Tag: 2022

Pure Serendipity: Quepos, Costa Rica (incomplete)

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Travel Dates: September 6th – September 10th, 2022
Rainy Season: May through November

The last few months, I just knew I would party hard once I got to Costa Rica. But by the time September came around, all I wanted to do was relax. The following is my recollection from beginning to end, as I would hate to forget a single detail from this trip.

September 6 – Arrival (gso>dfw>sjo)

We woke up not so bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, around 5:00am. Personally, I was a bit tense because as a general rule of thumb, you should arrive 3 hours early for international flights (even though we had a domestic connection). The flight was scheduled to leave at 7:30am AND we had one bag to check in. Of course, the people at the check in booth attempted to chastise but I made it very clear what I needed (and did not need) that morning. Shortly after checking in, I dashed over to the TSA line where Kai was already showing his passport to the officer. Good timing, no? I swooped right in and showed mine next. I’m hustling toward the gate and Kai is taking his time, completely un-phased. He reminded me that these things “always work themselves out” and to just go with the flow. We make our way to the gate and I believe they started boarding. Kai was one group ahead of me and I told him to take my carry-on – just in case they ran out of room. Sure enough, after he scanned his boarding pass they informed the remaining passengers there was no more room in the overhead bins. Good luck? About 2 hours later, we landed in Dallas. We didn’t have much downtime as our final flight to San Jose was set to depart within an hour of our landing. I may have grabbed a croissant… we boarded our final flight and arrived in San Jose a little after 2:00pm. Once we got there, we got there, we looked for Avis but soon learned they didn’t have a representative onsite. Another company representative let us know there is a shuttle that will take us to Avis. A little dismayed, we left the building and looked for the shuttle, and viola, it was right there waiting for us! They loaded our luggage and dropped us off at Avis. Once we arrive, there were two people ahead of us in line. It took almost an hour to get some help. Kai checked our car> t h o r o u g h l y < and made notes of every single blemish he could find. For the last time, we loaded up the vehicle and began our 3-hour commute to the coast for our hotel. Please note: this was Kai’s first time driving internationally. Our shuttle drive over to Avis was the only insight we received on what to expect on the roads. The driving style isn’t exactly a “free for all” but there were many opportunities for surprise… in polite terms. Ultimately, it wasn’t as organized as what I’m used to back home but it works! It rained the whole time during our commute and at times it was quite heavy. Upon arrival, we were greeted by a friendly golf cart driver who would soon become out go-to guy. “Good friend” (because I forgot his name!) helped us park, loaded the golf cart, and dropped the bags in the hotel room while we checked in. The check-in process was smooth, overall with a couple hiccups. The incidental hold caught us off guard (for the room and the car actually) and we had to show the receptionist that our breakfast was included in the package. Good friend picked us up from the main lobby and took us to our room. Our room was at the top of a very steep hill. Kai was in the front seat of the golf cart and I was in the back. I was SUPER ANXIOUS The only thing on our mind was food and rest! We ordered dinner at the Arbol Restaurant, which was on the hotel premises, and had it delivered to our room. Mahi and risotto along with pork belly and mashed potatoes… Overall, it was C+. Thankfully, this was the only underwhelming food experience we had

September 7 – Settle In

This day was our first full day here and we took out time to decide what we wanted to do on… Our birthday! Puffy-faced and clothed in PJs, we stepped out onto our private balcony, took in the fresh air, and admired the view. Today we would take it easy. Breakfast was on my mind as dinner wasn’t very filling (nor satisfying). After freshening up, we made our way downstairs for brekkie. Fresh fruit was placed first and the juice of the day was fresh watermelon (sooo fresh). I ordered an egg white and avocado omelet. Though our breakfast was included, I was still hesitant to order all that I wanted until day three. After breakfast, I headed up the street (another massive hill but for cars, not golf carts) to pick up beverages and snacks. The idea was to save funds by having our own spirit supply… the intention was good! Local snacks were also on the list! I tried something called “tostones” which are smashed, seasoned, and cooked plained (I think fried). I regret not buying more and bringing them home. They were so tasty! The private beach demanded our presence. After stockpiling, Good Friend picked us up from the room and drove us all the way down the mountain to the beach. My ear popped a few times on our descent. Once we reached the pathway to the beach, the driver pointed out the monkeys in the trees. He shared there was once a time when a man trained them on how to steal. That one monkey taught all his friends. As you can imagine, it was a chaotic time. Aha, he said the man was arrested but I wonder how he was found…

On the beach, we lounged in the chairs for a bit, enjoyed our drinks, and listened to Sam Smith. We ventured out toward the water. The beach was composed of tiny rocks and pebbles (some, not so smooth). I found a light sage stone and asked Kai to slip it into his pocket. It would definitely make its way into my memory box. We walked along the beach until a rock formation prevented us to go further. I tested the water and felt how strong the tide was. I tried to walk a little further and my foot DROPPED. I retreated. The tide was forceful, the water was dark and I was intimidated. No thanks. I made my way back to the lounging chair and got comfy. Shortly after, my tummy began to itch and I felt little bumps. I made a swift exit to the suite for a shower. It also began to rain around this time. The rest of the day was spent lounging and taking in our environment. My favorite part of this day was the real, raw and meaningful conversation we had that evening. They say communication is key, but being able to express yourself clearly and finding the courage to express vulnerability is a feat. This was growth for me because though I can express my ideas clearly, I don’t usually do this in interpersonal relationships.

September 8 – Start High, End Low

So, the activities begin. After a full day of relaxation, it was time to get out there and experience new things! Today started with brekkie, of course, but this time, I tried something new! Pumpkin pancakes with salmon and avocado. I also ordered a ginger mango smoothie. Listen… when I tell you I was so pleased… I mean it from the bottom of my heart. The smoothies were also requested again, later on. After filling our tummies, we gathered the necessities and waited to get picked up for our first event: parasailing. This is something I’ve never done before. It always seemed rather peaceful but still daring. I headed over to the booth set up on the beach to check-in. We’d opted for the 15-minute ride (at the time I thought this was too short), pictures and video. We lounged on the beach until they were ready to get us set up. I stepped into my harness and the lad was letting me know what to expect/ She said everything would be a smooth process from going up into the air, to landing in the water. She said this twice and I trusted her. They hooked us up to the parachute and sure enough, as the boat went further on the water, the parachute began to lift and pull. Everything seemed to happen within 4 seconds. I was walking, then running, and yanked into the air! The beginning was quite abrupt but everything afterward was calm and beautiful. The weather was perfect and the greenish-blue water was sparkling from our view as we gained altitude. I was awestruck! I began to feel more anxious after realizing just how high up we were. I anticipated a sudden drop and this is what made me tense. The woman who strapped me in never mentioned said drop but I convinced myself it was going to happen because of the abrupt start. I said a prayer and tried to remain calm. Kai later revealed to me that my worry began to make his stomach hurt. As the boat turned around to head back, I was eagerly waiting for our landing in the water. The drone came back around and recorded the end of our flight. When we landed in the water, there was a jetski waiting for us. Mounting it may have caused a bruise. We walked around a bit while waiting for the pictures and videos to process. Kai was offered weed a few times… *crickets*. They airdropped us the media and we headed back to Makanda and went straight for the brand new saltwater infinity pool (that opened upon our arrival!). The water was cold. Kai got some photos by the edge and I stayed by the bar to order a pina colada (YUM). I hopped in the jacuzzi for a few and left to sunbathe. When the sun grew too intense, we left for the main pool for a change of scenery. We were in and out of the water until the rain began for the day. Back in the room, I spent an unusual amount of quality time with the garden tub in the middle of the bathroom until it was to leave for Emilios Cafe for dinner.

I am pretty sure we got a taxi to pick us up and take us to the restaurant. It was raining and we were in full rain gear from head to toe, but it wasn’t pouring like it was before. As soon as you walk in, we are welcome with the fun artwork, and there was plenty to find after being seated and taking in the surroundings. This location was artsy, eclectic, and had an open atmosphere. Like most of the restaurants that we went to, you weren’t separated from nature. The tone was relaxed the customer demographics were the most diverse I’d seen during my visit. The menu did not leave me wanting as there were so many options. Of course, I wanted to try something new. There was an octopus and potato starter. Reluctantly, Kai agreed. I was the first to sample it! The flavor was almost a hit but the texture was a huge miss for me. I had charbroiled octopus before and enjoyed it but I don’t believe it was cooked the same. It felt like gum. I held it in my mouth and pushed it to the side as I encouraged Kai to give it a go. He too was dissatisfied. We spit it out. Our main meal touched the table, soon after.

September 9 – Nothing but Adrenaline

Waterfall tour

September 10 – Farewell

Departure

Hi. It saddens me that I didn’t get to finish this as intended. This account deserved completion but I let it sit for too long and I no longer feel moved to reflect. I had amazing memories in a new country with a pretty great guy. In December 2022, we decided it was best for us to dissolve our relationship. The memories live on! In the spirit of reflection, be very careful of the company you keep while on vacation. I feel blessed to hold absolutely no resentment towards a former partner. I want to keep these memories… but if I had chosen wrong or gone on this trip with another, perhaps I wouldn’t feel the same. I will always be an advocate for solo trips unless you’re going with a long-time friend or lover ;).

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Kenya, It’s Nice to Meet You | 2022

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Finally! I made my way to the motherland. I’ve been meaning to come the last few years, but I was never able to make it work (usually due to work). I’m so glad I was able to come this time around. Let’s dive right into the trip highlights while everything is fresh on my mind!

Mombasa

Boat Ride

10 of us boarded onto the boat with the help of a couple sailors. Once we got on, we equipped ourselves with damp life vests. We rode the bumpy waves for about 15 minutes Until we found our spot in the ocean. You could still see the beach, which was comforting. The two men manning the boat anchored it and attach the ladder to the side. The boat rocked eagerly, and hesitation settled among most of us. But Moko was the first one to jump into the water! Witnessing his survival gave us all the greenlight to proceed (ha). I was still contemplating whether or not I was going to get in the water because the waves seemed much higher further out compared to on the actual beach. I began to feel more at ease when more of us got into the water. My sister was the true catalyst– this woman is brave. She wanted to jump off the side of the boat! She was a little nervous, but she definitely was going to do it and I wanted to do it with her. Cantara’s boldness is contagious. We took a few pictures (of course) then we sat on the ledge and hopped off! It was thrilling. The water was the saltiest water I have ever tasted but, oh! did it felt amazing! I quickly found my way up the latter deep, dark water makes me anxious. Plus, I have to remind you, the waves were high! I had a crazy idea of wanting to jump from the top of the boat and my sister wanted to do the same. However, as soon as I got to the top, I lost all of my courage. It took about 10 minutes of false starting before I could gain my composure to do it. I grabbed my sister‘s hand, we count to three, took a step and jumped from the top of the boat! This had to be the most freeing feeling I felt all year… I was so glad to have shared it with her because I was absolutely scared out of my mind. Honestly, it wasn’t that high up, but it felt insane to me at the time. My heart is full and I’m happy we shared that moment together.

Haller Park

This was an activity I tried to get out of, mainly because I wanted to rest. I wasn’t excited to see zoo animals after so much traveling (multiple planes, cars, vans and trains). I tried to stay home to rest a little bit, but I was encouraged to do otherwise. I’m glad they were successful because when we arrived to the park, I saw a huge tortoise and became so excited to see what else was in store. I saw all kinds of creatures. I never saw a millipede in person and so close (cool, but gross)! I also got to touch and interact with the tortoise. My sister got pretty close to a blue-ball monkey (scientific name?). I saw different species of crocodiles, warthogs, snakes, giraffes and gazelles. My absolute favorite was the palm garden. I was I could have spent more time there, lounging and taking in the sights. This is actually one of the first things you see when you enter, and it’s towards the left. It looked so dreamy, lush, and otherworldly. The simple things always catch my attention the most. Though I love animals, I would’ve really enjoyed sitting in that garden just to read and write. It was quite rainy that day and I enjoyed the down pour. I do love a good shower.

Sunrise

Did we wake up at 4:30am to catch the sunrise? Possibly. I can’t recall exactly how early we woke up but it was not easy! Three of us jumped in the car and headed for the beach to enjoy the sunrise. We were worried that we were missing it in the beginning but when we got there, we saw such beautiful colors. It was as if we witnessed two sunrises at once. When we got to the beach there was a soft orange yellow and grayish blue tints in the sky where the first rays of the sun had touched the earth. It’s the first golden hour of the day. It was quite beautiful; it looked like the sky was on fire as the sunrise progressed. Oddly enough, it didn’t continue to get brighter. Instead, it mellowed out and got darker and then regular daylight began to show… This is when you can actually see the sun through the clouds. It sounds counterintuitive. I’ll show pictures of the sunrise as it happened.

The first picture upon arrival
The second photo
Third photo, look how bright the sky is!
Fourth picture – a calm lavender
Fifth – standard daylight
From left to right: Me, Cantara, Michael

Nairobi

Braiding

My sister had an appointment to get her hair braided and I decided to join her. How can you not get your hair braided in the motherland? My sister opted for goddess knotless braids, and I got regular extra-long knotless braids in the color #30. We both tried something different. They began with removing my large box braids and followed up with a shampoo, conditioner and blow dried my hair right after. Shortly after, the braiding began. I have to say I kind of messed up a little bit because the lady was starting my hair and I noticed the braids would stop right at my chest. I did ask for extra-long braids. I wanted them to be double that length, but I wasn’t sure if there was another process to it of which I wasn’t aware. She was about seven braids in before I realized was going on. Another lady asked if I wanted them longer and I said yes. I felt really bad for letting her do all that work without saying anything… This is a personal reminder to myself to always speak up! I’m still working on this at my big age. At least a whole section wasn’t completed before we pivoted. She reworked those braids and added extra length. Overall, it took about 4 1/2 hours all the way through from the beginning to the end. I was under the impression that knotless braids aren’t tight, but boy was I wrong! The braids looked and felt amazing they last six weeks before I took them out

Art Gallery

The art gallery I visited is called “One Off Contemporary Art Gallery”. The main building was a two-story earthy hut from a fairytale. There were also peacocks walking around. I saw beautiful sculptures, both of wood and stone. I saw small figurines, large beautiful, feminine paintings as well as smaller prints. There were so many works of art that there was not enough space to display them correctly. The top floor had an overwhelming selection, it was impossible to go through half of them in the amount of time we had. I was only able to see all the items on display downstairs. Now… if I had known how captivated I’d become with one particular painting, I would have squirreled some funs aside to purchase the original. I suppose all things happen for a reason. The original piece was already marked as sold… and my heart was a little heavy.

Getting Sick

The last monumental experience of my stay in Kenya… was me getting sick. To this day I’m not sure what I had. Maybe it was some kind of respiratory infection… I have no clue. I just know everyone in my traveling group was getting sick with something and it finally made its way to me. I felt myself coming down with it about two or three days before I was supposed to get on a flight to go to Cindy‘s village. The day before my flight I had so much pressure in my head and face that I knew flying would be unbearable. Unfortunately, I had to stay behind. I stayed with Moko‘s cousin, Kanyi, and I was so thankful that her family was open to take me in, an unexpected stranger. They did so with such grace and amazing hospitality for which I am forever grateful. I had a lot of tea (referred to as “bawa” meaning medicine) by a company called Just Breathe. The main ingredients were garlic, ginger and cardamom along with other herbs and spice. The same company has steaming leaves that you add to hot water. The steaming was a little difficult for me because it was almost like suffocating but most of that was in my head. I really had to focus. I came up for fresh air every once in a while. The fresh menthol feeling seemed to burn the germs in my nasal passage. Between drinking the tea and steaming, I began feeling better within two days. I was almost 100% after day three. In all honesty, if I had to get sick again… I’d choose to relive this experience. Sounds strange, right? Never thought I’d type those words out, aha.

I want to give a special thanks to my family for extending the invitation (consistently, too) and making me feel so welcomed. I can’t begin to explain how much this trip has meant to me. It’s my wish and intention to create more of these memories together whether abroad or right here at home, in NC.

Thank you, so much ❤

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Dragging My Feet in Naples, Italy | May 2022

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First things first: my disclaimer.

Originally, I wanted to travel somewhere in southern France to sunbathe by a beach near some rocky cliff. I was reminded on different occasions how the French do not like Americans and I realized (even if this wasn’t true) I didn’t want experience it in the slightest. I directed my attention to Italy. I imagined Sicily would have been perfect for relaxation and solitude. This was supposed to be a “do nothing” kind of vacation. Only the bare minimum so I could reset. But then I wondered when I’d come back to Europe and my plans completely went haywire. I was trying to figure out how many cities I can see within five days. I started out with six. Which dwindled down to four… then eventually one. Somehow, someway I landed in Naples. I was aiming for warmth and rich culture but Naples didn’t really scream “rest and restore”.

Nevertheless, I still found  a few things to help me enjoy my time there.

departure flight
airbnb entry
allergies in italian

Pizza Making

This is the first Airbnb Experience I signed up for! I was a bit hesitant at first but I thought “what could go wrong?”. I walked about 11 minutes from my Airbnb to the meeting point. I was pleased it wasn’t too far away. Everyone waited about 20 minutes before our host appeared. There had to be a total of 15 people in attendance. My group consisted of five people including myself for the English tutorial.  We learned about the history of pizza and the ingredients used. Our host was pretty clever and he made sure we were paying attention. Everyone paired up to get hands on for the dough making process. I was paired with a woman from California. I wish I was solo; that’s the one thing I regret about this. Forced conversation makes me cringe and I imagine she felt the same way. After we made the dough, we placed it in a tray for tomorrow’s group to use (which means we would use the dough that was created yesterday). Before we began the second phase, we enjoyed a couple appetizers: bruschetta and arancini. I had a huge appetite at this point and the arancini was new to me and tasted amazing! Once we were finished we started to form our dough into pizzas. We added tomato sauce, fresh mozzarella and basil. We all got place out pizzas in the brick oven. Now, when I tell you it was hot… I mean it was unbelievably sweltering. I’m 100% sure us being back there was a safety hazard. Nevertheless, I was glad I got to experience this.

Oh! And my pizza turned out perfect. It was the prettiest pizza of them all.
 

dough
arancini’s in the back!
before the fire
the prettiest pizza you’ve ever seen

I still had plenty of day left over after my pizza making was complete. I figured  I would head back to my Airbnb so that I could rest a little bit but on my way there I was stopped. A man, maybe seven years my senior with cute round glasses and curly hair towered over me. He asked me if I needed help and if I was lost. I said no that I knew where I was going and he asked me what I was holding in my hand. I felt wary (you can’t ever be too careful)  so I took a small step back. I showed him that I just finished a pizza making class and I realized how naïve I was. I pretty much just told this man that I’m a tourist. I took another step back. He looked at my certificate and expressed  what appeared to be genuine congratulations to me. That made me smile. I’m not sure if he was teasing. He asked for my name and where I was from. He offered to help me find my Airbnb but I said it’s OK and reminded him I know how to get back. He offered to grab a cup of coffee and I thought that was so sweet. But I was not comfortable doing so. I think you can never be too careful. This person did nothing alarming. I was either a bit paranoid or I sensed that something just wasn’t right. He let me know that he thought I was cute and he wished me a great time in Italy. I express my gratitude and I wished him farewell.

Let’s assume he wasn’t a bad guy? The way he approached me and started conversation felt different from what I’m use to back at home. There’s usually a feeling of dread if a man is coming toward me with interest. The conversation isn’t as organic at home. I didn’t endure cat calling and this man wasn’t undressing me with his eyes. The approach and light conversation was just easy. Don’t get me wrong, he could easily have been a wolf in sheep’s clothing. But I expect to be approached by wolves more times than not.

Street Food Tour

Before we dive into this, I need you to have low expectations regarding my memory.  I did not remember the names of everything I tried during this tour but I can show you pictures and perhaps you can remind me what I sampled? Overall, the food tour was a nice experience because not only did we get to try local food but our guide also showed us different landmarks in the area so the tour was a 2-in-1. The first thing I tried was fresh mozzarella that came from a buffalo. The mozzarella was wet and did not have any flavor. The second thing we sampled was pizza. The first pizza ever made and “wallet pizza“. Now, the first pizza was the same as the pizza I made the day before. Which I wasn’t entirely crazy about. I love American pizza. The wallet pizza was interesting… I believe it was mozzarella and ricotta cheese but the whole thing was fried. Something Americans know plenty about 🙂 The concept was interesting but I didn’t finish it because it was bland. The next thing we tried was the star from yesterday! Arancini. It was pasta with cheese and meat balled up with the crust around it and fried and it was so savory and just absolutely amazing. I am salivating right now thinking about it. It was the best thing I tasted while I was in Italy. Our next stop was for desserts. The first item was something like a rum cake it was quite light in flavor despite its appearance. The second item was a flaky kind of cake with powdered sugar on it. I expected that to be richer but this was also fairly light. I was pleased to have a dessert that wasn’t over powering me with sugar. However, I learned all the sugar I was expecting in the cakes was very much present in the limoncello shots. Those things were outrageously sweet and strong! I decided not to finish mine.

Now the last night was a surprise for me because I do not remember reading this in the itinerary. We made our way over to a gelato shop and I was able to order my affogato. This is my favorite dessert and one of few ways I’ll consume coffee. I loved watching it being made I was highly pleased with this being my nightcap. The tour continued on but I had to walk back to my Airbnb by myself and I didn’t want it to be too dark so I went ahead and I left for the evening.

mozarella
wallet pizza
Arancini has my heart
the cakes
tooth decay in a cup
the best dessert in the world

Boat Tour

Looking back I probably wouldn’t have done this again but I’ll share why I enjoyed this experience, first. I got to sail a boat all on my own! Well… kind of. The sailor was still there keeping an eye out but I did learn how to sail or at least learned how to keep the boat in the right direction. And the view was so beautiful. The water was gorgeous and the geography right by the water was breathtaking it was a beautiful day! The sun was out and there was hardly a cloud in the sky. (I have an awkward tan on my ankles to prove it).

I never sailed a boat before! The only thing that would’ve made it better was if I was either completely on my own or had a friend with me because it was just me and the sailor out on the water. And that’s just not something that I would encourage women who travels alone to do. I was never in danger there were moments of discomfort and a little bit of awkwardness  but at the end the day it wasn’t horrible. I can tell that the sailor was very comfortable talking a certain way with women and that part is what made it 2.5 star experience. Also I got a little seasick on our way back because we were going against the wave so we were rocking more. Also the sailor hit someone else’s boat as we were docking back in so that was awkward but other than that I had a pretty decent time out there on the water.

not as strong as turkish coffee
boat and sky
imagine the view from there
gorgeous water
lil ol’ me

All in all, I did challenge myself by coming out here. I’m not sure if I would choose to go on this vacation again if I had a chance to do it over just because I was in a weird headspace and I would’ve rather relaxed by the beach near a beautiful view instead of in Naples but that doesn’t mean that the city doesn’t have much to offer it just means that I didn’t plan this out the right way and that Naples isn’t really for me. But that’s just something I’ve learned–  every vacation isn’t going to be outstanding but you can still take away good moments.

a video

Hello Arizona – First Time Out West

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It’s been a while since I made a trip post. Hopefully, I can find a way to shake off the rust starting with this trip to Arizona – my first of the year (:

I went from January 4th to the 8th. My flight was an early one. I learned that if a seat upgrade is more affordable than the luggage fee, you may as well treat yourself a little bit and save your coin. I flew from Raleigh to Atlanta to Phoenix. The last leg was about a five-hour flight. I was disappointed in the meal, but I loved my flight attendant; she was quirky and sweet. Upon arriving to the Phoenix airport, you can see the mountains in the background, and they were huge! This is my first time, mind you, on the West Coast so I hadn’t seen anything like this in person. I was excited to discover the landscape. No time was wasted after checking into the Villa – I headed straight over to the Sonoran Jeep Desert Sunset Tour. The tour guide was quite knowledgeable, and the facts were fun. I’m much more of a visual consumer than I am auditory, so I kind of got burnt out listening to him talk. 60° in Arizona felt like 30° in North Carolina. I learned that it’s because there’s no humidity in the air making the atmosphere less cozy. So, it was really only comfortable in the sun. I wish I had on a toboggan, scarf and gloves but I made it work. I was very hungry and quite tired by the end of the event. I went to a steakhouse nearby called Prescott. Nice ambience but not the kind of place you wanna go without being a little dressed up.

During this trip, I noticed I actually like to work out during the day, preferably min-morning. I enjoy going and being consistent but when I’m home, work gets in the way. But if there’s a facility two minutes away from me (walking distance) then I’m there! The following day, I went to the gym, grabbed breakfast at First Watch (which was amazing, I love eating there) and then I hit the road for Sedona which was about 2 1/2 hours away from Scottsdale. Let me tell you… I had every intention on planning what hiking trails to go on but it just did not work out for me. I struggle-planned a lot of what I got to do in Sedona. That’s my biggest regret with this trip. That city is so beautiful, and I only got to see a very small fraction of it by accident. I also did not have proper hiking gear besides my boots. Next time, I’ll join a hiking group that way, I’ll be around more experienced people and get to see more. Nevertheless, I made it work! I got to hike along Boynton Canyon and checked out the sunset at the Airport Mesa. Upon my descent, I noticed one parking spot opened up for a highly popular viewpoint. Quickly, I pulled in switched my boots and climbed to the top. There was a soft dark glow in the sky and the lights from the city below gave a soft glimmer. At this point, my hunger was rather demanding. Earlier, I chose which restaurant I wanted dine at, but I changed mind. I’m so happy with what I chose! The restaurant is called las Tortas Fuego, and it was DELICIOUS.

The next day I had to work remotely. It was nice working in a different location while still being productive. During my lunch break, I worked out for 30 minutes then headed to In-N-Out Burger for my first time! People have said before that it wasn’t worth the hype but I thought it was pretty tasty. Somehow, someway the fast food tasted clean. I thought they were quality burgers and fries. I went back to work and by the time I was off it was 3:30 PM (EST). I had a lot of time to spend. Why not spend it at the Biltmore Square Fashion Mall? I have a newfound adoration for Burberry and decided to b-lined to Sunglass Hut to find my new fixation. I ended up buying them the next day when I was in Phoenix.  Shopping in different cities is fun even if you go to the same stores you have at home. The location and memories are attached to the item you purchased and it ends up being meaningful. While I was at Sunglass Hut, I hopped over to the fragrance bar at Macy’s. I sprayed a piece of paper with the YSL Libre Intense and fell in love. I kept that little piece of paper for a few days just to make sure I really loved the scent. The next spot I wanted to check out was the Desert Botanical Garden but by the time I arrived I was too late for the last admission block. I looked up what else I could do in the area and there was a comedy show going on. The comedian was Keon Polee and he was someone I used to follow on Instagram. I skipped over to the venue, I was seated, order my food and got my laughs in.

Friday was my last full day and I was determined to enjoy myself as much as possible. It’s so funny because during a majority of my trip I kept going back-and-forth about whether or not I wanted to get my nails done. I had chipped neutral polish on my nails so it wasn’t obvious, but I could tell they needed some TLC. I eventually opted to get them done. After work, I googled a highly rated nail salon near me and I came across a Plush Nail Bar. I showed my nail tech a picture of what I wanted. He understood the assignment! He executed my very specific request and I fell in love with my baby French manicure it was so cute he did an amazing job. I cannot hype him up enough. After I got my nails done, your girl was hungry. I went right back to First Watch and ordered one large blueberry pancake with a side of chicken sausage patties (which are bomb). I was catching up on Euphoria while I was waiting for my food. I spent 30 minutes in the gym and then I got ready to check out the Botanical Desert Garden. The weather was perfect. The flowers, the views, the variety of cacti, all of it was amazing to see and was so informative. I didn’t know there was an aloe vera plant that grows on a tree. I think it’s called aloe vera majesty. I checked out the whole garden and stopped in the gift shop to pick up a couple of items. I still had some day left and I read somewhere that the Scottsdale Fashion Square Mall was the largest mall in Arizona. I certainly got lost while trying to exit. It would have been nice to go with a friend (I was a bit overwhelmed). They had high-end designer stores as well as your shops for everyday clothing… aha. I suppose that can be the same thing depending on your lifestyle. I was famished when I left so I didn’t put thought into dinner. I went back to In-N-Out and ordered a double-double with my fries then called it a night. A part of me feels a little bad that I went to the same place twice to eat. But it was still kind of new to me, so I didn’t mind.

That about wraps up my experience in Arizona. I imagine I’d like the weather during Spring and Autumn; the temperature may be ideal for me. I liked going during the winter because it was definitely warmer compared to North Carolina but only if you’re standing in the sun. I did not like standing in the shade even if it was 60° because it felt so cold.

Anyway, the state was beautiful and I’d love the opportunity to come back.

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