Incredible India

I do not like Indian food. Indian food does not like Crohn's. I have Crohn's, ergo, I do not like Indian food. So knowing I would be spending a week in India was a little frightening as far as not knowing if I would be starving all week. I went prepared though: half loaf of bread, packages of wheatables, club crackers, turkey jerkey, snack pack pudding cups, hummus, pita bread, and propel packets--several days worth of Crohn's approved diet. The pudding didn't make it past Salt Lake airport security. They considered it a liquid. And apparently arguing that needing a spoon to eat it does not make them want to change their mind. But don't worry, Brian's 10 lb. blunt object of a tripod was totally fine. My pudding was a threat though.

In India I was surprised to find more eating options than I had expected. I ate a lot of Japanese and Chinese food. And lots of bread and rice. A whole week of eating pretty much straight carbs and I still lots 10 pounds. Take that Atkins.

India itself was an adventure. Quite different from other 3rd world countries I've visited. More poverty and dirtier than any other cities I've ever been to. At least where we were. I don't want to dwell on that though, because I'm sure if we had gotten out of the big cities, India would be absolutely beautiful, especially up north, but we didn't get to on this trip. So I'm not sure I would recommend India to fellow travellers, but I'm certainly glad I went. Mostly because the Taj Mahal is as amazing as it looks. And I'm now over half way to seeing all the New 7 Wonders.




I'm not sure whether people believed me or not when I said there were cows (and goats and dogs for that matter) all over the streets, just hanging out. This picture is a little blurry but you can see 5 cows just hanging out in the streets. Eating garbage--the one thing that isn't scarce in Delhi.

The Amber Fort was pretty cool. And also featured on this last season of "The Amazing Race."
This was the elephant that we rode. Her name was Champa.

Every morning Angela and I would sneak a ziplock full of watermelon from the breakfast buffet into our bag to eat throughout the day. Only on the 2nd to last day did we find out if we had just asked, they would have packed it up for us in a to go container. But where's the fun in that?

National Parks Pass

Dear National Parks Annual Pass,
It's been a great year. You entered our lives last August when we went rock climbing in the Uinta National Forest. What fun we've had together since, and worth every penny. Sometimes it was fun to drive through entrance stations just to show you off.
I have so many memories of you and all the places you took us this year.
~Uinta National Forest: multiple times for climbing and hiking
~Lake Powell: twice
~Zion
~Arches/Canyonlands: multiple trips
~Grand Canyon
~Devils Tower
~Muir Woods
~Rocky Mountain

And many other national parks and monuments, but they didn't always make us pay, or made us pay anyway (Mt. Rushmore--free entrance but pay to park). But I proudly showed you anyway. I look forward to the next pass (although its picture on the front isn't as good as yours) because without you I would have nothing to blog about.
With love,
kp

(PS Don't let this picture fool you, my friend Brian was so embarrassed when I took this picture of the trip that the pass paid for itself)

The Ups and Down

So I've already addressed some of the perks of traveling when your mom is one of the flight attendants. Now I have to address the more unpleasant side of that coin. When your mom is working the flight, you pretty much have to do anything any of the flight attendants ask you to do. Even if that thing is trading seats with a disgruntled passenger because he was assigned to sit next to a rather...large...woman. And there were no empty seats on the flight. Now I don't want to offend any of the demographics who may read my blog, but it made for a very unpleasant 5 hour flight. The arm rest couldn't go down because she was in half of my seat, she took up all of the leg room, when she would doze off her arm would flop onto my leg, and the smell. My mom did bring me some coffee, not that I drink it, but so I could inhale it. In this woman's defense, she was very nice and pleasant and under different circumstances I wouldn't even be telling you about her.

The upside of this story, is that my mom (and all the flight attendants) felt so bad for me that when the fasten seat belt light wasn't on, my mom had made me a little seat in the first class galley from a box and table linen where I could sit enjoy a little arm and leg room. With flight attendants contantly offering me extra drinks and treats. And then they put me to work serving drinks.

Make A Wish

A few weeks ago my cousin got to go to Hawaii with her family as her wish was granted from Make-A-Wish Foundation. My cousin was kind enough to invite me along. I've been to Hawaii a few times, but it was a little more exciting this time with these kids. They had never seen the ocean! I ended up flying over alone, and getting a rental car by myself so I could also do my own thing. It was actually a weird feeling and I felt a little homesick. I've traveled a lot, but never completely alone; I've never rented a rental car. And I've never been to Hawaii without my own family. I daresay, I missed them.

Warning: do not turn 27

Not long ago when my dear friend Angela turned 27 she warned me not to turn 27 because that's when you start falling apart. I should explain. Within 3 weeks of turning 27 she dislocated her elbow, got pink eye, got another infection, and a few other ailments which I don't need to bring up for her to re-live. It was not a good start to 27 for her. We've laughed about this for years. And even on my birthday joked that I was going to start falling apart. I wish that joke was still funny. In the last month since I turned 27 the outer edge of my left eyebrow has mysteriously gone missing, something is wrong with my foot (no, I don't know what, I don't want to go to the doctor), and they very unexpectedly had to reopen my surgical incision from last year. I'm healing well, but it has not been a good start at 27.

Peachy Trip Home

The theme for my weekend at home was "Things we've lived near forever but never actually visited as a family." We went to Muir woods, Mare Island, and walked across the Golden Gate. Okay, we didn't end up walking across it because it was so cold. But does eating lunch at the headlands count all the same?

The best part of my trip home though was that all four of my parent's peach trees are in season. I ate sickening amounts of peaches, peach milkshakes, peaches 'n cream, etc. I may never want to eat peaches again. Okay, that's a downright lie.

Buckskin Gulch

My friend Brian and I went backpacking a few weeks ago to Buckskin Gulch in Southern Utah. Buckskin is rumored to be the longest slot canyon in the world and it felt like it at times for sure. I've wanted to post about it for awhile but have been putting it off because there's really not much to tell about it, no funny stories, no situations, nothing. Other than a really fun trip, amazing canyon, and a renewed love for the sani-fem. Oh, and I finally got to use my new backpack.


I only included this picture because I think it's funny that it looks like I'm wearing socks with sandals. Which is never okay to do, under any circumstance.


This is what our feet looked like the entire second day. My Chacos will never be the same.