Socal Rachel's Running, Riding & Travel Blog

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My Life as an Olive Farmer

2014-01-30T10:43:00.002-08:00

As mentioned in my last post I headed to Greece to help on an olive farm. I learned about this opportunity via a well know website in the travel community, helpx. Because they explain it best;

HelpX is an online listing of host organic farms, non-organic farms, farmstays, homestays, ranches, lodges, B&Bs, backpackers hostels and even sailing boats who invite volunteer helpers to stay with them short-term in exchange for food and accommodation.

After a 4 hour bus ride I called my host Vassilis and he promptly picked me up from the bus stop. 2 other girls/helpxers were already at the house, German and English. That night I was told we were invited to dinner and they had made red wine for us. We had a fest that night, there were multiple courses.

We had tomatoes, feta cheese, chicken, bread, pork, soup and desert. When our plates were empty they put more food on them. When our wine was getting low our glasses were refilled.

As the night went on the music got louder, the table was moved over and dancing started.

It was an amazing welcome to local life in Greece, complete with indoor chain smoking, not so amazing.

The next morning I woke up anxious to do some farm work. But we were told the ground was too wet as it had been raining for 2 days, we couldn't do anything today. Instead we found some cleaning to do around the house. In the afternoon the 3 of us girls took a walk to the beach as we were told it was a 10 minute walk, but turned out to be 30.

The next few days were spent the same way with afternoon walks to the beach.

We ate well, often full meals were cooked for us for both lunch and dinner. The staples included tomato salad with dried oregano, feta cheese, olive oil, too much salt and a gluttony of bread.

I'm sure I consumed a liter of olive oil during my 2 week stay.

Finally after a few days of letting the ground dry we were given a job.

We made big piles of wood. Actually we sorted through the piles of olive branches to find ones large enough to use for firewood. Then we hacked off the little branches and made piles of good firewood.

A few days later we found ourselves pulling up plastic in the fields until it rained again and things were too wet to work.

About an hour from the farm was Ancient Olympia. The site of the ancient Olympics and where the Olympic torch is still lit.

I decided a run down the track was fitting and amazing to think I was running on the same track as the original Olympic games.

We walked back into town to find Vassilis and we were invited to drink with the others he was hanging out with.

This is often a typical scene in Greece. We later asked where the women were. The response was they were at home making lunch.

We followed this by visiting the club Vassilis use to own. I could tell he loved the club and the beach it sat on.

Our last 2 days on the farm we worked a bit until it started to rain on us. The remainder of the time was spent consuming too much bread and olive oil among other food. I wish I could say I knew how to make olive oil or wine after my farm stay. But, I do know how to eat bread...time to go work out.

Greece: A City of Ruins

2014-01-25T02:20:00.001-08:00

I had just arrived in Budapest when I received and email from a farmer in Greece. He wanted to know if I was interested in coming to Greece to help on his family farm of grapes and olives. Without much hesitation I found myself in the friendly sky's headed to Greece.

I decided to spend a few days in Athens before I boarded the bus for the farm. I spent my time touring the ancient sights. I started just a few steps from my hostel at the Temple of Olympian Zeus. I purchased a 7 sight ticket for 12E and walked into the deserted ruins.

The ground was so green, the weather was cool and the crowds of people were missing. I found these great reasons to sight see in the off season. This temple was started in 515 BC and not finished until 132 AD.

My next mission was getting to the top of this hill.

Atop the Acropolis Hill you will find the Erechtheion.

Look closer to find the Karyatides. The most famous sight atop the hill is the Parthenon.

There are also a few theaters in Athens. The first is the Herodeion which is in great condition and still hosts summer concerts.

The Theater of Dionysus is in a state of ruin.

Also within walking distance is the Ancient Agora where I checked out the Museum

The Temple of Hephaistos or Theseion is one of the better preserved temples in Athens.

All of this sightseeing made me hungry. I was looking for someplace inexpensive to eat. I broke one of my rules by eating at a restaurant with a promoter standing out front. When your tired and hungry the rules are often forgotten. I found that a gyros are inexpensive at sit down restaurants and take away locations. They are about 2-2.50 Euros regardless. I spent about 5 Euros for a cappuccino and the gyro at Gyristroula just down the hill from the temple. The gyro was amazing.

At this point most of the sights were closing. I think the opening hours in the winter are shorter, until 3:30 or 4 pm.
There are ruins all over the city.

I spent time in a main square and people watched.

I couldn't pass up buying a kilo of these delicious looking strawberries from this vendor.

My time in the ancient city was short as I wished for more hours of exploring. But I made sure to gobble up the strawberries before catching my next bus out of Athens.

City of Love. City of Water.

2014-01-17T10:45:00.001-08:00

Budapest is known as the city of love and of water. Maybe when the city grows up it will decide. I found the city beautiful after an easy ride on bus 200E before getting on the metro to down town.

I arrived sick and only saw 4 square blocks my first day. This included the walk from the metro to hostel and hostel to lunch, RX and market. My first impression; the city is beautiful.

Construction seems to exist on every corner, but I believed its purpose was to enhance the beauty. The streets were a joy to walk down with their nice new flat tiles. Such a contrast from the difficult to maneuver cobblestones of Italy.

The following day I ventured out further, I walked along the Danube and crossed the Chain bridge.

There were wonderful views to photograph of the parliament building.

The next morning I quickly wandered through the great market hall with my German and Polish roommates before high-tailing it up to the parliament building.

Parliament can only be seen with a guide and although I was late, there was another tour in an hour. The interior was quite amazing.

Next up was the communist tour. The city was previously filled with Soviet statues and propaganda which have since been moved into one park on the outskirts of the city. Only 2 original remain, the first is the liberty statue which had the Soviet soldiers removed and was re-purposed. The second has a fence surrounding it and 2 police are always on patrol to prevent vandalism. Even with a petition the city residents presented, the government won't remove it as it is over a mass grave.

There is also a President Ronald Reagan statue on this square, erected in 2011 by right-wing Hungarian politicians.

The following day I started with a free walking tour that met in front of St. Istvan's Basilica.

The tour included crossing the Danube via the Chain Bridge with a view of the Royal Palace.

We finished near the Matthias Church and Fishermen's Bastion.

After the tour I stopped in a local market for some food. I found myself cold and tired, even more so than after yesterdays late afternoon tour. I tried running across the Chain Bridge to warm up, but it still didn't work. This left me in front of the Four Seasons Hotel which was recommended on the tour for a look inside. I approached the building unsure if I should step inside as there was a doormen and valet guarding the door.

Both doors were opened for me as I entered the building. Apparently I passed the visual inspection even sporting running tights and running shoes. I quickly wondered into the lobby for a few photos and sat down to warm up.

I still wanted to take a tour of the Opera House, see the synagogue, Hero's Square and possibly walk up Andrassy Street. Instead I went back to the hostel and took a nap. Being sick was catching up to me. I did go out with my roommates for dinner at For Sale Pub where I tried tasty Hungarian Goulash.

We followed dinner with drinks at a Ruinpub. This is a former factory building that was destined for destruction turned into a pub. There are a few of these pubs around the city. They often have old unwanted furniture to complete the pub.

I can't find the words describe how amazingly different this pub was. I had two nice glasses of Hungarian wine to complete my experience. I took a moment to realize what a great journey I am on.

Italian Time

2014-01-10T04:38:00.001-08:00

Jan 8, 2014 Venice, Italy

I just spent 2 nights in Venice, Italy. The city is just as beautiful as the last time I visited. I got up before sunrise looking for some great photo ops and mostly empty squares which I found.

The sky over Piazza San Marcos was a lovely shade of pink.

Unfortunately the rest of my time here the city was covered in gray fog, not what I was hoping for, for my photo session.

I've overheard more English here than any place so far, as most people on the island are tourists. Life here would be difficult which is why the number of residents are dwindling. With no cars everything must be hand carted through the narrow stone streets.

I watched as workers unloaded boxes from a boat, others were unloading construction supplies and the Poste Italian pulled around their handcarts of mail. I thought a good job for myself would be to help tourists carry their luggage to their hotel and help them find it. A good map is a must in this city of narrow back lane streets.

Prior to this I spent 3 nights in Verona, Italy, the city made popular by Romeo and Juliet.

I found the city to be charming and beautiful. It rained until my last day there, but put a lovely reflection on the city streets. I had my first couch surfing experience there which turned out wonderful. My Italian host with a London accent was more than generous, I didn't pay for accommodations, food or transportation the whole time I was there and to top it off I had a queen size bed to myself. It was luxury.

While there 2 other travelers also joined us. Leah and Joy are Chinese and studding in Milan for their MBAs. I was very happy to have their company as I had been in a bit of a funk. I will be staying with Leah in Milan for 1 night as I am stopping back my before my flight to Budapest, Hungary. What a lovely gesture and I am excited to see my new friends again.

My first night in Verona I went out with my host Giovanni. We went for Indian dinner as this girl's favorite isn't Italian food. We followed the mediocre dinner with the best red wine I've ever tasted.

I'm afraid to know what it cost but it was divine. The next 2 days I explored the city, first with the girls and the last day alone as they had only stayed one night. I went in the still used concert theater which was the Roman Arena.

I climbed one of the bell towers for a wonderful view of the city.

We went to the Juliet statue and balcony.

And explored the castle, climbing on one of the castle walls which was an old city wall.

On December 26, 2013 I flew from Madrid, Spain to Milan, Italy. I was itching to get out of Spain. I found an apartment for rent by the week on Craig's List with a Milan couple. It was on the 7^th floor and even had a view of the Duomo.

The couple was nice, friendly and super accommodating. I spent New Years Eve with them at the apartment where she made us a multi-course dinner. There were appetizers, pasta, lentils, coffee and desert.

The city also seemed to be under attack. The fireworks were everywhere. They sky was filled with smoke and I had read they were trying to cut down on fireworks due to this problem.

I grew a bit restless with my time in Milan. I had my new found freedom but didn't know what to do with myself. I thought I wanted to stay put and not move around so much, but without a routine schedule I found myself bored. I saw most of the free sights, and some of the paid ones. I went into the duomo and climbed the stairs to the roof.

I wondered around the shopping streets where the stores started to repeat themselves. I walked through the expensive shops in the glass and iron covered mall.

I went into the Opera house Mueso so I could get a glimpse at the theater. I checked out the castle, going into the mueso when it was free for the last hour of the day

and saw the unfinished carved statue, Michelangelo's Pieta Romdanini.

I wondered through the park formerly the hunting grounds of royals and thought it couldn't compare to Madrid’s Retrio Park.

I spent a day at Lake Como and missed George Clooney. It turns out his house was just one more town away from where I went. If I would have know I would have kept walking. The problem is when your job is full time travel, travel research isn't fun.

When I got to Lake Como I wasn't sure about the Ferry schedules so I just started walking. I walked for about 2 hours which included roads with no place for pedestrians to walk.

That was the time I figured I should stop walking up this road. I found a ferry to take me to the other side of the lake. I've read Lake Como causes you to slow down and relax. The problem for me is I'm not good at relaxing. Once you've spent a month walking the Camino de Santiago you have this itch to keep walking. So I did what any good pilgrim would do, and I walked some more.

I found this path and stairs unsure of how far I would have to go to the top. I knew I couldn't quit until I got there, so I just kept following the path. I was offered great views of the lake.

I decided my turn around point would be Pietra Pendula.

At this point I figured it was best to get down the hill before sunset. I found a walking stick and made my way down before dark and returned to Como via the ferry.

Rewarding Rest Day

2013-10-20T09:10:00.000-07:00

Sore muscles and a tired body greeted me on our one and only rest day of this trip. We filled our bellies with a pancake breakfast before setting off to Hurst Castle. After handing over $25 each we had a ticket for the cottages and kitchen tour 1 pm. With the extra time I took pictures from the back of the visitors center of the castle on the hill.

The WR Hurst movie viewed on the 5 story screen was a great preview to the castle. As a young boy he toured Europe with his mom, very uncommon at the time to travel without his father. The wonderful sights of Europe greatly inspired and shaped the beautiful design of his castle.

After having lunch in the RV we were ready for our 1 pm tour. We lined up and boarded the shuttle up the hill for our tour.

The gardens were beautiful

The statues were very European

The castle was ornate

The pools were still as splendid as I remembered.

The views were breathtaking.

The Castle was not accepting permanent visitors so we made our way to Cambria for dinner. We wandered around the small town before deciding on an Italian Restaurant. We shared pizza and the star of the show was the Maximilian Cheese Ravioli. Maximilian, what a fun word to say.

We finished the day visiting dads friends, Steve and Mary Ann, Tara (the golden lab) and Sara the bird who wants to know, "What's your story?" We shared a Olallieberry pie we picked up in town. What is a Olallieberry any how?

My body and mind were thankful for the rest day.

Dear Home Sweet Home

2013-07-20T15:41:00.002-07:00

Dear Home Sweet Home,

I watched you grow from just a wood frame. I visited you often and watched when you received your plumbing and wiring. The day I pulled up and saw your drywall being installed I was filled with joy. To see you take the form of a real home made me excited and anxious. Over the months you received a roof, windows, cabinets, lighting, paint and finally flooring and I watched you transform before my eyes.

We had put a $10,000 deposit on you in December. You were only 1 of 3 homes left, but were perfect. You were an end unit and provided large windows and views. I came to check on you almost every week for 5 months. I knew the foreman well. I was excited to pick your options, I brightened you up with pot lights, adding $7000 in flooring alone including plush carpeting, beautiful title and a natural stone entryway. I added a jacuzzi tub to make you more relaxing.

I spent those 5 months researching design options, watching HGTV and planning your design and paint colors. I sewed your drapes to soften your interior and make you more inviting.

I had spent years dreaming about the day I would finally obtain the keys to you. I had spent hours touring model homes with my parents as I child, picking out my room in the house and admiring the professional design of the models. In college I wanted nothing more than to own you, nearly impossible at the time with no income. I continued to tour model homes with my then boyfriend and dream about the day I would be handed my first set of keys to unlock your doors.

Fast forward a few years and I was ready to purchase you. I had a nice income and was saving money. For the last year as a renter I worked hard to save money, instead of going out with friends for the night, I spent many at home.

May 14, 2004 I officially became your owner. Within moments of you inviting me in, I tore you apart. While you were beautiful, you were very plain. The first thing to come down were your stairway railings. I spent 3 weeks painting and adding decorative molding to your insides. It was only then you were acceptable to me for occupying.

You happily kept me entertained and safe from the elements for many years. I spent many enjoyable weekends with you making you even more beautiful. I repainted a few of your walls, sewed new drapes, added more moldings to windows and the interior front door, refinished your kitchen island and added a beautiful mirror and surround to your master bedroom. I painted your interior doors a deep chocolate brown, gave you new jewelry, beautiful oil rubbed bronze doorknobs and spent hours sanding and staining your bathroom cabinets.

Suddenly your other owner decided to move out. While you were still very special to me I was unsure of your place in my life. I stopped dedicating so much time and money to you. We slowly drifted apart and while I vowed to never quit you, my lifestyle was changing.

I was sad about your location, you weren't close enough to the beach and my new friends. I was embarrassed to tell people about your location, as you weren't in a cool hip part of town. My feelings for you were slowly changing. You were a huge responsibility and financially draining. Your sprinkler system started failing, you sprung a leak and started growing cobwebs. I was tired of working to support you.

After 8 years I decided you were holding me back. I felt stuck and wanted to enjoy new places. I no longer looked forward to spending weekends with you adding to your beauty. It was all superficial anyways. I adamantly wanted out, but you declined in value. I was at the bank's mercy and had to wait longer than I wanted. There was never a doubt in my mind I would just walk away if I had to.

While I wait for the day you are no longer my responsibility I slowly remove your innards, the items that made you feel so welcoming. The items along with you are holding me back. I pack them up one by one, I sell them one by one, or I discard of them one by one. I forced myself to finish your bathroom cabinets. While I worked so hard and for so long for the belongings, neither they or you are important in my life.

I grow apprehensive by the day, will I miss you, will I realize I made a mistake and wish for you back? Why am I tearing you apart?

I must move on, new experiences await me. You are holding me back.

My name is carved on your framing...the mark you've made on me will last a lifetime.

Christmas Fun Run in Tutu's

2012-12-11T18:12:00.001-08:00

We decided to run the Christmas Run through Santa Monica and Venice for Holly's December birthday. The socks are from Target. The tutu's I made with materials and fabric purchased from Joann's. We had fun in the tutu's and felt even more silly wearing them after the run to breakfast.

Beautiful California Coast: Highway 1

2012-11-18T22:44:00.000-08:00

Today's journey started at 10:36 am under the soaring Red Wood trees. Thankfully I woke up feeling much better than the night before. We rode through Pfieffer State campground about 1.5 miles back to Highway 1. I took video of the campground and the beautiful stream running through it although the beauty wasn't captured on screen.

Upon arriving at The 1, we turned left and headed uphill. Within minutes I stopped to remove my sleeves. I wasn't happy about how the day was starting. Around every bend I hoped we reached the top, but it lasted for 2 unpleasant miles.

My smile returned upon reaching the coast. We continued along the edge of California stopping often for photo ops and soaking in the views. The highway continued up and down hills. Just 10 miles into our journey we were stopped taking photos when we spotted our SAG crew. They stopped for the best impromptu pit stop complete with cupcakes.

The sights were beautiful, including secluded houses and black sand beaches.

Before lunch we stopped for this construction site where the road was down to 1 lane. Luckily we rode up and were able to ride through with another group of tour riders.

At mile 28 we found our SAG crew and fueled up with grilled quesadillas and more cupcakes.

The route following lunch included the same wonderful views.

We were still without cell service until we reached Ragged Point and I heard the familiar chime of my phone and welcomed the return of service.

After this point the road changed and it was mostly flat with a few small hills.

There were more cows and we spotted 2 large coyotes

We pulled over to check out the elephant seals beached on the sand. We also realized at this point how strong the wind was. No wonder we were able to keep a great pace with the wind at our backs.

We rode by Hurst Castle and came upon our campground to find Joanell and grandpa parked at the entrance. We helped them pick a spot and get the RV level. My shower was lovely and I ended the day in much better shape than yesterday. I was looking forward to tomorrow's rest day!

The Roller Coaster Birthday Ride

2012-09-25T23:18:00.000-07:00

Today we started at 10:22 am although we thought we would have an earlier start.

From Watsonville we rode slightly inland and past many farms.

I was tempted by the strawberries growing right along side the road.

It was the best strawberry of my life; warm from the sun and fresh off the vine. Continuing on we saw many fresh produce stands with 10 artichokes for $1 and 7 avocados for $1. I wish I could have purchased some but 10 prickly artichokes in my pocket for the day wouldn't have been worth the complaining. We finally decided to stop at a road side stand.

We enjoyed a large wonderful peach that was the best cross between crunchy and perfectly juicy. I can thank my father for my strange love of crunchy stone fruit.

We rode behind the produce stand and stayed off busy highway 1. I learned that an artichoke plant looks comparable to a large weed.

We followed a few other riders to a good place for a pit stop where I was fascinated by the fried artichoke truck selling the fried vegetables for $6; although I didn't try any.

The little girl in the picture said, "Mommy there's a cyclist." I thought it was cute so I said hi and we exchanged waves.

One more pit stop and when I returned I found this.

Guess I wasn't the only one feeling the work we were putting in.

As we neared our pre-designated lunch stop, Monterey State Beach, we called our SAG support for directions as to the best land approach. Since neither one of us knew how to get there we found them just past the Naval Academy on Park Ave.

After lunch it was time to detour and ride along the coast. My goal was to stick to the coast for this ride unless there were no roads. We started off on the bike path along the beach that was filled with walkers and cyclists cruising. This was a good ploy to keep a lovely slow pace. I tried to take pictures and soak in the views.

Then it was time for

The Northern side of the peninsula was less populated and the Southern side was full of houses and tourists.

We continued through Carmel but didn't find Clint Eastwood. Instead we were rewarded with the hills and riding along the cliffs of the ocean.

I had to remind myself that the work was worth it when I was rewarded with such amazing views. My legs were heavy, my mind was weary and the wind was forcefully strong; which was a blessing and a punishment depending on my direction. This was the first time I had experienced my bike being pushed from a cross wind.

Just before following the road inland we stopped as we were going to provide an ETA to our SAG crew only to learn we had no cell service. It would be almost 24 hours before any of us had cell service again. We left the hills and coast behind. The last few miles turned us inland and we rode among the soaring red woods to our campground. I was relieved to finally see this sign.

I knew I had made it even though our camping spot was about a mile off the road. I was so joyous the day was over as I was exhausted. I clasped on our picnic table and if it wasn't for the crisp air I would have slept there all night.

Instead I peeled myself off the table and tried to figure out what I needed for a shower without lights. I was escorted to the showers and when I walked out I was like a moth to the flame. I couldn't find our campground so I headed toward a camp fire. I felt a little silly getting lost but the other campers were friendly and insisted I walk through their site next to their truck as there was more light on that path.

We enjoyed the evening with tacos, cupcakes and presents. I finished the evening chatting with my wonderful aunt. My body was weary but my mind was racing; I had just ridden The Highway 1 roller coaster. I was worried about how I would be able to force my legs to pedal again tomorrow.

Today's score: 77 miles

Team Bike - Day 1

2012-09-08T22:33:00.003-07:00

We started our day a little later than hoped even though some of us were up way too early. It was Joanell's first time driving the RV as she drove us across the Golden Gate Bridge to our starting point.

We jumped out and checked out the views.

It took us longer than planned to prepare our bikes as our items were slightly disorganized.

I have been the one mostly organizing our belongings which also means I get blamed when people can't find their bed sheets, towels, camera, keys, etc.

The official starting line.

We enjoyed our views from the Golden Gate bridge and stopped for multiple photos.

I tried to take in as much as the beautiful coast as possible. It is an amazing state we live in. We were still smiling somewhere around mile 17.

We rode up hills and down. We road along the beaches, in the forest and along bike paths. We mostly stuck to Highway 1.

I took this shot while riding.

Shortly after feeling confident riding and taking video dad warned me sharp turn (on the bike path). It is very difficult to break with an object in your right hand, it was a close one!

At this point we hadn't heard from Joanell. The plan was she would drive about 50 miles and find a good spot for lunch. Turns out the nav routed her more inland and she had to backtrack. This became a mental challenge for me and I worked through it as best I could. About mile 56 we spotted one another and were so happy to have found our lunch truck. It was and this point we stopped and realized how strong the tail wind was.

We continued up and down the rolling hills and arrived in Santa Cruz. We made a quick stop in a bike shop as dad wanted a new bike mirror but didn't have any luck.

Dad was ready to finish the ride at this point, but I'm glad I pushed the issue and we road along the coast. We were greeted by the pier and I learned there are rides in this area.

We also would have missed out on the chance to walk our bikes through the wine festival in Santa Cruz.

We continued our journey and tried to enjoy the empty roads and beautiful trees. It was the home stretch and we were delighted when we finally spotted the KOA sign. Our bike ride that started at 10 am finished at 6:50 pm, 99.8 miles later. We were greeted by a lovely spaghetti dinner we were ever so thankful for. We then showered, some of us ate cookies and some of us blogged. Thankfully tomorrow will only be 75 miles.

Road Trip to SF

2012-09-08T21:50:00.000-07:00

The RV arrived bright and early complete with father, grandfather and aunt. We left Torrance ahead of schedule at 8:40 a.m. The 22' RV was full.

Lunch came about 11:30 when dad decided to pull off the freeway and head for the golden arches. I opted for Carl's Jr with a Mc D's cone. We had planned to stop for groceries on the way but didn't stop until we reached San Francisco and crossed the Bay Bridge. Luckily a school bus driver or two helped us back in the RV.

We spent the night right on Fisherman's Wharf in a parking lot. This was the view from our window.

After dinner in the RV we walked along the coast to Gheridelli Square. We tried a few samples of their new caramel pumpkin chocolate...it was yummy. The air was crisp and we called it a night.

How to Run Faster

2012-07-07T18:37:00.002-07:00

I recently took part in Runner's World Summer Running Streak. The challenge was to run at least 1 mile every day from Memorial Day to July 4 th.

Running only a mile per day quickly became very refreshing. I thought I might run 3-4 miles on some days but after 4 days in I never thought about it again. My 1 mile pace was automatically faster than my 3 mile pace.

My real speed came one day about 2 weeks after starting the streak. I was working out after work but had plans after. Once I realized my friend was going to be ready sooner than expected I was in a hurry to get done and include my 1 mile run. I ran an 8:19 pace that day because I was running late for a night out on the town.

What I learned from my running streak:

1. You have the time and choice. You can always find a way to fit it in just 10 minutes of exercise in your day. Even after a long day of hiking followed by a nap my mantra was be like Nike, Just do it! I ran 1 mile that day.

2. 1 mile is mentally easier than 3+. I'd set a time goal and often beat it.

3. I didn't dread 1 mile runs, it was over before I had much time to think about it.

4. I focused on speed. Speed was more important when only running 1 mile.

5. If I choose to take a day off it would only mater to me. I could go right back to running the next day. I didn't beat myself up about it.

I didn't run every day of the streak. I chose to skip about 3 days and by the week before the end I had already started my half marathon training. I'm glad I tried the streak and next time I feel the need for speed, I will hit the pavement in my Mizuno running shoes.

Hiking in LA - Fish Canyon Falls

2012-05-20T23:20:00.000-07:00

Today's agenda was Fish Canyon Falls. From researching the trail I learned the falls weren't easily accessible because Vulcan Materials Quarry was blocking the start of the trail. Although there are days they shuttle people through the quarry (up to 500 in a day), today wasn't one of them. Instead we would be taking Van Tassel Ridge up and around the quarry to reach the falls.

I applied deet and sun block, packed pants and a jacket as both were recommended due to ticks and poison oak on the trail. I fueled up and headed out with water and snacks. Before reaching the freeway I realized I forgot my garmen sport watch. I decided to turn back to get it.

We reached the dirt parking lot at the trail head around 9:30 am and found the sign board with these maps.

We set off on the overgrown trail. I quickly realized why even long sleeves were recommended although I hadn't listened. The switch backs cut into the mountain and we quickly gained elevation overlooking the parking lot and city.

Once the trail turns from dry and hot, to green and shaded, poison oak was spotted. At this point we switched into long pants. After walking along a chain link fence the trail turns left and goes up a steep fire road. Dripping in sweat I just wanted to get to the top quickly. I couldn't help but think about how miserable it was going to be to walk down this steep hill on the return. I wondered if sledding on dirt would work, only I was missing a sled or metal disk.

After countless lizards and poison oak dodging, the trail began its descent. The descent was steep with soft earth. My garmen wasn't getting a good signal even though cell reception was good, I figured the garmen should have no problem. It read about .5 miles when I took my first spill. I hit the back of my hand on a rock and noticed the garmen looked like this.

Now I was bummed that I had taken the time to turn around for it. It hadn't been tracking much and now had a gnarly scratch. Continuing on after a few more spills between us we reached the creek. We saw the remnants of the cabins that use to be in this valley including these stairs.

On this part of the trail we saw about 3 groups of hikers on their return. With each group we wondered if they were capable of the trail we had just ~~survived~~ conquered. We walked along the creek and when we started to gain some elevation within earshot of the creek we wondered if were going the correct way, we were. We were so close yet I wondered how much farther. And then we saw this.

A fried egg flower or a Matilija Poppy, followed by:

And ~~dove into~~ slowly eased into the ice cold water.

Somehow it took about 4 hours to reach the falls which the map stated was a 4.5 mile hike. After having a picnic, cooling off and enjoying serenity of the falls with no other humans in site, we headed back for more ~~torture~~ hiking. Conversation included brainstorming about how to take the easy way though the quarry until I was stopped in my tracks by this.

After missing the fork in the road we ended up at a bridge with a locked gate and a security guard on the other side. Thankfully he let us walk back through the quarry. The return trail:

Instead of going up and over the top.

My hiking souvenir; the entire forest attached to my pants.

Snakes, Tigers, Buffalo and Death - Jan 21

2012-04-16T21:54:00.000-07:00

Today we woke up excited to pet tigers at the Tiger Temple. First we were going to enjoy breakfast at our apartment's adjoining restaurant until we learned it wasn't included with our stay. Our driver was ready and waiting for us before our pickup window.

We pilled into the pimptastic 10 passenger van and enjoyed the space to ourselves.

Our first stop came about an hour into the drive at the floating market. It was chaotic and unorganized as we tried to board a long tail boat at the dock.

The journey started in a narrow canal reminiscent of a Disneyland ride. The first shop we stopped at was our drivers wife's shop.

We spent an eternity haggling but only James and My ~~walked~~ floated away with purchases; a box of 6 small buddhas for $10 and 2 carved vases for $15. At another shop I purchased the purse I was looking for for 200 THB ($7.50). I had my first of many delicious coconuts on our trip.

James paid a vendor to hold a snake.

In keeping with the Disneyland theme, they had also taken our pictures before boarding the long tail boat. They had it ready before we left and attached to a plate. Janice purchased our picture for 150 THB which was negotiable.

30 minutes later we found ourselves at the war graves. The cemetery was mostly European POWs from WWII who were forced to build a railway connecting Thailand and Burma. It was here we picked up our cute Thai guide.

Since I had to use the bathroom she walked me across the street where I paid 5 THB for the privilege. I was a little pissed off that I had paid to pee in a hole so they let me use the equally crappy toilet once I started bitching.

Kanchanburi War Cemetery

After the restroom and the war graves we quickly moved onto the death railway bridge. Built by forced labor, more than half died working on it. After learning about the bridge in the unbearable heat our guide walked us down to the restaurant for lunch. We had a buffet lunch included with our day's tour for $107. The open air restaurant on the water was much cooler than up on the bridge.

Lunch stop

After lunch was the highlight of the tour. One more hour until we reached the Tiger Temple. At the temple were free rooming buffalo with noting protecting us from them.

A few moments later we spotted our first tiger. People were lined up for pictures with her. While we watched she was getting a little testy and showed her teeth. Luckily that heavy chain was holding her back.

I watched nervously in line as the wet her to cool her off and re-positioned her by pulling her tail. We were instructed to approach only from behind and not to touch the head. No bags or sunglasses near the tigers as those are tiger toys. They lead us in 1x1 and took great pics with our cameras for us. I nervously picked up her tail and felt her dirty course fur.

Next we watched the young tigers paying in the water.

Next up, more tigers. Around the corner were a dozen tigers lying around in the heat. Each one was leashed/chained.

We lined up and a guide took us by the hand for pictures with most of these tigers.

Part 2 Elephants...

She Runs LA - Hollywood, CA

2012-04-15T20:37:00.000-07:00

I was looking forward to this run. It was held at Paramount Studios with a run down Melrose Ave. From the moment I pulled in the parking lot I spied runners in 80s colors. The vibe was awesome.

I arrived early and had plenty of time to use the bathroom and check my bag. There was warm up instruction provided once we were in the corrals. There were four corrals, sub 8, 8-10 min, 10-12 min, 12 +. They actually let us go too close together and then we had to wait at the start line for 4 minutes. The start was crowded and I was running a 9:30 pace.

The event provided great entertainment. There were break dancers, dancers, a drum line and at gospel choir a the turn around point. It was an out and back course and at the finish included running through the Paramount back lot.

The after run goodies included coconut water, bananas and granola. We received an awesome metal and leather bracelet instead of a metal.

I finished 45th of 303 in my division.

This is a run I'd love to do again, only I'd wear more neon green.

Return to Bangkok: Plan B - Jan 20

2012-03-17T13:42:00.000-07:00

We started our day with an early morning as we had another flight to catch. Our hotel continued to provide outstanding service as breakfast normally didn't start until 7am but they opened at 5:45 am for us. When I saw there were no bananas I asked for one. Instead I was provided with a fruit plate of fresh cut mango and orange slices and informed they were out of bananas. James and Myisha came down just in time to jump into the taxi with us with no time for eating. As we were about to leave the hotel requested that our taxi driver wait for just a moment. A few minutes later they brought them a to go box for breakfast. This was indeed the best hotel service ever!

A taxi ride, flight and a few hours later we found ourselves in Bangkok again. This time the customs line was much shorter. We were going to try the sky train to get into town followed by a few metro transfers. I was filled in on the details from the girl I sat next to on the flight. I found this mode of transportation didn't give me car sickness caused by the crazy taxi drivers. Once on the metro we decided to finish our journey via a taxi in an attempt to see the Grand Palace before closing time. We were one metro transfer away from our final destination, thus I was slightly disappointed. It took us about 5 minutes to find a taxi, another 10 minutes to sit through the traffic signal twice and more wasted time due to horrible traffic and the fact the driver didn't know where our hotel was. I wondered if we would have arrived sooner if we just stuck to public transportation.

Happy to make it to our service apartment we realized we didn't have time to make it to the Grand Palace. Instead we opted for Wat Pho. We walked down our street looking for a taxi to take us. They wanted to take us shopping which we wouldn't agree to. Another said there was too much traffic and just wouldn't take us. A fifth suggested taking a boat which we assume was just another over priced tourist scam. We returned to our hotel to ask their advise and they said we wouldn't get their in time. So much for our plans.

Plan B: we split up for lunch and Janice and I had Indian from a restaurant on our street. After lunch we ran into James & My at the market. We picked up drinks, snacks and ice cream before walking back to the apartment. We did laundry, and enjoyed our beverages by the pool.

In order to keep the day from feeling like a waste we all went for a 60 minute massage for $10 just across the street from our apartment. I opted for the traditional Thai massage and it was painful. I was sore the next day and left it as the only one for the entire trip. James also decided to get a pedi so Janice and I explored the night life on our street. We ended up at The Australian bar when James and My joined us again. We decided to stay there for dinner and I ordered the Red Shrimp Curry. It was wonderful but set my mouth on fire.

3 of us ended our night looking for Bangkok night life. We weren't successful finding any shows and decided we weren't up for anymore drinking thus officially ending Plan B.

Friends Despite Language Barriers - Jan 19

2012-03-05T22:02:00.000-08:00

Our last morning on the junk boat we were served a light breakfast of eggs and toast while we sailed to an island with a cave. The island included a man made beach lined with kayaks and lounge chairs.

Our tour company, Indochina Junk pays a man to live on this island and take care of it for the tourists. There were also 2 dogs living with him and only 2 other tourists had arrived.

We hiked about 40 stairs to reach a beautiful view of the bay and our junk boat. Adding to the tropical beauty was the plant life covering the islands.

I was amazed; I didn't imagine the bay could be anymore beautiful than I already thought it was.

Next we turned to enter a cave. I never would have guessed the mysterious limestone rocks held a secret cave. In the old days fishermen made this their home and refuge. It was only discovered 4 years ago by modern man. They spent some time preparing it with steps and lights before escorting visitors.

The cave was so large it went entirely through the island rock and we walked out the other side only to be presented with more wonderful views of the bay.

After a few more pictures we walked back down the stairs and returned to our junk boat. After packing we were served brunch and said our goodbyes to the staff. We also settled our drink bill of $32. I paid with some change and they were amazed, they had never seen american change before.

We tipped our guide and captain, unloaded sadly and waited at the terminal about 30 minutes. As we waited we watched our crew unload and restock our boat.

We loaded into our van for what would turn out to feel like the longest ride ever. Our new tour guide had joined us. His English was 1000 times better than my Vietnamese, but I still struggled to understand him. On our way out of town he informed us there were multiple coal offices. We had even noticed a boat struggling to push 2 large barges of coal on our return to port.

We were headed to tour a village about half way back to Hanoi. Us girls all took naps while our tour guide chatted up James. Once at the village we were greeted by a few of the local women, children and this 91 year old lady.

We walked through their village full of crops.

We sampled a small green apple.

We rang the bell.

We were also able to visit a local man's house; as it was one of the nicer houses in town. His house had a modern section added on. The older part was over 100 years old and put together without nails. Inside was a traditional shrine covered in food and gifts for the Tet holiday. On the wall was a large family tree; a few of his ancestors had 3 or 4 wives.

He showed us his kitchen and a large pot used to make square cakes; a traditionally important food for the Tet Holiday. They are made of rice, green beans and pork wrapped in bamboo leaves and boiled for over 10 hours.

After the tour he asked us to join him for tea, corn and sweet potatoes. We sat at a table just outside of old section of house. The food was all from his garden and I loved the sweet potatoes.

We continued our tour of the town and some of the small children were still with us. The girl were ages 7-10 and didn't speak English. Two of them had been holding hands on the walk. I friended the other girl and held her hand as we walked around.

We walked past a local soccer game where many male spectators were watching. Some of the teenagers followed us and teasingly said hello. We went back and forth saying xin chào and hello. A few men in town would stop us grabbing our arms and talking to us as if we understood.

The end of our tour concluded with traditional Vietnamese songs sung by a local women.

They all thanked us for coming. James gave a bag a skittles to the young girl I friended and she shared with us the moment we walked out of the bathroom. We said our goodbyes and I gave the little girl a hug. We dropped off our local guide on the edge of town and continued our long ride back to Hanoi. I was unable to sleep as the road was bumpy and the van's suspension was bad.

After dark we arrived at the same hotel in Hanoi; Charming Hotel 2. We checked into different rooms and inquired about a dinner spot. We went to 35 Pineapple and enjoyed dinner of spring rolls, which were fried, and vermicelli. It was much different than the vermicelli from home. We looked for a bar but the night scene wasn't happening, so we called it a night.

Gelato, Parks and Concerts

2012-02-19T19:59:00.000-08:00

I woke up this morning looking forward to a lunch date including Indian cuisine. My Auzzie friends enjoy Indian as much as I do and we made a lunch date. I got ready for my day and enjoyed a cup of coffee, one of the German flatmates offered me, with breakfast.

It was about noon and I hadn't seen the Auzzies all morning so I decided to knock on their door. The plans still stood, so while they got ready I decided to walk to the concert hall to see about picking up my tickets. I didn't have any luck with the tickets as the hall was closed, but had a nice walk.

After a quick walk back to the apartment the Auzzies and I were on foot again as we decided to walk to the Indian restaurant just North of Plaza Cataluyna. As we jay walked to the square Chris was reassuring Melissa a car wasn't just going to plow her down. Within 5 seconds we heard an awful crash behind us.

A guy on a scooter hit a family which included a mom, teenage and small girl. The mom was screaming; their stuff went flying. A nice boy picked up a pair of shoes and returned them to the injured. Sunglasses and a camera were scattered about. The scooter driver appeared frustrated and felt bad.

The irony of the conversation and the event was uncanny. We hadn't even made it all the way across the street when the crash happened and there wasn't a scooter in sight when we stepped foot onto the street. The sound of a crash is awful and I hesitated before I would even turn around to view the aftermath. The girls were able to walk off of the street and appeared to be okay. We didn't stick around too long since there wasn't anything we could do to help.

Once we reached the Indian restaurant we were all disappointed to learn it was closed. We went across the street to be served by an Asian lady with a Italian menu. It wasn't even a close second option as I'm pretty sure my pizza came from the frozen section.

After lunch we were headed to Park Güell. On our walk to the metro we passed the block of discord and Gaudí's Casa Batlló.

We took the metro to Park Güell and stopped for gelato on the walk up the hill.

The park was crowded and full of vendors until the police arrived the vendors all ran quickly with their goods.

We learned the park was designed to be an upscale gated community of houses, 100 years ago, but the project failed. We saw the pink model house that was Gaudi's residence.

We took in the wonderful views of the city.

And we sat on the ergonomically correct benches at the park.

I had tickets for an evening concert, but first we stopped at Plaza Reial for some un-memorial tapas.

The Strauss orchestra concert was better than expected. The concert hall was adorned with beautifully odd modern decor.

The enjoyment of the orchestra and beautiful singer, while among the locals, was an evening I wouldn't soon forget.

On the walk back to the apartment I decked out of the rain for another gelato at Farggi. I sat inside to enjoy it while journaling before retiring for the night.

I was glad to have friends to spend the day with.

Fisherman - Jan 18

2012-02-18T12:24:00.000-08:00

I drew the drapes back and saw it was dawn. I quickly changed, grabbed my camera and headed upstairs for a photo op. The gray fog never leaves and I couldn't tell where the sun was rising.

I also enjoyed a morning workout on our sun deck under the mist as everyone else was still resting peacefully.

Breakfast was served at 8:30 consisting of fresh mango juice with pho, eggs and toast. Kayaking was the activity that followed, but after yesterday we all decided getting wet and cold didn't sound appealing. The other 2 Australian couples went as we opted to enjoy the sun deck. Our junk boat only has 4 passenger rooms.

We enjoyed the sun deck while relaxing and reading. The sun made an appearance for a short time and it felt wonderful although the rocks still appeared to be in the fog.

A few hours later we were summoned to board our small boat for lunch at the beach.

They had everything set up and cooked a nice bbq lunch for us.

We had a a few rain drops at lunch but nothing to spoil the mood or our time exploring the beach.

After lunch we enjoyed the sun deck again while sailing to the floating village. We were informed the ladies from the village were coming to pick us up. We went 2 per row boat and our guide Mr. T rode with us. The ladies were really girls and looked to be about 12 but were actually 16.

We have noticed lots of women seem to be performing jobs traditionally done by men. In the villages the men are busy fishing therefor the women/girls are left to perform any other jobs needed. This village consists of poor fisherman whom boat to Ha Long Bay almost everyday to sell their fish and buy supplies including fresh water.

They are government subsidized and a teacher comes into town to teach the children. After primary school if they pass a test they will go to school in Ha Long Bay, on land.

Most of the families are related making the children cousins. Due to this they find mates when they go away to school.

We toured the school and saw the fish farms. Under the houses are nets for the fish farms. These fish are only sold once per year around Tet so the locals have extra money. There was a small store selling art and jewelry. We peeked into someones home which had 2 bedrooms and a living area with homemade hoof alcohol and cigarettes.

The houses only last 10 years. The locals build their own houses and the supplies are brought to the village when it is time to re-build. They recently obtained TV's, but they are only turned on in the evenings for 2 hours when they run their generators. We also learned they only eat 2 times a day, morning and evening. We saw one women start to cut her veggies on the porch for dinner.

We learned the large boats lined with lanterns are for attracting and fishing squid. Although they have been over fished and the numbers are dwindling. This evening on our junk boat they guys were fishing for sport and caught one squid. It was slighly translucent and gross looking.

The girls rowed us around the village of about 150 people while we wore traditional Vietnamese cone shaped hats.

Back on our junk boat I spent most of my evening upstairs reading a book on my kindle phone app while enjoying a blue lagoon and Vietnamese coffee with condensed milk. It was misting and most others disappeared during this time. I lasted the longest reading in the dark, mist filled bay. The breeze started blowing and I was getting wet, I decided to go in before being attacked by mosquitoes.

Diner was at 7:30 but I took a short nap prior. It was another multi-course meal and I went to grab a pillow from the room before it started. The thought of sitting through dinner on the hard wooden chairs didn't sound fun. One of the Australian couples was celebrating their honeymoon, and after dinner the entire staff of 7 sang a few songs and presented them with a cake we all shared.

There were also multiple food sculptures and carvings of birds presented throughout dinner. An eagle made of pumpkin.

A very impressive and accurate watermelon carving of our junk boat. It included 2 decks, a dinning room, sun deck, 4 staterooms each with 2 large windows and a porthole.

Dinner was complete just after 9 pm and we retired to our staterooms. Around 3 am, I learned at breakfast, our anchor had slipped and we hit the large junk boat anchored near us. Most of us, myself included didn't wake from it. I did wake up around 5 am from the pleasant sound of pouring rain.

Descending Dragon - Jan 17

2012-02-13T22:21:00.000-08:00

I woke up feeling well rested and ready to try something new. We enjoyed a hotel breakfast and I tried, new to me, dragon fruit.

The insides are white with black edible seeds. It was sour and I didn't care for it. I later learned it wasn't ripe.

After breakfast we jumped in our van and were whisked away to Ha Long Bay. The drive was long and the honking never stopped. We did have a stop for shopping and I found a scarf to purchase for $13. It was my last chance to get something to keep me warm for the chilly weather in North Vietnam.

I kept expecting there to be less scooters the farther we got from Hanoi, but the scooters and their honking never let up. Most people don't have cars, and can only afford scooters or bikes instead. They are used to transport all of their goods.

The different items we have seen on scooters include 7 large bags of rice, 3 people, trees, flowers and bags of gold fish. Some of the scooters have designer leather seats or faux Louis Vuitton. The helmets appear to be more decorative then protective. Some have holes in the back for a girls ponytail to stick through.

A few hours later we arrived at the terminal.

We we instructed to wait with the others on our van; a young Australian couple with their 9 month old baby girl. We enjoyed the view while waiting.

A short time later we boarded a small tender boat to sail us to The Price II. We were greeted by the crew waving from the boat and once on board with a lovely orange tang juice with bendy straws.

We received a safety briefing from our guide Mr. T and an overview of our itinerary. Following we were shown to our rooms. They were small as expected but cute with an Asian flair in decor.

The bathrooms were very nice covered in marble.

After 15 minutes were were served lunch. It was numerous courses; soup, salad, oysters, potatoes, fried vegetables and sea bass with rice and finished with a fruit plate of apples, oranges and dragon fruit. This time I learned I enjoy ripe dragon fruit.

We had about an hour before it was time for kayaking. During this time we were also sailing through the bay. It is so beautiful here.

It is amazing and surreal that we are here. The sky's are gray and only add to the beauty of the limestone rock formations. Ha long means descending dragon as many of the rock appear as dragons.

Myisha decided to pass on kayaking as it was too cold. Mr. T saw I only had a t-shirt and offered me a jacket I was greatful for. Janice kayaked with Mr. T and finished first while I went with James. We spent about an hour touring the mysterious rocks and bay which were home to a few floating houses.

After drying off and warming up we still had few hours to relax before dinner at 7:15. At dinner the girls enjoyed a bottle of wine from our Hanoi hotel. One of our vegetarian courses was crepes with creme with a hint of lemon. They were the best crepes I've ever had. By the time we were done with our multi-course meal it was close to 9 pm and we all retired for the night.

Travel day again - Jan 16

2012-02-08T23:47:00.000-08:00

I didn't sleep well and checked the time many times over the course of the night. When we went downstairs at 4:30 am our shuttle was waiting to whisk us back to the airport. We were flying on Air Asia and I was worried they would check our carry on bag limit of 15 lbs. We all waited to check in and get our boarding passes and said our bags were fine to carry on.

I had a cheese croissant sandwich from this counter.

While we ate our airport breakfast we talked to a San Antonio, Texas man who moved to Hong Kong in 1993 for his construction business. I always wonder how people can find the courage to move across the world.

We had to take a bus to the tarmac. This always increases the hassle.

Do we look awake?

Our plane bound for Hanoi, Vietnam.

We applied from home for a Visa on Arrival in Vietnam. We went to the visa counter where they took our letters and passports and motioned us around the side without saying a word. We could see them processing the visa's and looking up related information on their computers. $25 and a little time later we were on our way.

We took this taxi for $16 to our hotel.

We enjoyed the sites from the airport to the hotel. There were numerous scooters.

Scooters carrying trees.

People carrying goods.

Our first impression was they drive much slower than Bangkok, but there was still lots of honking. We already felt Hanoi was going to be more enjoyable and less hectic than Bangkok.

The hotel check in was wonderful. We were welcomed with a glass of juice. Lana showed us to our lovely balcony rooms which included wine, water and oranges.

I wished we were staying longer than 1 night. We enjoyed a glass of wine before heading out.

We received an overview and a map from reception, then headed strait to lunch at highway 4, only 2 blocks from our hotel.

We had tofu and spring rolls followed by ice cream. It was an odd flavor we couldn't figure out but I still enjoyed it.

We followed this with a taxi ride to the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum.

The site is closed on Mondays but we walked around the grounds and saw the 1 pillar pagoda.

We followed James as our guide while attempting to discover the lake. We couldn't find any street names and began to believe we must be off the map. We decided to take a taxi to the puppet theater and figure out how to become un-lost. We later looked up the location of the botanical garden as it was the last major site we walked by and it was the complete opposite direction of our intended destination.

At the puppet theater we were pleased to find they had tickets available for this evening at the 9:15 pm show. First class tickets were 100,000 VD or about $5. Tickets in-hand we wandered around Hoan Kiem Lake; one of the major scenic sites of the city. Huc Bridge, is the beautiful wooden red-painted bridge over the lake.

The bridge leads to this structure.

We wondered the streets taking in the sites of scooters

the street vendors

and the shops.

We paid for tickets to tour a traditional Vietnamese tube house, Ma May.

Wondering about the streets and shops I purchased a small New Years/Tet ornament. The upcoming weekend is the big Vietnamese holiday know as Tet. It is similar to New Years, Christmas, Easter and Thanksgiving in one. Many shops were selling holiday decor and gifts including red lanterns. Tet was also the reason people were carrying tangerine and cherry blossom trees on the back of their scooters. The trees are brought into homes and decorated similar to Christmas trees.

We practiced our street skills looking for a bar mentioned in the guide book. We never found the bar but improved our skills crossing the street. We started the day timid, but by now we were just going for it. Although traffic was increasing we never saw a scooter crash amongst the lack of street signals and stop signs. They manage to avoid the scooters making u-turns and pedestrians crossing the street all the while honking at anything slightly in their path.

We stopped at a cafe about a block from our hotel for coffee and beer followed by much needed naps. We then pulled ourselves out of a slumber to have dinner at Tangine, a artsy vegetarian restaurant. I had pumpkin soup, falafel and ginger creme brulee but the show stopper was the mango coconut crêpe James ordered.

Diner at Tangine

After diner we walked to the theater a few blocks away. The show included live music, traditional Vietnamese music, and was beautiful. I enjoyed what I saw but our jet lag and lack of sleep was catching up to us. Only Myisha managed to stay awake for the duration of the show. After we quickly returned to our hotel for much needed sleep.

South East Asia Travel - Jan 13

2012-02-07T00:24:00.000-08:00

Janice, Myisha and I were headed to the airport around 8 pm. All I could think about 14 hours and 45 minutes. That was the duration of our first flight with a layout over Taipei, Taiwan. Two hours into the flight they served us dinner, which meant it was midnight. I thought it was odd timing. After dinner and red wine I popped an Ambien. When I woke up I checked that we still had more than 6 hours left and took another. At this point things got a little hazy. I got up to use the restroom and say hello to my friends 1 & 2 isles behind me. I recall saying I felt the effects of the pill and Janice confirmed after the flight I seemed faded.

I woke up with 3 hours left of the flight. The in-flight entertainment seemed a bit odd so I choose to watch Puss n Boots, the story of Jack and the Bean Stock. Once I finished watching the movie I noticed the passengers next to me with a Siem Reap print out. I learned they were also flying to Hanoi, Bangkok and overland travel to Siem Reap. I enjoyed sharing our travel plans with these 2 guys. Myisha was also sitting next to American tourists visiting similar destinations. Most other passengers on the flight were Taiwanese. I felt like we were the few travelers in a world unknown, exploring as in the movie, The Beach.

Taipei Airport

Our next flight was 3:40 hrs to Bangkok. By this flight I was starving and happened to get moved to a seat for a person who requested a vegetarian meal. Luckily they had an extra for me and the protein based curry was wonderful with 2 glasses of wine.

Plane to Bangkok

We were so excited to finally make it to Bangkok around noon. We faced a hurdle at customs; the line took about an hour.

Customs line

We quickly found an ATM and a nicely dressed man with a printed sign, "Rachel Locklair." I was so happy and excited that it was so easy to find him.

We purchased bottled water at 7-Eleven in the airport.

After getting settled and checking in we took a cab for 240 baht plus two tolls for a total of 300 baht, about $10 for a 45 minute trip. We requested to be dropped off at a pier for a river cruise and hoped to spot something nearby to eat. We didn't realize it was Sunday until we noticed many of the restaurants were closed. We opted to go for the cruise first since sunset would be soon.

We enjoyed cruising up the main river and through one of the canals on a long tail boat. We saw the skyline of Bangkok.

The locals hanging out and fishing.

The rundown houses on stilts and often with laundry hanging to dry.

Many Wats (temples) large and small including the Temple of the Dawn (Wat Arun).

A lady in a boat pulled up to sell us her wares and I purchased a collapsible fan and hat combo in one for 200 THB.

We had all agreed before we left the hotel we would not ask for dining recommendations due to the amount of scams in this city. After the cruise was over they said our driver would be here in 10 minutes. Now we never asked for one to pick us up or did they suggest it before the cruise. I wanted to walk to see what we could find nearby to eat and so we started to leave. James started talking to a driver who was going to take us to fresh seafood for a fee of 50 THB for the ride. At this point we were all hungry and tired and agreed to the ride.

Once at the restaurant we were escorted in and shown to the live seafood. I didn't want to order my food from a tank thus requested a table and a menu. Our food was all very good but very overpriced. James fish was $50 as it was priced by the gram and didn't include the price on the menu. I had my first of many coconut waters.

For the coconut, crab cocktail/salad and Thai soup my total was 920 THB, almost $30. I didn't want to dwell on it at the time but would later realize how much we had been over charged later in the trip. Many of the meals for 2 people were 800 THB.

Our driver suggested waiting for us during dinner and take us to a sex show followed by our request of the Sky Bar. I requested he did not as we had a shuttle scheduled for 4:30 am for our flight in the morning. He pointed out the tall building near the restaurant informing us we could walk to Sky Bar. Once we arrived at the Sky Bar Hotel I knew this major touristy area was not the correct place. This Sky Bar had an observation deck with an admission fee, it was not a bar/restaurant at the top of The Dome at lebua. James suggested taking a taxi to the correct place but Janice wanted to call it a night. We walked away from the tourist area after getting quotes of 500 and 400 THB and found a taxi who used the meter to return us to our hotel.

Our driver didn't know where our hotel was although we were on the correct street. It was set back a little and the sign was easy to miss. James asked the driver to pull over as he thought we passed it and turning around in the taxi would have taken longer than walking. The fare was way less then the taxis trying to over charge us, 200 THB. We walked down our street but couldn't find the hotel. The people at 7-Eleven also didn't know where our hotel was. After finding another cab, having him talk to the hotel reception and turning around 1 or 2 times he finally found it. I quickly went up stairs to shower while the others printed out their Cambodia visas.

Ending the year right - New Years Eve Run

2012-01-10T22:44:00.000-08:00

Date:	Dec 31, 2011
Location:	Long Beach, CA
Distance:	6.2 miles
Runners:	Rachel & Janice
Time:	57:10 mins

What a cold morning this was for us in Socal. It was 46* when we stepped out of the car and so I ran my 2nd run in my pink jacket. This was the smallest event run to date. I learned about 100 people were registered and there were no water stations. This was actually a little to small for my liking, I do like race support.

I was determined to set a personal record today as I had still been running about 2x a week since the half marathon in Oct. I also had just received my Garmin running watch so I could pace myself well. The course was out and back and on the return I started chatting with 2 other guys running. One eventually took off and the other stuck with me even when I walked to drink some water. "I'm not letting you go that easy, it took a long time to find a running partner." It was very nice and this was actually his first 10k. I kept thinking how awesome it was to be able to keep up with a guy since I had been pushing and increasing my speed.

It seemed I couldn't maintain a 9 minute pace, every time I glanced at my watch it was closer to 9:30. Somehow I ended up with a few reverse splits at the end.

8:41
9:00
9:18
9:26
9:20
9:11
1:13

My PR: 57:10!!!

Turkey Trot

2011-12-11T19:20:00.000-08:00

Date:	Nov 26, 2011
Location:	San Dimas, CA
Distance:	6.2 miles
Runners:	Rachel & Mom, Janice & Stacy
Time:	58:28 mins

It was a nice brisk beautiful morning at the lake. I did the 10k and it was mom's very first running event. She and Janice did the 5k which had the same start time as the 10k. Just as I was starting the run I saw Stacy, she was late but event was small and a late start didn't matter. The 10k course ran a complete loop around Pudingstone Lake and shared about the last mile with the 5k course. This was my first run that was part trail run. The course included a bamboo forest, bamboo hurdles and a stream that included a rock hop. I managed to keep my feet dry.