From Vermont to Vegas

I’ve been to several states and there is still so much to explore. America has it all! I love the glitz and glamour of California and Americana of industrial states like Ohio and New Jersey, and farming states like Iowa and Kentucky. We have hula, Aleutians, Creole and Cajun, International Districts, NASA, and Yellowstone. We have Cherokee and Sioux, jazz, salsa, Boeing, and Disneyland. If you want revolutionary history visit Atlanta, Georgia or any one of the New England states like Massachusetts or Vermont.

Many years ago I traveled from Pennsylvania through New York and through farming communities in Vermont where mom-and-pop stores scattered alongside the main freeway sold homemade jams, quilts, and baskets. This part of America had a country feel taking me backwards in time compared to the bustling states we passed through. The people there had a “wicked” accent. I say that because youngsters of Vermont consider things “wicked” cool, and “wicked” wild. The “wickedness” ran straight through to New Hampshire (our final destination, actually), to visit some friends. But let’s go back to Vermont… The first time I stayed at a Bed & Breakfast was in Vermont. The name of the place escapes my memory because it had been years since I’ve been to the northeastern-most tip of the United States. At the Bed & Breakfast, I remember the aroma of fresh baked bread. It is a mouth-watering smell. The check-in counter had bakery items, nuts, and jarred goods like jams and pickled items. Another morning I woke to the smell of cookies baking. I have never tasted a cookie close to this scrumptious goodness ever again until a year ago at Oddfellow’s in Capital Hill, Seattle. I remember a museum in Vermont with Yankee-related nostalgia. We continued to New Hampshire to stay in a cabin with friends and then we took a route through Boston (another favorite spot of mine) and ended up in Connecticut. The trip was exciting, but if there’s anything I can remember most about that trek was the little Bed & Breakfast in Vermont with the delicious bread and cookies.

The polar opposite of Vermont is Las Vegas, Nevada. The Vegas Strip comes alive at night with sparkly things and sparkly people, giant video billboards, entire hotel walls with giant advertisements that span across the buildings and up 20-30 storeys! The city, indeed, never sleeps because the constant chiming of the slots and 24-hour goings on everywhere. The hotels are masterpieces of architecture, art, and fantastical themes hosting all kinds of shows from Blue Man Group to Cirque du Soleil series. Buffets are as plentiful as the bars. Be prepared to tip EVERYBODY and spend your money—I’m not talking about the casinos. So what can families do in the land of sin? Well, there are softball leagues and community events at several parks nearby, boating and water activities at Lake Mead, ATV off-roading in the dessert where you bounce off dunes (I encountered several harmless snakes there). IT SNOWS in the winter so you can go skiing at Mt. Charleston just 35 minutes away. The ski resorts are most popular with the locals instead of tourists. Being extremely new to skiing, I took bunny lessons with the kids but I ended up tubing downhill all day long—that was fun! Hotels also have waterparks and shows for children like Disney on Ice and The Lion King. They have the breathtaking Stratosphere for the daring—don’t do this drunk or hung over or without a diaper! Vegas is mostly a tourist town full of attractions. Be a smart Vegas tourist! Plan ahead and have a purpose like a show or community event or you’ll go broke.

If you want calm and laid back, go to Vermont; fast and wildly entertaining, go to Vegas. But believe it or not, you can spend almost the same amount of money in both places. You cannot resist the delicious homemade food, museums and tours of Vermont and you cannot resist the breathtaking shows of Las Vegas.

Touring the Home of Hope

If I say “Hawai’i” most Westerners immediately have visions of hula dancers, surfers, Hawaiian shirts, leis, and Elvis. If they have been there, they have memories of black lava beaches, luaus, golf courses, pineapples, macadamia, and Spam.

I visited the best place in Hawai’i: Ronald McDonald House of Charity in Honolulu for seriously- and terminally-ill children.

On Judd Hillside in Manoa is a magnificent mansion amongst beautiful homes that despite the economy, none of the homes are under $700k. So you can imagine the “home away from home” for families from the outlying islands of Hawai’i and the Pacific who have traveled here for the best care for their children who are fighting for their lives. The home on Judd Hillside has spacious rooms on the first floor and smaller, hotel-like rooms on the second floor. The great room is like a hotel lobby with an indoor garden, aquarium, and large couches. The dining room is my favorite. It has a massive table and chairs hand-carved from Koa wood with a lush, intricately-stitched carpet covering a cool, stone floor. The home has a playroom, movie room, and a beautiful back yard that hosts weekend barbecues and small events by volunteers and other community non-profits. All the rooms are elaborately decorated in traditional Hawaiian décor not skimping on detail and amenities. It is the best for the families who pass through this home while their children are going through serious treatments and surgeries. Judd Hillside at Manoa was home to my niece, Rica, and my sister, Paula, for a year.

I met the most amazing people. Families shared stories, and although heartbreaking, there was a strong sense of hope and unity in this home. The management and volunteers are just as amazing as the children who maintain their laughter in between treatments and surgeries. The youngest is a preemie born inflight over the Hawaiian Islands when the mother was only in her second trimester. A bubbly toddler with strawberry-red hair and bright eyes was going on her umpteenth surgery. We had a 17-year old teenager with life-threatening blood disease (not cancer) who was accompanied by her oldest sister who looked about the same age. The sisters lost their parents in a tragic accident just a year before while one of them was in treatments. As wards of the state, they were threatened with separation but one turned 18 before the state can finalize papers so she claimed parental rights of her sick sister, and so here they are…

For over a month most of my days were spent at Kapiolani Hospital and Judd Hillside where, at first, the images of babies, toddlers, and their families were difficult to bear. But I adjusted, and as the days passed, we shared stories of hardship and joys, love and family. Most long-time residents at Judd Hillside help new families get acquainted with the home, hospitals, and volunteers. Rica and Paula made special friendships and bonds with the families, doctors, nurses, and volunteers. If you have any time and are planning a get-away, I strongly recommend visiting and volunteering for any children’s charity. There’s a Ronald McDonald House in Seattle that is home to little patients of Children’s Hospital. It is much busier than and not as laid back as Hawai’i, but the essence of love and family and unconditional giving exists just the same. I stayed in one home and shared the lives of people from all over the world and I could not have appreciated this kind of vacation more…

 

Paula & Rica in my hotel room

 

Getting ready for a photo shoot. She was concerned her bandages and port would show...

 

Rica and her support group: siblings, Renae, John, Reiann. Just a day after her first chemo, her hair started to fall out. A week later it was completely gone, but not her smile!

Thank you, Ronald McDonald House of Charities, for a hopeful year.

Lytton, British Columbia

During a warm, bright July, we headed into Canada for camping and whitewater rafting. We passed through small farms, sleepy towns with cottages, acres of sweetgrass, and an endless green landscape. The drive up miles of winding roads to the little town of Lytton, BC was GEORGEOUS!  The road follows the raging rivers and the cliffside gets steeper as you continue onward. No congestion--just trucks hauling timber or whatever. The gas stations, I thought, were purposely set far apart for us to fill up before the next pump—smart way to get the tourists to pay. Wink.  

The home to First Nation Kumsheen and Lytton is very quaint! Downtown is lined with family-owned cafés, antique and craft shops, and old hardware stores. It has a very cozy feel. The outskirts of town have small, unadorned yet beautiful homes. Bring lots of cash because I remember just one ATM in Lytton. The biggest expense was gas.

There are several campgrounds by the rafting sites. The guides, a group of comedians (but don’t be fooled—they’re experienced and safe) are from all over the world like New Zealand. We started from the Thompson River going down raging level 4-5 waves through dips, curves, and rocks nicknamed Jaws of Death, Cutting Board, and Witch’s Cauldron.  When the river was calm we jumped in! Some parts were warm, others were freezing cold! At the delta where the Thompson and Fraser rivers meet, the waters are calm, white, and curiously fizz like 7-Up—you can hear it! After a couple hours rafting, we were bussed to a party! The guides barbecued and entertained and we danced to live music! The next day we ferried across the river to hike the beautiful trails that follow the Stein River up the mountainside and through Devil’s Staircase. We came across a sacred tree with engravings. We also met some kayakers getting ready to go down the superfast river with treacherous curves, protruding sharp rocks, and waves higher than the Thompson. Wild! On the way out of Lytton we stopped by Hell’s Gate and enjoyed the airtram that took us over the treetops. This is definitely the place to visit when you want to get away from everything and enjoy nature—rafting, hiking, and camping!

One of the gas stations in Lytton

Calm waters call for a Kodak moment

Steep hiking trails!

Sacred tree

Stein River

For more info, visit http://www.hyak.com/rivers/thompson.html and http://www.trailpeak.com/trail-Stein-River-Trail-near-Lytton-BC-436.

Island Hopping in Micronesia

I visited several remote atolls in the South Pacific comprising the Marshall Islands. My first stop was Kili Island—so small that the airstrip ran from end to end and took up half the island! Just a few feet away from the plane was a short drop to large volcanic rocks and splashing waves. The people were very friendly and smiled a lot. This airport (and all others) had old women assisted by children showing beautiful crafts for sale. Bring lots of US currency because these handicrafts are absolutely stunning! We switched to a smaller plane for Majuro.

These islands have excellent diving spots and hotels offer great dive-tour packages and other activities. All you need are bathing suits, tevas, and shorts. Leave your heels and suits at home! In Majuro, our tour guide showed us old buildings with faded, peeling paint and World War II relics. He told stories of chiefs and princesses and explorers who left their marks on the island. Majuro is laid back, breezy, and rustic. The next stop is Kwajalein and then Rongelap.

The entire island of Kwajalein is federal territory run by the military. The Marshallese live there but everything is strictly regulated by the United States. We were not allowed to disembark. Through my window I could see edges of the tarmac lined with beautiful coconut trees. Our flight attendant talked about Bikini Atoll where nuclear testing was done and other stories about growing up in the Marshall Islands. After gassing up we headed for Rongelap to switch to a DC-10. Rongelap was like Kili Island and not as “westernized” as Majuro. I watched the sun set as we took off for Hawai’i. I took the island-hopping route because it was the cheapest route to Hawai’i and I have no regrets!

To see a map of the South Pacific region I visited, go to http://www.mapsouthpacific.com/micronesia/index.html

About me

Hello, my name is Myra. 

My goal (my dream) is to visit all the parts of the world that intrigue me. In five years I intend to go to one favorite location. One dream trip is to go on a safari with my family in breathtaking Africa to see all of Africa’s splendor—people, panorama, and animals. I just love, love, love nature! We live in a magnificent world full of beautiful people!

I would like to visit the Vatican City and tour Rome for two weeks with my family. I would tour the various museums and ancient churches for their magnificent art and architecture, and rich history. On my list of plenty are St. Peter’s Basilica tombs, chapels, beautiful altars, and the statues of the founding saints; the Colosseum where gladiators turned fear into valor; and the Pantheon—former temple of gods that became a church with hundreds of tombs. I just want to immerse myself in Rome’s grandeur! Maybe another five to ten years later I’ll tour other parts of Italy and then make my way to beautiful Greece—full of history and the most beautiful landscapes!

My most favorite place to be is on a secluded beach where I can have the best of all worlds: the beautiful sands with rocks and foliage full of secret hideouts with marine creatures; lush palms and mangroves with leaves and branches that sing in the winds; the beautiful clear, blue sky or the dark night speckled with blinking stars; and the breathtaking waters—calm and shimmering under the sun or moon, wild with raging waves, or freckled with raindrops from an unexpected rainfall. The ocean is full of truly awesome species in this world! I love exploring the coral reefs and wrecks like tanks from World War II. The fish and marine life are the most interesting to me. I have toured the ocean floor in a mini-submarine, touched EVERYTHING while skin-diving, chased EVERYTHING that caught my eye (but never caught up), explored the grottoes and coves, raced over the waters in a banana boat, jet ski, outrigger, catamaran, windsurf, airboat, speedboat… crashing many times (my scars have stories), and I got lost at sea…

Have any interesting points of interest to share, post them here or send me a message at myracmst@gmail.com.

Tahitian's say, "Araua 'e" which means "see you later!"

Bolton / Tottenham

Didja watch? How about that Fabrice Muamba, eh? So quick to be back in the game after that March incident--what a trooper! But way to go Tottenham...

Garrick

The Garrick Bar has an impressive old Victorian feel with their mirrors and design! We're at the backstage restaurant enjoying the live music and drinks--beautiful Belfast! Cheers!