Adventures and firsts

I will be experiencing some firsts here in the next day or so!  I am going to actually fly for the first time and also see mountains!  Mountains not through the window of a bus, or just felt as we slid up and down the seats (or one time the aisle) in the middle of the night.

It will also be the first time I have been west of Missouri, unless you count the middle of freaking no where North Dakota, which I try to blot out of my childhood collection of memories.  But that is a different story all together.

I am headed to Denver on an airplane and my friend and I have exactly 3 missions.  To hike in the Denver area.  To drive in the mountains.  To eat as much ethnic food that we can possibly fit in.  And I have one more mission and that is to see my friend Lori, who I miss with my heart and soul and I can't wait to see and hug and talk with and laugh and smile at.  :)  We do  not want to over plan this trip, since it isn't a long one.  But we want to have a list of alternatives and ideas.

This trip all started when I hesitantly admitted to the Mad-English teacher that I had never flown, this was probably 2 - 3 years ago.  Before I booked my trip to Italy last fall.  He said to me then that I should tell him when and he would meet me at the airport and we could fly somewhere- even like Florida- where we could arrive, walk around the area a little and then get back on a plane and fly back.  Now at the time that sounded fun, but obviously that didn't happen. So this idea has cropped up here and there, Seattle was discussed along with a few other places.  Denver was settled on because of the whole mountain thing, but I am getting ahead of myself.

When I booked my trip to Italy next summer, I knew that I really really needed to be on an airplane before I flew for 12 hours in one shot.  It just seemed like a good idea for me, personally.  Originally the plan was to stay just overnight and then it was stretched out a bit, because for heavens sakes, if you are going- you might as well stay a few days.

I am a little hesitant about admitting that I have never flown before at the age of 50 something, as someone in my past found the need to ridicule me for such a thing. And I think I was my 30's - I don't even remember who it was, but it sort of stayed with me.  I realize now that really that is no reason to feel bad, the trips I have gone on were by bus.  It isn't that I have never gone anywhere, I just never had a chance to go on a plane!  Whatever!  Wouldn't it be nice if all people were as encouraging as the folks in my life are right now??  I have had so many people tell me how I will love it, how it is like a big bus, that I won't have claustrophobia, and even sent me pix out the window from an airplane ride in progress.  I have amazing friends and relatives.

So I have thought through this whole thing, and I have decided I am not really afraid to fly.  I am a little nervous/anxious about it, just because it will be brand new.  I have had enough people talk to me about what will happen that I know I will be fine.  And I have an awesome buddy who will be there to talk to- undoubtedly without stopping for the entire 2 hour trip.  :)

So, mountains- I have been to New York twice and to Florida twice and each time I have barely seen the eastern range through the bus window at night or in the early morning when everything was fuzzy.  Or, I felt the bus rolling up and down as we headed south....  I have always been bummed out about that. So it will be mountains with a vengeance for us!  YAY!  And if you have been following along, you know that the Mad-English teacher and I are all about the hiking (or kayaking or biking or snowshoeing) so we will be in a good place.

I have had to have a sister consultation about this whole packing for an airplane thing- she is such a peach!  So I am all ready for the adventure, this evening before departing. I am a bit nervous people!! I am not worried about any of it other than I am just plain old anticipating a new experience.

So as you can imagine- pictures will be forthcoming.  Stay tuned!  :)

There will be some joy involved!  Have a fantastic week.