Vacation – Over mountains

we parasailed (and lived)

September 2, 2014

When it comes to stress responses (fight, flight, or freeze) — I am a total freezer. I just kind of stand there, totally silent, as if someone’s shooting free throws.

Except for when we go parasailing, apparently…

Not only did I actually scream during a scary situation for the first time in 10 or so years, but I managed to shriek “mother of f–k!” (keeping it classy, all day everyday) of all things, really, really loudly. It just couldn’t be something normal and generic like “ahhhh!” could it? A combination of factors — probably my extreme terror combined with my amazingly high-pitched screaming capability — made it more hilarious than it would have been otherwise. Alex and everyone on the boat burst out laughing which actually made me feel a little less like I was about to die, but it still took a good few minutes in the air before I was able to really loosen up. When I finally did, though, I realized that parasailing was one of the more relaxing activities we could have chosen — with just a little bit of an adrenaline rush on the way up and when going down for a dip.

Alex is being brave with the head movement. I’m paralyzed at this point.

Kisses, mountains, and a gigantic smiley face. I like it.

Is anything better than warm Hawaiian waters?

Now don’t get “loosened up” confused with “totally fine” because I was shaking like a leaf until we got down. Parasailing was totally awesome. Dangling by a two metal clips 1,000 ft in the air? That was utterly terrifying. It was a confusing time in my life.

Neither of us had ever been parasailing before, and we ended up being quite surprised by the whole experience. It was totally silent while we were in the air — not to mention calm — and the views were just spectacular. Alex, being the kind and caring husband he always is had his arm around me, and kept his urge to somehow manually propel us forward by violently swinging his legs and jumping under control. I can’t say how much I appreciated that.

I also really appreciated being back on the boat when our flight was over. Alive.

It was a lot of fun — we both agree that on our subsequent beach vacations that parasailing is a must — but for us first timers, it proved to be the kind of fun that warrants having a drink afterward.

So we did that, too.

Everyday Life, Vacation

pale blue dot

August 28, 2014

We woke up tucked into crisp white sheets, the sun shining brightly through windows that revealed a paradise, and everything was bathed in blue. An impossibly vibrant blue that even summertime Seattle skies and waters cannot rival, a blue so beautiful that we were lulled from the comfort of our fluffy bed, and into the deep.

This secluded beach in Napili that our airbnb house was situated on, saw only four or five people at this time of morning: us, and a few on the sand, watching the waves crash or overdosing on Vitamin D. Wasting no time, we waded into the water, and with our snorkels, we dove in and reveled in the silence as we swam and explored. Secretly, all we were searching for was the Honu, and as much for them as for the wonder and excitement we felt when they were near.

We swam against a current that was steadily picking up, and floated — sometimes begrudgingly — wherever it took us. Alex was off somewhere trying to stay underwater for as long as possible to get shots with the camera, and I was several tens of yards away, alternating between floating on my back and swimming around with a snorkel on to see what I could see. Words couldn’t capture the mood, or the sights, or the feeling. We were off in our own little worlds, swimming in the vicinity of each other but still alone, swimming along with our own schools of tiny fish — and it was just fine by me. Time passed slowly and serenely, then, a voice shouting over the waves: “Dude, they’re here!” The sea turtles; they had finally returned. I quickly breaststroked to where I met up with Alex near the rocks. We were all alone, not a swimmer in sight, now sharing a tiny portion of the ocean with a beautiful and curious honu. It swam above, under, beside, and towards us (which caused one of us to shriek) — seemingly unfazed by our presence — and armed with a camera strapped to Alex’s head, we managed to capture it in all of its splendor. With the surf getting even rougher, and the waves pushing us all ever-closer towards the rocks in shallow water — not to mention each other — we accidentally ended up getting close enough at some points for startlingly clear shots of our reptile friend. It was a treat that came at the price of some scrapes, and was well worth it. Swimming with this gorgeous animal was an incredible way to spend a morning.

When the sea turtle departed, we finally would, too. The sky was grey and heavy now, and the once warm water was quickly becoming glacial. We took my chattering teeth and shaking as our sign to head in, and rode the waves back to shore. We frantically wrapped up in turquoise and white towels knowing that we’d be back later in the fiery heat of the afternoon, seeking the feeling of the icy water that we were currently running from. I was focusing intently on my steps as I padded over the rocks back up to the house, trying to ensure that I wouldn’t slip (I had a bit of a mishap several days before and paid the price), when I was interrupted by these three thoughts:

1. In a survival situation on a mountain or in the ocean, I’d be the first to die of hypothermia.

2. (a major gear change) The universe certainly smiled down upon me when I found Alex, and I’m lucky to be able to go to such lovely places and do extraordinary things with someone who is my best friend.

3. Life sure is wonderful, amazing, and endlessly beautiful on this pale blue dot of ours.

As always, friends, I’ll soon be back with more. I like posting on a more regular basis — there’s a lot to talk about — be it vacation, or puppies, or amazing days at work, or how I can’t make my pizza taste exactly like my mom’s (it’s a serious, serious problem). If you’d like, you can check out our flickr page to see the photos from this post, and more. Talk to you soon!

Everyday Life, Vacation

into the rolling ocean

August 24, 2014

We thought we would go on a road trip for our wedding anniversary –- possibly to the Southwest — but maybe to Yellowstone. Then there was flying to Puerto Rico or Thailand, or quickly escaping to Alaska. We considered France — which at first I was really rallying for – but ultimately, we decided to save the incredibly long flight (long = scary), and a jam-packed itinerary, perhaps for our second anniversary. We could really use the extra planning and decision-making time — of which we currently had very little. Maybe instead we could go to Amsterdam, or see the sights in Rome. Choosing from ALL THE PLACES felt exceedingly difficult when each of those places offered exactly what we wanted: vacation, and not Seattle.

Talking extensively about our gigantic list of wants, we came to the realization that what we really, REALLY wanted more than anything was just a break. We started imagining ourselves on a beach, drinking something slushy and alcoholic from a pineapple, and not feeling pressured to see everything, do everything, and go everywhere – filling each hour to the brim and setting a strict schedule. We wanted to sleep in past 6 AM, feel the heat of overzealous sunshine, play in crashing waves. Ah, a beach vacation; maybe picking the where was easier than we thought. Thailand. The thought was still compelling — incredibly so — but we ultimately decided on Maui, a place we thought about for only minutes, and chose it as our destination essentially for one reason: the 5 hour flight. Only 5 hours, no customs, and no stress between me and a pina colada? Why would I not want that? The plan: 2 weeks of epic relaxation. The date: August 8th.

Cool. Now we only had to wait, like, 6 months. Then squeeze past Hurricane Iselle, then survive a scary takeoff and a flight with a screeching toddler in the next row, and ultimately come out as champions.

We arrived to partly cloudy skies, air thick with excitement, and scenery that had us swooning. Soon enough we found ourselves exchanging our clothes for swimsuits to rush down to the beach, and to stand, admiring — if only for a moment — the expanse of sand and the rolling ocean. We ran quickly into the warm surf where we would stay, swim, talk, and play until the clouds came in and and the water was white-capped and restless.

Several hours felt like mere moments. We returned to our room, sun low in the sky, exhausted, and so happy. We washed away the salt water in a coconut-scented warm shower, and by sunset, we were laying in bed ready to welcome a bit of rest. I think that’s the surest sign of a good time. Not to mention a really long day.

I will be back, my friends, with more pictures to share and stories to tell from our vacation in Hawaii. For now, I just really want to sit on the couch and hang out with my husband and our pal, Netflix. Pretty soon I’ll hang out with my husband, Netflix, and a puppy — but we’ll get to that when we’re done talking about Maui, green sea turtles, and unleashing a scream of the bloody murder vartiety, accompanied by an equally loud obscenity, to a boat full of people and children while taking off on a parasail flight. See you soon!

Marriage, Vacation

Eight

April 10, 2014

Hello again, I’m glad to be writing this. It means that March, the 10 inches of rain it brought, and the four soaking wet, sun-deprived weekends has been rendered a memory. We’re definitely not in the clear just yet — but this month I’m hoping for slightly less rain, and just one weekend (or even one weekend day) of fun in the sun (or partial sun — beggars can’t be choosers). Or maybe that’s what July is for. Continue Reading…