Whenever I go to Pike Place, I park way out in Capitol Hill. I don't pay for parking if I don't have to. Especially not around Pike Place (eight dollars for one hour?). So, I park in a residential area. I enjoy the walk, anyways.
Well. My usual parking areas were full and I couldn't find anywhere to park. Ugh. I ended up driving to Pike Place, accidentally turning onto the street that's right in front of the market (that cobblestone one that everyone walks on). Took me forever to get to Whole Foods. They have a parking garage for grocery shoppers, and they'll validate it if it's under an hour. So, here I am. Finally.
The rest of my stay in Sunriver was relaxing. Watched a lot of The Office, Community, and Parks and Rec with Dave and Natalia. On Thursday, I left for Arizona. I flew from Redmond to Portland to Phoenix, and got in at seven or so. It was toasty outside, and I didn't complain. I got my rental car, which was a super sexy Lincoln Continental.
Just kidding. I got a Mustang convertible:
Ah. I loved it. Had the top down almost the entire time. After getting my car, I made my way out to Lake Havasu City. It's three hours northwest of Phoenix. I got in late. I kept a day-to-day journal, with the plan of transcribing it here later. So, here it is.
Day One: 4:15PM, Friday, March 30th, 2012
I'm having a tough time right now. The past six days have been spent with the family in Sunriver, which was awesome. I've left them now, and I'm alone in Arizona. I'm bored. And I'm here till Wednesday. I want to be in the comfort of the Sunriver house. I feel stressed.
I suppose it's because I'm somewhere I don't know - alone. When I was in Seattle, lying on the beach somewhere sunny sounded amazing. I wanted to come here and just relax and not have a worry in the world. Just lie on the beach all day. That's the first thing I did this afternoon. A few minutes later, I grew bored of just sitting there.
I had joked with my boss, saying, "knowing myself, I say I want to lie on the beach all day and do nothing. In reality, I'll probably get there, get to the beach, and be bored in a few minutes." I know myself too well.
This place is amazing, though. It's beautiful. I hope I'll be able to "relax" soon.
Day Two: 8:35PM, Saturday, March 31st, 2012
Today went a lot better. I planned things to do. I don't feel stressed anymore. I started at antique stores this afternoon. The shops were in the downtown part of the city, so I was able to check out that area, too. Found a tobacco shop, so I bought some tobacco for my pipe. After that, I went back to the hotel for a little while.
This is the view from my hotel. The area between my hotel and the lake is a park. All I had to do was jump a fence into the park and make my way to the water.
I walked along the lake for a long time. It was quiet. It was hot. Ninety degrees. After that, I walked to the London Bridge.
This was about the only busy place in the town. When MTV does a special on spring break, this is the area of Lake Havasu City they show. Boats are shored side-to-side. The London Bridge is - wrap your head around this - FROM LONDON! It was disassembled and reassembled here. Because of it's English heritage, the buildings around the bridge have English architecture. The boardwalk was crowded with spring breakers. There was a girl in only bikini bottoms and pasties. She and a young man were all over each other on the boardwalk. They weren't making out or anything, just physically being all over each other. The guy's friend was taking pictures of them. Then, an older man came out from one of the stands, telling the two young men the girl was only sixteen. The first guy threw his hands off the girl and started backing away quickly. It was hilarious.
I made my way through everyone and ended up at a park I had visited yesterday. I walked back, and now I am here. I'm able to watch the sunset from my room. So, I did.
I'm going hiking tomorrow. I read about a trail that passes an abandoned mine, which I'd like to explore. That would be the best.
Day Three: 4:30PM, Sunday, April 1st, 2012
Ah. Sitting on the beach. Drinking a Bock. I love German beers on hot days. They're tied with gin and tonics.
Just realized there were a ton of ants around me. Had to move.
Crap. They're here, too. Are they following me? Whatever. There's a beached buoy nearby. Maybe I'll go sit on that.
Anyways. I've chosen a secluded spot. Partially because I want solitude, partially because I'm drinking a beer. It's illegal or something.
After my morning coffee, I went out to the island. That was a nice drive. Not a lot of people (at all). I walked around the park there. Ended up on the other side of where I was yesterday. The island offers a full view of the city, so I'm going back this evening. I love me some night cityscapes. I'll give a full report tomorrow.
Aside from the spring breakers, this city is so quiet. It's insane. I went back to one of the antique stores to buy a table lighter.
Yeah. Every store downtown was closed because it's Sunday. Almost the entire town is shut down. It's eerie being downtown when NO ONE is out.
It's weird. Didn't end up getting the lighter because they were closed.
Time to do some reading.
Day Four: 6:00PM, Monday, April 2nd, 2012
Last night, I went for a drive out on the island. I found a place that faced the city and parked on the side of the road to soak up the view
Uh, it's super creepy being out in the desert by yourself with no light. There are no street lamps. I sat on the collapsed hood of the convertible with my legs in the backseat. I did not stay too long. I've seen too many horror movies, man.
However, the drive was amazingly peaceful. Driving the whole loop of the island takes about ten minutes. It is soothing. While cruising along, I listened to Phantom Limbs by The Shins. After that, I walked to the London Bridge area.
AND THAT WAS CREEPY, TOO. Macabre is probably a better word. I t was so desolate. It looked like an abandoned amusement park.
Today, I went and bought that table lighter I'd seen the other day. The man that ran the shop was cool. His name was Joe. Had a mustache that nearly rivaled Sam Elliott's. He was seventy-five. When I brought him the lighter, he looked at the price ($16.95) and said something about, "the women setting the price too low." It's a brass table lighter with lucite siding. He told me it was really worth forty to fifty. He sold it to me for the sticker price anyway. Nice guy.
I found the same lighter on eBay and other sites - the antique store guy was telling the truth about the lighter's real price.
I went hiking after. I got bored three-quarters of a mile in. The trails were poorly marked, and they all ran together and intersected. Being in my boat shoes, I decided to turn back. Accidentally went back on the wrong trail, but it more or less led to the same spot.
Now, I'm just hanging out in the doorway of my hotel room. It's been insanely windy today. So, being in the doorway is one way to still be in the sun but stay out of the wind.
Day Six: 5:36PM, Wednesday, April 4th, 2012
As I opened my leather bag to grab this journal, the smell of pipe tobacco exuded out. Very happy my bag is at that level now.
I'm sitting on the airplane right now. Seat 10A. Window. Exit seat. I'm glad to be coming back. It's been a long day.
I did not journal yesterday. I fasted for the first time. Originally, I was going to fast until seven, then eat. Why fast until seven, and not all day, you ask? I asked myself the same question. A few years back, my friend was fasting for Ramadan. She was the first person I knew who fasted - and she'd do it until seven. I think she was doing a sunrise-to-sunset fast. So, seven o'clock just stuck with me.
I get really low energy if I don't eat. I was planning on being in that state all day, so I did everything I wanted to do in the days leading up to yesterday. I assumed it would be a day of reading on the beach and just taking it easy.
I did not get all that hungry. Although, everything sounded so good. For instance, I don't eat fast food. But, there was an In-And-Out around the corner from the motel. The image of eating a burger and drinking a milkshake on the boardwalk downtown sounded so appealing. But, I realized I was choosing sentimentality over sacrificing, so...I continued fasting.
I was down at the pool reading my Bible, when I got into a conversation about beliefs with a young man. He was twenty-two, from Las Vegas. It was a nice conversation. Very different beliefs. He was incredibly well-spoken. He believes in a subjective truth. That no single belief is "right". So, my beliefs, although different from his, to him, were truth; his beliefs, different from mine, were also truths. His beliefs comes from pretty much every religion. He believes we were genetically modified/in-bred with aliens; sexually as well as in a lab. Reincarnation, higher states of consciousness, that we're all gods. He said that because I'm young and reading the Bible, I'm very close to true enlightenment, and that I've been reborn many times to get to where I am today.
Like I said, while we have different beliefs, he was a very well-spoken man. Especially for his age. I very much enjoyed our conversation. He apologized for "talking my ear off," and I told him that it's been the most interaction I've had in a week, and I was grateful for it. Which I was.
I drove to the island one last time, parked the car, watched the sunset.
I woke up this morning at about four. Could not go back to sleep. I don't sleep well when I don't eat. I got up, got my things together, headed off to Starbucks. It was a colder morning, which I liked. Sat outside, drank my black coffee, smoked my pipe. Very relaxing. Left Havasu at seven-thirty. I had the top down on the Mustang the whole time. I really enjoy that drive. Something about blasting through the Arizona desert at eighty.
Got into Phoenix at ten-thirty. Drove around downtown. Had lunch at Sonic. Then, I went to Scottsdale. Last time I was there was in sixth grade. I didn't remember anything.
Okay - I thought West Linn, Bellevue and Kirkland were nice. My goodness. That city is awesome. I walked around a while.
Then to the airport. I was looking forward to a quiet flight. On the way out here, the flight was packed, and I was forced to check my bag. Oh, and did I mention it's broken? It's been broken since I flew out from Portland. The handle that allows you to pull it is stuck and won't come out. The suitcase is probably fifty pounds. I have a week-and-a-half of clothes packed in it. For two opposite climates. So, I have to carry it around everywhere. Oh, woe is me.
Yeah. This flight is packed. Every seat. The flight was over-booked, and the airline was asking people to volunteer to take a later flight. And I had to check my bag at the gate again. Having to check is annoying. Who knew the Wednesday five o'clock flight to Portland from Phoenix would be so chaotic?
As I said, it'll be nice to be home. I won't get in until late. Have to drive up from Portland. But, it'll be good to be back and get back on schedule.
First vacation alone: success!
