I never quite realized how anal retentive I am until now that I have decided to go on a REAL vacation this summer.
Sure, I've been to a few places before... Vancouver Canada, New Orleans, Chicago.. but those have either been for family, business, or a quick overnight trip. Due to my lifestyle, and finances I've never had the opportunity to say "WTheck! I'm going to travel!" -until now!
GOAL:
Choose a destination.
Sounds simple enough right??
Yeah right...
First off, I have to say that it was really cool that I had all kinds of offers from friends and family, offering to stay with them. But I did have a couple of criteria; I didn't want to burden anyone, I wanted to be a geeky tourist and see the sights, and I wanted to stay within the US. On that note, the sky was the limit!
Unfortunate for me, due to my "Freakish Nature" (I really can't come up with a better term!) it was extremely hard for me to choose a destination. Each time I *thought* that I had a destination something about it eliminated it off the list.
The strangest thing was happening, I suddenly found myself becoming Ben Stiller in the movie
"Along Came Polly".
The strangest thing was happening, I suddenly found myself becoming Ben Stiller in the movie
"Along Came Polly".
I started to risk analysis EVERYTHING!
As an example;
Wyoming was a top contender. Seeing the Yellowstone National Park would be awe inspiring! The Geysers, the Hot Springs, the Mud pits..Camping in the park... Who wouldn't enjoy that??
What killed the Wyoming trip for me besides expense (It's grossly expensive to fly from here to near the park, and would be an extremely boring 20 hour drive.) was the WILDLIFE.
What killed the Wyoming trip for me besides expense (It's grossly expensive to fly from here to near the park, and would be an extremely boring 20 hour drive.) was the WILDLIFE.
Cougars and Bears and Wolves.. Oh My!
Yep, predatory animals killed it for me.
Did I mention that "Not being eaten by the local wildlife" was one of my top criteria for this trip?? Hiking down a desolate trail being stalked by a mountain lion does not make my top 10 list of things to do in my lifetime! With that irrational logic, Wyoming was out.
Did I mention that "Not being eaten by the local wildlife" was one of my top criteria for this trip?? Hiking down a desolate trail being stalked by a mountain lion does not make my top 10 list of things to do in my lifetime! With that irrational logic, Wyoming was out.
Another contender was Isle Royale National Park.
Isle Royale is a remote Island located in the Great Lakes (adjacent to Superior MI) that offers camping, hiking, canoeing, and kayaking. It is non motorized (can't even bicycle!) and has limited trips to/from the island. The island views are breathtaking! I love to be outdoors and thought this trip would surely be the "one".
But.... This trip got squashed too.
Why you ask?? (Sigh...here we go again!) The Wildlife. (now I'm feeling embarrassed! lol!) BUT!!! I do have some data to back up my feeling on this; According to 2012 studies, the Island contains 9 wolves (2 packs and 1 loner) and almost 800 moose. Did you know that according to statistics, over 10,000 people get injured by moose each year?? I would say that my odds of being one of those statistics greatly goes up being in such a moose concentrated area.
Oh! And becoming "dog food" doesn't sound like a fun vacation either.
Oh! And becoming "dog food" doesn't sound like a fun vacation either.
Next was a trip to DC.
Go see the Washington Monument, check out the capital, the Smithsonian, (would have loved the Smithsonian!), etc., etc.
But...
(Isn't there always!)
(Isn't there always!)
Even though Homicides are at an all time low in DC, there has been a huge spike in Violent crimes. Already up 69% from last year to be exact! Given that I'm a lover and not a fighter (I always wanted to say that!) I would be relatively helpless in that type of situation. And personally, I value my property and my person.
It's funny that somehow out of nowhere I've become a complete "Nelly". I think being Naive makes you more of a risk taker. Hence: Why you do things at 19 that you wouldn't even dream of doing at 30.
I can't say that I haven't done my share of risky things. As a matter of fact, I have an entire list of risky (stupid) things! Perhaps now I just have more at steak in my life. I have children and things that need me. Or perhaps it's simply just my way of narrowing down the entire US map to figure out where to go.
And so my destination search continued...
I thought that a cruise might be the way to go. I looked at all sorts of cruise lines, and packages. Even though the prices were decent, having never done it before, I wasn't sure what else you had to pay for (hidden fees, flight to the ship departure) besides what I saw in front of me. I looked at the shore stops they made, and realized you had a very limited time at those stops. I figured 7am-1pm just wasn't enough time to get a true feel for that destination. By the time I was having fun, I would have to re board! And what if I dumb assed it and missed the boat?? Then what??
Speaking of boat... I think I would get bored after awhile on a cruise ship. You can only do so much eating, shopping, and lounging in the same spot before it gets old. It would be like going to a "reverse" Fat Camp, and that wouldn't be doing me any favors! Plus, I do get motion sickness pretty bad... I guess I could add puking my guts out to my list of cruising activities, but as a bonus it would keep the weight gain at bay!
(Cruise ships were definitely out!)
I knew one thing for sure, I wanted to play in the Ocean!
Being a Midwesterner, I have never been in the ocean. A few years back I came close once in Vancouver with the Pacific, I stood on a small rock and had my picture taken. But I have never even done as much as dip a toe in one, let alone actually SWIM in one. I'm dying to see what it's like to have salt water in my eyes, and on my skin! I want to experience tides, and explore in the tide pools and look at all the creepy crawlies.
It's never the big things in life that I remember as much as it is the little things.
Like the first time I went to New Orleans. I was 18 years old and I went with my (at the time) boyfriend. We took public transportation everywhere we went. Sure I remember the French Quarters, and the Zoo, but what do I remember most??
While sitting at the bus stop waiting for the bus, I was in total shock and awe at the cockroaches in the gutter by my feet. They were the biggest bugs I have ever seen! Some of them at least 4" long! I spent my entire wait gazing at them! (Granted, nobody else shared my enthusiasm over the roaches.)
When I was 19 I camped in the mountains with my family in Vancouver. Yeah I can remember some of that trip, but what do I remember most about that trip?
Slugs. GIANT slugs! 12" long slugs...and they were everywhere! I'll be frank, they looked like mobile pieces of poop! They were huge, and everywhere! On the grass, in the outhouses...
I had the best time watching the slugs! I even found out the hard way that slug slime is impossible to get off of hands!
Meanwhile, back to trip choosing... (sorry, I train de railed again!)
One afternoon while sitting at my computer, I saw an ad online for Virginia Beach, Virginia. I thought about all of the things that I was looking for: Ocean, beach, sea life, and the outdoors, and realized that it met all of the criteria!
To finalize my decision, I looked up the crime rate. I learned that it was a *relatively* safe place to visit. Being on the Atlantic Ocean, I knew that it would be warmer than the Pacific - another score! I checked NOAA to find out the weather (I wouldn't want to go with a major Hurricane looming in the forecast!).
I even checked my favorite website produced by the Florida Museum of Natural History; The International Shark Attack File . I have been following that site for years and absolutely LOVE it! It's comprised of data and statistics about shark attacks from all over the world. It tells you the date, time, location, what the individual was doing in the water (sport, and even depth!), what they were wearing (even down to colors!), male/female, age, location of bite/bump, type of shark, and if it was a fatality. For instance, I can tell you that the USA has had a total of 1,022 attacks reported to the Ichthyology department, 36 of them were fatalities, and the last reported fatality was in 2012. Florida was scratched off my destination list based on facts; That state has the highest shark attack rate in all of the USA! 663 total attacks, with 11 fatalities.
If the sharks don't get you in Florida, the damn alligators will! LOL! *joke*
Anyway, I checked the file and Virginia Beach was *relatively* shark safe! Another WIN!
Shark safe yes! Jellyfish safe? - Not so much...
This time of year is Jelly fish season in Virginia. I've been tracking the sea nettle jellyfish migration on NOAA Chesapeake Bay Sea Nettle Forecast website. Almost all of Chesapeake bay is covered in them.
Packed the first aid kit with Jellyfish sting "stuff".
Happy Happy Joy Joy...
Even though I don't really have a whole lot "planned" out to do (come on, I'm not THAT anal!) while in Virginia, I'm really excited about going! Did I mention that I thought about going paddle boarding? But based on my coordination (or lack of! lol!), I *know* that I would fall off. Generally not a big deal, but I would FREAK OUT (x's infinity!) falling into murky, brackish, bull shark, and jelly infested water!
(I think I'm going to stick to Kayaking!) In the meantime, I'll be much more content sitting in the shallows sifting for shark teeth, and crab fishing off a dock.
What I'm NOT excited about is the almost 20 hour DRIVE it will take to get there! I've never rode in a car for longer than 8 hours before (an off the cuff trip to Sandusky, Ohio to Cedar Point roller coaster park back when I was young and fun!) and those 8 hours were HELL ON EARTH.
Sooo.. If I don't die in a fiery crash, peril off the edge of a mountain road, get eaten by sharks, get swept out to sea by an undertow... I should have an AMAZING time!
Did I mention that on my way home, I'm stopping in Kentucky to stay with friends for a couple of days??
Very excited!!
Did I mention that they said they have quite a few Brown Recluse Spiders in their house?
Did I mention that they have a really bad wasp/hornet problem?
Did I mention that they said they have Black Widow Spiders?
Did I mention that they have rattlesnakes by their house?
Did I mention that their nearest Hospital is **40** minutes away??
BRING ON THE ADVENTURE...
I can't say that I haven't done my share of risky things. As a matter of fact, I have an entire list of risky (stupid) things! Perhaps now I just have more at steak in my life. I have children and things that need me. Or perhaps it's simply just my way of narrowing down the entire US map to figure out where to go.
And so my destination search continued...
I thought that a cruise might be the way to go. I looked at all sorts of cruise lines, and packages. Even though the prices were decent, having never done it before, I wasn't sure what else you had to pay for (hidden fees, flight to the ship departure) besides what I saw in front of me. I looked at the shore stops they made, and realized you had a very limited time at those stops. I figured 7am-1pm just wasn't enough time to get a true feel for that destination. By the time I was having fun, I would have to re board! And what if I dumb assed it and missed the boat?? Then what??
Speaking of boat... I think I would get bored after awhile on a cruise ship. You can only do so much eating, shopping, and lounging in the same spot before it gets old. It would be like going to a "reverse" Fat Camp, and that wouldn't be doing me any favors! Plus, I do get motion sickness pretty bad... I guess I could add puking my guts out to my list of cruising activities, but as a bonus it would keep the weight gain at bay!
(Cruise ships were definitely out!)
I knew one thing for sure, I wanted to play in the Ocean!
Being a Midwesterner, I have never been in the ocean. A few years back I came close once in Vancouver with the Pacific, I stood on a small rock and had my picture taken. But I have never even done as much as dip a toe in one, let alone actually SWIM in one. I'm dying to see what it's like to have salt water in my eyes, and on my skin! I want to experience tides, and explore in the tide pools and look at all the creepy crawlies.
It's never the big things in life that I remember as much as it is the little things.
Like the first time I went to New Orleans. I was 18 years old and I went with my (at the time) boyfriend. We took public transportation everywhere we went. Sure I remember the French Quarters, and the Zoo, but what do I remember most??
While sitting at the bus stop waiting for the bus, I was in total shock and awe at the cockroaches in the gutter by my feet. They were the biggest bugs I have ever seen! Some of them at least 4" long! I spent my entire wait gazing at them! (Granted, nobody else shared my enthusiasm over the roaches.)
When I was 19 I camped in the mountains with my family in Vancouver. Yeah I can remember some of that trip, but what do I remember most about that trip?
Slugs. GIANT slugs! 12" long slugs...and they were everywhere! I'll be frank, they looked like mobile pieces of poop! They were huge, and everywhere! On the grass, in the outhouses...
I had the best time watching the slugs! I even found out the hard way that slug slime is impossible to get off of hands!
Meanwhile, back to trip choosing... (sorry, I train de railed again!)
One afternoon while sitting at my computer, I saw an ad online for Virginia Beach, Virginia. I thought about all of the things that I was looking for: Ocean, beach, sea life, and the outdoors, and realized that it met all of the criteria!
To finalize my decision, I looked up the crime rate. I learned that it was a *relatively* safe place to visit. Being on the Atlantic Ocean, I knew that it would be warmer than the Pacific - another score! I checked NOAA to find out the weather (I wouldn't want to go with a major Hurricane looming in the forecast!).
I even checked my favorite website produced by the Florida Museum of Natural History; The International Shark Attack File . I have been following that site for years and absolutely LOVE it! It's comprised of data and statistics about shark attacks from all over the world. It tells you the date, time, location, what the individual was doing in the water (sport, and even depth!), what they were wearing (even down to colors!), male/female, age, location of bite/bump, type of shark, and if it was a fatality. For instance, I can tell you that the USA has had a total of 1,022 attacks reported to the Ichthyology department, 36 of them were fatalities, and the last reported fatality was in 2012. Florida was scratched off my destination list based on facts; That state has the highest shark attack rate in all of the USA! 663 total attacks, with 11 fatalities.
If the sharks don't get you in Florida, the damn alligators will! LOL! *joke*
Anyway, I checked the file and Virginia Beach was *relatively* shark safe! Another WIN!
Shark safe yes! Jellyfish safe? - Not so much...
This time of year is Jelly fish season in Virginia. I've been tracking the sea nettle jellyfish migration on NOAA Chesapeake Bay Sea Nettle Forecast website. Almost all of Chesapeake bay is covered in them.
Packed the first aid kit with Jellyfish sting "stuff".
Happy Happy Joy Joy...
Even though I don't really have a whole lot "planned" out to do (come on, I'm not THAT anal!) while in Virginia, I'm really excited about going! Did I mention that I thought about going paddle boarding? But based on my coordination (or lack of! lol!), I *know* that I would fall off. Generally not a big deal, but I would FREAK OUT (x's infinity!) falling into murky, brackish, bull shark, and jelly infested water!
(I think I'm going to stick to Kayaking!) In the meantime, I'll be much more content sitting in the shallows sifting for shark teeth, and crab fishing off a dock.
What I'm NOT excited about is the almost 20 hour DRIVE it will take to get there! I've never rode in a car for longer than 8 hours before (an off the cuff trip to Sandusky, Ohio to Cedar Point roller coaster park back when I was young and fun!) and those 8 hours were HELL ON EARTH.
Sooo.. If I don't die in a fiery crash, peril off the edge of a mountain road, get eaten by sharks, get swept out to sea by an undertow... I should have an AMAZING time!
Did I mention that on my way home, I'm stopping in Kentucky to stay with friends for a couple of days??
Very excited!!
Did I mention that they said they have quite a few Brown Recluse Spiders in their house?
Did I mention that they have a really bad wasp/hornet problem?
Did I mention that they said they have Black Widow Spiders?
Did I mention that they have rattlesnakes by their house?
Did I mention that their nearest Hospital is **40** minutes away??
BRING ON THE ADVENTURE...