seven travel secrets

Today, Meg and I successfully made it through the London day and have mastered what some call jet lag [others call it "flight problems"--others being Amanda Jackson].  Here are tips for your next trip:

1.  Get to know the true culture by people watching.  Especially those who want to be watched [like street performers].

2.  Get the best cookies on earth and eat them for lunch.

3.  Go to museums.

4.  Enjoy the sun while it's out . . . and people watch some more.

5.  Go to stores that you couldn't possibly ever buy something from.  [Hint: this saves you from spending a fortune through a lot of "small" purchases.  And it just makes you wish you were rich.]

6.  Take a walk in the rain.  Especially if it's pouring rain, that will really wake you up.

7.  Eat GIANT Dutch pancakes after your walk to warm you up a bit.  And to have an excuse to get out of the rain.

If you do all of these things, you will be savvy, successful travelers just like Miss McConkie and me.  Or you can watch Steve Ricks' videos.

some acknowledgments

Before I leave, I feel like I need to say a few thank-yous for all who made this upcoming adventure possible.  You know, like an Oscar speech:

Thank you Amanda and Audrey for letting me crash on your couch/bed during the times that I needed to come to Provo for work.

Thank you everyone who gave me a hug good-bye and good luck wishes . . . I'll definitely need them.

Thank you Greg, Holmes, and Elle for giving me information about Spain and such.  And thanks Jake (and Greg again) for helping me out with my Spanish.

Thanks Trent for letting me steal your fiancée for this.  I promise I'll keep her safe and happy.

Thank you Meg for leaving your fiancé to go and do this with me.  I promise I'll keep you safe and happy.  

Thanks Elisabeth for printing off a picture and going to Sno Shack with me and doing other fun stuff before I left [and Mal and Jane and Audrey and Amanda and Tess].  I'll miss you.

Thanks Carli and Alexa and James for giving me London advice and doing stuff with me [once I get there].  We'll have fun.

Thank you my dear parents for taking me to Europe at such a young age and instilling/awakening the travel bug within me [you're probably regretting it now].

[ I'm the baby. ]

Thanks dad for eating brownies and ice cream with me last night and talking me through everything.  And for being worried.  And for helping out [a lot] with certain payments and such. And for being a great dad.  And for letting me go.

Most of all, thank you thank you thank you mom for everything.  For spending all of those hours researching hotels, flights, things to do, little facts, bus and train information, etc.  For going to the meetings that I couldn't go to and taking my paperwork to the U.  For picking up those extra shifts so that you could help pay for things. For being so patient with me and being so excited for me . . . even though you deserve a trip like this much more than I do.  And for helping me get everything ready and taking me from place to place, making sure that I'm not forgetting anything.  And for making steak on Sunday and taking me to Hires for my last burger today.  And for staying up late with me while I finish everything.  Honestly, I don't know how I would've been able to go on this were it not for you.

Oh and thank you Walmart for providing me with a watch that allows two time zones and has an alarm.  And for the sour patch watermelons.

I think that should be all.  If you happen to be reading this and feel like you deserve some recognition, just insert your name+acknowledgment somewhere.  Until next time [when I'll be writing from Europe!], adios.

a purpose

Alrighty mother dear [and other readers if any], I have caved.  

As much as I would like to stay away from being a "blogger," there were a few things that made me realize I should probably just go ahead and make a blog for Spain:

[1] The number of times you have asked me to make a blog.

[2] The sad look on your face when you found out my Oviedo blog has to be written in Spanish.

[3] The fact that Mother's Day is this Sunday, and I can't really think of a present that you would like more.

[4] Tricia told me that I'm boring because I never do a Facebook "status."

In this blog, I will try to answer any and all questions I feel that you would ask, and I will make sure to post a lot of pictures.  I considered having the color scheme of this blog be tan, beige, white, cream, and ivory . . . but I just couldn't bring myself to do that.  Sorry.  [I still love you though.]

So, here is your Mother's Day 2011 present--a blog dedicated to you.