Honestly, I am always amazed we survive! I will tell you why. It is simple. People die while hiking. And people die at Utah’s Donut Falls (some spell it, Doughnut). Last year at Donut Falls a woman fell 100 feet to her death. In 2003 a giant boulder crushed a young man. He was killed as he heroically pushed his friend out of the way. And just yesterday, (the day we were at Donut Falls), a guy fell 12 feet, landing on his back and was seriously injured. Why oh why would I take my children (and the children of our friends) into the death zone?
Yellowstone National Park: I’m not overreacting. It is scary!
I just said it: taking my loved ones here makes no sense. And in the interest of full disclosure, I think it is also important that I also mention (here and now) the fact that I may be totally obsessed with freak accidents (I am). I have read every death-in-the-mountains book I can get my hands on. Additionally, I was seduced by our friend’s coffee table book, “Death in Yellowstone,” while visiting a cabin near Yellowstone National Park. I will never forget reading about the dude, that generous man, who was burned to death jumping in a hot spring after a dog. No. Not his dog. Someone else’s dog slipped into a boiling spring, and this man was killed trying to save another person’s dog. Um, and thank you, stupid “Death in Yellowstone” book! The scars you inflicted are deep! Your scary stories haunt me! And your warnings freak me out! May I give your owners a suggestion? A book called “Death in Yellowstone” placed in a cabin near Yellowstone National Park may not be the best reading material to offer your houseguests.
Bryce Canyon National Park
Here is where my obsession with freaky stories jumps into my own reality. I have watched, helpless, our two-year-old Kyle walk his cute little toddler self off of a giant cement sculpture, and (thankfully?) landing on the crumple zone of his face. His teeth still wear the scars. Consequently, for years I death-gripped Kyle’s arm, grabbed the back of his shirt, and the back of his head (his hair), in my successful attempts (knock on wood) to save him (completely unaware) from running off of a fifty foot cliff (Moab’s Fisher Towers, for example, and Bryce Canyon’s Wall Street, for another). Now every single time our family goes on a hike, the blood leaves my brain, fills my achy-breaky heart, and the crazy voice in my head screams,
“Alert! Alert! Alert! Keep your eyes on your boys! Keep your eyes on your boys. Must save them! Must prevent crisis! They could fall to their death! Alert!”
Then as I see Kyle wander desperately close I yell,
“Dave, Dave, D’ah’AVE, Please! Look at how close they are TO THE EDGE! Please!” followed by a, “Kyle, Kyle. KYLE, please, STAY ON THE PATH! If not for yourself, do it for my sanity! Please!”
Ask Dave (or the boys). They will tell you.
“Yes, Beth is full of death grips and crazy screams!”
I would argue that in all the cases my crazy screams are founded. Dude, I do not have a spare. Sure, Dave may laugh a little, but he knows, as you do now, that our lovely Kyle has come way too close to base-jumping without a parachute. (Oh thank God, Eli stays on the trail!) Parental-Hiking-based-PTSD, absolutely!
Donut Falls Hike
Sunday (Father’s Day) we went on a hike with our friends Nate, Emily and their three lovely red headed children. As we all stood in in a very long line of people both coming and going in the 90 plus degree high-altitude heat, next to a fast flowing mountain stream, I imagined that we were actually waiting in line to climb Mount Everest’s deadly Khumbu Icefall. In case you do not know, the Khumbu Icefall is the place where people waiting in a long, stalled line, lead to great disaster. Here at Donut Falls the lines were also uncertain. People were walking in water to get around one another. Babies seemed fragile in wet arms. Feet were getting wet, shoes and tall socks were getting soaked (especially Eli’s). One flip-flop was last down stream, and Dave sent Kyle after it. And near the big warning sign there were people sitting eating watermelon. They offered us a piece.
I watched Kyle climb higher. He was completely out of my reach. He is taller, stronger, and bigger than I am. It made no difference. His life flashed before my eyes. There were so many people between us. Eli was sitting on a boulder. Dave was half way up the rock face between Eli and Kyle. I was on the other side. In a matter of seconds, my face went from acceptable summer glow to Goth-white. As I felt the blood rush out of my head, I knew it was time to executive-decision myself. Then I uttered these words:
“I do not want to project my hiking PTSD onto my boys.”
Donut Falls HikeDonut Falls Hike
Instead, I took a deep breath and watched. I distracted myself. I looked through my camera lens. I gave the boys several thumbs ups as I continued watching from afar. Kyle and Dave kept climbing higher. I will admit I was freaking out, especially as I watched them get so close to the wet rock and the raging waterfall. So far away from their listening ears I blurted, “I cannot look,” and as I stared up at Dave and Kyle, I asked, “Emily, Will you look?” She said,
“Of course.”
I quickly followed with,
“Ok. I have to look. No. I can’t. Nate, Please tell me when Dave and Kyle are on their way down. Please!”
Kyle and Dave both made it down. Sure, Dave ripped up the backside of his shorts, and Kyle was a sweaty mess, but they made it. Here is the deal. Hikes can be crazy, dangerous, and out of control. Heed the warnings. Be prepared. Bring and drink plenty of water. Wear proper shoes. Know your limitations, and pay attention. If there are too many people waiting to climb safely up, be patient. You will get your turn. I promise. You will be ok.
We survived the Donut Falls hike!
By the way, I love the Donut Falls hike. Utah’s Big Cottonwood Canyon is one of the most magical places on earth and Donut Falls is one of its many gems. As long as you are careful, stay on the path, and are patient, I promise the Donut Falls hike is safe. And really the only think you will have to survive is trying to get your too-tired-for-walking kids up and down the path [wink wink]. Trust me.
Lovely Dave talking Max up the Mountain.
SIDEBAR:
Regarding Donut Falls: Here is a hot tip. Only park in designated spots or you will get a ticket!
As many know, Utah has many amazing hikes. We recommend taking a hike in Big Cottonwood Canyon, which is located at the eastern edge of the Salt Lake Valley. In the summer there is nothing like driving over the Guardsman Pass Scenic Backway to get between Park City and Salt Lake City. If you make it that far be sure to say hello to our year-round-living-in-Big-Cottonwood-Canyon friends, Travis and Troy! They will make you feel right at home.
I learned this about myself very early Sunday morning. It was 3:50 AM and I heard the blood curdling BEEP, BEEP, BEEP sound only a fire alarm that needs you to WAKE UP NOW would make. Lights were flashing on and off. The room was spinning. Of course I wondered if I was dreaming, and when I was sure I wasn’t, I was convinced the sprinklers would go off. They didn’t. I rolled over and swatted at Dave.
“Dave. Dave. I think it is a fire alarm. We should get up. Dave. Do you hear that?”
At that he popped out of bed. I staggered. Sure, I spent the previous evening crying my eyes out. And yes, I went to bed at 2:00 AM, which was less than two hours before the fire alarm screamed us awake, yet I imagine fires and hopefully their alarms do not wait until it is convenient.
The alarm was not stopping, and I remembered I needed to get the boys. I went to their room, woke them up, and then asked Dave,
“Do I have time to use the bathroom (true story)?”
Apparently while I was using the bathroom, trying to find my bra, a clean shirt, at least run the toothbrush over my teeth, and trying to pull my long pajama top over my head, Dave was trying to see if our building was on fire. It wasn’t — at least not the section we live in.
By now the boys and Dave stood watching while I tried to configure. I was consumed (distracted). I just knew I needed comfortable shoes, my cellphone and my purse. Now I know that as I am trying to snap my bra, not only am I going to take myself down, I will take my family down with me.
We did not smell smoke. I know the boys were asking me questions. I know my hair was disheveled and I was wearing my pajama bottoms, a clean shirt and a bra. We needed to leave like five minutes ago. We made sure we had our keys, we looked around, the alarm lights were still flashing on and off, and we left.
The boys asked one more time,
“Mom, are you sure you have your keys?”
As we stepped out our respective doors, I remember seeing my very tattooed neighbor and his cute little dog. I also noticed that his hair was perfectly combed. He pleasantly greeted us,
“Good morning.”
Dave tells me a different story. And as Dave makes a yanking-a-little-dog-on-a-leash motion he says,
“our neighbor was trying to pull his very small and very scared dog down the hallway.”
“Why didn’t he just pick the dog up and carry him?” I asked.
Dave laughed, “That is what I thought!”
We were now standing outside. We were not the first, or the last. We felt terrible for the woman in her nightgown using a walker. Then we waited.
Fire Alarm in the middle of the night
I asked Dave a few times the following question:
“Dave, should I go back inside and get our laptops?”
He correctly and consistently replied,
“NO!”
As we waited I looked around. Kyle was posting a video to Instagram. Eli was checking the news. There were a lot of dogs, blankets, people lying on the sidewalk on their blankets, people leaving, people asking, people smoking, a dude with a big backpack, smartphones, and one fire truck. Eventually we asked the security guards if they knew anything,
“I walked the halls on every floor, and felt each door for heat, and didn’t see anything,” said the older of the two guards.
We made our way to the front of the building, took a picture of the fire truck, and then a lady was looking out her screened-in window from above. I looked up and said,
“You are smart. You stayed.”
She responded, “No, they told me I could come back.”
We made our way back into the building. The firemen were in the elevator and asked us to use the stairs. I heard them talking on their phones. It sounded like someone was having a heart attack or panic attack.
Back in our apartment now, Dave was asleep in nanoseconds. It took the boys and me much longer to fall asleep.
Fire Alarm
As we travel, of course we continue to live in temporary housing. Our current apartment is much like a hotel. It has security, underground parking, and elevators. Please let me tell you what I have learned. My guess is you already know these things, and they are good things to know whenever you are in an unfamiliar building, like an apartment block or hotel.
Regarding fires: when a fire alarm goes off, get your loved ones, and go! Look for the nearest and safest exits, and leave the building. Stay together. Once outside stand away from the building. If you lose your people, make sure you have a pre-planned meeting place. This is super important when you travel. Each time you check into a new place, decide where your meeting spot will be. Hey, even if there is not a fire, the meeting spot can help. Discuss your plan beforehand.
Do not ask your husband if you can go back into the building for your laptop.
On a serious note,
when I was a young girl, I badly burned my fingers while making doughnuts. In the chaos of making sure I was ok, we left the burner on. Consequently, the pan caught on fire. We did call the fire department, and were able to put the kitchen fire out. The damage was minimal. We were lucky.
Sadly, I have close friends who have not been as lucky. Because of a fire, they have lost their homes. Please learn from me. Even if it seems like a false alarm, do not risk it. Get your loved ones and go!
SIDEBAR:
Here is what the internet tells you to do in case of a fire:
“DO treat every fire alarm as an emergency. If the alarm sounds, exit the building immediately. DO remain in your room if you are unable to exit the building safely because of smoke or fire. Keep the door closed and await assistance from the fire department.”
Red Cross: What to do in case of a home fire.
And the Red Cross’s suggested Fire Escape Plan.
If a fire occurs in your home, GET OUT, STAY OUT and CALL for help.
Install smoke alarms on every level of your home, inside bedrooms and outside sleeping areas.
Test smoke alarms once a month, if they’re not working, change the batteries.
Talk with all household members about a fire escape plan and practice the plan twice a year.
PS. As I was finishing this post, someone from our building came to check the fire alarm and strobe light. Apparently people are disconnecting them because they do not like the noise. My advice: DO NOT DO THAT!
We LOVE our tired boys muscling their way up and down Rob’s Trail, Park City, Utah
You may have noticed that my title begins with the word “hiking.” Indeed hiking/walking may be my very favorite aspect of travel/exploring. Today I am going to tell you about one of Park City, Utah’s very best hiking trails, a trail that leads into one of the world’s best trail systems. That being said, if you take anything away from this post, please take this: Explore. Hike. See.
Rob’s Trail, Park City, UtahThe Top of Rob’s Trail, Park City, UtahThe top of Rob’s Trail, Park City, Utah
Onto my post…
Dave and I have always found a way to hike, walk and move. Daily walks to our local Sugarhouse, Utah neighborhood Starbucks and Einstein Bagels were a must. And when our son, Eli was no more than three, he brilliantly uttered the phrase:
“I am too tired for walking.”
I am certain we were on an ambitious hike like Arches National Park’s Delicate Arch (but more likely it was while walking in our local neighborhood). Our need to move has not stopped, and until recently, Eli’s I-am-too-tired-for-walking sentiment has not waned. Nevertheless, as too-tired as he was, he did (walk, that is). So when we learned that the home in Park City we were building was literally in the backyard of some of the world’s finest hiking and mountain biking trails, we knew we would find a way to urge our tired little walker on.
Sledding Rob’s Trail, Park City, Utah
Thank you, Rob’s Trail! Eli’s love of Rob’s Trail came in the winter, actually. It was Dave’s idea, and it was sort of a trick.
See, Dave is an avid mountain biker and was already familiar with the Park City trail systems. One winter day he strapped his Yak Trax on and hiked up Rob’s. An hour or so later, I looked out the window at just the right moment to see Dave walking in the gully up to the right of our yard and carrying something.
“Wait. I thought he was hiking Rob’s. Why is he coming from the other direction?”
I ran to meet him.
“Beth, I hiked up Rob’s. I had no idea if it would work or not. I had to bushwhack a little, but sure enough you can hike up and then sled back down. The gully comes right through our yard.”
The boys were eight and six when Dave shared this news.
“Boys, grab your sleds. I found the best sledding ever!”
We quickly dressed in our winter gear. We each grabbed a sled. And of course, little Eli had no idea there would be a lot of walking before there was any sledding. Yes, he was indeed too-tired-for-walking. Nevertheless, we ALL made it. We hiked up Rob’s Trail and took a left when Rob’s meets up with Colin’s trail. We hiked a few hundred yards, and when we saw the little canyon/gully,
Dave said, “this is it!”
Those first few runs were so slow, and yes, there were large sticks, crazy dips, and unsuspecting rocks in the way. We eventually packed the snow down into a sort of toboggan run, and our boys continued to be tricked into walking up Rob’s so we could sled. It did not matter. The boys loved it! Not only that, I rarely ever had a problem convincing Eli to hike Rob’s. Soon after that Dave and the boys used Rob’s as a way to ski home from the Canyons Ski resort. Seriously, it was the craziest thing to drop them off, and then hours later see them skiing into the back yard. I loved it!
Top of Rob’s Trail, Park City, UtahRob’s Trail, Park City, Utah
Selfishly, I like to think of Rob’s as our own. We used that trail all year round.During times when Dave and I needed a walk-talk, there was nothing like Rob’s, its beautiful Aspen forest, and stunning mountain views, to clear the head. In the summer we hiked it as a family. I often hiked it with my lovely hiking ladies, Eileen, Christy, and Stacie. At other times I would drag my bestie, Beth (no not my inner self, but I totally wish…) up the mountain so we could deconstruct our world. I love that my friend MB hiked all the way up Rob’s in flip-flops. Probably my favorite was when I would be hiking and somewhere along the trail I would run into Dave, who was biking. We even took our friend Markus, our owl specialist, to look for Flammulated owls there. And yes, we found Flammulated Owls higher up, right off Rob’s trail.
Rob’s Trail, Park City, Utah with my most awesome friend, MBRunning into Dave on Rob’s Trail, Park City, Utah — he was on a mountain bike ride and I was hiking with my friend, MB!
Today I share Rob’s with you. I know I am not the first to share. Rob’s is popular, well-known, and well-loved. It is also our little piece of heaven!
Sledding Rob’s
SIDEBAR:
Rob’s Trail is a hiking/Mountain Biking trail that feeds into the Mid-Mountain Trail. “Park City’s Mid Mountain Trail bisects the Wasatch Mountains at 8,000 feet—earning it the nickname the ‘Eight Thousand Foot Trail’—and cuts across Deer Valley Resort, through Park City Mountain Resort and The Canyons Resort.” Rob’s connects with the Mid Mountain trail on the backside of the Canyons Ski Resort. You head up Park City’s Bear Hollow Drive. When you hit the horseshoe bend (about 1.1 miles up), you will see a cul-de-sac with four houses. Ours was the sage green one on the right. Just a few feet past the cul-de-sac is the parking for Rob’s. You cannot miss it!
Rob’s is also a popular snowshoeing destination. In truth, after each snowfall, the early morning snowshoers packed it down enough that neither snowshoes nor Yak Trax are necessary until you get many miles up the trail or head off trail into the untracked backcountry. We would just throw our Sorels on and get walking. Sometimes, if you veered off the center of the trail, you’d end up sinking in to your knee or thigh (it’s deep up there), but you just dust yourself off and keep walking.
And of course the Trail Runners love Rob’s for its accessibly.
As Far as sledding goes. I hear there are spots that do not intersect into people’s yards. I also have friends who sled down Rob’s on cardboard during the summer.
Expressing myself in other peoples’ words and ending with a few of my own.
“Theres a race of men that don’t fit in,
A race that can’t sit still;
So they break the hearts of kith and kin, And they roam the world at will.
They range the field and rove the flood,
And they climb the mountain’s crest; Theirs is the curse of the gypsy blood,
And they don’t know how to rest.”
― Robert W. Service
Easy E Northern Virginia, Shooting off rockets
On travel…
“Travel does what good novelists also do to the life of everyday, placing it like a picture in a frame or a gem in its setting, so that the intrinsic qualities are made more clear. Travel does this with the very stuff that everyday life is made of, giving to it the sharp contour and meaning of art.”
― Freya Stark
And why travel helps us manage our current in between…
“The true fruit of travel is perhaps the feeling of being nearly everywhere at home.”
― Freya Stark
Yes, wanderlust somehow found its way into our hearts and I am grateful, especially right now when our life is so up in the air. Even if we knew how to rest, resting is not a current option. Consequently, embracing a life of travel and exploration fits right in and reminds us that home is where the four of us are! High fives to that!
― Me
For years I have taken them. The notes started as shopping lists, then to-do lists, and packing lists. Eventually I started taking travel notes – always with the intent that I would write about the moments I captured on each line. Sometimes I do.
I am sure I am not alone.
Now each time I travel I pull out my iPhone 5S (yes, I know. I am old school), and jot down a few words to help me remember the moment.
Saturday, June 6, I took a few notes as we made our way from Costa Rica to Salt Lake City.
1. AA flight (1392) from Costa Rica.
American Airlines Flight from Liberia, Costa Rica to Dallas-Fort Worth
It was actually a flight from Libera, Costa Rica to Dallas. Dave left moments earlier on his United flight. The boys and I boarded our plane and somehow each of us ended up with a row to ourselves. Our 7:05 AM scheduled flight time was three hours and forty-four minutes. The pilot announced that we were ready for take off, the boys and I were nestled snuggly in our rows, I heard the engines rev up as I drifted off. Maybe two minutes later the captain came over the loudspeaker,
“Folks, as you may have notice we shut the engines down and we are headed back to the gate. An engine light went on and we want to make sure everything is ok.”
He did. And nearly three hours, a few false starts, no murmuring, and two trips to the airplane bathroom later, we were off. I am grateful our pilot (I wish I knew his name) was so careful. Not only was he careful, he kept us all in the loop,
“Well folks, now they are draining the oil from the engine. They tell me it will be another twenty minutes. Thank you for being so patient.”
American Airlines Flight from Liberia, Costa Rica to Dallas-Fortworth
On and on his updates went. My guess is if I had not jotted this note down, and if life continued as fast as it does, I may not have remembered how important this moment was.
We landed in Dallas, moved quickly through customs and security, and only had to walk a few steps to our next gate. Dave reminded me that a perk of one of our credit cards was my Lounge Club membership. The information Desk (near Gate D22) was a few steps away. We asked the man behind the desk. As we stood there waiting for him to call someone and ask where our lounge was, Kyle and Eli figured out where we needed to go.
The Dallas Lounge Club near Gate D22 is interesting. It is a conglomeration of odd ball Lounge Clubs, some fancy, some bare bones. Our very clean, and very friendly-staffed room 1 was along the lines of bare bones. We did not mind. There were a few variety of potato chips, pretzels, apples, oranges, alcoholic beverages (no, I did not partake), sodas, sparkling water, and an espresso machine. The best part of the lounge is that you do not need a password to log on to the WI-FI.
Dallas-Fort Worth Lounge Club
I helped myself to the Gluten Free baked Lays and a cup of tea. As we situated ourselves people in the lounge were screaming as Barcelona won its fifth European Soccer Cup. We took our electronics out: phones, laptops, and iPads and their accompanying chargers. As I read the news on my laptop the television closest to me was tuned to a recap of Beau Biden’s funeral. Here is where the rest of the day’s notes come into play. I needed to set the scene.
The ticker read something like: Obama eulogizes Joe Biden’s son and moves people to tears. It did. I know. See, while Barcelona was winning on one side of the room, I was looking up Beau Biden’s eulogy on the other. I watched. I cried. I thought. “those are some well written words.”
“To the Biden family, this sprawling, intimate clan—I know that Beau’s passing has left a gaping void in the world,” said President Obama.
And before I could finish watching President Obama, I heard Coldplay’s Chris Martin strum his guitar all over the big church’s stage singing one of my favorite Coldplay songs, “Kingdom Come.”
“…For you, I’d wait ’till kingdom come
Until my day, my day is done
And say, you’ll come and set me free
Just say, you’ll wait, you’ll wait for me…”
I think the best part is the giant pipe organ accompaniment.
Ok. This may sound weird. My favorite moments of travel are often the small simple moments. Moments I may miss if I don’t pause, or write them down. Sometimes it is the combination of sweeping view and quiet moment. I will admit. Nothing beats the subtle moment of watching your husband read the Nature Valley Granola Bar wrapper as he sits under Delicate Arch. These quiet, subtle moments I do not want to forget are the “humanity”-styled moments.
Dave reading a granola bar wrapper at Delicate Arch, September, 2006
Earlier Saturday our plane had engine trouble. We were exhausted and flying without Dave. Eventually, we made it to Dallas. We easily found our way to a quiet spot. One side of the room was cheering Barcelona’s win while the other was mourning Beau Biden’s death. We sat in the middle. Big moments like Rome’s Coliseum I will always remember. Small moments like these, I sometimes forget. Thank God I took out my trusty old iPhone and wrote myself a note.
We arrived in Salt Lake City (where we are spending the summer) Saturday evening, and Dave left for San Francisco this morning. Somewhere between one of my, “damn it, Dave’s,” to the tears rolling down my face as I held a pillow over my head, I had an ah-ha(-ish) moment. That is when I said to myself,
“Beth, why in less than twenty-four hours time have lost your Costa-Rican cool?”
The To-Do List I made yesterday
Here is the deal. Yesterday I completely freaked out. I was mad at Dave about who knows what. I could not decide if we needed to move to another apartment down the hall, or stay where we are (true story), and consequently, I made Dave and the boys talk about whether we needed to put the bunk-beds up now or wait until we move. I urged Dave to buy a vacuum (he did). I considered and actually tried fixing my overfull hard drive, and before I went to bed I convinced myself that I needed to finish all my homework (slight exaggeration). Reverse nesting or crash landing?
Andaz Papagayo Rio Bhongo Eggs BenedictAndaz Papagayo Rio Bhongo Coconut French Toast
Friday was our last full day in Costa Rica. We slept in, had an amazing breakfast filled with crispy pork belly Eggs Benedicts, coconut French toast, tamales, and fresh strawberries. Right after breakfast, Kyle walked me to the up-and-down pleasant and hilly walk to the gym. Kyle told about friends, summer jobs, and the cute girl he met at the beach club. As we walked we saw our flower-eating iguana friend. Kyle and I always laugh because the iguana’s slithering through the flowery leaves startles me every time, and yes, I always jump. Once there, Kyle decided to go back to our room, and I read my assignment while I walking on the treadmill. Sweaty and shocked that I walked on the treadmill for an hour, I took a big gulp of water, and leisurely walked back to our room. Kyle and Dave were already at the beach by then. Instead of forcing Eli to go to the beach too, I let Eli him play a video game while I began to pack; soothingly organizing and rolling all of our dirty clothes into suitcases. Eventually, I knew time was running out. That is when Eli and joined Dave and Kyle at the pool. As we walked up, we heard thunder and had just enough time for Dave and I to sit at the beach and for the boys to swim. The lightning was still far away so the four of us met in the pool for one last swim. It was no big deal that the boys were crazy fighting with pool noodles.
Andaz Papgayo, Costa Rica, Pool and Bay View
“Mom, Kyle broke a noodle – again!”
As the words left his lips, on cue, lightning began, and this time it was close. We left, showered, and I packed some more. We were blessed with late check out. We brought our luggage to the car, and then we enjoyed a lovely last Rio Bhongo dinner. It was perfect!
Pictures taken while waiting for our Rio Bhongo Dinner
Guess what? Somewhere during all of the happy memory making and relaxation I was able to get an awful lot done. Hmmm, maybe real-life Beth could learn a few things from vacation-styled Beth. You think?
And then I saw it. Between time with my family, cozy beds, ocean breezes, yummy pineapple slices, warm swimming pools, beautiful flowers, howler monkeys, wet swimsuits rolled into suitcases, passports, bureaucratic forms, security lines, our airplane’s engine trouble (three extra hours on the tarmac), and landing back in Salt Lake City, Utah, I went from relaxed to complete panic.
Andaz Papagayo Pool and Bay View
In Costa Rica, I was able to push the world away, yet once home, the world came crashing in. In seconds I went from happy exotic memories to talking like a sailor. Before I could catch my breath, I let myself become crazy overwhelmed with summer camps (ultimate Frisbee camp began this morning and we had forms to fill out), finishing school (me finishing school, that is), paying rent, insurance forms that needed to be signed, doctor’s appointments to make, calling our travel agent (I know. We just got home), Dave’s job, and simply, our crazy reality. Sure, I can see why my current responsibilities would cause anyone some angst, but back to my question,
American Airlines flight from Liberia, Costa Rica to Dallas, TX
“Why? Why couldn’t I leverage the peace I gained on vacation, and use it to pace myself upon my return?”
Is it simply that transitions are difficult? I actually think I might be on to something. See, once I took a minute to stop saying “damn it” to Dave, and once I started washing clothes, and asking for help, life seemed to ease back into normal. In truth, all of these things could wait. Even when I am home I can stop to look at flower-eating creatures, and still get my homework done. Lesson learned from one self to the other!
