Archive for October, 2009

“You’all,” I say in a pronounced, half-mocking southern drawl as I walked out of the Palmer’s Bar and Courtyard in San Marcos, Texas on the warmest Thursday evening I’ve ever experienced in late October.

“It’s ya’ll – say it!” I get reprimanded from one of the lovely ladies I’ve met through this wonderful travelling experience that hasn’t picked up on my sarcastic tone.

“Ya ya, okay – here I go, ‘ya’ll” I manage to spew out between Bloody Mary induced giggles (I have resorted to drinking extra spicy Bloody Mary’s here, nobody in the US can make a Caesar – half don’t even know what Clamato juice is).

“And do you wanna know what the plural for ‘ya’ll’ is?” She asks while I begin to answer her with ya’lls in mind. “All ya’ll,” she bursts out, as if she’s making fun of her own accent, her peoples own accent.

“It’s not the land of the grammatically correct now is it?” I question.

“Well, honey, Bush came from here – what do you think?” She replies.

I probably would have laughed at her liberal-esque comment but I then became so entranced with the random bamboo growing on the side of the restaurant that I completely forgot, and just walked away from her.

“Do they not have bamboo in Canada or something?” The other woman laughed after the group had now begun to wait for me while I attempted to grab a good bamboo shot on my BlackBerry’s camera.

“No, that’s the point!” I shouted back.

Finally, they managed to get me in the SUV that was carpooling us back to our hotel – the lovely Embassy Suites in San Marco, Texas. Finally a good night out on a whirlwind of a tour that started God knows how long ago because I’m just so frazzled when it comes time for “what day is it?”

But I guess that is the life of a travelling businesswoman!

I was home, not settled, for about 72 hours and during that 72 hours my car got beaten up while quietly parked and minding its own business on a residential street, I was thrown a surprise birthday, graduation, welcome come and congratulations on the new job party and fought with my mom only five times. Now I’m sitting here, in seat 12F flying above the clouds and patiently waiting to arrive in Dallas, Texas.

Realizing I forgot my camera charger, I’m praying my camera lasts the full four weeks I’ll be gone because I don’t really want to rely on my phone which has been renamed “the money pit” during my five weeks of being gone. I’m also hoping that I’ll somehow find the time to do all the things I intend to do – one being actually read at least three of the seven books I brought with me; three of which are already started (I have ADD when it comes to books).

Also on the goal list: find somewhere/something interesting to see in each city; visit the hotel gym multiple times during the week (I’m hoping I’ll get bored enough to just go!); get through my “learn Italian version 3.0” self-taught exams I brought; swim in these fabulous hotel pools; bit & bite something everywhere.

Sometimes I think I put too much on my place or ask myself to do more than I’ll be able to accomplish during the time – but on the other hand – I love a busy life!!

Wish me luck ….

I thought I would be more drained once I arrived in Minot, but strangely, I’m unable to really fathom that I’ve spent the last fourteen hours in a car. I say that, though, while passing on taking a dip in the wonderful water slides and pool this hotel has to offer because I just couldn’t be bothered to leave the hotel room. I even got a pizza delivered instead of going to the restaurant in the Sleep Inn, which was delicious.

I always seem to want to stay another day when I’m in a hotel room, especially one with a King Size bed. The rooms just seem so beautiful and like such a waste for only one night. But I guess that’s why people actually visit the places they go to, instead of merely driving through. I seem to be one that does that often – just drives through. Leaves before things become complacent.

At one point of my drive, I thought I’d be staying in Canada for a little while longer, after I couldn’t believe how scary it was at the border even though I had absolutely nothing to hide. They train those border guys well. Personally, I think he would have loved to go through all my belongings but there was a line forming behind me and my sweet angelic eyes proved my innocence. Alas, I made it through, ahead of schedule, even (I sped, a little – but speed limits are like 120KM here!)

Anyway, I made it. One third of the way to my new home, my old home, my old life turned into my new life. One third to the biggest change I’ve ever made. Way bigger than the one I made when I moved to Calgary two years ago.

Way bigger.