After an interminable flight seated next to a recently-divorced father of three (who, if it must be said, was a little too comfortable with my company), we had a short layover in Albequerque, New Mexico. For anyone who may have a deep and abiding love for the 'Albequerque International Sunport,' please stop reading right now. I've never spent time in what can only described as the ghetto-booty of all airports. It was dirty! It was crowded! There were only like 3 terminals! I paid $8 for yogurt and water! Feeling slightly violated an hour later, we left for Tampa and arrived late afternoon. Seriously you guys, Florida rocks. It was warm and a little bit humid and had green plants and trees! That were GREEN! And ALIVE! Clearly, a big improvement over the snow flurries that we had left earlier that morning.
We spent the next two days at the beach - first at St. Petersburg and then Fort DeSoto Park on the Gulf of Mexico. It's interesting - St. Petersburg was mostly populated by the older generation. From what I could tell, most everyone must have decided that as they are approaching death's door there was no point in worrying about using sunscreen or sun protection of any kind. Instead, tanning oil (and possibly butter) were liberally applied to every surface of these people and they were 'leathering' before our eyes. Sick. Don't worry though, me and my SPF 80 were sitting pretty, in a long sleeved shirt and under a beach umbrella, naturally.
On Sunday, I left on what was supposed to be a little drive (while Sarah half-sat/half-stood at home with a nasty sunburn) and ended up on the other side of Florida, Cocoa beach on the Atlantic. I'm not really sure because of the screwy way that I got there, but I think I drove for a little over three hours. I won't lie - it was kind of great. I like to drive and I had a charged ipod that lasted me through Orlando and the coastal drive - I ended up feeling like I had finally figured out the freeway system and saw a lot of landscape throughout the afternoon and evening. I suppose I ought to have a destination in mind the next time I pick up and go. I came back to good old allergy-ville Utah on Monday afternoon. It was a real, real, good vacation - I read 4 books, sat by the pool, played with a puppy (no joke), bought the most amazing water-noodle ever created, ate fresh fruit, took some lovely walks, and managed to escape without a sunburn or case of food poisoning. The last part is most surprising because one night we ate Mexican food purchased from a bus-turned-restaurant. Needless to say, it was sketchy.
Since I've been home, I've been anxiously counting down the days to this San Francisco bit where I'll be seeing Sara M. and biking through countryside. Or something, I guess. No real idea what the itinerary is - perfect for me!
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