Around the World Adventures!: Denver: 19th of October- 22nd of October

18th of October

As always, I seek adventure. On the 18th, I did my awesome training at OSA. Then, I did a seminar at a church with my awesome business partner, Dante. I continued onward and bought new hiking boots and the new and upcoming Springfield Town Center. They will have a Dave and Busters, a Hard Times café, and they already have a Movie Theatre with reclining chairs. Everything in one area! Who can ask for more. I got to meet up with Krissy and Alex here. Krissy was about to lend me her shoes but I found some that covered the ankles. Knowing my clumsiness, I better buy the ones that protect my ankles. Afterwards, I met up with Maria to discuss G.A.L.!!! It is up and coming. We started developing a mission statement, a vision, costs for services, and a website!!!!! I got home around 10:30 and began packing. I may have slept 1 hour and was up and ready to go at 3:30. AM.

19th of October

So, of course, I try to fill out my time sheet, and it gives me problems. It wouldn't accept my PTO. I don't know why, but I do know it wouldn't stop giving the error. :/ So as I'm leaving, I'm doing my checklist, and can't find my passport. Early morning does not suit me. However, luckily, I knew it was in my day pack and it was, at the bottom. ahahaha. I get to Reagan. I go through the security and was famished. Luckily around 6, I was able to get a vegan protein bar. The stand only accepted credit cards and it was like $3.00!!!!!!!!    So I walked around b/c I couldn't sit still and finally was able to board. Luckily, I didn't have to wait more than 30 minutes.   The first flight I didn't really sleep b/c it was only 30/40 minutes. Plus, I had to dash out of this flight to get the next one, as the layover was only 30 minutes. Thankfully, I found some ladies who were concerned about getting to the Denver flight as well. We all stuck together to make it the other flight and we did! En route I met many people of all ages, moving, traveling, backpacking, or hunting. My flight from Denver was one of sleep (minus the picture taking).

I just crashed. I arrived in Denver, and my friend Laura (Taz) found me! Wohooo, however, the sign that says that luggage arrives 20 minutes from you landing, was not so accurate. My luggage did not come. The poor guy at claims had to deal with so many people that morning. So, I asked him about mine, and apparently it was still in D.C. It hopefully would come by 3. So Taz provided her cell phone number and address as she would pick up my stuff before coming home. However, she did want me to meet her colleague, Joel, who is Kenyan and wanted to meet up. He is from Meru!!!! Wow. He took me to the bus Kiosk. However, the next bus did not leave till 12:20. It was 11. I was told that it is about a 35 minute drive to downtown (not including traffic). So thinking it through, that meant that I would get into downtown around 1:15/1:30. And then Taz would get me in about 3 hours. Eh.... I decided to stay at the airport. I had breakfast (my time)/lunch (Colorado time). It was an Einstein bagel with sausage. Not to tasty (didn't feel cooked). Taz and I looked at her pictures from India. Then I took her IPAD and researched Norway for about 2 hours (in the event that my luggage did not come today). I went back down to claims and the guy told me they put on the flight and it should arrive at 3:15. So, of course, what was I left to do but tour the airport and the stores and so I did. I also got a slurpy, coke!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! And, was reminded of my students who know how hyper I get when I have one.

3:15 rolled around and I got my bag and closed out my claim! Wohoooo. Laura and I went home. I repacked my bag and consolidated things into plastic bags. Laura and I cooked dinner. We made fried rice (I used a rice cooker :O). We mixed it with veggies and scrambled egg. We also had bread with hummus. Uh oh, tooo many carbs. Eh, just having fun! We both crashed around 7 PM. I sent a message to my college friend, Beth who was a Peace Corps volunteer when I was. She said she couldn't meet tonight.   Nor could she join us on the trip-sister's wedding.

20th of October

I woke up to the sun shining through the window, at my own pace. No alarm-no work. Simply peace. I had cereal (no milk), juice, and raisins for breakfast at around 8. I woke up Taz's brother, Matt to start our journey. He too has never toured Colorado since his move here from Jersey. So onward!!!!! I was the navigator. We decided to go to Dinosaur Ridge. We get to the visitor center and they had a museum and a bus that went around the trail. However, I wanted to hike it. We asked for directions on how to get there, well, they were WRONG!

We ended up at the Zorro Trail, thinking it may intersect with the Dinosaur Ridge. We do the whole thing, up hill, over rocks, down hill and then hit another trail. However, I realized if we did that trail we would never make it back to our car.   So we tried to find roads back to our car. Everything was a dead end. The only way back was by doing Zorro again. So up the trail we went. We met another group of people who were returning; they did not complete the trail as one lady just had surgery. She had her meniscus taken out. She doesn't have one, nada, nothing!!!!! I offered her my cream to relieve the pain and she said no. However, eventually, my left knee was hurting because of the overcompensation, and the right was swollen. But I made it down!!!!!

We then proceeded to the Red Rocks. En route we find the entrance for the Dinosaur Ridge trail. The Red Rocks are beautiful and have a school that is on its foothills. I initially did not want to hike, but Matt convinced me. En route we asked people how long the hike is; we got 10 minutes, 20 minutes, 30 minutes, and 40!!!!! AHAHAHAHAHAHAH Well I think it took us 1 hour and 30 minutes just because I was into picture taking and moving a tad bit slow. Knees hurting coupled with no food since 8 am (it was like 2). But, I made it to the Amphitheatre!!! I didn't go further to the Visitor's Center. I needed to relax. The Amphitheatre is awesome. People are very health conscious as the before you hike up the stairs to the top, there is a sign that says burn 40 calories going up the stairs. :O I was like I already burned more than 40 calories today.  People were running and doing cross fit exercises up all the rows of the Amphitheatre. We come back down and I saw a street and said to Matt that street will take us back down to the car and won't have to worry about the rough terrain of a trail. En route, I saw another guy who was on the trail with us (he was touring the area) and Matt and I asked him for a ride down and he agreed.  Yeaaa.

We drove home and played a card game called flux.  Taz came and we decided to meet up with Beth. Beth did got confused and thought that 22=10PM (as I told her we were leaving on the 22nd). She was free. So Taz, Beth, and I met up for dinner. I didn't think I would have all my dinner, but given that it was around 4:30/5 and I had eaten last at 8 AM and hiked all day, I finished all my food! I went home and Laura and I crashed. We talked about being single and then she made the comment: "scream like a girl, and you'll get a guy." A nice joke to the end of the day. I ended up put cold towels on my knees and on my neck (I slept wrong in the plane).

21st of October

So today Matt told me he couldn't really hike due to sun burn. I was cool with it-could give my knees a chance to relax. We drove out to Boulder. We started at the Visitor's Center, who gave us a guide of things to do for the day and gave us a coupon for a box of free tea at Celestial. We first went to Pearl Street to check out the mall. I saw some cool stores and met this awesome Nepali who gave me discounts. I bought gifts for Taz and Matt for hosting me, but then Matt got me something. He said that we need to be kinder to each other and lead life peacefully and happily. I agreed. We went into a book store and you know I go into a book store, I can't leave without a book. AHAHAHAHAH. After having my 2 hours at the mall, we went to the Dushanbe Teahouse. People were rude about giving directions, but we still got there. People were rude when we talked to them; they just ignored us. However, for the most part, I must say, people in Colorado are kind, active, and rarely on their cell phones. From here we went to Chautauqua the base for all the hikes. So I got some awesome pictures. My favorite pictures ended up being ones with the color variance and the hills with the shadows reflected on them. After taking in this beauty we went to Celestial Seasonings Tea Company which is on Sleepy Time Road. AHAHAHAH i'm sleepy..... We got there around and the next tour was at 3. We didn't want to wait as we wanted to go to the Candy Shop in Denver for free candy (again I haven't eaten lunch yet; breakfast was at 8 am post hapkido/judo workout). We tried all the different teas and I loved the pumpkin flavored one and that is the one I got for free as well. We started the drive for the Candy Shop which we didn't go to because the free tours and candy end at 3. So we went and got linner (lunch & dinner). We got Pho. The bowls were huge- I didn't finish my food. I took it home. Taz and I packed and then went to the library. We booked a hotel in Iceland. We will do Norway bookings during our Iceland stay. She got her flight tickets. We then went to target as I needed to get tape for my journal and replace that I used of Taz. Taz got some medication to numb her mouth.   We made a tuna fish salad on toast for dinner and then crashed.

22nd of October

Did my hapkido/judo training and meditation this morning-very peaceful. Ate the rest of my pho for breakfast. At the library, updated the G.A.L. website and this awesome blog, and hopefully will get some LCSW studying in. Of to the airport around 2. Departure at 6:30 PM.   Soooooooo exciting, not that you can tell.