Punta Cana, Part 2

Punta Cana, Part 1

No wonder I got sunburned.

 

My Day in Miami

After graduation, Keith and I flew through the canyon to pick up our luggage and head to the airport.  All of our rush was wasted, however, because once we arrived we found that 1) no one likes to fly on Friday evenings; 2) lines were incredibly short for both check-in and security; and 3) one of our flights had been cancelled.  What was once a 2 hour layover in Miami before hopping a plane to San Juan had now turned into an 11 hour layover before moving on to Punta Cana.  Instead of arriving at our destination at 11:30 am the next morning, we wouldn't arrive until 7:45 pm the next night.  Talk about lame!!!

Stuck in Miami for 11 hours, we asked ourselves a question:  What does one do when they leave SLC at 8:00 pm Friday night, arrive in Miami (through LAX) at 6:30 the next morning, hasn't showered, hasn't slept (because, really, who can sleep on an airplane?), is already travel worn, is hungry, tired, stinky, and crabby, and has 11 hours to kill?  We go for an adventure is what!!

We ended up renting a car (my first!  I asked for a small sedan; they gave me a giant Tahoe), we ordered a GPS, and we let ourselves loose into the Florida sunshine.

It did take us a little while to figure out where we wanted to go and how to get there.  The city itself was not impressive, but once we got out of the city to the water, it was gorgeous!  We got on to a toll road and drove to a small key.  Blue sky, blue water, bright sun, beautiful!  We ended up going to the Miami Seaquarium. I had a blast!  Too bad Keith kept falling asleep...

We watched a dolphin show or two (and had fun getting splashed):

(It's a good thing Keith is tall and can see things and take pictures over other people's heads)

We saw the sea turtles sun bathing:

We watched the manatees swim around:

We saw the crocodiles lounging:

And then my camera battery died.  But not before we got this AWESOME shot--Proof that I actually did spend a day in Miami.  (See how gross we look).

After the Seaquarium, we were so hot and sticky from the heat and humidity, so ravenously hungry, and so afraid that we'd get lost in the city and not find our way back in time that we decided to head back to the airport.  And then we crashed as soon as we sat down.  Too bad it isn't very comfortable sleeping on the chairs in the terminal...

Next up: Punta Cana, Dominican Republic!!  And maybe something about the new jewelry I acquired.

My Recent Adventures

10 Things I've Done in the Last 10 Days:

1. Graduated graduate school
2. Rented my first car
3. Was splashed by a dolphin
4. Got a new stamp in my passport
5. Swam in the ocean
6. Ate a cocoa nut and fruit
7. Got a really, really bad sunburn
8. Drove my first dune buggy
9. Received my first massage
10. Changed my facebook status to "Engaged"

Which adventure would you like to hear about first?

Pictures From Yellowstone

So...about a month ago the whole family went to Yellowstone. 

It was awesome.  Here are some pictures.

Jamison next to some stinky hole

 

Gibbons Falls



Another stinky hole

Coleman and William at Norris Geyser Valley

A Buffalo!!!

A big rock

Colette, Vera and Jamison at the 45th Parallel

The Petrified Tree

There is a moose in there...somewhere

Something crazy happened here a really long time ago

Tower Falls

A milky, stinky hole

 

Valley of the Stinky Holes



Old Faithful

Fire Hole Lake

Mom and Dad at Upper Falls

Coleman, Daniel, William, Maggie, and Megan (and some dude's backside) at Upper Falls

The Grand Canyon of Yellowstone

We had fun.  You should come next time.

P.S.  My apologies to any family members who were not featured in this long list of pictures.

P.P.S.  Where am I, you may ask? 

Honestly, I had a giant zit on my face the whole trip. 

No need to document that.

Where I've Been

I have traveled all over the world today:

I began my journey in sunny Cedar City,
I dined at a pub of Ireland's emerald isle,
I visioned a summer's dream in the forests of Greece,
I tasted Southern-smoked hospitality of the Texas plains,
I went for a short ride through the desert of Arabia,
And then I ended the evening in a little town of Italy.

Perfect.

Now, if only I'd been able to make a jaunt up to Canada...

My First (and Last) Swim in the Ocean

I had never seen the ocean before.  I think I had imagined it being somewhat like Ariel's mermaid land, with schools of colorful fish, fields of sparkling coral, and a secret king and castle.  It ended up not being exactly how I had imagined it, or even really being the ocean--it was just San Francisco Bay--but to my 4-year-old eyes, it might as well have been the lovely world that I had dreamed.  It was blue, it was beautiful, it was big, and I didn't know the difference.

This was the vacation of my short life.  Coming from land-locked Utah, this was my first experience with the coast and California, my first time to the land of surf and sun.  Everything was new and exciting to my brother, sisters, and me: the bridges, the fog, the boats, the steep roads, and the smooshed houses. And we couldn't wait to get into the water.

We parked our car at the side of the road near the cars of other tourists, and made our way past the rocks down to the sandy shore.  A bridge was to our left, spanning the watery vastness, and to our right, the glittering sea leading to infinity.  We didn't have the time nor the gear to go swimming but we had a few moments to wade to our heart's content.  We eagerly took off our shoes, rolled up our pant legs, and ran into the water.

It was slightly chilly, regardless of it being July, but we splashed and stomped and were generally carefree.  The wet sand squished between my toes and the little beach was littered with little shells.  It was a great day to be a kid.

Suddenly, the tide came in.  A wave too strong pushed and grabbed and knocked me off my feet, tossing me into the greedy water.  The ocean's cold kiss filled my mouth and nose, engorging me on the salty sea.  Her icy fingers entangled in my hair.  Her raspy laugh echoed in my ears.  And her hungry arms engulfed my body, tugging me towards her deep.  I was caught in the ocean's deadly embrace.

But the tide goes out as quickly as it comes in.  After the eternity of a second, the water released me, spitting me out on the muddy sand.  The ocean was no longer beautiful.  I no longer cared for its bluey hue or its hidden treasures.  It had betrayed me, attacked me, and left me crumpled on the beach.

Gasping and sputtering, I did what any 4-year-old would do once I could breathe again: I cried for my mommy.

Wishing and Hoping and Thinking and Praying

Keith's family invited me to go to Disney World

with them in a couple of months. 

I really, really, really want to go. 

So the question is:

How do I convince work to give me time off during our busiest time?

The Airport Hustle Shuffle

Have you ever had a chaotic day at the airport?  In all my travels, I have never had any problems.  Never a delayed flight, never a lost bag, never a worry. 

But last Thursday, all that changed....

Flight Plan #1: SLC to BOI to SEA to BLI

I had never flown the Boise before, but as I was a little late in booking my ticket, it was the cheapest option. Plus, I’m always up for an adventure and Boise seemed like a fun place to go.

As it is, I still have never flown into Boise as my flight was delayed enough that had I waited I would have missed my connection to SEA. Seeing that I wasn’t going to make it, I called the customer service line to make new arrangements.

And, as it was Memorial Day weekend, the best they could do for me was a flight for the next day. Incredibly discouraged, I left terminal and went to find my bag.

Flight Plan #2: SLC to SEA to BLI for the next day

At the baggage claim office, I was met with an extremely grumpy old man.

“Your bag is already on the plane. I can’t help you.”

“But the plane is still here. Can’t you get it off?”

“Nope. It’s on the plane. It’s going to Bellingham. You’ll have to make a claim there.”

I left his office and called my boyfriend, who seemed even more upset than I was at the delay and baggage situation. We discussed possibilities (and people to pick up my bag) and then I headed to the ticket desk.

The ticket agent was awesome. Tossing around a bunch of different scenarios (“Anything to Vancouver? How about Kelowna?”) we finally found something that might work.

Flight Plans #3 and #4: Standby SLC to SEA to YVR; or SLC to YVR for the next day

It was decided: Vancouver was my new final destination. If I made that afternoon’s standby flight to Seattle, then I would make it to Vancouver by 7:30 that night. If I didn’t make the standby, I was scheduled for a direct flight the next day. Now, what about the bag?

Back at the baggage office, I was relieved to find a different person behind the desk. And this guy was cool. Not only could he retrieve my bag (because the Boise plane was still there), I had it back in my hands within 10 minutes.

I ran my bag back to be sent off to Vancouver, took 30 minutes to get through security for the second time that day, and ran to my terminal in the furthest reaches of the airport. Once at the gate I checked in and waited.

Unfortunately, two unlucky souls missed their flight to Seattle. Fortunately, I was one of the lucky souls to take their seat on the flight to Seattle. It was amazing! I was so excited to make the flight that I completely forgot that no one had given me a boarding pass for my flight to Vancouver…

In Seattle, I asked my arrival gate agent about my Vancouver flight. He told me the gate and flight number, and sent me to talk to Horizon. At the Horizon desk, I told them I was supposed to go to Vancouver but didn’t have a boarding pass. Their response?

“You aren’t going to Vancouver.”

Flight Plan #5: SEA to BLI

These people have got to be kidding me!  No ticket to Vancouver?  Keith is supposed to pick me up in Vancouver.  I swear there must have been a conspiracy between all airlines to make my day as long and frustrating as possible.

“What?” I exclaimed in surprise. “I was told that I was going to Vancouver.”

“No, you are not going to Vancouver. You are going to Bellingham,” they said.

“But my bag is checked to Vancouver.”

With a phone call and the click of a few keystrokes, my bag and I were placed on a flight to Bellingham. And miraculously, an hour and a half later we both turned up at the same airport at the same time. In fact, I arrived at my original destination at the original time and on the original flight I was were originally scheduled on. 

How's that for craziness?

In the end, the day's weariness waned as soon as I got a kiss from my boyfriend.  Keith picked me up in Bellingham, we drove across the border, and had a wonderful evening together eating Japanese take out and coconut cookie dough ice cream while watching half a movie.

Stay tuned--more Canadian adventures to come!

Canada in Autumn

Things I learned while in Canada:

Kalamalka Lake



• Pumpkin picking is an art
• 115 kilometers = 71 miles
• I am really short
• Maria loves me
• "Sorrow" is pronounced "Sohrrow"
• Apparently I'm a brown-noser
• "Jam" in Spanish is "mermelada"
• Displacement is real...as is gravity
• I should take more pictures
• British Columbia is pretty
• The Ogopogo is something akin to the Loch Ness Monster
• If I'm hungry enough, I can eat a tuna fish sandwich, even if it has pickles in it
• Little boys who wake up and play video games at 6:00 in the morning should be shot
• Canadian Thanksgiving is almost as good as American Thanksgiving...almost
• I really like my boyfriend :)

   Things I've learned since I've been home:

• I'm still really, really tired.
  

  

  At the Pumpkin Patch

The Tuesday Drudge, Part III

Going to Canada:

Awesome

Going to Canada by way of the Seattle airport:

Not so Awesome

Driving through beautiful British Columbia:

Awesome

Driving through beautiful British Columbia for 

four plus hours twice in a cramped Smart Car:

Not so Awesome

Spending those four plus hours twice plus some

cramped in a Smart Car next to my boyfriend: 

Awesome

The fact that my trip is over and that today is Tuesday:

Not so Awesome and Completely Lame.

Sun, Salt, and Spirals

Today I went to the Spiral Jetty.

Between the salt, rocks, lizards, cow pies, jack rabbits, dirt, and dead pelicans,

it was quite the adventure.

It was hot.  And bright. 

And I got a little sunburned.

But it was awesome.

Thanks, Erin and Amanda,
for helping me cross another item off my "To Do List",

and for making my 12th grade Art History dream come true!

Scotty Lives!!

Scotty has had some new adventures! 

Check out the capricious canine at

http://www.superscotty.blogspot.com/.

Thanks Chelsea and Dave for the fun!

I think I may need to take Scotty on my own Canadian Adventure. ;)

My Literary Vacation in Poetic Form, Year 3

This weekend last, to Cedar City our way did wend
With friends Charlie, Jane, Al, and Will to spend.

First Charles Dickens, his Great Expectations to see
All played in musical score, most set in minor key.

Young Pip is poor, with opportunity and learning scant
Until one day when mysteriously his wish was grant:

To become a gentleman, his desires to pursue
Finery and riches, a life different than what he knew.

Miss Havisham is bitter and Estella’s heart is cold.
In truth Pip’s future the convict did control:

A good deed done, a debt and life to compensate.
Pip becomes a better man, his expectations great.

At show’s end all is well, most repentant and ashamed
Of the way they lived their lives; friendship again reclaimed.

39 Steps was the second show we did attend
The goal to discover ‘who done it’ in the end

A night at the theatre, Richard did regret,
As he got involved in a game of deadly roulette:

For he was framed for the pretty spy’s demise,
And then ran to Scotland to find the truth behind the lies.

Madcap and mishaps later, Richard finally cracked the case
Discovering the secret and putting the professor in his place.

Four actors and a comedy, the audience did roar.
This Alfred Hitchcock parody certainly did score.

Of Pride and Prejudice, Jane Austen wrote with wit
The characters jab and spar, a romance she does knit.

Five daughters of Mr. Bennett, much accomplished and called fair,
All in want for a husband, rich men their mother hopes to snare.

Two gentlemen soon come to town, Mr. Bingley a delight,
To the contrary, Mr. Darcy finds the country rather trite.

Jane and Bingley are in love, Elizabeth is sure;
Mr. Darcy sends him to London, thinking it a cure.

Mr. Wickham is a cad; he takes Lydia for a ride.
Jane and Bingley reunite, she will be his bride.

Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy, each proud and stubborn too,
Find they love each other, despite their different view.

Shakespeare was the last of the writers we did meet
His Much Ado About Nothing was the perfect treat.

In Messina, Claudio his love for Hero does declare,
While Benedict and Beatrice are a contemptuous pair.

They pronounce their much dislike, but all others do insist
That Benedict and Beatrice love, the others’ game persist.

Frivolity and jest do follow, as each love they have denied,
Yet, see that the true feelings of their hearts they cannot hide

Claudio thought Hero proved untrue night of marriage eve,
Her he slayed with slanderous tongue, though he was deceived.

Truth uncovered, Claudio’s remorse, Hero proved not dead,
A happy end for all, with Beatrice and Benedict to wed.

Next season will be historic: they mark the fiftieth year;
To this summer’s shows and plays I give a hearty cheer.

--Me

Click here for "My Literary Vacation in Poetic Form" Year 1 and Year 2.

Where I Have Been

If you haven't noticed, I've been gone.
Well, not really gone as I didn't leave the country, or the state,
or even the Davis/Salt Lake/Utah county area.
But I have been MIA. 

I took off work, Keith came to town, and we played all day long.

Unfortunately, when I'm with Keith I usually have other things than photography on my mind...

so there aren't a whole lot of pictures to share. 

But we did have a whole lot of undocumented fun. 

Here is some of what we did:

Of course we also got together with family and friends, attended a couple of BBQs, went to a parade,

ate some really yummy food, watched a few movies, saw fireworks,

snuggled on the couch, and just hung out.

It was our way of cramming 3 months worth of dates into 1 week.

It was totally awesome!!!