Mike has often said in my company that he finds it humorous how I've been to places as far as China but never somewhere relatively local like California. Mike thinks it's a little backwards to see the world before you see your own country. As a man who was born in California and proceeded to live in five different states by the time he graduated High School, he's gotten around this U.S. of A. And that isn't even counting summers. I can't keep track of all the places he's lived when summer residences are factored in. I often express my frustration that I can't make fun of where Mike's from because he's not from anywhere. Sure he was born in California, but he didn't stay long.
I travel, but my 20's have been focused on seeing different countries, not states. While I have flown over the Pacific, I've never actually set foot in it. Barring that fact, I have seen what I consider a fair share of the continental U.S. I've eaten lobster in Maine, rafted in West Virgina, looked out over Pike's Peak in Colorado, swam in cold Lake Superior, hiked in Arizona and met Mickey in Florida - twice. I feel pretty well traveled. Unless you compare me to Mike.
I hate it when Mike's right, and conversely love proving him wrong. There's just something so fun about saying "nuh uhhh." Trust me, I know. I see it in Mike's eyes every time he says it to me. It brings each of us great joy being able to tell the other person they're wrong. It is one of our inalienable rights as co-habitators and partners in giving one another shit. (We always hug it out.) Today I took a step towards saying, "In your face, Mike!" I bought tickets to California.
This trip has been in the planning stages for months. When I saw round trip tickets on Orbitz for less than $300 I decided today was the day to git 'er done. I booked our flight.
The downside to buying tickets today is that we have to wait months to use them. Due to work and weddings, we're not going until late summer/early fall. We fly into LA in late August and out of San Francisco in early September. For that week plus, we'll see family and friends in LA, take time driving up the coast and then see more family in San Francisco. At some point though, probably on our drive, we'll stop and dip our feet in the Pacific. And when that happens I'll turn to Mike, smile and say "Suck it! I'm in California! What do you got to say now!?!"
3 comments:
You're going to have have so much fun! I love Cali (5 year resident while in college). I'm in a similar boat to you - my hubby has lived in a bazillion different states - I've been in a fair few myself - but he's never been overseas and I've been all over Europe. Funny how travel works though. We're trying to make an effort to see more of our country too - it really is very beautiful - sometimes it's just hard not to take it for granted.
Awesome! I know it's a long time to wait, but you can take some comfort in the fact that you're going in the best time of year (at least for san francisco). September is when the sun finally comes out after being blocked by a cold blanket of fog all summer. Really beautiful time of year there. You guys will have so much fun. Make sure you bring enough memory sticks because you will be snap happy driving up that coast!
I have created an agenda for each day of the trip. It says the same thing for each day. Don't let Amy near the ocean. Suck it!
Mike
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