Friday was a day of jetlag. Despite falling into a coma at 11:30 Thursday night, I woke up on Friday to Susan’s voice, “Do you guys realize it’s 12:30?” Ah well, what can ya do? We stopped at the front desk to check on using the subway (one of Susan’s favorite things to do is ask the front desk for help…she has suggested doing this most times that we need help, even if we’re driving around in our car) and found the stop without much trouble. The subway seems very similar to that in NYC, which was helpful. One difference is that it is incredibly clean. Overall, a good experience. We walked to the Acropolis. Because of the previous night’s research, we were mostly sure of what it is, but spending a day there cleared some things up. Before entering the Acropolis, we climbed Areopagus Hill, where the Apostle Paul is said to have shared his faith with Athenians. I experienced a moment when my faith suddenly seemed different – this was a very real reminder that my faith is based on true things and that Paul hung out with people who were not of the same faith but were on a journey that he could become involved in. The buildings located on the Acropolis are just amazing. It’s really something to climb a set of marble steps and then find yourself surrounded by such familiar images living where they’ve lived for thousands of years. Our grogginess was brushed aside by the beauty of the buildings, the backdrop of the mountains, and the ocean breeze that seems to be ever-present. As our guidebook says, this is a site that does not disappoint.

Our next traipsing around was at the Plaka. This is the historic district near the Acropolis. It was our first experience with the Greece I had been picturing – narrow stone streets, cafes spilling their tables out onto the streets, live music, hosts of flowers lazing their way down brick walls. We noticed right away that cafes are eager for the business of tourists. Every café we passed meant a greeting and an invitation to stop in. We chose a gold mine. We sat right out on the brick street, interacted with the Greek staff, ate traditional Greek dishes (souvlaki and moussaka) and listened to live Greek music mingled with American dance hits that were lingering over from the shop across the street. This was our first experience with dining out…it seems that you can sit and sit and no one attempts to speed you through your meal. Pretty different from dining out in the US. My only complaint is that I didn’t hear “Alejandro.” Oh well.

We took one last walk through the grounds below the Parthenon to see its pillars lit up against the night sky and caught our train back to the hotel. Our excessively late start to the day had been redeemed by such good touristing.

First let me give a shout out to the Akron Canton airport- I love that place! Everyone is so friendly and helpful. Our flight to Atlanta was just fine despite what we originally thought, given the extra peppy flight attendant with the super high -pitched squeaky voice. Turns out we unfairly judged her in the beginning (we’re working on this). She was actually quite nice. Thank you for the extra peanuts Ashley, and props to Delta for still serving free snacks! Jessica, sporting her new straw cowboy hat (which is very practical and useful, and not at all funny) was my seat partner with Susan across the aisle. We sailed south like flying pros psyched to be one step closer to Athens and laughing over the comment made by Susan’s seat mate who told us to “watch out for the crazy cow girl.” We were on our way, jazzed, pumped, excited….. nothing could stop us now. Bring on the Greek salads and that island breeze! Woo hoo!……..What? What do you mean the flight’s been delayed? You mean we may not fly out today?? Talk about stealing our joy. Apparently there was an airport strike in Greece the same day we were suppose to fly there…what are the chances? Ok, so given the recent unrest in the country, I’d say the chances were “strong to quite strong”, but I really never thought it would affect the trip ….major bummer. I guess that bump to first class is also a no go huh? So if anyone is keeping track, that’s Hawaii 1 Greece 0.

The five-hour layover in Atlanta wasn’t really that bad. I talked to a lady from Cleveland who was originally from Greece and basically told us that our itinerary was great and that we were going to love her country …it was a definite upper. I also managed to walk almost the entire Atlanta airport mainly out of boredom, and also for the challenge-Yes, I still do things just to say I did them- did you not read the blog title? Finally it was boarding time. I was re -energized and so happy to be on the plane.

Four hours later…..
Somebody kill me, I want to die. This is the longest flight of my life. How is it possible that you are sleeping? It can’t just be that stupid neck pillow….How can you sleep sitting up? …..My legs are sooooo jumpy. I know, maybe I’ll just try to lay my head forward on this teeny tiny tray table…..Do you think I can fit on the floor here? Three movies later pretty sure I’m the only one awake on this entire plane.

Ok, so the flight wasn’t the best, but that was quickly forgotten because we were in Athens! Yea! Now about that metro- closed too huh? Why is everyone messing with my plans, and also my good mood??!! I guess I’ll just stand in the longest line in the history of lines to wait for this taxi that will probably over charge me. Ugh.

I can read all of your minds now- “She has quite the nerve, to complain when she is clearly so lucky to be able to travel for five weeks in such an amazing country. She should be ashamed of herself.” I hear ya loud and clear, and believe me, I am trying to keep the complaining to a minimum, and I do realize the awesome opportunity I’ve been given, but seriously, you have to admit, that things weren’t going the best, and I haven’t even told you about the attempted purse snatch yet. In fact, let’s save that for later- I’m bumming myself out just reliving all of this J. (How dramatic am I?)

Now nobody panic, the day wasn’t a total bust. We ended up with a very nice taxi driver who I accidentally over tipped (Euros and dollars are not the same Lantz), and who kindly offered to help us out in the city if needed- (his offer all thanks to my extra large tip I’m sure). Our hotel Centrotel , despite being in a bit of a dodgy area, was so nice. The bathtub had jets, we each got a super swanky bathrobe, and the ceiling even had star lights! We went on a nice early evening stroll through the city to get a view of the Acropolis and to check out our surroundings. We returned to the hotel, promptly looked up the differences between the Acropolis and the Parthenon (You weren’t sure either-oh good that makes me feel better), and had a balcony dinner of delicious salad and peaches.

All in all I’d give the day about a 6, but never fear, we’ve had some really terrific days since this first day of fiascos, and all have been rated much higher.

Incase you’re not sure who is actually on this trip, I’ve posted pictures. These pictures are from our day at the Acropolis, and actually show us inside part of the Acropolis- or at least that’s what we keep telling ourselves. It was pretty funny watching the reaction of some of the nearby tourists as we probably broke some rules by scaling up and into the small little opening.

The first picture is Susan (Jessica and I plan on turning her into a complete adventureist before this trip is over.
Next is Jessica a traveling veteran and co writer of this blog.
And then there’s me, Sarah (incase you weren’t sure who was writing this post J)

Whew, Ok, all the info you could possibly hope to know about our trip across the Atlantic and our first day in a little country called Greece. As a special bonus for anyone who actually read to the end of this ridiculously long winded post, I will grant you the greatest honor of titling this blog entry- aren’t you lucky? Send your suggestions. Best title wins. J

Do you ever find yourself on a really great drive, or maybe not even a great drive, but just one in which your thoughts have clearly taken you far from the road in front of you? You arrive at your destination and wonder, “how in the world did I make it here?” “I don’t recall driving at all.” As I sit on my balcony in Athens, Greece, I’m having a similar thought. Looking at my view, one would think I was in China- or at least that’s what Jessica has said. Each individual boxed balcony has it’s own collection of randomness. CD’s hung from string twirl and sparkle while the greatest breeze blows the hanging laundry and tattered sheets. An array of satellite dishes and antennas cover the rooftops, while soft lights flicker on an off, silhouetting the people inside. The sounds are that of any typical city, Air conditioners kick on and off, trucks shift gears, and the couple on the balcony across the way talks softly, quickly reminding me that I am far from home.

How did I get here? How is it that I am able to describe the final sweet moments of a city being put to bed, and not just any city, but one of the oldest most historic cities in the world?
I guess the short answer would be, a few months of intense planning and one reeeeeeeeally long plane ride across the Atlantic.

For a more meaningful answer you’d have to go back two years, back to a time where life wasn’t really the best, where life seemed stress filled, tiring, overwhelming, and not really much fun. It was during that time that a few friends got together to plan a trip to one of the most beautiful places in the world….you might have heard me mention it before….Hawaii. The trip wasn’t necessarily meant to be life changing, and I guess I dramatize it when I say that, but somehow it was. It was refreshing, and renewing, and all those cliché things that people say when something is just so incredibly fantastic. The Hawaii trip sparked an interest in not just going through the motions of life, but really living it up so to speak. That initial trip made me realize my love for traveling, the beauty of sharing adventures with friends, and the importance of really resting. Needless to say after that trip I was hooked, and soon began thinking about the next trip. A few options were thrown out on the table, but in the end Greece took the prize.

Already Greece has turned out to be quite different than our Hawaii trip (it is a little unfair to have to compete with the trip that has been called, “the one with all the upgrades.”) Things haven’t gone 100% great these last 30 hours, (in our future post, look forward to hearing about a strike, an attempted purse snatch, and a near bachelorette viewing disaster), but there have been things we’ve thoroughly enjoyed and so much more to look forward to.

Jessica and I, along with part time traveling companion Susan, can’t wait to share all of our amazing experiences…and maybe a few not so good ones…with you. We will give our best shot at writing a blog that is factual (at least mostly), witty, informative, and inspiring. We feel like it’s such a gift to be traveling through a new part of God’s creation and would love for you to catch glimpses of our journey as you check in with our blog.

Not sure why I'm choosing to blog right now at 12:30 on a school night....especially when all I thought about today was how tired and cranky I was from getting to bed too late..... Could be because I'm sick of grading projects, avoiding deciding what to wear to work tomorrow, and just too tired to walk up my steps and actually get ready for bed.....or maybe it's because of the stressful day I had and the need to reflect on the good stuff at school, to counter some of the negative stuff. Either way, this will most likely be random, and just for me...so feel free to tune out now.

1. I have an awesome schedule this year, with only one class to teach after lunch, and planning during the school day
2. I have nice small classes...my biggest class being 21
3. My classes are all really unique...and full of characters.....at times they make me insane, but other times they can be so great.
4. I've learned to like yogurt again which goes great with my grapenut lunches
5. Ali and I have mastered volleyball game days at the middle school....we are officially veteran coaches, and can successfully put up the referee stand without killing ourselves...and have finally figured out the dumb score board. The gym teachers sprung for new floor tape, so I no longer have to tape the lines for the game using athletic tape...it's a beautiful thing
6. With the exception of three, all my students have turned in their safety contracts....just a shade under a decade...let the crazy fun experimenting begin
7. My students still fall for the "backroom shocker story"....that just never gets old
8. I have a plant in my room that will be 2 years old soon....it's a resilient thing- I also cleaned my fishtank after three years...it looks great....however all my fish but one died...oh well, less cleaning for me.
9. I helped to write a 2 year technology grant- I was given a new laptop and ipod touch....which I still haven't opened...but seems really cool
10. I have so far, only managed to jam the copier once this year
11 We are now aloud to chew gum at work....I need to add my gum expense to my budget :)- I'm in love with Orbit Sweet Mint and Maui Melon
12. Second homebase is only 3 minutes long...and the kids must be silent....love it
13. I'm aloud to wear an Alliance t-shirt to work every Friday
14. School Counselor Kim always brings fun snacks on Fridays


To share:

- I was doing a lab demo the other day with water, oil and alka-seltzer tablets. We were talking about density a bit, and I mentioned how the oil and water wouldn't mix because the oil is less dense. The kids wanted me to prove it..."shake it up" they said. So I tipped the bottle upside down to prove that I was correct, only to find that the 2 liter bottle containing the oil and water had NO LID.....That sure was fun to clean up....but it was also fun to laugh with my kids about it.

- We were in the computer lab working on scientist projects. I walked passed Parrish who was playing a basketball game on the computer instead of doing his project...I said, "what are you doing?" he responded, "well, I'm trying to get this ball into this hoop"....Not exactly what I meant Parrish......:) Get back to work- You probably had to be there, but we both sort of laughed about it....good kid




So that's all for now- I think I'll try to write down more of the crazy happenings with the kids at AMS this year...these 8th graders can sure be hilarious....who knows maybe some day when they force me to quit teaching because I've been driven insane, I can write a book about the funny moments. Until then I'll just blog.

It’s 2:00 in the morning and I can’t sleep, jet lag I suppose. I thought I might write one final blog about my Hawaii vacation. I could tell you about how the key to our rental car was dropped down an elevator shaft on the day we were leaving… it’s a funny one ( or at least funny now…not so much at the time :))…but maybe I should keep some stories to share with you in person….

It’s so strange to be back in Ohio….I really feel like I just left. I thought I would feel more ready to be back, but I honestly could have stayed another two weeks or so. I don’t want anyone to think that I didn’t miss all my friends and family, because I really did, but it’s just that this vacation was so wonderful. It was exactly what I wanted out of the trip. It was perfect. I spent five weeks doing all the things I love to do. I got to hike almost everyday, I snorkeled, swam, surfed, climbed, jumped (:)), rode, kayaked….basically did every sort of physical activity imaginable….and had fun doing it. I was challenged in a lot of ways, and experienced unexpected thrills and adventures that I will remember forever. Besides that, I also lived basically stress free for 35 days. The biggest decision I had to make was which beach we wanted to spend the day at, or which bathing suit I wanted to wear. I guess that would explain why I feel a little bit overwhelmed right now with “real life.” Starting with opening all my mail…oh yeah, and the visa statement came…..yikes! :)

It’s hard to pick a favorite experience, or even a favorite island (although I’m sort of leaning toward Kauai for that one). Each day seemed to be special, regardless of where I was, or what I was doing. Even the days we didn’t do much, were perfect, simply because of the unbelievable natural beauty that we were surrounded by. The company I kept wasn’t half bad either:). Six different people shared this experience with me, and I can tell you without a doubt, that I wouldn’t have had near the fun I did, without them. I am grateful that they chose to come to Hawaii.
I feel especially thankful for Jessica, who was able to put up with me for the entire five weeks…what a trooper :). I couldn’t have asked for a more amazing traveling partner.

So what now?? So what’s next?? I find myself asking these questions a lot. What do I do now that this experience, this vacation that I spent the last 7 months planning for and thinking about, is over? I suppose I could get real depressed and think about how let down and sad I am that my “fun” is over, or I could start thinking about my next “big thing”… start planning for something else, some other place to go, some other “adventure” to pursue… or I guess I could maybe take a look at option number three…the option that has me excited about “life as I know it”, life in Canton. I feel like Hawaii may have helped to ignite a little spark in me that I feel has been missing for a long time…maybe this was just the thing I needed to refuel my energy for “living”…you know, the day to day stuff. I want to look at my life as the adventure….I want to find satisfaction in the normalness and consistency of it all….I want to find joy in the everyday.

I arrived in Columbus on Friday evening, warmly welcomed at the airport by two of my best friends, and their beautiful smiling baby girls. I sat on their deck under their sun umbrella eating pizza and sharing stories.

I arrived in Wooster at 10:30 pm. I opened the door to the car and immediately heard two little munchkins screaming my name. I couldn’t get out of the car fast enough. I walked around the car and was ambushed with hugs and kisses from my adorable niece and nephew. My brother and sister in law were there too…staying up late just for me.

At 11:30 pm I sat at the kitchen table with my mom, showing her some pictures from my trip and rehashing all the details of each adventure.

At 11:45 pm my Grandpa called to make sure I was home safe, and to tell me how happy he was that I had such a good time.

12:00 The Fraziers arrived…Julie, Dave, Diana, Steve, and new baby Mya. We stayed up until 1:30 talking….they graciously asked all kinds of questions about my trip, and let me ramble on about my experiences…seeming genuinely interested.

11:30 am- I finally woke up…was given a big hug from my Grandma, who faithfully read my blog and emailed me several times during the trip

1:00pm- Went to pick up Mas- got more hugs, and “welcome homes”

2:00pm- Joe and Uncle Rob arrive- All commented on my tan, and said how happy they were to see me :)

3:30- Played lazer tag with my cousins and Uncle Dave ( a bunch of 25-30 year olds, with a 50 year old….completely destroying a bunch of middle schoolers with lazers…what fun)

5:00- Caris paints my nails with sparkles while JJ and I share skittles and honey nut Cheerios.

7:00 pm- All my relatives huddle in the small kitchen to sing happy birthday to my aunt, preceded by cupcake and ice cream eating.

12:10- Arrive at my home in Canton. Spend time talking with my wonderful roommates.

This is my joy.
This isn’t a vacation. This is my life. This is a good thing.

A man we met during our trip asked us where we were from…we said Ohio, and his response was, “Ohio huh?, that’s a different kind of paradise.”

I love that

What makes a “paradise”? Is it the place? Is it the scenic beauty of something? Is it an activity? Or is it really just a combination of all the things in this world that make you happy, that make you smile? These are things to hold onto, these are the things to get excited about. Hawaii was beautiful, Hawaii was wonderful, Hawaii was a tropical paradise, but I think true paradise, is what awaits your return.

In Jessica’s Words

I suspected that Lauren really wanted to jump, or at least that she thought she did. And one of the most important things to me is not letting down kids. Plus, I was remembering 20 year old Jessica and how she would have jumped without much thought. Where did that girl go?

Here are thoughts that kept going through my head (not sure if everyone else had these thoughts): 1) This is perhaps the safest of the risky things we’ve done on this trip. 2) You have done this before. Why can’t you do it again? 3) What if we drive away, and I’m still dry because I never jumped? 4) I love the feeling of free falling 5) But the strongest of all- you do not jump off cliffs. Everything in my being was telling me this.

At one point Beth and I decided to jump together. The plan was to run and jump. I realized what a great feeling it would be to run and just leap out into the air. How freeing. But as soon as I got to the edge, the breaks were involuntarily applied. I think I made an audible screech. And then I saw Beth. She’d done it. She sailed through the air beautifully and glided into the water. At the moment she surfaced, I knew I was the worst friend ever. She’d probably break up with me. And I also knew that I had to do it now.

Sarah was a real riot. She has shown such little regard for staying on the safe side in the adventure department but she was so hesitant about jumping. What a mystery. But she did it. I don’t know what nudged her, but it was beautiful. I love that the jump is long enough that you have time to process what’s going on. It was wild to think about Sarah and Beth just falling through the air.

It’s hard to write about what happened between Sarah’s jump and mine. It’s just a mess of the previously mentioned thoughts. I know I stood at the edge, and for a reason I don’t know, I stepped off with one foot and then fell through the air. It was pretty amazing for a second. My eyes were closed for most of the fall, so I was pretty disoriented and didn’t know when I would hit. As soon as I hit the water, I knew Sarah had lied to me about it not hurting. What a good friend. I would have been more hesitant if I had known that my ass was basically about to be ripped apart.

Lauren was left. We did what needed to be done. We told her it didn’t hurt at all (not true) and that she would be fine (completely true). She jumped pretty quickly. She looked awesome. I loved the view from the ocean. We all swam toward each other to celebrate. Sarah and I apologized heartily for lying to her.

We fought with the ladder for awhile, and I realized that Beth is pretty scrappy for having made it up so quickly. We gave up when a local told us to swim around the rock cliff. We did, and with the help of Beth’s flashlight we climbed out easily.

Reuben called his daughter a Rock Star. He was genuinely proud and thrilled. I wish all 13 year old girls had affirmation from their dads like that.

Pretty scary, pretty fulfilling. Glad to have shared it with inspiring new friends.

In My Words

Holy cow that was the scariest thing ever! Every part of me was willing Jessica not to make the “lets do it” decision. But then she uttered those words and power walked to the car for our towels. She was determined. It was on, and I was afraid. I had experienced cliff jumping before in college, and hated it, but I tend to let peer pressure get the best of me, and so I slowly followed her, all the while muttering, “I don’t want to do this.” My legs were shaking as I stripped down to my bathing suit, and did the dooms day walk to the edge.
In every other situation on this trip, I’ve been scolded for getting too close to the edge of crazy cliffs like the one I found myself standing on that evening. Now I was suppose to tell myself, “go ahead and hurl your body off that cliff into the Pacific it’s totally ok” The battle in my head was so intense. I knew I had to jump (there was no way the others were having this adventure without me). I was actually kind of annoyed with myself for being such a pansy about it. Although I guess it showed that I still had some sort of common sense left…..YOU’RE NOT SUPPOSE TO JUMP OFF OF CLIFFS! Well, I’m not sure how I ended up in the air, but it happened. I vaguely remember yelling geronimo, and then all breath left me, my heart jumped into my throat…I was free falling. The impact was harder than I had imagined…my neck, chin, and ears took the brunt of it….then came the rush of saltwater…violently invading every opening….ears, nose, mouth…It wasn’t the most pleasant experience of my life, that’s for sure…but I’m so glad I was able to do it. It was also fun getting to watch Jessica butt smack, and Lauren’s look of “oh my goodness!” as she surfaced was priceless. J Thanks Jessica for picking this adventure…I suppose it’s payback for all the other crazy stuff I got you into….what an experience!….but let’s not repeat it ok? J

What a difference a day makes. Today I walked out of my hotel in Waiki with a laptop in hand, along with my camera, Hawaii guide book, and beach coverup on. My hair was down for once, and I was sporting my flipflops and clear sunglass (which for the record, have next to no real sun protection, but do look cool- oh, and I lost my real pair in Maui in case you care :)). I’m probably in one of the most touristy spots in the world and I actually don’t mind. It’s sort of a welcome sight after the remote settings on the big Island. Last night we walked around the city after sunset…Wow….we actually saw stores, and lights, and lots and lots of people…quite a difference from the other islands where the sun goes down, and then the towns shut down. We had pizza on the beach, and then margaritas at a super hip Mexican restaurant.
This morning we got up early to avoid the malahini’s (that’s Hawaiian for stupid tourists) at Diamond Head Crater. We wanted to get a hike in before our day at the beach. Well, apparently everyone had the same idea. It was a “people watching” hike… complete with starbucks in hand, I followed all sorts of people….families with cute kids, couples, teenagers….just about everyone was hiking up to the top of the crater for a view of the city and ocean from the top. I’m not sure this was the best hike to be enjoying and “extra hot” hot chocolate. The shadeless switchback trail continued to climb until it was replaced with steps going straight up, then a cool tunnel, followed by more steps that of course we just had to run up. By the time we reached the summit, I felt ready to burst into flames. The view was well worth it though.

Now I’m in the car, with Jessica behind the wheel (navigating expertly through the crazy traffic….she’s awesome (how’s that for your shout out? :)). I’m happy not to be driving, so I can enjoy the sights on our way to the North Shore. We have no real plans, just a beach, maybe some surf time, and one more hike just for good measure. We’re trying to fit in as much as possible before we fly out tomorrow evening- I’ll use another blog to whine and cry about that later..:) Until then I’m enjoying the warm sunshine in Oahu.

So, I’m back in my hotel listening to Friends on the “internet box” thinking about the day. Hmmmm let’s see, what to say about the North Shore? Oh, I know….you know that really cool, fun, summer, Hawaii activity called surfing that everyone thinks is so great….well, let’s just say, it’s not as easy at it looks. Oh sure, when you’re at your little rinky dink surf lesson and your instructor is pushing you into the puny shore waves and coaching your every move, you think you’re a stud. The real thing is a bit more challenging. We rented boards today from a guy named “Uncle Bryon” who claimed to be a surf coach for a lot of famous surf champions…I partially believed him…I also believe that he was trying really hard to sell us a surf lesson. We declined…after all, I had a surf lesson on Kauai and as a teacher I felt completely qualified to coach my friends on how to ride the waves…..Wrong again…..I told them everything I remembered and then left them on the high seas to fend for themselves…..nice. The water was so rough, it was like it forgot which way it was suppose to flow… “Go toward the beach stupid waves!” Instead the water was whipping us to the left….always away from the waves we were trying to ride. There was no time to rest. If you stopped moving your arms for one moment the wind and current would just take you more and more away from where you were wanting to be. I was determined to ride some waves so I continued to drive my way through the rough sea…all the while thinking how much my arms hurt, and how badly my eyes stung from all the salt water and sun screen….I began singing some beach boy’s classics in my head to try and liven my mood…that didn’t really help…the cheerful little surf ditties that they sing just sort of felt like lies at that moment…I needed some “I of the Tiger” rocky stuff to get me through this. Meanwhile, my surf buddies were struggling too. Jessica was tossed like a rag doll…I could hardly see her through the waves. She later told me that about 10 minutes into the “fun” she had abandoned the goal of riding an actual wave, and adopted the new goal of making it back to the shore, which was now about a mile away. I later had to pull a bay watch and rescue her…it was a good old fashion adventure at sea. (“yeah, it was bitchen”- Jessica’s quote- apparently she’s still a little pissed :)) I only crossed paths with Beth a few times, but the look on her face told me exactly what she was thinking, “this is the worst $20 purchase ever!” I think I rode maybe two actual waves- one of which was pretty awesome. I guess I could say that made up for all the hardships I encountered…..then again, maybe not. Did I mention it also started to rain (that really helped to calm the seas…) While attempting to stand up I fell and hit my chin on my board, another fall and I scraped my foot on the rocks below, the third fall I wound up under my board and banged my head, and then when I tried to get out of the water, the huge ass board attached to my leg (which I find quite dangerous) whipped around and hit me right in the ankle. I think that was my breaking point. I was done…get this stupid rash guard off of me, and take me home!

Alright alright, I’ve had my hot shower and my final mai tie of the trip….I think I’m in a better place to discuss the North Shore. I’m not going to erase any of my previous writing…my feelings were true about the surfing, however, I will say… “ I went surfing on the North Shore of Hawaii!” How awesome is that?….and let’s face it, you know deep down I loved every minute of it. I live for that….so hard you want to quit, challenge yourself, kind of stuff. The beach we went to was super nice and sandy. The weather held up until 5:00, so the tanning was good, and we took the long way around the island home, so I got to see some amazing mountain/ocean scenery. All in all I would say it was quite a good day. The drama queen stuff just makes the writing more fun :). However, I have an even greater respect for the “real” surfers of the North Shore….they are the true studs.