, we slept right on the side of the street, close to the public restrooms. The next morning we were up early to rent kayaks for the day. For four hours we could rent the kayaks for $30 NZ each. That would keep us pretty occupied. So we walked out to the bay, put on our life jackets and made our way to the island to take a small hike to the top and eat lunch. Of course, Torey and I had trouble with directions the whole time we were traveling and it was no different when we were kayaking. We thought we made it to the island only to discover that we had kayaked all the way across the bay. My arms were too tired to go any farther, so we pulled the kayaks up the beach and started climbing to the top of a short hill filled with sheep.

We stopped in the middle of the sheep and sat on a rock to finish the rest of our pizza which we bought the night before. As we were hiking back down I noticed a bright yellow kayak in the water. I said to Torey, "Is that our kayak or someone else?" We thought we had pulled the kayaks up enough, but apparently the tide was higher then we expected. All of a sudden Torey and I were bolting back down the hill. It was really muddy so we were splashing dirt all up and down our pant legs. We were just hoping and praying that the other kayak was not in the water as well. In though I was really nervous about losing our rented kayaks I was also laughing at the whole situation. It was kind of fun to be running down hill and making a mess of myself.

Torey was faster then me so he jumped into the second kayak which was about to drift away and starting paddling towards our loose kayak. I stood on the beaching, laughing and taking pictures. Thank goodness we didn't lose the kayak, because I don't think we would have known what to do! I jumped into the kayak and this time we paddled to the island, only to discover that it was farther then we had expected and our four hours were almost up. So we headed back to Akaroa.

This bay is known for having Hector Dolphins, which are the most endangered dolphins in the world. I was hoping that we would get to see them. The man who owned the kayaks told us to sing, because they liked the vibrations in the water. So I sang! I sang the whole time we were in the water. I sang lots of Dixie Chicks songs and I sang stuff that I made up. I even made up a song about beating Torey to shore, because I wanted my kayak to get there first. I sang the whole time we were in the water, but we did not see any dolphins...so I'm guessing that I didn't sing all that well. Oh well, that is whole it goes with wildlife.

That night, Torey and I checked the campervan into a site so we could get a good shower in and dry our wet clothes. We ate the rest of our food and went to bed. The next morning as we drove back to Christchurch we saw more wildlife. Sheep! They were walking along the road to a new home. I was driving and trying to take pictures, because seriously, when else do you get to see sheep trotting along the road.

Paragliding

2006-08-08T15:41:00.000-07:00

Two years ago when I first thought about a trip to New Zealand, I came across a beautiful picture on the internet. It was a picture of a paraglider. I was instantly hooked on the experience and told myself that if I ever made it to NZ then I was going to paraglide. Immediately I saved the picture as the background on my computer as a constant reminder that one day I would get to New Zealand.

As plans progressed for the trip, Torey and I were in search of the picture location to paraglide. I wanted the scenery to be beautiful as well as the price to be affordable. We even looked at a lot of different websites until we came across one that seemed to fit our needs the best. It was for a paragliding school, but the price was good at $140NZ dollars and the website promised longer flight times.

After reading up a bit on paragliding, I learned that winter is not the best season to take a ride. You need warm air to keep the chute up. With out warm air, you will basically soar down quickly, at most only fifteen minutes. With warm pockets in the air, you can be up for hours taking in the view. Unfortunately it was not a warm did when we went out. I was hoping that we will still get a long flight time, because the company we used, ParaPro had a motor that could be used as well. Actually, let me back track a little bit a write about the company!

I was in contact with a man named Dave, who I later found out was the owner of ParaPro...heck, he was the company. He made most of his money from teaching locals how to paraglide. However, on the side he would sometimes take tourists out for a spin and make money that way too. He asked us to meet him in a small town outside of Christchurch, called Lyttleton. He would be at the surf shop. When we parked out campervan and headed for the surf shop, he was outside waiting by his car and asked us to jump in. I figured that at some point he would have us a sign a waiver, but he never did. In fact, we met up with his friend whom would be the car driver for the trip and they talked to each other the whole time. It was as if he was just taking friends out for a flight, because he certainly treat us like customers that were paying for a nice experience.

In fact it all happened so fast. Torey went first and he had to put on a jump suit of sorts, then came a very large harness. I planned to take pictures, but before I knew it, they were off. I rode down to the bottom of the mountain with the driver and we picked up Torey and Dave. Then it was back up the mountain for my turn. I followed the same procedure of getting into the jumpsuit, harness, then take-off. The take-off was the funniest part. Dave asked us to run until he told us to stop...just keep running, because he might touch down a few times before we were in the air. I ran and ran, but I was laughing so hard. I think I looked funny when I was in the air and my feet were moving through the air!

I loved paragliding. My guide was a bit weird and he made me pose for five pictures which was a hinderance to what I really wanted to do, enjoy the view (besides, he was old school and didn't even have digital pictures). After all the picture taking I was able to enjoy a five minute soar through the air. It wasn't that cold as we swished back and forth. It felt like I was flying. I always dream of flying and this was the closest experience I have had in real life. I think I know what a bird must feel like. I was quite disappointed when the ride was over, but I realized that there is nothing he can do without hot air. I want to paraglide again and hopefully soon. It was an adventure that I could easily put into my daily life (if only I had the money for equipment).

Milford Sound

2006-08-04T19:06:00.000-07:00

I read a lot about Milford Sound, a beautiful fiord, which is located in the largest national park in New Zealand, Fiordland. The scenery is said to be inspiring. There is only one road that leads to Milford Sound, and it takes about five hours to get there on a chartered bus. We thought about driving our campervan, but the fear of ice and chains convinced us to buy a package deal. We travelled in the comfort of not having to know where we were going, having a bus driver who knew all the best places to stop for pictures, and we got a boat ride in Milford Sound as well.

After an early start we were on our way. I slept a little bit, but was awake to get out each time we stopped along the way. It was beautiful just getting there. I also enjoyed the boat tour. I had one complaint with our tour company, whom mislead us into thinking the boat tour would be two hours. The brochure said it was for two hours, however in the winter months it only runs for one hour. The boat takes you to the exact same stops, but still, I was looking forward to being out on the water a little longer. When I walked into their office to complain, they didn't seem to care. The girl told me that she would, "make a note of it," but never once did I see her write anything down. That bugs me. Anyhow, I will not write a lot in this post, but rather want the pictures to speak for themselves.

Mirror Lake
View on the way to Milford Sound
View on the way back to Queenstown
Milford Sound
A dolphin that swam right next to our boat!

2006-08-02T16:52:00.000-07:00

After enjoying a morning of penguin viewing, Torey and I set out to Queestown. It is the skiing capitol of New Zealand, but neither of us is much into skiing so we would have to make our own fun. Actually, there are many extreme sports to try in Queesnstown, from paragliding, jetboating, to even bungy jumping. I was looking forward to our short stay there, because I had heard of the fun environment.

Although I'm not a drinker, if I was, then there would be a lot of fun bars that I might check out in Queenstown. Such as the World Bar, which is supposedly the place that everyone needs to go to in Queenstown (I didn't) or I might even go to the bar that is completely made of ice (everything is ice, from the shot glasses to the bar stools). We did not spend too much time investing in the night life, however we did get to a local pub, Spreight's Ale House, for a choice steak dinner. We planned this dinner purposefully, because there was a huge rugby match that evening. The All Blacks (a famous NZ team) were playing their rival, Aussie team. Before I left on my trip my brother educated me on rugby and the traditions of the All Black team. I knew this would be a good match to watch and I wanted to experience it amongst the locals.

On our way to the pub we met an Australian family whom was also staying that the campground. Since they beat us to Spreights they offered us two seats at their table (the place was extremely crowded). Then the dad gave me a one-on-one lesson into the game of rugby. I promised to cheer for the Aussie team for his help, but when they left at half-time I switched over to the All Blacks team, who was already winning. It was fun to see the local crowds roar with each point scored. I actually think my night in Queenstown was one of the favorites in New Zealand. In fact, that whole day had been superb.

We started out day with seeing penguins and ended with a night of local activity and filled in the middle with a bit of adventure. Of course I can't forget to tell you about our trip into Queenstown. It was a long trip, atleast six hours of driving, just to get there. I didn't mind so much because the scenery was spectacular. And, when we were almost in Queenstown I saw a sign for AJ Hackett. I immediately turned off at the exit, because I knew what it was for and I wanted to see what was happening.

AJ Hackett is the leading bungy jumping company in NZ. If you didn't know, commerical bungy jumping started in New Zealand with this company. They are basically the people who have strived to make it a safe sport as well, by developing the Bungy Code of Practice, a framework for jump standards. After we parked the car we walked out onto the observation platform to see many jumpers taking a "leap of faith." The first person I saw jump was a young girl, probably around ten years old. She looked fearless. I thought to myself, 'if she can do this, then so can I.' However, my budget was not as excited about this adventure sport. I had spent a little more in NZ then I had anticipated, because we stayed at campgrounds, and I didn't want to spend all my money just in NZ. So I encouraged my friend to go, even though he was nervous.

He really wanted to try the Nevis jump, which is 134 meters versus the 45 meters at the Kawarua bridge (where we were currently observing). Actually, both of us wanted to try the larger jump, but we found out that it is on private land and we would have to book for the next day, which we had already scheduled for a tour to Milford Sound. So Torey decided to jump at the Kawarua bridge instead.

The Kawarua bridge is the site of the first commericial bungy jump. It is a cool place, because if you choose, you can jump so that your head dunks into the water. It was a cold winter day, but Torey decided to brave the cold and choose the dip in the water. I stood on the observation deck and took pictures. I was so excited for him, and a little bit jealous too. I kept thinking, 'just do it, money should not be an issue.' Normally money would not be an issue for me as I would tell myself, 'this is a once and a lifetime opportunity,' but I think my nerves were telling me that I couldn't possibly spend money (when really I was thinking I was too scared to do it).

After watching Torey and congradulating him on his bravery I made a simple comment, "I wish I could do it too." I guess this tugged at Torey's kindness cord, because he said, "Do you really want to jump? Because if you do then I will pay for it and you can consider it a birthday present." I couldn't believe he was offering to pay. After I had been so snippy and uptight he was offering to give me the most generous birthday present I had be given in a long time. My insticint was to say, "no, I can't ask that from you," but his sincerity was strong and I felt a slight urge to just do it, so instead I said, "ok, if you are going to pay, then I'm not going to say no." Immediately I was in the process of filling out a waiver, stepping on a scale, and emptying my pockets.

A wave of nervousness churned through my stomach. I like being adventurous, but most crazy sports, like sky diving or scuba diving, involve a professional who knows what they are doing. To bungy jump I would have to go it alone. I'm the one who would have to jump off the platform and I alone would be dangling from a cord of rubberband. I was admittely nervous to try this. Bungy jumping has always scared me a little bit. Even now, although I think I would jump again, I'm sure I would get butterflies. I took a deep breath, and continued to smile, because I didn't want Torey to know that I was a little scared and then I headed out the door towards the jump.

Once I hit the cold air my nervousness went away. In fact, I was pretty stoked that I was getting to jump for free (thanks Torey). I became instant friends with all the guys working the bungy site. I also felt comfortable as I saw the harness they used, which was the same as our harness at the climbing gym. I knew this was going to be fun and as long as I continued to talk I could ignore any fear that may have subsided. After ten minutes I was slowing scuffling my way to the edge of the platform. I looked down (it wasn't that far), smiled at the camera, waved at Torey in the observation deck, and by the count of three before I could think about it, I jumped out from the platform.

I screamed for joy because I actually did it, I jumped! After a second I thought to myself, 'you are falling' and I stopped screaming and held my breath. Now I was nervous. 'Oh my goodness, this cord is going to catch any second.' My heart started beating faster as I got closer and closer to the water's edge. All of a sudden *snap* and I was going back up in the air, sigh, I took a deep breath, smiled, and screamed with joy again. Heck, this was really fun. I continued to bob in the air like a bouy in rocky waves. In fact, I was also spinning in circles and I could feel my stomach getting nauseous. I think I even said that to the two men who worked the raft at the bottom of the river. Then picked me up, unhooked the rope and brought me safely to shore. It was a fast rush, but notheless a rush!

I BUNGY JUMPED!!! I was practically running up the hill, because it was so exciting. I wanted to go again. I really did it. I conquered a fear. I can actually tell people that I jumped. How freakin' cool is that. It was an exhilarating part of the my day and I didn't want to leave. Torey and I were so high with adrenaline, that I think all frustration between us ceased. Honestly, I am so thankful to his kindness, because without his generousity I would not have jumped. It was an amazing feeling, and now that I know what it is like, I know I will try it again...on my own account!

Penguin Sighting

2006-07-29T01:45:00.000-07:00

We didn't stay long in Christchurch, because it was a little overcast, which is not ideal for paragliding. So after a half of a day we left with plans to return and paraglide a week later. We continued South to a small town on the coast called Oamaru. This town is known for penguin colonies that reside there year round. It is always fun to see animals, even in a zoo, but there is something special about seeing them out in the wild. I was looking forward to a few penguin spottings, and so was Torey. In fact, they are his favorite animals, so I think it was more important to him.

I drove there, because we needed to get there fast and I tend to have a lead foot. We were a few minutes late for the nesting tour, but we got to see all the penguins come in after dark. In Oamaru there are two types of penguin colonies, Blue Penguins and the Yellow-eyed Penguin. We got to see both, but I was only allowed to take pictures of the Yellow-eyed Penguins. After visiting the local information center we were equipped with a map that lead us to the Yellow-eyed penguin breeding ground. We parked the campervan and walked along a trail to a viewing point. There was a small crowd waiting to see these penguins swim out of the ocean and waddle along to the brush. Apparently they are the most endangered penguin species because of a loss of breeding locations. Most locations have been destroyed from human development. After waiting almost forty-five minutes we were delighted by the presence of one penguin who was riding in the waves. After reaching the sand the penguin stood up on his webbed feet and started to waddle up the beach. Five minutes later he was hidden in the brush. Since there were at least twenty Yellow-eyed Penguins I'm sure there where more to come, but we needed to make our way to the see the Blue penguins.

The Blue penguins are being monitored by a research company, so as tourists we paid a small few of $15 NZ dollars to observe the return to their nesting ground. I would have liked this a lot if we were the only ones observing, but unfortunately there was a tourist bus of Japanese mixed in. Normally I don't mind other tourists, but for some reason this group of Japanese tourists were obnoxious and didn't follow the three simple rules. We were asked to sit still with no sharp movements, be quiet, and absolutely no photography. Although the directions where given to them in English and Japanese, they chose to break every rule. As a teacher I was irritated with the lack of respect and obedience. As a spectator of these amazing animals I was frustrated because I couldn't concentrate. Because of their rudeness, many of the penguins did not come to shore and those that did stayed right in their nests.

The bonus of the observation was that we could stay as long as we liked, and the tour group was on a schedule so they left early. After the large groups left and most others left from lack of patience, we were the last ones there. To our amazement, more penguins came out of the ocean. They became very noisy, as it was breeding season, and they all started to come out of the nests. I found out that blue penguins only need to sleep a few minutes every four hours so they are up most of the night. They live in monogamous relationships, usually for life, but there is a small divorce rate. We even got to see them mate. After squawking at each other, they waddle in a circle around each other. Then the male penguin would push the females head into the ground. After that, we observed a quick mating process. This was happening all over the place. I couldn't help but laugh. As humans, relationships are so private and here we got to see it all happen.

Apparently these penguins will nest just about anywhere that is somewhat hidden. The research company has had to relocate penguins that are under houses and local businesses. On our way out, I was driving along the small road when I saw a penguin head poke out from a basement window box. I stopped and waited to see if he would do it again, but it did not happen. We had to leave, because we planned to rise early in the morning to watch the Yellow-eyed penguins leaving their nests.

We got up at 6am to drive back to the yellow-eyed nests and once again waited. After only thirty minutes we saw two penguins walk out of the bushes right in front of the observation point. I couldn't believe how close their were to the observation deck. They weren't shy either, as they paused to look at us. I think they probably stopped to check out the safety of their surrounding before heading back to the ocean, but as they raised their arms and moved their necks back and forth it looked as if their were doing their morning yoga. We stayed for a while to watch as more and more penguins made their way back to the ocean for the day. It was a fun experience to see penguins and at each location we got to talk with a local whom knew quite a bit about penguins. Already Torey and I were enjoying the South Island tremendously.

The South Island

2006-07-27T20:18:00.000-07:00

Everybody told me that the South Island was more beautiful than the North Island. I kept hearing about gorgeous scenery and breath-taking mountain views. I was almost worried that so much hype would create a disappointing result of expecting too much. Our first day was not enjoyable because it was full of rain. I had to take a Dramamine for the ferry ride (I get really bad motion-sickness) so Torey had to drive the whole day. It wasn't a fun day to drive because of all the rain. New Zealand may be small, but the roads are narrow and windy which makes a short distances seem like forever. Not only was Torey driving along a rainy coastline, but it was rapidly getting darker.

Arriving in the rain also created a change in plans. Since we were faced with bad weather conditions, we thought it unwise to drive along the west coast where most of the and ice had landed. If we chose that route we would have to put chains on the tires and neither of us had driven with chains before.

Unfortunately not driving along the west coast meant that we would have to cancel all plans of glacier hiking. I was disappointed about this, but I also realized that our time in NZ has limited. Most people that we met were traveling for over two months, which made our measly two weeks seem pathetic. In fact, before I arrived in NZ I submitted to the fact that I did not have enough time. Although I wanted to do a glacier hike I knew that there were many other adventures planned for the South Island too, including wildlife spotting. Our new plans would take us along the east coast towards Christchurch where we hoped to try paraglidhing.

As it was a cold, rainy, and gloomy day I found that the Dramamine kicked in and I was falling asleep in the passenger seat. Every once and a while I would awake to views of the Pacific Ocean. It looked windy and miserably cold. We tried to stop and take pictures, but it was just too frigid for my liking. Torey was more of a trooper then me. He would get out of the car and I watched, knowing that I would get to copy his pictures!

In the brief moments that I was awake, I was privileged to enjoy the view. I thought, if only it was summer, for then we could park the campervan right on the side of the road, next to the ocean and fall asleep to the sound of waves. New Zealand is quite a convenient place for camping. You are free to park at almost any stop and just stay there for the evening. Had it been warmer, Torey and I would have done this more often to save money. Just looking at the views I knew that in good weather I would be more then happy to park and relax.

I also began noticing different road signs. On the way into Christchurch we saw a road sign warning of seals for the next 4km. I guess there is potential of seal crossing since the road was right on the cliff. Although I have seen seals before, I thought it would be fun to have a seal spotting. Not enough a kliometer from the sign and I saw one, lounging upon the coastal rocks. We stopped to take pictures at a few different spots. I was cold outside, but I guess it was perfect weather for sunbathing or even seal swimming.

It took some time to get into Christchurch and at this point, Torey and I both realized our grumpiness when we had not eaten. Most of the time, we tried to wait until we arrived at our destination before we ate dinner. This time we found a small shop along the highway to pull in. I don't remember what we ate, but the food and the environment were delicious. It was a long day of driving, but at least we had finally made it to the South Island.

Going Home

2006-07-26T07:31:00.000-07:00

Even though I haven't posted about my entire trip I think I should mention that I'm on my way home from Singapore. It has been a good month, but I'm definitely looking forward to my return home. I can't wait to see my favorite cat, Daisy. I have grown attached to her and I miss her. I feel like this trip has been a major learning experience in my life and very invigorating. I needed to do this and of course I will be looking for a new destination. I will always look to travel again.

I anticipate that over the next five days while I am at home I will post like crazy so check back everyday! I will also upload pictures. I have a few thoughts about what I have learned, but I think I will save that for another post. I would like to leave one thought. For this trip I set a goal to read literature about the locations that I was traveling to. When I got to Singapore I made a trip into the bookstore and came out with a short novel by Catherine Lim. I had heard her name before and could see in the store quite a collection of books that she authored. I chose the book, Unhurried Thoughts At My Funeral. Normally she writes romance, but this book was written from her perspective had she died and I liked how she included a few traditions that were Singaporean.

As could be expected about a book written of death, it has some major religious undertones. At the very end of the book after spelling out her doubts she sums things up with a great sentence, which I really liked. I wouldn't say that I doubt my faith, but I just spent a bit of time with a young man whom got me thinking about religion. I found that this quote expressed my thoughts exactly, "In my long and adventurous life, my pursuit of Truth, Goodness, and Joy had sometimes taken me further from God and sometimes brought me closer to Him. Often it had cut me off altogether, when the promised heaven of truth seemed no more than an ashen valley of dead hopes. But it had never stopped me of thinking of Him, even when I most doubted His existence." In all my experiences in life, whether good choices or bad choices, whether I was confused or clear about the road ahead I am constantly thinking about Him. It has been no different for me now. I am grateful for my faith and direction in life and thankful for the precious gift to enjoy traveling. I love to see the world and learn. Exploring new things will always be a part of what I do, but I'm also thankful for the desire to return home. Each is a part of me.

Unfortunately, my time is up at the free internet in the airport. I must board my plane and prepare for a long journey home.

Great Travel Websites

2006-07-24T18:29:00.000-07:00

I subscribe to Budget Travel magazine and I also recieve their free online newsleter each week with good information and deals. This week they sent out a connection to a really fun travel website. I decided to check it out and was so inspired that now I'm posting about it. If you are reading this post, then you should click on the link and check our Matt's dancing travel video. I hope it inspires you to travel just as it has for me!

wherethehellismatt.com

Rainy Days Make for No Fun

2006-07-18T18:27:00.000-07:00

As we headed south towards Wellington, the capitol of New Zealand, we were faced with glummy weather. It took us a little longer to get to Wellington then we had anticipated. I was a little disturbed, because I wanted to use time in the city as "personal time." I needed a break to just relax and do my own thing and I could tell that I was losing patience. It wasn't Torey's fault, I just needed to get out on my own, and each day that I did not have that I found that I became more irritated with him.

My plan was to attend the Te Papa museum alone, but with the terrible weather, neither of us was willing to walk outside. Plus, it was raining so bad that there was flooding throughout the city. It wasn't really wise to drive either. So Torey and I explored the museum together. We got in late, so unfortunately we had an hour to view at super speed. If I ever get the chance to go back to Wellington I would like to go to this museum again. There was a variety to see, from Maori traditional items to colonization momentos. I also liked the museum because it was free! Not many museums are free, so I appreciate that.

That night we checked into a hostel, since we were in the center of a city and we needed to catch the ferry the next morning (if it still went out in the high waves). I could feel my irritation growing within and I finally snapped at Torey. We were both hungry and he wanted to know what we would eat. I said, "you can think for yourself. If you want to go out then go or you can stay and eat with me at the hostel. I just need to make tonight 'me-time,' okay!" He got the hint and dropped his stuff on the bed and walked away. I guess I was kinda mean. I just needed to talk with someone else for a change and it really did help.

Honestly, I think everything got better once we saw wildlife and sunshine!

Whakatane in a Day

2006-07-17T19:54:00.000-07:00

After spending two nights in Rotorua we rose early to get a start over to a oceanside town, Whakatane (promised Fa-ka-ta-na). We wanted to make a trip there, because there is boat tour to White Island, which is an active volcano in the ocean. We booked a tour the day before, dependent on the weather. It would take us over an hour to get there and we would not know if the tour was still on, until thirty minutes beforehand so we made the trip anyways.

Unfortunately for us, the boat trip was cancelled due to rocky water. After arriving in Whakatane, I understood as I saw surfers trying to ride very large waves. Of course Torey and I were a little disappointed about not going on the tour, but we made our way to the local tourist office to gather ideas on hikes and attractions. One thing that is really nice in NZ are the information centers. I realized from day one that NZ is the brochure capitol of the world. They make brochures for everything and each brochure has a different map. Each time we stopped in a town we went into the information office empty handed and we almost always left with our hands full. Plus, the staff at each information office knew local activities to keep us busy and they were willing to make phone calls to book any accommodation, ferry ride, or activity we had in mind.

The women at the Whakatane information center suggested that we do a free city walk to see all the important sights of the Maori tribe who were from the area. She gave us a good map and we started on our way. We found ourselves following the water's edge looking for statues, caves, replica canoes, waterfalls, and even a lookout point. We did find most of the them, but got lost on the way. That seemed our habit for the trip and it was very frustrating. It didn't help that I was beginning to be irritated with my travel partner. We both needed some alone time, which would not come until two days later! We trekked around the town, stopping only when we reached the edge of the coast. Torey walked along the rocks to take pictures and I stopped to talk with a local fisherman.

One of my favorite things to do while in travel is meet people. It was nice to have a new conversation with a stranger. The man I spoke to was Maori, very skinny, and his clothing seemed a bit raggedy. He had a weathered look, as if he had worked outside his whole life. I asked about the catch that day as I watched him reel in another fish. He already had three in his bucket. I found out he was a retired man, sick with emphysema, which was caused by a life of cigarette smoking. He talked about how difficult it was to reel in the fish, because of a low energy level. He was resting while we were talking, but he seemed thankful that he could still walk. It was a simple conversation, but so needed on my part. I just wanted to get out and meet someone different, someone out of my world. The fisherman filled that role and gave me a little more patience for the irritations that I found while traveling with a friend.

Before we left Whakatane, we decided to find a seafood restaurant. Fish and chips seemed like the obvious choice. The information office suggested a popular restaurant called Barnacles, which was smack in the center of the city. I noticed more locals ordering food then anyone else, so I assumed it to be a reputable place. The fish and chips were another story and you will just have to wait to hear about our experience...

Matai in Rotorua

2006-07-13T04:45:00.000-07:00

It has been tricky posting these last few days, but that's because I have been in transition. I am now in Singapore. I wish I could post every night about the things I did, but the fact is I don't have that much access to the internet, nor a computer. I am now lucky enough to be at a hostel with free internet, however I have to limit my time to let other guests on the computer too. I haven't forgotten about posting though, because there is so much amazing stuff in New Zealand that I have to write about.

After Zorbing in Rotorua we decided to take a little cultural experience and learn about the Maori traditions. The Maori are the indeginous people that lived in New Zealand before it was colonized. In fact, it is believed that the first Maori came from Tahiti, because they were forced off the land. The boarded they simple boats, packed some sweet potatoes, and searched for a new place to live. I don't know how long it took them, but when they saw a big white cloud, they knew they had reached new land. In Maori, big white cloud means, Aetoroa, which is the Maori name of New Zealand.

The previous Maoria tribes were a ferocious and war-like people. They had to be to protect their land. You see, once the population got too large some group would be forced off the good land so all the tribes learned skills to prepare them for battle. As colonization took place these skills where turned into songs and dances. Now most of those traditions stay alive through the performances given to tourists. That's where I come in. I really wanted to see a Maori performance They are my favorite of all the polynesian cultures. In Rotorua there were several companies/tribes to choose from, because one-third of Rotorua's population are Maori. After asking the campground staff about our options, we decided to choose the company/tribe that they seemed most excited about, Matai.

We were told that we would be picked up from out campground, taken to their tribe's land, we would get to see a performance, enjoy a delicous Maori feast, and then walk around their tribes land looking for glowworms. All for the price of $80 NZ dollars. Since it was cold outside there tribe also provided nice cozy blankets to keep warm!

At half past five we were picked up in an old school bus at our campground. From there the driver picked up several other tourists on the way to the performance. Eventually we got there and paid as we walked in. Now, New Zealand is so laid back. I forgot to bring our booking form, which was given to us at the campground (the staff at the campground actually called and created the booking) but they said, "no worries." I love that!

After a breif introduction about the upcoming evening, we were escorted into the tribal land to observe a canoe of Maori men approaching. They were barely dressed and had painted tatooes on the butts (sexy!). They were preparing to do the haka, or war dance. Traditionally it was meant to intimate the guests to find out if they came in peace or to fight. After grunting and moving around all fancy the cheif places a peace offering in front of the chief of the other tribe (for our evening it was a chosen guest). I like watching the haka, because it is a bit intimating. I would be scared to fight against men that scary faces at me and tried to scare me with their moves.

Since our guest leader accepted the peace offering we continued to watch the performance. I had seen many polynesian dances before, but I have not always understood the meaning behind the dances. I found out that each dance represented a skill that could be used in war. It was a way for training the young ones. They did a dance with sticks, which would have helped in battle since that is what they would have used to fight. Their were dances that required a lot of wrist movement, which would have built the strength of the arms and wrists. I also enjoyed the performance, becasue we got to hear the Maori music as well.

After the performance we returned to a large tent where our food was served buffet style. We got to enjoy food which was steamed in the ground, such as chicken, lamb, and sweet potato. In addition we had a variety of salads to choose from, plus they made stuffing for the English! It was a delicious meal and our first one that we did not cook ourselves.

After extending our bellies we were asked to get up again and walk around. Thank goodness, because I needed to walk off what I just ate. It was then that we got to see glowworms hanging from rocks. I truly enjoyed the evening, however we hadn't been staying up that late since we arrived in NZ, so I was ready for bed when we returned to the campervan.

For those touring in New Zealand I think it is most important to see a Maori performance to get a full grasp of the country. I had such a good time with Matai, that I would highly recommend this experience!

Zorbing in Rotorua

2006-07-09T00:46:00.000-07:00

After we left the Waitomo Caves we headed over to Rotorua. We had both heard of an extreme sport called Zorbing. I was really looking forward to doind this, because it was inexpensive and still very fun. Do you know the feeling of being a little kid, when you would lay down on the grass atop a hill and then roll down the hill? Wasn't that fun? Zorbing is basically taking that child-like feeling and enhancing it with an inflatable ball.

There are two options to Zorb. You can do the dry zorb or the hydro zorb. We chose the hydro zorb, because we were told it was more fun. To do that we would need to put our swimsuits on and jump inside a very large inflatable ball which has warm water inside. After the ball was been sealed shut, we stood up to walk in the ball (kind of like a hamster does in one of those hamster balls...you know what I'm talking about) until we are rolling down the hill.

It almost felt like a waterslide, except you are contained in one space. Plus you can do this with friends, as Torey and I choose to do. I think it would have been fun to do again, but we already had plans for the evening. If anyone goes to New Zealand, they must try this. It was so much fun. When I return I will do this again.

Waitomo Caves - Black Lab yrinth Tour

2006-07-08T03:19:00.000-07:00

While researching for this trip, we found an adventurous activity in Waitomo (pronounced Wa-e-toe-moe). Waitomo is filled with limestone caves. Of course there are the calm tours that take you within the cave to look at the stalactites and the stalagmites, but there are also tours when are a bit more extreme. We chose to go with the Black Water Rafting Company which provides three main tours. We signed up for the most adventurous, Black Abyss. In this tour we would abseil into the cave, jump into freezing cold water, float along the water to watch glowworms, swim, hike, and then climb back out of the cave in a waterfall.

I was super excited for this, because it was our first organized group activity since we had been to New Zealand. After attending church in Hamilton, we drove about an hour and a half south until we reached the Waitomo caves. Since we were a bit early we relaxed and enjoyed the warmth as the sun was out. That warmth did not last long though, because as soon as we met our guides, Regan and Dunny, we were given damp wetsuits to put on. I left for the women’s changing room which was outside in the cold air and put my swimsuit on, then slowly wedged myself into a wet and cold wetsuit. I then pulled on a long sleeved shirt which was provided to give warmth, then came the wetsuit jacket, booties, and rubber boots. I also had to wear a helmet. From that point on, I was shivering throughout the tour.

I’m generally cold by nature, so I figured that once again, I was crazy to get myself in this message for four long hours of freezing. Luckily though, I did not have much time to think about my troubles as I was the first volunteer to enter the cave. I slowly descended into the darkness. At one point it was a bit scary as I squeezed through a narrow passage. After about forty feet I stopped and a new person was harness in to repel into the cave. I had a lovely conversation with my guide, Regan, about how Washington D.C. got its name. I told him that he asked the wrong person, because I wasn’t going to give him a short answer. As a history teacher I feel obligated to “fill him in” on all the good details.

After about fifteen minutes everyone had entered the cave and walked a ways before we were once again harnessed onto a rope for a zip line in the dark. Actually it wasn’t completely in the dark since we were able to see the glowworms. Glowworms are only found in New Zealand, and they emit a bluish light in the dark. They can be found clinging to rocks in caves and outside on cliffs. I found out that glowworms are really just maggot larvae, and the glowing part is their backside. They glow to attract innocent flies for eating. Even if it is their butt, it was beautiful to behold. I felt like I was looking at the stars.

We had a short break to shiver a bit as we enjoyed a warm snack and admired glowworms. Then the guides informed us that we would be jumping into the water. We would make a ten foot jump into the underground river of freezing water. I am fearful of jumping into water so I did not volunteer to be first. I let most other in front of my and then I took a deep breath, jumped, lifted my feet up and held onto the inner tube that soon became wedged around my butt. After going all the way under the inner tube lifted me up and I gasped as the shock of cold water sunk in. Just thinking about it makes me chilled. We soon began paddling into the cave. I didn’t like this too much because my hands were not wearing any time of wetsuit, so they were bitterly cold. What was probably only five minutes felt like eternity in coldness. Dunny asked us to for a train with out feet on the inner tube of the person in front of us. He then instructed us to turn off our headlamps.

He made a large clap on the water and the sound brightened up the glowworms. The glowworms will eat anything that buzzes, so when they hear sound they brighten. Dunny then pulled us along as we enjoyed the illuminescent view. It seemed that we were looking at stars in the sky, there were thousands of glowworms. Since we were getting wet, I could not take my camera. Even if I had taken a picture, it would not do just to this natural beauty. The cold water was worth such an amazing view. I also enjoyed Dunny’s singing. He tried to get everyone to sing along, but for some reason our group was rather quiet. I tried to sing along, but lost track as I kept looking up at the glowworms.

Our tranquil experience did not last long enough though, for shortly thereafter we handed over the innertubes and began to swim on the river. We swam and we hiked, swam and hikes. We stopped for a break to drink hot tang and eat chocolate. Then we swam and hiked some more. Towards the end of our trip we were asked to climb two waterfalls. I was excited to climb, but I was skeptical about climbing with gumboots and splashing water. I underestimated our fun guides, who directed us perfectly and when I couldn’t reach and move they would practically pull me up.

The tour ended with a hot shower (only I didn’t stay warm, because the showers were outside. I was cold before I even got my clothes on! Then we went into the lodge for warm tomato soup and toasted bagels. It was a freezing activity, but well worth the money that I paid for it. I have thought about it I would do it again and I am a littler nervous about being that cold again, but I think I would. There are too other tours that are provided as well, neither as extreme in temperature. So this is a must-do when traveling to New Zealand.
After the Tour with our guides.

Temple View

2006-07-04T02:27:00.000-07:00

We drove south into Hamilton. I wanted to visit the temple for my church, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. If there is a temple in the location that I’m visiting, then I always try and make a visit. Here is a list of all the temples I have been to.

Washington, D.C. Temple
Provo, Utah Temple
Salt Lake City, Utah Temple
Bountiful, Utah Temple
South Jordan, Utah Temple
Manti, Utah Temple
Nauvoo, Illinois Temple
Denver, Colorado Temple
Palmyra, New York Temple
Los Angeles, California Temple
San Diego, California Temple
Oakland, California Temple
Portland, Oregon Temple
Den Haag, Amsterdam Temple
London, England Temple
Colonia Juarez, Mexico Temple
Oahu, Hawaii Temple
Hamilton, New Zealand Temple

There are over a hundred temples, so I still have a long way to go, but at least I have started!

It was a nice drive to Hamilton, only about an hour and a half. While I was inside the temple my friend Torey had to run to the store. He did not have his luggage at that time, so he needed to buy clothes. He also talked with an older missionary couple from the temple about places to stay for the night. They suggested Hamon Bush. The church owns land about a kilometer from the temple and Roger Hamon is the caretaker. He has been volunteering as the caretaker for over forty years, so it was named after him. He has turned the land into a campground, which is free for those interested in using it. Since we are on a budget, free sounded like the perfect option.

Early morning views from the campground.

Torey called him on our rental cell phone to ask where we needed to go. After giving us directions he suggested that we call and he would meet us out front to prevent from getting lost. Then he changed his mind and suggested we just needed to call and let me know when we were coming, then after that he said maybe we should try to get there and if we got lost to call. I thought it funny how he kept changing his mind. We found the place just fine and he basically led us to the campsite closest to the bathroom. Then he offered us the use of electricity for free. Secretly I was doing a little dance because I knew that I would be warm that night.

The night before Torey and I managed to park right outside a Shell station. I have the smallest bladder in the world and I knew that I would have to go in the middle of the night. Normally I would not mind finding a bush and “roughing it” however the first location that we picked had suspicious activity. I swear there was a drug dealer in the area. I noticed a man sitting in his car for the longest time. Later on two other cars pulled up. One man got out of his vehicle and started towards the park. He kept looking over his shoulder as if he didn’t want to be spotted. I certainly could not go pee with all those men outside, but I also didn’t want to step outside, because it seemed dangerous. We were so tired that we didn’t want to look for a campground so we parked outside of the Shell station. I think the man working that night thought I was a bit odd. I walked in three times to use the restroom. Without heat in the campervan I was wearing thermal underwear, flashy floral pajama pants, a long sleeved t-shirt, a jacket, and a beanie. I know I looked funny as I approached the store at 3am in need of his toilet.

The idea of having heat and restrooms right outside our campervan all for free was music to my ears. Roger Hamon invited us into his place for a chat and a cup of hot chocolate and toast. He was a sweet man. I enjoyed learning about him and why he chose to volunteer on this land. He seemed to love what he did and being able to meet loads of people. It was nice to have a bit of warmth inside as I drank the hot chocolate. Torey and I were laughing a little because he put about a pound of butter on each of our pieces of toast. I almost felt like I was having a piece of bread to go with the butter! I managed to swallow and then politely thanked him for letting us chat. I was too tired for more discussion.

We slept so well. I think heat makes the world a happy place. I love to be warm and I woke up refreshed for the new day. It was a good thing too, because the next day we went to Waitomo Caves to swim in an underground river…brrr.

Auckland, New Zealand

2006-07-02T17:57:00.000-07:00

I really loved walking around the city. It is always nice to learn about a location based on their city life. I find that New Zealand is much the same as the United States, there were a lot of fast food restaurants. I found McDonalds, Burger King, Wendys, Subway, and more. In other ways it also had a European feel about it.

When Torey and I went up the Sky Tower, which I believe is the highest point in the city we were overlooking the surrounding area. It was a clear day so we could see several islands, and many dormant volcanoes. In fact, Auckland is surrounded by 28 volcanoes. We decided to hike to the top of one, Mt. Eden. Most of the volcanoes are very small and we knew this would be an easy hike.

It was a lot easier then we expect and almost anyone could do this, excluding wheelchairs or possibly a double sprained ankle. I liked hiking Mt. Eden, because it was so easy. It only took Torey and I about twenty minutes to reach the top where we were impressed with the landscape. Even kids would like this hike, since they get to the top fast. I knew it was a volcano, but somehow I forgot that it would have a big crater at the top. It was breath-taking. Not only was it large in diameter, but water erosion has created a tier effect.

It has been really cold since I got to New Zealand. I know that it is winter, but I never expected it to be this cold. It is frosting at night and we are only in the North Island. I have been told it is snowing in the South Island. We tried sleeping one night without going to a campground (in NZ you can basically park on the side of the road) but it was extremely cold. Last night we were able to stay at a campground with electricity plug-in for free. It was so warm and I slept really well, so I think that is what we will have to do from now on. It might be a little more then we wanted to spend, but it is also a colder winter then NZ has had in over fifty years. I have a habit of finding locations that are cold (last year in Alaska my boss told me it was an unusually cold summer). Anyhow, while hiking to the top of Mt. Eden I was so hot I actually shed one of my coats, that’s right I was wearing too.

The view was spectacular. I liked the Sky Tower because I could see far into the distance, even into the ocean, but I enjoyed the view from Mt. Eden a little more because it felt natural. This is the way you should view the world, from the top of a high point. There is a sense of accomplishment and wonder after a hike that you just don’t get when taking an elevator. We went at the perfect time of day too. We were there for the sunset. I took a few pictures. It was getting colder as the sun was setting, but we stuck it out just to see the perfect view of the sun setting behind the bay. So even though this was only a short part of my day, it was my favorite.

* On a side note I think it is important that those traveling to Auckland should make a trip up the Sky Tower, because it is very impressive. There are two restaurants, two lookout decks, and two adventure activities to take part in. I will also include pictures from our view at the top.

We also went to one of my all time favorite restaurants, Wagamamas. When I lived in London I would frequent this ramen noodles restaurant. When I found out there was one in Auckland I knew we would have to go there as well.

Airports Have Showers

2006-07-01T17:54:00.000-07:00

When I found my friend Torey, he did not have his luggage. It has actually been a nightmare to find them and we still do not have them! He flew through Southwest to get into Los Angelos and then planned to check in with New Zealand Air. Unfortunately, Southwest did not put his luggage on his flight out to LA, so he had to check into New Zealand Air without luggage. Southwest Airlines promised to forward the luggage onto New Zealand Air as soon as the luggage was received into LA. We assumed it would take another day, because NZ Air only flies out of LA once a day. So after spending our first day in Auckland, we parked the motorhome close to the airport so we could pick up the luggage the next day.

After an early start the next morning we drove over to the airport. While Torey was checking about his luggage, I took a shower. I don't know if this is common in most airports, but in Auckland, New Zealand you can shower for a small fee. It was most refreshing. I had never heard of showers at the airport before, but when we headed for the bathrooms at the airport, we saw two rooms for showering! I wish I would have known this when I was flying for 24 hours! While I was showering I could actually hear through the vents, people moving back and forth to catch flights.

Unfortunately, Torey did not get his luggage at this time. In fact, it looked less promising, because Southwest said they sent the luggage and New Zealand Air said they never received it! Yikes! We were told that we would have to wait another day as New Zealand Air wrote a paper report and said that would try to contact Southwest. Of course we were upset, but there seemed nothing that we could do. We checked all the offices. We went on with our day and Torey headed to the store for a few necessities and clothing. Southwest agreed to pay $100 dollars worth for the loss, please he could file for the rest.

We waited a day only to discover this morning that they still had no records of anything. It was beginning to be absurd. Now my friend Torey, is a really nice guy. In fact, he does not know how to be mean. He was going to just wait on them and I said, "no, we will get to the bottom of this." I suggested that we call NZ air in California and make sure they received the luggage. They couldn't tell us anything. So we had to call Southwest again to find out more information. A thought occurred to me that we needed proof that it got on the flight to New Zealand, we needed a luggage tag number. I don't know why Southwest never gave that to Torey to begin with, but now we had proof that New Zealand had received the luggage! So we called the NZ air office in Auckland again to check with tag numbers. Guess what? They had his luggage there. It was probably there all along. It is a bit frustrating, but at this point, it is mostly a relief that the luggage was found. We have since moved on from Auckland, so NZair will have to forward the luggage to an airport closer to us, which means we still won't see it until tomorrow morning. I'm excited, because then I will be able to post better stories since I will have time to type on his newly charged laptop! I will also be able to attach pictures. The moral is to only trust yourself to get things done and to get travel insurance.

Until then, let me tell you what you have to look forward to. Since we have arrived in New Zealand we have seen many things, such as:
* A sunset atop a dormant volcano
* A view of Auckland from Sky Tower
* The New Zealand Temple for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
* We have experienced to very interesting nights in our motorhome (more to come)
* We have seen lots of local animal life: sheep, cows, ostriches, and more
* We have learned to drive on the wrong side of the road and how to mess that up too
* And we are about to experience and underwater caving tour with glowworms!!

Check back for pictures and details!